User Albums Journey
Exploring beyond the book, one album at a time
216
Albums Rated
3.54
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1970s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Generous
Rater Style
32
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish Train And Other Stories | 5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
| Savage Sinusoid | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| Vedergällningen | 5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
| Fuzz | 5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
| Gordon | 5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
| The Monitor | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Sailing The Seas Of Cheese | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Music For People In Trouble | 5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
| Super Ape | 5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
| We Like It Here | 5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | 2 | 3.52 | -1.52 |
| Portishead | 2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
| Rip It Off | 1 | 2.19 | -1.19 |
| Grand Prix | 2 | 3.17 | -1.17 |
| Brat | 2 | 3.14 | -1.14 |
| I And Love And You | 2 | 3.05 | -1.05 |
| Funeral Dress | 2 | 3 | -1 |
5-Star Albums (32)
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Popular Reviews
Chris de Burgh
5/5
Hi everyone. I shared this album, and I know you are thinking what the heck, but hear me out.
This album (physical vinyl) was given to me by a guy I had just met at a party. He wanted me to hear The Painter, which he called "My Last Duchess with saxophone". That boy met a tragic end just a week later and I still have that record to this day. Don't Pay the Ferryman (not on this album) is another fave that me and my late Dad shared back in the day. So DeBurgh has a protected permanent spot in my heart.
As far as this album, the title song, Spanish Train, has some great imagery; it feels like "The Devil still cheats and wins more souls..." more and more these days. What can the good guys do while remaining good guys? Lonely Sky is so winningly over the top, I sing along every time. This Song For You made me look up and read about Passchendaele. Ouch. Perhaps it will touch your heart. Maybe Patricia The Stripper will tickle you. Maybe The Painter will win over your inner poet.
Are some of the songs a bit much? I mean sure, arguably, but it is still pretty fun. This album is a huge slice of 70's cheese in a way we hadn't heard much on the main list, I think of it as "castle rock". I hope you find something in here to enjoy that you haven't heard before.
4 likes
Warren Zevon
4/5
Could have sworn there was some Warren Zevon on the main list. There should have been. Foundational stuff. I've always loved the line "send lawyers, guns and money." However the cover, David Cassidy meets John Lennon, is such a weird choice, when the music is neither.
3 likes
Eric B. & Rakim
4/5
There's some cool stuff in here, I particularly enjoyed Extended Beat along with the first track and the title track. "I hold the microphone like a grudge" is a great line. I'm not versed enough to understand the landmark status this album appears to have in the genre. Without that knowledge I can just rate it "pretty cool". 3.5 rounding up on faith.
3 likes
Chucklehead
5/5
Oh my what a glorious ridiculous album, I love it, especially the particularly over the top just having fun "Tug Boat". An absolute blast top to bottom. Whoever shared this knows how to get a party started. And is probably responsible for the lion's share of their 310 monthly listeners, which is just criminal.
3 likes
The Who
4/5
Bold choice. Was there plenty Who on the main list? Yes. Was this still a good share? Yes.
3 likes
1-Star Albums (1)
All Ratings
Vampire Weekend
3/5
A good choice for a spring day. If this album was a flower it would be a daffodil.
Chloe x Halle
3/5
Lovely harmonies, a pretty candy shell around a more substantial ... actually no. It is pretty sweet the whole way through even given the "men please do better" theme.
The Alan Parsons Project
5/5
Entirely new to me, super excited to get into is, the album cover alone would pull me in but I also happen to be a big Edgar Allan Poe fan. The Raven= my new favorite thing. The Tell-Tale heart goes all Deep Purple. Oh, hello there, orchestra. My goodness, what a trip! I have ascended to some kind of blissy nerd heaven.
Congrats on an amazing choice, user 187. I absolutely needed to hear this before I die.
Freestylers
3/5
Evokes a very specific time and place. A fun party vibe and nice example of this kind of music. 3.5
Arthur Russell
4/5
The album art reflects the sonic experience quite well. There's some sparse structure but mostly the album is just amorphous texture floating around with just a touch of contrasting color. Happy to have had it shared with me but not in love with it for my own listening purposes. Four stars for being interesting.
Great Big Sea
4/5
I love the upbeat energy, sweet and kind. I can absolutely understand why someone might love this album enough to share it. This is an album for happy people who like things. I enjoyed listening.
Karnivool
4/5
Nice and heavy, lots going on musically to like, complex and layered. A great listen tbh. Initially my reaction was I'm not sure how much more anger we need in the world, even as grown up and polished as this is. At least that's how I'm feeling today as grievance torches my retirement. But while there's intensity here for sure, with a closer listen I realize it's more emotionally nuanced than I first thought and ultimately I'm a sucker for some horns.
I wasn't previously aware of Karnivool so I appreciate the share.
GAS
4/5
This album matched my needs today to a t - trying to get things done but nothing so urgent or stressful that I can't stay mostly calm and in the zone. Saving this album to listen to again on future days like this one. Most poppy: Pop 4.
Bran Van 3000
4/5
Completely new to me, quite fun.
Phish
2/5
I've never listened to any Phish but always sort of meant to so I'm not unhappy to have this shared with me. I suppose a compilation of live songs is a reasonable place to start. I enjoyed it more than I expected. However a running 3 star rating got ground down to a 2 during Tweezer. Sorry. But still, I appreciate the share. I feel like my Phish base has now been covered.
Gang of Youths
5/5
The music (especially the orchestral elements), lyrics, and voice come together into a perfect earnest package of pain and hope. Love this. Favorite: Keep Me In The Open, Achilles Come Down, The Deepest Sighs, the Frankest Shadows -- lots of them really.
John Martyn
3/5
Really surprised to get an album from an artist we've already seen twice on this list. Someone must really love this specific album to feel the artist hadn't gotten fair representation. In the main list I gave one a 2 and one a 4 so let's see where this one falls.
