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Wed Dec 22 2021
The White Album
Beatles
Better than I remember
5
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Thu Dec 23 2021
Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Ding ding ding
3
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Sat Dec 25 2021
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
4
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Tue Dec 28 2021
Play
Moby
If I had to list out the most important albums of the 2000s I likely would not have thought of this one. Listening to it now it’s pretty undeniable how pervasive this music was during that decade.
The bad take is this is the sound of car commercials. Realistically, this is the sound of cool for this era and everyone wanted to be associated with Moby. This album is so clean and so catchy it’s no wonder every song got put under any commercial or movie that would pay for it. 20 years later I think you have to call this the point when ‘selling out’ stopped being a thing.
5
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Wed Dec 29 2021
Darkdancer
Les Rythmes Digitales
I really dig this album!
4
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Thu Dec 30 2021
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
Ah so this is very good
I might have to listen to this a few more times because this is absolutely a masterpiece
4
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Fri Dec 31 2021
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
3
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Sun Jan 02 2022
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
3
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Mon Jan 03 2022
Virgin Suicides
Air
4
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Tue Jan 04 2022
Fragile
Yes
Roundaboot
3
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Wed Jan 05 2022
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash is a lot funnier than I expected lol
4
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Thu Jan 06 2022
All Mod Cons
The Jam
The Jam (and Paul Weller) is a band I know about; but don’t really know their music aside from a few songs. I mostly know them from influencing most of the bands I grew up listening to. Hearing this now you definitely hear where every Oasis song is ripped off from, but also the stems of New Pornographers and Paraquet Courts. For good reason too.
This album absolutely rips. A little over half an hour and doesn't overstay it’s welcome.
Killer tracks
David Watts
English Rose
5
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Fri Jan 07 2022
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
5
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Sat Jan 08 2022
The Blueprint
JAY Z
3
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Mon Jan 10 2022
Mothership Connection
Parliament
Pretty good, but most songs need to be 3-4 minutes shorter lol
3
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Tue Jan 11 2022
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
4
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Wed Jan 12 2022
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
Ugh do I like Rufus Wainwright?
4
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Thu Jan 13 2022
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
3
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Fri Jan 14 2022
Bummed
Happy Mondays
Pretty good album!
I’d like to use this time to ask ask the question; why is it that Spotify and Apple Music always put these remastered versions of albums up that double the songs of the original release? It’s always a bunch of B-sides or demos. Really kills the flow of an album or in the case of one like Bummed, I have no idea if this is a double album or just expanded. I have to assume because they're the latest version the studios have put out, so that’s what these services are able to license. I’ve noticed this trend more going through the list of albums and most LPs are usually only 30-45 minutes long, but the version that’s available is 2 hours long. It’s too much! It’s like if the only version of Lord of the Rings that was available was the extended editions. I would never watch them!
4
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Sat Jan 15 2022
The Undertones
The Undertones
Honestly one of the best discoveries I’ve had going through these albums. This is absolutely my shit.
5
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Sun Jan 16 2022
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
4
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Mon Jan 17 2022
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
Candidate for lo fi hip hop radio-beats to study/relax to
Not gonna say I didn’t enjoy it tho
3
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Tue Jan 18 2022
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Well not at all what I was expecting.
As someone with a passing interest in Dropkick Murphies this was pretty good. I’ve definitely heard this album in bars in Peterborough.
3
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Wed Jan 19 2022
Connected
Stereo MC's
Oh this album is so of its time. And I’m (slightly) too young to have nostalgia for this one. I’m sure if I was in university in the 90s I would have loved this
2
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Thu Jan 20 2022
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
Good vibes! Will likely listen to more
4
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Fri Jan 21 2022
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
Um this album rips
Empowers New Clothes is very good
4
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Sat Jan 22 2022
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
5
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Sun Jan 23 2022
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Whamp ba de lu bow
4
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Mon Jan 24 2022
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
In high school my friends and I poured over this encyclopedia of Beatles history. In it, there was a full page photo of Patti Boyd and we were obsessed.
So I get it Eric Clapton.
Shame this guy has some bad options on COVID and wrote a protest song about having to wear a mask. The 2020s has really done a number on older pop culture icons lol.
3
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Tue Jan 25 2022
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Good album
4
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Wed Jan 26 2022
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
I really like the Kinks but this album wasn’t doing it for me. Waterloo Sunset tho still great
3
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Fri Jan 28 2022
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
This album is very good.
I feel like the only song that make it onto the radio or TV of Manic Street Preachers in the 90s was If You Tolerate This (very good song and terrifying music video). However I think I have heard most of these songs before. Australia and Design for Life are very good.
I think last time I had checked in with Manic Street Preachers it much have been in the early 2000s as Richey was still an open missing person. I spent some time reading the Wikipedia on the band and found he was declared dead in 2008. Really tragic figure and it’s important he was discussing depression and mental health in the 90s when that wasn’t a subject discussed in pop culture. Likely would have been treated differently had they been around 20 years later.
4
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Sat Jan 29 2022
Let It Be
The Replacements
3
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Sun Jan 30 2022
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
Doesn’t respect your time
1
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Mon Jan 31 2022
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
I wasn’t sure about this album but then they bought in the flute out Freedom Rider and then it’s like ‘blow on, brother’
3
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Tue Feb 01 2022
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
I put this on while making dinner tonight and I have never felt more classy.
Also I was making chicken fingers
4
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Wed Feb 02 2022
Blur
Blur
I guess if you’re going to have a Blur album on this list it’s going to be the self titled one. I think The Great Escape and 13 both have better songs.
I have once heard that One Week by Barenaked Ladies is the most recognizable first second of a modern pop song. Song 2 is a very close second.
3
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Fri Feb 04 2022
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Oh man the vibes this record is giving off.
Most of this album was still in rotation in the early 90s when I was growing up and started hearing pop music. I have a lot of nostalgia for Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels
4
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Sat Feb 05 2022
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
What an absolute classic.
I got into Janes Addiction when they were gearing up for their comeback album in 2003. I remember I had purchased the Spin Magazine they were on the cover of, and the bands I love (RHCP, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden) all had stories about how Janes Addiction shaped their careers. I’ve been trying to figure out now how I was listening to Janes Addiction as I just had my MP3 CD player at that time so uneless I had purchased one of their albums, I likely would have been reading about Janes Addiction for a while before listening to them. It’s crazy to thing how now a band you hadn’t heard you could pull up on Spotify or Apple Music and listen to everything from them. This was still the age when there was some ceremony to having new music, whether you downloaded on your PC or got the CD from a store. But then again, I realize I’m talking nearly 20 years ago.
It is wild how this album now sounds about 2 decades ahead of its time. Listening to some other 80s albums through this list they’re all so much of a time and place. Nothing’s Shocking is so different from everything else popular at the time, and it’s apparent why it doesn’t place in the 80s, as every alternative band writes songs like them and every album is produced like this one is.
Ocean Size, Mountain Song and Standing in the Shower Thinking are all so massive.
Summertime Rolls though is my favourite on this album. Probably because I discovered this band while on a family holiday I have so much nostalgia in this one. I’m listening to this one in February during the worst snowfall in like 10 years and this song sort of is giving the same vibe. I’m really going to have to put this one on again come June.
5
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Sun Feb 06 2022
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
On the list of best closing song to an album ever.
5
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Mon Feb 07 2022
The Wall
Pink Floyd
Dads favourite album.
Is great
4
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Tue Feb 08 2022
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
I mean it’s good.
I feel like a bad person for listening to it though. I can’t reconcile the violence against women, homophobia and I think racism. Even if he’s rapping about people who think like that, there’s not enough distinction in the text that’s what his intention is.
The talent is undeniable. The message is terrible.
4
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Thu Feb 10 2022
Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
Someone else has said in here that they’ve already heard this album every time they’re on hold, which is accurate.
Also you you what, it’s pretty good!
What’s wild is this album came out in 2004 and had a remaster in 2005. I guess it’s because it didn’t come out in North America for a bit.
4
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Fri Feb 11 2022
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
2
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Sat Feb 12 2022
L.A. Woman
The Doors
I always thought the Doors were being unnecessarily pretentious. This is pretty good tho!
4
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Sun Feb 13 2022
B-52's
The B-52's
4
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Mon Feb 14 2022
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
5
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Tue Feb 15 2022
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
This album gets 5 stars for Once In A Lifetime alone. The video also is completely a vibe I aspire to.
The rest of this album is pretty good. Born Under Punches has real ‘just discovered my computers’ soundboard’ energy
4
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Wed Feb 16 2022
American Idiot
Green Day
Expert witness account of this album incoming.
It is easy to forget how big this album was, and Green Day were after this one hit. Going into it though in 2004, popular culture had passed them by. Dookie had hit 10 years earlier and while the following Green Day albums were hits, they were never going to reach the heights their breakthrough did. At the start of the 2000s, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Sum 41 and Simple Plan had taken what Green Day were doing in the 90s and replicated it (to lesser artistic success) and dominated the charts, MuchMusic airtime (yes I’m Canadian) and magazine covers. At the same time, a narrative had been going on in music conversations that rock and roll was dying, the pendulum had swung to pop and hip hop (very short sited and mostly perpetuated by people who only get music through TV and top 40 radio, of which I was mostly too) which had contributed to the overall decline in relevancy of guitar-bass-drum acts.
By time fall 2004 had come around there already were the next generation of popular rock acts coming up (The Killers and Frank Ferdinand had hit earlier in the summer, Arcade Fire would hit mainstream this fall). So here came Green Day with a new album, and it had been a few years since they had put out new music. I think there was some level of hype, and it was known this was going to be a concept album. People forget though, Green Day had changed their image in preparation of this album. For a band that had been at the height of their relevancy 10 years earlier, the refreshed look absolutely helped their appeal, as they somehow looked cooler and ahead of the curve than the other bands that had surpassed them. This was sort of a clean entry point for new fans too as they’re visually striking at this point, sound as good as they ever have and are riding this Anti-Bush wave that’s happening right before the 2014 US election.
So when the American Idiot single came out, I remember the music video had gotten a lot more play than singles from previous Green Day had been. But this album just kept growing with each successive single. Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends we’re all massive hits and had endless radio play. This album landed like nothing else in rock had. They stayed in the public spotlight for at least 2 years off the strength of this record. I remember seeing them on the cover of Entertainment Weekly in 2016 still promoting American Idiot, and the band won the Grammy a few weeks later which kept them going. Now this album has been adapted into a Broadway show and Green Day is the only other band that got a Rock Band game besides the Beatles (AC/DC had a disc, but that was just songs, no band representation)
So I say all of this because looking back at the 2000s decade because of when American Idiot hit, the case could be made Green Day was at the top of the rock pile, along with U2, RHCP, Coldplay and I suppose the Killers. So while people had this conversation that rock was dying in the 2000s we have to count ourselves pretty fucking lucky we had Green Day that rode the mainstream. You may hate this album but it’s better than most of the other slush pile the 2000s had to offer.
The album itself though; it is still absolutely killer and it’s obvious why they became the biggest band in the world again because of this. There’s nothing challenging here about the music; it’s immediate, every song is catchy, lyrics are great (if dated criticism of America in the 2000s). So many of the songs have been ridden into the ground (anything released as a single) so the real winners here are the longer concept album saga songs (Jesus of Suburbia, Homecoming).
What I have had to contend with doing this 1001 album project is putting into perspective when I would have been listening to this album before. American Idiot doesn’t seem like it’s that old. Im assuming this is because the songs in this have been played to death on the radio as well as movies and video games. I’ve also been thinking about Green Day lately as I listened to the excellent episode of the podcast Bandsplain did on Green Day a few months ago. But to place it, I would have been listening to this one when I started university. I would have listened to it on my 3rd Gen iPod (the one with the four red action buttons across the top and the first touch click wheel). I wouldn’t have even had a laptop yet, I would have still had my Compaq desktop PC.
In terms of where this lands in Green Days legacy I have the unpopular opinion that this is their best album. Still incredible that this is a comeback on the level it was considering how they had fallen out of fashion, but listening to the album, it seems obvious. Could Green Day make another comeback? Sure. Apparently Green Day is hot with teenagers. They make music that sounds like what it’s like to be a teen.
