My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Locust Abortion Technician Butthole Surfers	5	2.39	+2.61
Bitte Orca Dirty Projectors	5	2.69	+2.31
Yeezus Kanye West	5	2.77	+2.23
Southern Rock Opera Drive-By Truckers	5	2.82	+2.18
Bone Machine Tom Waits	5	2.86	+2.14
BEYONCÉ Beyoncé	5	2.86	+2.14
World Clique Deee-Lite	5	2.87	+2.13
Broken English Marianne Faithfull	5	2.88	+2.12
White Light / White Heat The Velvet Underground	5	2.89	+2.11
Merriweather Post Pavilion Animal Collective	5	2.9	+2.1

Album	You	Global	Diff
If I Should Fall From Grace With God The Pogues	1	3.34	-2.34
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs Marty Robbins	1	3.33	-2.33
Beautiful Freak Eels	1	3.28	-2.28
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Genesis	1	3.07	-2.07
Tea for the Tillerman Cat Stevens	2	3.69	-1.69
A Grand Don't Come For Free The Streets	1	2.67	-1.67
We're Only In It For The Money The Mothers Of Invention	1	2.47	-1.47
Crime Of The Century Supertramp	2	3.41	-1.41
2112 Rush	2	3.39	-1.39
Rock Bottom Robert Wyatt	1	2.39	-1.39

Artist	Albums	Average
Beatles	7	5
Led Zeppelin	5	5
Radiohead	6	4.83
Steely Dan	4	5
Miles Davis	4	5
Bob Dylan	6	4.67
David Bowie	8	4.38
Tom Waits	5	4.6
The Velvet Underground	3	5
Nirvana	3	5
Creedence Clearwater Revival	3	5
Simon & Garfunkel	3	5
Queen	3	5
Kanye West	3	5
The Rolling Stones	6	4.33
Bruce Springsteen	5	4.4
U2	4	4.5
Bob Marley & The Wailers	3	4.67
Black Sabbath	3	4.67
Van Morrison	3	4.67
Beck	3	4.67
The White Stripes	3	4.67
Elvis Presley	3	4.67
Dusty Springfield	2	5
The Prodigy	2	5
The Clash	2	5
Aretha Franklin	2	5
Marvin Gaye	2	5
T. Rex	2	5
Green Day	2	5
Fela Kuti	2	5
Kendrick Lamar	2	5
Fleetwood Mac	2	5
Talking Heads	4	4.25
Elvis Costello & The Attractions	4	4.25
Aerosmith	3	4.33
Jimi Hendrix	3	4.33
The Smiths	3	4.33
Neil Young & Crazy Horse	3	4.33
Michael Jackson	3	4.33
Pink Floyd	3	4.33
Beastie Boys	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
The Pogues	2	1.5
Genesis	2	1.5
Robert Wyatt	2	1.5

Artist	Ratings
The Mothers Of Invention	1, 4
The Who	5, 2, 4, 5

The Who

5/5

This was in high-rotation for high school Steve. Sometimes I take a break from this album for years at a time because I feel like the songs are overplayed on classic rock radio but then I come back to it and the big songs blow my mind all over again. I forget about the more melodic tracks too. Really nice. This song isn't on here but listening to the album again reminded me of this scene from Louie where he takes his daughters on a long car ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhAn6ZB5Vg0

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

I didn't know Smashing Pumpkins contained such multitudes. A wild, sprawling album with a track sequencing designed to give you repeated whiplash. One moment they're playing dreamy ballads, the next they're thrashing through blistering hard rock and even metal. It's hard to predict what's coming next. The band seems to want to disorient you, even at the expense of a better flowing album. Once you open yourself up to the experience though, there are some terrific highlights. They can spin alt-rock gold like "Tonight, Tonight," "Muzzle," and "1979." They can turn up the aggression on tracks like "Jellybelly" and "Zero," or push their rage to the limits like on "Tales of a Scorched Earth" and "X.Y.U." And then there's the sweet spot for me, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," which has huge hooks but doesn't skimp on the hard rock sound. Other favorites were the "An Ode to No One" (epic!) and "Love" (I love that drenched in fuzz sound). Dizzying and definitely too long but that's the point, right? Really impressive overall.

Bongo Rock

Incredible Bongo Band

4/5

A little bit surf rock, a little bit glam rock, a little bit jazzy, a lotta bit funky and so many bongos! More than a few of these songs reminded me of stuff you'd hear in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Listening to it straight through would be a lot but it feels more like a compilation of hits than a true front-to-back album. I love the covers of rock songs too. And man, those drum solos! How many drummers did they have? Really fun stuff.

Smash

The Offspring

4/5

Man, this guy has such a distinct voice. I hadn't listened to much Offspring aside from the big hits that came when we were in middle school (I was more of a Green Day guy) and I really enjoyed this. On this album, they're hardcore but also playful, and the songwriting is pretty tight and focused. A lot of the songs are pretty poppy too (the classic "Self Esteem" is so catchy). Punk is the driving energy here but there's a little grunge on the early tracks and they even dip into ska a bit ("What Happened to You?"). I also have a soft spot for "CD albums" - the intro track invites you to enjoy this "compact disc" and there's a hidden track! P.S.: Dreena yelled at me for playing this album too loud so that's how you know it's good.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

5/5

I love Norah Jones and I love this album. Her vocal performance is incredible and the music is so soothing.

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Solid singer-songwriter album with some country twang and a few songs that nod towards Irish folk music. Favorite tracks: "I Don't Want to Talk About It Now," "Bang the Drum Slowly," "One Big Love."

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

5/5

Wow. Pure joy blasting out the speakers. They don’t make them like this anymore. I love how hard the drums are on a lot of these songs. Everything on here is gold but “Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa” wrecked me. Also, she can really wail! "Don't You Know" in particular has some fantastic, soulful vocals in the second half. (I had to stream that one on the album "Dusty" for some reason.)

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

The production on this album is perfection. The drums are so crisp and tight; the bass is thick and funky; and the horns blend beautifully, sounding like an organic extension of the rest of the band. And a lot of great guitar. There's some killer psychedelic shredding and I was totally drawn in by that strange tone on the guitar in "The Heathen." I found his vocal performance particularly entertaining. I love the flow of his vocals on “So Much Things to Say” - I’ve never heard Bob Marley sing like that. (The bonus single “Punky Reggae Party” even has him scatting.) Throughout the album, he sounds so free and expressive. Some really soulful stuff here. There are a lot of classic songs on this album but I also really enjoyed the album cuts. Some songs on here I've never heard before. P.S.: Remind me to show you a music video my friends and I made in high school for “Jamming.” 😎😂

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

1/5

The Pogues are a unique and dynamic band but their style doesn’t get a lot of mileage with me. I do love the drunkard’s brogue of the lead singer but I can’t do much Irish folk music.

Blue

Joni Mitchell

5/5

I don’t always focus on lyrics but you have to with Joni Mitchell. They’re literary but still emotionally direct. And the music on this album is spare enough to highlight them, adding playful flourishes to accent her stories. I’ve listened to this album a bunch over the years but the little moments always surprise me. I love the seemingly improvised nature of her phrasing - when she chooses to sing high, when she lingers on a syllable, when she jams a long phrase into a short space. A beautifully constructed album all around. (“Carey” is a personal favorite of mine and Dreena’s. I’ll never get tired of imitating the way she sings “buy you a bottle of wine.”)

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

Bruce’s best? (Talk to me on a hot summer afternoon and I’ll tell you it’s “Born in the U.S.A.”) This is certainly the album where he perfected his signature sound. How do you even describe the E Street Band’s style here? Heartland rock spiked with jazz and doo-wop? Listening to the album again, I wondered: What is it about this music that makes it so timeless? Is it that saxophone wail? The twinkle of the piano? The way Bruce distills a wide variety of influences and makes them his own? (On “Backstreets,” he croons like Elvis and screams like John Lennon.) Or maybe it’s just the sheer drama of it all. Few songwriters can take small moments like driving with the windows down or going out for drinks after a long day of work and make them feel like the huge, existential things they are when you’re in them. And who else can write preposterous lines like “The highway’s jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive” and get away with it? (The answer is probably Meat Loaf but he got it from Bruce.) A classic album and a thrill to listen to.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

5/5

A top 10 rock album for me. Musically it’s a perfect cocktail of a lot of my tastes: Beatles-esque pop mixed with hard rock, psychedelic vibes, punk riffs and big drama. It’s a loose concept album about the rise and fall of a self-obsessed rock star (I think)* and the sequencing of the album has such a great emotional sweep to it. The melodies are so catchy, the hooks are big and Bowie is a hell of a performer. “Moonage Daydream” is a personal favorite and “Five Years” kills me every time. But every song is great - truly an album with no filler. *Wikipedia explains that Ziggy Stardust is an alien who becomes a self-obsessed rock star, so I was close. 👽😁

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

4/5

A fun, unpretentious rock album. The first half dips into blues and country, and the second half is more musically ambitious. In the past I haven't thought much of Aerosmith but I was impressed by how comfortably they slip in and out of styles. The big hits "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" are the clear standouts but I also enjoyed the heavy metal crunch of "Round and Round." It's a first-rate Led Zeppelin knock-off. And "You See Me Crying" is an excellent example of that blown-out string-accompanied 70's drama. Aerosmith don't seem to take themselves too seriously, which adds to their appeal for me. I rolled my eyes at "Big Ten Inch Record," but was surprised to learn that it's a cover of a song from 1952! (The original by Bull Moose Jackson is just as silly.) So Aerosmith aren't just goofy horndogs, they're also scholars of goofy horndogs past!

1999

Prince

4/5

What a weird, funky, horny album. I like that even though a lot of the music is synth-heavy dance music, none of it feels overly processed and robotic like the majority of pop and club music today. There's an organic quality and an off-kilter energy that runs throughout the album. The songs feel alive and unpredictable. I didn't know Prince was so filthy and funny. I can't get enough of that spoken word portion in "Lady Cab Driver" where he has sex with the cab driver and dedicates his thrusts - at first to personal resentments and societal ills and eventually getting abstract as he melts into an orgasm. Really hilarious, strange stuff. And wow, what a performance on the closer, “International Lover.” It’s a supremely cheesy song and he does some kind of character or parody on it but he has incredible range as a singer.

The Who Sell Out

The Who

2/5

This album was almost all new for me. I knew the main single "I Can See For Miles" and I think that's the best song here. Not many others connected for me. The goofy fake commercials and radio interludes are fun but the main set of songs here isn't very strong. I see this more as a snapshot of where they were as a band - their early hits were behind them and they were about to make some very ambitious albums. Hilarious album cover though.

Joan Baez

4/5

Her voice has a kind of hypnotic power. Interesting to listen to this shortly after the Joni Mitchell album - she must count Joan Baez as an influence. Their voices are similar. Recently I’ve enjoyed listening to mellow music on headphones late at night when everything’s quiet and this album fits that mood. I may have to add her to the nighttime rotation. (And she sings in Spanish too? God bless!)

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

3/5

A little tough to find online because it's not available on streaming but almost all of the songs are on Youtube and someone put together a playlist in tracklist order. This is so up my alley right now because I've actually been listening to a lot of Ornette Coleman recently while I write. He's an incredible jazz artist who essentially invented free jazz, where you deliberately play atonal notes and sometimes ignore the melody all together. (The album of his I've listened to the most is "Change of the Century" and it's a good intro to the style because it's mostly melodic jazz with some experimental stuff in the improvisations.) I think it's so cool that someone drew a line between free jazz and hardcore punk. I remember listening to the title track on "Change of the Century" and thinking, "This is crazy. This has such a punk rock attitude.” It still sounds wild in 2022 and must have been truly nuts in the late 1950's. But a lot of the songs that John Zorn and his band cover on this album are already so fast and chaotic that playing them even faster and louder and more chaotic turns them into more of an experimental curiosity than anything I'd actually want to listen to for fun. You have to be in the mood to be musically assaulted. Still, some songs really worked for me. "Good Old Days" has blasts of pure noise but breathes enough that you can follow the structure. (It was also one of the only songs I knew going into this so it was cool to hear.) "The Disguise," "Blues Connotation," "Ecars," and "Broadway Blues" stood out to me too. (Also, having two drummers is such a crazy, cool thing to do. I love that.)

Tidal

Fiona Apple

4/5

What a stunning debut album. How was she this good right out of the gate? Her singing is powerful and expressive, her lyrics are razor sharp and the music is rich and complex. I love how she turns the piano into something aggressive and angry. Or on “Never Is a Promise,” how that one sour note complicates the whole song. “Criminal” is a classic (even better than I remember) and “Sleep to Dream” and “Shadowboxer” are incredible songs too.

Imagine

John Lennon

4/5

An excellent album and probably the solo album of his that sounds the most like the music the Beatles were making when they broke up. There are other John Lennon albums I like more, probably because they're a little more rough around the edges than this one. But it’s a great summary of who John Lennon was as an artist. I always feel weird about the Paul McCartney diss track "How Do You Sleep?" though. I know they had a falling out but it just feels so harsh to rip into Paul like that. It feels petty and needlessly negative, especially after the peace and love message of "Imagine.” "Oh Yoko!" was a big song for me and Dree when we first started dating in college. I put it on a mix CD for her and I'll always associate it with early memories of dating in college and moving in together after graduation. There are a lot of great songs on this album but that one is an easy favorite for sentimental reasons.

Dummy

Portishead

4/5

Like someone put 90's hip-hop and alt-rock into a blender. The gloomy mood makes it perfect rainy day music but the record scratches and samples keep the music from becoming too downbeat or melancholy. It’s a cool, druggy vibe. Favorite tracks: “Sour Times” (one of those songs I didn’t even know that I knew until it came on), “It Could Be Sweet” (that bass line!) and “Wandering Star” (love the record scratches and background layers).

Frank

Amy Winehouse

4/5

Damn, she’s got swagger. The strength of this album isn’t really in the songs but her performance. Her voice is an elastic band and it’s fun to hear her play with it and riff on these melodies. She’s clearly having a lot of fun. On her next album, she’ll dial back the riffing a smidge and record some truly great songs. But this album captures her raw and unfiltered, doing some loose and jazzy numbers about love, sex and nightlife. The production oozes cool, balancing retro and modern styles, and provides a perfect stage for her to do her thing. Song after song she lets it rip and it’s a blast to listen to.

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

3/5

I dig the energy even if this isn’t totally my taste. I always respect a sound that’s this distinct and carefully calibrated. Those big, 80’s drums! “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is one of those songs you can’t get away from but it is very good. And “Shout” is a jam! Definitely my favorite track here.

Joan Armatrading

5/5

I can’t believe I’ve never heard of her before. I’ve been listening to this all weekend. The album feels like a singer songwriter record but depending on the song, she does folk rock, country rock, funk and soul. And somehow it all still sounds like one cohesive style. Her vocals tie everything together. She has such a strong, distinct voice and she’s a mesmerizing performer. The songwriting is fantastic too. She writes about love and relationships with depth and maturity, touching on issues of vulnerability, power and confidence. I know I just heard it for the first time a few days ago but I could find room for “Tall in the Saddle” on my top 100 rock songs of all time. What a song! It starts with Pink Floyd style guitar and adds her deeply soulful singing before pausing for a guitar solo that would be at home on “Dark Side of the Moon.” Then it builds to a climax and tears into a funky breakdown followed by an insanely danceable refrain. Even the phrase “tall in the saddle” is great. The song is a takedown of a womanizer in his prime but even post-breakup she concedes how much fun he was. (I love the way she sings, “Fun, fun, fun, fuuun!”) I can’t wait to listen to more of her. Easily my favorite new discovery from this list. 💯

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4/5

60’s rock like this is butter on my bread. Such a gorgeous, clean sound. David Crosby’s vocals on “Almost Cut My Hair” are stunning. I guess I’ve never heard him before. A real showstopper of a song! Other favorite tracks: “Carry On,” “Woodstock,” “Everybody I Love You”

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

4/5

I would love to mentally time travel and hear this sound with fresh ears. The production is perfection but inevitably sounds dated. To hear it in 1986 when this was the hardest, freshest sound would have been awesome. This still hits hard though. These drums are so tight, so crisp. And the shouted style of the rapping matches the intensity of the music (and vice versa). The use of guitar throughout is killer, especially on the title track. Rap and rock are fused beautifully (gotta love some Rick Rubin production) and “Walk This Way” is an inspired song to remix (cover?). Steven Tyler sounds insane here too. Great that they brought him in on the fun.

B-52's

The B-52's

5/5

This album is a personal favorite of mine and one of the strangest, funniest and overall best debut albums of a rock band. Part surf rock parody, part punk rock, part acid trip at a 50’s drive-thru movie theater, the album is filled with spiky guitar riffs and absurdist humor. Fred Schneider’s vocals get most of the attention in The B-52’s and understandably so; he sounds as if the Mad Hatter were a radio announcer. But Cindy Wilson deserves equal billing here. She’s an absolute maniac on the microphone, screaming and wailing one minute, and slurring her way through a bizarre baby voice the next. She’s a powerhouse on the hypnotic “Dance This Mess Around.” Side A is untouchable for me - the sequence of “Planet Claire,” “52 Girls,” “Dance This Mess Around” and “Rock Lobster” is incredible (the latter two are both top 100 songs for me). The second half of the album is a blast too though, with loads of goofy humor, sexual innuendo and a charming cover of “Downtown” to cap things off. How fun to hear a band experiment and fool around the way The B-52’s do here. It’s a brazen, joyful album that sounds like nothing else. I’ve listened to it dozens of times and it never gets any less strange or thrilling.

Da Capo

Love

4/5

We happened to be on vacation in Arizona for this one and it was great for a scenic drive on our way to the Grand Canyon. I like folk rock like this and I appreciate that Love has two lead singers with pretty different styles - the rocker and the more melodic folk singer. The rocker almost sounds like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins at times! Wow, that last track “Revelation” covers a lot of ground! An epic 18-minute jam! I’m looking forward to spending more time with this album.

The Man Who

Travis

3/5

Really solid album here - strong songwriting and gorgeous production. Hard to complain. I hear a Beatles influence in a lot of the songs (“As You Are” sounds a lot like “Across the Universe”). Even more so, a lot of these songs sound like The Bends-era Radiohead, which makes sense because Radiohead’s producer, Nigel Godrich, produced this album. Still, I don’t see Travis as a knockoff as much as I see them carrying the mantle of 90’s British guitar rock that Radiohead mostly abandoned by the time this album came out. (Technically these guys are Scottish but, you know.) This album is excellent, melodic mood music. I don’t think it’s quite in classic territory but I like it!

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

3/5

There are some classic songs on this album for sure but overall I got a little restless listening to it straight through. (There are a few filler songs and two jams longer than 13 minutes!) I can’t help but feel the album could have packed a bigger punch with some editing. But I’ll confess I gave this a close listen on a plane and maybe I didn’t do it justice. I’ll try listening to it more. The bluesy numbers would probably benefit from being played loud in the house where they can stretch out some more. This feels more like speakers music than headphones music. Even the less than great songs have killer guitar shredding on them though. The band’s brand of hard blues still sounds awesome today. Jimi Hendrix was a hell of a performer and considering this was his last album, maybe it’s no so bad to have more than you need here. 🙌🎸

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

5/5

One of my all-time favorites. Packed with great songwriting. An incredible debut album. I love how confidently he uses different genre styles throughout the album. There’s some doo-wop on “No Dancing,” country twang on “Blame It On Cain,” old fashioned rock n roll on “Mystery Dance,” and reggae in the beat of “Watching the Detectives.” Most of all Elvis Costello just sounds so cool. He’s a great performer. I remember listening to this in high school and even though I was too nervous to date girls at the time, this album gave me a little window into an adult world of relationships and sex. Hearing Elvis Costello sing about dating with a snarky attitude had a huge impression on me. He was smart and nerdy looking but still had swagger. A lot of songs went over my head — I still don’t know what “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” or “Less Than Zero” are about) — but I loved the style with which he sang them. Fun fact: I was Elvis Costello for Halloween in college once and I based my look on this album cover. I’m sorry to say no known photographs exist of this costume but I swear it was really good.

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

2/5

Hahaha wow I know almost all of these songs because they play at the restaurant. I was laughing listening to this because one after another I was going, “Yep, I know this one too.” “Queremos Paz,” “Una Músical Brutal” and “Vuelvo Al Sur” (plus a few others) are probably among my most listened to songs of all time because they play every day at work. Honestly though the music itself is pretty cool. A lounge-y mix of Latin American music with French jazz but… I just can’t separate the music from how I know it. One day, years from now, this will be a 5-star listening experience for the nostalgia. It’s gonna bring back a lot of memories. But today I have to give it a 2 hahah

No Other

Gene Clark

4/5

Gorgeously produced country rock (with some psychedelic rock too). Totally the kind of thing I like playing in the backyard in the summer. “Strength of Strings” drags a little but other than that this is a really strong album. The electric guitar on “Some Misunderstanding” is so expressive, especially right at the end! And I love the backing vocals throughout.

