Pretty terrible. "Oh but the harmonies" - yes, what about the songs? Creepy vaguely misognyist crap sung as nursery rhymes by castrati. And, hey, harpsichords! Shite
vapid drivel, some of the worst music in a long time
I really tried to give this a listen with an open mind, honestly I did. Unfortunately it's the same unfinished-sounding noodly background music with whining on top that I've come to expect from these Emperor's New Clothes incarnate. Horrible
prog noodling outweighs good tunes
Yay! A great one for the weekend. Sometimes my favorite Bowie album (although you'll probably read that again), just a collection of great-sounding and perfectly-constructed songs. Loud, sharp and virtuoso band keep it tight and, frankly, thrilling with Mike Garson's work on here just incredible (check out King Crimson's Cat Food for something in the same ballpark). Drive-in Saturday could be my favorite tune if you had a gun to my head, and even the Rolling Stones cover deserves its place. Love it love it love it! Best album cover ever also to boot? PS nerd observation: this was the only RYKO remaster in the '90s not to include any bonus tracks, I think. Perhaps they couldn't find anything to add to the perfection already present
a few good tunes and lots of meandering, like his other work
ponderous but rudimentary
Their best collection of tunes
Pretty good, singles are classics
Interesting, can hear some Krautrock origins in the fusion arrangements
A few stone-cold classics, lots of filler
Side 1 full of classic tunes, Side 2 cheesy and boring as hell
Exactly as expected
Sounds like a 70s or 80s Elvis Costello album, not as weird or precious as feared. It's OK
Not bad, not as good as Sound Affects
Really good and doesn't overstay its welcome
Not Dark Yet is an all time classic, rest is good but the blues/roots stuff gets weary
Like most Fall albums it gets a bit samey but still sounds great
Pretty great, didn't realize how much of this was written by Bowie.
Tuneful but a bit of a cliche
great set of tunes
the well known tracks are surrounded by interminably overlong prog/grunge noise. starts well
vapid drivel, some of the worst music in a long time
It's pretty good as modern country goes. Not up to the '70s standard though
the constituent parts are fun but the album itself is dull as hell. sounds like it was more fun to make than to listen to. De La Soul did it much better
Starts well, goes downhill. Not as good as Live Through This
Pretty good, like a more melodic At The Drive-In
Really good, surprisingly! No Sweet Home Alabama or That Smell thankfully
great voice, songs and arrangements very much of its time
Fantastic, no notes
Maggie May plus wallpaper. Songs are fairly long for no apparent reason
Very enjoyable, from a weirdly innocent period in time
decent, but sounds like Innervisons b-sides in comparison
I really tried to give this a listen with an open mind, honestly I did. Unfortunately it's the same unfinished-sounding noodly background music with whining on top that I've come to expect from these Emperor's New Clothes incarnate. Horrible
Just terrible. Would have sounded derivative in 1996, now just puzzling why anyone would make something so dull. Couldn't even finish it
The famous songs are the good ones. Last song is truly awful. Polar opposite of Rumors - here the bad reputation is well-deserved
It's OK. I didn't understand the fuss when it came out, still don't. Not as good as his dad, much better than copycat whiners such as Radiohead. John Cale doesn't get the credit he should for the OG arrangement of Hallelujah but I doubt he cares.
Was very excited to buy this when it came out - did not disappoint, ribbed plastic box, secret bonus track and all! Still sounds fabulous today, all killer no filler. Great to hear it again
Better than I remembered from when I owned this a long time past. Odd to think this was radio-friendly pop music 40 years ago!
The sound of mid-90's British mediocrity. At least this one doesn't have the (or any?) awful Noel Gallagher Beatles rip-off atrocity. Still rings with the banshee wail of Beth Orton unfortunately. She must curse Dido frequently, wishing she hadn't hitched her frail wagon to these losers.
great to hear some of the origins of psychedelic soul
Some classics, pretty misogynistic in places!
Didn't like it when it came out, and it's still a disappointment after the first album but sounds great today. Glad to hear it again
banger after banger, incredible!
incredible album, especially good to hear those tracks sequenced again
I'm sure this is good quality but I really don't like this style of music!
Great voice, probably heard this a thousand times when it came out in the background. Very 80s!
Incredible run of songs throughout, *almost* as good as Tumbleweed Connection
I can see how this was very influential, however none of the component parts are that much fun to listen to. I've had this album for years and didn't recognize any of it. More Sufjan Stevens than Badly Drawn Boy unfortunately
The sound of summer 1994, very proud I had a pre-release tape of this! Evocative of OJ's white Bronco and the Romanian football team. Would be a 5 from Badhead alone but the dreadful title track drags it down a bit
just dull, sounds like a bar band playing CSNY but forgetting how the melodies work
bossa-nova standards, not thrilling
really good, up with his best and the rare "concept" album that isn't embarrassing in parts despite the content
So many great tunes, would have been incredible to be around at that point with classic songs being dished out daily. Most of this would be on a Greatest Hits
Somebody to Love is great, of course. The rest is not very distinctive
I really wanted to like this, unfortunately the well-known ones are both the best and the template for the rest. Disappointing as an album
very listenable but nowhere near as creative as Dr Dre or others of the same period
just boring, really poor effort and awful vocals
never heard of this before, obviously very influential from Revolution 9 to Broadcast and The American Analog Set. interesting
tuneful but not very memorable, like much in 1988
Does exactly what it says on the tin
lots of belters, not quite as many bangers. great sound though!
very experimental and, unfortunately, quite unpleasant to listen to
hasn't aged well, used to sound menacing when I was 13 now just sounds silly. tuneful enough but not essential
Great stuff, some of their best tunes
more interesting than I predicted, not as good as their later work
Godlike
pretty boring, if Daft Punk made a video game soundtrack but not in a good way
loved it then love it now, so lucky to see F&M perform most of this live. Just excellent, so many good memories soundtracked by this
juvenile and irritating
couldn't listen to it on Spotify but what I remember is the last great NY record until the 90s
pleasant enough
better than Darklands, still the most over-rated band of their era
great
glad I got to hear it, probably won't listen to it again anytime soon
melodic 60s pleasantries, better than their spelling at least
Incredibly dull, 3rd-rate late-era REM b-sides sung by someone with a voice better suited to silent movies. I get Dave Grohl is a "great guy" but this music is terrible and their popularity is so perplexing. Most songs would be rejected by a high school garage band - but this is not even awful enough to be distinguished as a one star album. Go away
Love it, a brilliant album from a pretty uninteresting time in music if a more hopeful one politicly. Listened to it constantly back then, still play it occasionally and am always blown away by the great tunes
a real ringer on this list for me, just love it. Unique, incredible tunes, a medley to rival Abbey Road and one of the biggest hits of the '80s tossed on at the end. What's not to love?