Among the best albums of this decade, deserved all of its sales and the success the band had from it.
5
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Fri Feb 18 2022
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
3
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Sat Feb 19 2022
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
The only other Smiths album I had listened to was The Queen Is Dead because I think I had seen it on a list of best British albums. Besides the title track I really couldn’t connect with that album.
This one, upon listening to today I have heard a few times before. I did end up digging this one more. Paint A Vulgar Picture is really good.
4
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Sun Feb 20 2022
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Does this boy really need therapy?
3
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Tue Feb 22 2022
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty good! I’ll likely listen to it more
4
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Wed Feb 23 2022
The Specials
The Specials
I saw this band when they had just reunited in 2009 when I was in Scotland. This was at T in the Park (which I’m has now been reworked into a different festival apparently). First time I had seen someone skanking.
4
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Thu Feb 24 2022
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
.
4
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Fri Feb 25 2022
GREY Area
Little Simz
4
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Sat Feb 26 2022
Bad Company
Bad Company
Peak dad rock
4
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Sun Feb 27 2022
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
I’m just gonna say these boys in prison prob don’t want to hear a song about waiting to be hanged. Just play Boy Named Sue, John.
Also the last Cash album I got on my list I listened to on the way to get my third COVID shot. So that’s still working well!
3
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Tue Mar 01 2022
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
Good 90s vibes
4
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Wed Mar 02 2022
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
4
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Thu Mar 03 2022
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
I heard the ‘rock that shit homie’ sample then got sucked into listening to JSRF soundtrack.
This was really good tho! Better than I expected
4
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Fri Mar 04 2022
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
4
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Sat Mar 05 2022
1989
Taylor Swift
Bow down before your queen
5
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Sun Mar 06 2022
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Everyday People is a song that never fails to make me feel better. Pure pop perfection
5
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Mon Mar 07 2022
The College Dropout
Kanye West
Kanye I know a lot about and not much about his music. The only one I’ve ever got into is Dark Twisted Fantasy, which would be among my most played albums of the 2010s.
I remember when this album came out and a lot of popular rap was pretty materialistic. Kanye (while I know was around for a while before this and had success as a producer) shows up with the rugby sweaters on is going to stand out.
This is an album I’ve heard pretty well all of through osmosis. This one is really good, and really funny at times.
Killer tracks
Jesus Walks
The New Workout Plan
Slow Jamz
5
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Tue Mar 08 2022
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
Son of a Preacher Man. Good song!
4
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Wed Mar 09 2022
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
Goes down smooth
3
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Thu Mar 10 2022
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Appreciate that this man starts the record with getting it on, then has a mid-album check in to make sure you’re still getting it on. Thank you Marvin
3
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Fri Mar 11 2022
Smash
The Offspring
A dirtbag masterpiece
The Offspring being one of the only groups to come out clean after that Woodstock 99 documentary
5
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Sun Mar 13 2022
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
I mean we all look like the guy on the cover after the last 2 years
3
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Mon Mar 14 2022
Dookie
Green Day
This is the first album I thought of as ‘cool’. I remember when it came out none of my friends had it (we were 8) but their older siblings were huge into it.
What a masterpiece. This is the ideal for pop punk and so many bands have been chasing this high since.
5
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Wed Mar 16 2022
Hysteria
Def Leppard
Such a good album. If only for Animal which is a masterpiece.
Most if my knowledge of Def Leppard (and this album) comes from the Classic Album episode about it where they walk through the making, Rick Allen and his drumming, and how they thought they messed up the order they put out the singles on this one. Really fascinating stuff and I’m definitely going to be watching that again after hearing the album through (Classic Albums I have found is free on TubiTV)
5
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Thu Mar 17 2022
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
So good
5
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Fri Mar 18 2022
The Doors
The Doors
Break On Through To The Other Side. Jammed out to that one on the piano in Rock Band 3
Everything else, goes on for way too long. Not that I didn’t enjoy it.
4
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Sat Mar 19 2022
Nevermind
Nirvana
This is as good as it gets right?
I got into Nirvana when I was 16, when the Greatest Hits album came out in 2002 (I think I got it for Christmas, and proceeded to drink deep of their back catalogue). That fall there was also a new Foo Fighters album out, Muchmusic was rerunning their Nirvana documentaries and Kurt’s diaries were wrongly published. Nirvana were in a revival period and despite Kurt having died 8 years earlier, it felt a generation ago at that time.
Listening to this one now, it’s amazing that I had ever thought of this as gritty or non mainstream music. It’s pure pop perfection, I think it’s basically The Beatles in its specificity and catchiness. Part of this has been every popular rock band of the last 30 (!) years ripped this off, from Oasis to Arctic Monkeys, and Linkin Park to Royal Blood. This one is also short enough that it absolutely does not waste a single note. There’s nothing difficult to understand here, guitar solos are pretty much the chorus’ repeated again and Grohls drumming makes the music exciting even if you’re listening on iPod headphones. While a lot of the albums on this list I’ve played I love, this is one of the very few I would play again after it finishes. It’s so focused and still so raw. Probably about the most powerful album I’ve ever heard.
Nirvana were a gateway for me to the rest of alternative and indie rock. At this time my nascent CD collection would have been Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and maybe Barenaked Ladies. I went into so much material on Nirvana I started learning about Pixies, Janes Addiction, Bay City Rollers and Mudhoney. I also started listening to Pearl Jam and Soundgarden at the same time. To this day I still have flannel button down shirts as part of my uniform. Likely the most influential album to my musical tastes and pop culture leanings. I also have no misgivings or embarrassment about my allegiance to it. I think this album is an essential part of growing up.
I suppose I will go into my thoughts about Kurt Cobain next time I get a Nirvana album. Maybe on Dave Grohl if there’s a Foo Fighters coming up.
5
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Sun Mar 20 2022
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
I appreciate this man’s love of Tony Stark.
3
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Mon Mar 21 2022
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
My wife while listening to this album:
“ This sounds like the music that would play when a clown comes to murder you”
1
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Tue Mar 22 2022
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
Drum fills with some diffferent record samples playing.
1
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Thu Mar 24 2022
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
In and out in 37 minutes. You love to see it
3
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Fri Mar 25 2022
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
I had heard most of this album on the radio in the early 2000s. Likely as it was deemed safe to play while a lot of songs that had anything to do with death, flight or not loving America were deprioritized.
Lonesome Day and The Rising are pretty good. But this album as a whole has aged pretty bad. I guess this is considered a return to form for Springsteen, but I don’t think anything he’s done since Born in the USA has really grabbed me.
2
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Sat Mar 26 2022
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
2
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Sun Mar 27 2022
2112
Rush
So I got this album around 2003 and it may have been during my class trip to Ottawa in grade 12. I had for sure got Everything to Everyone by Barenaked Ladies and Live Between Us by Tragically Hip (two bands who's absence on this 1001 list invalidates the whole endeavour).
I started getting into Rush around the time they were having a resurgence during the Rock In Rio DVD and album (with the amazing dragon drinking from a coconut cover). During this time I’m pretty sure the Toronto Star had an article calling 2112 the greatest Canadian album. For me, I cannot agree with that as we have Funeral, Day For Night or even Gordon.
I guess what is the greatest around this album is the mythology. That it’s dominated by a 25 minute anthology about some far flung sci-fi saga. Then you have the musicianship of these three guys completely on display here and it’s pretty unarguable this is their masterpiece.
I am also listening to this album on the day Taylor Hawkins died. The version I listened to on Spotify has the cover by Taylor and Dave Grohl. I saw Foo Fighters in 2015 and they played Tom Sawyer. My brother had years earlier seen Rush in Toronto and Foo Fighters came out for a song on that one too. Really appreciated having this one today on a day when we lost a legend. Likely one of his favourite albums.
4
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Mon Mar 28 2022
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
Had tried years ago to get into this one when this was cited as one of the main influences on punk into grunge era bands. Liked the vibes and energy more than I liked most of the songs. Do appreciate what it did for popular rock over the next 50 years tho.
4
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Tue Mar 29 2022
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
I really like Run to the Hills and Number of the Beast. The rest I can appreciate but overall Iron Maiden is not my thing.
3
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Wed Mar 30 2022
Back to Mystery City
Hanoi Rocks
This is music that a band would play in a cutaway gag from 30 Rock.
Gotta respect that man’s hair tho.
2
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Thu Mar 31 2022
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
What can I say here.
Sam Cooke is the greatest singer of all time.
Bring It On Home to Me is the greatest song of all time.
5
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Fri Apr 01 2022
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
4
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Sat Apr 02 2022
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s fit on this cover still works in 2022
4
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Sun Apr 03 2022
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
I really like Elton John. I first came to him in the early 90s when they used the song I’m Still Standing for a show on City TV (I had thought it was Fashion TV but that was Obsession by Animotion). Really good music video and I’m disappointed they didn’t fully recreate it for the Rocketman movie, instead just green screening Edgerton into it.
I also grew up on the Lion King soundtrack he collaborated on. I think his versions of those songs were the superior ones, but the ones in movie are obviously more appropriate.
Really good few songs. I mean Tiny Dancer is an all timer. Levon is pretty good. I think a lot of the other songs kind of lack any hook or go on for too long.
3
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Mon Apr 04 2022
Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
4
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Wed Apr 06 2022
Music From Big Pink
The Band
I like The Weight. But could get into the rest of this album. Kind of sad boy folk music.
The Band is one I always thought I should be into but could never crack. I say this as a Canadian and from Peterborough, where Ronnie Hawkins who was a previous leader of the band is from. I even remember him doing radio commercials in the early 90s for local businesses.
Their other album has some songs I like but this I could not get in the same wavelength.
3
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Thu Apr 07 2022
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
I was almost going to skip this album today.
Had a super stressful day and was burned by the last few folks albums I had got on this list.
This though? It’s an album that a bunch of hipsters could put out now and Pitchfork would go crazy for. This is really good. I’m amazed that it seemly is one of the freshest sounds I think I’ve got from this. Yes, it does start going into some songs about medieval-age battles (?) but the driving force behind escpecially the first few songs it’s so modern.
I put this on while walking around downtown Toronto for the first time in 2 years. Felt like a king.
4
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Fri Apr 08 2022
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
4
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Sat Apr 09 2022
The Poet
Bobby Womack
3
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Sun Apr 10 2022
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
I watched Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story this week and would have loved for Johnny Cash to have covered Beautiful Ride or Let’s Duet on American V
4
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Tue Apr 12 2022
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
Back with another one of those Block Rockin Beats
4
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Wed Apr 13 2022
Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
As everyone says, probably should have been Veni Vidi Vicious on this list.
I first heard The Hives from the Spider-Man soundtrack-which is some early 2000s ass music. I listened to some of it tonight after this, but most of the songs are not avalaible on Apple Music (incl. the Chad Kroger song Hero. What a crime)
I think the Hives are very good for a 2-3 song stint at a time. After that they seemingly start losing melody in their songs. Why don’t they try a slower or more downbeat song to mix things up?
Also did some Wikipedia research on the Hives. Apparently they formed under a different name in 1989? They would have been like 9 years old! Even when the band was started in earnest in 1993 they would have only been 14!
4
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Thu Apr 14 2022
Microshift
Hookworms
This one really took me off guard. I had never heard of this band and honestly thought they were electronic vs alt rock
Apparently now broken up after this one came out from accusations against their lead singer which is unfortunate.
4
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Sun Apr 17 2022
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
You got Relax which is more of a vibe than a song. The rest of this is barely an album
2
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Mon Apr 18 2022
Thriller
Michael Jackson
5
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Tue Apr 19 2022
Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
I have love for this album. When I was getting into Janes Addiction in the mid 2000s I feel like the consensus was that this is their best album. I think it’s obviously Nothings Shocking. This one is weirdly more of its time than Nothings Shocking wave. Stop, Been Caught Stealing and Three Days are my favourites
4
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Wed Apr 20 2022
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
4
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Thu Apr 21 2022
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
3
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Fri Apr 22 2022
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
Bank robbing music
4
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Sun Apr 24 2022
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
Has some of their best songs, not quite their overall best album tho.