Music For The Jilted Generation

The Prodigy

5/5

This one is going to be in high rotation for workout music for me for a while. I love the energy. The music is full of surprises too. Every song is a marathon dance jam with twists and turns and layers of details in the mix. Amazing production. I love how they use sound effects in the music. There’s breaking glass in “Break & Enter,” a pitch-corrected voice that sounds like a dying cat in “Their Law,” and race cars and car alarms in “Speedway.” The album has an eclectic mix of dance/techno styles and a lot of different vocal samples that make it a great, varied front-to-back listen. Even some more upbeat stuff (that flute melody in “3 Kilos” is great!). I wasn’t familiar with this beforehand but it definitely feels like a classic of the genre.

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

2/5

I can appreciate the cold, electronic minimalism of this album’s style but I found the repetition of some of these songs grating. I like a nice long song but I need some variation or tension or drama to justify an 8 or 9-minute song length. “The Hall of Mirrors” might work for me if it was half as long. “Showroom Dummies” is a highlight. I like the dystopian imagery of people mindlessly going about their routines. It matches the severity of the music unlike the title track, which is just about catching a train? Haha the tone doesn’t match the lyrics for me. Like, lighten up, dudes. It’s just a train. Cool to hear an album that has recurring motifs but there’s not enough variation for me that I’m happy to hear the main theme come back. It just makes the long songs feel even longer. I can imagine this being an influential band / album for a lot of artists. I can definitely hear Daft Punk drawing influence from them. The other album I hear in this is Kanye’s “808s & Heartbreak.” This album had to have been on the mood board when he produced that album. The mostly instrumental “Franz Schubert” is another highlight. Really beautiful.

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

5/5

I love The Velvet Underground. Every album of theirs is distinct and different. This one - their second - is their strangest. The music is mostly fuzzed out, low-fi rock and the production is unpolished and sloppy in a way that feels confrontational towards the listener. The songs are an odd batch. The title track is simple enough (before deteriorating into noise right at the end) but is quickly followed by "The Gift," a weird little short story about a man who mails himself to his girlfriend and gets a knife to the head when she cuts the box open. The background music simmers underneath, keeping a steady beat while the guitar riffs on some psychedelic vibes. "Lady Godiva's Operation" continues the psychedelic music while telling the story of a botched sex change operation. I love how Lou Reed jumps in to emphasize certain words in a monotone voice. It's a crude, jarring effect that I think is really funny. The first half ends with "Here She Comes Now," a beautiful gem of a song and a generous track to include on an otherwise abrasive album. (Nirvana does some really good covers of this song.) But then the real chaos starts. "I Heard Her Call My Name" is a blast of noise and feedback that turns out to just be a warm-up for the 17-minute "Sister Ray," a truly insane assault on the ears. You can really get lost in it. Lou Reed's vocals are wild too as he shouts about drugs and sex. "Too busy sucking on a ding-dong!" must have been a controversial thing to include on an album in 1968 but it's also hilarious. It's nice to know that even as the band was upending what rock music could be and inventing new styles, they had a sense of humor about it all. It's aggressive for sure but you can hear them having fun too.

Station To Station

David Bowie

5/5

This was mostly new for me but I’m loving it so far. Musically, it’s a lot of soul and funk, and the style is very loose and free. David Bowie has an incredible band behind him for this one! Whoever plays bass on this is awesome. The drummer too! I’m going back and forth on my rating but I’m gonna tip it in favor of a 5 because I anticipate spending a lot more time with this album.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

5/5

Funny to have another Velvet Underground album so soon on the list. This is their first album and musically, it’s a fascinating mix of psychedelic pop (“Sunday Morning,” "I'll Be Your Mirror") and more experimental avant-garde fare (like the gloomy BDSM jam “Venus in Furs” and "The Black Angel's Death Song"). There are also songs that exist somewhere between those poles (like “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” which has a simple enough structure but features druggy mood music in the background). The album has some great rock numbers too. I love how "I'm Waiting For My Man" keeps that steady rhythm throughout. The music only changes slightly between the verses and choruses. "Run Run Run" takes a relatively basic rock/blues sound and pushes it towards noise rock, and then "European Son" takes things even further into experimental territory. Somehow the sequencing of the album balances all these different styles. Having Nico sing lead vocals on a few songs helps break up the stranger, more challenging material. The album is a weird, wild ride but I really love it. P.S.: If you're not sure about this one, their sound definitely changes after the experimental first two albums. Their self-titled third album is mostly melodic acoustic songs and their fourth (and basically last) album "Loaded" is a big, beautifully produced pop album with some major hits. P.P.S.: Funny to hear the name Severin used in "Venus in Furs" - I never knew he was saying a name there until now!

Goo

Sonic Youth

3/5

Guitars! Lots of guitars! I’m happy to get some classic alt-rock on this list because there are a lot of classic bands like Sonic Youth I’ve never listened to before. Cool to listen to this right after the Velvet Underground albums. You can draw a pretty straight line from them to Sonic Youth, especially the noisy back half of “Mote.” I dig the energy more than the songwriting. Not a lot of songs stood out to me, at least on a first listen. I bet they were great to see live though.

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

5/5

So good. The songs are really dynamic — they switch tempos (and sometimes even genres) mid-song but Black Sabbath has such incredible chemistry as a band at this point that everything clicks. The music sounds alive! I love the melodic songs too. I always knew Ozzy was a great singer but "Changes" was the song that made me realize he's one of the all-time great rock singers. The instrumental "Laguna Sunrise" is beautiful too. An eclectic album full of amazing performances. The way "Under the Sun" ends, with the band gradually slowing down, I always feel like I should applaud at the end. Great stuff.

Disintegration

The Cure

4/5

Moody and melancholy but also muscular rock. Lead singer Robert Smith is great — so expressive! I like that the songs aren’t afraid to take their time. The album is long but I don’t think there’s any filler here.

Cut

The Slits

3/5

Off-kilter, spiky songs with a feminist streak that take equal influence from punk and reggae. “Typical Girls” was a standout track for me. The bonus track cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is a gem too.

Fifth Dimension

The Byrds

3/5

We’ve had a lot of albums like this on the list so far. This one is a mix of easy-going soft rock and more psychedelic music. I’d rate it as good but not especially great. Highlights: “What’s Happening?,” “Eight Miles High,” “Captain Soul” Interesting to start to hear repeats of songs on this list. Joan Baez did a version of “John Riley” and of course Jimi Hendrix does the most famous version of “Hey Joe.”

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

5/5

Wow. The rhythm section here is unbelievable. “Crosseyed and Painless” and “The Great Curve” in particular are stunning. Just relentless in their energy. Amazing. The whole album is solid and it has “Once in a Lifetime,” which I’ve heard a million times before but still sounds fresh.

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

4/5

Raw, political, aggressive and loud. Very loud. There's so much going in the music - so many layers of samples - that it can be hard to focus on anything sometimes. But when it works, the energy is unlike anything else. I also think the songs are better the louder you play them. This was designed to be played at maximum volume. Chuck D's flow hits really hard and doesn't sound as dated as a lot of other hip-hop from this era. "Welcome to the Terrordome" stood out to me as a good example of his rapping. Other highlights: “911 is a Joke,” “Burn Hollywood Burn,” “Power to the People,” “Fear of a Black Planet,” the beat on “Reggie Jax,” “Fight the Power”

GI

Germs

3/5

Music like this always makes me smile. Cool to know they were among the first hardcore bands out there. Lead singer Darby Crash sounds truly insane. Highlights: “Land of Treason,” “Richie Dagger’s Crime,” “Manimal," "Shut Down (Annihilation Man)"

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

4/5

I’m definitely going to want to spend more time with this one but it’s made a strong first impression. I like the mix of melodic guitar and harder blasts of feedback. A lot of these songs are shapeshifters, moving from one mode into the other and sometimes back again. Beautiful album cover too. Highlights: “Teen Age Riot,” “Silver Rocket,” “‘Cross the Breeze,” “Total Trash,” “Candle,” “Kissability,” “Eliminator Jr.”

Roger the Engineer

The Yardbirds

3/5

Another 60’s rock album, this one with a lot of blues and hard rock. There’s some fun oddball psychedelic stuff too like “Hot House of Omagararshid” (maybe my favorite song). There’s a cheerful, playful spirit to the album, especially in the vocals. Not exactly a high water mark of the era and it’s a little all over the place but there’s a lot of enjoyable music here. Other highlights: "Lost Women," "Over, Under, Sideways, Down”

Violator

Depeche Mode

4/5

One of the things I’m really loving about going through this list is how I’m starting to see connections between different artists across different time periods. With this album, for example, I immediately heard the influence of Kraftwerk. The cold electronic production and the emotionally detached vocals remind me of the Kraftwerk album we listened to previously, “Trans-Europe Express.” And yet Depeche Mode does it in their own way. This album has a goth club vibe and a lot more pop hooks than that Kraftwerk album. I’m digging it so far. Here’s another connection: On “Personal Jesus,” the heavy breathing and drum beat that happens around 2:15 is almost identical to the bit on Kanye’s “Black Skinhead”! Kanye’s version seems like a deliberate reference to this song but I’m surprised there’s no songwriting credit given to Depeche Mode. It’s really similar!

Master Of Puppets

Metallica

4/5

This is my first time listening to Metallica! Their sound encompasses a range of metal subgenres and they switch back and forth between them making this a wild ride! I definitely hear the heavy metal drama of Sabbath. Then they get into more dark and thrashy sounds that I typically associate with metal. And the guitar solos! Some real melt your face shit! There’s even some psychedelic vibes on “Orion.” I dig the anti-war lyrics too. The album cover says a lot and songs like “Disposable Heroes” are really powerful. Highlights: “Battery,” “Master of Puppets,” “Disposable Heroes,” “Orion”

Central Reservation

Beth Orton

3/5

A very good singer-songwriter album. Beautifully produced too. I’d never heard of her before. I wouldn’t put it on a ‘best of all time’ list but I do like it. The first half is better than the second half though. Highlights: “Stolen Car,” “Sweetest Decline,” “Couldn’t Cause Me Harm,” “So Much More,” ”Pass In Time,” “Stars All Seem to Weep,” “Central Reservation (The Then Again Version)”

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

4/5

A perfect Sunday morning album. The closing track is even called “Sunday”! I love jazzy folk-pop like this. There’s certain times (Sundays, mornings on vacation) when I put on Van Morrison because nothing else feels right. But now I know - Nick Drake is an option too! But while Van Morrison is wild on the microphone, Nick Drake is much more sedate. The emphasis in these songs is on the guitar playing and the gorgeous arrangements. (How about that flute! Front and center!) Highlights: “Hazey Jane II,” “At the Chime of a City Clock,” “One of These Things First,” “Poor Boy” (the piano on that song!), “Northern Sky”

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison

5/5

One of my all-time favorites, an album my parents played a lot in my house growing up and one I continue to listen to on a regular basis. The music is magical to me. The arrangements are rich and layered but they feel so natural and organic. The songs flow like water. Van Morrison’s vocals are stunning. He bends and stretches his voice in ways I’ve never heard before or since. Sometimes I just have to laugh at the way he delivers a line. He’ll slur through his words and I’ll have no idea what he’s saying but I feel the emotion! It’s an amazing performance. Loose and jazzy and full of life! I definitely have favorite songs and favorite moments but I tend to think of the album as one piece of music. When I think about it, I remember the big, sweeping emotions and the sound of all these instruments (the strings, the flutes, the piano, the guitar) and how they blend together for one unique sound. Just beautiful. (So funny to get this album right after the Nick Drake album after I compared him to Van Morrison.)

Melody A.M.

Röyksopp

4/5

This album has a pretty eclectic mix of sounds and styles. There’s some experimental stuff and also some more pop-friendly (even clubby) jams (like “Poor Leno”). Some are in between like “Eple,” which has those weird little off-key notes in its hook. There’s also some chill, blippy-bloopy electronica (like “Remind Me,” “A Higher Place,” and the spacey “In Space”) and even some jazzy numbers (“She’s So”). This is an album worth listening to closely but it can also slip into the background for hangouts, smoking, studying, or writing. There’s a newer electronic artist I like called Caribou that a lot of these songs remind me of. No question Caribou counts Röyksopp as an influence. Cool to hear that connection! Also “Sparks” sounds like Portishead! Highlights: “So Easy,” “Eple,” “Poor Leno”

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

4/5

A roll the windows down album of Southern rock that owes a lot to bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Aerosmith but The Black Crowes do it just as good! It’s got big riffs, great energy and soul. I love the bluesy piano too. This would be an excellent album even without “Hard to Handle” and “She Talks to Angels.” But with them it pushes toward classic territory. “Cause mama, I’m sure hard to handle now” - I’ve heard that line 1000 times but never knew what he was actually saying 😂 Also, I just learned that that song is a cover of an Otis Redding song!

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

5/5

My sophomore year in college, I got mono and listened to nothing but The Smiths for two months. I don’t listen to them too often anymore but I formed a bond to the music during that window of time and I’ll always count them among my favorite bands. Their style is a balancing act - the music can have a muscular rock sound (I love that fat and funky bass!) but they can be delicate at the same time (like how they add that twinkling synth at the end of “The Queen Is Dead”). Morrissey is the king of sad and melancholy rock but he’s also very funny. He can really sell these ballads of unrequited love but there’s usually at least a hint of irony in his delivery. He’s one of my favorite lyricists too. “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” is a hilarious song and “I’d rather be famous than righteous or holy” is a great line. Here’s another line I love in “Bigmouth Strikes Again”: “Now I know how Joan of Arc felt / As the flames rose to her Roman nose / And her Walkman started to melt.” Ugh lines like that make me want to write rock lyrics. The album is stacked with great songs but these are probably my favorites: “I Know It’s Over,” “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “The Boy With the Thorn in His Side,” “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”

Teen Dream

Beach House

4/5

A few months back I went through a major Beach House phase. I wanted to catch up on their older albums in preparation for their new one (which is very good!). I’d always liked them before but something suddenly clicked in my brain chemistry and I became obsessed. I would stay up late listening to them until I fell asleep. Their dreamy, melancholy style sounds particularly good after midnight and they became a part of my end of the night routine for a while. This album might be the best example of their style. The songs are excellent, the arrangements are lush, and the drumming gives the sleepy music a little extra energy (some of their albums just use a drum machine to keep time). There’s a magic in their music I can’t get enough of - I find it very soothing. Favorite tracks: “Zebra,” “Silver Soul,” “Walk in the Park,” “10 Mile Stereo,” “Take Care”

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

4/5

Frank Ocean has the voice of an angel and he’s great at writing one-liners. There’s a lot of different sounds and styles on this album (funk, soul, hip-hop, electronic) and it can almost be too much - it’s overwhelming to listen to straight through. But it’s ambitious and the highlights are incredible. Highlights: “Thinkin Bout You,” “Sweet Life,” Earl Sweatshirt’s verse on “Super Rich Kids,” “Lost,” “Bad Religion”

Odelay

Beck

5/5

Manic and experimental, wild and weird, there’s nothing quite like it. So many of these songs (and the entire album in general) feel haphazard and randomly stitched together and yet everything clicks. Every sudden genre switch, every vocal effect and every sound effect feels like it’s right where it’s supposed to be. I’d love to learn more about the editing and mixing of this album. It’s perfectly paced and sequenced. Beck knows when to push it and when to reward the listener. The easy, country vibe of “Jack-Ass,” for example, feels like a cool breeze after the chaos that comes before it. Fun, playful and insanely entertaining.

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

5/5

A classic Bob Dylan album. One of his best and probably the one I listen to the most. It could be a greatest hits. It’s also the one I think gives the best sampling of his style and talents. It’s got everything: storytelling folk songs, more hard-rocking numbers, blues, harmonica solos, long drawn out vowels that he rhymes one after another. There’s a lot of lyrics that pack a major emotional punch. And an equal number of lyrics that make me go, “Wait, huh? What is this song about?” I love that. So many great songs but “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)” is one of my all-time favorites. I love how the piano amps up the drama. And “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” is one of his funniest songs.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

2/5

Very interesting - the production is 80’s pop but the style is art rock. Kinda sounds like Bowie mixed with Tears for Fears and The Smiths. On paper that sounds good but I’m not sure about the vocals. His voice is so dramatic and warbly. I’m not totally into it but the music is definitely grabbing my attention. Great album cover.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

1/5

I respect an ambitious concept album and this reminds me a lot of The Who in rock opera mode. But even those Who albums I tend to enjoy at an arm’s distance. The style can feel pretentious which is definitely the case here. The explicit reference to Broadway is fitting - it sounds like a Broadway show and annoys me the same way a lot of musical soundtracks do. How about this line from “Counting Out Time”: “Erogenous zones, I love you / Without you what would a poor boy do?” Jeez 🤦🏻‍♂️ Also, wow - I read the plot summary on Wikipedia. Truly bonkers. Shame that the final product isn’t more fun considering the story is so trippy and ridiculous.

British Steel

Judas Priest

4/5

Hell yeah! Riffs galore! Big drama! Great energy. Really fun stuff. Their rhythm section reminds me of a train chugga-chugging along relentlessly. It makes for an awesome foundation for the songs.

Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago

4/5

How amazing to have everything I love in music in one place: psychedelic guitar, jazz improvisations, soulful vocals and stellar drumming that can keep up with all of the above. Also, horns! There’s a special dopamine hit I get when my favorite rock bands include horns on a song and Chicago seems to be designed around the principle that more horns is pretty much always better than less horns. I agree! “Free Form Guitar” is a bit much but I always thought of Chicago as a clean-cut band and it’s nice to know they did drugs too. (The same goes for the wild but kind of exhausting 14-minute closer “Liberation.”) Other than those though, this is great. Favorite tracks: “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” (such a great song and I’ve never heard that jazzy intro before), “Poem 58” (that guitar!), “South California Purples,” “I’m a Man”

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

4/5

Sweeping and cinematic but also psychedelic and strange. It took a few minutes to grow on me but I got into it, especially once musical motifs started reprising. Very satisfying to hear melodies come back in a long-form piece of music. I do think it requires your full attention though. It was perfect for a long car ride. A few moments that stood out to me (I took screenshots on my phone to remember them): Pt. 1: 12:30 - When the bass joins in. Such a cool, kinda creepy vibe. Pt. 1: 14:25 - A guitar riff! This surprised me. Pt. 1: 17:20 - The music gets quiet but there's tension and drama. You can tell something big is coming. Pt. 1: 20:15 - Haha when he starts listing all the instruments! It's kinda silly but also helpful for me to appreciate everything that's going on here. Pt. 2: 8:40 - After a slow burn, that guitar (?) ripping into the song is a cool effect. Pt. 2: 11:45 - After the narration of musical instruments in Pt. 1, I was wondering if there would be vocals in Pt. 2. Well, here they are! Haha wow I did not expect this insane monster growl gibberish! Mike Oldfield is one weird dude. I love how often this album surprised me.

Inspiration Information

Shuggie Otis

4/5

Sometimes I think of artists’ styles like a cocktail. Shuggie Otis, for example, is 2 parts Stevie Wonder-style soul, 1 part smooth jazz, 1 part funk rock and a dash of reggae, shaken and served over ice. The music goes down easy. The back half is particularly mellow and mostly instrumentals. I’m curious to hear more by him, especially more of the upbeat, soulful, funky songs. Apparently he wrote “Strawberry Letter 23” — for years I’ve loved the version by The Brothers Johnson but didn’t know it was a cover. (I first heard it on the Quentin Tarantino soundtrack for “Jackie Brown.”) His version (not on this album) is excellent too! Highlights: “Inspiration Information,” “Aht Uh Mi Hed,” “Rainy Day”

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

A strong Neil Young album. I especially dig some of the longer feedback-heavy jams. I enjoy Neil Young in country-folk mode but I like him even more in hard rock mode. His voice can be pretty but he doesn’t have a conventionally good singing voice. That unconventional voice works well though with the loose and unpolished guitar work on these songs. Crazy Horse is a great backing band and they sound awesome here. Highlights: “Country Home,” “F*!#in’ Up,” “Over and Over,” “Love and Only Love”

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

I'm definitely going to want to spend more time with this one. There's a wide variety of sounds on here and I have a feeling that some of these songs won't fully reveal themselves until a few listens in. A lot of tracks bury their melodies under heaps of reverb and fuzz, like "No More Sorry," which has a sad, Beatles-esque melody underneath layers of effects and noise. I've heard about My Bloody Valentine for a long time and now I see why. I can hear 1,000 indie artists from the last 20 years in these songs. They've clearly had a huge influence on a lot of bands. Highlights: "Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)," "Feed Me With Your Kiss," "Nothing Much to Lose" (those machine gun drums are wild!)