Another one I've had for years but barely recognize, with good reason. "Maps" apart, very meh. An odd period, a lot of derivative noise being showered with plaudits, this included.
used to love this, now hard to listen to given the weirdness and perversion following. Far better than Gary Gliiter in a musical sense, but rating adjusted accordingly for similar behaviors
timeless, does anyone not like this?
A grower, initially the Wilco-led songs are easier to get into but Billy's ones stand out and make the whole thing very enjoyable
Great guitar sound, but inessential. Stick to the Greatest Hits
great to hear this again, didn't know it was the 2nd highest selling album ever, but why not?
Nice to hear some James Brown that aren't the same old overplayed cliche tunes. Still not very interesting however
interminable and indistinguishable elementary garage rock. Each track is somehow less interesting and more sophomoric than the previous. How this guy continues to have a career amazes me. Perhaps people think he's "cool", but surely not "talented"?
pleasant and well-produced but not very exciting
nice album from an often forgotten 70s talent. Probably stick to the Greatest Hits though
So puzzling why anyone thought this was "edgy", more like musical theater than "rock'n'roll" and not in an entertaining Meat Loaf way. Self-satisfied and boring, but not bad enough for a 1*
remember being underwhelmed by this when it came out despite the great single and awfulness of the prior album. Also, Pavement being upset they were ripped off somehow? Hasn't improved with age, Beetlebum is great, rest meh
never understood why The Who are held up as one of the all-time greats. This album makes a good case, however. Enjoyed it a lot, to my surprise!
bought it when it came out based on hype alone and love it to this day. really really awesome debut, shame they never matched it. Great live band too
Really good! Great voice, great sound and lots of great tunes. Even my kids like it (although it does sound like an Italian restaurant in places)
controversial perhaps, but I think this album is hugely over-rated; it sounds like nothing else and has an essential influence on modern studio techniques but doesn't really have many tunes. Joy Division were a great singles band!
the ones you know are decent, rest meh/noise
weird to think of a time before these songs existed. their first really good album with numerous classics, and a sample of news from the era that sounds like a relic of a better time in comparison to now
really liked it, great to hear some real country music not the cheesy soft-rock trucks guns n'Applebees travesty it has become. Will check out more of her stuff
like the dark twin of I'm Your Man, or the cousin of Blackstar. First song is incredible, and the rest keep up the doom perfectly. What a terrible year 2016 was
love it, listen to it frequently, not a bad song on it and many top tunes including two or three of their best. wonderful album
sounds good for a live album, a bit too long and too many blues jams
really goid, a breath of fresh air when it came out in the heyday of Britpop. seemed to be played everywhere at the time, listening to it now brings back good memories of London bars and restaurants in the late '90s. thoroughly enjoyable
closer to what I expected from The Who, not great apart from I Can See For Miles. why the enthusiasm for this?
very much of its time, folk standards sung with her distinctive voice. not my thing
my favorite band as a kid, my Roxy Music! lots of bangers on here, live version of The Chauffeur pips it but otherwise pretty awesome for a "boy band"
Pretty terrible. "Oh but the harmonies" - yes, what about the songs? Creepy vaguely misognyist crap sung as nursery rhymes by castrati. And, hey, harpsichords! Shite
Probably groundbreaking at the time, but now sounds like less than the sum of its parts. It's OK
Wonderful album, containing one of the greatest songs ever written. Incredible sound, amazing voice - just a classic!
Very entertaining, really captures the mood of the performance. Not my style but excellent nonetheless
for me, The Cars are probably the definition of a Greatest Hits band, classic singles but the sound is so characteristic that the album tracks become a bit samey. Probably unfair on this album as it's their debut and 2/3 of the tracks are played to death on the radio but there you go. Great album, buy the Greatest Hits!
My kids played this to death, with no objections from me. As good as, or better than, the pop albums from my youth e.g. Madonna, Nik Kershaw. WIldest Dreams in particular is a banger
I was dreading this and it lived down to my prejudice. I love The Charm of the Highway Strip and Get Lost, but you can't even cut the highlights of this down to a single album that would be of remotely similar quality. The definition of indulgence, and a real puzzle who has the time for this
A usually reliable friend was very excited about this at the time, describing it as a Marvin Gaye-level work of genius. It's not that good, but it is both tuneful and interesting which is high praise for '90s R&B.
Grew up on this, the greatest hit songs are timeless, the rest are a bit weak but a 4 nonetheless.
Pretty much as expected but lots of fun. Puente is the classic sound of Latin jazz
So good, long grooves that never get boring. Perfect for an extended workout
pleasant jazz, my kids think it sounds like a Peanuts soundtrack
Thoroughly enjoyable rootsy/country-tinged RnR. Contemporary comparisons to Sticky Fingers are very apposite. Liked it a lot! bonus tracks are uniformly poor however
thought this was very mediocre when it came out, hasn't really aged any better. Good samples and singles, not enough for an hour's runtime
Pretty good, schmitty good. Segall Smeagol is also worth a listen
This was my favorite album before I even knew who the Beatles were (mainly for the music hall stuff!). Didn't last, but still an amazing record
Glad I heard this, knew Trouble Every Day which is excellent. The rest is like an off-kilter Byrds album mixed with Buddy Holly or something. Probably won't listen in full again anytime soon
Well, this is the 2nd Todd Rundgren album on here, and like the first its a VERY long and VERY self-indulgent mess with supposed "funny" parts and very few tunes. General rule: if someone writes, produces and plays pretty much everything on a very long album, it's likely to be mostly poor as there is zero quality control. Between all of this and the other one there could have been a decent EP, nothing more.