4
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Mon Apr 25 2022
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Who would have made the decision to have this be the Foo Fighters album on this list? It’s the Colour and the Shape that’s their definitive one. The rest of the ‘Foo Fighters’ aren’t even on this album
I listened to this record a few weeks ago when Taylor died (along with the other albums he played on). I think it’s really interesting as a fan of their work. It’s pretty scrappy compared the the relatively polished sound of what they do next.
Foo Fighters are one of my bands. I have heard every album, especially One by One, There is Nothing Left To Lose, Colour and the Shape and Wasting Light. I was lucky enough to see them twice, including in 2015 when Dave had broken his leg, and played from his Iron Throne of guitars.
I think Foo Fighters have been the most universally liked band over the past 30 years. Who else is there? U2 is one, but there’s enough people who actively hate them. Or Red Hot Chili Peppers but I don’t think they’ve been as consistent or have released music at enough of a clip. This band has Dave Grohl, one of the most most recognizable and affable front men of all time, Taylor an incredible drummer and occasionally Pat Smear from Nirvana. Along with their classic music videos this is just a band that has always seemed like they were having fun. They have always had respect for those that came before them, and all of the Foos have been involved with other legendary rock acts throughout the years. They are our generations North Star, you can always count on the Foo Fighters and they are a band that generally everyone likes.
It’s their choice now if they continue on given Taylor’s passing. I have to expect they’ll take a few years off then come back with a new drummer. If they decide not to, that’s ok too.
Rest In Peace Taylor
4
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Tue Apr 26 2022
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
This album stressed me out
2
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Thu Apr 28 2022
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
2
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Fri Apr 29 2022
Tommy
The Who
Should probably like Tommy more than I do. Like Pinball Wizard, Go to the Mirror and Tommy can you hear me. Feel like I should watch the movie to get it.
4
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Sat Apr 30 2022
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
This was fun!
3
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Sun May 01 2022
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3
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Mon May 02 2022
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
What a masterpiece. I have mostly heard The Wall growing up and have otherwise not really gotten into Pink Floyd. That one is one of the most bloated, indulgent albums of all time and is fantastic for it. Dark Side of the Moon while still pretty out there is pretty much stripped down compared to Wall. This is really 4-5 songs with interludes in between. Doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, gets to the point and leaves stronger because of it.
Time the ultimate mid-life crisis song hahaha
5
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Tue May 03 2022
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is probably my most played album of all time. My brother had got this CD in 1999 when Scar Tissue hit. This album had TV commercials that aired to hype its release. The next summer in 2000 we basically had this on repeat on our portable Panasonic CD player.
I personally can’t rate this album lower than 5 stars. It has so many songs that I’ve heard thousands of times and I still put on playlists to this day. Otherside is among my favourite songs of all time.
I knew in the 2000s this album lost it towards the end. Listening how this one way too long. They could have cut out most of the songs after Easily could have been cut out.
5
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Thu May 05 2022
Stankonia
OutKast
Power
Music
Electric Revival
4
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Fri May 06 2022
Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp
Of the albums I’m listening to for the first time on this list, this might be the best so far. I had only really known Goldfrapp from ‘Ooh La La’ being in commercials in the 2000s. This was fairly different from what I would have expected given what I knew of her (and upon listening to some of their other top songs, this was a different direction for them).
I was so surprised though on this that every song hit. I was expecting eventually there was one that didn’t work but right up until the end it was still working.
This album is going to stay in the rotation.
5
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Sat May 07 2022
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
When I was started to comprehend pop music and rock music in the mid 90s, my recollection is that Smashing Pumpkins were a bigger deal than Pearl Jam or Soundgarden. However now they aren’t really mentioned in the same breath as them or other rock bands as the best of the 90s. I’m guilty of this too, if I had to list the top rock acts of the 90s off the top of my head, I don’t think I would have thought of Pumpkins.
It’s crazy too that given how good this album is that I can’t really point to any band that ripped them off. Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness is a record I’ve always meant to listen to, maybe I hadn’t because it’s a double album and over 2 hours long; it’s a big time commitment. I now wish I had jumped into it earlier, this thing is a masterpiece and I would have worn this out. I know most of the songs on its, from Zero to Bullet With Butterfly Wings. But the other songs in between really kill it. Like Jellybelly which is going into my current rotation.
Amazing work Corgan and company.
5
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Mon May 09 2022
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Can confirm he was alive
4
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Tue May 10 2022
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5
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Wed May 11 2022
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
4
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Fri May 13 2022
Fun House
The Stooges
I can appreciate Iggy Pop for his stage presence and how many acts he influenced.
This didn’t do it for me, mostly seemed like the same song over and over again
2
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Sat May 14 2022
Dummy
Portishead
4
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Sun May 15 2022
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
4
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Tue May 17 2022
C'est Chic
CHIC
Some good disco songs
3
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Thu May 19 2022
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
3
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Sat May 21 2022
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
I hate to say it, but I enjoyed the Documentary Now! sendup if Chicago- Blue Jean Comitee-than I liked this.
2
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Sun May 22 2022
Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
2
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Tue May 24 2022
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Eli is Costello is my guy
4
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Wed May 25 2022
Odelay
Beck
Guero is his album that I really got into. Didnt think I had heard Odelay the whole way through but I knew pretty much all of it. This has some really good tunes; Devils Haircut, Derelict and Where It’s At are my faves
4
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Thu May 26 2022
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
Man this was a ride listening to today.
This album came out when I was finishing university and had no idea what to do next with my life. I was in that period where I was working full time and moving up at work, but still had so much free time and was still hanging around my hometown. I picked it up again in 2011 after they won the Grammy, and I was travelling around the country for work.
My interpretation of The Suburbs is all about nostalgia trying to get back home. I think this was my most played album of theirs and I could likely recite every word from it.
Now more than 10 years later I come to this album happily married, with a mortgage living in the suburbs with a cat and a job I’ve been at for 6 years. Then I had shaggy hair, now I’m contemplating shaving off what hair I have left. The nostalgia is so potent for that period in my life right before I became a real adult but more importantly before I had any real responsibilities. The Suburbs is looking back even further than the era I’m nostalgic for; before cell phones and the internet. When communication mead weight even when it’s inane. When we went on adventures and explored our surroundings. Had stupid conversations and acted smarter than we were.
Is this their best album? Funeral I can’t get through without tearing up. Reflector is real messy but has I think their strongest songs. The Suburbs though does the best job of creating a mood and tapping into a feeling. I think with the benefit of hindsight I think the argument could be made this is the definitive Millennial rock album. Like Nevermind for Gen X or Sour by Olivia Rodrigo will be for Gen Z. It’s so of it’s time and has only grown in power in the decade since.
5
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Fri May 27 2022
Now I Got Worry
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Only really knew this guy from Bellbottoms. This was pretty fun
3
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Sat May 28 2022
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Listen, there’s already several studio Dylan albums on this list. This was put out in 1998, we couldn’t have picked another album from that year (Mezzanine from Massive Attack isn’t on this list, I though critics loved that one?)
I know why this is on the list too. This would have got a high rating from one of the boomer writers they had on staff at Rolling Stone, then every main stream publication from Entertainment Weekly to People magazine would have followed suit and reviewed it the same.
2
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Sun May 29 2022
Who's Next
The Who
What a ride. This is probably the best album that’s going to be on this list. And to think this was leftovers from their previous record. Absolute legends.
5
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Wed Jun 01 2022
Purple Rain
Prince
5
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Thu Jun 02 2022
Live At Leeds
The Who
I love the Who but the discussion about a A Quick One While He’s Asay is not only really long but SUPER creepy
3
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Fri Jun 03 2022
Night Life
Ray Price
2
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Sat Jun 04 2022
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
I listened to Come On Eileen several times today. Didn’t vibe with the rest of this
3
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Mon Jun 06 2022
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
I bought this album in 2008 from iTunes without hearing any song before from TV on the Radio. Crazy to think of in 2022, but such was the power of being promoted on the iTunes front page. Helps this is one of the best albums of the 2000s.
Sounds so incredible. First half is all killer. The second half when it slows down a bit I check out a little, but it does keep the quality all the way through.
*upon further research I think it may have been the glowing review in Pitchfork that drove me buy this. I actually thought they didn’t like TV on the Radio. Must have been someone else, I remeber reading in an article the author was talking about things that are garbage and they mentioned ‘TV on the Radio songs that aren’t about wolves’. What a weird dig lol
4
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Tue Jun 07 2022
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
3
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Wed Jun 08 2022
Either Or
Elliott Smith
Real good
4
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Thu Jun 09 2022
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
This is a perfect album for cruising around in the summer
4
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Sat Jun 11 2022
Goo
Sonic Youth
Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore are divorced, and you're just the orphans left behind.
4
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Tue Jun 14 2022
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
Did not jive with
2
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Wed Jun 15 2022
Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
Couldn’t vibe with this
2
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Thu Jun 16 2022
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4
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Sun Jun 19 2022
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
2
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Tue Jun 21 2022
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
Put me to sleep
3
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Thu Jun 23 2022
Infected
The The
2
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Fri Jun 24 2022
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Sultans of Swing do slap. The rest of the album sounds like the noodling you’d do to eventually reach writing that song.
3
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Sat Jun 25 2022
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
R
E
S
P
E
C
T
4
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Sun Jun 26 2022
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Jeez have not got an interesting album in weeks
2
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Tue Jun 28 2022
The Yes Album
Yes
Seen all good people turn their heads each day
4
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Thu Jun 30 2022
New Forms
Roni Size
There was drum and there was bass
3
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Fri Jul 01 2022
m b v
My Bloody Valentine
This is an album I have been dragging my heels on for nearly 10 years. I have no reason to have done so. I love Loveless. I knew MBV hadn’t made an album in a lifetime. I knew this album was getting rave reviews and appearing on year-end best of lists. What was I listening to instead in 2013? Mostly Foster the People, Naked and Famous and Two Door Cinema Club. I should have been listening to this, just vibe out to it in my old basement apartment.
My Bloody Valentine I started listening to in my early 20s. I was in my third, maybe fourth year of university and while already a scholar of Britpop, I started digging deeper into some of the other bands that preceded the 90s boom. I loved those Ride albums. I love only Just Like Honey by the Jesus and Mary Chain(I cannot with the rest of their catalogue. I’m likely going to have to face Psychocandy at some point on this list). Even the revivalists Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. But the top is My Bloody Valentine and that album Loveless.
I got into MBV most of all because their music weirdly sounded like music from Final Fantasy 7 (also had references with in game billboards) which I had been obsessed with 10 years earlier. I had also seen Lost in Translation during this period of my life and after that how could you not live shoegaze music.
MBV (the album) sounds like a companion piece to Loveless. It still has that beautiful noise-pop sound going on and still manages to have catchy songs even though there is nearly always a wall of sound coming at you at all times. The winners here are she found out and only tomorrow. Truly wild that this group makes one of the best albums of all time, make everyone of their contemporaries look like musical morons, their record label drops them because they spent too much money, then come back nearly 20 years later and pitch a perfect game.
I listened to this today while I mowed my lawn. I now have to schedule time when I can just lay on the floor, put this on an iPod, completely vibe out and become 24 again
5
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Sat Jul 02 2022
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
Clapton is cancelled.
I’m going to use this space to bemoan the lack of Shania Twain on this list. Best selling country artist ever, radio staples that have somehow got better with age and a career arc for the ages. Show some god damn respect.
3
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Sun Jul 03 2022
Revolver
Beatles
When I started reading music magazines and criticism in the early 2000s, Revolver would be usually listed as the best Beatles album, and usually best album overall of all time. I think I still consider this my favourite Beatles album, but I’ll be listening to the rest of them during the list so I’ll follow up.
Really interesting now with the changing tastes in popular music criticism that I don’t think Revolver would be in the top 20 albums list in Rolling Stone. Further, that they would likely list something like Help! or Hard Days Night as their best. I think the notion was in the early 2000s that music that was difficult, non-populist was automatically graded better as the more straightforward, crowd pleasing fare.