The Clash

5/5

One of the best debut albums of a rock band — a classic. 45 years later and its energy hasn't dampened at all. It still rocks. The "Noo-whooa-ohh!" vocals that come in at 1:44 on "Janie Jones"?! So good. Listening to this for the first time in years, I paid more attention to the social and political lyrics that mostly went over my head when I was a teenager. This is actually my first time listening to the UK version of the album. I've always listened to the US version. (Both CDs were options at Best Buy when I bought it in high school and I had to make a decision.) The US version cuts a few songs and adds a few more so it was cool to hear some of these tracks for the first time. On the other hand, a few of my favorites are missing from the UK version. "I Fought the Law," "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais," and "Jail Guitar Doors" are all incredible songs. I didn't realize they were singles that weren’t recorded at the same time as the original album.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

3/5

On this album, The Cure seem to have put more emphasis on mood than songwriting. I dig the sound and energy - pained vocals over melancholy, sometimes spooky music. A few tracks even sound like a horror movie score. There aren't a ton of songs on here when you take into consideration the instrumentals and transitional tracks. But the album is focused and works well as a whole. Highlights: “In Your House,” “A Forest”

Go Girl Crazy

The Dictators

3/5

Juvenile and silly but they have the musical chops to back up their goofy antics. The music is mostly punk but there’s moments when they sound like the Stones too. And on at least one song, “(I Live For) Cars and Girls,” they do a straight-up Beach Boys parody. Their cover of “I Got You Babe” is pretty good too, but even that they do a bit tongue-in-cheek. “Back to Africa” is a little cringe-y. Reading over the lyrics, they definitely intend it as a criticism of colonialism but I think the band is a bit too childish to really pull it off. Overall this is a fun one from a band I’d never heard of before. Kind of reminds me of the music some of my friends’ bands in high school made.

Fun House

The Stooges

5/5

Wow. I love the live, loose feel of this. Sounds like the songs were recorded in single takes. Even the way the saxophone comes in at the end of “1970” and then stays on for the next two songs feels like a live show. The music is raw, visceral and loud. This is really fun, sexy stuff. I’ve liked Iggy Pop in the past but man, I’m a full convert now. He’s incredible on this album. His vocals on the last two minutes of the song “Fun House” are insane. Also, is it just me or does the opening riff of “T.V. Eye” sound a lot like Rage Against the Machine’s “Sleep Now in the Fire”?

Gris Gris

Dr. John

4/5

Loose, weird, bluesy and experimental. It’s got an energy all it’s own. “Croker Courtbullion” sounds like a broadcast from another world, or maybe a recording from someone’s dream. Hearing his growling, half-spoken delivery, it’s pretty clear we wouldn’t have Tom Waits without Dr. John. Highlights: “Mama Roux,” “Danse Fambeaux,” “Jump Sturdy,” “I Walk on Guilded Splinters”

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

3/5

I like the harder rocking songs more than the pastoral folk sections. In general, I found the music impressive but it didn’t grab me and move me the way my favorite rock bands do. Part of the reason for that is the heady lyrics. I didn’t emotionally connect with these songs. One moment that stood out to me: that flute solo that comes in halfway through “My God.” You can hear his breathing and his voice while he plays. It’s a cool effect and ups the drama for me.

Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones

5/5

One of the Stones’ best albums. They’re at the height of their power here, taking blues, country and soul, making those genres their own, writing great songs and then jamming on them. “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” is probably my favorite song of theirs. That jazzy breakdown that ends up taking over the song… incredible stuff. I could jam to that forever.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

3/5

Nice — he has a style like Michael Jackson. His vocals are great — he’s very soulful and a showman too. Solid, funky 80’s pop. Highlights: “If You Let Me Stay,” “Wishing Well,” “Dance Little Sister,” “Let’s Go Forward,” “Rain,” “Who’s Loving You”

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

The songs have an easygoing vibe with playful and inventive improvisations, particularly from Stan Getz on saxophone. The Latin-style guitar is beautiful too. Highlights: “Desafinado,” “Samba De Uma Nota So”

Chris

Christine and the Queens

4/5

Yes — I love 80’s throwback pop like this. Albums like this are a goldmine for party playlists. 😁 Her voice is perfect for this style and the production is packed with fun details. Some of the lyrics surprised me. Like the chorus of “Doesn’t Matter,” where she sings about not knowing if God is real. Most songs in this genre are about about hooking up in the club. I love the willingness to go for deeper subject matter in dance music. Highlights: “Comme Si,” “The Walker,” “Doesn’t Matter,” “Goya Soda,” “Feel So Good,” “The Stranger” On streaming you can also listen to the French version of the album. Very cool to hear the French versions of these songs!

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

5/5

An incredible collection of performances from possibly the greatest soul singer of all time. Man, he can really rock too.

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

4/5

A really enjoyable batch of songs. Not quite as great as their best albums but it does have some classic tracks on it like “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” and the record industry takedown “Paint a Vulgar Picture.” I also really like the glistening closing track “I Won’t Share You.”

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

3/5

An eclectic mix of country twang, soft rock and 80’s pop. The album is held together by an easygoing energy, clean production and Mark Knopfler’s Dylanesque vocals. Some of these songs I know from growing up with classic rock radio but never thought much about who sang them. I particularly liked “Why Worry,” which starts like a lullaby and extends into a power ballad jam. The dusty cowboy style of “The Man’s Too Strong” stood out to me too.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

4/5

Man, “The Rockafeller Skank” takes me back to childhood. So good. I’m very happy to know there’s a whole album of that energy. This is a really fun album with an abundance of personality. Other highlights: “Gangster Trippin,” “Soul Surfing,” “You’re Not From Brighton,” “Praise You,” “Love Island” (wow, the bass on that one!)

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

3/5

I love how the vocals are produced on this album. His voice has so much texture and putting it front and center in the mix highlights that. At its best, the album feels like reading poetry. The songwriting isn’t complex and the production is sparse. We really get to sit with the lyrics and his voice. I’d be curious to return to this album after listening to more Leonard Cohen. He seems to have crafted it knowing it would be his final album. That’s not something a lot of artists have the chance to do. Great album cover. Highlights: “You Want It Darker,” “If I Didn’t Have Your Love” (I like that he found room for a pretty straightforward love song on this album), “It Seemed the Better Way” (such a sad and beautiful violin melody)

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

5/5

A powerhouse singer with a killer rock and soul band backing her. Great songs too.

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

4/5

This album is a blast. You really feel like you’re in the room. The songs are good and his voice is great. The rest of the music is produced in a pretty rough way but his voice stands out. Mostly though I enjoyed the in-between banter and stories he tells. He’s a great entertainer. I love the part when he plays “San Quentin” twice in a row and asks a guard to bring him water in between and you can hear the crowd boo the guard as he walks over. I didn’t realize Johnny Cash recorded 4 live albums in prisons. I had heard about “Folsom Prison” but never heard it. This makes me want to listen to them all.

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

5/5

A classic. They’ve got a huge sound that must have been great in stadiums. You can put this on in the background and jam out or pay closer attention because the songwriting is excellent too. Liam Gallagher sounds great singing these big, John Lennon-esque melodies with a little added sneer. These are beautiful songs and he gives them a little extra rock edge. Oasis might be the only band I know to include transitional instrumental tracks on an album that rock instead of being slow, mood-setters. I love that. A lot of great songs but I think "Don't Look Back in Anger" is my favorite.

The Stooges

3/5

The album is at its best when it’s raw and wild. I didn’t get into this nearly as much as the other Stooges album we listened to, “Funhouse,” but it’s cool to hear them on their first album developing their strange, snarling style. I thought the 10-minute “We Will Fall” was going to build to something more. Not sure why they made that one so long when they could have snuck another song on the album instead.

Wild Gift

X

4/5

Fun, playful punk. I hear a lot of The Clash and some B-52’s in their sound. But there’s also some country rock in here too. The male singer adds an interesting tone to some of these songs. I got a kick out of the Roy Orbison affectation he puts on for “Adults Books.” And “In This House That I Call Home” has a little of that Orbison drama but mixed with punk riffs. The lyrics are sharp and funny too (“Back 2 the Base” is a wild one!) which makes the songs worth paying closer attention to. I’m definitely going to want to spin this one a few more times.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

1/5

The production is very clean and crisp, especially for 1959. But I found the album a little tedious and repetitive, both musically and lyrically. How many songs had the image of notches on a gun? I wonder if I’d enjoy one or two of these songs more on their own instead of all in a row.

Bad

Michael Jackson

3/5

A mix of absolute classics (“Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Smooth Criminal”), some enjoyable if not quite great songs, and some less memorable filler tracks (“Liberian Girl” is a funny one). I’m not sold on it as a great album but man the highlights are incredible.

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

4/5

Willie Nelson is a wonderful singer and songwriter. There’s a great mix of melancholy songs and upbeat tunes (including a little bluegrass and ragtime here and there). And the production has a warmth that complements his expressive vocals.

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

3/5

This is a new band for me. I think I’d enjoy this more if I’d heard studio versions of the songs first. But the live recordings definitely capture the energy of the band. They sound like a great live act - the lead singer in particular is pretty wild. (That closing track “Starship” tried my patience though.) Highlights: “Kick Out the Jams,” “Motor City is Burning” (some nice blues riffing here), “I Want You Right Now” (I feel like this track gave me the best sense of who MC5 is as a band)

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

4/5

Manic, untamed and experimental. They pack a lot of musical ideas into a relatively short runtime, which makes for a fun listen. The songs crackle with life, feeling almost spontaneous and unrehearsed. The album is pretty hard and unpolished but then “Where Is My Mind?” comes out of nowhere with a big rock anthem. Such a great song. Awesome stuff.

Diamond Life

Sade

5/5

As smooth as a fine scotch. I can’t get enough of her smoky voice. “Smooth Operator” has slowly worked its way up my list of favorite songs over the years. Any time I hear a cover of it on the radio or in a department store, the song makes me happy. And the original is incredibly seductive and sultry. The opening 1-2-3 punch of “Smooth Operator,” “Your Love is King” and “Hang On to Your Love” is really impressive and the record continues with a string of very strong album tracks. I’m loving this.

Elephant

The White Stripes

5/5

“Seven Nation Army” is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. What an opener! And amazingly, the rest of the album lives up to it. “There’s No Home for You Here” is another great song. I think it’s a good example of how they draw influence from a lot of different musical styles but blend them into something unique. Like, there’s no doubt who you’re listening to with that song. It’s so White Stripes. Their version of “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself” is stunning. It starts with a slinky, sexy energy and explodes into grungy hard rock. “Ball and Biscuit” is an epic one too. Scorching hard blues. 🔥 And “The Hardest Button to Button” follows it? Wild. The back half of this album is stacked with head banging hard rock. I want to list other album highlights but I feel like I’ll just end up typing out the whole track list. Great album.

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

5/5

I'm loving these Johnny Cash albums. He's a great performer and knows how to work the crowd. The songs feel carefully selected for his inmate audience. Most of the songs are about imprisonment, loneliness, betrayal and guilt. He keeps them short and sweet too; sometimes I get the impression that he wraps up a song and moves the show along to make sure he keeps the crowd's attention. June Carter has similar crowd-pleasing instincts too. She's not on the album much but she really goes for it on "Jackson." She wants to make sure these guys get a good show. Johnny Cash is a great singer but I can't say enough what a great performer he is. He handles interruptions from the crowd with humility and humor. Like on "The Long Black Veil," one of the saddest songs I know, he pauses to laugh at the reaction to the line "I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife." There's a lot of humor in the songs too. "25 Minutes to Go" is really fun and "Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart" has some great one-liners.

The United States Of America

3/5

I have a soft spot for old-school 60’s psychedelia so I got a kick out of this. They’re clearly a band that enjoys goofing around in the studio with sound effects as much as they do songcraft. Which is not to say the songs aren’t good - they are! But a lot of my enjoyment of this comes from the little production surprises and oddball choices. Funny that such an experimental band decided to name themselves something so mundane. I’m guessing that’s the joke? Highlights: - “Hard Coming Love” (I love that ripping guitar that opens the song) - “I Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar” (This one cracked me up - I think it’s a good example of sound effects enhancing the song by bringing out the humor) - “Coming Down” (Great fuzzy riff) - “The American Way of Love” (Nutty, druggy chaos but there’s some great hard rock mixed in here. Also, I thought the very end of this suite was kinda beautiful)

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

5/5

A stunning live album and a personal favorite. Their original songs sound amazing - totally transformed and rich with emotion. And their choices of cover songs are impeccable. ("Where Did You Sleep Last Night" -- what a closer!) I love imitating the way Kurt Cobain sings "Fourth of Juu-lyyy!" on "Lake of Fire."

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

4/5

“Green Onions” has got to be one of the greatest rock songs of all time and I didn’t even know what it was called or who performed it. It’s just wedged in my brain from being featured in so many movies and TV shows. Top notch blues riffing on this album. A great inclusion on this list. Feels like an important piece of rock history.

american dream

LCD Soundsystem

5/5

I remember hearing about this album when it came out but never took the time to really sit with it until now. I loved it! The production is gorgeous - meticulous layers of drums, synths and guitars. Every instrument and layer feels carefully placed but the music still retains a nervy edge. The music owes a lot to early 80's new wave. "Other Voices" and "Change Yr Mind" sound a lot like "Remain in Light"-era Talking Heads, which we had on this list a few months back. And on "How Do You Sleep?", "Call the Police," and "Emotional Haircut," James Murphy sings like Bono on the early U2 albums! For my money, "Tonite" is the centerpiece of the album. There are a lot of lyrics about being middle-aged on the album but I love the sense of humor on this one. The lyrics about how today's pop songs are all about fear of death and mortality cracked me up. LCD Soundsystem clearly tried to make a major statement of an album and for my money they succeeded. The album is a rich, emotional and musical experience with great grooves.

21

Adele

4/5

Might be Adele's best album. (Although the new one - "30" - is really good too.) This is the one that launched her into the stratosphere and it's easy to see why - the album has four major hits on it and her singing is incredible throughout. It's a great showcase for her voice with some killer pop songwriting too. (Plus a cover of The Cure's "Lovesong"!)

Parachutes

Coldplay

4/5

This is maybe my second Coldplay album I’ve ever listened to. (I definitely listened to “Viva la Vida” a few times my freshman year of college.) It’s gorgeous. And jazzier than I thought it would be. Something about that melodic acoustic guitar. Really nice. I love this album cover. It’s very memorable. And I just realized after staring at it for a while that it’s a globe of the Earth. I always assumed it was Jupiter or some other planet. Anyways, I think it’s beautiful.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

3/5

I’ve said a few times already that I have a soft spot for 60’s psychedelia but I find it interesting to think about why some psychedelic albums from this era sound timeless while others (like this one) sound very much of their time. Songwriting is probably the biggest factor. The Byrds are using similar production techniques and effects as The Beatles were around this time but obviously the songs on this album (while still enjoyable) aren’t on the same level. Of course, it’s unfair to compare any band to The Beatles in terms of songwriting but I do think songcraft is what separates classic music from good music, at least when it comes to pop and rock. Still, if I imagine myself in 1968, sitting cross-legged on the floor of a friend’s room listening to this album on freshly purchased vinyl, I would have been very into The Byrds. Their sound has a nice mix of druggy mood music and folky country rock. “Change is Now” stood out as a highlight for me.

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

4/5

One of the most tightly wound records I’ve heard in a while. But it’s eccentric and weird too. The tone oscillates between wacky, horny and menacing. Wild stuff. Really fun. The music is full of spiky riffs and big hooks. I love that keyboard tone too. (It’s featured pretty prominently on “Hanging Around.”) It’s one of the trademark sounds of new wave rock and I pretty much can’t get enough of it. Great musicianship all around - some excellent guitar playing too. “(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)” in particular is fantastic. It’s my favorite track here.

Doolittle

Pixies

4/5

An excellent follow-up to an excellent debut. I might prefer “Surfer Rosa” on a gut level but they’re very close. On some songs the band sounds like they recorded the songs before perfecting and polishing them too much, so they still have an unpredictable energy. The bass is great and drives the tone towards slightly menacing territory - so distinct, very Pixies. “Here Comes Your Man” is a personal favorite that I used to listen to on repeat in college.

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

3/5

There’s a great mix of songs and styles on this album. And the songwriting has humor and wit. Ian Dury seems to enjoy embodying despicable (even misogynistic) male characters - a surprising but frequently funny choice. I like when singers sing in their natural accent (like The Clash) and it’s very fun to hear Ian Dury sing almost conversationally in such a thick accent. Though sometimes the album can almost be a bit too British for me (“Billericay Dickie,” for example).

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

3/5

60’s rock + traditional folk music. Reminds me of Joan Baez, whose debut album we had on this list a few months back. But while the songs on the Baez album were stripped down and minimalistic, these songs have complex music and a full band sound. “Come All Ye” and “Tam Lin” were highlights for me.

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

2/5

Powerful antiwar lyrics with a focus on the personal experiences of soldiers, mostly in the First World War. The compositions are interesting too. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed this album though. I recognize the high level of artistry but didn’t emotionally connect to the music. “Written on the Forehead” stood out because of that reggae vocal sample. That was a cool surprise.

The Last Broadcast

Doves

2/5

Reminds me of a lot of British alt-rock bands from this general era (a number of which we’ve had on this list already): early Radiohead, Oasis, Coldplay, Travis. If I was ranking those bands, that’s the order I’d put them in and I’d rank Doves behind all of them, at least on the strength of this album. The songs are fine but not much jumped out at me. I don’t think the band has as much personality as those other acts. “There Goes the Fear” is a solid track though.

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

3/5

I wish someone asked me to guess what year this came out before I saw the answer. I don’t know what I would have said but probably not 2005. Richard Hawley had a great, old-fashioned style and his songs are filled with nostalgia, both in the musical influences and also in the bittersweet, sentimental lyrics. The music feels deliberately timeless. He has a great voice. Sounds a lot like Morrissey at times. “The Ocean” could be a Nicole Atkins song. I guess they’re both drawing from similar influences. She’s always had a pretty old-fashioned style too. The closing track “Last Orders” is stunning. (And probably the track that would most tip me off that this is a more modern record.) Such a beautiful instrumental. It’s the kind of calming music that could soothe you to sleep. Really wonderful.

Me Against The World

2Pac

5/5

2Pac has such a great, distinct voice and his bouncing flow is so much fun to listen to. I love these funky beats too. Occasionally, the musical style pushes toward G-funk but I wouldn’t call most of this gangsta rap. 2Pac generally avoids glamorizing violence. He’s more soulful and introspective. He describes the awfulness he sees around him and tries to promote positivity at every turn. “Old School” is a personal favorite. I used to love putting that one on party playlists. This is one of those albums that’s talked about as a classic and I think it holds up really well. It’s over an hour long but there’s no filler, which is rare for a 90’s rap album. Even some of the classics will have a dud track here or there. This is solid. (Side note: I always love finding connections between albums on this list. On “It Ain’t Easy,” 2Pac raps about not wanting to get locked up in San Quentin, the prison Johnny Cash sings at for his second live prison album.)

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

4/5

Live reactions from late Tuesday night after work: For an album with such an eclectic mix of influences, these first few tracks aren’t as fun as I would have thought. It’s almost there but not quite raising my pulse. Ok I just got to “Dennis and Lois,” which is really scratching the itch for me. It sounds like U2’s “Mysterious Ways” with a little extra disco influence. Really digging it. (Fwiw, U2 released that song a year later so maybe it’s fair to say they were influenced by this album?) Maybe it’s this double IPA I’m drinking but the second half of this album is hitting way better than the first. The flute on “Bob’s Yer Uncle” is so fun. And that female backing vocal having an orgasm on the track? Haha I love it. Yeah I’m officially into this. “Step On” is a banger. And the last two tracks are really fun too. I’ll need to go back and listen to the first half of this again because I’m thoroughly charmed right now. Listening again on Wednesday morning and I’m really enjoying it. Their style took me a minute to connect to. His hoarse, shouted vocals are cracking me up. It’s a fun choice for a dance-y record. This one’s gonna go into high rotation for me for the next few weeks.

Violent Femmes

3/5

As far as best opening tracks of a debut album go, “Blister in the Sun” has to be up there. What a great way to introduce yourself as a band! But the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to it. I found myself looking up how old they were when they recorded this. (The answer is they were in their 20’s — and the lead singer was only 19 — which feels right.) There’s a certain first album charm to their immaturity and goofiness. But there’s a limit to how far that takes me. Maybe I’m getting older or maybe I’m just 100+ albums into this list. 😅🤷🏻‍♂️ “Promise” opens with a grungy Nirvana-esque riff, which makes me wonder if this album was more influential than I’m giving it credit for. The album feels like a bridge between the experimental rock of The Velvet Underground and the alternative rock of the 80’s and 90’s. And man, I can’t believe this is the original version of “Gone Daddy Gone”! I know it from Gnarls Barkley. What a great song! Also, the last song, “Good Feeling,” is lovely. There are some gems on this album. Excellent album cover too. One of the best we’ve had on this list so far.

