I'm going to be frank- I hate Jack White's nasally voice. I don't love his composition or guitar skills much more, either. I can't even be very objective about this, but practically everything he touches just irritates the hell out of me, and I had no fun here. At least it's brief- 40 minutes in the CD era is basically EP material. I'll try to meet half way for those who see the appeal and give this an extra star, but it's an F for me, dog.

I used to find Kanye as a whole, and this album in particular, highly overrated. Despite his numerous attempts to make me discredit him over the years, though, I have really grown to appreciate his earlier work. I still struggle a little with this one, though, but I’ll admit that it’s mostly overhype. But there are definitely tracks here that I think stand among his best, ie Monster, All of the Lights. I remember being bugged by him sampling King Crimson and Sabbath, but those also work very well. Gonna go with a C. It’s a little all over the place for me.

I don't get reggae, never did. But at least with Marley, I get that he's the real deal and a pioneer. UB40 just sound fake and lame. This is what I imagine my personal hell sounds like. F

Sometimes I wonder if I overrate certain rock records and underrate other genres, primarily soul and R&B. Because I hear good stuff here but it doesn’t really sound essential to me. I do think it’s an interesting footnote in R&B history, as this came out right when disco became passé, but no one really knew what would be the new sound. A lot of it tends to run together for me, but I have fun anyway. C

Mark Knopfler's songwriting skills cannot be overstated. Obviously the guy can shred like nobody's business, but he has just as strong of an ear for hooks and melody. Even songs that seem as simple and quiet as "Why Worry" have a couple little surprises that make them stand out. But what really make an impact are when Knopfler and co go big, like when he turns up the guitar in "The Man's Too Strong" or the all-timer riff on "Money for Nothing". It's funny that I keep mentioning the guitar work on this album, because this is otherwise quite synth-heavy. I personally preferred the band's earlier work which focused more on Knopfler's passion for blues and jazz. There are still hints of that here, but you can otherwise hear plenty of compromises for the MTV era, ie all of "Walk of Life", which I understand is beloved by many, but I've never been able to stomach. But when the band goes all out, they really hit. The last two songs, "One World" and the title track, I think are near-perfect, and I would have loved if the whole album sounded like those. Still, this is a fun 80's classic, one I enjoy coming back to even if it's hardly a first choice. B

I'm a Dylan fan, but not a Dylan stan. He has some works I really like beyond just their reputation, but Petty has always been my Traveling Wilbury of choice. So I have heard this concert performance before once or twice, but it's not exactly what I'd call a fun time, it's honestly more of a history lesson. A history lesson with some incredible songs, including a couple of my favorite Dylan tracks, but I don't see much need to listen to this other than to understand this point in his career. As a historical artifact, it's terrific. As a recording of this particular setlist, it's still quite good, but I'd honestly take this out for something a little more daring instead. And I find both halves pretty equal. B

On the one hand, I'm already growing weary of getting so many boomer rock LPs in a row. I'm ready to hit basically anything else next. On the other, I think that Paul Simon's compositions and Art Garfunkel's angelic voice are as perfect of a musical pairing as will ever exist. I have too much love for their music to be very objective, but I'll admit that the album peaks with "The Boxer", and that last third mostly kind of coasts. That's not great for such a short album, but at the same time, I wouldn't call anything on here remotely bad. And at its best, this is pop folk at its highest form. A

I'm going to be frank- I hate Jack White's nasally voice. I don't love his composition or guitar skills much more, either. I can't even be very objective about this, but practically everything he touches just irritates the hell out of me, and I had no fun here. At least it's brief- 40 minutes in the CD era is basically EP material. I'll try to meet half way for those who see the appeal and give this an extra star, but it's an F for me, dog.

This defied my expectations in a way I seriously didn't expect- it really started picking up steam as it went along. I thought that the last few songs were the best and most exciting, and honestly wouldn't have minded a couple more like that. The rest of the album is fine, but not really my thing. Jones has a very nice voice, but she's not the commanding force that Sinatra was that makes this kind of music sound as appealing to me as his does. But I can understand why this caught on as much as it did- it's the perfect album for a mid-American mom to play when she needs "alone time". C-

Pantera are one of the first metal bands I really fell for. I skipped past the nu metal scene, which was really fading out at that point, and went for Texas' finest after becoming acquainted with the classics, but just before discovering death metal. So I know this album pretty well. But at the same time, while my devotion for Sabbath and Maiden will never die, Pantera do little for me nowadays. Part of that comes from recognizing their problematic elements, primarily with racism. Anselmo is by far the guiltiest, but Dime and Vinnie did love the Confederate flag... And I'm southern, yet I have no defense for said love. Even before that, I just realized that the songwriting just isn't there. They're all fine musicians- I do have a lot of respect for Dime being a one-man guitar team and making the band sound just as full as your average twin attack in metal- but this all feels too juvenile to resonate for me beyond, like, 10th grade. I'll always go back to Beavis and Butthead's take down on the "This Love" video- "You treat your stepmother with respect, Pantera, or you'll be sleeping in the street." I laugh despite that track being a highlight for me. Cowboys would probably rate higher for me, but even when I was all aboard the Pantera train, I always found Vulgar a little overrated. Current grade would be a C-, but 15-year-old me would easily be in the B range.

Like Pantera, Pink Floyd are a band who I really liked when first getting into music, but have seldom use for. While I give them credit for introducing me to odder time signatures and elements of progressive and jazz, I'd much rather listen to King Crimson or Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. I find their themes and songwriting much more appealing. That said, I'll admit that one of my all-time favorites albums is by PF- Wish You Were Here. Dark Side of the Moon is pretty good, too. It flows together quite well and is a pretty smooth listen, even if I could go the rest of my life never listening to half of these songs again. A solid B.

