Feb 11 2022
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Money for Nothinā riff still slaps for being a kinda dumb song.
Guitars overall are pretty damn clean and tasty. The synths and extra instruments often feel out of place initially, but end up working out really well in the end.
The closer was a snore.
Overall not bad bad, but the singles are the highlights.
This band does not sound like theyāre from England, whatsoever, figured these dudes were from Florida.
Itās aight.
2
Feb 14 2022
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Gets rolling pretty quick, wild to think how many great songs this guy whipped up in his first handful of years. The first half sounds superb: the room, the dynamics in his strumming and voice, the rippinā tin sando ā it really feels like your sitting in front of the mixing board. The less-intimate back half also sounds great, but Iām not quite as engaged by big volume Bob for some reason. Regardless, Iād come back to this one. 3/5
3
Feb 15 2022
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
I can see why this is popular and I can appreciate this for what it was at the time, but this is so goddamn sleepy. I have zero interest in listening again. 1/5
1
Feb 16 2022
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
I fucking love The White Stripes. Jack White one helluva songwriter, and White Blood Cells boasts this skill in spades. I mean, this sucker has range. Minimalist tendencies are maximized, dialing blues rock down to its bones and dialing up the volume ā what more do you need than some guitars, a simple beat, and some keys? (Nothing.) 4.5/5
4
Feb 17 2022
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
I donāt think Iāve heard anything from her other than āDonāt Know Why,ā which is still tolerable despite ridiculous overplay. Anywho, this feels good for a chill Sunday morning. Contemporary pop really isnāt my thing, but her voice is great, sheās a good storyteller, and the arrangements here are super tight and varied. All this being said, this is a loooooonnnnng 45 minutes. Not that there are any particularly bad tracks, itās simply too much for my tastes, I struggled to hang on as āThe Nearness of Youā wrapped. 3/5
3
Feb 18 2022
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
This is the most overrated Pantera record by a mile. Personally, I find this band peaked with their groovier stuff, specifically GST. Give me Exhorderās Slaughter in the Vatican or The Law over this & CFH 10/10 times. Still, these dorks had considerable influence on extreme metal of so many varieties itās ridic, and this album is a big reason why.
Say what you will about Dimeās shit tone (something I think people should be aping more often), dude had a style and carved himself a guitar legend niche, I suppose by way of writing tons of killer and innovative riffs and solos. Similarly, Vinnie had his own style, but for me his party trick doesnāt come to fruition until later records. Not that heās slacking here (IIRC everything he recorded is sound-replaced ā I could be wrong ā but it just works better for me in slower contexts), heās got a super ear for drum hooks and really knows when to dial things back. Phil is serviceable at best, technically (a dumbass at best, otherwise), but is the perfect kind of meathead to pull together this fusion of hardcore and heavy metal thatād live on for decades. Rex played electric bass guitar in Pantera⦠(lol).
Side A is loaded with the hits, though if I never hear āWalkā or āFucking Hostileā in my life ever again, Iād be just fine. āA New Levelā and āThis Loveā hold up fairly well. Side B is pretty uneven, but this is where you can hear āem lean into the stomp/groove shit they master on later records. āRiseā and āNo Goodā are laughably bunk, but āLive in a Holeā is neat, working this schticky classic rock call-and-response thing, keeping the leads front and center. āRegular Peopleā also has some cool lead work, but thatās about it⦠The 1-2 conclusion of this album is killer, though. āBy Demons Be Drivenā is one of my faves from their discography ā that blend of livewire leads and jackhammer kicks is the essence of Pantera ā and āHollowā is the kinda āCemetery Gatesā shit this band shouldāve wrote five times more of (honestly, someone should blatantly rip this off, thereās an entire band idea sitting right here). 3.5/5
3
Feb 21 2022
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Yeah⦠itās a bonafide classic. I donāt really have any thoughts to contribute, this thing kinda takes care of itself at this point. Itās pretty much requisite for ā¦everyone who listens to music?
