User Albums Summary

I did my teenage/young adult years a disservice by dismissing Paramore. I saw them in concert in 2009 with No Doubt headlining, but I wasn’t interested. And I think we all know in 2026 Hayley Williams is genuinely punk and, though we cannot and should not compare women, is considerably more punk than Gwen Stefani. This album SLAPS. It’s delightfully emo and has a surprising kick. The lyrics are emotional and clever and interesting. I love the biting chorus of “Playing God”! And so many songs are catchy. A great first album on the user album list.

The Who’s Tommy holds a special place in my heart, and I’m just as shocked as you that I never listened to Quadrophenia. I’m so glad I had a reason to listen. I already knew several songs, and it was easy to pick up motifs, which created quite the flowy listen. I expected that and kick ass rock guitar from The Who, but just because it’s anticipated doesn’t mean it isn’t great. Something must be said about the protagonists in these rock operas in the seventies. This and The Wall have the most unremarkable protagonists, and I found myself deflated. Tommy at least had a disabled lead character, but I found Quadrophenia to be about… nothing in particular. 3.5, for the guitar riffs.

Disco was overlooked by the 1001 albums project, and is overlooked by most people, which is a damn shame. Black Devil Disco Club scratched my disco itch. I love disco music, but electronic music can be repetitive and unappealing. (I know they’re similar genres; we are all full of contradictions.) Despite that, this was an easy album to listen to. It flowed well, though sometimes the repetition wasn’t so enjoyable for me. This album being created by a French musician makes me think of Kraftwerk in the seventies, in the sense European musicians latched onto electronic way earlier than Americans did. And disco is a very American genre! Those two genres together make the album sound very 1978, in a good way, because both were taking off then.

Bruce Cockburn's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws is remarkably pleasant and easy going! For such a vivid album title, Cockburn's breezy folk attitude could have been a letdown, but his voice is too captivating to let that happen. For being a folk singer, Cockburn has a good voice (respectfully to Leonard Cohen, unrespectively to Bob Dylan), and his instrumental aspects are very strong. I'm reminded some of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake, or at least their albums that were part of the regular album list. But Cockburn isn't as psychedelic as Buckley, and the single "Wondering Where The Lions Are" is way more jaunty than anything Drake did. And neither of them incorporated a light Caribbean vibe, which helped keep the album light.

I love the quirkiness that is this album, because I love when a band doesn't take itself too seriously. "Song for Whoever" is cute as it shoves in as many women's names as possible into the lyrics, the chorus of "Woman in the Wall" encourages us liberate the song's victim, and the title of "I Love You (But You're Boring)" made me laugh out loud. The Beautiful South didn't hold back. Even when topics were dark, the songs remained fun and light tonally. The multiple vocalists, particularly male and female vocalists, added to this as they traded off verses. Their voices complimented each other well. I'm a sucker for this kind of pop music. I enjoyed this album unironically.

Turnpike Troubadours (a cute band name) have an easy, natural way of storytelling. Country music has always been a great medium for storytelling, and I enjoyed how much the Troubadours adhered to that tradition. Their sound was reminiscent of older country mixed with modernity, maybe something like Dwight Yoakam or Travis Tritt in the eighties, but there’s something in the music that makes it sound very 2010. A side note: I love when song titles are pulled from the lyrics but aren’t what you’d consider to be the most important lyrics. They did that here! Just a little fun for me.

I could not agree more that Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE belongs here, or maybe even on the regular list, and I’m genuinely surprised the global rating is so low. I’m just glad I listened to this album! Beyoncé is so purposeful with all her music, and I just loved listening to this album multiple times catching more samples or meanings or lyrics. Maybe what I loved most was how the entire album flowed. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard such a perfect album where every single song slides seamlessly into the next. It’s beautiful. A part of why the album flows, I think, is the same samples used across multiple songs, but I don’t find this to be annoying or uncreative. Also I cannot get over the usage of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” in the last song. When this album came out, a lot of the talk was about the genre of house music, that Beyoncé brought attention to it. I definitely hear house, and she also included her signature R&B sound. The output is definitely a Beyoncé product that allowed her to explore another genre, much like her follow-up album.

TIL Ariana Grande's "goodnight n go" is a cover of an Imogen Heap song! Once I made that connection, I kept hearing how much Heap's Speak for Yourself influenced Grande's Sweetener album. Heap is on the electronic side of pop, but the dreamy pop tone is present on both. In that regard, I finished Heap's album being less impressed with Grande's, but that's not why I'm here. Speak for Yourself is a great submission for the user submitted albums. I can't think of anything except for Goldfrapp that's similar to this album. The dreamy sound is such a vibe, man.

In the regular list, we received 6 albums either by Elvis Costello solo or with the Attractions. 6 is more than enough, as I think almost all of us agree on. I couldn't find much in Don't Throw Stones by THE SPORTS that was innovative or that this band did anything their contemporary didn't already do. Even the lead vocalist sounded like Costello. "If you aren't making [music] that's different, then you're not making anything at all."

I love when an album has a sound we haven't heard in the official 1001 albums, or the user-submitted list. At this point, that isn't easy to accomplish! But Snarky Puppy's We Like It Here did it. Their jazz fusion is fun and energetic. The usage of electronic/synth is different from typical jazz, but the inclusion is good and adds to their uniqueness. Snarky Puppy even threw in some world music! And of course, when an album keeps your attention despite no or minimal lyrics, you have to mention it.