Van Morrison may be an anti-vax asshole, but damn if he’s not able to write a good melody. I do prefer Moondance, as the tracks here go a little too long for my tastes, but the songwriting is just splendid throughout. B

After nu, the metal subgenre I struggled to get into the most was industrial. I had a serious chip on my shoulder about synths in my heavy music for some reason, although I took to Type O right away and Neurosis eventually became one of my favorite bands. I never got the hype for Nine Inch Nails, and still don’t, while I only slightly understand Ministry a little better. I say that I liked Ministry better because I loved how batshit “Jesus Built My Hotrod” is, but most of their other stuff tends to rank as mid for me. And that’s still mostly true, but I have grown an appreciation for the singles. Otherwise, this all sounds pretty samey to me, and I don’t see myself coming back to it anytime soon. But points for being a relatively brisk 45 minutes. C-, could lose the minus depending on my mood

I know Missy moreso from her early 2000's hits than anything, but this album has been on my radar for a while, after seeing it listed in Harvard's Hip-Hop Archive (sidenote, I hope they earn more to update it soon). It's not bad, but it does get a little samey. It could have been a lot better at a brisk 45 minutes, but still earns points for that crisp Timbaland sound. He'll always be relevant IMO C

I am shockingly ignorant on Fiona Apple. Enough so that when her last album blew up, my initial response was "when did you guys start caring about her?" I might have listened to this before, but I remembered nothing about it. All I really knew was "Criminal", which I think was alright, but hardly among my 90's favorites. But after giving this a spin, I kind of get it. This sounds a lot like if PJ Harvey and Elliott Smith combined forces. Although I personally greatly prefer the former's music, and did generally prefer when Fiona pulled out her rock credentials. Some of the ballads worked nearly as well though, enough so that I think that this could become a serious grower for me. But just a grower for now. A C for now, could see it raise if I give it more rotation in the near future.

I used to find Kanye as a whole, and this album in particular, highly overrated. Despite his numerous attempts to make me discredit him over the years, though, I have really grown to appreciate his earlier work. I still struggle a little with this one, though, but I’ll admit that it’s mostly overhype. But there are definitely tracks here that I think stand among his best, ie Monster, All of the Lights. I remember being bugged by him sampling King Crimson and Sabbath, but those also work very well. Gonna go with a C. It’s a little all over the place for me.

I do prefer the later Beasties, but there’s a definite charm to Rick Rubin’s early production, and how flagrant the use of samples were. Imagine a rap album putting this much Zeppelin on today! So much has been said about the Beasties and this LP, and I can’t ignore the faults and the context. But it’s a classic for a reason, and a perfect album to blast in the middle of a traffic jam. B

Nick Cave is an artist who I think has never really missed, but I’ll admit that I was surprised that this was chosen for this collection. It kind of stinks of recency bias, especially if the (imo) stronger and tighter Skeleton Tree isn’t here as well. But this is another good one obviously, and it has Cave’s traditionally exceptional hook for melody and haunting beauty. But the production is a little hollow at the same time. Again, I think Skeleton Key did everything better, but I still have a good time with this. B

This is what I always imagined garage rock sounding like- a bunch of kids just learning to shred with the murkiest sound on earth. Forget that overpolished White Stripes and Strokes nonsense. It’s very primitive, and I assume it won’t be a lot of people’s thing, but I do like the protometal sound and I have fun with this. But I can’t really rate it higher than a C+, although I think that I’ll give it four stars to round out.

The production is shockingly massive, and really helps to make Dylan sound as empty as he must have felt at the time. That’s a good and a notsogood thing, since I also feel like this makes the songs here not have the same punch as most of his 60’s classics. It’s very good, but I don’t think it’ll ever be my favorite album, either of Dylan’s or for breakups on the whole. Still gotta be a B+, maybe an A- on another day.

What is there to say, this is as good as it gets, and Hendrix earned his GOAT status for obvious reasons. I don’t love the slower blusey stuff as much, but even some of the “lighter” songs still kill, like “The Wind Cries Mary”. This better join Pink Floyd in the 4+ club. An A

I really like old school soul, but I have to admit that Solomon Burke's music has mostly eluded me. This isn't bad, but it does sound a little more primitive than my preferences, and I wish the chorus girls were cut back a little. But there are some stone cold gems in there, enough that I can see me coming back to this when I need something to groove to. C.

I know that there has been recent rehabilitation for the Carpenters, and I want to give them their fair shake. I distinctly remember one quote Todd in the Shadows shared in his Trainwreckord video of their alien album. It came from an interview with the band right after their decline in popularity, and Karen basically said “okay, you don’t want our old stuff anymore, but you also don’t want our new stuff. What do you want?” That stuck with me, and made me feel bad about them. But no, I’m sorry, I can’t get into their music. Light, tempoless rock tends to be useless to me unless you’re kings of harmony, which imo they’re not. Karen is a nice singer and drummer, and there are solid hooks and production here, but I could live without it. D

I own plenty of soul records, but I somehow have yet to buy any Nina Simone. Should really rectify that. This would be a good one to start with, since it has some of her best performances. I can understand how her husky voice is not for everyone, but I admire how raw and commanding she sounds. Not every song is a banger, and some parts drag, but this is still damn fine stuff. B

Meh. Folksy, chambery indie rock has always been one of my least favorite genres. There was a period where I was a little more suspectible to it, but at that point Arcade Fire were too mainstreamy yet not Classic enough to hit my radar. So yeah, I didn’t have fun with this one. Credit where credit is due to a couple of decent ideas scattered in, but I can go the rest of my life without spinning this. D-

This really isn’t my thing normally, but it’s pretty good dance music. The production is very of its time, in a charming but still dated way. I much preferred the female vocals to the guy, but he had his moments too. C

There’s an alternate reality where the Jeff Beck Group became THE virtuoso blues group that brought rock fans into the 70’s instead of Zeppelin, and part of me is curious to see how that went. I don’t think that they’re as tight-knit as Zepp, or as able to make blues staples their own the way they did. Yet they’re all great musicians, and Rod Stewart proves that he def has pipes here. It’s pretty damn good for what it is, but I understand why they didn’t get bigger in our timeline. B

