Such a throwback! For never listening to the album full through, I definitely knew a lot of the tracks, which goes to show they had a lot of hits! Very up beat and good music for driving and getting pumped up for the day.
She is good at what she does, but I would have liked at least ONE up tempo song… either way it was great for sipping coffee in the morning!
Not my cup of tea. Fleetwood wannabe without any of the good qualities. I find her voice very irritating, especially with the forced vibrato… and the lyrics were a total snooze fest. The only good track was “My Antonia”, which was completely carried by Dave Matthews… so yeah.
Yesyesyesyaaaaas! I could listen to this all day long. There are so many great tracks on here that are both personal favorites and also HUGELY popular. She's a 60's "girl group" all on her own, bringin the soul.
Such a vibbbe. Of course with reggae, you get that repetitive zone-y trance-y beat which is part of what makes it so reliably chill. I also admire how Bob Marley was so upfront with his powerful lyrical messages. Makes me want to be at the beach fo' sho.
Surprisingly versatile Celtic/folk/punk tunes. More listenable than a dropkick Murphy’s album imo.
Wow what a highly influential album! I can’t help but hear Esperanza Spaulding and other awesome female artists taking a note from Joni with her complex jazzy melodies and insightful lyrics.
Short and sweet album with some absolutely CLASSIC hits! I love the full band feel, and the overall storytelling vibe that The Boss brings to his lyrics. Obviously, the NJ connection makes this one a bit more personal. The fact that this came out in ‘75 makes the occasional cheesiness more acceptable.
Such a delight! I love how one song can sound like a Led Zepplelin jam, followed by a Beatles pop tune, and then a stomp n clap soul track, all with the same dreamy space concept.
I went into this one only knowing their two big hits (which are insanely BIG hits… like who doesn’t know “Walk this way”, and have you ever seen a rock n roll playlist without “Sweet emotion” on it?!) The rest of the album is pretty great, too, particularly the guitar licks. Solid rock.
Soooo many layers on layers here! Overtly sexually explicit lyrics on top of synth-y funky instrumentation and odd little sound bites make for a very fun and experimental album. My one gripe is the huge volume difference found in the mix (at least from what I could hear in my car speakers) that made it actually kind of frustrating to listen to :/
How wacky! I had to check that my Bluetooth was set up right cause it sounded like some weird radio station at first. Interesting concept, for sure, but I guess I was hoping for more of the “Who’s Next” sound.
Such pretty/haunting melodies! I’m so impressed with the multiple languages and styles of songs across the board, and “House of the rising sun” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so this is a winner for me.
So THIS is “death jazz”! It’s definitely an acquired taste, but I do love trying to pick up on melodies, only to be painfully wrong every time. The chaos almost puts you in a trance, and has a calming-ish affect…? But would also be good to put on loop if you were trying to torture someone…?
YESSSSS. For both objective and personally subjective reasons, this is easily a 5 star album for me. She is so raw, and in your face, and unafraid to be "imperfect" with her sound, but it all somehow sounds beautiful just the same. "Criminal" was obviously a cornerstone in my early development of musical taste way back in middle school, and this whole album has been revisited several times since then, most recently two weeks ago! Love her, and love her art. Forever a fangirl! <3
Throwback to college days! I definitely had an impressively high iTunes playcount on "Sour Times" and "Glory Box". The rest of the album is nice and trippy, but those two just have the hooks that drone in your head. Super cool music.
GTFO. Absolute LEGEND of an artist, really just riffing from the depths of her soul, a little bit different every time. I love how jazzy and playful the tracks are, and I just freaking love her, OK?!
Wow I felt like I was listening to a straight up 80's movie soundtrack! Like every song, not just the bit hits. They nailed their sound so perfectly and fully encapsulated a decade of music in the process. Very cool vocals that are just fun to sing.
She is so strong and confident in her delivery, it's a nice contrast to the typical ethereal/floaty/heady sound from female vocalists in the 70's. Now that I think of it, we might have this on vinyl...
What a brilliant idea to take some nursery rhymes that literally ANYONE can relate to, and throwing them over some sick beats! I know it feels kind of cheesy now, but thinking back to how new and different it was at the time, I am sooo impressed with the innovation.
So delightfully kooky! And surprisingly rockin! I really enjoyed this more than I thought, and can't wait to listen to it again when I'm on the way to the beach to get PUMPED (and to get weird).
I enjoyed having this album on in the background while doing busywork because it just kept me moving. So interesting that the final song was so expansive! I feel like you never really see that these days, so props for a unique album format.
I hear SO much Radiohead crossover here, which I guess ties in to the late 90's era, and I'm not mad about it. It just feels a little more... soft? If we're going for angsty 90s rock I kind of want it to punch me in the face sometimes. There's definitely a lot of Beatles influence, especially in "As you are"... jai guru deva om, amirite?