After reviewing more than 1,000 albums, we all start writing reviews in our heads and preparing vote within the first two minutes. I was so happy to be wrong once I made it to the third song because I had such a negative reaction to the first two, which had boring electronic noises paired with jarring vocals. "Paper Trails" has a blues vibe that I'm obsessed with! "Heart" is rock/electronic with really good beats, and the vocals weren't too harsh. I didn't enjoy the rest of the album, but gosh DARKSIDE did something right in the middle of the album. Unfortunately, I just don't think it's enough for a 3.

I'm afraid I heard nothing terribly original in Pedro the Lion's Control. They sounded so much like Kings of Leon, though I admit this album came out in 2002 before Sex On Fire. (We already had three KOL albums!) But it was just so boring and whiny. I kept wondering if Pedro the Lion even enjoyed creating and playing this music. Kind of a bummer this is a concept album, because I love concept albums and when women do bad things.

Stretch 2 was not for me! The hip hop/electronic was a different kind of combo, but it just came across as weird and unappealing. The distortion was very machine-y and without purpose. I mean, at least Arca had the good sense to keep the album short, but it was so boring and repetitive I didn't know it had looped back around until I listened to it in full nearly twice, which sure defeats the purpose of a short length!

I feel like we’ve already gotten five albums like this, and I’m only 15 albums in with the user album list. The lead vocalist mumbles so much I don’t think you can call it singing at that point. The last song sounded better than the rest of the album, and I beg 2003 Sea Power to at least explore the emo sound.

If every single song on this album said “ft. Paul Simon,” I wouldn’t have been surprised. Contra has an eighties folk-pop Simon sound crossed with the aughts indie sound. It even sounds like music Paul Simon could have created if his heyday was 2-3 decades later. The world beat must be what’s guiding me. Contra is a pleasant, quick, and very catchy album. I knew a handful of Vampire Weekend songs, none of which is on this album, but that didn’t stop me from tapping my foot along. The lyrics were fun and different. I simply had a good time!

Am I on a reality show where Elvis Costello pops up in my life under different pseudonyms and it's some practical joke that I hear him everywhere?? I enjoy new wave, and I enjoyed the new wave on this album. I'm not sure I heard anything different that I didn't get from the five kajillion Costello albums, but hey, it is a point in Squeezing Out Sparks' favor that this does not include Costello.

I’m not usually a fan of electronic or dream pop music, but Chromatics does something different that I really admire. I can’t quite describe how or why their electronic sounds different, but the album is (mostly) light and isn’t overbearing. The end of “Tomorrow Is So Far Away” sounds like wind howling. “Killing Spree” isn’t your typical discordant song because it’s dream pop, but it manages to make you feel soooo uneasy in this instrumental. Then the organ or organ-like sound comes in toward the end, and it’s so cool! The minimal vocals were a smart choice, to let their small choices be appreciated fully. I listened to Night Drive when I wasn’t in a rush, and I’m glad for that since I took my time and went on the journey Chromatics laid out for us. 3.5

Alexa, play “Agony” from the Into the Woods musical.

Amusing album title, yet bland. Shakespeare My Butt has that nineties alt punk feel but in 1991 before other artists made alt punk big in the mid-90s. I’m impressed in that regard, but the album comes across as hallow as Lowest of the Low try too hard. Where’s the substance?

The most unfortunate part of To Be Kind was the lost potential. Multiple times I heard a good beat or the inclusion of world music, and then Swans would drown it out with their experimental and noise genre nonsense. A damn shame, and then Swans had the audacity to think their music was good enough for a full two hours! Jiminey Christmas, this was garbage and on par with Throbbing Gristle.

This slaps! I love how solid metal music is, and Opeth is no exception. If you strip away the growls (which I love, to be clear), the music and instruments are so great! I love how hard they went. I don’t think they were as technically precise as Metallica, but Opeth was good regardless. 3.5

This album slapped A LOT. Anyone who looks at my reviews can tell that 22 albums into the user-submitted list I'm tired of this aughts indie sound. But Fantasies by Metric doesn't have the typical indie sound! A big part is the female lead vocalist, and we love female vocalists. The lyrics are witty and catchy. The emotion is palpable. There's a punk/new wave twist I enjoy. "Gold Guns Girls" asks if it's possible to ever be satisfied. It's all so good! Maybe I'm very incorrect, but I was reminded of how Olivia Rodrigo sounds today. Metric has a fun pop sound, and Rodrigo does sound like Emily Haines. Obviously, Rodrigo would not be considered indie by any stretch, but truly I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of indie inspired her. I can't wait to listen to this again, and again. If we're splitting hairs, Fantasies is more of a 4.5, but considering my enjoyment, I have to round this up.

I loved the vibes of Silent Hill 2! No vocals needed on this horror industrial album. Akita Yamaoka created great theme songs and background songs for this video game, and I can appreciate that despite not having played Silent Hill 2, or any of them! When you’re playing a video game, an instrumental is looped in the background of your location. You get more than a 1.5 minute clip of the song, and you can truly become engrossed in the video game and its surroundings. That aspect was an understandable detriment to this soundtrack. For the fully fleshed songs, not the 1.5 minute instrumentals, they slapped. I can understand why this album was submitted as someone’s favorite.