Gentle, engaging in places, bluesy and jazzy in good ways, a nice easy album to listen to. That said, I still don't get it.
Café Tacvba
4/5
An absurdly charming romp. Great share, 161, I am absolutely entertained.
4/5
New to me but compares favorably to things of the same ilk that I already like. A little trippy lyrics-wise. A quality share.
Biffy Clyro
4/5
Completely new to me. Starts incredibly strong and stays strong. Loved it! A good choice to share.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
3/5
This stressed me the heck out, especialy Static, but really the whole thing. Full respect to people who find it brilliant, a good match to a Andrei Tarkovsky movie perhaps. But I think just the one listen will do me, thank you.
Kayo Dot
4/5
Constantly interesting to listen to, at points deeply beautiful, and the more aggressive passages felt like a coherent part of the experience; they were "earned", if you will. Totally new to me, I'm glad I've heard it.
The Lumineers
3/5
When this came up I thought I wasn't familiar with it but somehow it was, so I guess it was in the air for a while? I can see how it was popular and how someone might love this album. Catchy and easy to listen to.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
2/5
While I appreciate a good pink panther reference as much as the next girl, some of the random noodling is downright irritating (looking at you The Liquid). Might be fun live at Red Rocks with the right friends on a pretty night, not so much listening in my office answering emails on a Saturday morning hoping for something to give me energy and the will to live. I do appreciate the sax.
Billy Squier
5/5
I absolutely remember when this album came out, it was *everything*. How was this not on the main list? Back to back hits that still sound so great. Wonderful share, finisher 150, you hit it out of the park with this suggestion. I had so much fun listening to this again today after I don't know how long; I'm a teenager again.
Jimmy Eat World
4/5
Going in I'm thinking maybe I've heard of these guys, I'm not sure. But then of course I know The Middle and Sweetness, both of which are so good and pretty darn foundational and thus this album should have been on the main list. Worthy share. I enjoyed the whole thing and am happy to have been exposed to more Jimmy Eat World.
The A Praise Chorus's call out to "crimson and clover" is a nice reminder of how music exists as part of an ongoing continuum and a reminder why this project has been (mostly) a joy.
CAKE
5/5
I have very fond memories of a specific concert at Red Rocks with De La Soul, Flaming Lips, and Cake. I was there to see Cake. The others are on the main list, this should have been too. Great suggestion and I'm enjoying revisiting Fashion Nugget this morning.
Tame Impala
4/5
New to me and an enjoyable listen all the way through. I love all the Canadian and Australian artists that have been suggested in the user list. Another gem I'm happy to have been exposed to. Would have happily traded out many of the albums on the main list for this one.
Screaming Females
4/5
New to me. I find this genre hit or miss and this one was a hit. Good stuff, happy to have had it shared with me.
THE SPORTS
3/5
New to me and enjoyable but not amazing. However I can see how if you grew up listening to this group you could have a huge soft spot for this album.
The National
4/5
Totally new to me. The first song's tempo transition is quite a unique trick, I loved it. All in all a really interesting piece of work in a number of ways, I enjoyed it and appreciate the share.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
A beautiful, deeply personal, gentle, heartbreaking album. A genuine acheivement.There's enough here that I think it merits sharing even as a second entry on the overall list (which is a high bar). It is also not the kind of thing I would choose to listen to.
Courteeners
3/5
Straightforward indie, I haven't heard it before but I might as well have. Being in the west midlands I'm probably not quite north enough to really "get" it. I did find the whole album to be unpretentious and easy to enjoy. But also, you know, kind of basic? What Took You So Long is a standout track. It isn't hard to see why someone would count it amongst their favorites. Happy to have heard it, thank you for sharing.
The Decemberists
4/5
Great quirky choice to share; I'm a sucker for a good rock opera. I especially like that the characters have consistent voices throughout. The queen is just fantastic. Two thumbs up!
The Angelic Process
2/5
Pretty cool in places, outrageously ponderous in places. The names of the songs and the album art are so brutals they edge into entertaining; I kind of love them, tbh, but I can't say this album provides what I usually look for in a music listening experience. I don't hate it but I don't need it, either.
Sublime
4/5
First rate share. Absolutely should have been in the main list.
Robyn Hitchcock
3/5
Wore out its quirky welcome pretty early. But that's ok, we don't have to like all the same things, do we?
Stromae
4/5
A fun catchy confection. Enjoyed it. Very good share!
Titus Andronicus
5/5
The name of the group, title of the album, and album art did not draw me in at all. However as soon as I hit play I was fully engaged. Smart lyrics, energy, interesting in every dimension. I absolutely loved this oddball offering. Kudos to the bold listener who decided this would be the album they shared.
Porter Robinson
4/5
Something new! Had me with Lifeline. This is lovely. I don't mind being in a good mood.
Faith No More
4/5
I like Faith No More. I like this album. Not sure we needed another since they were on the main list, but I'm not unhappy at all to listen.
Alex Cameron
3/5
What in the world. I have so many questions. Sort of makes me think of Meatloaf but dodgier.
Interesting choice to share. I got entirely pulled into the weirdness. Favorite: Runnin' Outta Luck.
Streetlight Manifesto
4/5
Fun. And I love the album art.
Operation Ivy
3/5
It's fine I guess, no obvious flaws, but I don't like it as much as other similar music that's been offered on this list.
John Mayer
4/5
Manages to live in the sweet spot of just interesting enough. Gravity is a great song but there's lots else to like too.
Primus
5/5
Great share. Should have been on the original list for sure. Also, obviously sucks.
Steven Wilson
3/5
Pretty enough but somehow, at least for me, lacking a beating heart.