I like how this is kind of a best of both worlds situation- Eno is really embracing his newfound appreciation for synth/atmospheric music, while still making a couple of tunes in the vein of Roxy Music and his earlier solo stuff. I found myself geling more with the latter this time, but his minimalist stuff is still pretty impressive to listen to. I can understand if it’s not your thing or if you’re so used to later electronic music that you find it derivative, but I’m all in. Still, this is never going to raise above “sometimes” music for me. B+

Despite my appreciation for R&B/soul/jazz, I never totally got into Sade. Giving this a spin, I kind of see the appeal, but it’s not especially for me. I can get behind bits of quiet storm, but it’s just not a sound that I can spin for a full LP. I’ll give it credit for some solid jazzy interludes and killer vocals, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully get into them. Solid C

This is real “in one ear, out the other music”. It’s perfectly fine new wave, but I received almost no reaction from it. Not sure if that’s better or worse than being bad, but I don’t that I’ll return to it anytime soon. C-

This usually isn’t my thing at all, but I got into it alright. It hits the right level of bombast and has some solid production, but I can also see myself never listening to it again, idk C

I'm old enough to remember- vaguely, mind you- when Alanis broke big and how ubiquitous this album was. Maybe not THAT ubiquitous, since my mom didn't have it, but You Oughta Know was clearly a big deal. It's honestly kind of surprising that Alanis could break so big with how raunchy it gets when pop was mostly pretty sterile back then. Like sure, this is basically just proto-Good 4 u and back then, rappers and grunge bands could get away with f bombs, but imagine Mariah. The rest of the album is pretty good too, although I never liked You Learn. A perfectly solid pop album. B

I only vaguely know who Gene Clark is, so color me surprised by how I dug it! It's a pretty eclectic album, even if it isn't especially outstanding. Still, the production is solid and his voice is strong, and I can see this be a grower when I get more time. C+, possibly higher

Oops, missed this one apparently. Not really a big Elvis guy, and this is largely forgettable, but it's nice to listen to in the moment. The only thing that makes it remotely essential, though, is "Fever", which is sick. D+

Didn't Mr. Bambaataa get Me-Too'd? Not that it would matter too much- Michael will never be dropped from GOAT status, so why not keep this on? This is pretty fun, but like a lot of early hip-hop, it doesn't have a whole lot of shelf life for me. I appreciate the beats and some of the production choices, but it's not one that I'll ever put on regularly. Still, when I do, it's terrific background noise. B-

Heavy metal is the first style of music I fell for, and it’s the one I always come back to. It’s the reason I followed this group. I have also used the term Selloutica unironically in the past. But seriously, why are there FOUR Metallica albums featured here? That’s more than Maiden, Priest, or even fucking Sabbath (all of which were my first loves before I discovered ‘tallica). Justice, with its sterile production and boneheaded progressive elements, is no essential as far as I’m concerned. The songs are overlong and half baked at the same time. I give it points for solid riffs throughout, but meh. D

Heavy metal is the first style of music I fell for, and it’s the one I always come back to. It’s the reason I followed this group. I have also used the term Selloutica unironically in the past. But seriously, why are there FOUR Metallica albums featured here? That’s more than Maiden, Priest, or even fucking Sabbath (all of which were my first loves before I discovered ‘tallica). Justice, with its sterile production and boneheaded progressive elements, is no essential as far as I’m concerned. The songs are overlong and half baked at the same time. I give it points for solid riffs throughout, but meh. D

I like The Police, but really just their first couple of albums. By this point, it’s clear that they were chasing trends instead of following them. But this is also their biggest album by a wide margin, so *shrug emoji* There are good songs on here, but the best one is easily the bonus track, Murder by Numbers. I never really liked Every Breath You Take, but giving it a couple more listens, I can appreciate the tight production and Sting’s unkempt performance. It’s also leagues better than the ballads that immediately follow it, too. So yeah, it’s better than I recalled, but not the best that they’re capable of. C

I fucking hate Coldplay. F

A few years ago, I would have had a similar response to U2 that I did with my Coldplay “review” yesterday. But I have warmed up to them a little bit. They’re strong, distinctive musicians, and Bono has pipes for days. I still don’t really love U2, though, but I can respect how this was a necessary change in sound for them, and proved that they don’t always have to be so self-serious. That’s cool, and Brian Eno’s production is still rightfully massive. Still, I don’t have a whole lot of use for the tempoless dredge that a lot of this offers. I much prefer Mysterious Ways to One, basically. C-? Idk

I primarily know the Count from his work with Sinatra, and haven’t heard much of his instrumental stuff. But this is good! Parts of it are a little slow for my taste, as my preference towards jazz tends to be more intense, but a lot of it really swings, and every musician kills. Should really check more of his stuff out. B

First of all, I accidentally reposted my Count Basie review for yesterday. I didn’t actually get to listen to that album so RIP Anyway, I’m not very familiar with these guys, but I thought that this was alright, nothing special. I feel like I’d be more impressed if I got into them before Depeche Mode or New Order, since it sounds kind of bland in comparison. Still, it’s a solid synth rock album and I like that it never steers too close to one tempo. I believe that their first few albums are supposed to be pretty good, so maybe I’ll like the next one on here better. C

I have a friend who loves Gary Numan and has seen him multiple times (he’s also much older than me), but I only really knew him for Cars. So this is new for me, and I love it? The synth work is really expressive and singular, even if it’s primitive compared to later new wave. That’s arguably part of the charm, though, and Numan comes up with some killer hooks. I don’t think that we needed the 7 minute track, but I otherwise had a lot of fun and will def come back. B

I’ve had fun with the new wave, but once we get into techno or electronica, you lose me. I still can’t wrap my head around that. This isn’t BAD, persay, but it’s really not my thing at all, aside from a couple of solid hooks. I’ll give it a D, but I’ll also go up to 3 stars out of fairness.