Revolver is by no means a difficult album. It has Yellow Submarine on it for Gods sake. The deal is though that this is really when the Beatles started exploring what they could do beyond the confines of a record that would translate to being played live on tour. I also realized listening to this today for the first time in like 10 years that this record was so much more influential during the Britpop and post Britpop UK rock music. Oasis obviously, but as well as Kasabian, Coldplay and Keane. Now if younger artists are ribbing anything from the Beatles it’s likely from their first few albums.
Crazy how the circle of influence from one band continues going. In another 20 years Revolver will once again sit in the highest esteem of the Beatles output and likely at the top of the Rolling Stone album list. For now though we can enjoy this for what it is, a amazing constructed collection of songs from a band that is going in different directions and succeeding because of it.
5
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Mon Jul 04 2022
Queen II
Queen
3
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Tue Jul 05 2022
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
3
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Wed Jul 06 2022
Chris
Christine and the Queens
4
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Thu Jul 07 2022
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
I am very pleased this album is a part of the list. I listened to the excellent episode of Bandsplained they did on Sheryl and I really came to appreciate her music and career arc. But I had assumed that this would be a situation of one of the best selling albums of the decade with inescapable radio play and music videos on all the time but not critically appreciated. Much like the situation in this book of Shania Twain.
Really like All I Wanna Do, Strong Enough and Can’t Cry Anymore.
While it’s not on this record, If It Makes You Happy is top 10 (maybe 5) of the 90s.
4
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Tue Jul 12 2022
Woodface
Crowded House
Had never heard of this band. Put this on during my drive home today and was enjoying it, but was trying to put my finger on why I recognized the sound. When the first second of ‘Weather With You’ came on it all clicked into place.
Enjoyable music. Don’t know that I’ll go back to it
4
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Fri Jul 15 2022
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
3
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Sun Jul 17 2022
This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
Based on the album art art, title and first song I was not interested in this.
Really good album afterwards though. Going to be listening to this more.
4
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Mon Jul 18 2022
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
3
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Tue Jul 19 2022
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
4
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Fri Jul 22 2022
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
5
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Sat Jul 23 2022
Moving Pictures
Rush
4
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Mon Jul 25 2022
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
Gran Turismo menu music
2
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Tue Jul 26 2022
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
Cant You Hear Me Knocking, while being on the best songs ever, is easy shorthanded in movies to communicate sleazy business goings-on.
5
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Wed Jul 27 2022
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Hell yea
5
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Thu Jul 28 2022
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
3
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Mon Aug 01 2022
Live!
Fela Kuti
Thank you to the person who wrote the review about 28 star for this album-one for every wife. Sent me on a very enjoyable Wikipedia rabbit hole.
3
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Tue Aug 02 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
I have it a shot but Van Morrison is still not for me
3
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Wed Aug 03 2022
Document
R.E.M.
REM is another band I know enough about, and like we’ll enough, but haven’t owned any of their albums. Probably should given how much I like Tragically Hip and the comparisons people make about these bands.
This album is really good. Every song on the run from the start is so solid, up until The One I Love. Then. It looses steam a little bit and peters out to finish. But overall still really fun. Looking forward to listening to more of their albums now
4
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Fri Aug 05 2022
Elastica
Elastica
This album is great and lead to influencing some of my favourite acts.
The observation I have is well I think Connection is the song that has endured in pop culture longer, Stutter has been seriously underserved. I still hear Connection used in movies and commercials. I was of the opinion that the Captain Marvel trailer should have you Stutter in it instead of Connection. I realize why it wasn’t chosen, as being a song about male impotence. I would also probably would have made the movie seem more exciting than I actually was.
My question remains, though, why isn’t Stutter having a resurgence at this moment? Absolutely seems like a song that Olivia Rodrigo would cover on tour right now.
4
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Sat Aug 06 2022
xx
The xx
You know there’s a bunch of albums on this list I’ve had where there’s one iconic song and the rest is pretty forgettable.
The first 5 songs on this one are now all timers. Crystallized is about as perfect as a pop song can be. The rest of this record I feel looses steam in the second half. I can’t imagine eating this anything less than 5 stars. It’s an essential part of the 2000s alternative canon. (I might have only heard it first in 2011 but who cares)
I’m not going to find who to attribute it to, but I once read with The XX it’s more important the notes they don’t play (truly terrible take, up there with calling music life affirming). I’ve also heard this music called really simple. What it is is very precise, accurately built.
Have not given the other XX (or Jamie XX) albums a chance after this one. I suspect I’m going to be listening to them at some point either in this list or otherwise.
5
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Sun Aug 07 2022
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
Did not realize that this was Björk’s old band. Easy to see why she popped out of this, which sounds like Birthday.
3
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Tue Aug 09 2022
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
I said a few weeks ago on this list that The Suburbs by Arcade Fire was the definitive millennial rock album. After listening to Sound of Silver today maybe 3 times I don’t think I was wrong, but I really had to give my statement some thought.
I had known most of the big LCD Soundsystem songs but had never listened to any of their albums all the way through. I think I had also maybe seriously started listening to them in 2010 when they were wrapping up the band for the first time. This was such a triumph to listen to. Starts strong, doesn’t ever lose steam and is the rare album that saves its strongest song for the end.
I’m not into dance or electronic music (although have dug some of the records on this list) but this just transcends a bunch of genres into its own thing. It has the elements of scrappy garage rock that make it so exciting and immediate, and the the repetition of rave and dance that just puts you in a higher state of being. This is the music of being a young dirtbag in the city, living away from home for the first time and feeling invincible before your back starts hurting.
Amazing supplemental material to this album: the Franz Ferdinand cover of All My Friends is so good. Amazing song for Franz.
In addition: the video on YouTube of New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down with Kermit singing. Seemingly the official video?
I would give 6 stars if I could.
5
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Sat Aug 13 2022
Melodrama
Lorde
Gen Z masterpiece. Can’t argue with this being on the top 10 of the 2010s.
So sick of music snobs who over the past few years discount anything Jack Antonoff has been involved with. This is her album, get over yourselves assholes.
5
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Thu Aug 18 2022
Peggy Suicide
Julian Cope
I was probably not going to listen to this album today. I have been jazzed about the last few albums. I got on this list, and I had a bunch of other stuff that I was going to spend my time listening to today. Also, this album was longer than an hour, which usually reduces my excitement to listen to it. I still give thid Hey a shot later in the afternoon at holy shit.
This was one of the biggest prizes on this list for me. Had never heard of this guy, he never seen this album. And I can’t find a lot on the history of this album, there’s a Wikipedia article, but it’s more about the political content that made its way into his songs. I’m finding it adjacent to Primal Scream.
It’s an album like this that makes me heat bands the call them self psychedelic rock. Because most the time they’re just fooling around on instruments and playing music that is intentionally obtuse. This kind of stuff though on Peggy Suicide is the real psychedelic as it has amazing, musical complexity, and structure, but while you’re listening to it, just transports your mind somewhere different.
I also thought that I was probably gonna drop this down star because it was going on for so long, and I thought it was going to overstay as welcome. But this thing keeps its flow, the entire way through, and wins a big finish, which I love to see on an album. It’s a strategy that basically dead tnow in 2022.
Amazing album and if anyone was thinking of skipping over it, I would advise against it
5
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Sun Aug 21 2022
Diamond Life
Sade
Smooth operator
4
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Tue Aug 23 2022
Elephant
The White Stripes
Masterpiece
Meg White you are a master. Good for you for taking care of yourself.
This album contains some of my favourite musical moments;
-Seven Nation Army opening
-the sustained feedback on There’s No Home For You Here
-The solos on Ball and Biscuit
-I got a backyard with nothing in it, except a stick, a dog and a box with something in it.
We are poorer for not having the White Stripes in our lives anymore. The bands that followed in their wake never really reached their heights. Jack Whites fine on his own, but there’s something about the raw, deliberate energy the Stripes had.
I listened to this album twice today. Does not seem like it’s going to be 20 years old next year; most stuff on alternative radio hasn’t evolved since what these two put out.
Incredible lineup of music videos that went with this album too. Seven Nation Army is still incredible to look at.
5
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Thu Aug 25 2022
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
Sorry wasn’t feeling this. Kraft week is a band I feel like I should be in and just have not cracked.
2
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Fri Aug 26 2022
Young Americans
David Bowie
Young Americans is an all timer
4
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Sun Aug 28 2022
Bad
Michael Jackson
Smooth Criminal is so good
4
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Mon Aug 29 2022
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai has some amazing singles (Virtual Insanity, Canned Heat, Deeper Underground) but then I listen to their albums and forget they’re a jazz-funk outfit. And the rest of the albums are digressions into that. Not for me
2
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Wed Aug 31 2022
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
What can I say that has been said about the absolute piece of art?
I legitimately think this is the best British rock album ever. And I say this as a fan of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
I hadn’t heard this album in full in a few years. I think I had listened to it in passing at the start of the pandemic. The thing that I forgot about it is how pretty much every song has some sort of change in direction that elevates them from pretty good to just amazing. Like in Shoot You Down the pause and then key change for the ‘I never wanted …the live that you gave me’ part. It’s such and amazing surprise after thinking I knew how this whole album goes and then realizing they still have more to show.
You can say the Stone Roses legacy is tarnished because they never reached this height again, but neither has anyone else.
5
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Fri Sep 02 2022
21
Adele
Remember Duffy? The Welsh singer who popped up the mid 2000s? She has those songs Warwick Avenue and Mercy which got pretty big radio play and I’m pretty sure she was a musical guest at one point on SNL. I had stock in her as I was sure she was going to blow up. She seemed an obvious choice to do a Bond theme too.
Well she got market-corrected by Adele a couple years later and had this massive album and put out what many now consider the best Bond theme song.
This album is undeniable. Nearly every song became a radio staple, it plays like a greatest hits record.
5
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Sun Sep 04 2022
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
The title track is the music from the excellent trailer to GTA 5. Everything else I really didn’t connect to.
3
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Mon Sep 05 2022
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
Man I really like so much of Sly and the Family Stone. This really didn’t grab me.
2
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Tue Sep 06 2022
Boston
Boston
Weird detail but here it is.
Rock and Roll Band is my favourite song to play in Rock Band
5
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Thu Sep 08 2022
Achtung Baby
U2
In 2005(?) I saw Pearl Jam in Toronto. The whole night Eddie Vedder was making jokes thanking U2 for opening for them, as they had done concerts the previous 2 nights.
At the end of the concert, they started playing Keep On Rocking in the Free World and a guy in a cowboy hat came out on stage and was dancing along. We at first thought it was Neil Young (we were sitting at the farthest seat at ACC, now Scotiabank Arena). Neil Young though had just had brain surgery so no doctor would have cleared him. We then realized it was Bono.
To my recollection, Eddie sang the first verse and corus alongside Bono, then Eddie passed the mic to Bono to sing the next verse. I don’t think Bono knew the lyrics to the song because he just started rambling sort of in time to the music? Then continued dancing. Great night overall.
This album is amazing. Not their best but an amazing and worthy follow up to one of the greatest records of all time.
5
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Fri Sep 09 2022
Damaged
Black Flag
4
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Sat Sep 10 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
4
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Mon Sep 12 2022
The Next Day
David Bowie
Really good stuff. I remember when this came out and it was a complete surprise as he hadn’t hade an album for 10 years.
Bangs out 2 albums with 0 warning they were coming, then exits this mortal coil. Legend.
4
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Tue Sep 13 2022
Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
That’s the way it is
4
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Wed Sep 14 2022
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Yacht rock
3
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Thu Sep 15 2022
Bug
Dinosaur Jr.
Watch the movie Singles this week, so I was definitely in the mood for some Grunge
4
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Sun Sep 18 2022
Ray Of Light
Madonna
POV: You installed Windows XP on your Compaq Presario
3
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Mon Sep 19 2022
I Against I
Bad Brains
I mean I wasn’t in to it but at least it was short
2
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Tue Sep 20 2022
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
3
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Wed Sep 21 2022
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
3
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Thu Sep 22 2022
Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
I’ve complained that albums on this list have one song that is essential and the rest are pretty forgettable.
This is on where the first track is undeniable and gives the whole album enough power to be called essential, even if the rest of it is not great.
I can appreciate Psychocandy for the sound they pioneered, mostly for the other bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club who went on to make better music.