Música, Gramática, Gimnasia is a unique album. Though Dënver was a Chilean duo, they had a continental European sound, but I’m wondering if that’s due to the electronic aspects reminding me of the German band Kraftwerk. And being released in 2010, the album leans heavy into the disco genre (a good thing, of course). That makes for a fun listen even without understanding the lyrics. I’m glad this was submitted.

A lot of the discussion around Yoko Ono and her music, including Fly, centers around making her into a joke and laughing about how grating her vocals are. That diminishes her musical contributions and activism. I don't want to talk about the bad aspects because I found much to be different. The first disc included some Eastern sounds, and I admire how true to her heritage she was in Fly. "Hirake," despite its name, is pure American funk. "Mrs. Lennon" is the softest song on the album and is a stark contrast to the others. It possibly contained the best lyrics with its anti-war message; I love when a song's lyrics follows the "less is more" idea. Yoko Ono is a unique individual who veered far off the path to create music no one has before. There is no one who was doing what she was doing fifty years ago, and still not today. That alone is admirable.

What the Flaming Lips did on Zaireeka is extremely cool. I like the idea of becoming so familiar with the full version produced by all four discs, and completely upending the familiarity by only listening to two or three discs at once. I would love to do this with some of my favorite albums. But the idea is unfortunately outdated because who has four streaming subscriptions to play at once and four separate good speakers? In my youth, my family had a multi-CD stereo system that could shuffle between songs, and I suspect it could play 4 discs at the same time. Shoutout to Buufalooo on YouTube for creating and uploading a mixed version. That being said, I'm still not a fan of the Flaming Lips. I don't like the vocals. I didn't think much was interesting musically on Zaireeka, only the concept.

The radio/Songs for the Deaf bit became tired. That is my number one thought. A lot of the album is good rock alternative with catchy beats, but c'mon. Every other song contributes something to the theme, and I just wanted to listen to the actual music. It ties the album together, I guess. I have to knock down my rating to a 3. [Pawn Stars meme] That's the best I can do.

I always appreciate an usual album, and Shack-man is that--and not just because of its album art. Jazz and experimental don't go together on paper, or at least they shouldn't. This could be my uninformed opinion, but jazz is always loud and busy. Medeski Martin & Wood allow themselves to be quiet and even have empty moments. They even incorporate funk into their jazz! The album is a little long, but I found myself so intrigued that the length didn't bother me. A testament of a good album. I'm impressed.

For such innovative song titles, Margot and the Nuclear So & So's are surprisingly calm. I kind of don't know what to make of Not Animal because I was and am thrown. Their brand is indie is folky and pleasing. Maybe Not Animal sounds like a bummer of an album in general, but the lead singer’s voice doesn’t drone. I suppose the album’s only sin is being forgettable.   I just cannot express this enough. With a song title like “Hello Vagina,” how was the genre not proto-punk or noise rock??

Wow, this album is really from the eighties. Nik Kershaw wants no mistake about that. It's synth heavy. Human Racing has a lot of the catchy new wave, but I think Kershaw was also influenced by Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine. Or at least I was reminded of her in "Drum Talk." Regardless, this album was too light and lacked substance. I love eighties, and I love the ridiculousness of Air Supply's "Love Out Of Nothing At All," for instance, but Human Racing just isn't as good. Still good enough for a 3.

What a band name. What an album name, too. The album was a little early for alternative but very late for psychedelic folk, which produced a disjointed affect. Not bad, like some of the garbage I've heard, but not good or memorable. Toward the end, there was a jaunty instrumental that had strong horn and piano presence. I liked that the most.

I enjoyed this! I appreciate blues but I’m not the biggest fan. Barão Vermelho does the blues well. Several times my attention was drawn to the wailing guitar, especially during solos. Blues songs traditionally are more downbeat, and in contrast Maior Abandonado was considerably more peppy and catchy, even if I don’t know Portuguese (Brasíl or Portugal).

I couldn't help but hear similarities to R.E.M., so much so that I am surprised no other review mentioned them--and there's no mention on Wikipedia of the two bands influencing the other. They were contemporaries, which always results in feeding off other artists. That being said, I swear the Chameleons sound like R.E.M. The gothic rock distinguished them, at least. Anyway, I don't care for R.E.M., and Script of the Bridge was passable. I wasn't very interested, and I don't have much to say.

Operation Ivy's record company released this compilation album two years after they disbanded. I guess the submitter was happy they submitted all of Operation Ivy's music! But as a result, this album sounded disjointed without much flow--except, punk music doesn't care about that. It is what it is. I enjoyed how much ska I heard! Ska and similar genres like two-tone were included but overlooked in the regular list. I like the combination of ska and punk, and Operation Ivy did both of them justice. I don't know much Rancid, or any, yet I liked hearing what their original sound was like for two very short years in the late eighties. I'm grateful for that alone. I loved the song "Officer". Punks are the real ones. ACAB.