Nuyorican Soul
4/5
Lots of this is great, although a bit all over the place (understandably). When it really gets cooking, like in Maw Latin Blues and Habriendo El Dominate, or turns sentimental like Taita Caneme, or suprises like Sweet Tears, I love it. Not sure what is going on with the last track, pretty and then pretty weird.
The Marcus King Band
3/5
Solid lazy day music. Somehow made me think of old Rod Stewart in places. Much more interesting musically than lyrically.
Snarky Puppy
5/5
100% new to me and 100% love it. Especially Lingus. Fantastic share!
Shudder To Think
2/5
Weird? Sure. Interesting? No. Really grated from the start. Enjoyed it most when it went the most bass forward. But mostly I found it tedious and offputting.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
OK, it's pretty. But we already had Sufjan on the main list and also on the user suggested list. Nothing here struck me as different enough or exceptional enough to merit yet another entry.
Susanne Sundfør
5/5
Outrageously beautiful.
Stellar share; we weren't going to get to hear this magical work otherwise.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
I gave the one on the main list a 3, which I think is fair. I'm sorry if you love this but I find it mostly boring. Probably a 3 but rounding down for being an artist on the main list.
The Jesus Lizard
3/5
I'm not familiar with this album but the album art is top notch. First song I thought oh, ok, second song I'm like, this is kind of good. Stayed hit and miss. Sunday You Need Love is great, Seasick is really not, Lady Shoes is somewhere in between. Overall pretty strong and a good share.
Procol Harum
4/5
Solid share. I agree Procol Harum should have been on the main list, more deserving than at least half the 1969 albums we all slogged through.
Thee Oh Sees
4/5
Good pick, offered in the true spirit of this project. Great write up, I'm so glad when people have been able to rate their own album before it is generated for me. A bit of an investment timewise because it doesn't invite multitasking. Overall an energetic winner.
Fontaines D.C.
5/5
Nothing I would have ever found for myself and I loved it. Has that certain something all the way through.
The Avett Brothers
2/5
Immediately distracted by the cover art. Is that her shoulder? Can any of you get your shoulder to do that? Anyway, opening track is nice enough I guess. The album is earnest and straightforward. But ultimately just flowed harmlessly by leaving me unmarked. However I'm realizing now I maybe wasn't entirely fair to Fleet Foxes on the main list.
Koritni
3/5
From the cover and the year I wasn't expecting what I got, which was perfectly serviceable straight ahead hard(ish) rock and roll. A fun if unexceptional album.
Tori Amos
3/5
I don't really have words for why I don't enjoy Tori Amos and her ilk. Just rubs me the wrong way I guess. I do respect the songcraft and vocal talent. I just don't enjoy it all that much.
5/5
Perfect for certain days. Today happens to be one of those days. Great share.
Haley Heynderickx
5/5
The write up and cover art really put me off. But this album is actually deeply lovely; poetry colliding appealingly with the practical details of real life. Really intimate, so much so that by the end of my first listen I felt I was in a full (parasocial) relationship with the songwriter. An impressive work of art.
The Dear Hunter
4/5
Partially fun partially wore me out. Favorite: King of Swords (Reversed). On second listen reminded me of Danny Elfman in places, which is a good thing. Upgrading original rating by star.
Fontaines D.C.
3/5
I really liked the last user suggested Fontaines D.C., which was the first I'd heard from them. This one not as much. At all. But very happy to have some brand new music on the list.
Sunny Day Real Estate
3/5
Love the cover, like the album.
100 gecs
4/5
A friend I respect introduced me to 100 Gecs, it's her fave, so I want to love it too. The first song encapsulates what could be great here, musically it is so inventive and fun and I love the vibe. But lyrically completely alien. Keeps me from being able to get completely carried away. Solid share though, fresh, new, and worth hearing.
Guy Clark
4/5
Solid old timey country, with all the usual associated pluses and minuses that implies. More of the pluses and less of the minuses, actually. Love the cover art. Can't wrap my head around that voice coming from that ungrizzled person. Anyway, if you enjoy a good simile, this is the album for you!
Avenged Sevenfold
3/5
Opens in archetypal metal style perfectly matched to the cover. Fun lots of guitar driven energy but lost me by Strength of the World where the vocals completely jumped the shark.
Garmarna
5/5
This is exactly why I'm here.
Childish Gambino
4/5
Sonically super interesting, at turns brilliant, entertaining. A worthy addition to the list.
Alexisonfire
3/5
Solid. Love the bass in particular going furiously. I like all the Canadian entries on the user list. Unfortunately not my most favorite genre, really.
Martha
3/5
Love listening to the newer music people suggest. This is very likable, high energy. Not super special though. Enjoyable not essential.
Jimmy Eat World
3/5
Jimmy Eat World does have something special going on. But I enjoyed the other album shared more than this one. I do think one of them (probably Bleed American) should have have been on the main list.
Nik Kershaw
3/5
I don't know about the whole album but "Wouldn't It Be Good" is absolutely inconic. The lyric is, to me, so profound I still think about it sometimes even 40 years later. No, it wouldn't be good, there would be no one left. We must face the moment. It will pass. The song also makes me think about what do we really know about what is going on inside other people? Am I maybe hearing more than is really there?
Anwyay, for rating purposes, there's, you know, the rest of the album. Which isn't terrible but otherwise isn't really list worthy, is it?
Crystal Castles
2/5
Seemed light it might be fun but I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. Given the icky history of the band that might be just as well.
Roky Erickson
3/5
Straight ahead old timey rock and roll but with a very specific vibe and dark subject matter. Which is fun for a song or two but maybe a bit much for a whole album. Arguably should have been on the main list.
Started out fine and then really grew on me. Had a long chat with Claude about She Came Home for Christmas. Interesting album, nothing I ever would have heard otherwise, good share.
Cluster
2/5
Looks like fun! Should be fun! But isn't that much fun. Mostly just stressed me out. I learned through this project that I'm a huge Kraftwerk fan. But this just doesn't do it for me. I do respect the share and am glad to heard a little more of this kind of music.