I remember being disappointed by this before, and it hasn't really improved with time. Three *classic* songs but the rest is pretty thin. Matt Johnson seems a good bloke and has written many great tunes over a long career but this album isn't the best.
Another one I loved at the time but hadn't heard in ages. What a great album full of bangers, thrilled to have seen them play most of this in a fairly-empty Mercury Lounge back at CMJ in 1995 (and gigged with them when they were The Jennifers even earlier). Top notch, and they made some other good albums but I don't think they were quite this exciting again
What can I say? Incredible this was an actual album and not a best-of. What a time to be alive
Pretty much as expected, pleasant country tunes very much of their time and distinctive close harmonies but didn't really hold my attention until the songs about marrying their dead brother's cheating wife and the next one about murdering their fiancee for no apparent reason. Probably worth a second listen!
The most interesting big band music I've ever heard - way ahead of its time, really good! Exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for when I signed up
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... love this, absolute genius! Even though this isn't really an "album" it's incredibly influential. Straight line from the VU to this to everything great in the indie world.
What is there to say? Probably their best album, so good that it contains their worst song by far (yes, worse even than the throwaway stuff on the White Album and Let It Be) yet still is unimpeachably excellent and ground-breaking. Sensational
Bought this the week it came out, haven't heard it in ages but still know every note! Era-defining stuff, but docked a point for the bloated version of Come Together, which so disappointed me on first hearing that it wasn't the (much better) single version. Can't find the title track (from the Dixie Narco EP) streaming anywhere, would have made a good substitute.
Two days in a row where the worst song on the album is called "Come Together"! This one redeems itself almost immediately with "Something" and keeps the high quality going until The End. 3 Beatles albums in the past 2 weeks, what's to say apart from marvel in their diverse excellence. You forget how good they were
Pretty horrible, hated most of this. Constipated metal funk, evidently the inspiration for many dreadful bands that followed. Obviously good musicians so just scrapes a 2. Boo
I guess this record represents the transition from old to new country music, the point where it became bland soft rock slush. The lyrics are not as cringeworthy as contemporary efforts, but the music is very cheesy and over-produced. The late '80s were a pretty lean period for interesting mainstream music, evidently.
so good, brings back many vague memories of when it came out! Both Tricky and Tracey Thorn are incredible here, such a great set of tunes throughout. I think it's their best by far
the songs on III are better and Hurt is way over-played, but this is still pretty awesome
I'm On Fire and Dancing In The Dark aside, this is pretty rubbish and sounds like it could have been generated by an AI after hearing Born To Run. Not good
Another ringer for me, love this album. The absolute classic indulgent '70s coke rock album (meant as a huge compliment). All songs are great, and the 4 song sequence starting with the title track beats anything on Rumours or Tusk and shoves the Eagles into a pit of shit
Disappointing. Sounds a bit like reheated early Suede, but the theatrical (histrionic) vocals get annoying pretty fast and there isn't much going on elsewhere in the music that is very interesting. Nah
Another long-time favorite. Almost loses a point for "Jazz Police" but the rest is so good I can't be mean. Incredible that so many cheesy elements work so well together. The Cohen album I listen to the most
I have never heard this in full before, despite knowing the highlights from their Mixed Up versions. I was really into The Cure at a young age (before this!) and the late '80s/early 90's stuff passed me by. Sounds fantastic as a whole, would probably have been into it in a big way at the time if I was paying attention!
Really hated this at the time, background music for hipster students trying for street cred. Now the highlights sound a bit like TV on the Radio (a compliment) but the whole thing is pretty weak and inessential. Shouldn't be on this list, poor effort
Just scrapes a 4. Two classics, not sure I'm convinced by the rest very much (perhaps the singing, maybe because it sounds like a dry run for Bat Out Hell in parts)
3 good/great songs, lots of weird and meandering ones. Sounds like Genesis produced by Bob Ezrin, accurately enough
perfect timing, perfect album!
The Beatles album I play the most, for some reason. Lots of great songs, some casual misogyny, would have sounded like nothing else when it came out. Their first great one from start to finish(ish)
My favorite Stooges album. Perfect mix of melody, noise and sleaze. How many great (esp. debut) albums has John Cale produced over the years?!
A few classics but a not as magnificent as Village Green. Probably unfair as it's great but just not perfect
Really good, much better than AmeriKKKa's... Still sounds urgent, burning white hot from the LA riots and events beforehand. Not much seems to have improved in 30 years
Such a great sounding album! Old git here, but this is how rap music should be produced. Still sounds dangerous and abrasive, and sad how the "controversial" stuff like the call-in sampled on Incident At 66.6 FM resembles the golden age of radio compared to the shit nowadays on Fox News etc. Fight The Power pushes this to a 5 easily
Take Five I knew, the rest are similarly excellent. Great alto sax tone, groovy album!
everyone knows all of this, debut packed with bangers
Such a disappointment after NFR. All the songs are at the same tempo, and sound like overproduced mush. Unnecessary Joni Mitchell cover only highlights the difference in songwriting quality. Shame, barely scrapes a 3
Pretty silly, schoolboy stuff. Some of the music sounds like proto-shoegaze; "Buried Alive" could be a comedian reading a Hammer Horror script over early Ride. Other parts sound like Motorhead taking the piss out of a community theater production of Rosemary's Baby. Essential, eh?
Easy 5 even with the awful last track (I since discovered that is not by Joni at all!). Her voice sounds "softest" here compared to the other '70s classics although the songs are far from "pop". Great album
It's a decent sounding Neil Young album but nothing too spectacular. One song sounds a lot like "My Back Pages". Still available on Amazon Music!
timeless, know every note
Needs no comment, the apex of jazz in my limited opinion!
All the songs sound the same, but it's a great song! "Charlotte Sometimes" and "The Hanging Garden" are probably the best examples, both on the singles collection.