RHCP's prior album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, is part of the original list and became one of my favorite albums ever. One Hot Minute follows the same alternative funk trend but sounds more like a contrived continuation rather than a natural creative expression. I'm torn because I enjoy the sound and it's catchy, but I wanted more political, edgy songs. At some point, it seemed like the RHCP enjoyed saying the word "fuck". Several songs may not have been political but were worthwhile: "Tearjerker" wasn't like anything I've heard from the RHCP and was the lead vocalist's reaction to Kurt Cobain's death. "Aeroplane" is about using music as a refuge, which I think we can all relate to if we're doing this project. "Walkabout" refers to the Australian Aboriginal ceremony. "Pea" was written by Flea, who was bullied a lot as a child yet recognized bullies weren't worth his time. And "Shallow Be Thy Game" shames religious fundamentalism, which I'm always into. Oh and, I always enjoy a cute album title in relation to the artist's name.

This album was the kind of indie music I enjoy! I can be picky with the indie genre, but good lyrics and beats kept me engaged. The Vaccines’ energy reminded me of fun., whose music I also enjoy. My sister, who enjoys indie music more than me, liked the album, or what she heard of it as she got ready in the morning. She’s a huge fan of fun., which validated my opinion. 3.5, but enough to round up. Also, a cute album name for a debut.

We had an album of John Coltrane's on the original list, but I didn't realize his impact until a Fresh Air interview with his son, Ravi, a saxophonist in his own right. I enjoy jazz but don't know much about it, even with the albums from the original list. Anyway, man are Coltrane and Johnny Hartman a hit together. Hartman's vocals are just beautiful with these delicate, evocative lyrics. And Coltrane's sax is everything a sax can be, and I love me some horns. I think I listened to this one whole time focusing on the saxophone, and the other on the vocals. Both were solid listens. But I also listened to this too many times because I don't think I've heard another jazz album so smooth. U g h.

Awww yeah. There was something that felt really right about ZUTOMAYO's Jinkougaku. It's light and fun and poppy. I don't need to understand a lick of Japanese to know this is good pop/rock music. I wasn't surprised to see Jinkougaku did extremely well in Japan, or her other albums either. I'm glad I listened to some modern Japanese music that is a hit on the charts. The cute vocals allow the music to lean more pop, but the backing instrumentation can be light enough to be pop, hard-driving enough to be rock, or jazzy enough to be a jazz/rock fusion. An interesting mix that lends itself to repeat listens. 3.5, rounding up for the sheer enjoyment.

This as a weird one! The genre was listed as techno, which I guess?, but that doesn't provide the full picture. A lot felt video game-y, so the techno part makes sense, but it specifically felt like a horror video game. Randomly, little bits of jazz were dropped throughout the album. And there was about thirty seconds dedicated to banging on piano keys. A good word to sum up Ultravisitor is experimental. Not a bad listen, just weird, but I'm kind of surprised it was submitted by an individual and not the original author, who loves inserting these unusual albums. Oh well.

I found myself so impressed with this album! No Talking, Just Head is more than just a cute album title. It's new wave in the nineties. As experimental/art rock as the Talking Heads were, and with less emphasis on the vocals. The lyrics were just as expressive as before, too. As the frontman, David Byrne had an overlarge presence, one that I'm now convinced didn't allow the rest of the Talking Heads to shine. Byrne is talented without a doubt, so please don't get me wrong. Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth prove they can hold their ground without Byrne. And "The King Is Gone" must have been poking at Byrne's absence. I almost wish the three members provided lead vocals, but I quite like the fact they collaborated with so many artists, most just for one song each. Despite the rotating door of vocalists, the album flows well, and that must be due to how much Frantz, Harrison, and Weymouth are in sync musically. I can't say if this album deserved to be on the original list, though that isn't the criteria for user-submitted albums. Regardless, I enjoyed this album and heard something unique.

I certainly wasn't expecting the lead vocalist to be named Matthew Good, but I should have figured this was a Dave Matthews Band situation. Beautiful Midnight is OK. The vocals are passable. The alt rock and grunge are of its time but decent. It doesn't have the catchiness required for a good album, which makes for quite a boring album. I was rather amused by the song "I Miss New Wave", because new wave was very eighties and Beautiful Midnight is very nineties.

My review of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album has 15 likes and I believe it is because of this sentence: “Wilco is capable of creating good, enjoyable music but chooses not to.” Jeff Tweedy did it again. At least Tweedy’s solo music sounds different, but I’m still not a fan. Twilight Override, while an apt title, is dreamy soft rock/folk. Some reminded me of Lou Reed. I’m sure some of that is due to “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter,” but I genuinely heard it! There’s that early seventies Reed, like “Perfect Day” but with lackluster music. I can’t help but think Tweedy was terribly bored creating this album. Also, as I’ve said before, the only artist who ever deserved a triple album was George Harrison. Warner Brothers famously wouldn’t even give Prince a triple album at the height of his fame! Sit down Tweedy. You don’t have that much to say.

This is some depressing indie music. To its credit, Songs: Ohia is chill and flows well, but all I can seem to focus on is how down and out the vocalist of Lioness sounds. I love me some emotional music, but this is some depression inducing stylings.

Holy shit, I LOVE this album!! Clutch goes blessedly hard throughout the entire album and never lets up. The guitar riffs always land, and the vocals are surprisingly clear for such a growl. But that clear voice made their lyrics heard, and their lyrics are a rich text! Maybe the lyrics are worth an eyeroll, but Clutch leans in and is unrepentant in their unironic delivery. The opening and closing lines are the final cherry on top to cement this as a concept album. “A Quick Death in Texas” has that southern rock sound that ZZ Top perfected (and Clutch name drops him!), but the reason the song is so good is because, I swear, there’s a funk that reminds me of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik. other than that, Clutch’s sound is hard rock bordering on metal, which truly is my bread and butter. No wonder I love this album. I need to go rev my engine a few times or something.