Portishead
2/5
Portishead was one of my controversial artists; on the main list I gave them a 2 and a 5. Which brings us to the main point -- there's already two of these on the main list. Minus a star for pretty much failing to understand the assignment. As far as the album itself, didn't love it. Very well executed and super atomspheric, I think they probably accomplished exactly what they were going for. But it isn't a world I personally want to visit or spend time in.
Ani DiFranco
3/5
I'm not all that angry so this feels a little harsh to me. But a good share, I'm glad I heard it.
The Cure
5/5
I would normally ding this a star since there is so much Cure on the main list. But man, this is magnificant.
Enter Shikari
3/5
Love the album art. I really want to love the album. But it sounds dated and, I hate to say it, predictable, which maybe is too harsh for such genre spanning work. There are elements which are great, like the synth element scrabbling around in the background, a nice contrast to the heavier guitar work. But overall it just didn't win me over.
Mary Chapin Carpenter
3/5
Fun poppy country, great voice. Unexceptional but perfectly enjoyable.
Pedro The Lion
3/5
Ambitious but so grim. A good share, I'm glad to have heard it. But oof probably won't be back.
Men I Trust
3/5
"Pretty and perfectly nice" she says, faintly.
Hikaru Utada
4/5
Props for the album cover of ULTRA BLUE being mostly red. Top flight Japanese Pop, should have been on the main list. Something different = solid share.
Johnny Winter
3/5
Album art is agressively misdirective, which is fun, as is the album itself (fun, not misdirective). Maybe not groundbreaking but sometimes you just gotta let the good times roll.
Kano
2/5
Slightly more interesting than irritating. Up until Sometimes. Then I needed to tap out.
Angelo De Augustine
4/5
Lovely and sad. Not for every day, but for some days.
Carly Rae Jepsen
3/5
The lyrics are, on the whole, a confused mess. But if you just let it wash over you like sunshine it's an upbeat poppy winner of an album.
The Mountain Goats
3/5
Enjoyable I guess but not *all* that.
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
5/5
Solid reco. Bob Seger absolutely should have been on the main list. Hollywood Nights and most of the rest are part of the fabric of rock and roll. Also the cover photo is *everything*. The 70's! What a time!
Alexisonfire
2/5
Somehow the overall effect is less than the sum of its parts.
Madvillain
3/5
Solid share, very interesting listen. Didn't super enjoy it but full credit for going some interesting places.
Yeasayer
4/5
Opens strong, pretty interesting, enjoyable album.
Hombres G
4/5
Cover art through me for a loop. Overall pretty fun, reasonably bouncy. Random comment, the opening of El es...Rita la cantaora reminded me of The Cure. Good share.
Stars
3/5
Gorgeous, grim, maybe a bit pretentious lyrically, certainly interesting. I like the different voices, adds something extra.
Death Cab for Cutie
3/5
Death Cab for Cutie certainly should have been on the main list based on influence and popularity, so good share. Personally though, I found Transatlanticism to be chill, pretty, and ultimately pretty boring even though I'm the target audience, an American in a romatantic entaglement with a Brit.
Ornette Coleman
5/5
Top notch share. Important, fascinating, like nothing I've ever heard. Lonely Woman evoked moods I didn't even know were a thing. Can be a bit assaultive in places, but wow, this is one amazing album. Definitely should have been on the main list. Thank you user 360, this is one I did need to hear before I die.
Savages
3/5
Very Siouxsie, obviously, which is fine. This is a credible album, powerful and executed with skill and vision. Yet somehow it doesn't quite click for me; something about the vocal is just aloof enough that I find myself unmoved. The issue may well be with me right now and not the Savages, always hard to say.
Jellyfish
4/5
New to me. An inescapable Queen vibe to open, which is A-OK with me and disposed me to enjoy the rest of the album, which I absolutely did. Incredibly fun.
Chappell Roan
5/5
Huh. Yesterday was Jellyfish and now this, two albums in a row featuring girls wearing tiaras but not looking happy. What are the chances? Heard of it obviously have never listened all the way through. What a delight!
Switchfoot
2/5
meh
Bad Religion
4/5
Solid, energetic, fun, a credit to the genre. A good share!
Sampha
3/5
Smooth, delicious, gauzy in an electronic way. Easy on the ears but with a lot of little things going on. However if you aren't caffinated it may well lull you right into a groovy mellow stupor.
The Burning Hell
4/5
Quirky college radio friendly fun in the tradition of They Might Be Giants. Totally new to me and I dug it. Great share!
The B-52's
4/5
My Own Private Idaho!
I would normally ding a star for being from an artist on the main list. But apparently I'm willing to make exceptions.
The cover art is a bit disappointing, but what can you do.
Spose
2/5
Okay in places, occasionally weird, also genuinely terrible in places. Mostly completely unremarkable, but a wide variety of unremarkable. To the user who shared this: congrats on finishing as user #420.
The Upsetters
5/5
Completely new to me and I absolutely love it! Thank you sharer this album is definitely going into rotation.
I had a nice chat with Claude about it and it told me "While reggae tells stories through song, dub tells stories through sound manipulation and space" which I thought was pretty good.
Modest Mouse
3/5
Very hit or miss for me.
Roger Waters
3/5
I really wanted to like this more than I did. I wonder if I would like The Wall now if I was hearing it for the first time. Anyway, still a good share, I'm glad I got around to hearing it and am glad the sharer put it on the list.
Rachel Stevens
3/5
The album art certainly doesn't make one optimistic about the album, ehich is actually better than advertised. A very good version of what it is, slick sexed up synthy pop with no lyrical ambition but plenty of vibe. Enjoyable enough on its own terms so no objections from me.
The Stooges
3/5
Madness. Only occasionally in a good way.