Still, I much prefer Animals. 3.5/5
3
Feb 22 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
Some of the instrumentals are alright, but Vanās vocals are atrocious and annoyingly repetitive. I listened once through and that was very generous of me. This list can definitely be cut to 1000.
0/5
1
Feb 23 2022
KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)
Ministry
Ministryās best record. P69 is an industrial classic that should get more credit for inspiring (for better or worse) a ton of nu metal, too (Rammstein, Rob Zombie, AHC, etc.).
I really love this album, itās got an undeniable intensity and in-your-faceness thatās cheese-tinged in all the right ways ā importantly, sans the whole goth element that seemed to seep in elsewhere in the scene at the time (not that I donāt love goth stuff, but this has a whole different flavor from say, Skinny Puppy or NIN).
The production is great, super hard hitting drums, thrashy, crunchy guitars (why not lift some Slayer?), great samples, stellar variety in tempo and style, and sequencing that makes this nothing short of binge-able. Itās fuckinā raw without short changing listeners on all the good stuff.
4.5/5
4
Feb 24 2022
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
The production is great even if it gets a little familiar at times. This definitely has that signature Timbaland feel - weird mouth noises, cool funky shit, an ambivalent mix of hip hop and R&B, all in a super snappy mix.
Surprising to me is how Missy is a little, idk, disappointing. Iām having a tough time finding intrigue, lyrically. Itās hard to critique because Iām sure this was pretty forward-thinking at the time, but this feels pretty tame and kinda falls flat now. Like, this is definitely misdemeanor-level shit, when I expected some felonies. Sheās def got a cool style, she just doesnāt whomp me like I thought she would, especially given all the time she has. Fortunately, the features help out in this department. Iām definitely curious to hear more, but idk if Iād necessarily recommend this one.
2/5
2
Feb 28 2022
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Iām firmly in camp 808s/Graduation, but this is also good. The features range from great (āMonster,ā āRunawayā) to weird (āLost in the Worldā), but the production is exceptional throughout. Kanyeās eccentricity is on full display here, bursting out in some great rhymes and ambitious creativity, but itās a maybe a little too much āout thereā for my tastes. I donāt see myself coming back to this.
2.5
3
Mar 01 2022
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
Thereāll never be another like this (or Paulās Boutique) for a long-ass time given the unique nature of sampling at the time, and that alone provides limitless intrigue for me. The samples are all over the place and though often primitive, exude the kind of creativity only ignorance can inspire. Despite the optics (youāve seen that track suit promo photo), LTI sounds less like hip-hop cosplay and more like an early hip-hop laboratory. And even though itās experimental by nature, these dudes really knocked it out of the park with a handful timeless classics (as well as a few duds). Itās lightning in a bottle marred by growing up dumb white kids.
So yeah, itās really fun to hear a buncha punks rifle through funk and classic rockās greats, chopping em up with an 808, and finding mainstream success in an emerging genre with some of the weirdest (and yeah, poorly-aged) rhymes. As dated as this feels at times, the entire Beasties blueprint is right here. It just takes a little growing up before they perfect their craft.
3.5/5
3
Mar 02 2022
Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I never got into Nick Cave. No reason, just didnāt. Yet, having listened to a number of projects highly influenced by his work, I kinda knew what I was getting into, but I didnāt expect to like it quite this much.
I found myself hinging on his every word until I realized this was getting in the way of some fascinating and still almost transitory arrangements that can drift by unnoticed (in the best way possible). I adore the purpose in this kind of minimalism, where creative decisions can demand attention as much as they are asking to be ignored.
Ghosteen feels very Bowie-esque to me (in particular his later work), the kind of self-aware art rock thatās at its best when itās fully committing to the concept. Here, a somber, lonely, reflective foray finds moments of peace along the journey, and still Iām wondering wtf happened to this guy? Whatās all this introspection about? I can see this maybe like being āhis thingā but Iām curious enough to find out. Cool record.