Cool, more drone-y indie music where the lead singer sings like he would rather be doing literally anything else.

The seventies folk/rock combo of Stormcock is familiar and welcoming. For that alone, I found this album to be a pleasant listen. But when I anticipated more, I was disappointed. Roy Harper created good music, but I can’t find how he set himself apart from his contemporaries. The lyrics weren’t memorable. Not bad, but lackluster.

Panorama by Hällas was good! Knowing that the progressive metal genre is alive and kicking is awesome. Hällas does it well, enough that I feel they could have been a strong contemporary of Judas Priest or Megadeth. I’m happy to see that Panorama, their fourth album, performed on the charts the best yet! Truth be told, I accidentally listened to their debut album first. I chose the wrong album and didn’t realize it until the next day, oops. But that made be appreciate Hällas’ growth and musical talent even more. Their debut was decent enough, but the guitar didn’t stand out like it does in Panorama, and their songs aren’t soaring epics, either. I love the direction they took!

Ruin has a dark vibe for folk music you don’t hear much. I know this is more indie than folk, but the folk stood out more to me, I think because the Amazing Devil’s kind of folk music shows up in the winding lyrics and clear vocals. In the end, Ruin was a different kind of listen but largely felt one note. I like the album cover!

Guster's Lost and Gone Forever is kind of your generic alt from 1999, but I enjoyed it. I think part of my enjoyment is due to me already knowing "Either Way" and "So Long," definitely the best songs on the album. (Shoutout to my BIL!) But even without knowing two songs, the album flows well and has a distinct vibe. I wasn't mad listening to this album a few times.

Cold Fact is psychedelic like Deep Purple and folk like Bob Dylan, but thankfully with more of a beat. The folk aspect didn't draw me in. The psychedelic parts were way more interesting! Rodríguez has a different psychedelic sound than what contemporaries had, but sometimes the lyrics felt bland. I guess it evens out. At the very least, I don't think I've heard anything psychedelic on the user list so far.

Hello, hi! I submitted Joanne, so it's nice to get another Gaga album. I think every Gaga fan would agree that ARTPOP and Joanne are her two albums furthest from each other musically, yet they were her third and fourth albums respectively. Folks are much too hard on this album. Gaga has always explored genres, to the point that it takes a rare fan to love her fun pop music as much as the classic jazz covers with Tony Bennett. ARTPOP is a departure from her first two albums; they're all electronic and pop, but ARTPOP is abrasive and edgy while the Fame and Born This Way were the synth-pop typical for the late aughts. But Gaga pulls out her piano multiple times, and she absolutely loves her ballads. Those aspects read ARTPOP like a typical Gaga album, no matter what anyone says. It's a shame ARTPOP isn't appreciated more, but I don't mind being the only one dancing to "Donatella". My only criticism is that one song's title is a slur for the Romani people. Too many people, even in 2026, don't realize it's a slur, and it's frustrating when the slur is used to refer to a nomadic lifestyle. I can't single Gaga out when she's far from the only one who has done this.

Aim and Ignite is an album for which attentiveness is rewarded. Finding the album title in lyrics feels like a fun scavenger hunt. The instrument choice is great. The xylophone-like instrument in "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)" makes for such a light song. Anyway, Aim and Ignite has very catchy music. The lyrics are strong; they're different and engaging, proving that they are seasoned musicians from other bands. "Be Calm" is an excellent opener, and I can't believe it wasn't a single. A lot of indie comes off as pretentious, but the vibe of Aim and Ignite is bouncy. And, perhaps most of all, the album flows incredibly well. My twin sister might be the biggest fan of fun. and the Format, so I was tickled to listen. All songs were familiar to me, but there is always something about listening to an album in the order the artist intended. A quick glance at my page would show I'm not a big fan of indie, but fun. is different and, well, fun. :) 4.5

Today I learned about dub! I’m pretty sure dub didn’t make the original list, but Super Ape was a good choice considering Lee “Scratch” Perry was a dub pioneer. To my untrained (read: white) ears, I don’t hear much of a difference between reggae and dub. I wish I did. But I enjoy reggae and I found Super Ape to be as chill as anticipated. Some tracks had next to no lyrics, which allowed me to be immersed in the music. The use of horns was just right. Sometimes it was too repetitive for me, but this is still a worthy entry.

I kept waiting for this album to begin. The concept is cool, and the genre is definitely minimalism. I definitely like livelier music than what was offered in Music for 18 Musicians. But that was the whole point, so I commend Steve Reich for seeing his vision through. It's just not for me.

I will hand it to Deafheaven: they introduced me to a genre I didn't know existed. For that, I can understand why Sunbather was submitted and why it is a contender for submission on the original list. I hate shoegaze and I love metal. This album was equal parts both, which I commend, and I sure learned what black metal is. It isn't the kind of metal music I enjoy. Maybe I'm a sell-out, but I enjoy hearing what the vocalists have to say (thank you, Metallica). Mumbling growls don't do much for me when that's all there is. Shoegaze is a genre that is boring and dreamy, or at least to me, and somehow Deafheaven made it less boring. For what it's worth, the metal-backed instrumental sections were strong. The metal bordered on progressive metal, which reminded me of System of a Down. The drummer in particular wailed.