TOOL
3/5
This is the first TOOL album I've ever listened to. The reviews lead me to believe I'll be listening to all the rest of them over the next several months. Obviously at least one album should have been on the list, making at least one a legit share. Is it this one? I obviously can't say. I can say I really enjoyed the first couple tracks but they started to lose me at Litanie contre la Peur; afterwards I was more atuned to and irritated by some of the aimlessness. Overall the album left me interested in hearing some of the other albums but I probably won't be back for this one again.
Chris de Burgh
5/5
Hi everyone. I shared this album, and I know you are thinking what the heck, but hear me out.
This album (physical vinyl) was given to me by a guy I had just met at a party. He wanted me to hear The Painter, which he called "My Last Duchess with saxophone". That boy met a tragic end just a week later and I still have that record to this day. Don't Pay the Ferryman (not on this album) is another fave that me and my late Dad shared back in the day. So DeBurgh has a protected permanent spot in my heart.
As far as this album, the title song, Spanish Train, has some great imagery; it feels like "The Devil still cheats and wins more souls..." more and more these days. What can the good guys do while remaining good guys? Lonely Sky is so winningly over the top, I sing along every time. This Song For You made me look up and read about Passchendaele. Ouch. Perhaps it will touch your heart. Maybe Patricia The Stripper will tickle you. Maybe The Painter will win over your inner poet.
Are some of the songs a bit much? I mean sure, arguably, but it is still pretty fun. This album is a huge slice of 70's cheese in a way we hadn't heard much on the main list, I think of it as "castle rock". I hope you find something in here to enjoy that you haven't heard before.
Oingo Boingo
5/5
Fantastic choice to share! I considered sharing it myself. This was a huge favorite amongst me and my friends at the time and Danny Elfman absolutely deserves representation on this list. He has such a distinct sound, and was a huge part of what I guess we can call the "Burtonesque" aesthetic, which is certainly alive and well on Dead Man's Party. Big part of the 80's, at least to me.
Polvo
2/5
I really wanted to like this. But I didn't.
Mull Historical Society
4/5
Reading the description I thought "oh no, this is exactly what we had too much of on the main list". But you know what? I loved it. Also google took me down a rabbit hole and now I'm planning to visit the Isle of Mull and especially Fingal's Cave.
Ian McDonald
3/5
Did not impress at first but there were some nice parts. The Workshop and Birdman - The Reflection in particular.
Transvision Vamp
3/5
Fun energy. It is very 80's, which to me isn't automatically a bad thing. Exactly the kind of thing I would normally like but it just didn't quite do it for me. There's something about it a little try hard or even redolent of a novelty act. I think the album cover art didn't help.
King Tubby
4/5
Had Super Ape from the list recently and loved it. This is great too, chill vibe, just hanging out being cool. That said it is samey enough to kind of fade into the background after a while.
The main album project was an education, the user list doubly so. Kudos to all y'all really for some great shares.
Gotcha!
2/5
Based on the description I really wanted to like this. But by Any Better Love I was really ready for it to be over.
System Of A Down
5/5
I like System of a Down and gave their debut album 4 stars on the main list. This is the album that should have been on the list, sharing user got that right. Usually I ding shares of artists already on the list but not in this case because Toxicity is the pinnacle of its genre.
Neil Cicierega
2/5
A few fun moments, Mullet with Butterfly Wings was my favorite, but the basic idea doesn't sustain an hour long exploration. Some of the mash ups were more amusing in concept than execution. Also looks like the sharer didn't actually finish the project?
R.E.M.
5/5
I like R.E.M. and this is my favorite album from them. Should have been on the main list. Good share!
Deltron 3030
3/5
The name and cover art convey the content perfectly. Better than average but still not my thing. Happy to have listened though, worthy share.
Talking Heads
4/5
A fun live album, better than average.
Avicii
4/5
Enjoyable synth pop. Junk food, sure, but sometimes that's just what hits the spot. Happy to have had it shared with me and to have given it a listen.
Cardiacs
3/5
There were cetain elements I liked here and there, and obviously the creativity is off the scale. But wow was this relentless, making the run time a big ask. I wasn't so sure at the outset but by the end I was convinced it should be on the list. Also hearing it once was enough.
HELLYEAH
2/5
Weirdly I enjoyed the most country inflected songs the most. Which still wasn't that much. Competent, obviously, but also too much in several ways.
blink-182
4/5
You don't really need my review. You know what it is. Its good and a landmark. It should have been on the main list.
Sports Team
4/5
Launches loud but settles into a certain wry chaotic upbeat energy that somehow puts me in the mind of Violent Femmes despite the time and place. Enjoyable.
3/5
Without context: Album title and cover art telegraph exactly what's inside. The first song is amazing but the album quickly becomes difficult, overwraught, chaotic. It is plenty interesting and in places quite successful (the middle of Pretending has a lot going for it), but overall to much for me. With a smidgen of context: oof, what a shame, solid share, not sorry to have spent a little time with it.
Igorrr
5/5
The opening "bars" of the first "song" and I was oh no. But pretty quickly I came around. Igorrr is awesome. Album art is just right. A fantastic ball of weirdness with some traditional mooring around the edges. Two thumbs up. Brilliant choice, finisher 174.
Reincidentes
3/5
Punky, dramatic, heavy -- nice mix of styles, enjoyed the energy. Didn't really hit it out of the park for me but I'm happy to have listened once.
Marillion
3/5
I livked Lavendar. Eitherwise too much -- or not enough.
Sparks
4/5
The album art didn't pull me in but the first song sure did. An album that coaxes you into motion and then, likely, a little happiness.
Ex-Easter Island Head
4/5
Album art and album both quite nice.
The Who
4/5
Bold choice. Was there plenty Who on the main list? Yes. Was this still a good share? Yes.