Ten

Pearl Jam

5/5

Wow! It’s been a minute since I’ve listened to this. Just incredible. “Once” is such a heavy track. It’s got the kind of hard rock operatics you hear on a metal album. Killer stuff. But this is more than hard rock. There’s so much passion and emotion in these songs. Pearl Jam isn’t just rocking out for the sake of rocking out (nothing wrong with that btw) — there’s an intensity of feeling, the intensity of life, that drives the energy of this music. Damn — “Deep” is such a wild track. After the mega hits (“Even Flow,” “Alive”), this might be my favorite. So intense. So good. I’ve listened to very little Pearl Jam in the past and revisiting this album is making me realize what a mistake that is. I’ll need to dive deeper for sure.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

4/5

R.E.M. is another band I’ve always liked but don’t listen to often. In college, when I was reviewing albums for the radio station to play, R.E.M. released a new album that they announced would be their last. I was tasked with writing the blurb that all the DJs would read and rating the best tracks to play. Having never really listened to R.E.M. at the time, I was a little intimidated. I knew that a bunch of music snobs who potentially love R.E.M. would be reading what I wrote and I worried I would seem like I didn’t know what I was talking about. So I gave myself a crash course in their catalog. I listened to a few early albums and a few that have big hits on them (including this one) — while simultaneously listening to the new album. It was fun and the new album ended up being really good! I got on an R.E.M. kick them that semester (and I don’t think anyone ever suspected that I’d never listened to them before writing my review). Anyways, this album isn’t exactly my favorite, but man, it’s beautifully produced and has a ton of classic songs. “Everybody Hurts” is incredible, and “Man on the Moon” and “Nightswimming” are favorites of mine. I appreciate the literate, wordy lyrics. I didn’t pay close attention to what all the songs were about but I love when surprising words, phrases and lines jump out at me. Michael Stipe is a great performer too. I love that moment when he laughs around 2:30 in “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” (another great song).

LP1

FKA twigs

4/5

Experimental, druggy and deeply sexy. FKA Twigs is one of the most interesting artists around right now. I’d categorize her music very loosely as R&B but the cool thing about her is how little she seems to think about genre. She’s draws equal influence from avant-grade electronic music as she does more conventional “bedroom music.” And her voice is stunning! She can go so high and tap into this big sense of drama. I love it. (She’s got some awesome music videos too.) Highlights: “Two Weeks,” “Video Girl,” “Numbers”

Hms Fable

Shack

2/5

I underestimated how many Oasis knockoffs there are out there. Granted, Britpop is a style that a lot of bands did in the 90's/2000's, but this album feels particularly derivative and tame. There's some folk twang here and there and “Captain’s Table” has an interesting dreamy quality that sets it apart. But nothing jumped out at me that would make me remember this band. Pleasant but forgettable.

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

5/5

My favorite Rolling Stones album and a top ten rock album for me. A terrific collection of songs across a range of blues and country styles. Song after song, they sound like they’re having an absolute blast in the studio. There’s an abundance of joy and exuberance that they captured in the recording. The album makes me happy every time I play it.

C'est Chic

CHIC

4/5

Pure joy. I can’t resist music like this. Those strings at the halfway point of “I Want Your Love” have this great, driving drama. And then the horns join them! Wow. A lot of fun music here but this is the standout track for me. 🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

5/5

I love the signature Led Zeppelin sound - hard rock with a blues influence, a lot of times tipping into heavy metal territory. "In My Time of Dying" is such a good example of it. I guess it's a blues number at its core but it's heavy, man. Those drums sound huge! The appeal for a lot of these songs for me is the way the band slips into a groove and stays there. The beat and rhythm are so important to their music. A lot of great songs here, including some real epic ones ("In My Time of Dying," "Kashmir," "In the Light," "Ten Years Gone") but I think my favorites are "Custard Pie," "Trampled Under Foot" and "The Wanton Song." Those three capture that rhythm and groove feeling I love about Led Zeppelin. And the riff on "The Wanton Song" is insane.

Mask

Bauhaus

3/5

The vocals remind me a little of the weirdo theatricality of The B-52’s and the music is similar to the muscular and moody post-punk we heard on albums by The Cure and The Smiths. The band also reminded me of a more modern indie band that I like, Wolf Parade. Bauhaus was probably an influence on them. Overall I enjoyed this. It’s dark and a little wild. But I enjoyed it at a bit of distance. Cool to hear but nothing I’ll revisit anytime soon.

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

Such an incredible collection of songs. And the sequencing is so bold. A lot of perfect segues but also a lot of sudden left turns. Somehow I never quite heard this line on “Taxman”: “Now my advice to those who die / Declare the pennies on your eyes.” That’s so good. Really funny. “I’m Only Sleeping” blew my mind a little when I first heard it. It’s such a perfect song about that feeling of not wanting to wake up. I didn’t realize at the time that you could just write a song about a very specific feeling. It seemed kind of radical and freeing that a song or story or any art could be about something mundane as long as it captures a feeling. “She Said She Said” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” are such great rock songs. So tight and lean. “I Want to Tell You” and “Got to Get You Into My Life” each could have been an incredible closing track. Instead the Beatles do one after the other and follow them with “Tomorrow Never Knows,” the most experimental track on the whole album. It’s such a ballsy, brilliant move. “Sgt. Pepper” gets all the credit for being a perfect pop album that dabbles in psychedelia but this album came first and checks all those boxes even better. Of course, “Sgt. Pepper” is great too but “Revolver” could just as easily be the one everyone touts as the “greatest absolutely ever” - it deserves that title just as much or more. Like, if this isn’t a top ten rock album, nothing is. (I gotta start keeping track of how many albums I give the top ten title to 😂 I’m probably about half way to ten and we still have around 879 albums to go.) Listening to this on nice headphones in flawless remastered audio was distracting at first. I think sometimes these remastered versions can almost be too perfect when you get up close to the songs. But I did hear a few new details in the mix that I’d never heard before - a finger snap here, a surprising instrument there - which was cool.

Lady In Satin

Billie Holiday

4/5

Gorgeous. The warble in her voice mixed with the strings creates a kind of drunken wooziness. The album casts an intoxicating spell. It gives off late-night jazz club energy. Billie Holiday’s voice on this album is so… weathered. Hard to believe she was 43 when she recorded this. She sounds older. But man, her performance on this album is so expressive. “The End of a Love Affair” might be my favorite here. Such a fun song.

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

4/5

I really like Tribe Called Quest but this is my first time listening to solo Q-Tip. His lyrics are fantastic - really sharp, clever wordplay, and the songs are focused. There’s a lot of storytelling too. But you can also kick back and just enjoy the jazzy bounce of his flow without paying close attention to the words. He moves fast but somehow sounds laid back at the same time. His flow on “Won’t Trade” in particular is great. The beat on the first half of “Move” is insane! I’ve always heard J-Dilla talked about as a legendary producer and now I understand why. The sampling on this track is ridiculous! Man, Norah Jones should sing more hooks on rap songs. Her voice is actually perfect for songs like these.

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

5/5

Oooh, like butter baby. This is great. Silky smooth and funky as hell. "Pusherman," "Freddie's Dead," and "Superfly" are all classics but the album is solid front-to-back. Just phenomenal musicianship all around and a fun, funky energy.

Crosby, Stills & Nash

4/5

Gorgeous harmonies and good vibes. That last minute of “Judy Blue Eyes” has such a perfect, joyous melody. I enjoyed the CSNY album “Deja Vu” a little more but this one is a bit different. It’s mellower. A few songs sound like Simon & Garfunkel. Highlights: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Marrakesh Express,” “You Don’t Have to Cry” (I love the lyrics and message of this one), “Long Time Gone”

Vespertine

Björk

4/5

Fascinating stuff though I connect with a lot of these songs on a cerebral level rather than emotionally. But this is only my first time listening and this is so the kind of album that you need to hear a bunch of times before you fully “get it.” The strings on “It’s Not Up to You” add a layer of whimsy that I associate with some of Björk’s music. It’s like she spiked the song with an old movie score. “Undo” is one I can groove to. There’s a skittering, glitchy beat that you can dance to (living room dancing, not club dancing). Ooh her vocals on “Pagan Poetry” get pretty raw. I think it’s awesome that she gives herself the space to explore on these songs. There must have been a lot of interesting vocal takes to choose from for any of these tracks. Her performances feel very immediate and of the moment. Makes me want to watch some live videos of her. Incredible that Björk is the lead producer on most of these songs. They’re really complex and filled with interesting details. (The warped bass sound on “An Echo a Stain” is what made me check the producer credits - it’s a great effect.) And to think all these reactions are just to the music. I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics on this first listen but given the emotional intensity of her vocals, it’s clear that the subject matter is worth paying attention to as well. Highlights: “Hidden Place,” “It’s Not Up to You,” “Undo,” “Unison” (a playful but also epic closer!)

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

4/5

What a gem — such a solid alt-rock album with a mix of styles on it. I’ve listened to it twice through on long-ish drives and really enjoyed it. It’s great highway music. He’s a great singer too. He sounds like Father John Misty on a few tracks. The opening notes of “Jupiter and Teardrop” sound so much like David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.” It has to be a direct reference / deliberate fake-out. I got a kick out of that. My favorite songs so far: “The Shining Hour,” “Jupiter and Teardrop,” “Fuzzy,” “Stars n’ Stripes,” “Dixie Drug Store”

Solid Air

John Martyn

4/5

A very impressive album — I love how it transforms from seductive psychedelic music to mellow folk-rock to Doors-y hard blues to jazz. Very cool for a folk rock album to be so dynamic and eclectic. Highlights: “Solid Air,” “Go Down Easy,” “Dreams By the Sea”

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

2/5

Moody, dramatic goth rock. I didn’t totally dislike it but it didn’t do much for me. Reminded me of seeing an opening act for a show, waiting for the headliner. Afterwards you think, ‘That was kinda cool’ but then you never listen to that band again. “Monitor” is a cool one. Sounds way ahead of its time.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

3/5

What a great performer! He’s so dramatic and expressive. I wish I understood what he was singing about though. Since the focus is mostly on his vocals and charismatic performance, I’m sure there are funny, witty, and romantic lyrics in French that I’m missing. A lot of songs even sound like show tunes. Still, I love this energy and I’m happy to know about this singer. I’m sure he’ll come again up at some point in my life. Hopefully I’ll have someone translating the song meanings for me. (Or maybe if I have time, I’ll try listening to a few of these alongside a translation.)

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

5/5

Every song that came on, I had a smile plastered across my face. What a contagious, fun energy. I love the fast, playful bee-bah-ba-doop way he scats. And he’s a phenomenal, spirited trumpeter too! “The Lip” is hilarious. I love these time signature changes. And that bit in the middle of “Basin Street Blues / When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” when he scats off time and sets up the change? So good! I tried to list the album highlights but realized I was just typing out the track list. Every song is a blast. But if I had to pick one, “Just a Gigolo / Ain’t Got Nobody” is my favorite. Just amazing.

All Mod Cons

The Jam

3/5

This is good! They sound like a lot of bands I like. I hear some Clash, some Who, maybe even some Smiths and Elvis Costello. (A lot of those artists were contemporaries of The Jam or came after so it’s probably fair to say those artists took influence from these guys.) I think this is a good album but not necessarily a great one. I’d be curious to hear other Jam albums and see if there’s an even better entry point into their music. The last track — “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” — surprised me. There are a lot of great details in the music. Makes me want to revisit the rest of the album and see if there are more great songs I missed on the first listen. Highlights: “In the Crowd,” “Billy Hunt,” “The Place I Love,” “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight”

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

5/5

Started by listening to the ‘Very Best’ and then spent the weekend listening to all three hours of the full songbook. Really wonderful - great to spend so much time with her voice. I haven’t listened to a ton of Ella so I enjoyed the deep dive. She has such a soothing voice. But there’s also a playfulness and a flirtatiousness about some of her performances (“Fascinating Rhythm”). A lot of these lyrics are fun and funny, and she knows how to bring out the jokes with a wink and a smile. But when the songs call for it, she brings a mature seductiveness to her singing (“Oh, Lady Be Good,” “Someone To Watch Over Me”). Man, these songs are so good. Great clean, classic pop songwriting. And the lyrics have a wonderful wit and humor. And the big band behind her?! Incredible. I love that full orchestra sound. A lot of gems but these were ones that stood out to me (including some stellar versions of absolute classics): “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “Oh, Lady Be Good,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” “Things Are Looking Up,” “They All Laughed” (I love this song so much), “My Cousin in Milwaukee,” “He Loves and She Loves,” “Treat Me Rough,” “Slap That Bass,” “Isn’t it a Pity,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” (at our wedding, we danced to the version with Louis Armstrong for our first dance so the song has a special place in my heart - this version is a little different, cool to hear), “Funny Face,” “I Got Rhythm” (oooh the scatting in this! 💃)

The Predator

Ice Cube

4/5

Great beats - I love that hard funk sound. The music is a great fit for his tougher-than-nails vocals and unflinching lyrics. “Wicked” stood out as a really wild one! There’s a lot I could quibble with lyrically in 90’s gangsta rap - the misogyny, the glorification of gang violence, homophobia and the use of ‘the other f-word.’ To an extent, these lyrics are dated and today’s rap has moved past some of those things (there’s still a lot of misogyny in today’s hip-hop) but I think it’s worth pointing out. But my brain goes to music first anyways and there’s an abundance of great music on a lot of albums from this era. Listen to the jazzy piano part that comes in for the last 30 seconds of “Dirty Mack.” The whole song is filled with great jazz and funk samples - there’s a real appreciation for great music in addition to tough guy gangsta posturing. Took me a second to recognize it but there’s a Steely Dan sample in the beat on “Don’t Trust ‘Em.” (“Green Earrings” is the Steely Dan song.) This one is a good example of me loving the beat while also acknowledging the deeply sexist and demeaning message of the song.

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division

3/5

I enjoyed this. They’ve got a big, cavernous sound that feels designed for live shows. It sounds great on record but the songs must have really come alive in concert. This would be a perfect example to play for someone curious what “post-punk” sounds like. The label can be pretty broad but I tend to think this sound is the core of the style. Moody, dramatic, spacious, big emotions. I’m not sure I’ll ever completely love Joy Division. Right now I respect and admire the music (they’ve obviously had a major influence on a million bands) but I don’t connect deeply to them. I wonder if I just need a certain time in my life when nothing but this sound will do. 🤷🏻‍♂️ In the meantime, I dig the energy.

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

This was one of the first CDs I ever bought in middle school (it just felt like an important thing to buy to start a record collection), though a few years passed before I actually got into it. In high school, two friends and I all got into Nirvana at the same time. Many summer days were spent listening to their albums together while playing Halo on Xbox. Nirvana is one of those great bands where I can hear the influence of each band member. Krist Novoselic’s bass has a big, fat sound. It’s much more prominent than in a lot of other rock bands. It influences the tone of a lot of songs too — it can be menacing and dark or have a lighter bounce and rhythm. And Dave Grohl’s drums have a thunderous energy. These might be my favorite drums to air drum to while listening. Some of his drum fills are pretty straightforward but man, he plays the hell out of them. And then Kurt Cobain. His guitar is rough and expressive, and it roars in his solos. There are a ton of great riffs here too. And of course, his vocals. This album has long been a soothing balm for my angst and his singing is a big part of that. His screaming is cathartic. It’s been a while since I’ve played something on headphones loud enough to hurt my ears. This was a fun album to revisit and hit me on a day I needed it.

Scott 2

Scott Walker

3/5

Scott Walker sounds something like if Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys made an album in the style of Tom Jones. (I wonder if Turner is a fan of Scott Walker.) The singing is lounge-y and dramatic and the lyrics are packed with jokes and surprising details. I enjoyed discovering the odd songwriting of these songs. “Jackie” feels like a clear standout, packed with strange specifics sung in a breathless style. “Next” is a funny number too - it could be an interlude in some larger concept album or musical but here it is, on its own, a weird melodramatic little episode. Wow — I was just thinking that some of these songs reminded me of the French singer Jacques Brel, who we had on this list last week. Turns out Brel wrote three of the songs on this album including both of the aforementioned songs! That makes a lot of sense. (Great to hear some of Brel’s tunes in English!) (Also, I guess this list isn’t in totally random order, right?) There’s actually more straightforward love songs and ballads here than the first few tracks would suggest. I prefer the humorous songs. Highlights: “Jackie,” “Best of Both Worlds,” “Next,” “The Girls and the Dogs”

Forever Changes

Love

5/5

“Alone Again Or” is in my top 100 rock songs. I first heard it in the Wes Anderson movie “Bottle Rocket” and it’s what got me into this album in high school. The driving drama of the song pulls me in every time. The whole album is excellent - great songwriting front-to-back, with a lot of surprising turns in the songs to keep you on your toes. It's also one of those albums where every instrument and detail feels perfectly placed. There are moments of shredding psychedelic rock balanced with gentler folk passages and some wonderful horn parts too. This is a top 20 rock album for me. “The news for today will be the movies for tomorrow” - what a great line. (“A House is Not a Motel”) I love the new melody that gets introduced in the last minute of “The Red Telephone.” “Oh the snot has caked against my pants” is one of the craziest opening lines of a song I’ve ever heard. I love it 😂 ("Live and Let Live") "You Set the Scene" is an epic one and has a couple of great moments I love: - The bass line that comes in at 1:58 sounds so good - The way the song slows down at 2:20 and introduces the horns - At 5:08, Arthur Lee drops in this soulful vocal riff as if it's a Smokey Robinson song, lets it fade into the track and then moves back into the song. How does that work so well?! Genius level stuff, man. Recently I've been skeptical of modern remasters of 60's albums but this sounded fantastic on headphones. Crystal clear but stays true to the feel of the music.

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

5/5

A classic and a personal favorite. It has Steely Dan’s two biggest hits — “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ in the Years” — songs I never get sick of hearing. There’s also a ton of other great songs — “Dirty Work” is incredible and “Kings” is a favorite of mine. This was back when Steely Dan was a full rock band (later it would be just Donald Fagen and Walter Becker writing songs and playing with studio musicians). I tend to think of this album as their most straightforward rock album but there’s still a bunch of awesome jazzy solos and complex songwriting. (“Fire in the Hole” has a great jazzy strut to it.) It’s always fun to hear other singers take lead vocals on a few songs on this album. They definitely have ‘prettier’ voices than Donald Fagen but I’m glad he stayed the lead singer after this album. His singing is so unique. He’s capable of adding a strange drama and theatricality to the songs (and there’s something kind of sleazy about his voice too). I’m totally at risk of giving 100 albums a ‘top 20’ designation but I’m gonna do it again (no pun intended). This is a very much a contender for my top 20 or top 30 rock albums. It’s solid front-to-back, no filler. Such a great album cover too. It’s tacky and gaudy and vulgar but I think it’s very funny and pleasing to look at.

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

5/5

“Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” “I’m Finding it Harder to Be a Gentleman” and “Fell in Love With a Girl” are classics. “Little Room” is such a great quick one. The a way Meg White smashes the cymbals relentlessly captures what’s so great about her as a drummer - simple, direct, hard hits. She keeps time with an attitude. “We’re Going to Be Friends” is a wonderful little ditty. Jack White is such a gifted songwriter - he can write big rock anthems, blues songs and pleasant melodies like this. And all of them will get stuck in your head for years. There are a lot of songs packed into 40 minutes here so we also get some oddball numbers like “I Think I Smell a Rat” and experimental stuff like “Aluminum.” Eclectic album that rocks hard!

Heavy Weather

Weather Report

4/5

Nice jazz-rock fusion. Some of it’s smooth, some of it’s spacey, a lot of it is funky and weird. A lot great percussion too. My favorite track is “Palladium.” Sick album cover too.

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

4/5

They have a punk energy and attitude but the music is more dense and complex than that. Also, the guitar solos are so much more epic and dramatic than I might have expected for the punk-ish / alt-rock music. Some real stadium rock shit. The guitar reminds me of The Who at times. I love it. Some of the long songs near the end drag a little but overall I really like the album. Highlights: “Stop,” “Obvious,” “Three Days” (wow, what an epic long song!)

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

My first time listening to this album. The production is rougher than I expected. I’d previously only heard a live version of “Atlantic City” but this stripped down original version is really growing on me. I’m very used to hearing Bruce Springsteen in wailing rock star mode but he’s a wonderful, emotive singer in this mode too. Wow - “State Trooper” has a really hypnotic energy. I really like the bells (?) that come in around the one-minute mark of “Used Cars.” On the first go-around, I enjoyed the album but wasn’t convinced it was the masterpiece everyone says it is. But I spent the weekend listening to it a few more times and I’m starting to get it. A subtle but great album.

The Doors

5/5

Some songs feel like 60’s pop with a dark psychedelic edge, others are hard blues rock. There are some absolute classics — “Light My Fire” is probably a top 100 rock song and “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” and “The End” are both amazing — plus a lot of really good album cuts too. I really enjoyed “I Looked at You” and “Take It as It Comes.” Man, I guess I haven’t heard “The End” in a while. It gets really wild around the 9-minute mark.

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

2/5

Lots of interesting musical ideas but I wasn’t too into it. I wasn’t crazy about the lead singer’s vocals. “Hudson Line” (which has a different lead vocalist) and “The Funny Bird” stood out as strong tracks.