Didn't get the love for this at the time, and still think it's a poor effort. Not really "fun" rap like Sugarhill Gang etc. earlier, and pretty weak compared to Public Enemy or even LL Cool J. Boring beats and one-note shouty rhymes, like the similarly overhyped Beastie Boys. Walk This Way is definitive, but only because the original is terrible. Barely scrapes a 3 for historical purposes
decent '80s pop album with all the hits, and?
More solid overall than Born to Run with sharper tunes. Pretty good
loved this when it came out, still have the version with 4 conjoined song suites. The influences seem pretty obvious now and the middle sags a bit, but still an absolute wonder.
Sounds really basic and uninspired - never understood why this guy got any attention. So many superior examples of this type of music are out there, your local bar singer-songwriter can probably do it better. Quite brief, at least
The first Steely Dan album I've listened to in full. Sounds like a collection of '70s TV themes. Peg is fun but better when sampled by De La Soul. Seems a bit directionless
great voice, songs are not worthy of it
requires no explanation, perfect if that's what you're in the mood for
truly dreadful. First song is one verse of a Bo Diddley song then 20 minutes of uninspired blues noodling. And that's the highlight! Each track gets steadily worse, with awful hippy grunting on top of amateur guitar riffing. 2nd to last track is literally 13 minutes where nothing happens at all, but even this is preferable to the final track which is as brief as it is awful. might be one of the worst albums I have ever endured.
I like some later Wilco albums but this is very basic and uninspired. Some really bad country tinged stuff towards the end that is bar band quality. No need for a double album at all
Not what I expected, being only vaguely-aware of their yacht rock radio songs. Funky, bluesy and psychedelic, like a much-better Small Faces. Lots of this is indulgent jamming, but the good parts are excellent
my favorite Pixies album. The production might be a bit polished for some but the songs are really great (and Gil Norton rules anyway). Fantastic
incredible debut; best bits on the Greatest Hits
About 60% great songs, 40% constipated funk workouts with terrible vocals, so pretty promising as a RHCP album goes. Many of these tracks are played to death on the radio, but with good reason. Overall, decent result
Another one I bought (on the day of release?), 30 years ago now! Was never my favorite REM album, although stuff like Sidewinder and Everybody Hurts has aged fine and was loved at the time despite being viewed as a bit "commercial/embarrassing" in retrospect sometimes. This is all really excellent throughout. Didn't know how good we had it.
incredible singles make this a top notch album. my usual comment re: Greatest Hits applies
Really good, can hold its own with Innervisions
prog noodling outweighs good tunes
Just incredible - sound, beats, production, lyrics. So many of their best tracks on this (and, by definition, some of the best of rap all-time). Samples from Isaac Hayes to Slayer, fantastic noise - never beaten
I had an advance tape of this in summer '93 and could only get through it once. Sounds great but the songs aren't really there, and so much whining about being a successful rock star. If only Albini had "recorded" Nevermind..
Starting to sound like the classic Queen. Killer Queen is great, of course, and you can hear the origins of Bohemian Rhapsody in Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley. The rest is OK
hadn't heard this album before, and unfortunately with good reason. Best bits are on Greatest Hits, rest is unremarkable. I love me some Lenny but not this so much
sounds like untalented teenagers playing The Hives (if that's not tautologous). If you love sub-South Park childish swearing and rudimentary rock tunes this is the album for you
Fairly anonymous light funk/jazz, but in Portuguese. Meh
was excited to hear this, unfortunately it's nothing special. Sounds unfinished in parts, as the mix goes in and out. Shame, I really try to like MBV as Kevin Shields is such a good dude, but they always disappoint me somewhat
Really entertaining - one of the best live album atmospheres I've heard captured on record. Started off thinking it might make a interesting listen but nothing more and ended up being the fastest I've bought an album from this list. Great stuff
Totally non-plussed by the hysterical plaudits afforded to this at the time. Sounds like a half-arsed mishmash of key elements already used by Massive Attack and Portishead, with some incongruous Public Enemy to make it sound "hard". Another favorite of student posers angling for street cred by proxy, like the (worse) Finley Quaye. Also responsible for the growth of modern "British hip-hop", perhaps the worst genre in music. Meh for the album and boo for its legacy
Packed with incredible tunes, all on the Greatest Hits.
Gets a 3 from the 3 middle tracks alone - the rest is generously characterized as "experimental". Very creative perhaps but a half-finished sketch of the much better Metal Box to follow
Bit close to home this one (my sister's giggles open the first track); my least favorite of the three I was involved with by a long way. I encourage people to check out Liberation and (especially) Promenade, which are excellent
Really poor, cover art is probably higher quality than the music. The musicians involved might have gone on to much better things, but this seems to the equivalent of viewing the work of a kindergarten student.
Didn't listen to this very much when it came out but it's aged well and is packed with great tunes. A bit bloated perhaps, but some of their finest melodies are on here. Anyone who likes this should check out the first two albums which are peerless for their time. Great stuff!
Not my default Dylan album to listen to, with Desire or the classic 60s ones more typical. There are lots of great tunes on here but it's a bit less varied than his other great records. I get the praise, but there are better ones!
Dull. I even listened to this in a hipster coffee shop and felt nothing
Boring, juvenile and quite irritating
I guess this was the o.g. but it's still dull white blues. Better than the Yardbirds at least
Wow, one of the best albums of this period. Must have sounded like nothing else at the time. The Rubber Soul to Highway 61's Revolver. Great from start to finish
Had not heard this before but really loved it, perfect for cheering you up if you're in an odd mood. The vibe reminded me of the first Sigur Ros album, although this obviously pre-dates it, and is not hugely similar musically . 4 stars now, will probably become a firm favorite over time.