Ween
3/5
This album is basically a musical potluck dinner. The spread is undeniably impressive in its scope, and like any good potluck, you'll find yourself going back for seconds of dishes you never expected to enjoy. But while the variety keeps things interesting, not every dish hits with the same impact. Simultaneously a showcase of Ween's considerable talents and their genuine love for American popular music's many flavors while also a scattershot confusing mess.
Les sheriff
3/5
Surprisingly listenable and enjoyable for a live double album in a language I don't speak.
Al Stewart
3/5
Thoroughly almost aggressively pleasant.
The Postal Service
3/5
Kudos to them for pulling this off and I see a lot of people really love the result. I'm kind of meh about it. The overall impression is that the album is quite pretty; I really like the music, but the lyrics and vocals let the music down somewhat. They don't completely meld in the end and blandify the whole experience (to my ears). I have no objection to having been given it to listen and I could be convinced the album deserves to be on the main list.
Harry Styles
4/5
Solid well crafted pop, and despite the ridiculous double entendre-y lyrics, Watermelon High really does sound like you want summer to feel. Very listenable. I liked it better than I thought I would and am glad to have had it shared with me.
Richard Dawson
3/5
I'm at a bit of a loss for how to rate this album. Original, bold, creative, confident; but man it grates. A for effort, certainly worth sharing, I'm (somewhat) happy I checked it out. Also it's a lot. Maybe a few more listens would win me over but I don't have it in me just at the moment.
Khruangbin
5/5
yes Yes YES! Love this. Thank you user finishing 241. This really hit the spot today. Cover art is great too, just right.
Courtney Barnett
4/5
Clearly all about the lyrics, or really the attitude, since the music and voice aren't the thing, although her accent is charming. The songs are quite engaging and mostly move right along; listening put me in a certain enjoyable headspace. She makes me feel cool and pleasantly aloof and like everthing might eventually be ok.
LaBelle
5/5
Super cool share, user finishing 162! Two thumbs up. So fun to listen too. Absolutely should have been on the main list. Lady Marmalade is a great song of course, also really enjoyed Don't Bring Me Down and several others. LaBelle is all that (and more)! This one will get you moving.
Sam Fender
3/5
Pretty straight ahead rock and roll. Would not have guessed it is brand new. First song put me in the mind of Bruce Springsteen; that feeling came and went throughout, perhaps with the saxophone. It's fine?
Chucklehead
5/5
Oh my what a glorious ridiculous album, I love it, especially the particularly over the top just having fun "Tug Boat". An absolute blast top to bottom. Whoever shared this knows how to get a party started. And is probably responsible for the lion's share of their 310 monthly listeners, which is just criminal.
Amadou & Mariam
4/5
Compelling and charming, pulls you right along, like a friend dragging you to the dance floor. I probably won't know the local moves but I'm game to try! Solid summertime music.
Songs: Ohia
3/5
The album art is spare but arresting. Best thing about the album, which otherwise failed to grab me. It isn't terrible, just not the kind of thing I enjoy. If this is your go to album I'm sorry and I hope things get happier for you soon. Sincerely.
Wishbone Ash
4/5
Absolutely gorgeous evocative album art, I love it so much. It feels like bravery and duty, standing between peaceful civilization and the unknown beyond, the platonic ideal of strong male protection with only a few exposed knuckles making him human. But from a different point of view it is fear and oppression and the worst kind of power, implacable, above everything, nearly eclipsing the sun.
As for the album itself, not a bad way to spend an hour or so, if you don't mind spending it in the 70's. Not so sure about "a conquerer fighting to be free"; encapsulates the duality of the album art I guess, but in a confused way. But, you know, whatever. Rock and roll!
Rita Ora
3/5
Sounds like she can probably sing, but hard to tell for sure. They should let her belt out something honestly and see where that gets us. I dug the Fatboy Slim. Overall enjoyable, sounds like my hair salon, and that's fine.
Bob Mould
4/5
Agressive but bleak and without enough energy for me to get caught up in it. Not a bad choice to share but just not for me, at least today. Actually, kind of grew on me with a second listen. Moods can sure change over the course of a day, can't they!
Barenaked Ladies
5/5
For sure Barenaked Ladies should have been included in the main list, and this sunny debut is a fine choice of album. I remember when If I Had A Million Dollars came out and thought it was great at the time and, to my ears, the whole album still holds up. Solid share.
Jack Johnson
4/5
I'm fine having something pleasant and easy on the list. Life is angry and interesting enough, all the time; once in a while it is ok to take a break with music that isn't.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
4/5
Really enjoyable. Proggy and wandering but with good energy. Good share and worth the trouble to find on YouTube.
Scraping Foetus off the Wheel
3/5
Dark Zappa. Three and a half stars.
Michael Hurley
2/5
I'm sorry, this is nails on a chalkboard to me. I'm sure he was a charming sweet old man, clearly witty, and I'm sorry to hear of his recent passing. If you love this album you are probably a decent human being. But not my cup of tea.
INXS
5/5
Gobsmacked to realize this wasn't on the list. INXS hit it out of the park with Kick. This album was absolute perfection to my teenage ears. Well spent share, 41. Two thumbs up.
Neutral Milk Hotel
2/5
Undoubtedly should have been on the list. Had me at Pt.1, lost me on Pt.2 though. Alternating stretches of annoying and boring with the occasional dash of charming.
The Tragically Hip
4/5
Straightforward rock and roll. Perfectly enjoyable. Solid share.
Slowdive
3/5
By far the best shoegaze I've heard from this proejct so far. I actually kind of liked it.
Lo Fidelity Allstars
3/5
Enjoyed the funkier tracks. Didn't enjoy other tracks like I Used to Fall In Love.