Metallica

5/5

Hell yeah - these songs sound massive! I love the energy and drama of this album. Ridiculous guitar solos too! I had this on in the background so I wasn’t paying close enough attention to have favorite tracks yet but I enjoyed the ride. Looking forward to diving deeper.

Copper Blue

Sugar

3/5

Solid alt-rock with a range of styles. Some songs reminded me of Pixies, others reminded me of R.E.M. Grungy songs are mixed with bright and sunny pop songs. Overall probably not something I’ll spin often but I enjoyed it.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

5/5

One of the most joyful albums I can think of. This is Paul McCartney at his best, writing classic pop songs with a great backing band. Ooh that saxophone! “Let Me Roll It” rocked my world the first time I heard it because of how much Paul sounds like John Lennon. People always assume Paul wrote the pop songs and John wrote the rock songs. But clearly Paul is very capable of writing killer rock songs (and singing the hell out of them too)!

Buena Vista Social Club

5/5

I love this album. The music is magic. You can’t ask for a better album to put on when cleaning the house. The pianist, Rubén González, is phenomenal. He had such a light, playful touch. I’ve listened to some of his solo albums too and for a period of time they were my go-to choice when I was stressed or anxious. When you focus on his piano playing, it’s impossible to not smile. “Pueblo Nuevo” on this album is a great showcase for his playing.

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

Really fun energy. I love the lead singer's willingness to get goofy and over-the-top in his vocals. A true entertainer. “Come on Eileen” is a classic that I fell in love with as a kid after listening to some "Best of the 80's" mix CD my sister had lying around the house. It’s still a great song. The cover of "Jackie Wilson Said" is really good too - it's a great fit for this group.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

That “dum-dum-dum” drum fill before the chorus of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” is so simple but so effective. Ringo’s drumming isn’t flashy on this album (or any Beatles album really) but he always complements the songs nicely. “Getting Better” is a great pop song and it’s got that weird little dark part in the middle where the speaker sings about beating his woman. Such a strange section that complicates the tone of the song. Feels almost like a joke, especially the way the song cuts back to the upbeat chorus afterwards. I love that this weird, druggy album has achieved a such a high level of status and appreciation in our society. It’s talked about as this grand masterpiece but it’s got a lot of strange, trippy moments. I love that. Man, “Within You Without You” is a jam. “Lovely Rita” is a great song with these big, dramatic moments. And it’s about having a crush on a woman writing parking tickets 😂 “Good Morning Good Morning” into “Sgt. Pepper (Reprise)” is ridiculous. Some of the best rock the Beatles have ever recorded. “A Day in the Life” has to be a top 10 Beatles song. I don’t know many other songs like it. As a teenager I gravitated toward this one — it opened my mind as to what songs and art could be. It also reassured me that being bored with my daily routine was a normal emotion. The song is about feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned with the state of the world while simultaneously feeling stuck in a meaningless daily rhythm. It struck me as a high schooler and it resonates with me now too. This album was an absolute pleasure to revisit. And I have to shout out that album cover. One of the all time best ever. 💯

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

3/5

Never heard of this band before but they’re totally the kind of group I like. This album can be a bit much (lots of long, dense, sludgy jams) but I’d be curious to hear a more streamlined batch of studio-recorded songs from them. The opening number “Born to Go” has a big thunderous energy! And “Down Through the Night” keeps the momentum chugging along. Their rhythm section in general really keeps things moving on these long songs. “Lord of Light” has some ripping saxophone in it! 🎷🕺🏼 There’s a fair amount of druggy instrumentals and spoken word nonsense that I could do without. But this was a live show so I understand the theatricality of that. “Master of the Universe” is a heavy, hard-rocker. 😎👍 Sometimes the live recording makes the songs feel a bit distant when I wanted a louder, more immediate sound. I felt like I was in the third mezzanine wishing I was upfront next to the stage.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

4/5

An excellent album featuring pleasant melodies, great beats and fun details. Feels like it was ahead of its time in sound and style. Highlights: “Xtal,” “Pulsewidth,” “Ageispolis,” “We Are the Music Makers,” “Ptolemy,” “Actium”

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

5/5

Amazing. One of the best discoveries from this list so far. Funky and danceable with African rhythms and melodies commingling with Latin rhythms and touches of soul. He’s a great, charismatic singer. His vocals on “Xica Da Silva” are awesome. Really catchy song. The music is crazy fun. It’s also complex at times. On “Cavaleiro Do Cavolo Imaculado,” there’s an interesting guitar part that comes in around 2:10. It feels detached from the melody and adds a cool layer of tension and contrast. Definitely an album where every track is strong but these ones particularly stood out to me: “Ponta De Lança Africano,” “Xica Da Silva,” “Cavaleiro Do Cavolo Imaculado,” “África Brasil (Zumbi)” (wow - this one really rocks)

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

4/5

Elegant and atmospheric electronica. Some songs (especially early on) also have a nervy, glitchy sound. I really like the overlapping vocal loops on "Telephasic Workshop" — it creates a strange, surreal tone. Beautiful production with a lot of different tones and styles mixed throughout. The closing track “Happy Cycling” stood out to me as well. It’s got an eerie, hypnotic vibe.

Nowhere

Ride

5/5

A lot of these songs have a melancholy vibe but the production buries them in layers of feedback and noise. The insane amount of feedback and reverb on the guitars in “Dreams Burn Down” is a good example of this. When the music turns up to 11, it feels like hard rock but it’s not a hard rock song, really. I love that contrast and I love the energy of this band. I’m surprised that I’ve never heard of them but delighted to now. They’re a hell of a rock band — the drums on opener “Seagull” are fast and ferocious and never let up. And the rest of the band piles on the noise! It’s a great opening statement and a great track. (I love the drumming on “Polar Bear” too.) 4 stars for the songs and music + a bonus star for this drummer working overtime. He singlehandedly transforms a few of these songs with his playing.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

5/5

One of the great soul voices. And the music is fantastic. The horns! The strings! “Let’s Stay Together” is a great song. And “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” is phenomenal — might be the best track here. I love the strings around 2:45 that imitate the wind. I’m a fan of stuff like that in music.

Dirt

Alice In Chains

3/5

This is my first time listening to Alice In Chains. The songs fall on a spectrum of styles from thrashy heavy metal to more radio-friendly grunge. There are also some beautiful, slower moments. A number of songs made me think of Queens of the Stone Age. They’re one of my favorite current bands and I enjoyed listening to this album and hearing the influence Alice In Chains clearly had on QOTSA. By the end of the album, I was a little exhausted though. I respect the music but can’t fully embrace it — the songs are pretty bleak and tortured. Maybe not the best music to listen to on a sunny Friday afternoon 😂

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

Awesome. Half of these songs are on their greatest hits and the other half are good enough that they could be. Perfect classic rock with a lot of blues rock.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

4/5

D'Angelo is the master of baby-making music. This album is loose, jazzy and sexy. I really enjoyed it and it works just as well when you pay close attention to the music as it does simmering in the background. "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" is a wild song. Aside from the (amazing) chorus, the lyrics about catching his wife with his best friend and murdering them both caught me by surprise. 👀😂

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys

4/5

Ooh I really like this! There are a number of Dylanesque songs (“Fisherman’s Blues,” “Strange Boat”) and a few that remind me of U2. They incorporate elements of Celtic folk into their music but it feels fully integrated into the rock sound, at least on the early tracks. Like “We Will Not Be Lovers,” which has this surging drama led by the strings. It’s got that folky influence but with a stadium rock energy! (Later songs dive fully into Celtic folk and I enjoyed those too.) I dig the Van Morrison cover “Sweet Thing,” which also throws in Beatles lyrics from “Blackbird”! Highlights: “Fisherman’s Blues,” “We Will Not Be Lovers,” “World Party,” “When Will We Be Married”

The Wall

Pink Floyd

4/5

“In the Flesh?” is a great, dramatic opener. It has the grandeur of a stage production but it rocks too. “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2” has gotta be the strangest rock anthem ever canonized on classic rock radio. (Especially when you listen to it with the intro track “The Happiest Days of Our Lives,” which references the teachers’ “fat psychopathic wives.”) It’s a banger, no doubt about that, but the subject matter and theatricality of it is bizarre. I love it. The chorus of “Comfortably Numb” is so emotional. Easy to see why the song became so famous. Great guitar solos on this song too and throughout the album. Man, “The Trial” is bonkers 😂 Pink Floyd made better albums than this. They definitely made tighter albums. But excess comes with the territory on these big, pretentious concept albums. You get a lot of filler tracks that move the story along but aren’t great songs on their own. Still, I like this album better than a lot of other concept albums. I admire the audacity of it.

Graceland

Paul Simon

5/5

One of my absolute favorite albums. It might be the album Dree and I have listened to together more than any other. Hard to imagine a road trip or a long car ride for vacation without us putting this on in the car. The music bursts at the seams with joy. Paul Simon writes some of the best pop songs of his career, blending his style perfectly with African melodies and rhythms. His lyrics are also sharp, funny and endlessly quotable. Always a pleasure to revisit this one.

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

5/5

Smooth, sexy and sweet. The music casts an irresistible spell. There’s also an air of melancholy over a lot of these songs. There are a lot of lyrics about wanting a lover back or yearning for a new love who hasn’t quite agreed to “get it on” just yet. The closing track “Just to Keep You Satisfied” captures this romantic sadness exceptionally well. What a voice. Just impossibly, superhumanly beautiful.

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

4/5

Awesome angsty post-punk. Lots of spiky riffs and shouted vocals. The music crackles with restlessness, sexual frustration and anti-establishment feelings — they really capture an energy. The songwriting is really strong too. Highlights: “Ether,” “Natural’s Not In It,” “Not Great Men,” “Damaged Goods,” “I Found That Essence Rare,” “Glass,” “5.45” (I like the theme of this one - how tv turns war into entertainment)

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

3/5

The title track sounds like the score to a sci-fi or horror movie. “Mysterious Semblance…” is beautiful. I was drawn in by those warped tones that almost sound like music being played underwater. I don’t listen to enough ambient music to be a proper judge of how good this album is or how groundbreaking it might have been. But I was moved by some passages and I’d like to listen to it more. This would make great background music for writing. I’ll have to find the right project that matches this tone. Could be a fun way to listen to it more and get into it.

The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

2/5

I like how adventurous and unpredictable the music is but I can’t be the only one who finds his voice grating. His vocals held back a few of these songs for me. I’m sure this is a grower of an album and one listen while running errands on a Thursday isn’t going to do it justice. But there weren’t a lot of songs that I could wrap my hands around and enjoy on a first listen. I’m open to persuasion on this one but it didn’t do much for me on the initial go-around. A few tracks stood out as standalone songs: “Race for the Prize,” “Waitin’ for a Superman,” “The Gash,” “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate”

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

4/5

A pleasure to listen to from the opening bounce of “Rockin’ Around (With You)” to the classic “American Girl.” The album has an old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll spirit but there’s some new wave and country rock here too. Tom Petty also sings in variety of styles. Maybe he was still figuring out his style. He’s definitely having fun.

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

3/5

Even at the end of his life, Johnny Cash's voice is like no other and he commands a gravitas and drama that's all his own. Some of the covers are great. His version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" is excellent. And I really like his quiet, pensive take on "In My Life." It's one of my favorite Beatles songs and he more than does it justice. Other covers I wasn't as sold on. His version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" didn’t land for me. “Tear Stained Letter” stood out as a particularly good track. Overall, a nice set of songs on a pretty low-key album.

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

4/5

I enjoyed this one! What a mix of sounds and cultures. A lot of the songs (especially the ones where the English guy sings lead) sound a little like the Happy Mondays album we had a while back. That clubby dance-rock style was called Madchester and I hear of lot of that in this music. But then there’s Spanish lyrics, African music and Middle Eastern melodies - each song seems to hop to a different country (and a few blend multiple genres together). There’s a druggy energy that ties it together and big drums on every track that sound like they were recorded in a vast warehouse. Highlights: “Visions of You,” “Bomba,” “Ungodly Kingdom”

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Mudhoney

4/5

90’s grunge but with a 60’s rock spirit. Some tracks sound like something The Doors might have done if The Doors formed thirty years later than they did. “Generation Genocide” has a psychedelic feel and “Something So Clear” could almost be a grunge-ified “Break On Through (To the Other Side).” Hearing harmonica on a few songs was a surprise! The album has a fiery punk energy and strong songwriting. An excellent album overall.

One World

John Martyn

3/5

I enjoyed this album, though not quite as much as the last John Martyn album we had on this list, “Solid Air.” (I thought the songs were better on that one.) There’s a lot of great music and the production has some interesting choices. Occasionally I felt the production gave the music a kind of muddy sound but just as often I found it hypnotic. Same goes for Martyn’s vocals — he’s an excellent, emotive singer but chooses to bury it on a few of these tracks. “Dancing” is a particularly fun song. Overall I like it. I ended up going back and listening to “Solid Air” a bunch of times after the initial listen so I’m expecting to do the same with this album.

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

2/5

These guys are clearly musical geniuses. I was impressed by the ease with which the band switches between medieval folk, hard rock and prog. But I just can’t get over how pretentious it all sounds. A lot of that stems from Peter Gabriel’s vocals. Not for me. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

4/5

Grade A Britpop. Lots of catchy hooks and bright melodies, delivered with a playful and mischievous spirit. The influence of The Beatles and The Kinks are clear (the music proudly asserts itself as very British) with some harder alt-rock sounds and styles blended in. The production has an abundance of fun details too that I’m sure will make this album particularly enjoyable to replay. This is a pretty long album and I wonder if it’s too long. Still, I respect a band that had so many ideas that they just couldn’t pick and put them all on the album. Blur is one of those bands I’ve been meaning to listen to for years. One of the things that’s been great about this list is that I’ve finally been finding time for all those bands I’ve heard about but never gave proper attention to.

Sincere

Mj Cole

3/5

Fun, appealing dance music. I’m not sure I’d be able to pick MJ Cole’s style out of a lineup of other DJs / producers but this is solid music for dancing or working out. The back half gets a little more eclectic. There’s some moody, atmospheric numbers and the disco-soul of “Rough Out Here” was a pleasant surprise.

Being There

Wilco

5/5

I can’t remember the last time I heard an album with so many excellent songs on it. I love the lyrics - lots of sharp, clever writing. Their sound has a lot of country twang but they can also rock like the Stones (“Monday”) or do Beach Boys-style pop (“Outta Mind (Outta Sight)”). What a great opening line for an album: “When you’re back in your old neighborhood / The cigarettes taste so good / But you’re so misunderstood.” Very impressive to hear an hour-plus album that’s this consistent. Highlights: “Misunderstood,” “Far, Far Away,” “Monday,” “Forget the Flowers,” “Sunken Treasure,” “Someone Else’s Song,” “Dreamer in My Dreams” (those fake-out endings are so good!)

Snivilisation

Orbital

4/5

Packed with personality and filled with surprising twists and turns. Great beats with music that kept me guessing. Those overlapping piano loops in “Kein Trink Wasser” are beautiful. Highlights: “Sad but True,” “Crash and Carry,” “Kein Trink Wasser,” “Attached”

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

3/5

Grace Slick is the clear star here. Her voice is so distinct and dramatic and she sings lead on the two major classics, “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” Without those songs, this album would blend in with other (good) psychedelic albums from the era. Those tracks help distinguish this album from the rest. But there are other good songs here too. The quiet, melancholy of “Comin’ Back to Me” grabbed my attention. It slows things down nicely and has some wonderful lyrics. Ooh the guitar instrumental “Embryonic Journey” is great! “Surrealistic Pillow” is a funny title. Some real late-60s psychedelic nonsense. 😆

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

4/5

People have been telling me forever that Thin Lizzy is awesome but I never really believed them. I believe them now. They're awesome! They have a hard rock style that stretches from heavy metal to blues rock and everything in between. “Emerald” even takes an Irish jig melody and turns it into a heavy metal jam - never heard that before! I was feeling pretty down this afternoon and “Still in Love With You” just completely changed the direction of my mood and my day. What a great song and a great performance! Love those guitar solos! And I love that intense drum solo on “Sha-La-La” and the way the crowd joins in by clapping! Really fun to hear the live performances. It's a well-recorded live album and captures the fun and energy of the show. Phil Lynott is a great showman and I enjoyed hearing his intros and banter. I'm probably gonna come back to this in a few months and go, "I shoulda given this one a 5."

Ray Of Light

Madonna

4/5

Great mix of dance pop, bass-heavy club jams, world music and atmospheric electronica. The production is phenomenal and the music isn’t formulaic and cookie-cutter like a lot of pop music today. There’s some really cool choices and instrumentation. The songwriting is very strong too! Man, “Ray of Light” is an incredible song. One of those dance tracks that can turn your living room into a club. Impossible to resist. Highlights for me after the first listen or two: “Swim,” “Ray of Light,” “Candy Perfume Girl,” “Ashanti/Ashtangi”

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

4/5

Such a classic sound. I love how up front the drums are. They sound great. The beats are nice and minimal with just a little piano or keyboard to create a hook. Gives the whole album a loose feel. I haven’t listened to much Wu-Tang in the past so I don’t have the ear yet to pick out who’s rapping on any given verse. But I had the Genius app open for lyrics so I could see who was catching my attention. Ol’ Dirty Bastard is an easy favorite. (Is he everyone’s first favorite from the group?) He has such a fun style. He’s not afraid to get weird and wild. Great performer. GZA’s verse that closes “Protect Ya Neck” stood out to me as well. That piano loop on “C.R.E.A.M.” is so good! Classic beat, classic hook. “7th Chapter - Pt II” has an insane beat. Big energy.

Blur

3/5

More strong Britpop from Blur, this time with an emphasis on guitar rock. I dug the energy but didn’t quite connect with the songs on a first listen. I’ll have to revisit this one. “Song 2” is great! One of those insanely catchy songs that takes on a life of its own and becomes more famous than the band. I didn’t know that song was by Blur.

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

4/5

A delightful album! I didn't think I knew Harry Nilsson but turns out I knew a few of these songs, especially "Coconut" -- such a great, fun song! Lots of strong pop songwriting with a 70's rock sound and a Beatlesque feel to a lot of the songs. Nilsson can write and sing in a variety of styles -- the album kept surprising me by changing tone but I think it holds together nicely as one album. He's a charismatic performer and a joy to listen to. I liked his riffing in the second half of "Early in the Morning," the way he croons the word "crap" at 0:43 on "The Moonbeam Song," and every second of his singing on "Coconut." The 7-minute "Jump Into the Fire" caught me by surprise too. It's a helluva rocker and there's a desperation to his wailing as he tries to convince a lover that they can make each other happy. I'm excited to listen to more Harry Nilsson. With such a diverse collection of great songs on this album, he must have a lot more on other albums too.

The Velvet Underground

5/5

I love this album. It has a gentle, easy-going energy, which is a total left-turn from the first two Velvet Underground albums. The hardest-rocking songs are "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light," which are both relatively mellow (especially compared to the experimental noise rock from the Velvets' previous album "White Light/White Heat"). A number of songs feel like lullabies, like "Candy Says," "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Jesus." They're beautiful songs with understated singing from Lou Reed. Rather than pushing the boundaries of rock like their other albums do, this album focuses on songcraft. The only hint that they were wild experimentalists is the strange psychedelic penultimate track "The Murder Mystery." But if you make it through all 9 minutes of that song (I rarely listen to the whole thing), you're rewarded with the closing track "After Hours," a gem of a song and a personal favorite sung by the drummer Moe Tucker.

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

4/5

Rip-roaring blues rock from one of the best bands to ever do it. Love the long extended jams. You know what this album is perfect for? Cooking. Play it loud, pour a glass of wine and start chopping onions. Dinner will be ready in no time.

Peter Gabriel

3/5

Peter Gabriel is clearly a man with a thousand ideas running through his head. One minute he’s singing in theatrical voices on “Moribund the Burgermeister,” the next he’s crooning on the pop song “Solsbury Hill.” There’s rockers like “Modern Love,” the old-timey throwback “Excuse Me” and multi-part songs like “Slowburn,” where he tries to capture the breadth of his musical interests in one dramatic song. I think it mostly works! It’s certainly interesting to hear him go for it all. At times I found it overblown the same way I do the proggy Genesis albums Gabriel made just before leaving the band. But these songs are more accessible. There seems to be more of an effort to cater to popular genres and styles. Gabriel sounds like he’s having fun too. “Solsbury Hill” is the clear standout. It’s a bright and catchy pop song but it isn’t simplistic or formulaic. Feels like his genius was more focused on this track and the result is a classic song.

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

4/5

I like this album a lot more than “Trans-Europe Express.” The songs have more energy and while they’re definitely still repetitive, they’re paced well. The music develops in satisfying ways and kept my interest. The production is fantastic - very crisp, clean and polished. They must have been meticulous in the studio. Sometimes that kind of production can drain the soul out of the music. Not here. There’s a lot of emotion in the music! I love the rubber band synths on the first two minutes of “Neon Lights.” The album has some nice, playful touches like that. Wow — “Neon Lights” really builds into a stunning song! That melody (is it a processed voice? a synth?) is beautiful. The beat on “The Man Machine” slaps!