Kind-of what I expected, virtuoso and very energetic organ, bass and drumming, with ponderous vocals on top. Didn't like it as much as I thought I would, especially with the two terrible pub-rock numbers and unexpected shout-out to the Holocaust. Probably won't listen again
much better than Aja in that it has some interesting songs with good melodies, and invents Thin Lizzy along the way. Still quite bland and cheesy but also very enjoyable
The good bits are enjoyable but there is SO MUCH stuff on here it's hard to keep any attention focused. Way too many "interludes" as was the interminable fashion at the time.The Love Below is a bit more varied, Speakerboxxx is better average quality. Stick to the singles probably
Good tunes, biting and funny lyrics. Glad I heard it
Reeks of insufferable UK lad trendiness, probably the result of a spoiled suburban brat trying to copy '80s electro tunes on his expensive Korg keyboard. Has a few good spots but mostly boring and annoying. Not sure why this is essential, if you wanted to memorialize what a Lanhdahn wanker was listening to in the late '90s we've already had Finley Quaye and Tricky.
Some of the Stones' best stuff on here. *Almost* justifies the double album but a few early-on bluesy tracks that go nowhere could have been left off. However, Rocks Off, Sweet Virginia, Tumbling Dice, Happy, Torn and Frayed, Shine A Light etc. are easily worth the 5* rating. Hugely influential (looking at you, mid-90's Charlatans and Primal Scream) and lots of fun.
Godawful rip off of Wire, Buzzcocks and The Stranglers (and contemporary Blur in a Hole/Nirvana sense). Becomes steadily worse as it goes on. Totally creatively bankrupt, so disappointing to see this come up on the list. Utter shite
Incredible sound and great songs to match. The definitive psychedelic Hendrix album
Didn't hate this as much as In Rainbows, as there were occasional hints of a tune behind the noodling. Still has that awful whine going on - surely no-one can enjoy the "singing" attempted here? And there are far better examples of drone/electronica/experimental music since the late '60s. Highly over-rated crap as ever!
the only Fall album I owned when it came out. contains my favorite Fall song, Paranoia Man, and so many other great tunes. hard to say what's their best but this is up there
Not what I was expecting, sounds quite modern and perhaps inspired some indie singer songwriters like Phosphorescent and Kings of Convenience that aren't obviously "world music" adjacent. Pretty good
pretty fun as the samples it's made from are unbeatable. the one note whine, whine, whine whine (together) SHOUT delivery is tedious as ever but can mostly be ignored. shame there isn't a vocal-free version
Great sounding record, as good as a greatest hits if it only had What A Wonderful World!
A bit unexciting considering how "influential" it was, not bad tunes though
How can a 21yo write "It's A Hard Rain.."? And include 4-5 other all time classics on one album? Even the longer/less tuneful ones are very entertaining. Just incredible
Great concept but the music is too RHCP-adjacent to be truly classic. Always good to hear the best Xmas #1, sets the mood for the season
first three songs are great and set the template for EVERYTHING else, of course. one of those bands for which you appreciate the influence but don't really want to hear again
The best Jam album. Great from start to finish.
Pleasant but the songs aren't strong enough really to deserve Tracey Thorn's lovely voice - the best one on here by far is a cover. Sounds a bit like later Aztec Camera in parts
One of the best albums of this era - still sounds exciting and not crazily overplayed unlike some others
Is this their best album? Probably first among equals anyway, just fantastic. My kids hate it, such philistines
I guess you have to grudgingly admire the craft despite me preferring instead to hear a collection of TV themes and/or advertising jingles at least for variety at this point. Please never again...
captures a point in time perfectly, unique and lots of fun althogh a bit overlong. again, we didn't know how good we had it.. for some reason this album sounds like the pre-9/11 world more than any other and I love it for that and everything else
music is pretty good, quite psychedelic in places and with fun samples. Vocals are unfortunately really cartoonish so overall it's not really for me. Who gives a fuck about Tony Stark?
Three of the best synth tunes of the '80s on this, add Torch and you've got a best of. Would happily never hear Tainted Love again if offered, but hey... Rest is OK if a bit simple
clearly the transition point between beat rockers and multi-instrumental whimsy, hints at the great stuff yet to come but not essential
not what I expected, and much worse than I could have guessed. just dreadful, who likes this shit?
not more Radiohead.. this is just one dull indie tune after another, although the shitty whine vocals suit these better perhaps e.g. Bones than their try-hard wanna be avant garde later crap
pretty generic indie sounds of its era, nothing too exciting and not much different from Monomania (which is better). not sure why these people are considered "influential?
Heard this before, hoping it would be of similar quality to "No Other". Unfortunately more like a 2nd-rate Dylan album. Starting to doubt the compiler of this list's definition of "essential"..
To my ears one of the best albums this century. Could be a Prince/Bowie collaboration at the height of their powers, and I don't say that lightly. I know every note and it's all fantastic
decent if a bit unmemorable '80s indie with those crazy vocals on top. Birthday is great rest is meh
It's OK but I much prefer his barfly period to the Beefheart one. The songs aren't really that much fun to listen to, and it's not as clever as it thinks it is, a bit one-note in theme and sound. Contrast to e.g. Closing Time which is up there with the best ever
I guess this is technically impressive but the style leaves me cold, and it all sounds a bit silly and pretty fucking irritating. The band seem like dickheads, to make it even less attractive
Incredible collection of songs, how did they crank out so many monsters so quickly? Banger after banger, with all the greats included on Chronicle Vol 1.
lovely stuff, too few Nick Drake songs exist and some of the most beautiful are on here
Loved this as an 11yo, due to Smash Hits regularly featuring the Bard of Barking for some reason! Exactly the musician we needed in the Thatcher years, and I for one think his voice is perfect for the material. Shirley!