I hate to be that person. This album has a high rating that I don't understand. I don't feel any nostalgia because I don't know this band nor any songs. And I don't care much for indie. It's... fine

This album grew on me. I figured it would sound unoriginal with only snippets pieced together. That wasn't the case because Girl Talk has a remarkable ear for music and for incorporating a variety of genres and years. I am sure I caught some "world" music (SWANA, I think?), which I wasn't expecting, but he definitely gets credit where credit is due. I didn't quite care for when the vocals were sped up to sound cartoon-like, but thankfully that was only for a few samples. Also, with a stage name like Girl Talk, I was expecting something like a riot girl punk band from the nineties, not... this.

Oh this album was ROUGH. Initially I suspected this album would be forgettable, which truly would have been a blessing. Instead, I shudder to think (I’m sorry) how repetitive yet boring this album was. The vocals were BAD. The lyrics were cringe. I saw on Wikipedia that Shudder To Think strove to not sound like anybody else. Maybe they should have.

Once Upon a Rhyme is a cute name for a classic country album, and I was charmed. Maybe David Allan Coe went overboard with cliches, but I didn't mind. We could always do with more of the old-school country sound. The album was a super pleasant and easy listen that's nice for a rainy day--which today happened to be!

I am CRYING over the fact that Spose's name is Ryan and this album's title is Get Rich or Die Ryan. Well done, Spose. This album came out the gate swinging. A cis, white, het man (as far as I can tell) absolutely ATTACKED other cis white het men in "Dudes" and I am HERE FOR IT. I think he hit on several important topics, but he hit his stride on the political songs. I recognize his clear vocals allowed me to truly appreciate his hard hitting lyrics, which made me so hype. He had some humorous songs, which I enjoyed, but oh those political topics. Early in the album, I was excited. I didn't realize the album was an hour and a half long. I will be so honest and say I checked out. I thought Spose covered so much ground in the first few songs that I can't imagine he had much else to say in the second disc. Regardless, I found Spose's sound to be good! I got the sense he's heavy on his lyrics, not as much the actual music, but it isn't like the music as bad. Also, this album was definitely more than just hip hop.

Oncle Jazz scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. While the album isn’t shoegaze, it touches the shoegaze genre when I don’t like shoegaze. Its dreamy style was hypnotic and beautiful. The light jazz element hit just right. Listening multiple times was so easy. You could say maybe the songs sounded too alike, but I didn’t care. I loved this album! I was reminded of the Portishead album on the original list but not as morose. Dummy is considered trip hop, of which Oncle Jazz is not, but both have a dreamy pop feel, I swear!

I know “Blinding Lights” because I was alive in the year 2020, and that’s all I know from The Weeknd. I gained no further insight after listening to After Hours that I didn’t get from “Blinding Lights.” I am disappointed and don’t see the hype. All songs sound like one another. My sister pointed out his voice sounds like Michael Jackson, which is cool, but can’t we have something different?

News at 11 is art. Yes, all music is art, but this was crafted so intentionally and with such purpose. I think what I like most is that there is no 1 clear meaning, and none of it is wrong. Cat System Corp. reflected on simpler times, how the news changed since 9/11, how safe we felt, and/or something I missed. This album feels pivotal enough to be on the original list, even if the concept is depressing. I have to hand it to Cat System Corp because using the shock and awe of 9/11 into a gruesome album is easy--too easy. Yet the album was light and airy; it's only in the comparison of reality/post-9/11 that the album has depth. For what it's worth, I do genuinely love the Weather Channel's slow jams, and the lil jams sprinkled throughout were well chosen.

I’m bored. This is boring. This is the kind of boring that I don’t think they even enjoyed creating this album. I’m not a big fan of this folk rock, granted, so I just don’t get it.

Regrettably, reggae is an overlooked genre. While of course Bob Marley and the Wailers and former Wailer Peter Tosh deserved their place on the original list, I was surprised Toots & the Maytals were not once I heard their classic reggae sound. Then again, no one was more influential in bringing reggae to the US than Marley. Anyway. Funky Kingston is IT. Toots & the Maytals had reggae on lock. In addition, some songs had a funk aspect, which must have made it more palpable to Americans, especially Black Americans. I guess that was a given considering the album's name. It flowed so well, which is at least partly due to how chill reggae is, and the funk gave a familiar, comfortable element to my ears. "Time Tough" is an honest song, one that I'm glad was written to show the realities of Jamaicans, though I suspect the lyrics could've gone grittier. "Love Is Gonna Let Me Down" sounds like a classic fifties heartbreak song that you'd hear by someone like Frank Sinatra. My heart was so moved! "Pressure Drop" is arguably one of the best reggae songs ever (and I will argue with you). Some songs are covers, and I don't mind. Toots & the Maytal's reimagining of "Country Roads" is so charming, and I was happy to hear how they changed the song to suit Jamaica. This might be my favorite reggae album I've heard. The album was short, yes, but I definitely listened to it three times in a row.