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

I have a confession to make. I’m a big Simon & Garfunkel fan but I’ve never loved the track “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The song itself is beautiful but I think it’s overproduced on this album. It’s so dramatic, so big, so loud at the end. I can’t help but wonder if it would have been better to record a simpler, more understated version of the song. The rest of the album is fantastic though. So many great songs. “Cecilia” is one of the catchiest songs Paul Simon ever wrote. And “Keep the Customer Satisfied” almost matches it in its energy. The bossa nova influenced “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” is a wonderful gem of a lullaby. And “The Only Living Boy in New York” is gorgeous. A personal favorite. “The Boxer” and “Baby Driver” are both excellent as well. I just noticed that a lot of these songs are about heartbreak (“Cecilia,” “Why Don’t You Write Me,” “Bye Bye Love”) but they’re disguised as upbeat pop songs. There’s a fun contrast between the lyrics and the music.

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

3/5

Good beats and cool grooves but I occasionally wondered if the album was a little too loose and formless. There are a lot of musical ideas but there aren’t a lot of full-fledged songs. A track like “Black,” for example, has a great hip-hop beat and a catchy hook but feels like it’s missing a rap feature. Other tracks loop a vocal hook over an instrumental for a few minutes but don’t ever develop into a song with verses and choruses. It’s not bad exactly but feels incomplete. There are some strong standout moments though. The singing on “Wildfires” is beautiful, the African funk of “Bow” was a highlight and the closing track “Pray Up Stay Up” has a great vibe.

The Yes Album

Yes

3/5

I like the bright, cheerful energy of these songs. The music is complex and ambitious like a lot of prog-rock but you can also hear the band enjoying themselves on these big, long songs. There’s a looseness in the performances even while the song structures are complex. The band seems to enjoy improvising and a lot of the solos have a spontaneous, even jazzy feel. “I’ve Seen All Good People” is a highlight. It’s the one track I knew and it really stands out here.

Arise

Sepultura

3/5

So tight, so precise, so intense. I love the drumming in particular - there’s a lot of power in the playing but it’s really focused and on point. I can’t imagine how in sync with your bandmates you have to be to pull off music like this. There are some very drastic time signature and tempo changes but every band member clicks into place like a machine. Sepultura has a brutal, punishing style but it’s carefully controlled. I admire the technical precision of the band but one thing holding me back from loving the music is that a lot of songs blur together for me. I’m sure the more I listen to the album, the more the different songs will stand out. But I could use a little more color or personality to distinguish the songs.

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

5/5

There's magic in The Beach Boys' music -- the way their vocal harmonies float in the air, the way bass drums and timpani add drama with a buh-dum-dum. I can't believe I've never listened to this particular album before. I'm loving it. "Do You Wanna Dance" is one of my favorite songs and The Beach Boys' version is one of the definitive takes on it that all other versions get judged against. Something that struck me after listening to the album a few times is how many songs are about male insecurity. On "Good to My Baby," a guy swears that he treats his girl right and that she loves him but it's pretty clear that's not really the case. "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" takes the opposite perspective. An older brother is worried his sister's boyfriend isn't good enough for her. On "Help Me, Rhonda," (a classic) the guy is just using Rhonda as a rebound hookup after getting dumped by his fiancee. The music makes it sound like an upbeat love song but he's really just hurt. Rhonda looks good but he doesn't seem to care about her at all. "She Knows Me Too Well" is a song from the perspective of a jealous man and on "In the Back of My Mind," a man is paranoid his happy relationship will eventually crumble. There are a lot of insecure and unhappy men in these songs. You can put this on in the background and jam out to the music (which I did a few times and loved) but a closer look gives you a deeper (and sadder) experience.

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

4/5

Loose and raw blues rock. The star is obviously Janis Joplin. Such a powerhouse. I can’t believe her voice sounded like this at the age of 25 — so rough and raspy. Great stuff all around. What an album cover. A few things don’t age well on it 😬 but I love the energy of it and how busy it is.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

5/5

Phenomenal. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an album quite like it. It combines such an eclectic mix of styles and somehow sequences them into a cohesive listening experience. Hip-hop is the predominant genre. "Root Down" has some of the best rapping I've heard from The Beastie Boys and the Q-Tip collab "Get It Together" was a highlight. But there's also a lot of hard rock. "Sabotage" is a classic. And I enjoyed the two noisy punk rock tracks, "Tough Guy" and "Heart Attack Man" (this one even turns into midtempo metal sludge for a moment). There's also a ton of jazz and funk infused into the music. (The flute sample on "Sure Shot" is gold. One of those beats I could listen to on loop for hours.) There are some incredible instrumental tracks (like "Futterman's Rule") that combine everything together for some awesome jams. I checked out the album credits, expecting to see a long list of samples and was surprised to find that a large portion of this album features live instrumentation. A little digging shows there’s a fair amount of sampling too but I’m impressed by how much is newly recorded. The Beasties could have been a jazz-rock fusion band if they wanted to!

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Brian Eno

3/5

Experimental and hypnotic, sometimes leaning towards atmospheric electronica, sometimes more focused on grooves and rhythms. I tended to enjoy the rhythmic tracks more, though I think the Eno-produced Talking Heads album "Remain in Light" does that style better. (Wikipedia tells me that "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" was recorded the year before "Remain in Light" but came out the year after that album. That makes sense to me. This feels like the experimenting that led to an even better, more focused album.) The music is fascinating and full of interesting sounds and grooves. But very few of the tracks develop into what I would consider songs. I suppose the album was made in a more of an ambient spirit than a pop one. Still, I wanted more development and structure. Most tracks just do their thing for a few minutes without introducing any new ideas. (I think my favorite was actually “Very, Very Hungry” — it’s the one that sounded most new and strange to me.)

Whatever

Aimee Mann

3/5

I’ve always liked Aimee Mann’s voice. She’s a good lyricist too. This is a solid singer-songwriter album but there wasn’t a lot on it that stood out to me to make me want to return to it anytime soon. There were a few moments where the music took on a full-bodied rock sound (the second half of “Say Anything,” “I Could Hurt You Now”) and I would have liked more of that.

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

4/5

Such a terrific backing band. They’re all very much in sync with each other but they also have a loose, organic style. The music feels alive. And James Brown is an incredible entertainer. The call-and-response portion of “Lost Someone” is fantastic. You can feel the electric energy in the room.

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

4/5

The funk here is absolutely top shelf. Great jazz solos too. The slow jams are gorgeous, though probably a bit too cheesy for me to replay often. “See the Light” is tremendous though! Definitely has that cheese but it’s big and dramatic and features some great playing!

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

2/5

Calm, soothing music but a bit too slow and repetitive for me. Some of the songs build to a big climax but others don't and left me wondering why they were as long as they were. It’s nice music but not for me. I was surprised to hear the rock climax of "Ny batteri" get a little emo-y. Interesting.

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

5/5

Bob Dylan has a lot of great albums in his catalog but this is in the running for his best. The songs are excellent and the arrangements are impeccable. He's backed by some terrific country and blues playing but the band has just enough tasteful restraint to showcase Dylan's singing and songwriting first and foremost. The sequencing and pacing are perfect. "Tangled Up in Blue" is a phenomenal opening track. And the long songs are spread out nicely with the shorter songs. I’ve listened to this album a lot but I don't always pay close attention to the lyrics. His phrasing is always interesting and his singing style is so distinct that you can kick back and enjoy the music of his vocal performance without knowing exactly what any given song is about. But the lyrics are great! The storytelling songs are packed with memorable details. And the more direct first-person songs capture heartbreak and divorce with honesty and humility. Listening to the album is definitely a melancholy experience but I don't find it depressing or dreary. There's a catharsis in hearing him sing about his regrets and loss. And that catharsis feels good. (Of course I say this now, while I'm in a very happy place in my life. The day I'm faced with heartbreak and loss, I'm sure these songs will wreck me.) “Idiot Wind” is an incredible, epic breakup song. One of those songs you hope nobody every writes about you. This part stood out to me: "You hurt the ones that I love best And cover up the truth with lies One day you'll be in the ditch Flies buzzing around your eyes Blood on your saddle" Oof. What a way to say 'one day you'll get what's coming to you.'

School's Out

Alice Cooper

3/5

This album has an interesting sound. Hard rock brushes up against jazzy theatricality. The banger “School’s Out” is followed a few tracks later by a cover from the West Side Story soundtrack. 😂 And on “Alma Mater,” Alice Cooper sounds like he’s imitating Paul McCartney. I never realized that the school blows up in “School’s Out.” I wonder if the song is meant to be a little more radical than just a first day of summer anthem.

Faust IV

Faust

4/5

“Krautrock” is a stunning opener. Noisy (but beautiful) soundscapes that gradually shift and change over the course of nearly 12 minutes. There’s a steady pulse maintained throughout which gives the piece focus. I found it mesmerizing. “Giggy Smile” is a standout as well. The track begins with some playful psychedelic pop before shifting into a free jazz sax solo. Then it morphs into an epic jam that straddles the line between psychedelia and noise rock. There are a lot of overlapping layers in this last stretch but the music still feels playful even as it gets experimental. Incredible! Those two tracks feel like the major achievements here. The album is rounded out by a mix of experimental pop and rock and overall reminded me of The Velvet Underground at their most avant-garde. I’m very interested to hear more Faust.

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

5/5

I adore this album. From the epic opening one-two punch of dance jams “Zero” and “Heads Will Roll” to the quiet bedroom pop of “Little Shadow,” this is an exceptionally well-rounded and sequenced album. I have a strong nostalgic attachment to this album too. I played it a ton in college (working at the radio station, it was one of those albums all the DJs got excited about) and Dree and I listened to it a lot together in our early months of dating. But aside from my own emotional attachment, there’s no denying this album is excellent. It’s filled with big hooks, big emotions, hard rock and dance songs (I love the sexy electro-funk of “Dragon Queen”), alongside more tender moments (I totally forgot about “Hysteric” until it came on and it just totally overwhelmed me with emotions - such a great love song). One of my all-time favorite album covers too.

Achtung Baby

U2

5/5

My favorite U2 album. It’s packed with great songs. There are plenty of the dramatic and cinematic songs U2 is best known for, along with songs that lean more toward alt-rock and even a dash of funk. “Mysterious Ways” is my fav U2 song too. Excellent album cover - captures the energy of the music.

We're Only In It For The Money

The Mothers Of Invention

1/5

I've heard about Frank Zappa for a long time and wondered what the best entry point is for his music. This wasn't it for me. Impish and experimental, the album makes fun of 60's culture and music. I'm sure this felt radical at the time but it feels like a relic now. There aren't enough standout moments to elevate it beyond being a curiosity of the era. "What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?" was my favorite. Absurd and goofy and parodies 60's R&B very well, but it's real goal is to shake you out of your mundane existence and tell you that your life is a lie. I think that's the goal of the whole album but this was the only time that message really clicked and worked for me.

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

3/5

One of the more laidback classic rock albums on this list so far. A little bit country, a little bit bluesy, some Beatles influence and a dash of reggae (even before "I Shot the Sheriff," which is a solid cover). Easygoing, approachable and enjoyable.

Parallel Lines

Blondie

5/5

Fantastic. Equal parts punk and pop, with a fun, breezy energy. The album cuts are excellent and “One Way Or Another,” “Sunday Girl” and “Heart of Glass” are absolute classics. Especially “Heart of Glass” — that’s one of those magic songs that sounds like nothing else. The backing vocals throughout the album are really playful. They added fun details to a lot of these songs. I feel like the more I listen to this, the more I’m going to love it so I’m smashing the 5 on this one.

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

5/5

Excellent. I love Thelonious Monk but this was my first time for this album. Monk’s playing is fantastic and the whole band is in sync with his off-kilter, stop-and-start style. Really fun to hear them play around the melody. I love in a live jazz performance when you hear the applause after a solo. This is a studio recording but some of these solos are so good, it feels wrong not to hear clapping after them. I found myself quietly applauding a bunch while listening on headphones.

Dire Straits

4/5

Bluesy country twang with a relaxed, laidback vibe. I dig it and I could see myself really digging it with time. “Sultans of Swing” is a classic too. Highlights: “Setting Me Up,” “Sultans of Swing,” “In the Gallery”

Ramones

4/5

The Ramones are always a pleasure. Simple and pure punk. The opening three songs are classics and the rest of the album has a lot of good songs too. By the midsection, it starts to get repetitive. But how you can get mad at these guys? They rip through 14 songs in 29 minutes. Maybe they could have spent more time writing more varied music but then they probably wouldn’t have captured lightning in a bottle like they did here. Two details I loved on this album: - The way he pronounces the ‘r’ in massacre on “Chain Saw” (“massa-cree!”) - That heavy metal riff on “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue” at 0:34

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

4/5

Todd Rundgren is definitely an artist who contains multitudes. This is an eclectic album with a lot of different styles on it. Side 1 is particularly strong - a fantastic batch of pop songs with “I Saw the Light” leading the pack. From there, the album is more eclectic and there are a few tracks I could have done without ("Song of the Viking," for example). It starts to feel more like some of the other 60's/70's rock albums we've had on this list, where the artist throws every weird idea they had onto the album. But there’s a lot of good stuff too, including a fair amount of hard rock. The rocker "Black Maria" is a highlight. Man, “Slut” is a weird closing track. Great energy but don’t love those lyrics. 😬 Overall, really enjoyed this one and I’m especially looking forward to revisiting the opening stretch of songs.

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

CCR are awesome. This album has some loose and bluesy jams, and some ripping rock n roll. Great example of everything that makes them great. Sweet album cover too.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

5/5

I was hoping we’d get a Christmas album on this list! This is my favorite Christmas album and I’m very happy to see it here. I love the drummer on this album. On some of these songs, I wonder if anybody told him what song he was playing. He goes so hard. Listen to his drum fills on “Frosty the Snowman” — he’s so intense! I love that. Really ups the energy. Great selection of songs, all beautifully arranged and produced (many of them are over the top but just so good). A bunch of these are among the best versions of these songs. A+ all around. ❄️🎄⛄️💯

The Blueprint

JAY Z

5/5

I like to rate rappers in three main categories: lyrics, technical skills and performance. Jay-Z is a very good lyricist and his technical skills are excellent but the category he most shines in is performance. There's never any question who you're listening to when he's on a song. He has one of the most recognizable voices in music and he infuses his verses with personality and humor. I'd have a hard time naming a more charismatic rapper. This album has gotta be his best. He's at the height of his popularity here and he doesn't take it for granted, though he does sound relaxed. He's enjoying himself in a way that I find infectious. On a great Jay-Z album like this one, I end up smiling and laughing a lot. The beats are fantastic too. Great use of sampling with big, catchy hooks that make this accessible as a pop album. Sometimes the beats are so good that it can be hard to focus on Jay-Z's rapping. You can get lost in the greatness of the music. Which brings me to the elephant in the room. Kanye produced a third of this album and those tracks are all phenomenal. I haven't listened to any Kanye music since his bizarre appearance on the Alex Jones show a few weeks ago and I've been avoiding it. I figured this would be a good way to test the waters since he's mostly in the background. But man, "Never Change" made me feel sad. The best is so quintessentially Kanye -- chopped up soul samples with hard-hitting drums. It reminds me why I fell in love with his music. Listening to it again was like hearing a voicemail from a friend I've lost touch with. There's an unresolved tension for me with Kanye though. It's upsetting to hear music that I love and to think about what's happened to the man that made it. But I also don't fully understand what's happened to him. Have we finally lost him completely? And what have we lost him to? Right-wing extremism? Mental illness? Was he always despicable, deep down? The story doesn't feel like it's over yet, for better or worse, which leaves me in a weird place when revisiting his music. I can't quite compartmentalize my feelings yet. It feels too soon to be able to separate how awful I feel when I think about him from the joy his music has given me over the years. But revisiting this album at least reassured me that I wasn't wrong about how great he was. "Takeover" goes so hard, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" is one of the greatest pop-rap songs of all-time and "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" is still one of the songs I'd play for someone who thinks they don't like rap to convince them they're wrong. Those songs, combined with the other hits on the album make this a classic in my book. Side note: Jay-Z's use of the other f-bomb at 0:24 on "Heart of the City" feels late for that word. It's an unfortunate fact that a lot of old-school rap tosses the word around but I was surprised to hear it here on an album from 2001.

The Next Day

David Bowie

4/5

Solid, muscular rock from David Bowie near the end of his career. You can hear echoes of his past music but it doesn’t feel nostalgic. Overall a strong batch of songs. The inclusion of horns on a lot of these tracks is awesome. “If You Can See Me” is a really good one. That menacing bass (or is it a synth?) is fantastic.

All Directions

The Temptations

3/5

A mix of sweet and pure soul along with some edgier funk. Everything is smooth and beautifully produced. I liked it.

Stankonia

OutKast

5/5

What an overwhelming album. A wild fusion of hip-hop and funk that sounds like nothing else. And it’s a big album too. The chorus of “Gasoline Dreams” is incredible - such a hard beat, such a catchy hook. “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Ms. Jackson” are fantastic - insanely catchy songs that have reached a higher level in the culture (and still sound great after 1000 listens). Jeez, “B.O.B.” moves at such a breakneck speed. The music morphs and changes throughout while André 3000 and Big Boi spit rapid-fire. And those are just the major tracks. There’s a ton of inventive music here from hard-hitting rap to more playful and goofy songs. A weird, eccentric, awesome album.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

3/5

The music has a rough, alt-rock edge in the production but underneath the songs are good-hearted power pop. I enjoyed the music but didn’t love the lead vocals, but I think that’s just a matter of taste. Awful album cover 😬 😂

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

3/5

I’ve previously known Gil Scott-Heron to be more of a spoken word poet but he has a very nice, expressive singing voice here. And he’s accompanied by some terrific jazz piano/keyboard. The album has a calming, soothing sound. (“The Bottle” is a jam though!) Ooh “H2Ogate Blues” is great — this is the Gil Scott-Heron I’m more familiar with. I love how loose the performance is. So funny (sad, really) how much of this still rings true today. I don’t know every Watergate reference he drops here but it reminds me of the scandals within scandals that I used to follow so closely when Trump was in office.

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

5/5

Fantastic. "Song for Sathima" is so sad and beautiful. And the melody kept surprising me with where it went. The players interact with and contrast each other in interesting, surprising way. Like the bassist who sounds like he's playing these little fragments of scales almost removed from what everyone else is playing. But it fits into the larger picture. The bass is awesome throughout -- it sounds almost funky on "Mannenberg Revisited." I like that the bass is upfront in the mix. Sometimes it can be hard to hear the bass solo in jazz but not here. There's a lot of creative, inspired playing throughout the album. The solos feel untamed. I was surprised to learn that the band leader is the pianist because that's the instrument I noticed the least on a first listen. I'm looking forward to playing to this album more and listening for him.

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

4/5

Excellent country rock. Great, clean production. I’m picking up Bruce vibes on a lot of these songs. “Little Rock ‘n’ Roller” is such a sweet, heartbreaking song!

Kimono My House

Sparks

3/5

Wild stuff. This album went by in a blur. Sounds like the product of a band equally obsessed with rock, musical theater and music theory. The songs rocket along, always with a lot going on, but there’s a cheerful theatricality that lightens the busy music. I’m not sure I’ve found my way into the music in terms of enjoying it yet but I do respect its madness.

Moon Safari

Air

4/5

Jazzy, vibey music with an electronic pulse. But there’s live instrumentation as often as there are electronics — there’s even an orchestra on some tracks! Only a few songs sound like a product of the 90’s. I don’t think I would have guessed the time period of lot of these songs if I didn’t already know. Highlights: “La femme d’argent,” “Sexy Boy,” “Talisman”

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

4/5

Juvenile, ridiculous and a ton of fun. Definitely one of those albums where they captured lightning in a bottle. Their goofy lyrics and signature shouted vocals are only part of the equation though. The music is fantastic and a lot of the credit for that goes to producer Rick Rubin (though the Beasties are credited as producers too). Crisp, hard-hitting drums, blasts of fiery electric guitar and a lot of fun sampling. Some of the samples are just long enough to register in your brain but too short to figure out what they're from. It's almost a game to try and guess them. (The closing track "Time to Get Ill" goes wild with that.) "Fight for Your Right" and "No Sleep till Brooklyn" are mega hits and personal favorites but there's a bunch of other great songs here. The album is pretty close to being a masterpiece but some of the childish lyrics hold it back a little for me. Still, it's definitely a classic and I had fun revisiting it. Jeez, so many White Castle references. Between that, Budweiser and Chef Boyardee, I hope they got paid for the product placement.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

5/5

Tom Waits is a one-of-a-kind artist and a favorite of mine who I don't listen to enough. I wasn't very familiar with this album but it's excellent. There's a lot of different blues, folk and jazz styles here, all played exceptionally well and infused with his unique style. The music is full of minor chords and off-kilter rhythms to match the odd, disturbed lyrics. And his vocal performance is always bold. He has an incredible range. All the songs are great but here's a handful of favorites: - "16 Shells from a 30.6" (Awesome stripped down blues rock) - "In the Neighborhood" (What kind of style is this? A march? I love his singing here. It's rough but also triumphant and beautiful.) - "Frank's Wild Years" (Hilarious and bizarre spoken word story) - "Swordfishtrombones" (So many interesting lyrics here) - "Trouble's Braids" (Whoa! What even is this? Amazing energy) - "Rainbirds" (A stunning, jazzy finale)

Crocodiles

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

Awesome energy. This is definitely up my alley. I’ll have to play it a few more times to pay more attention to the songs but I love the performances and the style. The horns that come in on “Happy Death Men” were a surprise. I wish more songs on the album had stuff like that. Feels like a bonus treat on an overall strong album.