4
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Fri Sep 23 2022
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
Really did not think I was going to like this but you know what, I was actually in to it.
I see people reviewing this saying they’re getting Barenaked Ladies vibes to this. I think we’re all picking up an early BNL vibe that may not have actually existed. I can see where they’re coming from though.
4
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Sun Sep 25 2022
evermore
Taylor Swift
Early entry into best of the decade.
I definitely listened to this one around the time it came out as the province was going into another lockdown. Related so hard to these emotions, but also felt like it was so disconnected from our reality at the time; as in we didn’t have real experiences with each other anymore during covid.
5
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Tue Sep 27 2022
Tapestry
Carole King
5
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Thu Sep 29 2022
A Date With The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
If these two boys are calling you from a pay phone, hang up and call the police
3
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Fri Sep 30 2022
All Directions
The Temptations
2
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Sat Oct 01 2022
Parklife
Blur
Truly a formative album for me so it’s getting 5 stars.
By the time that I started getting into rock and alternative music, Blair, we’re on the self titled album add Song 2 was all over the place. As a Canadian millennial, blur his first and foremost, known for their inclusion on Big Shiny Tunes 2-a truly formative text for us.
I was unaware at the time that the direction Blur were heading in musically at that point was a departure from the previous sound. I started getting into this album Parklife when I started to do a real deep dive on Oasis and then by extension their Britpop peers.
I listen to this album today and felt like I needed to immediately follow it up with the first two Oasis albums. I hadn’t heard any of these in 10 years and wanted to see how time had affected my perception of them.
The Oasis albums are undeniable and have an amazing energy that even that band could not replicate. They are both masterpieces. Parklife though is so interesting. Lyrically it is so much more complex and actually dives into real subjects in songs instead of feelings, you can tell that these are very much more accomplished musicians working at the height of their powers.
I believe I talked about this during my review of the self titled blur album, but I was at what was at the time meant to be the last blur show during their late 2000s reunion at T in the Park in Scotland in 2009. They nearly had to cancel the show, because Graham Coxon had food poisoning, and apparently had come right from the hospital to the venue amazing euphoric experience, though, as that crowd was primed to see blur, I had brought a bunch of signs for them, including someone with one of the milk carton guys on a stick that he was holding up in the crowd.
The band did go on hiatus but then returned about five years later with a new album. But I was so proud that I had managed to see Blur before they had broken up. A few weeks earlier to the show, I had also seen oasis in Edinburgh. It was to be one of their last concerts before they broke up that fall.
This is going to seem inconsequential to most people, but I was given advice on concerts from a coworker, Jason I have never forgot. He had gotten tickets to go see Pearl Jam, and wanted to know if I wanted to buy one of the tickets. The day of the concert, I had class the next day and was not doing great in school that year. Jason told me that whenever I had an opportunity to see a band, I should always take it. He said you would never know if they were going to break up before you got a chance to see them again. Thanks to him, I got to see the two Titans of Brit Pop in the UK, something I would likely never gonna get to do again.
This is turned out to be the best advice in my life. Thanks, Jason.
5
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Mon Oct 03 2022
Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
Public Enemy
3
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Tue Oct 04 2022
London Calling
The Clash
5
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Wed Oct 05 2022
Kid A
Radiohead
An album I like but don’t love.
I remember in the mid 2000s feeling like I should love this album and was listening to it on repeat. Eventually it sort of clicked for me and I understood what they were trying to do. But The Bends, OK Computer and In Rainbows are still my top Radiohead albums.
If you have a PS5, that KIDAMNESIAC app which is basically a virtual art exhibit is essential.
4
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Fri Oct 07 2022
Headquarters
The Monkees
3
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Sat Oct 08 2022
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
5
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Sun Oct 09 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
Knew the name Badly Dawn Boy but didn’t even know what type of music they played. Started out not liking this then eventually clicked with it. Apparently they had members of the band Doves play on this so I can see the lineage.
4
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Tue Oct 11 2022
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
3
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Wed Oct 12 2022
Eagles
Eagles
4
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Fri Oct 14 2022
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
Listened to this at work on a rainy Thursday morning. Such a vibe.
4
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Sat Oct 15 2022
Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
Go off, Bongo King 👑
4
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Mon Oct 17 2022
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
Essential cooking music.
4
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Tue Oct 18 2022
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
Masterpiece. Likely in my top 10 of all time.
5
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Wed Oct 19 2022
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I have a lot to say about Maps although this album as a whole is absolutely essential.
Maps is the best song of the 2000s. Represents so much about the time with garage rock revival. The amount of power it outputs is incredible. All done by drums and guitar which (with all due respect) are not using too many notes and vocals which are sparse. The economy and precision are unmatched.
The music video is an essential part of this equation too. Bringing in my own baggage and knowing the story of the filming of the video and the emotional place Karen O was in, I have never been able to hold it together once she starts tearing up. Just incredible myth making stuff. This is what we come to music for.
Speaking of the video, it warms my heart to see so many of the YouTube comments talking about playing this song in Rock Band. Maps is really the essential song to the Rock Band experience. It’s simple enough that anyone can play along with it. Anyone who does though is just going to wail away on the instruments or vocals and unload all their angst and heartbreak into hitting those 5 notes. Stroke of genius putting it into the first game.
Maps. They don’t love you like I love you
5
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Wed Oct 26 2022
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
Amazing stuff. Meant to listen to this when it hit and was getting widespread critical acclaim. This doesn’t sound like anything else. Has the charm of a homemade album (done in GarageBand) but has the precision and intent most studio albums can’t match.
5
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Fri Oct 28 2022
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
4
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Sun Oct 30 2022
Grace
Jeff Buckley
An album I’ve meant to listen to for years. I’ve seen this album cover in music stores for decades, seen it listed in music magazines but never gave it a chance. What a record though, so happy I have heard it in its entirety. But I would have been so in to this when I was in my 90s renaissance phase in my teens/early 20s.
I love Last Goodbye so much.
5
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Tue Nov 01 2022
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Can’t be random I got this album this week lol.
I was not into Kanye in 2010. I knew him from the songs that would be on the radio or MuchMusic but had never listened to any of his albums. I picked this one after hearing Ryan Davis (RIP) talk about this on the GiantBombcast podcast. His pitch was this album was justifying his craziness over the last year. This is also one of the last albums I’ve purchased on CD (I think I had later a Black Crows greatest hits once when I rented a car with no auxiliary port)
This is a massive accomplishment. It’s so aggressive and angry, and while the man might not seem it now, it’s all directed inward.
So many standouts but the one that has stuck with me over the last 12 years is Hell Of A Life. That bass hook and piano(?) run are just incredible. I really got into the album in February 2011 when I was in Vancouver, where it should be completely snowed in but it was mostly just foggy. I am always immediately transported back to that time and place whenever I put this song on.
I’m going to have to come to terms with these landmark records by problematic people as I get deeper into this list. I have Funeral by Arcade Fire I know will be coming up I’m going to have to tackle. Can we separate art from the artist? I don’t know if we can. I listen to Michael Jackson now and I feel guilty for liking it. In spite of this, I would still be putting this one on my top 10 albums of all time. It is what it is.
5
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Wed Nov 02 2022
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell
Hotel lobby music
2
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Thu Nov 03 2022
Frank
Amy Winehouse
3
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Fri Nov 04 2022
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
When you don’t really have a good hook for a song but you’re just gonna put more backup singers and different instruments on top, and you just shove it across the finish line.
And I like a lot of other Rod Stewart
2
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Sun Nov 06 2022
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Sorry Bob wasn’t into this one
2
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Wed Nov 09 2022
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
Bodhisattva good but I could leave the rest
2
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Thu Nov 10 2022
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
4
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Fri Nov 11 2022
The Bends
Radiohead
I had this one on a few weeks ago and completely forgot Street Spirit was the cap to the record. I get people like OK Computer, but how do they not rank this just as high?
This is likely my favourite Radiohead album. Definitely my most played.
I think about this album cover image all the time.
5
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Sat Nov 12 2022
Parallel Lines
Blondie
4
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Tue Nov 15 2022
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
I want Homeward Bound played at my funeral
5
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Thu Nov 17 2022
The Cars
The Cars
4
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Sat Nov 19 2022
In Rainbows
Radiohead
One if favourite albums of the 2000s. On any given day I would change the order of my ranking this, The Bends or OK Computer.
I remember when this was announced with the pay what you want scheme. I was a piece of shit and paid $0 for this for the download. Quickly became one of my most played albums, and I eventually bought the physical special edition CD.
Bodysnatchers is the standout here for me and I always forget how hard it goes whenever I put on In Rainbows
The Reckoner cover by Gnarls Barkley is essential listening.
5
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Mon Nov 21 2022
Dirty
Sonic Youth
4
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Tue Nov 22 2022
With The Beatles
Beatles
I get it. The Beatles are slaves to the system at this point and have to crank out several records a year. So this is a pretty slight record. All My Loving is really good though.
This is also top tier Beatles album covers though
2
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Wed Nov 23 2022
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys don’t do it for me
2
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Thu Nov 24 2022
Ctrl
SZA
4
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Sat Nov 26 2022
S&M
Metallica
I like Metallica but the symphony was just doing too much
2
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Tue Nov 29 2022
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
This is actually the last album I have purchased on CD. I had a rental car through work in 2011 and it didn’t have a auxiliary port and this was before Bluetooth was standard. I needed some music so found this at Best Buy.
5
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Sat Dec 03 2022
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
4
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Sun Dec 04 2022
Hypnotised
The Undertones
The first Undertones records was one of my first big discoveries in this list. This one is really good too.
4
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Mon Dec 05 2022
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Nope.
1
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Tue Dec 06 2022
Legalize It
Peter Tosh
Not for me
2
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Wed Dec 07 2022
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
Liked it a lot. I think I had this one built up too much from years of seeing it listed on top of greatest albums lists and such. Doesn’t quiet reach those heights for me. Pastime Paradise, Feel It All Over and Isn’t She Lovely are all timers.
4
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Fri Dec 09 2022
Garbage
Garbage
Pour your misery down on me
4
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Mon Dec 12 2022
Dirt
Alice In Chains
Alice is Chains is one of the bands I expected to fully appreciate from this list as I hadn’t really dove into them before.
I liked some some songs on this but mostly just couldn’t vibe with the singer.
3
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Wed Dec 14 2022
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
Pretty sure I’ve heard this one played at my barber shop
3
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Thu Dec 15 2022
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Never heard the whole thing but it’s apparent that pretty much all rock after this was just trying to recreate this album
5
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Sun Dec 18 2022
My Generation
The Who
4
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Tue Dec 20 2022
Harvest
Neil Young
I’m going to be rating this one 5 by default. I’m from central Ontario and I’ve worked at a lumber yard when I was younger. What do you want from me.
Has some all time classics and some truly bizarre diversions. A Man Needs A Maid is so such a weird song with the orchestra and him singing about needing a cleaner for his house?
5
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Wed Dec 21 2022
Closer
Joy Division
This just rolled right off me. Forgot I had it playing in the background.
And I love Unknown Pleasures
2
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Thu Dec 22 2022
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
Top 10 essentials of the 2000s
First heard of White Stripes from the Fell In Love With a Girl video. While I think I do like Elephant a bit better than this, this one is incredible for the energy and arrangements.
I watched a couple of videos breaking down Meg Whites drumming style and had a greater appreciation for her contributions to White Stripes sound. And I think it’s why I just haven’t connected with any other of Jack Whites projects.
5
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Sat Dec 24 2022
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Holding on to What’s Golden
4
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Sun Dec 25 2022
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
I knew this group had more in them than Lovefool but there are some real bangers on this one.
4
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Mon Dec 26 2022
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
3
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Wed Dec 28 2022
Metallica
Metallica
I have kept trying to get into Metallica, and while Enter Sandman rips, the rest is just so plodding and repetitive. Can’t do it.
3
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Thu Dec 29 2022
The La's
The La's
This was a big surprise. I thought they were a one hit wonder with There She Goes. But this sounds more at home on 2022 Indie Rock radio than 1990
5
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Sun Jan 01 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
The announcer really did Sarah dirty by announcing at the stop she would be using lyric sheets.