I'm crying how emo this is! I love it. The emo boat passed me by even though I was the perfect age to love MCR, though I know several of their songs by now. For all the flack they got in the mid aughts, MCR created an extremely catchy and well-rounded album in The Black Parade. It's no wonder why they are so beloved. Maybe some lyrics are cheesy in the year 2026, but I don't mind. MCR is definitely known for being in that alternative area of pop, punk, and rock, and I was surprised to hear they went into hard rock, too! They even went a little seventies glam, though I knew that without putting words to it. My final thoughts are that MCR's appreciation is well deserved and that this is a good album to submit.

Folk isn’t usually my thing, but I can deal with folk that has more happening. (It’s hard to be interested when there is like two instruments and one is Bob Dylan on the harmonica.) Goddamn, this music is beautiful. Its beauty is because King Creosote is measured and throws a punch when they mean it. Sometimes the decibel the vocals were at bothered me, but I think I’m being picky.

I hate how women in rock remain such a rarity, and I hate having to mention it. But I love that Heart is here. I think a chunk of why Dreamboat Annie is so good is because they’re women. Their songs still go hard, but a woman’s vocals make “Crazy On You” the song that it is. Also, Ann Wilson’s lovely vocals! I love that the title song split between three songs ties the album together. I guess a cis dude could’ve done that, but not as good. The non-single songs were good enough. Not as good or iconic as “Magic Man” or “Crazy On You,” but they’ll do. What I’m about to say next is unexpected, and I was surprised by it. But Heart is a little progressive and reminds me of Jethro Tull!

I don't know much about Bluegrass, but I know what I like. I'm not sure I enjoy most bluegrass music, but Dolly Parton has a certain charm. Her sweet voice is soothing, and I suspect she would be just lovely singing the telephone book. Her accent only helps her! As a result of her passing, I listened to the replay of Fresh Air's interview with Dolly from 2001. Bluegrass music is what she grew up with, which is obvious once you hear her sincere storytelling. She had a lot of fun creating The Grass is Blue, even when the songs are devastating. RIP to a great.

The vibes of Transient were SO GOOD. The entire album flowed so well, which was partly due to the smooth R&B feel. I keep thinking about the album's atmosphere because it drew you in and kept you. And the lyrics were captivating. For an artist I hadn't heard of before, Gaelle impressed me! 3.5

Treći Svijet has a sound I don't think I've heard before--either as part of this project or outside. Part of it was the language, and I'm always glad to get non-English albums here. A big part was the sound because I expected rock but not the ska, reggae, and new wave components. Wikipedia tells me that much of this album was political, even if I need the lyrics translated for me. Still, what I picked up was enough to show this as a worthy addition.

I cannot express how life-changing "That Don't Impress Me Much" was for eight-year-old Christina. To see Shania Twain dismissive of subpar men? Groundbreaking. Now when I'm 37-years-old, I listened to the full album when I only knew the singles before. "Honey, I'm Home" has Twain complaining about her flat hair while asking for a beer when she gets home. GIRL. YES. I am sat for this nineties women empowerment! Onto the merits of Come On Over, which is so warm and inviting, even if you don't know country well. Twain has fun and can be silly, while remaining serious and real for her ballads. It is no surprise that "You're Still The One" endures to this day. And she's no slouch when it comes to her vocals. "When," I think, showcased her voice best of all. I won't pretend to know a lot about the country music genre, but what I feel confident about is that Come On Over is a good introduction for newbies. Twain mixes between very Country and light twang to be super palatable to anybody. I mean, I've never heard a fiddle used in quite this way. Jovial and enlivening, as all fiddle playing is, but not demanding of your attention because it's only one piece of the music. Maybe this album is more of a 4 for me. Maybe it's a 4.5 and worth rounding down for. But after listening to it twice and writing my review, I can't figure out why it wasn't included in the original list. 5 it is.

This album was fun! The punk/rock mix was high energy and catchy. I know some Spanish and caught a few words, but that’s not required. The energy comes through despite a language barrier. The instruments, especially the guitar, were good. I had no complaints!

This is another indie user-submitted album that I'm sure means a lot to the submitter, but to me I don't hear much difference with all the other indie albums of this time. Wikipedia says Neon Golden is considered huge in the indietronica scene, but I'm not even sure I heard much electronic. And I'm not interested enough to listen to it again to find that sound.

TOOL is THE artist for progressive metal, so much so that I was surprised they weren't on the original list. But last I checked, four individuals submitted four different TOOL albums. Lateralus is my first, and I only know a handful of TOOL songs. Like most progressive and metal bands, TOOL is proficient to a high degree regarding their music and instruments. I found myself more and more impressed. Even if the music is angry, the music behind it is so reliably solid. Lateralus is an album that rewards attention and concentration, to the point it's clear TOOL crafted so carefully. Toward the end of the album, I clocked an Eastern sound in "Reflection," showcasing their range. 3.5, but not quite enough to round up.