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

4/5

The Kinks are great because their songs are colorful and filled with details that make them distinct. Every song feels like it has its own personality. The concept of this album is ambitious - “The Decline and Fall of the British Empire” - but the lyrics don’t get in the way of the music. Ray Davies is too good of a pop songwriter for that. You can ignore the words and still have a great time listening to this album. But the lyrics (that I caught on the first listen) elevate the songs even more. I’ll have to pay more attention to them in the future. Fun listen from front to back.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

4/5

Excellent. Sarah Vaughan is a wonderful singer and she sounds very relaxed and comfortable on stage here. I like that the recording leaves in the loose and candid moments too. Like when she jokes that she messed up “Willow Weep For Me,” or when she confesses she doesn’t know the words to “How High the Moon.” Great backing band. The pianist (Jimmy Jones) in particular caught my attention a bunch.

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

4/5

Oasis are a fun band. They clearly pride themselves on delivering premium rock: loud guitars, big energy, plenty of attitude. But at the core of their songs there’s always a seed of a catchy melody. Good pop songwriting and singalong choruses are just as important to them as blaring feedback and guitar solos. They clearly worship The Beatles; aside from an explicit reference to “Yellow Submarine” on “Supersonic,” there are little moments here and there that remind me of other Beatles songs. Also Liam Gallagher kinda sounds like John Lennon sometimes. Ok so here’s my funny line about Oasis: You know how you get a Coke bottle sometimes and it says ‘Made from 40% recycled plastics’? Oasis makes music from 40% recycled rock songs. Listen to the beginning of “Cigarettes and Alcohol” — they totally rip off the opening riff of T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong.” A bunch of times throughout this album I thought, ‘Ooh that reminds me of something,’ but for some reason I give them a free pass when they copy other artists. It feels playful when they do it. They drop in a melody or chord progression from another song but then change it up and do something different with it. It triggers a memory in my brain, makes me smile and that nostalgic feeling for classic rock transfers onto their music. Oasis are rock star pros. They know what they’re doing. (Btw, I love how he sounds drunk on “Cigarettes and Alcohol” - that’s a fun touch.)

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

4/5

Excellent, jazzy rap. Fantastic beats on every song. The production is really crisp and clean. I was convinced there was a lot of newly recorded live instrumentation on this but looking at the credits, there doesn’t seem to be much. I’m impressed that the sampling is clean enough that the music sounds like a live band in the studio. The album also closes with “Scenario,” one of my all-time favorite rap songs and probably a top 100 song of any genre. Such a fun jam. Busta Rhymes’ verse is classic.

Scum

Napalm Death

3/5

Brutal. Savage. Relentless. Definitely the kind of music I respect more than I enjoy. But man, wild stuff. "Human Garbage" was a favorite. It starts out with that fun punk drumming and then devolves into anarchy and noise before morphing into a heavy metal riff. And all in a minute and a half! Holy shit the guy who takes over vocals on the second half of the album (Lee Dorrian) is insane. I already thought the vocals on the first half occasionally sounded like a barking dog but he sounds like a rabid dog on "Success." And the 1 second long song "You Suffer." Hahah you gotta love it. Taking a closer look at the album cover and noticing the corporate logos on the bottom. I wish I could understand more of the vocals on these songs. I think understanding the political rage of the lyrics would be the key for me in terms of getting into this a little more.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

5/5

I learned about Hugh Masekela a few years ago and I’ve been loving him. Great music to put on while relaxing on a Sunday. There's a lot of playful music here, some really sweet and tender melodies and other tracks that are just flat-out beautiful. And all-around sublime playing from the whole band. Hugh Masekela is incredible -- he absolutely shreds on the title track! The singing on the last track “Ingoo Pow-Pow” is wild! I love that. Personal fun fact: One of the most fun things about planning our wedding was picking out all the music and our DJs gave us a worksheet to fill out so we could choose songs for all the major moments that call for music. For the entrance of the bridal party at the start of the reception I picked Hugh Masekela's version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (not on this album but highly recommended). It's such a fun, high energy version of that song.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

4/5

Man, Little Richard is wild. A few of these tracks feel like the studio can barely contain his voice. His range is really impressive too. I thought there was a woman singing guest vocals on “Baby” at first but no, it’s him. So “Tutti Frutti” is about sex? It’s gotta be, right? Hearing it with adult ears for the first time and realizing that 😂

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

3/5

Excellent funk (with some ultra-smooth R&B too). Some songs have a bit of an edge but they somehow still sound laid back. A few of these tracks were sampled by hip-hop artists later, or have a certain sound that was copied, like the whiny synth at 3:35 on "Sunshine (Go Away Today)" that sounds like something off of Dr. Dre's "The Chronic."

Beyond Skin

Nitin Sawhney

3/5

Interesting mix of styles. There's some drum 'n' bass type electronic music but also bits of jazz, classical and Indian music. My favorites were the rhythmic, dance-influenced tracks, especially when they added in Indian vocals. Whoa, “The Conference” is amazing — I’ve never heard vocals like that before haha. Incredible!

Pictures At An Exhibition

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

4/5

Greg Lake has a beautiful voice. His singing on “The Sage” is gorgeous. Damn those drums that come in half way through “The Old Castle” have power! I almost wasn’t into this. But this is actually pretty sweet. That bass line riff is really hooking me. I was skeptical about this album at first -- I thought it might be a little pretentious or something. But I ended up enjoying a bunch of songs. It definitely feels a little dated in parts and some of the synth solos can be a tad grating but these guys can really rock when they all groove together! Track 8, “The Hut of Baba Yaga,” really captured that energy for me. Some head banging jamming there.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

2/5

Similar to the Sparks album we had a few weeks ago, I think it's safe to say the members of Madness are brilliant. These are complex songs with a lot of layers and surprising turns. But complexity is rarely the friend of pop music. I can appreciate the band’s craft from a distance but the songs were too busy and complicated for me to get into, at least on a first listen. I'm sure repeated listens would open up the album more. I usually like this kind of Kinks-y British pop but I didn’t connect to this album. "Our House" is a jam though! I know it from the Maxwell House coffee ads 😂: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKuOQSQj9OI Last track was good too - a nice, straightforward jazzy number.

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

3/5

A strong singer-songwriter album of Beatlesesque pop. I tended to enjoy the songs with a full band sound the most. Highlights: “Son of Sam,” “Junk Bond Trader,” “Stupidity Tries,” “Bye” (beautiful little instrumental to end the album)

...And Justice For All

Metallica

4/5

The more metal I listen to from this list, the more obvious Metallica’s incredible musicianship becomes. They’re operating at a higher level. Really intricate, beautiful music. They have an intense hard rock style but it’s not just brute force. There’s real craft behind these songs. You know me, I’m always attracted to the drums on an album. And jeez! These drums sound insane! That extra bass kick in there is so powerful. And the guitar solos! Some epic, stadium rock, guitar hero shit here! 🎸🔥 Wow - that transition from the melodic intro of “To Live is to Die” to the opening riff is really something! The whole song is stunning. I like Metallica though I probably respect their music more than I love it at the moment. But it's all new to me and I look forward to listening to more. Excellent album overall.

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

3/5

Cool post-punk with an Iggy Pop influence on a few tracks. I really like the rough, jangly guitars and the loose style of the band. Some of the songwriting gets repetitive though (there’s a few too many songs that chant a refrain over and over again). I like the sound but I’m not sure the songs drew me in enough for repeat listens.

Picture Book

Simply Red

4/5

Ooh I've never heard of this group before but I'm loving it. The lead singer (Mick Hucknall) has an incredible voice. I was definitely surprised when I googled him and saw what he looked like haha - not what I expected. “Come to My Aid” and “Look at You Now” are jams! The album has some good cheesy 80’s pop, some jazzy songs and some Michael Jackson-style funk. Also a smooth cover of Talking Heads’ “Heaven.” “Jericho” was a highlight too.

Back In Black

AC/DC

4/5

At its best, the album is terrific fun. Big hooks, big energy and a wild wail from lead singer Brian Johnson. Their sound distills the 70s hard rock / heavy metal sound down to its most essential elements and turns up the volume. “Hells Bells,” “Back in Black” and “You Shook Me All Night Long” are classics that have taken over classic rock radio and defined the genre. At its worst, the album is juvenile and misogynistic. “What Do You Do For Money Honey” is nasty and mean. And “Givin the Dog a Bone” and “Let Me Put My Love Into You” are are goofy enough to be Spinal Tap songs. A lot of the other songs just copy the formula of the hits and the album gets a bit repetitive. But I’m sure I didn’t do this any favors by listening on headphones. This is a ‘blast it in the backyard’ album. These are songs built to scream out of car windows down the highway. This is rock and roll, best not to overthink it. The final line says it all: “Rock and roll is just rock and roll!” How can you argue with that?

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

Hard rock with a hippie spirit. Bluesy, psychedelic and just impossibly cool. I don't give enough credit to the Jimi Hendrix Experience for being one of the greatest rock bands of all time. They're fantastic. There are some production effects that are a little dated on here -- quick panning from left to right, a rough filter on his voice or guitar -- but I kind of like them. They achieve the effect of snapping me into the present moment and making me listen to the song a little more closely. The production could be cleaner but would the music still have that loose, wild spirit? "Little Wing" is a great psychedelic jam. I also really like “She’s So Fine” - great drumming and cool to have one of the other guys sing lead on one song. And "Bold as Love" is a fantastic bluesy closer. Honestly, I’ve listened to this a few times over the weekend and keep finding songs I love. Great album.

Illmatic

Nas

5/5

A classic and a personal favorite. The beats are fantastic -- the drumming is so tight and crisp. And the bits of piano melodies and sampling give each song a distinct emotional tone. Nas' rapping is phenomenal. He set a high-water mark with this album that only a few rappers have been able to match or top since. He sounds tough-as-nails but the lyrics are smart and uplifting (in addition to a healthy amount of tough guy braggadocio). His flow is impeccable -- not lightning fast but steady and relentless. A lot of complex rhyme schemes too. "N.Y. State of Mind" is an incredible first song (after the intro), especially considering that this is his first album. What an opening statement! The beat is just ridiculously cool. "Life's a Bitch" is a favorite and probably a top 50 song for me. Just gorgeous. AZ's opening verse is classic. The jazzy beat must have inspired him because his performance is very musical. And I just learned that that's Nas' father playing the cornet at the end. I love that. "Oo-oo-ooh!" Love that soulful vocal sample on "Memory Lane." The record scratching at the end is great too. Beautiful album cover. A lot of rappers have put their baby pictures on their album covers since but the sepia tone coloring here captures a nostalgic feeling. The blurry car in motion adds tension to the image too. Really great.

Django Django

3/5

Cheerful modern psychedelic pop. I hear some 60's influences, including The Beach Boys here and there, in addition to more recent influences like Animal Collective. I dig it. I’ll keep this band on the back burner and listen to more of them. I appreciate a band that goes out of their way to make every song sound unique. I also like when an album cover immediately signals what kind of music this is going to be. —— I get a kick out of how yesterday’s album was Nas’ “Illmatic” featuring “Life’s a Bitch” and today we have an album with a song called “Life’s a Beach.” (And personal fun fact: the first screenplay I ever wrote was called “Life’s a Beach” — it wasn’t very good but that phrase will always hold a special place in my heart.)

Elastica

3/5

Short punk songs that take cues from Blondie (the melodies and hooks are just as important as the volume of the guitars). A lot of the vocals have that bored, disaffected tone that's in vogue with some indie bands now (Wet Leg and Dry Cleaning are two that come to mind). Cool to hear a band from the 90's doing it. I'm sure there were even others who did it before Elastica. They have some range too. I was surprised to hear the psychedelic vibes of "Indian Song."

A Night At The Opera

Queen

5/5

Few bands have such a distinct personality and style as Queen. But their style is actual pretty wide-ranging and all of it is on display on "A Night at the Opera." There are shimmering pop songs ("You're My Best Friend"), gorgeous ballads ("Love of My Life"), hard rock bangers ("Sweet Lady") and playful old-timey ditties that feel like musical cosplaying ("Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" and "Seaside Rendezvous"). And it all comes crashing together in stunning rock god glory on "Bohemian Rhapsody." Just a tremendous, huge song that's still a blast to listen to after hearing it countless times. Freddie Mercury is one of the greatest singers of any genre and his incredible, practically otherworldly skills are perfectly showcased here. There's no song quite like it. Although actually, "The Prophet's Song" similarly swings for the fences. An epic, 8-minute (and admittedly self-indulgent) prog-rock song, it's not as effective as "Bohemian Rhapsody" but it's still pretty awesome. Also, "I'm in Love With My Car" is an underrated Queen song. Such a killer, heavy song, and it's about dumping your girlfriend for your car. Hahah definitely one of their funniest songs. And drummer Roger Taylor is a solid rock singer too. The other gem here is "'39," a beautiful, folky Brian May song. (And I just learned from Wikipedia that it's a science-fiction song about space travel?? Fascinating.)

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

4/5

Nobody plays blues rock quite like The Doors. Something about the tone of their guitars and keyboards infuses the music with a dark psychedelic energy. I love it. The highlights here are the rockin' "Roadhouse Blues" and the funky high-energy "Peace Frog." I also liked the serene "Blue Monday." The rest of the album is a fun, unpretentious set of The Doors doing their Doors thing. Really enjoyable.

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

I’ve never heard funk that’s this laidback and relaxed. The music has some funky licks and beats but it’s closer to the soul of Marvin Gaye or Al Green then Curtis Mayfield’s own “Superfly.” The music is beautiful and puts a spotlight on Mayfield’s voice.

Eternally Yours

The Saints

3/5

Never heard of The Saints but they’re good. The tone of “Memories Are Made of This” surprised me. Love that bass line - it’s more complex than I was expecting for an early punk album. There’s a nice mix of songs like that and more typical riff-driven 70s punk. Even the straight punk songs often have details that distinguish them, like the bluesy harmonica wail on “Run Down.” There’s a Stonesy energy on a lot of these songs.

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

5/5

One of the things I love about Sabbath is how well they move together as a band. They understand the power of starting quiet before getting loud, or slowing down before they pick up the pace again. It makes for great drama. They also love changing styles mid-song. They can shift from charging heavy metal to swinging rock and back. “War Pigs” is a top 100 song for me. Absolutely incredible and I love the righteous anger of its anti-war message. “Paranoid” and “Iron Man” are among the best rock songs ever too. Honestly though, there isn’t a bad song on this album. Amazing all around. This has gotta be the worst album cover for a great album though. Just awful haha — what was the concept? (Wikipedia says the cover was designed when the album was going to be titled "War Pigs" but honestly that might even be worse.)

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

4/5

I love how much Alice Cooper revels in his performances. He wails, he yells, he screams. He sometimes assumes a persona that I can only describe as a satanic court jester. Not every song on this album is great but man oh man, Alice Cooper gives every song his all. I love the glam rock drama of "Hello Hooray." It's a great opener. "Billion Dollar Babies" was another highlight. It's weird and manic and packed with ripping guitar solos. And of course "No More Mr. Nice Guy" is a classic. Really fun. I also liked "Generation Landslide."

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

3/5

Good straightforward blues. The deep timbre of his voice is impressive, though his singing is mostly pretty understated. Starting with the Santana collaboration makes sense but also makes me want to hear more Santana guitar. I liked the guitar plucking on “Rockin’ Chair.” Not sure I’ve heard something quite like that before. It gets a little chaotic each time but then he snaps it back into place.

Aja

Steely Dan

5/5

One of the things I love most about Steely Dan is their lyrics. Very few of their songs are what you'd call traditional love songs. More often they write character sketches or social satire (and there's plenty of songs I've heard 100 times but still have no clue what they're about). The album "Aja" would at first seem to be the exception to this rule. Three of the seven songs are named after women. But when you dig into the lyrics, "Peg" (which has a great funky groove) is about a guy pining over a movie star. And "Josie" (which opens with that strangely menacing minor key intro) is about a woman whose return home sparks an all-night party and features this incredible description: "She's the raw flame / The live wire / She prays like a Roman with her eyes on fire." And the epic, 8-minute title track, which seems to be a pretty clear love song, spends more time on cryptic details like "Chinese music under banyan trees / Here at the dude ranch above the sea" than it does describing the actual woman that the song is supposedly about. But while trying to figure out what Steely Dan songs are about is definitely fun, it's not the best part about listening to Steely Dan. It's the music, man. This album is full of stellar jazz solos, including a ton of awesome guitar playing. I also love the sax solo at 4:42 on "Aja" played by special guest star Wayne Shorter, a jazz legend, and how the drums go absolutely berserk behind him. Such an awesome moment. Steely Dan get a lot of credit for pushing rock into jazzy territory. But here they play jazz that absolutely rocks. Even though the Dan didn't write a lot of love songs, so much of their music is romantic in the more classical sense of the word. Take, for example, the chorus of "Deacon Blues," which is often cited as being quintessentially Steely Dan because it's dark and twisted: "Learn to work the saxophone / I play just what I feel / Drink scotch whisky all night long / And die behind the wheel." It's an undeniably romantic fantasy: playing jazz, staying up late and dying in a blaze of glory. Steely Dan may not have written a lot of love songs but all their songs are love letters to the music.

World Clique

Deee-Lite

5/5

Every morning I check the genre of the album of the day to see if it’s a workout album or a “dishes and laundry” album. This is a fantastic workout album and a great way to start the day. Nothing but great beats, catchy hooks and positive energy. You could put it on at a party and listen to it front to back. Definitely putting this one in high rotation.

Drunk

Thundercat

2/5

Vibey electro-jazz fusion. I always respect an artist who makes exactly the kind of art they want to make. But I don’t connect much to this. Maybe as background music for a smoke sesh. Even then I’m not sure though. Wow the Michael McDonald feature on “Show You the Way” surprised me haha Kendrick Lamar snaps things into focus on “Walk on By.” This is fascinating music for a hip-hop beat. But with Thundercat singing lead vocals on most songs, I get a little lost. I don’t love his high-pitched breathy vocals. I’ve listened to Flying Lotus in the past. He coproduced most of this album but I like his solo stuff better — it’s all manic beats and free jazz energy, and mostly instrumental. The vocals on this Thundercat album add a certain cheese to the music that I don’t love. He’s a sick bass player though. A lot of great bass lines on the album. Pharrell’s part on “The Turn Down” was good too. Fantastic album cover.

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

“Lively Up Yourself” is a lovely opener. Bluesy with jazzy horns. “No Woman, No Cry” is of course a classic. So touching. So catchy. Nice to hear it in its original studio version here. (Also, I learned recently that Bob Marley gave songwriting credit of this song to a friend of his who ran a soup kitchen so that the soup kitchen would always have a source of income. How incredible is that?!) I’m noticing that a lot of these songs have a blues influence. Overall strong album and an excellent example of the genre, especially with its political lyrics. Love the backing vocals throughout too.

The Specials

2/5

They have a light, unpretentious energy but I’m not crazy about ska in general and this isn’t a strong batch of songs. The only song that stood out to me was "A Message to You Rudy." It's got a great, easy vibe. Very catchy too.

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

Really strong album with a great mix of alt-rock styles. They’ve got plenty of punk riffs and an impish sense of humor. And man, these guys can really unleash some stadium-sized hard rock too (like on “Black Diamond” -- apparently a Kiss cover). But at the heart of it all is strong songwriting. Lead singer Paul Westerberg has some wail! One of those voices that makes me think, “How does he perform like that without hurting himself?”

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

4/5

This is delightful. I’m thoroughly charmed. I guess they’re a punk band (sometimes) but they’ve got a Stonesy rock swagger (especially when the horns come in). They’re very comfortable reaching into every corner of rock for sounds that fit the song at hand. I was consistently surprised by the instrumentation and tonal shifts. I love the riff on “On a Rope.” I think I’ve heard it before somewhere but man it rocks. Big, bold, brash and fun. Occasionally the vocals were a little grating but I still respect the swagger of this band.