I like Clapton as an artist (not so much as a person), but this was pretty mid. I think that he needs a strong co-leader to really bring his best ability out, because a lot of this is basic white guy blues. There’s still some shredding, and a couple of solid songs. I’d still rather listen to Cream instead, though. C

One of the best debuts of all time, REM came out of the gates loaded and ready to make incredible rock. It’s interesting to come back to this after decades of refining and expanding the indie scene, but the melodies are timeless and the production is charmingly limited. Radio Free Europe’s single version is better, though. A

I try to hold out on giving out fives, especially so soon to each other, but man, I love this album. Some insane compositions throughout. A

I don't get reggae, never did. But at least with Marley, I get that he's the real deal and a pioneer. UB40 just sound fake and lame. This is what I imagine my personal hell sounds like. F

Okay, this is pretty smooth. I like the mix of old-school (jazz patterns, Latin influences) and new (electronic beats). A lot of it blends together for me, and I think it would have benefitted from a shorter run time, but it's something I can see myself come back to. C

I used to put The Strokes and Jack White on my shitlist and swore against anything garage rock-related. My disdain for White continues, but I’ve made peace with the Strokes, even if I don’t necessarily love them, either. But the production is crisp and the songwriting is tight and less pretentious than I recall. They sound good together and some of the songs are quite good, even if little of this is material I really come back to. C

The thing that I’ve always liked about T. Rex is how Marc Bolan combines pretty melodies and his soothing voice with a crunchy, dirty guitar tone. It’s an effective balance and keeps his material engaging, even this could have been a song or two shorter. B, it might need a minus but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt today

I went with the UK version, since that’s the cover reflected here. But I know the US version is still in print and prefered by plenty. Anyway, I understand why this album is considered important for the Stones. It’s around this point that the Jaggers and Richard songwriting team really started to take off, and they started to cut back on their R&B covers. But there’s still plenty of those as well, and they’re all mostly fine, although I’d consider little of this to be essential. Their best stuff here are all-timers, but a lot of it is fluff meant to fill up an LP. I do give them credit for ending side A with Goin’ Home. Most artists would save that for the very end, and I believe they did in the US version. B-

Pretty nice, solid R&B/funk, but I'd be lying if I said that I would pick this over any given Marvin Gaye LP from the 70's. B-

Pretty nice stuff. It keeps a solid beat going and I like when the strings are added into the mix, but I don't think that I'll ever really go out of my way to listen to this again, either. C

The Stranglers have been on my radar for a minute, but the only album I’ve ever listened to from them is their newest. This was good! I like the mix of classic punk with some new wave tendencies, and it has strong melodies. I do think that I would have rated it higher if I heard this when I was getting into punk stuff, but hey, I’m a yank. The Stranglers had no presence here. But this is probably the equivalent of Marquee Moon over in the UK. B

So this isn't super my thing, but there are some really cool little passages here, and I think his sense of melody is strong. It's a good time, but I'd be lying if I said that I see this becoming a Mountain Goats-level favorite. C

I used to like Sigur Rós when I was first getting into post-rock, but now I must admit that they sound kind of cheesy to me. I think the vocals turn me off, tbh. GY!BE holds up better by keeping their mouths shut in comparison, and they write more gorgeous harmonies. This is still good, but I seldom get into their work as much now. C

lmao how did she go from this to “you’re being a penis… colada that is!” A

Still not really my thing, and it probably never will be, but I can appreciate it as quality regardless. I’d just personally never choose to listen to it. C

This should be up there in the “country albums for people who don’t like country” starter pack. Granted, I have warmed up to yeeha music over the years, and stuff like this is why. Incredible craftsmanship throughout, even if it is a little samey. B+

(tbh I coasted on yesterday’s ranking- I love Dusty but didn’t have the time to listen to that album again) So James Taylor kind of slaps? I always dismissed his stuff, but he’s got some killer hooks behind him. I prefer his original stuff to his covers, and I doubt this will ever be a favorite, but this is a nice, easy listen. C

That was delightfully primitive. C

When I first got into metal, nu was all but on the way out, and what I heard from the bands still getting radio play didn't impress me, including Korn. I've tried to give them a shot here and there in the years since and... yeah, still not a fan. I found this very annoying, actually. Probably my least favorite album so far. F

I used to lump hair metal in with nu metal and pop punk for lame mainstream/pop styles of rock that I had no use for. And while there have been exceptions for all three, I’ve gravitated more towards glam metal towards the other two. There’s no pretension in most of these bands, just good times and solid hooks. That said, it took a while for me to get into Hysteria the album. I much preferred the Lep’s harder rocking earlier stuff, and while I still do, I dig most of this now. This is 80’s production excess at its highest caliber, and the levels Mutt Lange went to is insane. The title track is especially a favorite, probably their best song. I feel like Billy Corgan has spent his entire career trying to write a melody like this, but hasn’t come close. B

It’s funny, I namedropped Billy Corgan in yesterday’s review and he shows up today. Hmm, something something Neurosis. But no, I did rock with Smashing Pumpkins in my youth. I never really connected with Nirvana or Radiohead, so it took some time for me to embrace the other 90’s alt rock giants. But I did gravitate to most of the other ones in due time, and I played the fuck out of my Mellon Collie CD. In hindsight, it’s way too long, and the pattern is basic- heavy song, slow song, repeat with minor exceptions. But I can still feel the primal aggression in Bullet with Buttefly Wings, even if it’s pretty silly in hindsight, and I dig how weird some of the non-hits get while appreciating the softer tracks. It’s an imperfect thing, but I feel like this should still be essential listening for teenagers. B

As far as retro blues rock throwbacks go, you can’t top the Crowes imo. You can really hear the passion behind their performances every time. This is a pretty smooth, digestible album. B