Melancholy country ballads, a classic sound with the godlike Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain as the ultimate example
Drags itself over the 5* line, as half of the songs are fabulous and Bowie has never produced a clunker. Hangin' Round is my favorite, somehow, and the whole thing is kinda the evil twin of Hunky Dory
I really don't like (this?) reggae. Sounds like simplistic (and stupid) children's music, and endlessly derivative of the same ingredients. I don't like Marley's voice, or the horrible backing singing, or the pidgin lyrics. Just fucking sucks
Another banger all the way through just like Lady Soul
Great goth-pop album, would have loved this when I was younger. Spellbound is the highlight
Incredible, used to listen to this while working through the night, perfect soundtrack. I can replay every note and phonetic vocal in my head. Just so good, Olsen Olsen in particular is untouchable
grungy blues/metal that probably sounded great at the time, highlight is the awesome psychedelic Child In Time which is as good as anything else they've done
I've always kinda hated 10cc, and this is a good example of why. Weak tunes that have lots of different (but pointless) sections, crappy schoolboy "funny" lyrics delivered as if they were written by Noel Coward or something, all with jokey, vaguely-racist overtones. They are the anti-ELO; trying so hard to be clever and virtuosic but ending up cheesy, awkward and boring as shit. As if Noel Edmonds and Dave Lee Travis formed a band. Pretty fucking irritating, saved from a 1* due to their Strawberry Studios legacy. I fear this list will have more albums from these losers
I hate Metallica. Their earlier albums were irritating, this is just boring one-note ponderous tedium. The singer sucks, the lyrics are amateur schoolboy crap, and the production sounds better with the '90s Phil Collins material it was developed for. Please no more from these shitheads
Mostly aimless jazz noodling, not great apart from The Bottle and some Watergate ranting later on. On Amazon Music if you're looking for it
The OG Emperor's New Clothes bullshit. Initially sounded better than I remembered, but sure enough the tuneless whining began in earnest. Just dreadful and so derivative, e.g. forgot about the pointless glissando piano on the last track obviously stolen from Mercury Rev. I bet there's another 2 or 3 turds from these fuckers left on this list for me to endure. Ughh...
Lots going on here, much of it great. Contains my favorite FM song "Sara" and many weird and wonderful others. Works hard for that 5*
Sounds pretty good for a live album; it's still The Who though so the songs aren't up to much and are pretty long without much of interest happening
Arctic Monkeys cover Belle & Sebastian ca. 2005. Unmemorable
so many incredible sounding tunes on here, sags a bit but well worth 5
sounds pretty much as expected, generic samba/western crossover, not bad and an inspiration to Rod Stewart and others
Much better than the widespread scorn from '90s music press would suggest. Beats Metallica any day and inspired me to check out their other work. Some of this is a bit pervy, and it's not clear if it's pro- or anti-pervert, but hey, '70s lyrics..
Harrowing and quite beautiful in places, parts reminiscent of Tom Waits and Sigur Ros. Tough but enjoyable over all
My favorite album when I was 12, even got to see the tour at the Royal Albert Hall, anti-apartheid protesters and all! Still love it to death
Dreadful - twee folky background tunes with weird noises on top. The sound quality is awful, the singer is terrible and the songs go on forever without mercy. A shame as I probably like much of what this inspired - perhaps this is The Velvet Underground and Nico for folkies, but regardless it's one of the worst things I've ever heard.
A total design classic. Heard it everywhere non stop through about 2002, and very lucky to stumble across them at their peak in a field in Portugal around June '96. Bangin'
sounds like pretty basic rock with extra steps. not as much fun as eg Jethro Tull or Queen but OK
I remember this guy being forced down the record-buying public's throat back in the late '80s, and was very confused as to why anyone wanted a 3rd-rate Prince/Hendrix/Stevie wedding singer/elementary school lyricist. Music for people who hate music. I've done greater crowd-pleasing farts than "Freedom Train" or "Fear". "Be" and the subsequent tracks are almost crimes against humanity. Obviously a dumb rich kid who just needed a hard slap at the appropriate moment; unfortunately we're stuck with the consequences of bad parenting. I hesitate to give this a 1* as it distinguishes it from just another boring effort, but this is *passively terrible* (compared to e.g. Radiohead which are more interesting through being actively awful) and I wish it never existed. Fuck off Lenny
Fucking great, the best of American punk by far. Crazy I got to live in CA more than 30 years later, and Jerry Brown was still governor! Luckily the suede/denim secret police had been abolished by that period
went into this with an open mind but, Christ, this is terrible. bland smug irritating juvenalia. I guess this confirms my prejudice about post-2000 pop music, hip hop in particular. consumerist trash composed by a tedious dickhead, the aural equivalent of his ex-wife
the Young tracks are great (all on Decade), the Stills tracks are OK and the rest is pretty poor especially the James Brown pastiche one. weird to think of a period when Neil Young wasn't established, he must have really stood out as the talented one here
Prog Monday continues (Tull, Yes and now Genesis)! My uncle used to play this when I was a kid, so I have fond memories. First half is really great, if totally up its own arse. Battle of Epping Forest is pretty stupid and knocks it down a point.
better than expected but still pretty generic meat'n'potatoes stompers from the glam rock AC/DC. bonus tracks are terrible
Really liked this when it came out, perhaps because I saw them live many times with various indie luminaries of the age (The National! The Killers! Wolf Parade! Modest Mouse!). It's still pretty good although parts are a bit over-earnest and awkward.
gotta give this top marks despite Moz's worst instincts, esp. as Andy Rourke puts in such sterling work to define their best set of tunes
More solid overall than Born to Run with sharper tunes. Pretty good
Contains the title track, a Bee Gees song, and seven others in very similar vein. Great voice, obvs., but as a wise man once said "stick to the Greatest Hits"
Packed with incredible tunes, all on the Greatest Hits.
Really terrible. Starts out as generic boring whine/grunt schoolboy nonsense, then Fred fucking Durst shows up and it goes rapidly down a puerile hill to sub-1* quality. Makes sense they are from Bakersfield, this dross is the perfect sonic analogue of that shithole.
everyone knows all of this, debut packed with bangers
Very poor, extremely wussy effort. He puts as much effort into songwriting as I do into these reviews. Part-way through there are a couple of maybe "diss tracks" that are so weak they make you want to kick sand in his face yourself. Get it together dude, you're shit but who cares?
Ever wondered what the first Led Zeppelin album would sound like if they forgot to write any decent songs and got Rod Stewart to sing them instead? Me neither. At least there's a comedy version of Greensleeves on here for light relief.
If you're looking for melodramatic ditties belted out in French, there is no better option. Such a great voice and incredible theatrical delivery! Knew a few of these from much inferior cover versions in English. Excellent in small doses, great recommendation. Like a number of Gallic cultural high points he was, of course, actually Belgian.