Otherwise all I’m hearing is Mya Rudolph doing scat improv here.
2
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Mon Jan 02 2023
Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Adam & The Ants
2
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Tue Jan 03 2023
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Likely my most listened to and I’m pretty sure favourite album.
I started listening to Oasis seriously at the end of high school, but really in university. This was also in 2004, once they had gone through several lineup changes and pop culture had more or less moved past them. I think it’s because I was so into the Beatles in high school that I eventually migrated to Oasis.
I had a ton of memories come back today while listening, mostly playing this on my iPod on the city bus back and forth from university.
In 2009 before graduating university I went on a month long trip to England and Scotland, mostly on a self administered Britpop tour. I actually had never seen Oasis live up to that point, so my first day landing in Scotland I had a ticket to see them in Edinburgh, with The Enemy, Reverend and the Makers and Kasabian opening for them. That solo trip now seems impossible I did without a smartphone, but I landed in Edinburg, I think walked to my hostel (some student dorms in the summer) and then took a bus not knowing where it was even going and I guess just expecting I would end up at the stadium? Maybe I just followed the crowds of drunk hooligans singing Oasis songs. After the show, I walked back to the hostel, again not knowing where the hell I was going and not recognizing any landmarks. How did I do that?! I had also been up for 36 hours between flight time. I remember trying to use my calling card to dial back to Canada to tell my parent I had arrived, and crying that I couldn’t figure out the card. To be in your 20s in a pre smartphone age.
Anyways the show was amazing and they tore the place apart. Later when I was in London I took an afternoon to find the street this album shot was taken. Surprisingly not a lot of fanfare-there was one record store that had the Morning Glory record in their window. But compared to the current Abbey Road there’s nothing.
Some Might Say is just perpetually underrated.
5
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Wed Jan 04 2023
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
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Fri Jan 06 2023
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
Barely registered this was playing.
2
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Sat Jan 07 2023
1999
Prince
Price was just feeling himself on this and the grooves kept going.
4
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Sun Jan 08 2023
1977
Ash
So I was not going to listen to this today. I’ve been getting burnt out on pre-80s albums I have no context for and I misread and thought this album came out in 1977.
I know Ash because they’ve had a song or two in Gran Turismo. But that’s it.
This music I am such a sucker for; the noisey pop-rock. Adding this album to my regular rotation.
4
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Tue Jan 10 2023
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
Just hands down the best thing produced between the 4 Beatles post breakup.
What Is Life in particular is such an incredible triumph. I realize its widespread usage in romantic comedy trailers, but somehow it’s only gained power over the years. I write this the week that the trailer came out for Are You There God It’s Me Margaret came out, which uses this song to amazing effect.
5
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Wed Jan 11 2023
american dream
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver was my number 1 discovery from going through this list last year. Jumped to my most played album of 2022. I had known LCD Soundsystem enough before, could likely name 5 of their songs and at least the name of their albums. I would always tune in whenever they were the musical guest on SNL.
2022 I really made LCD Sound System one of my bands though. I suspect part of it was that my favourite band (Arcade Fire) had some bad press this year and I haven’t sorted my feelings about following them.
American Dream is incredible. It sounds so much wider and deeper than their previous albums. Call The Police and other voices I think are my favourites. This one still has that LCD thing where a song is just grooving and pounding along for a while and the second they have a key change your head just explodes. Love it.
Really hope they put out a new album. New Body Rhumba they did for White Noise is incredible and deserves the Oscar.
5
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Thu Jan 12 2023
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
I was calm afterwards
I’m old enough to remember when this swept the Grammys seemingly out of know where. Thus I think I’ve heard most of this album in the ensuing 20 years from how much it was played specifically at Chapters.
4
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Fri Jan 13 2023
Pump
Aerosmith
One of the first CDs I owned was the Armageddon soundtrack my parents got me for Christmas. I hadn’t even seen the movie. The album was mostly Aerosmith or Aerosmith adjacent bands.
Honestly didn’t expect this album to come up but it makes sense. This has all their second wave big hits.
I will say though listening to this album in the head of January winter makes no sense. This is made for June driving.
5
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Sat Jan 14 2023
25
Adele
4
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Sun Jan 15 2023
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
More Than A Whisper just knocked me on my ass
4
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Mon Jan 16 2023
Atomizer
Big Black
Had never heard of this band or album. Looked them up later and realized this is Steve Albini’s band so makes sense it’s on this list.
Pretty good noise punk
4
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Tue Jan 17 2023
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
I was here for the vibes…not much else
2
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Wed Jan 18 2023
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
It could be ten, but then again I can't remember half an hour since a quarter to four
Throw on your clothes, the second side of Surfer Rosa and you leave me with my jaw on the floor
5
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Ayayayayay
3
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Sat Jan 21 2023
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Remember how the surviving members of Queen made a movie about the band and made themselves look loyal to their families and threw Freddie under the bus.
4
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Sun Jan 22 2023
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
2004. What a time.
I listened to this album a bunch when it came out. Being Canadian there wasn’t much exposure on the Streets or Mike Skinner but I remember they played the video for Fit But You Know It on Muchmusic once and I had to find out who this was.
This thing is about being a cringy 20-something in the 21st century. I have to rate it 5 stars as I was one of these people!
5
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Mon Jan 23 2023
Being There
Wilco
4
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Tue Jan 24 2023
Pretenders
Pretenders
4
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Thu Jan 26 2023
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
4
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Fri Jan 27 2023
Close To You
Carpenters
3
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Tue Jan 31 2023
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
This is one of the rare records that feels like it’s been in my life forever and also is older than I think it is.
I remember this coming out and the first time I heard Rehab. I already knew about Amy Winehouse, and had heard one or two songs but mostly knew her from the tabloids already being obsessed with her.
Classic example of an artist making a splash with their first record, but then tightening everything up and just laying down a masterpiece to build on their previous LP. The production is so on point here and her vocals are just soaring.
5
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Mon Feb 06 2023
Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
3
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Tue Feb 07 2023
Suede
Suede
Remember, the first time at heard about Suede I was watching a documentary on Brit Pop and Noel Gallagher said that when the song animal nitrate came out, he was pissed because he thought that he was about two weeks away from writing that song. I think about that all the time what a wild thing to say
4
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Wed Feb 08 2023
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
So horny
5
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Fri Feb 10 2023
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Going to rate this 4 stars purely for Zero (a song I still have on running playlists 14 years going).
The rest of this though is really trying to reach that height and just not making it. What else can I say.
4
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Mon Feb 13 2023
Blackstar
David Bowie
So I know why this is included on the list. But I was thinking; say I had to come up with a list of the 100 greatest Canadian albums, I likely would not put the last Tragically Hip album in there. Made under similar circumstances where they have a person involved who knows their time is up.
Anyways I really didn’t connect with any of these songs.
2
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Thu Feb 16 2023
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
4
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Sat Feb 18 2023
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
Good jams but I had my fill pretty quickly
3
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Sun Feb 19 2023
Urban Hymns
The Verve
This album was a mainstay during my original iPod (technically 3rd Gen, blue screen, black text unit) in the late 2000s. Haven’t heard it all the way through since then. I read some of the other reviews before listening again and was surprised so many people were rating it pretty low. Came to the realization that Urban Hymns falls in the same category that I’ve read a bunch of different albums on this list as far as well too. Mostly songs go on way way way too long. I think it’s definitely I was grooving to it during that time because I would be listening with nothing else really going on. Maybe riding the bus home or something.
Bittersweet Symphony is obviously the centrepiece and main draw on this one. The lyrics, although pretty simple, are just purely elemental at this point. I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me.
I remember in the late 2000s when the Verge reunited and people were in awe of how good Bittersweet Symphony sounded after it, not really being in his eye guys for the past 10 years. I’ve always thought that that is the songs legacy, when you hear it for the first time in a while you’re bowled over by how big it is. I think the only song that’s come close in the past 25 years is The Mother We Share by Chvrches. Equally of a time and already nostalgia triggering.
Otherwise, Lucky Man is a song made for walking around during golden hour. And the drugs don’t work is an incredibly depressing song that still works.
The Verve are definitely a band You have to listen to more passively, in the background to truly vibe with I don’t know if this is a truly great album, but I am going to give it five stars. It’s firmly in the canon of my musical upbringing.
5
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Mon Feb 20 2023
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
This is peak stereo-shelf system with 5 disc changer, AM/FM and dual cassette era music. If you know you know.
Definitely Coldplays best.
I did actually listen to X&Y afterwards thinking that was the inferior album. It’s just more of it’s time. Still pretty good though actually.
5
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Tue Feb 21 2023
NEU! 75
Neu!
3
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Tue Feb 28 2023
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
This one was a surprised I really had fun with this!
5
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Fri Mar 03 2023
Sea Change
Beck
An album I like but don’t love. Connected more to Becks next two albums
4
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Sat Mar 04 2023
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
Really enjoyed this. Currently listening to the episode of Bandsplain about Pavement and it’s giving me some good context.
4
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Mon Mar 06 2023
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
Great album with a bunch of hits on it.
I had given this one a listen nearly 20 years ago because I was reading that Kurt Cobain biography Heavier Than Heaven and this album was listed as one of Kurt’s favourite growing up.
5
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
Basic restaurant music
3
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Thu Mar 09 2023
Opus Dei
Laibach
Sounds like those throat singers from Dune
2
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Sun Mar 12 2023
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
What if I got really into Lraftwerk. Their fans seem really cool
4
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Mon Mar 13 2023
Illmatic
Nas
I recognize this is a landmark album.
But I did not really even register this album. Don’t know enough about Nas or rap at the time.
4
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Tue Mar 14 2023
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
Not my favourite Police album but still good.
4
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
I listened to this on my HomePod today and it’s in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. The quality of it made me regret I started buying vinyl records. Truly reference level shit.
5
View Album
Sat Mar 18 2023
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
I guess the vibes were good.
This is the most recommended album from all the music services algorithms I’ve had. Really had no idea what to expect on this one. I expect I should have just laid on my floor and listened to this instead. Maybe I’ll still do that.
3
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Mon Mar 20 2023
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
No shame in saying my first exposure to this album was from SSX Tricky.
5
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Tue Mar 21 2023
Ten
Pearl Jam
I was actually in a store deciding wether to buy this on vinyl or not.
This is one of those albums I’ve heard so much I barely process it as music anymore, more just a series of sounds. Especially with a bunch of tracks being used for Rock Band I’m more thinking about the individual notes and structure.
I hadn’t heard this whole thing through in at least 10 years. There really isn’t a lull, it’s maxed out all the way through.
5
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Thu Mar 23 2023
Disintegration
The Cure
4
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Fri Mar 24 2023
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
I got super into this album in high school with my friend Alex let this be his copy on CD, and the DVD of the Classic Albums episode on this.
Haven’t heard this in probably 15 years. Every track still rips. I forgot how John Lydon just tries to stuff as much extra lyrical content in as a song is wrapping up.
5
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Sat Mar 25 2023
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
I hate doing this but it’s not a good listen. These skits. I don’t know what they were thinking.
3
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Sun Mar 26 2023
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
I mean Life on Mars is on this.
5
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Mon Mar 27 2023
Vivid
Living Colour
Wow what a record. I had known really only of Living Colour from Guitar Hero but this vibe of rock was just what I needed. Driving around in the first sunlight we’ve seen in Ontario for the last 6 months was 😘👌
5
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Faith
George Michael
First two tracks are all timers. Father Figure is an incredible song. The rest: ah I didn’t dig. 4 stars tho still
4
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Wed Mar 29 2023
Violator
Depeche Mode
4
View Album
Thu Mar 30 2023
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are a band that I bought stock in early. I had heard some of the demos that were going around before the album released, this was in the era of websites like Stereogum and other MP3 blogs. The narrative at the time was that this act was the next Libertines (who had flamed out like a year or two earlier). I also remember taking one of my friends to Future Shop for me to buy this album when it came out. A few weeks later the Arctic Monkeys gave one of the all time great performances on SNL (when Alex mid song calls out someone for yawning). I fully expected them to take over culture then and there and while they were known, they were never really huge.