The best hard rock album of all time. AC who? Guns n what? A

I wasn’t expecting much from this one, but I kind of loved it! Very pretty throughout, and I like how his voice added a little bit of edge to offset the sugary sweet coating. This might be my favorite week here ever. B

RIP will always hold a special place in my heart, as well as metal history. The latter because IMO this was so good that this is why thrash had to fade out, there was no topping Dave’s new crew’s chemistry and his ability to balance harmony and anger. The former because this is one of the first metal CDs I got and fell in love with. And even if I ever have to sell off my collection, there is no way that I would part with my 1990 first edition- the remaster that reverbs Dave’s vocals is just not it. But this sounds as technically perfect as ever, even the (likely deliberate) imperfect moments. And I’ll always go to bat for “Dawn Patrol”, which is a neat little interlude before the deadly finish. I don’t think that I can give this a full A due to Dave’s politics and Junior’s recent problems. I’m still willing to compromise for 5 stars and accept that Dave has always had his foot in his mouth (we wouldn’t have “Holy Wars” if he didn’t say some particularly insensitive shit, for instance), and Junior’s creepy behavior is a seemingly more recent development. All I know is that I feel like putting it back on.

I know some people can't deal with Billy Corgan's voice, but I don't usually mind it. Others don't like Geddy Lee, and I think he sounds fine. Some of you guys expressed indifference to Dave Mustaine yesterday, and I'm generally cool with it. But Janis Joplin's voice has always bugged me. There's definite power in it, but it's too screechy for me, there's almost no technique. The musicians themselves are great, but I don't know if I'll ever side with her abilities. D+

I understand the controversy behind this album. Nu metal has always been derided (tbh, including by myself) and this must have seemed like a sellout move for Sepultura. But I’ve always erred on the side who considers this revelatory. I don’t think Max Cavalera was chasing trends, but he genuinely has always been a guy who has had his pulse on the current scene and likes to follow course in his own way. Look at Soulfly’s recent material for an example. When the album embraces their literal roots and adds Brazilian influences, it’s a triumph. But it goes on for way too long- the CD era had to die for a reason. Even as someone who still likes CDs and uses them, I definitely do not miss the desire to fill a disc of material. This would be a good bit better if it was at least a brisk 50 minutes. B-

I forget how I found “Sultans of Swing”, but when I heard it, that turned Dire Straits into a band that I knew of to one I had to check out. There’s no topping their first album though, which is perfectly sexy and loaded with tight musicianship. I do have to knock some points off for the weaker tracks, but this is what AOR should sound like. A-

I was just thinking that these have been too rock/metal heavy lately. Granted, I’m cool with the metal- hell yes, keep this shit separated from Rolling Stone- but we haven’t had much R&B, rap, jazz in a while. Glad we got this welcome change of pace today. Jasmine Sullivan is a name I knew, but I don’t think that I ever heard her stuff before. This was pretty nice! You can tell that she’s hella talented and has a strong sense of collaboration, and the production is tight here. I don’t love the introductions, but I can see myself warm up to them on further listens. C+ for now, can see this rise after some more listens (Side note, but this is technically an EP, although a deluxe edition was released that should push this to an LP. Even before that, it’s 33 minutes which is a perfectly acceptable album length.)

Not really a fan of Common and I don’t think Kanye’s trademark chipmunk effects have really held up, so I didn’t connect to this. But it’s objectively pretty good stuff regardless. C

I can’t believe I used to think that stuff like Depeche Mode was lame. I guess that’s what the kids call a personal flop level. I’m really trying to be more discerning towards 5 stars though and hoard them like a dragon’s gold. And I do have the same problem with Violator that I do Rumours- it peaks with “Enjoy the Silence” and think that the last third is a step down. Where do you go from “Waiting for the Dark” and EOS? But it’s all still very good and I love the perfect balance between unforgettable synth hooks and terrific musicianship. And Martin Gore’s voice is incomparable. A-

Sometimes I wonder if I overrate certain rock records and underrate other genres, primarily soul and R&B. Because I hear good stuff here but it doesn’t really sound essential to me. I do think it’s an interesting footnote in R&B history, as this came out right when disco became passé, but no one really knew what would be the new sound. A lot of it tends to run together for me, but I have fun anyway. C

I could never get into Muse, their sound just doesn’t work for me. You want to do the mainstream Pink Floyd stuff? Cool. You want to do the weird Radiohead stuff? Also fine. But together, it doesn’t gel very well IMO. I can appreciate that they’re solid musicians and have big ambitions, but this largely left me cold. 3 stars for effort, but my personal rating is a D+

It still astonishes me how he’s able to turn sampling into an art form. He’s not the first to do so- Paul’s Boutique had already come out- or possibly even the best, as J Dilla was soon to burst out. But this is fun, beautiful and surprisingly heavy all at once. Essential. A-

I never got Amy, and I don’t think I ever will. Her voice has never impressed me, and if anything, only annoys me as I get older. I hear too much of a blaccent to get behind it. The musicianship is tight at least, but I think Ronson will have better work later on. D-

Now THIS is my speed. I only really knew Willie as a personality and not so much his music, but damn, he has a killer voice and knows how to fill a track with hooks. I do think it peaks in the first side, but I can definitely see myself add this to my collection. B

I don’t know what I was expecting here, but I kind of loved it? My experience with French music is pretty damn limited- mainly just the Neigeverse and Charlotte Gainsbourg- but this is right up my alley. It’s basically a Parisian Sinatra backed by Duke Ellington, which yes please. Will come back to. B

Ladies and Gentlemen is one of my favorite 90's alt rock albums, but my experience with their other stuff is surprisingly limited. Surprise surprise, I loved this! The melodies aren't nearly as calculated as the title would make you think- it's an organic listen that has killer transitions. I don't love it as much as their opus yet, but this is def a grower. B+

Mehhhh I feel like the music I dismissed as a teen- ie emo, nu metal, a lot of indie and pop/R&B from this particular period- will always remain mid to me. D