3.5
3
Mar 03 2022
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
I remember getting this shoved in my face as something āheavier and earlierā than Sabbath as if either of those things calculated in my love for the group. About a decade and a half later (almost two decades? fuck), Iām here to give Blue Cheer another whirl. Iāll admit I wasnāt impressed then, but Iām curious to try again.
OK. This is fine, but BC lacks the foresight and compositional skills to tighten this up into something worth revisiting. Itās very cool from a time/place perspective, Iād dig this stuff on a mix with Mountain and Jimi and the ilk, but as a standalone album Iām not too stoked on it. Aside from the fun opening cover, the SF psych standard āOut of Focus,ā and the jammy closer, itās pretty uneventful and at times uninspired. āDoctor Pleaseā has all the ingredients but gets pretty bloated by the end and āParchment Farmā similarly suffers from a lack of direction and satisfying resolution. I imagine they get better as time goes on, but for this specific kind of stuff I think Iād rather cover my eyes and pick from any current up-and-coming psych rock bands?
2.5
2
Mar 04 2022
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Yeah idk, I definitely have to be in a specific mindset to really get into Dylan. That being said, I think this is pretty good and fairly easy to sink into. Thereās a āmatureā and less rockinā feel to this album, which makes for some interesting sonic developments, most of which make me think thisād be nice to toss on and sip coffee to on a Saturday morning. Thereās a few long songs on here which kinda drag, but generally I can roll with this.
3/5
3
Mar 07 2022
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi, Mitch, and Noel were simply ahead of their time with this one. Innovative guitar playing, incredible drumming, expert songcraft, period-perfect production that holds up to this day ā this record has it all.
5
5
Mar 08 2022
Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
Iām not very well-versed in soul, but I feel like I should at least be able to recognize folks by name on this list. So, this is a surprise. What a voice! Iād toss this on if the occasion is right, but idk if Iāll run around recāing this over James Brown anytime soon.
3
3
Mar 09 2022
Close To You
Carpenters
Fuck the Carpenters (minus Karenās drumming).
0
1
Mar 10 2022
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
Simoneās utterly fascinating vocals had me completely ignoring the instrumentals, which, on subsequent listens really came to fruition as a powerful complement. The soft touch of the keys behind her vibrato on āIf I Should Lose Youā into the climax is *chefs kiss*. Combined with Simoneās interesting lyrics? We got a stew goinā hereā¦
The arrangements are also really great, from the orchestral to the jazzy to the pop, Wild is the Wind resides in an interesting overlap of styles without feeling incoherent or lacking.
4
4
Mar 11 2022
Funeral
Arcade Fire
I like Arcade Fire. Theyāre perfectly fine. But, this album has always been crazy overrated to me. Donāt get me wrong, itās very good; I find their followup is less āartsy Modest Mouseā or āTalking Heads through the lens of 00s indie rockā and more of its own thing. Still, tracks like āPower Out,ā āRebellion,ā and (ugh, I begrudgingly LOVE it) āWake Upā are catalogue standouts. Nice to come back to this every once in a while.
3.5
3
Mar 14 2022
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
This is really cool and good, like a proto-Animal Collective? Definitely adding this to my current rotation.
4.5
4
Mar 15 2022
Truth
Jeff Beck
Sounds like a bunch of classic rock bullshit, because it is. Trying to imagine a scenario where Iād want to hear some completely nondescript rock from this era in favor of tried-and-true favorites and am coming up empty.
This has its moments, but Iām not about to dive in to dig up more. Iād rather hear Led Zepp for the millionth time. Also, fuck Rod Stewart.
1.5
1
Mar 16 2022
Another Green World
Brian Eno
Kinda all over the place, but in a good way. This eclectic approach has varying results, but my interest is always piqued and my patience is frequently rewarded. AGW finds efficient and adventurous means to its earworms - itās texturally rich, diverse, and unabashedly quirky. Songs that didnāt click immediately fell into favor after just a couple spins, a testament to Enoās strange yet comforting pop sensibilities.