They did however get huge when they changed their sounds by slowing down and dropping key. Those albums I really have never listened to. Perhaps I should give them a fair shake
Haven’t heard this album in whole for over 10 years. Every song hits completely. Mardy Bum especially is pop perfection.
5
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Sat Apr 01 2023
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
This guy has about the best voice and delivery in rock.
3
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Tue Apr 04 2023
OK Computer
Radiohead
I’m on the side that this is Radioheads best work and the best album of the 90s.
I think I would have heard this whole thing first when my friend Alex (who I have to credit with so much musical influence on me and he had the best CD collection) lent it to me. Would have been around 2003-4. This is an album I come back to maybe every 2-3 years and am just completely bowled over by. What a journey.
5
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Fri Apr 07 2023
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
Really hate to rate this one so low as I think Screamadelica is in my top 10 of all time and I actually really like their more bluesy stuff they did in the early 90s and the 2000s. This was just a mess though of no direction. Just layering on sounds and expecting magic would happen in the final product.
2
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Sat Apr 08 2023
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
I like Cinnamon Girl but wasn’t crazy about the rest
2
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Sun Apr 09 2023
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
This is the kind of CD you’d get to show off your HiFi system in the early 90s
4
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Mon Apr 10 2023
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
Sorry I tried just not getting into Pavement
2
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Wed Apr 12 2023
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Unpopular opinion but I’m Going Down is my favourite Springsteen song.
5
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Fri Apr 14 2023
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
Crazy another album I don’t remember every hearing or seeing music videos for, but they ran ads for on MuchMusic all the time when it music have come out.
3
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Sat Apr 15 2023
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
This cover is iconic
21st Century Schizoid Man rolls
The rest of this mostly stressed me out
2
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Mon Apr 17 2023
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
Two Weeks just pushes this whole thing to 4 stars at least on its own. Top 10 songs of the 2000s.
4
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Tue Apr 18 2023
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
3
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Fri Apr 21 2023
The Last Broadcast
Doves
One of my favourite bands. I know no one who knows them though.
I discovered Doves when I was on Oasis forums in the early/mid 2000s. What can I say I was a popular person in university. I had downloaded Some Cities off a torrent and it sat on my iPod for a few months until I remember I was in bed one night listening to music and a song from them came on and I was immediately hooked.
I had heard The Last Broadcast and the rest of Doves a ton in the 2000s (I actually saw them live in 2009 when I went to Scotland at T in the Park. Excellent show). This is their best album, although I still have a soft spot for the melancholy vibes of Some Cities.
I haven’t heard this one in probably 10 years though. I forgot how much Doves are a vibes and groove band. Very much like The Verve. The songs all do go on for too long, the vocals are really not great. Now that I have good speakers to listen on and not iPod earbuds I can hear the production on this really is not good. But I have enough nostalgia to carry me through.
5
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Sat Apr 22 2023
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
I actually bought this on vinyl and listened to it this Monday. It’s an album made for vinyl.
This is just the best album of all time.
5
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Mon Apr 24 2023
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
This album is phenomenal. I always knew I should listen to Ryan Adams as I had been recommended him from iTunes and such. I have also heard most of this album being played at restaurants and coffee shops. Every song is a winner and I was astounded he was keeping it up throughout.
But I also know this guy has had a messed past with women and he will likely never recover professionally. I don’t think I would feel good ever supporting this guy financially. Again, another album we have to evaluate our feelings about. I think criticism of him is justified. I think he deserves the hardships he seems to be experiencing. But this is obviously a great record and likely influenced a lot of artists. Still deserves to be on this list.
5
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Tue Apr 25 2023
Green
R.E.M.
I got my spine I got my orange crush
Also Stipe just makes a meal of the word ‘conscious’. Legend.
5
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Thu Apr 27 2023
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
An album just over 30 minutes in length it’s still about 15 too long
2
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Sat Apr 29 2023
Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
What the hell
2
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Sun Apr 30 2023
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
So couple of stray thoughts on this one.
Genius inclusion of Wanted Dead or Alive in the original Rock Band game. You had to really explore the space while singing ‘I’ve been everywhere, still I’m standing tall!’
I was fully prepared to give this a 5 sight unseen but the non-single tracks are so forgettable.
Top 10 worst album covers for how many good songs are on this. I know the story behind why they had to change it last minute but come on.
4
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Tue May 02 2023
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Crazy that at nearly 500 albums generated this is my first Zeppelin.
This is my favourite album of theirs. I realized today when I had my CDs the only Zeppelin I owned was their 2 disc Early and Later days greatest hits album.
5
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Wed May 03 2023
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
Hell yeah
5
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Thu May 04 2023
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
This was so good
5
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Fri May 05 2023
Celebrity Skin
Hole
I have to confess I fell victim to the narrative around Courtney Love in the late 90s. Too young to really comprehend when Kurt Cobain died, by the time I was really aware of Love she was doing solo work. I remember the way MuchMusic was talking about her at the time was pretty rough. When I eventually got into Nirvana in 2001/2002 when they had the greatest hits I had read a couple of books about Nirvana and Kurt and they were pretty clear about painting Courtney Love as the villain. Heck, I even remember the PopUp Video episode that had the video for Doll Parts went into the rumours Kurt had written that album.
At least now the prevailing narrative is that Hole is one of the most important bands of the 90s and Courtney Love is a genius.
Anyways this thing is pretty much start to finish bangers. You got Celebrity Skin and Malibu. A few song in the middle fell slat for me but Boys on the Radio picked it back up.
4
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Sat May 06 2023
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Couldn’t make it through this. Was so stressful.
1
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Sun May 07 2023
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
This was interesting. Don’t think I feel the need to listen to it ever agin though
3
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Mon May 08 2023
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
Not into this. I have no interest listening these kind of curiosity. I don’t want to give it one star because it’s not actively trying to get me to hate it. It just sounds like someone falling sleep mid song.
2
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Tue May 09 2023
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
Incredible stuff. De La Soul was a blind spot for me and I loved this start to finish. Now looking for this on vinyl
5
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Fri May 12 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
4
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Sat May 13 2023
Calenture
The Triffids
2
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Sun May 14 2023
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
Yea man this was great. Wishing we’ll kiss and tell
4
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Tue May 16 2023
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
This one is tricky because I understand the context, I understand the historical significance and legacy it left. They were on the right side of history with the police in a conflict that still hasn’t been solved.
But outside if the police stuff, the hatred especially of women especially, but also the Hispanic community and the homophobia just really makes it hard to fully get behind what they were trying to say.
4
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Wed May 17 2023
Dare!
The Human League
Shows why album sequencing is so important. If you’re going to have Don’t You Want Me as the closer, the rest of the record has to be all bangers. This is not.
2
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Fri May 19 2023
Crazysexycool
TLC
It is wild that in the years since a bunch of TLCs music has become a comedy punch line. I’m thinking of Michael Keatons character in The Other Guys, Bill Murray singing to Drew Barrymore during the SNL 25th anniversary show. I don’t think any of it was malicious, just part of the legacy.
I haven’t heard Waterfalls in a long time and I think it’s one of the top songs of the 90s. I might even rank it #2 after Smells Like Teen Spirit.
This album is so incredibly horny as well hahahah
5
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Tue May 23 2023
Be
Common
Good 2005 throwback
4
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Wed May 24 2023
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
2
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Sun May 28 2023
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Shit man Father and Son
5
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Tue May 30 2023
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
3
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Wed May 31 2023
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
One of my favourite album covers
4
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Fri Jun 02 2023
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
Can’t lie. I had a good time.
This was also status symbol if you saw this in someone’s car in 2003 they were a dirtbag hahahah
4
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Sat Jun 03 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Men will literally record Hybrid Theory before going to therapy.
3
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Sun Jun 04 2023
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Couldn’t do it. I like Chop Suey but their stuff is just too aggro
2
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Tue Jun 06 2023
Back In Black
AC/DC
Incredible collection of songs. Shoot to Thrill is their best song with Brian Johnson
5
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Thu Jun 08 2023
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
I like Rod. Didn’t think this deserved a place in the 1001
2
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Fri Jun 09 2023
Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
Really didn’t like this at the start. Came around on it by the end tho.
2
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Sat Jun 10 2023
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
You know what? Was not into it this time I listened to it! Most of it just seemed aimless except for a couple tracks (Clint Eastwood, 19-2000).
I’m also very surprised to see that Demon Days is not on this list. I feel like that album was more popular at the time. Plus in the last couple of years everyone has rightfully evevated it to masterpiece status.
3
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Sun Jun 11 2023
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Great Hendrix album. The title track is my favourite song of his.
4
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Wed Jun 14 2023
Third
Portishead
I know this album is supposed to be good. I remember all the music critics falling over themselves for this. Wasn’t for me.
2
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Wed Jun 21 2023
The Real Thing
Faith No More
I’ve been aware of this album and more specifically Epic since the early 2000s. I may have first heard of them during the VH1 top music videos of the 90s week long special they did. I remember the one critic describing the video and asking ‘why is there a fish flopping around at the end? It doesn’t matter!’. But I’ve mostly just filed it away as a curio from the 90s.
I have come to realize in the last couple of years this is actually one of the most influential albums of the 90s and is responsible for plunging us in to 1000 years of darkness as Limp Bizkit and Korn took their musical style largely from this record specifically.
This is still better than those guys though. Really evokes the stocky men in zip up-sleeveless hoodies and long basketball shorts vibe.
4
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Sat Jun 24 2023
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
This album turned 30 years old yesterday
The first time I encountered Liz Phair was in the 2000s and she had that song Why Can’t I come out and it was all over MuchMusic and the radio (seems like it’s her most popular song on Apple Music). All of the stuff I was reading about her though was about how she had sold out, wasted potential and now she’s just pop music. The other time I would hear about her (and this album specifically) is as a footnote in writing about Exile on Main Street. I’m pretty mute I had read in Rolling Stone or Spin a piece written by Phair about the Stones record and how much she liked it.
30 years on now, this is about the most contemporary sounding album I think I’ve heard on the list. If you listen to indie rock radio there are a ton of acts that are going after this lo fi, confessional style of rock. I’m thinking Courtney Bartlett, Phoebe Bridgers and Boy Genius and Lana Del Ray. Yet Phair is still more pointed in her lyrics regarding sexual relationships especially. This album sounds timeless, while even on her next album songs like Supernova are peak 90s production.
I’ve got to say this has been one of my great discoveries and one I think I need to own on vinyl.
5
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Sun Jun 25 2023
Odessa
Bee Gees
One of the most pretentious, overwrought and frankly misogynistic records I’ve heard. Crazy these guys change course and put out a 5 star masterpiece as a movie soundtrack nearly a decade after this.
2
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Mon Jun 26 2023
Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
Step On
4
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Wed Jun 28 2023
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
I remember when this album had a moment in culture. Don’t think this was good tho
2
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Thu Jun 29 2023
Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
This is incredible. I only really knew them from The Killing Moon (which I love). I hear where all my bands come from in this though. Like Arcade Fire, The Killers, Coldplay and Radiohead. This is of its time in the best way.
5
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Fri Jun 30 2023
Street Life
The Crusaders
They do love the Street Life
2
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Sat Jul 01 2023
Rocks
Aerosmith
Not their best but Back in the Saddle elevates this.
3
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Thu Jul 06 2023
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
I listened to the Atmos mix of this they have on Apple Music on my Sonos today. The wall of music effect really suits it well.
5
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Fri Jul 07 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
I’m fascinated that record companies were just letting all these bands put out albums covering the same rock and roll songs. I guess this would have been before we took the idea of the album seriously.
3
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Sat Jul 08 2023
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
I have been meaning to give Janelle Monáes music for the last few years now. I heard a bit of her second album once and was really intrigued.
Crazy this is her debut LP. I know she has an EP and couple singles before this, but what a statement piece.
5
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Fri Jul 14 2023
Protection
Massive Attack
First two tracks are essentials
The rest? Eh…
3
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Mon Jul 17 2023
Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
I have no problem rating this 5 off the strength of the first track
5
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Wed Jul 19 2023
In Utero
Nirvana
It’s been at least 10 years since I’ve heard this one. I had the memory that the back half was pretty abrasive and not very pleasant to listen to until the last song. I expected I would have given this 4 stars.