I'm fond of this album. I feel nostalgic! This is punk/new wave that sounds right from the late seventies--I had to double check this album did come out in 2022. The songs are short, fast, and catchy. For sure the Chats were inspired by the likes of the Clash and the Ramones. "I've Been Drunk In Every Pub In Brisbane" is somehow both hilarious and cute? 3.5

People who don't like jazz know the importance of Louis Armstrong. Even people who don't know jazz! At this point, Armstrong's name is synonymous with early jazz. My only idea is that the original author was concerned about the audio quality--because it isn't great! I'm just glad this particular album was submitted so we can hear Armstrong's early years, regardless of quality. What grabs my attention most is how effortless the music is. It's like Armstrong isn't even trying, though of course I know that isn't the case. It's like the trumpet is an extension of him. And the rest of the band, at Armstrong's lead, are no slouches either. His singing surprised me, because I didn't know he sang, and gosh I love that in the 1920s, he sounded Black and wanted to. On a side note, did Louis Armstrong name all of these songs? These are some wacky titles when most of these are instrumentals. My favorite is "Struttin' with Some Barbecue."

I love women in punk! I wanted to like this album more than I did. Bikini Kill’s punk is abrasive, too much for me, but god I love how angry they are! Their lyrics speak of same-sex attraction or bash men and their exaggerated sexual fantasies or replay the lead singer’s rape or fight against the patriarchy. Honestly, I’m obsessed with how open they are. I wish I liked Pussy Whipped more. Still enough for a 3!

The vocals on the Ideal Crash seem to drone too much for me to enjoy. Not much really stood out or invited interest. Truly, it was fine and not at all bad, just not remarkable.

Itoiz looks to be a little-known band from Basque country, and Espaloian is their fifth album (out of six). I wasn't expecting much, mostly due to my lack of knowledge, but I heard a dance-y, Smiths vibe throughout and it was fun! One song included reggae in its title and was, in fact, reggae, also unexpected but good. And the lead singer's voice wasn't whiny like Morrissey. A cool, different entry.

Djarimirri might be one of the most beautiful albums on the original and user-submitted list. It's the quiet, undemanding kind of beautiful. I love how Gurrumul infused familiar, classical music with his Aboriginal culture's music. Like, the string instruments with soft chanting behind it? Wow. This is absolutely a unique entry, and I'm so glad it was submitted.

The slower/quieter songs of General Electric missed the mark. I think because I could understand the vocalist, I wasn't impressed with the lyrics. They were generic and unfeeling. I liked the album more when the lead vocalist mumbled or growled his way through. Ignoring the lyrics, though, the guitar absolutely delivered. I found the genres interesting. Released in 1999, the General Electric was marketed as rock, but that sells it short. Shahid includes some electronic, and the anti-capitalist song "My Mind's Sedate" is absolutely punk.

More psychedelic than expected. Instrumental sections were very strong, enough to be on par with other bands of this time. It made me wonder why this band isn’t more known in the progressive rock circuit. And I liked the use of violins!

This album went everywhere and anywhere. I’m talking genres, tones, instruments used, you name it. The inconsistency should make for a disordered album, but somehow it doesn’t. What was most unexpected was their harmonies. The Barenaked Ladies don’t exactly hold a candle to the Drifters or Boyz II Men, but harmonies are always lovely. And BNL always keeps you on your toes!

I was bored. I thought with a band name like the Tragically Hip, the music would be more interesting when all I got was some generic-sounding rock music.

I knew of Rita Ora, though not her music. I didn’t expect her to sound like generic pop. I wanted more substance. And there was some substance when the album began with jazz or when she used autotune/electronic. But it just wasn’t enough. 2.5

This Charles de Burgh is such a storyteller! His clear vocals made each song interesting, and I was excited to hear the next verse to progress the story, especially "Spanish Train." His vocals reminded me of Paul McCartney, the way that I feel McCartney's voice can be considered neutral/standard. The story quality makes the album slightly folklike, but for someone who doesn't love folk, I wasn't turned off.

This was a nice Halloween-month listen! The vibes aren't spoopy but rather unnerving. I love an album with a consistent atmosphere. Like with Lateralus, TOOL created Fear Inoculum masterfully. The guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer were amazing and in perfect harmony with one another. The drums in particular stood out to me, because they were always going!! I mean, truth be told, vocals aren't TOOL's strength. I think Keenan's vocals are good and they add to the metal, but it isn't what stands out most (respectfully). TOOL's albums are definitely about the journey and require patience. I'm glad I took the time for Fear Inoculum today because it deserves. Their albums are a bit too long, though. 3.5, but rounding up.

I don’t get it. I read some reviews, and I can understand Donuts’ significance in music. But it just wasn’t engaging to me. I guess I’m not the target audience!

Instrumental albums are a rarity on the user-submitted side, and I enjoyed this one. One Time for All Time contains a rock sound with a bit of electronic. It's a little artsy and progressive, simply because 65daysofstatic was able to be fancy in their instrumentals. I always find song titles of instrumentals to be fascinating. "Drove Through Ghosts to Get Here" is a great name--and apt, too.

For alternative/indie, Singles wasn’t bad. But it was boring and simply missed the mark on catchy hooks. I liked the new wave aspect, and sometimes I was reminded of The Weeknd’s After Hours. I didn’t vibe with the vocals most of the time but then Future Islands was channeling Leonard cohen in “Fall from Grace”? Weird, but I didn’t hate it.

This album title is GREAT. Who doesn't love licking frosting off the beaters? That might've been the most interesting thing because the album was some generic alternative rock from the nineties. That isn't bad, but I didn't hear much originality. For what it's worth, the album flowed and wasn't boring. Just good enough to squeak a 3 from me.