Starting to sound like the classic Queen. Killer Queen is great, of course, and you can hear the origins of Bohemian Rhapsody in Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley. The rest is OK
The famous songs are the good ones. Last song is truly awful. Polar opposite of Rumors - here the bad reputation is well-deserved
Amazing collection of songs on here. Bowie's version of the title track will never be beaten but it's great to hear where he got the whole thing from. Contrast with Break Down And Let It All Out which is as good as any Motown song of the era. Just excellent
incredible singles make this a top notch album. my usual comment re: Greatest Hits applies
good voice nice tunes not hugely memorable
this is pretty terrible, boring Casio keyboard drum'n'bass with rote Indian thematic touches and a dash of pretentious samples thrown in for bad measure. down with the worst of pseudo-trendy UK music ca. 2000, dull dull dull
sounds like untalented teenagers playing The Hives (if that's not tautologous). If you love sub-South Park childish swearing and rudimentary rock tunes this is the album for you
Nice to hear some James Brown that aren't the same old overplayed cliche tunes. Still not very interesting however
Textbook debut album - the pieces are there but not yet aligned, the songs are callow and not fully formed. Singles are great, the rest are a work in progress and pretty interchangeable. Amazing how much better they got so quickly
A time capsule from the late '90s. Quite enjoyable but not very memorable.
The Beatles album I play the most, for some reason. Lots of great songs, some casual misogyny, would have sounded like nothing else when it came out. Their first great one from start to finish(ish)
Didn't enjoy this as much as I had hoped. Knew all the highlights already (which are great), the rest sounded like, well, The Fall. As the man said: "always different, always the same". Maybe I'm just not in a Fall mood today.
might be an interesting historical document, but was it really essential that I hear a Hammond organ noodling its way aimlessly around an Acker Bilk tune? doesn't even have the cricket theme on this one. hence, 2 stars given although perhaps a bit stingy
I regarded the hour-plus runtime with a heavy sigh, but this went by very quickly and was highly enjoyable! So many different sounds and styles in here, including unexpected dalliances with folk music and showtunes, with the occasional bad English accent for some reason. Hints of Outkast and Prince keep it poppy. Not the kind of record I expected to be made these days, will check out her other work
can there be *too much* drumming, despite the quality of said percussion? the evidence presented here points to a solid "yes". another stingy 2*
forgot I owned this, I guess I liked it when it came out. kinda punky and fun but sounds a bit like a kids daycare chorus
"Dad, can we have Taylor Swift please please please?" "No, we have Taylor Swift at home" Taylor Swift at home: Lorde Couldn't wait for this to finish, not a single tune to be found on it. Antonoff production style is much better on my girl Lana's efforts, which also generously include melodies. Utter dogshit
Some of the Stones' best stuff on here. *Almost* justifies the double album but a few early-on bluesy tracks that go nowhere could have been left off. However, Rocks Off, Sweet Virginia, Tumbling Dice, Happy, Torn and Frayed, Shine A Light etc. are easily worth the 5* rating. Hugely influential (looking at you, mid-90's Charlatans and Primal Scream) and lots of fun.
Tedious pervert Steven Tyler's screeching is one of the worst sounds in music. These songs are worse than horrible, they are deathly dull. Fuck Aerosmith
didn't like this as much as I did when it came out; still features three absolute bangers with "What Is The Light" as the highlight. really went off The Lips when I saw them live about 10 years later and Coyne was such a screeching preening dickhead, more interested in wandering around the audience in a fucking plastic bubble than singing anything approaching a tuneful vocal. left after 15 minutes and have hardly listened to them since
Wow, one of the best albums of this period. Must have sounded like nothing else at the time. The Rubber Soul to Highway 61's Revolver. Great from start to finish
Not sure why this album exists - Cheap Trick have about 3 good songs (1 on this), pretty basic rock fare with no significant enhancements discernible in the live delivery captured here, the record itself wasn't supposed to be released in the US in the first place, and it wasn't even recorded at Budokan! The record-buying public are weird..
incredible album, especially good to hear those tracks sequenced again
What is there to say? Easily one of my favorite albums at any point in my life, and if I don't listen to it that much any more it's only because I can play the whole thing in my mind without effort. Contains, in my opinion, three of the finest songs ever written in "Carey", "The Last Time I Saw Richard" and, of course, "A Case Of You", and when the worst song on this by far is the global standard "River" you can't really nitpick. Despite that, I'm not even sure this is her greatest work - such an incredible talent!
I seem to prefer Elvis Costello in small chunks, the albums never hold my full attention. His voice is far more idiosyncratic than Dylan's ever was, and the songs can be a bit unimaginative. Nonetheless, there are a good few bangers on here; a stingy 3*
really enjoyable *mood* on this album, like Replicants it's all the same tune but it's a great tune
this takes me back, playing in the room of every cool kid in college in the early days before we all figured out that nobody among us was really cool at all. Typical Orbital, ravey but pleasant and melodic without being too challenging, not bad really although the vocal samples are pretty annoying in places
pretty fun as the samples it's made from are unbeatable. the one note whine, whine, whine whine (together) SHOUT delivery is tedious as ever but can mostly be ignored. shame there isn't a vocal-free version
Obviously this list was put together by a Brit, because what the fuck? Musically, equivalent to featuring Hootie and the Blowfish or Blues Traveler on the list, and equally inessential. I remember playing the first Weller solo album to a lifelong Jam fan, and he remarked it was as bad as finding out Hendrix was really Eric Clapton in blackface and a wig all along. This one isn't quite as bad, just boring - and being from the '90s CD era, chugs along forever without any quality control. I bet there's more of these on the list, yuk.. hopefully no Stereophonics or Shed 7
lovely stuff, too few Nick Drake songs exist and some of the most beautiful are on here
not more Radiohead.. this is just one dull indie tune after another, although the shitty whine vocals suit these better perhaps e.g. Bones than their try-hard wanna be avant garde later crap
Probably groundbreaking at the time, but now sounds like less than the sum of its parts. It's OK
great set of tunes
Have to admit, I really liked this when it came out - the sound of Euro '96 and associated bad decisions! It's still pretty great although some of the lyrics and the Transatlantic/Welsh vocals can be a bit cheesy. Lots of heart-on-sleeve bangers on here if you like that kind of thing, especially Kevin Carter, Australia, Further Away and the last one. 4 (real)
Difficult to evaluate in the proper context, as it sounds *so much* like the music it inspired afterwards. Unique (at the time) production and guitar work (the first of their two outstanding guitarists), basically invented goth and post-punk. A generous 4 for its huge influence
Aha - several of my friends' dads had this record when I was little (I thought the cover was creepy), but I have never listened to it before as far as I know. Goes off a cliff quite quickly, most of the songs are pretty terrible with lyrics so bad they could be performance art. Sesame Street parodies Paul Simon, perhaps. Movin' Out is great though
I guess this counts as a legendary bootleg of a historic concert, and that's great, but even to a dogged Dylan fan who enjoys their share of live albums (the Rolling Thunder Revue ones are fabulous, as is the gloriously weird At Budokan) this is hard work without the visuals, especially as the all-important "heckles" bizzarely aren't obvious on this version. That Thin, Wild Mercury Sound really was lightning in a bottle..