4
4
Mar 18 2022
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Never heard of this before but I think I love it?
Eccentric new wave/post punk with a retro, almost kitschy sense of melody. Those synths are like getting a haircut at the mall in the early 90s, but the arrangements give them a purpose I havenāt heard before. Vibe-y pieces like āSeagrassā feel at home alongside poppier counterparts, Iāll def be getting into the catalog.
4
4
Mar 21 2022
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
Ehhhhhhhhhhhh. This is exactly the kind of middling rock that I just cannot jibe with. The arrangements are nice, the instrumentation is tasteful, but I wish it had some guts or bite somewhere, this is just post-trope-ified coffee shop rock, an elevated(?) Coldplay (gross).
1.5
1
Mar 22 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Pretty much perfect. Alanis rules. āNuff said.
4.5
4
Mar 24 2022
Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
Elvis might be overrated, but this record does a good job at capturing his creative and technical range. Itās not all that exciting instrumentally, but thereās really nobody that can play these angles quite like the king. Blues, jazz, pop, rock, country western⦠itās all just a day at the office for this guy ā I really adore his flexibility and comfort in every sphere.
His voice is rock solid, that sugary sweet timbre can dig out some deep notes as well as hit a few pristine highs, and that signature buttery vibrato is a world beater. Iāve heard oodles of Elvis before, but you can still color me impressed by this record. Big dig.
3.5
3
Mar 25 2022
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
Stellar old school hip hop, it should be no surprise how this got hella sampled. Itās retro-futuristic but still kinda modern some 40 years later? Weird, cool stuff.
3.5
3
Mar 28 2022
...And Justice For All
Metallica
No bass? No problem.
4
4
Mar 29 2022
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
First off, fuck Clapton.
Second, this is some pretty generic-sounding blues rock⦠if Iām going to hear this, Iām most certainly going to a local hole in the wall to hear it live.
1
1
Mar 30 2022
Synchronicity
The Police
Instrumentally, this album is really cool, I very much fuck with their new wave angle, itās extremely interesting and satisfying. Thereās a keen ear to dynamics across the record, each track has something truly different to offer. I really dig the pacing and bursts of energy and color throughout.
However, I fucking hate Stingās vocals ā he totally ruins this for me.
2
2
Mar 31 2022
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
Ugh, fuck this band. How lucky that I get Sting and Chris Martin back to back? Hooray. I probably only have the patience for one listen of what I assume is a concept album about Martinās first boner. Okay enough(?) griping, time to press playā¦
Okay. Iāll never understand the popularity of this band nor the respect many of my peers have for this group; this half-cooked pretentiousness catered to the Today Show demographic is fucking nauseating to me. AROBTH is a mishmash of snoozy ballads and poppy post-rock, a mostly boring tapestry on which Martin incessantly wails as heās presumably contractually obligated to vice grip his berries for a falsetto hit in each track. Itās inescapable and every bit as obnoxious as the strained introspection and try-hard tenderness that pervade this (what I can only assume is a) Starbucks-planted album.
Iāll admit, there were some moments that didnāt make me want to disembowel myself. I liked the drums and the mix is pretty darn good (as it should be with all that $bux help š).
0.5
1
Apr 01 2022
Achtung Baby
U2
U2 by and large doesnāt do a whole lot for me, but this is a pretty fucking decent rock album. The Edge has style for days and the rhythm section does a lot of heavy lifting and regularly nailing it. The songwriting is really smart and they do have some solid hooks. Sure, Bono is annoying but I can tolerate it. āThe Flyā was a real surprise to me, I donāt recall this band having any bite in their repertoire but this is cool. Iāll never forgive them for putting an album on my phone, but for this, Iāll put a lil shine on their name.
A pleasantly surprising 3.