MF DOOM
4/5
Fun and funny; appealingly bonkers.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I love Depeche Mode and rated both albums on the main list 5. Speak & Spell sounds like junior high to me, which is a good thing, and Just Can't Get Enough is certainly an iconic representation of the era. Generally speaking, though, they definitely have not yet hit their stride with this album.
I agree with a previous reviewer who pointed out the album art (which is quite arresting) and album content seem unrelated, and I would further say the album title is also unrelated to either (beyond just "electronic"). Or maybe there's something deep here and I'm just not getting it?
Yo La Tengo
4/5
Perfectly Enjoyable
Future Islands
3/5
Refreshing; ever so slightly offbeat but also poppy. Enjoyable enough but not ground breaking. I could see myself listening to this again sometime. Not a fan of the cover, though.
Tosca
4/5
Absolutely gorgeous, love this. Opening songs are the strongest. Less vocals is better. Album art is a much better realization of the idea than the album I had yesterday Singles from Future Islands (https://1001albumsgenerator.com/user-albums/26bhmgVpg5E5HyU4K1BYMc/singles).
Chromatics
4/5
Fantastic retro album art, a slightly raunchy take on Patrick Nagel (RIP) to match the retro synthy pop. But the decidedly black background sets us up for a moody album that sounds like the soundtrack to a noir film where everyone drives Lamborghinis and nobody sleeps. A great groove to hang out in for a while. Good share! Really enjoyed it.
Espers
3/5
From the opening notes I thought I was going to love this. In the end I really didn't. By Dead King I was down from 4 stars first impression to 2 stars. So I guess fair to split difference.
Various Artists
4/5
What can you do with this? I mean I literally went to see Rocky Horror at midnight on prom night. There's no separating the music from the memories.
Ornatos Violeta
4/5
Nice share, definitely something different and I'm glad to have been exposed to it. Also I totally want to get me one of those little guys on the album cover. So cool.
However, and nothing against the person who shared this, it is a good share, but I'm not sure about trying to keep up with user albums if you don't have to finish the list before submitting an album. Or at least halfway through. Or 10%?
Shihad
4/5
Straight ahead hard core rock and roll. Lots of energy, lots of fun. Not groundbreaking but I'm happy to have had it shared with me, got me going.
The Chameleons
3/5
User 361, who often writes great reviews, noted that most people will find the cover art bland and the music to be a run-of-the-mill exercise from that time and place. Guilty as charged. I see the review's argument that a more generous listen, a closer look, would reveal important layers and nuances. Maybe if I had heard The Chameleons first, before The Cure and Echo and the Bunneymen and etc, I would be willing to give Script of the Bridge the time it deserves. But on a single listen, meh, it's good, yes, but I feel like I've heard it all before. I'm sorry. This is a solid share but personally I'm here to broaden my knowledge and I think this album instead served to deepen my knowledge.
The Hold Steady
2/5
Musically straight ahead, lyrically a bit too drug soaked. I would think the album cover was AI generated if it wasn't from 2006.
4/5
New to me. Perfectly nice, finds a nice groove. Midnight City and the last song, Outro caught my ear and I also enjoyed Wait. 3.5 rounding up because it happened to be a nice day for gentle.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Offbeat and quirky, which is usually a plus, but here is mostly offputting. Grew on me a little in the first half but fully over it by the end. Cover art is pretty dope.
First Aid Kit
4/5
Everything about the album cover made me think oh no, and it was accurate to the music, but wow the music is absolutely winning. A surprise gentle lovely gem.
Bon Iver
4/5
First Bon Iver I've had on the list and the first time I've listened to them. Lovely but meloncholy and a tiny bit jagged in places. Perfectly matched to the album art. I enjoyed it today. A different day I might have been quite bored with it. But we all know timing is everything in this life.
The cover makes me think of bun bun from Sluggy Freelance, but I'm sure that's only me. This is like a angrier less likable one note version They Might Be Giants. Quick songs with lots of clever words very fast, fun to sing along to. Unfortunately nothing pulls me in enough for me to give it time it would take for this to grow on me. I like the spirit but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
The Church
4/5
If you say The Church I think of the Lost Boys soundtrack, so seeing this is a new album took me by surprise. I'm equally surprised by how good it is. These guys still got it!
Ookla The Mok
3/5
If Weird Al was a monkey. They Might Be Monkeys? The kind of thing I usually find charming but not in this serving size.
TOOL
4/5
Pretty good stuff.
Louis Armstrong
5/5
Utterly charming. Something from Louis Armstrong certainly should have been on the list so I commend the share. I only wish we had better sound quality but what can you do.
Amália Rodrigues
3/5
A solid share even though it's a compilation -- basically sharing a whole genre in one voice. I'm happy to have listed through. Moody, smokey, firmly rooted in time and place.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Fun, but except for Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey I didn't quite love it.
Eric B. & Rakim
4/5
There's some cool stuff in here, I particularly enjoyed Extended Beat along with the first track and the title track. "I hold the microphone like a grudge" is a great line. I'm not versed enough to understand the landmark status this album appears to have in the genre. Without that knowledge I can just rate it "pretty cool". 3.5 rounding up on faith.
Noname
4/5
Absolutely love the vibe and the personality on display. Album cover is just right. Fantastic share, I never would have encountered this album otherwise as this isn't my usual music. Although after years of this project do I really have a usual music anymore?
Warren Zevon
4/5
Could have sworn there was some Warren Zevon on the main list. There should have been. Foundational stuff. I've always loved the line "send lawyers, guns and money." However the cover, David Cassidy meets John Lennon, is such a weird choice, when the music is neither.
Dead Boys
3/5
Landmark punk album I'm sure. But punching ladies isn't, you know, super. Still, solid share, probably should have been on the main list.
Chet Baker
5/5
Chet! The ladies love him! I guess. Based on the cover art. Anyway, there obviously should have been some Chet Baker on the list; he's definitely a hall of famer. Also a cautionary tale / inspiration. This is a great choice of album. Singing is great but playing is better imho. Wonderful share.