More Brit bias evident here. Who cares about this trash? No tunes and an irritating voice, try-hard wannabe '60s lounge singer doomed to sound like a bad parody. I put on Neil Young's "Trans" as a palate cleanser after enduring this, a flawed flash of originality that has infinitely greater claim to be on this list. Ho hum
The one Stones album I really consider essential, if not actually my favorite. The first half is perfectly sleazy, with Country Honk and the title track especially cementing my case for the Stones as the ultimate dive bar band. You Got The Silver is the purest distillation of their sound at the time (even with Keef doing the singing) and it's book-ended by a pair of classics. Excellent stuff
Love this, I sometimes think there is no better sound in popular music than Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson together. Fairport basically invented the modern folk genre on this record (for better or worse!), their third of 1969 (and they're all great!), and it's highly entertaining throughout. So many classics on here, esp. Matty Groves which is fucking savage. I could play this all day long. A good week so far!
I was fascinated by FGTH as a 9yo; they seemed very naughty and had a ubiquitous media presence - "cool" t-shirts, a weird video game and two raucous videos (Relax and Two Tribes) that hinted of worlds I knew nothing about. The singles were perfect, Holly Johnson's vocals just right for Trevor Horn's never better high-NRG production. This album didn't quite match up to that excitement, although the title track in particular is still great 40 years later. I don't mind the covers as much as others did at the time; indeed, War, Ferry Cross the Mersey and Born To Run (especially) are my go-to versions as they work better in these slightly sped-up and cheeky takes. The rest is not very good, and the single version of Two Tribes remains much better than the one on here. Regardless, a nostalgic 4 for one of the most entertaining bands of the '80s
Some classics, pretty misogynistic in places!
Arctic Monkeys cover Belle & Sebastian ca. 2005. Unmemorable
I've always thought this was a bit shit, having endured the Champagne Supernonsense herein since its pre-release tape. Asinine pub rock lad anthems with leaden production, the template for the rest of their sorry existence. So many stolen riffs and melodies make this a veritable Paul's Boutique of dad rock. 3* grudgingly awarded due to the presence of their last great tune Some Might Say, which is the only track on here to feature the original drummer. Perhaps he was the one with the talent all along?
interminable and indistinguishable elementary garage rock. Each track is somehow less interesting and more sophomoric than the previous. How this guy continues to have a career amazes me. Perhaps people think he's "cool", but surely not "talented"?
Another banger all the way through just like Lady Soul
Living up to my usual tropes re: Elvis Costello, debut albums and Greatest Hits. The tracks from here included on Girls, Girls, Girls are wonderful, the rest very meh particularly those that take a dead end into pop country and rockabilly. Keep trying Elvis!
Yay! A great one for the weekend. Sometimes my favorite Bowie album (although you'll probably read that again), just a collection of great-sounding and perfectly-constructed songs. Loud, sharp and virtuoso band keep it tight and, frankly, thrilling with Mike Garson's work on here just incredible (check out King Crimson's Cat Food for something in the same ballpark). Drive-in Saturday could be my favorite tune if you had a gun to my head, and even the Rolling Stones cover deserves its place. Love it love it love it! Best album cover ever also to boot? PS nerd observation: this was the only RYKO remaster in the '90s not to include any bonus tracks, I think. Perhaps they couldn't find anything to add to the perfection already present
Now here's a surprise, a British hip-hop album that isn't mortifyingly-awful. Fresh, tuneful and inventive, I enjoyed this quite a lot. Her flow is really good and the usually-embarrassing parochialisms aren't too clumsy here. Dragged down a bit as the obvious American slurs still sound a bit silly (think: reverse Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins), but overall pretty good and pleasantly concise.
sounds pretty much as expected, generic samba/western crossover, not bad and an inspiration to Rod Stewart and others
Haven't heard this in ages, from an excitable period in my life when classic albums were released almost daily, it seemed. So good, beautiful production with vocals that are both more relaxed and more assured compared to their earlier stuff, and tunes that are almost poppy. Never quite as good again, captured here perfectly. As someone once said, this makes Kate Bush sound like heavy metal, and it's a good trick. Lovely.
nice album from an often forgotten 70s talent. Probably stick to the Greatest Hits though
I find The Doors are like Marmite: some people love 'em, some people despise them instinctively. Me, I think they've got some great tunes on occasion. Pretty good album, love me some Peace Frog. Could happily never hear Roadhouse Blues again. Mainly reminds me of trying to get off with hippy chicks at the Whirl-y-gig, while 15 and wearing tie-dyed shirts from Kensington Market. Good times
Of all the classic Motown bands I find The Temptations to be the hardest work. Maybe it's because they're not as distinctive as the others, and have interchangeable members? This is fine but not nearly as interesting as Cloud Nine or e.g. Sly and the Family Stone, and quite slow and unexciting with it
Getting better, the sound is in place but the songs are still a bit off. Take Me To The River is the definitive version. Stingy 3*