Such a great listen on a very scenic drive along the Delaware River. It definitely throws back to summers spent in the back yard as a kid, especially "All along the watchtower". It definitely gets a little heavy-handed with the jam sessions, but he's such a rock star, you would expect nothing less!
I dig how you get some blues, some oldies rock n' roll, and some more modern pop rock all in one place. He's definitely COOL, but his vocals to me sound a little too "put on" sometimes (same way I feel about Joss Stone... I want more authenticity). He does stick to it though, because they play some of his new releases on WXPN and he sounds pretty much the same!
Soooo good! I definitely recognized "Santa Maria" from when I was in an Electro Swing phase and listening to Pandora a lot at work. It's such a brilliant fusion of musical styles, both of which are known for their high energy and passion. It certainly set a nice mood while laying in the hammock on the balcony this afternoon.
Pretty standard BBQ music, I suppose. I don't think I'm the target demographic of a southern man driving on a dusty road. Great folky-songs, albeit a little boring.
Tell you what, I stuffed and stamped envelopes faster than I ever thought I could while this album was playing. Its caffeine for the ears, and I'm into it. If I were to go to a festival to dance and trip, this is totally what I would want to hear for at least an hour or two... and then I would probably have a headache and need to sit down in a quiet corner for a lil bit.
Looking at the year of release, this must have been SUPER ahead of its time in the electronic world, and probably disturbed a lot of people (in the best way).
I enjoyed listening, and I know that the genre itself tends to be repetitive, and trains have that chug-a-chug-a feel... but I think it was pushing the limits of an intense space train trance and moving into nauseating-spinning-ride-that-won't-stop territory.
Yasurearetohandlenowmessaround! Pretty solid Southern-style rock album. I was impressed with the higher vocalizations on "Could I've Been so Blind". Maybe I'm just in a summer BBQ mood, but I can definitely see this album as a great soundtrack for a party, sometime after the "let's chat and catch up" phase, and sometime before the food and subsequent food-coma chill phase, where everyone is lively and playing games in the yard. Ya know?
Freakin Morrissey, the original sadboi. This is some jangly emo shit right here, bringing me back to high school. I love how even the up-tempo songs still have a dark subject matter; re: "Cemetry Gates" (not to be confused with Pantera's "Cemetery Gates"). A clear favorite track for me is "Bigmouth Strikes Again". Definitely an influential album for many sadbois and grls.
Gotta say, I was pretty stoked to see an album released post 1999 for a change! And an indie album, no less! They definitely nailed the dreamy feeling, but without getting too lost in their own experimentation, which I appreciated. I love the slidey electric guitar, fun little electronic sound bytes, and the overall impression of floating in the clouds.
Wheeew I listened to this one about five times in a row and I think it's actually a masterpiece. Like, he makes legitimately artful music without taking himself too seriously. The beats draw you in, the lyrics are thought-provoking, and his voice is like buttah.
Holy crap what genre even IS this?! Obviously we are heavily rooted in alt rock here, but he really loves to experiment with sound bytes and styles in a very tasteful way. I love the ebb and flow of pure chaotic screaming to a smooth country tune, to 90's rap and DJ scratches, to an Arabian desert, to electronic beeps and boops!?! I really love this and he deserves all of the recognition he has received.
Ok, so I know he's a lyrical genius, but as someone who notices vocals first and foremost, Bob Dylan is not my favorite. Sorry, I know. I KNOWWW.
I will say, I like the use of organs for a gospel sound in "One of Us Must Know" to kind of break away from the same blues/harmonica combo of many of the other tracks. And "Rainy Day Women" is a fun song overall, with the marching band feeling and tongue-in-cheek topic.
Very cool! I especially like all of the choir parts, which really add to the epic, echoey, new wave 80's sound. They were certainly experimenting here, and I appreciate that.
Hmmm... so there have been a lot of albums on here that are dated and feel cheesy because of that, which is forgivable. This is not one of those albums.
It feels so forced, trying to be as epic as The Who but with really clunky lyrics.
Maybe I'm just not in the mood for it right now, but its just not doing it for me. :/
Yesss! I had some kind of EP (or home made ripped CD) of theirs with "Right Here Right Now", "Rockafellar Skank" and "Praise You" on it, so that was really my first taste of more modern electronic music and I dug it! Reading the Wiki, it looks like a lot of tracks have "Sample credits", which I am slowly learning is common among the genre. I used to be like "just make your own shit", but now I think I'm starting to get it.
What an interesting concept to have a "goodbye" album of sorts... his vocals are at the forefront, as they should be with the heavy lyrics.
Like WOW. She is just such a legend with a voice like no other. Easy 5 for me!
As long as I can remember, Mr. Cash has been one of the few exceptions to my "I don't listen to country music on purpose" mantra. His voice is smooth, the stories are interesting, and his delivery is captivating. I'm familiar with most of the songs, but to hear them live like this brings new life to them. I am shocked he nearly incited a dang riot with the "San Quentin" song!