3
Apr 04 2022
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
I know fuck about shit when it comes to jazz, but this uhhh⦠this rips. Pacing, diversity of style, memorable performances? Top notch.
4
4
Apr 05 2022
Kenya
Machito
Like if Herb Alpert had a little different flavor. Love it.
3.5
3
Apr 06 2022
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
Was late to this and unfortunately only got one listen in. I can dig it.
3
3
Apr 07 2022
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
This is wild. Love the retro-futuristic feel of those synths. āCarsā has been my only touchpoint for Gary Numan, but the rest is pleasantly surprising, connecting maybe even better than that single? I love how āComplexā delivers an emotive twist with the addition of strings and similarly āTracksā uses more traditional sounding keys (or is this a real piano?). These juxtapositions do a lot for me, especially coming in with the assumption that this would be samey. I mean, it *is* very much of the same flavor, but Mr. Numan works it. Also, he reminds me a lot of Of Montrealās Kevin Barnes (who I love), so thereās probably a bit of backwards compatibility going for me there. Overall, TPP is a synthy textural feast with some rock solid drumming and organic accents. Sign me the fuck up for more.
4
4
Apr 11 2022
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
I missed Darkdancer and now this is what we get for the weekend? Gah.
š½
1
Apr 12 2022
Murmur
R.E.M.
For whatever reason, Iāve never kicked the tires on Murmur. Monster would be my go-to and I like Green is fair enough, too.
This is pretty great, especially as a debut. Didnāt realize they had their shit together like this from the get-go. Dialed back a bit sonically, but thatās to be expected; whatās unexpected though is how tight the songwriting is. Stipe sounds great as usual and Buckās playing is understated but still carries great weight. I donāt think thisāll change anyoneās mind about REM, but this is an awesome change of pace record for me personally as a semi-fan. Very cool.
3.5
3
Apr 13 2022
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Holy shit. Am I becoming a NIck Cave fan? Yes I am.
4
4
Apr 14 2022
Signing Off
UB40
Eh, reggae is not my thing, though I fucking LOVE Red Red Wine. FOR THAT ALONE I GIVE THIS A FIVE.
jk
2
2
Apr 21 2022
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Was NOT expecting this to go so hard. Damn do āPushermanā and āFreddieās Deadā hit like a ton of bricks. I donāt fuck with soundtracks too much, but Iāll make an exception for this. The band is spot on and silky with Curtis softening the edges and enhancing those big orchestral moments with his glassy timbre ā such a great voice.
4
4
Apr 22 2022
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
Folky punk is kinda ehhh to my tastes, but this wasnāt tooo bad. I wonāt be actively tracking more down from Mekons, but I wonāt shy away from it either.
2.5
2
Apr 25 2022
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
From the first touch of the key I was hooked. Reminds me of some of the stuff I heard when I wrangled up all the punk and hardcore I could via Kazaa, specifically the (International) Noise Conspiracy, the Buzzcocks, and Iggy.
I *really* love the diversity and sequencing on this album. āPrincess of the Streetsā is a perfect change-of-pace track after an energetic opening trio, almost treading into Judas Priest-y heavy blues. Similarly, āPeachesā works that streetwise angle sneering and strutting while tracks like āGoodbye Toulouseā and āChoosy Susieā charge swifter and harder. Itās focused and fearless, keyboard and guitar solos are often evocative, elevating whatās often a very āprotoā kind of feel to something thatās both primitive and futuristic. Itās quirky, too, at times approaching a familiar new wave sound from a different angle.
Simply put, this shit is the biz, kinda surprised I havenāt stumbled upon this earlier.
4
4
Apr 26 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
This, I do not care for.
ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ
1
Apr 27 2022
ĆgƦtis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
This is a stone-cold classic, a mandatory post- jam.