It’s kind of funny how the better produced the Velvets became, the less interesting they became. To be fair, this was kind of by design, since this was meant to be a more commercial LP, but it still failed in that regard and sounds pretty sedated. Mostly, at least. “The Murder Mystery” has that classic Warhol-era weirdness to it, and the more well-known songs still mostly slap. And yes, the production is much crispier than the first two albums. B Side note- why are the women involved with the band so problematic? Between Nico being a legit nazi and the drummer lady who sings “After Hours” having tea party connections, it’s not a great track record

At Folsom Prison is a favorite, but I haven’t listened to Cash’s other iconic prison LP nearly as much. How stupid of me, this is great. A-

Kraftwerk is the shit. I don’t really have more to add besides side 2>side 1 B

I always used to hate Green Day, like most mainstreamy rock bands, but I have warmed up to some of their stuff, mostly pre-AI. I prefer when they pretend to be punk than emo, which is why this does so little for me. At the day they’re just trend changers, and this isn’t a trend I vibe with. D

I never really got into the Jesus and Mary Chain when I got into post-punk. They always just kind of passed me by, and I never got around to listening to much of them in the years since. Spinning this now, I can see the appeal of their jangley sound, but I think I missed the window to totally get on board with them. This is good, but I’d rather put on Depeche Mode or Slowdive or something. Gonna say C+

I only really knew Louis as King Louie, but hey, this is a lot of fun! I guess this is more of a greatest hits than a cohesive album, but that's fine, it lives up to the promise. B

Yeah, I should try to get into The Jam some more. I have Setting Suns and dig that, and this is also pretty cool. It’s that perfect blend where it sounds of its time and timeless. I think indie fiends will totally dig this, too. B

It’s funny, SOAD never really got to be classified as underground, since they caught on almost immediately. But I don’t think a band this weird caught on since Faith No More. I’ll always have a soft spot for their later material, but I understand why their s/t does it for so many. It is pretty bitchin’, and everyone kills it. B+

IA can’t help but sound like warm-up for Loveless, which is fine. That’s still one of the all-time seminal albums, and it makes sense that it overshadows everything else they’ve done. This is still a perfectly fine album, but it’s not the one I come back to. B

I'm pretty ignorant on the Prodigy, only knowing some of their hits, but this is cool. I can see why they overlap with metal fans often. Will check out more. B-

Peak-era Stevie, this is just ace songwriting and performing. I don’t love the slower stuff as much, but at its best this is pure electric. B+

I don’t know about this one. It sounds kind of generic and sexist to me. But hey, there are some solid beats, and it’s pretty brisk for a rap album. C-

I like some of the songs and how soulful the vocals get, but it’s more meh than anything. I can understand why stuff like this would turn people away from this project. C

I actually really liked this? And the bonus tracks are better than the main album cuts? idk why I'm surprised, maybe it's because these guys are new to me and I was expecting something slightly different. But this is fun new wave, and if I ever see this in a dollar CD bin, it's mine. B

This must have been unbelievable when it came out. No one was playing like Eddie, mixing hard rock, classical and jazz tones into one sound. And they wisely start the album off with something easy to comprehend like “Runnin’ with the Devil” before loading it with the crazy stuff. To fault it, the latter half has some filler, but at least it ends strong with “Ice Cream Man” and “On Fire”, even if this should have been a 10 track LP instead of 11. A-

Really lovely music. If you don’t like mid-tempo stuff, I can see you getting bored. And I’m usually like that, but I think Ray did it better than nearly anyone. A-

One of my favorite things about doing this is discovering new stuff, especially when it's pretty good like this. It's solid post-punk and he's a great singer and songwriter, but it's definitely a little too long. Unless this is a compilation of non-album tracks, no post-punk album needs to be over 40 minutes. But I also don't know if I'd cut anything out? Will likely come back. B

Wow, 100 days. And what a way to celebrate. Buckley’s voice really was lovely. It’s a shame that he was here for such a short period of time. A-

Cheesy as all hell, but hey, I'm not vegan, I can dig it. Like a lot of albums from this era, it's pretty front-loaded, the first 3 songs in particular, and it never quite recovers after Foreplay. But the massive production is still charming, everything sounds massive and wonderful. Even if you're tired of hearing all the songs on classic rock radio, listen to it in full. You may be surprised. B

Kraftwerk kick ass, but my problem is that I never know how to talk about them. This is good, but that’s all I’ve got. B

I used to hate Oasis, but I’ve slowly accepted that Noel = cool, Liam = cunt. Still not really my thing, but it has its moments. D+

I like The Doors, but they’re largely a singles band besides the first album. This is probably their next best LP, but I don’t know if your life will improve by listening to most of the deep cuts. Still, it’s all quite good, and “Riders on the Storm” is a hell of a way to cap off their career B

Okay, Flaming Lips are pretty cool. A lot of it runs together, but this is solid symphonic rock. I can get behind this. B

I wouldn’t call this the best album by The Roots, but it does have the one song people know by them, so I know why it’s here. But it’s still quite good. Questlove knows how to write a spicy tune. B+

I can separate the art from the artist enough to call Miles what he was- the GOAT. This is just one of many excellent works he conceived. A

Two A’s in a row? More likely than you’d think. As white as I may sound, Kendrick is the best rapper alive, and while his next album is more vital, this is a brilliant introduction to his craft if Butterfly is too dense for you. Incredible music all around. A

As one of the premiere artists of his generation, of course this album is full of strong performances from Marvin and his crew. But this is no What's Going On. It's unpleasant and woefully light on hooks. Intentionally? Most likely, but there should be no surprise why this didn't catch on. It's a good, important album, but not an easy one to listen to, or arguably as rewarding as some of his others. B

I'm not a Dylan stan, but this is probably as good as he'll ever sound. A lot of his best songwriting, stripped down to their bare essence. Still, even though I understand his performance, I'd rather put on some Tom Petty instead. A-