Charli xcx
2/5
I really wanted to like it. Other hot new music shared on this list I've liked a lot. This one not so much. Maybe I don't dig autotune as its own thing.
New Model Army
5/5
A complete surprise. Fell into a groove that really worked for me and then stayed there. Really enjoyed this one. The people who compared this to The Alarm were dead on. I love The Alarm probably for the same anthemic, group singing potential feeling these songs have.
Valerie June
4/5
I found this album completely charming and engaging.
Charles Aznavour
4/5
Even though this sounds like Sinatra and brings to mind 50's golden era rat pack shenanigans, it also feels like a rainy cafe in Paris in the 20's with a slinky flapper type chain smoking on your arm with a side of absinthe. Which is fun. This was a fun album and a great share.
Killswitch Engage
4/5
"Killswitch Engage" is an objectively great name for a metal band. This album brings together a number of elements I usually enjoy, and I mostly did here. The suggestor's write up definitely helped me appreciate it. Well shared.
Boy Azooga
4/5
I like the name of the album and of the band. Wasn't wild about the music on first listen but tried again louder and that did it.
Amyl and The Sniffers
4/5
Guided by Angels is a potent opener to burst out of the gate on a high. She's got lots of energy for sure. Nice to know kids are still up to this kind of thing. Fun share.
Weezer
3/5
I think Weezer should have been on the main list. I wanted to like this album, I admire the ambition of it. But it never quite hooked me. I still like the share and don't mind having spent some time here.
Bruce Hornsby
3/5
I'm immediately taken with the album art, reminds me of an album we had in the main list I think by Dire Straits.
Unwound
2/5
Sure, OK. Not really fingernails on a chalkboard but not super engaging. I hear the interesting sonic complexity but it just didn't pull me in. No objection just didn't love it. A bit too Sonic Youth for me.
Quicksand
3/5
Drops right into the pocket with Fazer, which sounds great. Solid down-the-middle muddy grungy dissonant post-hardcore with undeniable hooks. However, to me it sounds like so many other bands, yes executed brilliantly, but nothing caught my ear particularly past the first track. Maybe that's not quite fair but that's how it hit me today.
Ozzy Osbourne
5/5
I live in Birmingham and the loss of Ozzy has hit this town HARD. There's a retrospective at the art museum, there's murals of Black Sabbath all over town, they named the bridge on Broad Street for him (and it is still covered in flowers), and more. All rightfully so. As far as Blizzard of Ozz, Crazy Train alone should have put it on the main list. And I can't help it, Goodbye to Romance brought a tear to my eye. Great share!
PS: I love Ozzy's bio on spotify, which reads, in its entirety: If you need to read a bio to learn about who Ozzy Osbourne is, what rock have you been living under?
Wussy
2/5
Love the cover art, well suited to the album, wanted to love the music, but just didn't. I'm not against a little looseness but you've got to be careful with it or it becomes more irritating than interesting. I would like to hear the pitch for the album by the person who submitted it, that could probably convince me another star is merited. But without context, two stars.
The Tragically Hip
3/5
I liked the first Tragically Hip album this list gave me. This one is also fine, but a little less so.
Robyn
3/5
I really don't like the album art. It sort of does match the music, though. The album feels like a complete mismatch of form and content. Shiny over produced sdynths and beat but a sad regretful sounding girl. All of that said the whole album is quite solid catchy pop; I found it perfectly listenable.
of Montreal
4/5
They seem to lean hard into quirky titles, which I guess fair enough as it is a quirky album. Wasn't won over immdiately there is a lot to take in but on a second listen I decided I like it.
Descendents
4/5
I absolutely love the cover art. The music is adolescent and very of its time and also energetic and fun. Runs through ideas at a rapid pace and then shows itself out before you even know quite what happened. I can totally imagine these guys sitting in a suburban garage in 1979 complaining about their parents and girls at school and then yelling and pounding drums all afternoon while they work out some lyrics. I remember many of those feelings; I wonder if it is still relatable to kids today. Probably.
Times New Viking
1/5
No. This is just noise.
Bon Iver
3/5
Lots of symbolism, like literal symbols, in the cover art, sure, but also in the track listing? Feels awfully pretentious from the get go. I liked the other Bon Iver you lovely 1001ers shared with me but I'm more skeptical about this one. Interesting textures (I don't usually use that word for music but it fits here), a variety of sounds and effects, but it all overwhelms the lyrical content in a way that does neither any favors. All of that said, it grew on me significantly with a second listen.
No Doubt
4/5
How is this not on the main list? Great share. This album had an impact.
The Amazing Devil
4/5
Soars much more than the cover art would imply. Despite initial misgivings I wound up liking it quite a lot.
Malibu
3/5
Pleasant enough. I do like ambient and this was fine but not exceptional?
Baroness
4/5
A good medium energy groove, not too demanding on the listener, which is totally ok, entertaining throughout. I'm not sure about the cover art in isolation but seeing all the covers of their whole ouvre lined up side by side, I approve.
Floating Points
5/5
How great would this be to hear in a proper concert hall with a full orchestra? Loved it, just loved it.
The Groundhogs
4/5
A bit of a history lesson but not in a bad way. Sounds like exactly what and when it is. Solid bluesy guitar rock. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Might have been an ok inclusion over one of the very many other similar albums on the main list.
Billy Strings
3/5
Billy Strings can hit a twang with the best of them. Some very traditional sounding songs, some less so. Some successful songs, some less so. More aggressive curation would have helped. Favorite track: Gild the Lily. Least favorite: MORBUD4ME
The Sound
3/5
I like many similarly situated bands but this doesn't quite connect with me. It's fine and did grow on me somewhat while listening through the whole album. I do see why someone might want to add this to the list and appreciate being made aware of them. Great cover art.