Crazy how there are three absolute BANGERZZ from the late 90's on here! I also really dig the "Swamp Songs" as little hard rockin interludes! This is a really solid album from a very nostalgic time, and it totally holds up!
Definitely a cool, rough, rock n' roll band! My issue is that it definitely loses my attention due to being so drone-y and repetitive. I mean, why is "We Will Fall" ten minutes long without ANY build up? When I saw the timestamp on it, I thought it was going to be some epic thing...
This short and sweet little album with a really fun surf rock kinda punky sound is just what I wanted to hear on this summer morning. The male/female playful vocals remind me of the B52's in a lot of ways. I dig it!
He has a nice smooth voice, and I always love some highly utilized backup vocals. Definitely not something I want to listen to for 45 minutes, but it's a nice nostalgic feeling album.
Huge album for M.J. bending his genres even further than before! I'll be honest, I hear "The way you make me feel" and "Smooth criminal" at least twice a week at the gym because they are on HEAVY rotation on that Pandora station they play- and I'm never ever disappointed. Timeless stuff.
There is something so ~warm and cozy~ about this whole album.
Loving the punk rock energy all throughout; it must be a pretty sick live show, though I'm not sure all the feedbacky play translates to at-home listening.
Awesome display of alternative rock right hurrr! Not the most polished, but that kind of adds to the roughness of the whole thing, talking about broken faces and other unsavory topics. Obviously, "Where Is My Mind?" is a cornerstone of the dark, melodic shit I LIVE for.
So silky and smooth! This album was part of the "cleaning the house" rotation of CD's my dad would blast through big speakers growing up, so I somehow smell Windex now.
Clearly one of the strongest rock albums of our generation.
His wit and banter really make Johnny Cash a one of a kind performer, totally meant to have live albums like this. I love how he caters to his audience in every way, and handles everything with humor. 5 for the music. 5 for the charisma.
Interesting experimental Sgt. Pepper-y stuff going on, and I'm here for it. There are some solid pop songs in there, but then they layer on the silly sound effects in a way you just wouldn't expect!
This is a truly untouchable live album. It's so raw and perfect in it's imperfections.
Green Onions is featured prominently in the VERY IMPORTANT film "The Sandlot", where they smack-talk each other in a way only wholesome pre-teens can. My dad told me that the song was called "Green Onions" while I was jumping on the bed watching the movie for the millionth time, and I always remembered that. Anyway, this album has a lot of tracks that were sampled one way or another, so you can definitely tell that a lot of modern artists were highly inspired by it.
So cool and atmospheric. They were definitely on a lot through the college years, though just kind of in the background. It definitely feels like it was pulled out of the 80's and thrown on an early 2010's dance floor.
STAAAHHPP. This album is fucking flawless.
"Don't Panic" was on the Garden State Soundtrack and gives me literal chills every time I hear it.
There are so many hauntingly gorgeous songs here, I gotta give it that 5 piece.
Punk rock, but not face melting.
I think I like Surfer Rosa a bit better, but I love "Here Comes Your Man"!
Welp, so much for innuendos... Ian Dury is pretty clear that this is supposed to be a "sexy" album hahah. I already have a hard time taking "talk-singing" seriously, so this just seems sooo jokey to me. I was glad to hear more variety in the music as the album went on, but still kept the ultra-direct "I shall caress your clitoris" lyrics.
It was fine.
Kinda boring.
But fine.
Fascinating that this one came out in 2011 and STILL sounds like it came out in the late 60's... It reminds me of The Doors if Bjork was the singer? I dig it.
"There Goes the Fear" has some cool rhythms that I did not expect, and "Friday's Dust" is surprisingly theatrical!
Good, but not as good as Oasis, amirite?
Great voice with a timeless sound.
I looked ahead and saw Steve's comment about "The Ocean" sounding like it could be a Nicole Atkins song, and I could not agree more!
Wowow equally heartbreaking and artful. I never gave this a full listen-through before today, and I'm glad I did.
Interesting mix of stuff here! I can see myself having a great time dancing along to this at a live show, with the rock and sometimes Latin and sometimes dance beats.
MAD nostalgia points for this one!
"Blister in the Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", "Promise", and "Gone Daddy Gone" were in heavy rotation in late middle school when I was establishing my iTunes library and let me tell you, them play counts were HIGH.
WHEW! Yes, an automatic 5/5 stars, fo'sho, both for the nostalgia cred and also for how many damn hits are on here.
We have definitely watched many live shows (twice actually in person, mostly via Youtube) and Eddie Vedder will forever go down in history as the most energetic (and handsome) front man ever.
I can't believe that this was their FIRST album! Freakin legendary.
I give this album a 3 just because "Everybody Hurts" is such a goddamn beautiful song.
This was a fun jazzy fusion album, great for background busy-music! I always appreciate some fun noodles and experimentation from talented musicians.
I loved this! It really set the tone for a lovely rainy Sunday. "Blues For Huey" made me think that we need more drum solos, like, in general. I will definitely be revisiting this album.