Like a lot of dream pop-y new wave, this is good and I enjoy listening to it, but a lot of it sounds the same and I don't think that I'll ever put this in regular rotation. I can see why this would stand out for people who are more into this sound, but it's seldom more than just fine for me. C+

Okay yeah, this is the good stuff. Incredible blues. A

Pretty good, but this all still sounds samey to me like most new wave. But I recognize some of the songs and those hits are cool, so I kind of understand why this was chosen. C

I’ll be real, I think they probably peaked with Murmur, but this has some incredible rock music as well. “The One I Love” is an all-time hit for a reason. There’s a couple of skips depending on my mood, but I definitely intend to keep this in my collection for a good while. B+

Solid music all in all, but not really memorable or essential, either. Weller has a strong voice and some of these songs have killer hooks, but I won't lie, my reaction was something like "this is it?". Still, may listen to again. C+

I’m sorry, I just can’t get into Courtney Love at all. I don’t really vibe with her music or attitude… and I feel the same way about Kurt. These are formative records that I have little use for. D

This is probably as perfect of a jazz 101 LP as there is, and I mean, that’s for a reason- look at the talent behind his band! But time has been kind to the songs and performances, which sound as rich today as ever. A

This is a lot of fun, if slightly tedious. The massive jam sessions are daunting, but the musicianship stands out during the whole session. It helps that the performances are as soulful as they are. That’s why this music resonates as it does so far beyond the south. B+

I dunno, that 70’s blues rock sound still does it for me. And it helps that Rod’s still largely backed behind the Faces, who are a great band. The less plugged-in tracks don’t do much for me, but when Ronnie kicks in his iconic tone, this is a good time. B-

Still not big on the Floyd, and a lot of this is too esoteric and whimsical for my taste. But there’s some really cool psychedelic stuff here that almost makes me a believer. The production in particular is delightfully dingy, and fits their vibe perfectly. C

Janis’ voice still grates too hard for me, but I like this better than her other album we covered. I think her band here is tighter and she has stronger songs. “Me and Bobby McGee” is an all-timer. It’s a solid album, but I just have little use for her talents. C

I used to have beef with Karen O for some reason and called her PJ Harvey’s leftovers. That isn’t fair, since they have totally different goals, but I think I was bitter that the music group I followed were really into Yeah Yeah Yeahs but expressed minimal interest in Polly. Listening to this the whole way through, it’s not bad. It’s eclectic but not sporadic. I don’t really care for the 2K indie take on punk, but the Sonic Youth-esq disonance tracks are cool, and the dance stuff isn’t bad. Karen’s also a decent singer and the production is solid… but this isn’t usually my thing. C-, maybe drop the minus

Yeah, this is pretty good! Fast, fresh, eclectic. And "Rock Lobster" may be the most copied riff of the past 50 or so years. B

Mehhhh D -

Oh wow. So like most people, I only really know the Bee Gees from their disco hits, although I did see their documentary and was aware that they started off in white R&B. I didn't realize that they went full Pet Sounds at some point, though! Honestly, I like this a lot more than their falsetto-heavy hits, and I can see this be a real grower. C+, maybe B-?

Oh wow, this is pretty new for me. But exciting! The beat is terrific, and it does a decent job of keeping the energy alive during its lengthy run. Should check out more Afrobeat. B

Still sounds spooky today, and not in a campy way. This must have shat some pants 50 years ago. I love the majority of the album… except for “Warning”. Blues wankery is not what Iommi lost his fingertips for, but thankfully they’ll drop this right after. Still deserves an A

Mehhh. Always considered Gorillaz to be style over substance. A couple of cool beats aside, I don't have any real use for this. D

Not normally my scene, but I get it. Pretty cool! B

I don't really know much Moby. Honestly, I think I'm most familiar with him from Eminem's diss on "Without Me". So color me surprised that I vibed with his sound through the full album. It's pretty well-paced, too! Could see myself picking this up in the dollar CD bin. B

Man, imagine not liking PFunk. Couldn’t be me. A-. These songs are meant to be heard live, but I can’t imagine going any lowee.

After listening to a lot of Stevie, I’ve decided that I prefer his funky stuff over him being a balladeer. His slow stuff just doesn’t do a lot for me. Good thing this is mostly upbeat tracks, though. A-

Easily my favorite AC/DC album. I know some people don’t like how crisp Mutt Lange’s production sounded compared to their earlier releases, but I think that this shows off how talented the band is, and brings their sound to life. This is still the same band from before, but a little more mature. I wish we could have seen what they would have been like if Bon stayed alive. It’s funny though, as overplayed as the title track is, the rest of the album barely exists on classic rock radio. There are some choice cuts that deserve more spins, though. B+

Wasn’t expecting much out of this, but it’s solid boomer rock, and surprisingly varied. I especially like the Elvis tribute. It’s a breezy listen at a solid half hour, but I also don’t see myself returning to it. C

It’s funny, I was listening to Pink Moon right as I was putting in yesterday’s score. Nick Drake was a hell of a songwriter, though, and I like the country tinges he added to his folk sound. It’s a strong combination, even if this ultimately sounds like a demo reel for Pink Moon. B+

This surprised me, if only because I was unfamiliar with this group until yesterday. But this is solid punk with a power rock tinge, and I could see this being a solid gap between the Ramones and Cheap Trick back in the day. I don’t think they got a chance in the states, though. B

The Byrds are one boomer act I have little experience or use with, so this was… not bad. It sounds like watered down Dylan by way of the Monkees, and that’s fine, but not something I’d go out of my way to listen to. Still, not a bad way to spend a half hour. C

Elliott is many people's sad boy of choice, and I won't begrudge them that, he was a terrific songwriter, even if my heart belonged to others. This is a good album, but it doesn't contain too many of my favorite tracks of his. I think I prefer his more stripped-down tracks to the orchestral sound he played with here. Still, some of the tracks here really cut. B