This one is not nearly as difficult as I remember. I don’t think the production actually does it any favors. Very good album with all songs firing.
5
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Sun Jul 23 2023
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
Sorry barely registered I had it on
2
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Mon Jul 24 2023
Superunknown
Soundgarden
Timeless
5
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Wed Jul 26 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
A short album you say?….
3
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Thu Jul 27 2023
The Who Sell Out
The Who
I had a good time with this.
Wild the only version seemingly on streaming is a 4 hour version with just different takes of the same songs?
4
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Sun Jul 30 2023
Metal Box
Public Image Ltd.
Straight up fuck this album.
Public Image was my first 1 star and this was worse.
1
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Wed Aug 02 2023
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
Run of the mill punk
2
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Thu Aug 03 2023
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
4
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Fri Aug 04 2023
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
3
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Tue Aug 08 2023
The Libertines
The Libertines
Absolutely baffling the this one is on the list and the debut isn’t. This is just tabloid fodder for the 2000s.
I love the Libertines, their debut is actually timeless. This hasn’t held up
2
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Thu Aug 10 2023
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society
God save Mrs. Mopp and good Old Mother Riley
We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium
God save the George Cross and all those who were awarded them
4
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Sun Aug 13 2023
Teenager Of The Year
Frank Black
I really vibed out with this. His band is really tight on this one. Just too ling
4
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Wed Aug 16 2023
The Joshua Tree
U2
In my top 10 all time.
Red Hill Mining Town is underrated
5
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Sun Aug 20 2023
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
Had some good songs. Like the title track
3
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Mon Aug 21 2023
Sheet Music
10cc
God I’ve had enough of this 70s/80s also-ran, extremely mid Brit rock off this list
2
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Tue Aug 22 2023
John Prine
John Prine
I often try to convince my wife the country is not all just ‘There’s a tear in my beer’ type songs.
But then some bullshit like this comes along
2
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Fri Aug 25 2023
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
lol Tony Stark
2
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Sun Aug 27 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Not my favorite Stevie but still pretty funky
4
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Mon Aug 28 2023
When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
Well
it seems like the funky days
they're back again
4
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Tue Aug 29 2023
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
I’m OK I’m just gonna pass on this one
2
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Wed Aug 30 2023
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
4
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Thu Aug 31 2023
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Hard pass on this one Nick Cave
1
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Fri Sep 01 2023
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
I knew this was my least favorite of Jimis 3 studio albums but I actually could barely stand this one. Just so much noodling. Never been a fan of All Along the Watchtower either.
3
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Sat Sep 02 2023
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Big Shiny Tunes-core
Breathe with me
5
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Mon Sep 04 2023
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
Sorry wansnt for me
2
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Sat Sep 09 2023
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
So while I think Just Like Honey is seminal, I think the rest of Psychocandy is pretty middling.
This though I love. Doesn’t hit the heights of their biggest song but remains solid throughout
4
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Sun Sep 10 2023
Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
Respectfully, fuck off with this shit.
1
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Tue Sep 12 2023
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
They got the beat
4
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Wed Sep 13 2023
Autobahn
Kraftwerk
I was thinking, while listening to this, if one of our Canadian bands pulled the same move, and just started writing music about the TransCanada Highway or the 401.
But I guess like the Barenaked Ladies and likely the Tragically Hip have already
3
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Thu Sep 14 2023
Survivor
Destiny's Child
I’m not going to dispute this albums place on the greatest list. I was there, this thing was huge. All the videos were on all the time. This is the lasting legacy from the Charlie’s Angels movie. 3 incredible bangers right off the top that no one is going to miss off biggest songs of the 2000s. Who among us can claim that? No one.
I was ready to hand out a 5 on this one but after Bootylicious the rest of the record is so aggressively mid it’s wild.
Also weirdly the next song is Nasty Girl which is hating on other women not wearing a lot of clothes. Such a bizarre heel turn.
4
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Sat Sep 16 2023
Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
I mean I live an album under 45 minutes. And it has nearly 30 songs? Incredible commitment to the bit.
3
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Sun Sep 17 2023
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
I’ve bought this on iTunes when it came out. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the whole thing through, but I’ve heard every song before just from shuffling.
This doesn’t hit the heights of Funeral, but it is more even throughout. Approaches some of the nostalgia that they master on The Suburbs. Doesn’t have a ton of songs they play live still. It’s kind of the forgotten middle child between one of the most important rock debuts and a surprise Grammy winning record.
This is still really good annd I would rank it aMing the best of the 2000s. Intervention just goes, I don’t get why it’s not a live staple for them. Windowsill is amazing.
Two observations about the context of this album.
- I didn’t realize how Springsteen this one is. Also strange considering at the time The Killers had their second album Sam’s Town which also went pretty Bruce. I can’t place why The Boss was in the zeitgeist in 2006/7?
-This was also Arcade Fire at the height of their cultural relevance with established bands. I remember Coldplay trying to make themselves more like Arcade Fire for Viva La Vida. U2 was always playing Wale Up before they came on stage. And the Foo Fighters covered Keep the Car Running.
I don’t know where this band goes from here though. They barely finished the tour for WE with their support dropping out. They’ve done a couple of festival slots where they have done amazing. A real shame given this was our best Canadian rock act going.
5
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Mon Sep 18 2023
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
I went to pick through some vinyl records from my parents old collection a few months ago before they got rid of it.
I stupidly passed this one over.
4
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Tue Sep 19 2023
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Was hyped for an under 45 minute album. But then the first track is the longest song in history and just goes no where.
2
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Wed Sep 20 2023
The Man Who
Travis
As a Britpop scholar I found this so derivative of everything else. I know this one has its fans but it’s just lifting wholesale riffs from Oasis and Blur songs that were like 3-5 years old.
Why Does it Always Rain on Me is great though
3
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Sun Sep 24 2023
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
True millennial-core
This was among the last albums I bought when they came out on CD even though I had an iPod for a few years.
Kids especially is in the top 10 of the decade.
5
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Fri Sep 29 2023
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Has only grown in strength, and like Exile in Guyville is now about the most consequential album of the 90s outside Nevermind.
Also I only know my dad owning 3 albums since I was born. The Wall by Pink Floyd, Balance by Van Halen and this. Not sure what to make of that hahaha
5
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Sat Sep 30 2023
Hot Fuss
The Killers
I said MGMT was pure millennial-core. I have have spoke too soon.
Killers one of our last great American rock acts. Most of this one is all-timers
5
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Wed Oct 04 2023
Wild Gift
X
This was fun!
4
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Thu Oct 05 2023
GI
Germs
This was ok. I’m not much for noise punk
3
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Fri Oct 06 2023
D
White Denim
Can’t believe I had never heard of this. I listened to a ton of indie/alternative radio in 2011-14 and never heard is this group. Truly a failing of the machine.
I have also hated any psychedelic album that’s come up but this is an easy 5er for me.
5
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Sun Oct 08 2023
Doolittle
Pixies
Just about the most important indie rock album of the last 40 years.
5
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Sat Oct 14 2023
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
I had been meaning to check in on Afghan Whigs as they were the subject of Bandsplain this week and I had never heard them.
This is one of the most intense records I’ve heard and it absolutely rips. May not be a repeater for me unless I’m really in the mood but goddamn this is excellent
5
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Sun Oct 15 2023
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
So I had never heard any of Queen Latifah’s music, dispute knowing that she was an artist before actor and maybe seeing one or two of her music videos. As an actor she is great anytime she pops up in anything.
This though was great. Totally my vibe of hip hop.
4
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Wed Oct 18 2023
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
I love Salisbury Hill, it’s an all timer. I like a bunch of other Peter Gabriel as well.
The rest of this did not click for me though.
2
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Sat Oct 21 2023
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
Weird choice, I thought this wasn’t a super well reviewed album of hers and kind of forgotten. Born to Die and NFR I thought were considered her at the height of her powers.
This was ok but I know there is better Lana out there.
2
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Mon Oct 23 2023
McCartney
Paul McCartney
The man has an entire album of half baked ideas and then finishes with one of his all timers.
3
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Sat Oct 28 2023
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
You know what, The Faces are an amazing Greatest Hits band. Can’t put together a good album though.
3
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Sun Oct 29 2023
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
You know, I was prepared to give this one 2 stars and concede Dylan is not for me.
This son of a bitch has a record that can’t be hated though.
5
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Mon Oct 30 2023
All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
I was prepared to give this one 5 stars off the bat. I remember this album coming out and how huge it was. With a catalogue as great as theirs was before this one was, they still would not make it out of a stadium alive without playing Beautiful Day.
I can concede most of these tracks are reworking of their classics and I was still prepared to give it a 5. But the back half of this falls off so incredibly hard. Needs 1 or 2 great songs to end it off.
4
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Rio
Duran Duran
Incredible bass lines on this
4
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Wed Nov 01 2023
Soul Mining
The The
This Is The Day is pretty good. The rest I could leave.
Also Apple Music defaults to the album art from the 2000s reissue which is an all time downgrade from the original art.
2
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Thu Nov 02 2023
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
You know what?
Liked this better than Brian Wilson’s Smile
4
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Fri Nov 03 2023
Imagine
John Lennon
It’s good
4
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Mon Nov 06 2023
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
I think the consensus on this is since Unplugged was so successful that Nirvana likely would have done something for their fourth. I don’t think they would have been an interesting thought.
I forgot how many Meat Puppets songs are on this. I had never heard the original songs and I listened to them afterwards. Such a weird choice to turn into basically country songs.
Ultimately in 2023 I don’t think I’ll need to keep replaying Unplugged like I did in the early 2000s when I got really into Nirvana. It’s more a curiosity of the Nirvana narrative. It’s also crazy they were only in their mid 20s at this point. The banter in between songs is just kids awkwardly playing to the tv cameras.
5
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Parachutes
Coldplay
When Coldplay was at their peak around 2002-4, I had friends who told me Parachutes was their best album. I had never heard this one in full despite being very familiar with all the singles.
That was a bonkers take, and Rush of Blood to the Head is hands down their best record. Parachutes while it does have song absolute all-timers (Yellow, Shiver) it is way too acoustic guitar forward in the back half. I barely registered that songs were changing.
I’m still landing on a 4.5 stars though
4
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
Straight fuck off with this art rock shit. I hate music that sounds like it’s intentionally obtuse just for the sake of it.
1
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
So I was bemoaning that this was the only Queens album on the list, despite Rated R being one of the most well reviewed rock albums of the 2000s and Songs for the Deaf I think now generally considered a landmark.
This is great, I cannot deny. I don’t have the same love as their next two albums but I can’t disagree with it’s inclusion
5
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Tue Nov 14 2023
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
It’s ok I’m into enough British bands, I think I can let Super Furry Animals pass me by without feeling guilty. I tried
2
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
I get it, this is how we get to heavy metal.
But this is also the third album I’ve had where someone covers Summertime Blues
2
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Thu Nov 16 2023
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
A classic. While before my time, I saw her videos all the time on Pop Up Video
Gotta say, the Dolby Atmos mix on Apple Music is not good
4
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Sun Nov 19 2023
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
It’s been at least 10 years since I’ve heard this one properly. I still occasionally hear Golden Skans on the radio, but Klaxxons I think are a largely forgotten band (seems they’ve been inactive since 2014).
Before today, I don’t know if I would have thought to put this on a list of my top albums of the 2000s. Now I’m pretty sure I would have in the top 3 maybe.
5
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
I love the sequencing on this how it doesn’t really seem like the band is going to be able to keep their groove together the first few songs, and then when you hit Barely Legal and then Someday and realize they are in complete control.
I have to speak my truth, though, and admit that, while I knew them before, I only really came to the strokes because of their inclusion on the 2002 Spider-Man soundtrack
5
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
Could not stand this
I get it’s not for me.
2
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Sat Nov 25 2023
Nowhere
Ride
In the minority in that I like Going Blank Again better but this is still very solid
4
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Sincere
Mj Cole
Asian-fusion-restaurant-core
2
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Cross
Justice
The way you move is a mystery
4
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Thu Nov 30 2023
Roots
Sepultura
They sounded great.
Still not into metal
2