4.5
4
Apr 28 2022
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
This is pretty cool. It def has that 90s alternative vibe, but Liz has quite a bit more going on than her poppier peers of the time. Iām surprised that this reminds me more of Sleater-Kinney than Alanis, but I really dig Phairās atmospheric songwriting. Itās definitely LONG, but she covers so much ground it all feels essential - even if not on a single listen.
3.5
3
Apr 29 2022
OxygĆØne
Jean-Michel Jarre
Gah, this rules. Best Carl Sagan-core album Iāve ever heard? Maybe.
4
4
May 02 2022
John Prine
John Prine
Iāve always half-assed catching up on John Prine since his passing, hitting up big tracks and not really diving into any albums other than his latest output. Fortunately, I donāt think thisāll be the last we hear of him.
This is everything I couldāve asked for and more. The lyrics, his delivery of them, and the songwriting⦠the guy walks the walk. Love this.
4
4
May 03 2022
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
Yeah, this is fine. Wonāt be chasing it down, but happy I listened, Dusty is just not My Thingā¢ļø.
2.5
2
May 04 2022
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Sorry James. Canāt jibe with this right now.
1
May 06 2022
Follow The Leader
Korn
Thereās just no one like Korn. FTL holds up as some of their very best work, even with thirteen tracks of silence.
4
4
May 09 2022
Hysteria
Def Leppard
I loathe Def Leppard.
1
May 10 2022
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Always good to revisit this once in a while. Itās not their best work and itās definitely bloated, but their ambition is realized in this collection thatās daunting for anyone who isnāt a Pumpkins fan. Itās a rewarding listen despite its overbearing presence, the singles hold up and are well-placed. Iād say it could use some editing, but two hours of this shit really sums up where this band was, egotistically, in the 90s.
3.5
3
May 11 2022
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
This album fucks. The Crowes embody everything I love about that bluesy classic rock sound and GOT DAMN could these dudes write a hook.
4.5
4
May 12 2022
Rocks
Aerosmith
I havenāt ever found the appeal of Aerosmith from an album perspective. The singles always bang, but I havenāt come across too many deep cuts worth a damn. Unfortunately, Rocks doesnāt really make the case that I should revisit those other early records to change my perspective. āNobodyās Faultā is pretty fuckin cool and heavy, but shit like āGet the Lead Outā had me reaching for the stop button. These more blues rock standard-type forays are just boring to me, despite Perryās chops.
2
2
May 13 2022
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
Never heard of this before today. This is weird. Sometimes this reminds me of Beckās Mutations (an album I really love) and at others more showtimes-y, almost FJM kinda stuff. Unfortunately the swings in energy and style donāt compare to those aforementioned artists, and thus ASAAL comes off very one-dimensional. I imagine this album was a bigger novelty at its time, but I canāt help but feel like Iām missing something here because this sounds pretty middling to me.
2
2
May 16 2022
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
Rust in Peace is certainly a thrashterpiece, Iām just partial to Peace Sells when it comes to Megadeth.
4.5
4
May 18 2022
Roots
Sepultura
Itās still pretty good (better than I remember), but itās still ridiculously long for a nu metal record.
3.5
3
May 19 2022
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Not bad! I feel like this doesnāt quite have the same energy as Brothers in Arms, but itās more consistent to me. Sultans is all-time great, and the rest vibes so well. Knopfler has a keen ear for those swaggy, smooth melodies, dude sounds like heās on permanent vacation.
3.5
3
May 20 2022
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
Just got a cursory listen in. Not too shabby, super tight, good production.
2.5
2
May 24 2022
Violator
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode is one of those bands I fall in love with every time I hear them and then promptly forget they exist. No fault of theirs, this shit is fantastic.
4
4
May 27 2022
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
This is where I start to fall off with Muse. This album is really great, but the pop elements start to outgrow their proggy britches here and it really begins to spoil the whip-smart arena prog niche theyāve carved for themselves. Still, Knights of Cydonia is a JAM.
3.5
4
May 30 2022
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
The GOAT.
5
5