Honestly shocked to see that we’re only just now getting a Beatles album. We haven’t even had a solo album from one of the four! Unfortunately, I don’t have much use for their earliest stuff in LP form. The hits are timeless, but most of the deep cuts are forgettable. It’s funny to think about now, but at this point, the album as a listening experience wasn’t a big draw for rock n roll- these were made with a couple of singles in mind, but little regard for the rest. Jazz artists, including Sinatra, were the ones who were expanding the LP. But I mean, it’s still all good. Some of these even have shockingly killer work from Ringo, of all people. Should be complimented with the movie. B

I surprisingly haven't spun this one too much, despite being big on Nick. His double albums tend to be too much for me, which is probably why Ghosteen doesn't wow me as much. The funny thing is, I think the second disc is stronger and has more of his trademark sound. But it's all pretty solid. B

I don’t know if this is Neil’s best- I like his rocking stuff- but it’s his most popular for a reason. The bridge between folk and country never sounded so tight and refined as it does here. A

As much as I adore Simon & Garfunkel (had a serious S&G phase during my first year of community college), this isn’t one of their best albums. I still like it a lot, though. But too much of it is spent on tracks meant to explore the themes that have little value on their own, and others sound like obvious Graduate leftovers (because they were). But the two sound so good together that it really doesn’t matter. And it’s brief, but full enough to feel perfectly concise. B+

I never liked this one as much as other people do. It’s a little too soft for me, and I have a particular allergic reaction to “Everybody Hurts”. But the good stuff is very good- “Nightswimming”, in particular, is life changing. Not my first choice to introduce someone to R.E.M.’s gift for melody, but it’s still a good time. B

Still not the biggest Elvis guy, but this has some cool tracks on it. Mostly, anyway- his “Tutti Frutti” couldn’t possibly compare to Little Richard. But the rest of these tracks show off his pipes, and the backing band is solid. B

I feel like this would be a hit if it was released today, primarily for the lyrics, which are absolute Twitter-level politics. At least the English tracks, which is partly why I tend to prefer the Spanish language material. When it goes full Latin, I am all in. Would like this better if it didn’t have as much nu metal tinge, I think. C+

I love discovering new music, especially for genres I love like jazz. Incredible stuff here. B+

I know he’s a COVID-denying piece of shit, but Van really knows his way around a tune. This has got to be his greatest collection of music. B+

Normally I try to listen to an album fresh before I review it, but I know this one by the back of my hand and I’m traveling so I’ll make an exception. Petty is probably my favorite artist of all time, and I’ll accept no slander on his behalf. You can tell that he’s working out the edges on his sound, as this takes a lot from Dylan, Springsteen and everything in between, but he and co come up with a few all-timers here. Even the songs about rock music, which I normally dismiss from other artists, sound genuine and exciting here. A- for me

Another post-punky/dreampopy album where I can appreciate it but don’t love it. I don’t really have much to say, honestly (and I’ll probably be behind for the next few albums). C

Pretty basic hippie stuff, perfectly listenable but nothing to write home about. C

Oh wow, this was such timing. I used to like The Smiths a lot in high school/early college, but they do little for me now. Morrissey’s delivery only annoys me, as does his petluant lyrics. The musicians are solid, though, and sometimes it works well enough that I can still get behind it. C

My favorite hippie album of all time. It helps that Grace Slick is a GOAT singer, but this sound never gets better from here. B+

I’ll be straight- I don’t like Adele. I think her range as a performer is limited (almost all she sings about is her ex) and her voice is all technicality with little power. It’s not fun or exciting to listen to, and I don’t understand her massive appeal. Listening to her mega album all the way through for the first time since it came out confirms this. Sorry. D

Big Black fuckin’ rock. Don’t have much else to say. B+

Full disclosure- Iron Maiden is my favorite band of all time. They’re the act that got me into metal, and music as a whole. It’s hard for me to be objective about them. But at the same time, the first Maiden album is kind of a mixed bag. The songs themselves are incredible- Steve Harris’ ear for melody, riffs and harmony were evident from the very beginning. And while I know that he was waiting for a muse with a stronger range, Di’Anno’s performances are on point throughout. However, the album’s production is hollow as sin, making its tracks have a fraction of the power they deserve. Meeting halfway, it’s a B+ for me. They’ll get much more right with their follow-up. On another note, it’s absurd that Maiden only has 2 albums in this book, and this is one of them. We really don’t need 4 Metallicas, especially not And Justice for Mid. That should be swapped for Killers or Powerslave, easy.

I really do like the Pixies, but I don’t tend to spin much of their stuff past their first two albums + Come On Pilgrim. Playing this in full for the first time in ages reminds me of why. This really does feel like their attempt to court the mainstream, and has less of the charming idiosyncrasies that makes their earlier stuff timeless. Still, when it hits it hits, and it has plenty of bangers to make it worth adding to the collection. B

The Kinks are probably going to be forever associated with their hard rocking singles- “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night”- but that’s not really reflective of their sound. A good chunk of their material is more folksy, like this album, which I like a lot. Terrific harmonies and hooks throughout. It’s a real highlight from the British Invasion. B+

So I only know the hits, and let me just say that this didn’t sound how I was expecting. Way more soulful than I thought it would be, and I also wasn’t expecting Boy George to share the limelight with a gospel singer. It’s almost like if Hall & Oates joined the Human League, which is interesting, but still not exactly my thing. C

This was one of my favorites in my alt rock-obsessed phase from high school/early college, and it’s probably my favorite Sonic Youth album. It still sounds so big and fresh, the rare double album that doesn’t overstay its welcome… mostly. A-

Is it Jimi’s weakest album? From the Experience, yeah probably (although I think Ladyland is less consistent), but it still flourishes with great ideas throughout. The best stuff sounds like the logical evolution from Experienced, while the weaker stuff sounds like B-sides. B+