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

4/5

Just wonderful. This is my first time listening to Buddy Holly. The music feels pitched between an older 50’s style and a rougher rock sound. This is a great batch of catchy songs. The recordings capture the fun that Buddy Holly and the band clearly had in the studio. “Oh Boy!,” “Not Fade Away” and “Maybe Baby” were the highlights for me.

Be

Common

5/5

🙌🙌🙌 This was one of my favorite albums in college when I was getting into hip-hop. I can close my eyes and picture walking through campus listening to this on headphones, iPod in my pocket. Common is a joy to listen to but Kanye’s production is the star here. He pairs soft-focus soul with tight, crisp drums, a perfect complement for Common’s buttery voice and smooth flow. (Ooh and there’s some killer use of vocoder on a few tracks!) A ton of great songs. The album flows beautifully. A solid 4 but the nostalgia factor puts it in 5 territory for me. After Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint,” this list has been doing a great job of slowly reintroducing Kanye music back into my life. I had a great time listening to this today.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

5/5

This is Kanye's first album and I still think it's the best showcase for his rapping. He went on to make even better overall albums and albums I enjoy even more but he clearly had something to prove on this one and it features some of his best lyrics. His vocal performances are also brimming with charisma and energy. I love how he doesn't just rap -- every verse is a full performance, emphasizing the emotions, underlining the jokes and finding fun games to play within the rhymes. He has a big, over-the-top style. There's no mistaking him on a song. And of course you could listen to this and just enjoy his production work. Man, I still can't believe how good "Jesus Walks" is. It's so layered. There are so many classic tracks on here ("All Falls Down," "Jesus Walks," "Get Em High," "Breath In Breathe Out," and "School Spirit" are my favorites) that I can easily forgive the supremely stupid (but also pretty funny) "Workout Plan," the self-indulgent closer "Last Call," and the dumb skits about the guy with all his degrees. ---- I've written on here already about how I felt conflicted approaching the music of one of my all-time favorites after, you know, he declared his love for Nazis. 🙄 I hope he gets help. I hope he makes music again. But either way, I've decided that I have too many good memories listening to his music that I won't let anyone take that away from me. Not even the guy that made it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

5/5

A classic and a personal favorite. The best of the early Beatles albums. Nice and short, with tight songwriting. The song "A Hard Day's Night" is one of my favorites. I relate to the lyrics -- that feeling when you've been working hard and you're exhausted and the only thing you need at the end of the day is love and attention. I love how in addition to sweet love songs, there are flashes of jealousy in the lyrics too. Similar to the Beach Boys album we had on this list, "The Beach Boys Today!" which came out a year after this, there are moments where the speaker of the song reveals his insecurity and lashes out at his girl (like on "You Can't Do That"). John Lennon in particular seems interested in capturing the good and the bad of new relationships. I also love this late turn "If I Fell": "So I hope you see that I Would love to love you And that she will cry When she learns we are two" What a thing to say to a girl!

Pornography

The Cure

3/5

Sometimes with these 80's post-punk bands, I feel like I'd enjoy the music more if I was a little high in a dimly lit concert venue, watching the band perform live. It's a bit gloomy for my everyday listening. I need to be in a space where I can be immersed in and surrounded by the music. We've had two other Cure albums so far and sometimes I think they focus more on mood and energy than songwriting. But what a mood!

The Visitors

ABBA

2/5

I was lukewarm on this one. I liked the first few songs, which were mostly upbeat synth pop. (The spiky high-pitched synth on “Head Over Heels” was cool.) But starting around track 5, the album lost me and not as much stood out. A few songs have the drama you’d expect from a stage musical. A little cheesy.

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

4/5

What a voice. What a performer. The way her voice trembles and shakes. There’s so much pain and longing in her singing. This is a great collection of songs and performances from her. The song “Four Women” is a standout. Very powerful. I love that jazzy piano. I know this song from being sampled in the recent Jay-Z song “The Story of O.J.” — it was great to hear the original and sit with the lyrics. "Either Way I Lose" was cool too. Love the deep backing vocals.

Bad Company

3/5

I was thinking about the joke in Spinal Tap about turning the amp up to 11 and how the maxim “play it loud” goes unquestioned in much of rock. But Bad Company is a band comfortable with restraint. They like to turn things up to 7 or 8 and leave it there. This is a tasteful album of strong songs and excellent playing. I don’t even mind how much they rip off The Beatles on “Don’t Let Me Down” — it’s nicely done.

The White Album

Beatles

5/5

Always a pleasure to spend time with this weird, wondrous, sprawling album. We talk a lot about the huge influence that The Beatles had on music and culture. I think them releasing this album, where odd little experiments and silly jokes commingle with fantastic songwriting, gave countless future artists the permission to make other strange, rambling albums in a similar vein. And what a wonderful gift! The White Album continues to give other artists permission to get weird if they want to. I'm very grateful for that. This is The Beatles' funniest album for sure. I still can't get over "Back in the U.S.S.R." It must have started as a joke - part Beach Boys parody, part political satire - but because they're just so good at writing songs, it ends up being a catchy jam and a great song. And "Glass Onion," where the lyrics troll Beatles fans searching for secret meanings that don't exist. I love how the druggy experiments like "Wild Honey Pie" made it onto the album. It gives you a little insight into what being in the studio with them must have been like - goofing around, laughing and always creating and recording. There are also a bunch of stunning songs that might not have made it onto a less adventurous album. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" is incredible, but dark and twisted. And "Helter Skelter" always blows my mind. Like, in addition to everything else they did, did The Beatles also play a role in inventing heavy metal?? And I haven't even mentioned the absolute classics - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Blackbird" and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" are on this album. "Revolution 1" has always been a favorite of mine too. I could go track-by-track because there are a ton of gems here. But I'll shout out one more - "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" is a personal favorite. I love its energy.

Miriam Makeba

4/5

Ooh "Mbube" is wonderful! (Of course, I know it from "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as featured in "The Lion King.") It's a beautiful song full of life and joy. I love the climax that it builds to with all the layered vocals. This is a delightful jazz vocal album of African folk music with some Western influences here and there (sometimes I hear a little doo-wop, and there's a cover of "The House of the Rising Sun"). Miriam Makeba has a great voice -- she's gentle and jazzy but has some belting power too. Oh man, I love "One More Dance." Is the laughing planned? Or could he just not control himself? His laughter is so infectious. I was cracking up.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

3/5

This is the third Byrds album we've had on the list so far and I've enjoyed them all. They consistently deliver 60's folk rock with psychedelic vibes, beautiful vocal harmonies and sometimes a silly song about UFOs. This one is particularly easygoing and light. But it’s not simplistic. There are some mysterious, moody songs too. And great guitar work throughout.

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

3/5

I like this sort of sample-heavy, upbeat hip-hop. It’s fun to listen to music where 100 details are fighting for your attention. The main MC, Speech, has a loose, conversational flow on a lot of these songs. Even on "U," where he raps fast, he sounds laidback. I enjoyed this on a first listen but it’s a big album and kind of dense with ideas and music. I’ll need another listen to connect to it more.

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

2/5

About as middle of the road of a rock sound as I can imagine. The songwriting is alright and the music is pleasant enough but the lead singer isn’t selling me on the songs. Terrible album cover. 😬

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

4/5

Sometimes life is full of big, overwhelming feelings. Depeche Mode works with those big emotions — love and guilt and heartbreak and anxiety — and turn them into dramatic goth club dance floor jams and dreamy, haunted synth pop. They have a distinct style and their songs are affecting. I don’t see myself listening to this a lot but I dig the vibe.

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

3/5

And I said yesterday that Depeche Mode works with big emotions? Enter Kate Bush. You can’t get much more dramatic than this. Kate Bush seems like the kind of artist who could effortlessly churn out easy pop songs if she wanted but chooses to make more complex, nuanced music instead. I didn’t connect with every song here right away but she does cast an intoxicating, sensual mood. Favorites: “Reaching Out,” "Rocket's Tail" (this one really packs a wallop when the guitars come in!)

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

3/5

Vibey, moody electronic music and hip-hop beats. (Although maybe electronic isn’t the best descriptor —there are a lot of different genres sampled here.) I'm into it. I listened to it on headphones while cooking and it mostly floated into the background as my mind thought about other things. Pretty cool stuff and I respect the craft of it.

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

4/5

Oh man. What a nostalgia hit. The song “…Baby One More Time” has all the sounds from pop of this era — those big Max Martin drums, the processed funk licks, the gratuitous vocals runs. Of course, I’ll never be able to separate it from childhood memories. I was in the 4th grade when this album came out and like everyone else, these singles (and their music videos) rocked my world. The music on this album was assembled by producers who understand how to elicit Pavlovian responses from listeners — dance! cry! smile! Every chord is chosen for maximum impact, every sound is polished for maximum shine. But even though the music is synthetic, the feels are real! Why is that? I think it’s the songwriting. It’s formulaic but very effective. A record label can market the hell out of a song but it doesn’t become an all-out phenomenon without something real at its core. “…Baby One More Time” and “(You Drive Me) Crazy” are mega hits that will make any millennial lose their mind when you play them. But the album cuts are solid too. They push a lot of the same buttons and do so almost just as well. From a consumer‘s perspective, this is a good product — if you bought the CD for the singles, you wouldn’t be mad about the rest. And if you were at the right age, you probably fell in love with all of it.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

3/5

Okay so The Darkness formed and they thought, “Let’s indulge in every hair metal cliche and play the hell out of them.” And somewhere around then the lead singer thought, “I should sing like Freddie Mercury after sucking a helium balloon.” And most importantly they agreed, “Let’s have fun and not overthink anything.” I completely understand why someone would fall head over heels for their shtick. I can’t get mad at music that wants to entertain me as much as this does. But I found myself rolling my eyes about as often as I was banging my head.

Dry

PJ Harvey

2/5

When I rate albums on here, I try to do it at a gut level. Did I like it, really like it, love it? And even though rating music is subjective, I think I usually have persuasive reasons for my 1 or 2 star albums. This one not so much. I wasn't into it but not for any major reason. The guitars are hard and grungy, and PJ Harvey's vocals are raw. She has a punk attitude that I respect. But I don't know, the songs didn't move me. Maybe some of the music felt a little flat? I don't know if that's the right word. The riffs didn't jump out and grab me.

Repeater

Fugazi

3/5

I love how playful this is. There are moments when they rock out like a hardcore band and moments that sound more like artsy post-punk. The songs move and change enough that you can’t easily nail down the style. They’re a restless band. There’s some excellent musicianship throughout. “Brendan #1” in particular is gorgeous.

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

3/5

This is another album I remember listening to when I was getting into hip-hop in college. I didn’t listen to it a ton but I was obsessed with “Daydreamin’” and would play it whenever I could. I can see why there was a lot of hype around Lupe Fiasco at the time — he’s got the wordplay of Mos Def and the swagger of Jay-Z. But I don’t know, there’s also something about his flow that I find easy to tune out. I often caught my mind drifting off and not listening closely to the lyrics. Maybe it’s because there aren’t a ton of hooks in his rapping. There are hooks in the chorus or from a sample but not usually from him. (Man, you can feel the difference right away when Jay-Z appears on “Pressure” - he has such a strong presence.) Still, the beats are very good and Lupe Fiasco’s rapping is strong. He’s a smart lyricist and I appreciate that he avoids rap cliches and focuses on storytelling. The album is close to being excellent but just misses the mark. (Jeez, the “Outro” is ridiculous — it’s worse than an Oscars speech. He just lists everyone he knows 😂)

Vanishing Point

Primal Scream

3/5

Fun electronic-influenced music with plenty of psychedelic style. But really, there’s a wide array of sounds here depending on the song. Some of it is vibey mood music, some leans more towards rock, some is more like dance. The 10-plus minute “Trainspotting” has a loose jazzy style and a hip-hop beat. Eclectic album! They must have a sense of humor calling themselves Primal Scream, knowing that people are constantly going to think they’re a different type of band. They get hard on a few tracks but you’d think they’re a hardcore metal band or something based on the name.

Rio

Duran Duran

4/5

Fantastic! Really fun dance pop. I only knew “Hungry Like the Wolf” going into this but every song is a blast! (Actually, I knew “Save a Prayer” too because Eagles of Death Metal does a cover of it.) Loads of funk rock mixed in too. Definitely going to spin this a few more times.

Fragile

Yes

3/5

“Roundabout” and “Long Distance Runaround” feel like the standout tracks here. If there were more like them, the album would approach excellence for me. But this album doesn’t want to be a pristine, well manicured collection of songs. There are oddball prog experiments and nerdy diversions into medieval-influenced folk in addition to the more elaborate numbers. And I find that loose, scattershot approach kind of charming. The album makes for a surprising, active listen. Side note: I’ve always loved the indie band Grizzly Bear and thought of them as being a bit prog-rock. The more bands like Yes that I listen to from this list reaffirms that label. I’m enjoying listening to bands that my favorite bands were influenced by.

Queen II

Queen

5/5

Queen’s biggest hits are so unique that I tend to think of them as a band without peers. But I enjoyed hearing them on this early album making music that sounds like the prog/folk/heavy metal mash-up that Led Zeppelin was doing around the same time. This whole album is new to me and it’s just killer top to bottom. They sound ferocious when they’re in hard rock mode! The epic “Father to Son” and the blues crunch of “The Loser in the End” are early favorites for me.

Underwater Moonlight

The Soft Boys

4/5

I’ve never heard of The Soft Boys before but they’re great. There’s a 60’s influence that runs deep in their music. The songwriting is excellent. “I Wanna Destroy You” stood out to me right away. And “Kingdom of Love” has some great lyrics about a poisonous love. “Insanely Jealous of You” caught me by surprise. The vocals reminded me of The Velvet Underground. The song has a dark, dangerous energy. “Old Pervert” has a rough, distorted guitar in it too. There are two sides to this band - the nostalgic 60’s side (“Queen of Eyes”) and the more experimental forward-thinking side you hear on these two tracks.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

5/5

This album is insane. 40 minutes of blistering blues rock and pent-up sexual energy unleashed. One of the great rock albums. It always sounds immediate and fresh. They really bottled a spectacular energy here. I gotta go track by track for this one. “Whole Lotta Love” is one of my favorite rock songs and a hell of an opener. It’s got a killer riff and that spacey experimental midsection that clears space for the guitar to come roaring back. And out of all the many songs Robert Plant has an orgasm on the microphone, this one is the best. He’s just ridiculous. Cracks me up every time. “What Is and What Should Never Be” pulls a similar trick as “Whole Lotta Love.” More than once, the band pulls back and quiets down so they can put a spotlight on Jimmy Page’s riff when it comes back. And when they do it at 3:30 and follow it with a gong hit? Perfection. “The Lemon Song” is the definitive song about a handjob. I’ll die on that hill. I love the bass on this song too. John Paul Jones isn’t afraid to get ahead of the band and push the energy forward. The whole band is in sync here, changing gears together, slowing down and speeding back up. “Thank You” is a gorgeous way to slow things down a bit before the heavy blues riffs come back with the back-to-back jams “Heartbreaker” and “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman).” And “Ramble On” shows off how dynamic Zeppelin can be. Some bands do hard rock and nothing but hard rock. Here they sprinkle in some beautiful folky acoustic guitars too. And that brings us to “Moby Dick.” An absolute stunner of a drum solo. John Bonham puts other drum solos to shame. It’s jazzy and wild and unpredictable. Mesmerizing stuff. The closer “Bring It on Home” is another great build and release song. This is what I’m talking about when I say sexual energy. It’s not just the moaning and the wailing and the squeezing of the lemons. Led Zeppelin knows how to tease and thrill. I need a cigarette after listening to this album.

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

3/5

“Work It” is a personal favorite and it stands tall above the rest of these songs. Every time I listen to it, there’s a line that makes me laugh or a new detail in the mix that pops out. Just an incredible, goofy, cool, one-of-a-kind track. There are a lot of cool beats on this album, some of which get close to “Work It” in their inventiveness and energy. And all those beats are produced by Timbaland. Honestly, the simplest way to improve this album would be to cut all the tracks he didn’t produce. His beats sound like a transmission from the future, even now, ten years after the album came out. Okay, pet peeve here: She says “This is a Missy Elliott exclusive” on too many tracks. I know it is! I’m listening to your album! Like, put that on the first track and maybe one or two of the singles but you don’t have to tag every song with it. It sounds silly after a while.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

3/5

Hard, fast punk. Dead Kennedys are political and opinionated but definitely have a sense of humor too. There are moments of weirdo theatricality that remind me of System of a Down. I like that they interject some strangeness into the music.

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

2/5

Eh, I wasn’t feeling this one. It’s a good-natured mash-up of genres with some earnest social messages but I also found it pretty cheesy. I didn’t like the opening cover of “Freddie’s Dead” and the rest of the album didn’t pick up much from there. “Bonin’ in the Boneyard” almost worked for me but it was still pretty silly.

Music

Madonna

3/5

A good pop album. There's definitely some filler though. But I like that a lot of songs have the eccentric feel of experimental electronica (especially the early tracks). The production gets a little adventurous.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

5/5

What a smart, fun, sharp album. Alanis Morissette is so funny. I must have laughed out load a dozen times listening to this. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this so much. At first I thought I’d be annoyed by the affectations she puts on but after the first track I started to get it. She uses the weird intonations and exaggerated pronunciations to punctuate her jokes. It helps shift the tone of the songs and cue the listen to hear the irony and sarcasm in her lyrics. “You Oughta Know” is one of the great ‘fuck you’ songs. There are so many good one-liners in it and her delivery drips with anger and resentment. “Forgiven” is one of the best songs I’ve heard about religion. The chorus is great: “We all had our reasons to be there / We all had a thing or two to learn / We all needed something to cling to / So we did.” There’s definitely a layer of irony there but it’s also surprisingly empathetic. She’s resentful toward the church for saddling her with guilt but she forgives the church. Which is hilarious because forgiveness is also one of the main tenets of Catholicism. What a way to criticize an institution — throwing its own beliefs back in its face! “Ironic” is one of the few songs I don’t love here (the lyrics are a little silly) but man, what a hook! The power of that chorus is irresistible. I can’t believe she was 20 years old when she made this album. The depth of feeling and the complexity of what she’s saying on some of these songs is impressive for any songwriter and she was so young! Side note: Really bad album cover for such a great album.

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

3/5

I like Kate Bush. I'd like to love Kate Bush. Her music is bold and adventurous and experimental but it always remains in that 'respect and admire' zone for me. I really enjoyed the first five songs on this album. The second half, which is apparently a mini concept album, not so much. I couldn't get into it. Maybe I should seek out a greatest hits compilation because even her singles are nothing like what I would consider mainstream pop. "Running Up That Hill" is stunning and the songs that follow it here are almost equally bold.

Tapestry

Carole King

4/5

Beautiful singer/songwriter album with a simple, unfussy sound built on top of strong, sturdy songs. Lots of positivity in the lyrics too. “I Feel the Earth Move” and “You’ve Got a Friend” are classics I’ve heard since childhood but never thought about who sang them. A few other songs sounded familiar here too. Cool to find out she co-wrote “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” too. Her version here is good! She has a nice singing voice but I can see why she found a lot of success writing for other artists. She’s an exceptionally good songwriter.

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

3/5

I’m an Elvis Costello fan but I’ve never heard this album before. There are definitely a bunch of albums of his that I’d put on this list and this isn’t one of them. But I still enjoyed it. His lyrics are often a pleasure. And just as often, his words get in the way of the music. He’s a smart writer but I think he can overwrite his lyrics sometimes (especially on a mid-career album like this). “20% Amnesia” was cool because he tries something bold and different with that song, which I like. A full band sound suits him better than a stripped down style in my opinion. His singing takes on a little extra sneer when he has a rock band behind him. (Or maybe his sneering just sounds more at home with a louder sound.) I’ll confess that part of my enjoyment of these songs was hearing echoes of other, better Elvis Costello songs in them. But that’s part of the fun of being a fan of an artist. You enjoy the mediocre stuff because it reminds you of the great stuff! 🤷🏻‍♂️😎 Fun songwriting observation that I’m sure amused Elvis Costello: this album has songs called “Pony St.” and “Rocking Horse Road.” 🐴

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

4/5

“The Girl From Ipanema” is becoming one of my favorite songs and the version here is wonderful. Frank Sinatra sounds absolutely at home on bossa nova. His voice feels totally natural on these songs. This album is a smooth, seductive pleasure. The album cover is gorgeous too.

Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

4/5

Wow. I always have a soft spot for bands that can channel the raw power of noise and rage and these guys can definitely do that. But they also stretch out on some pretty long, complex songs. A few of these tracks are intricate and kind of proggy. Is that one of the distinctions that makes a band post-hardcore rather than simply hardcore? The music is much more nuanced and complicated than your typical punk rock. Really impressed with this but it's a lot to take in on a first listen. I'm interested to play it again to get a more full sense of the pacing and scope of the album.

Superunknown

Soundgarden

4/5

There's rock and then there's big budget, blockbuster, leave nothing on the table rock. These songs are awesome and really layered. There's a wall of sound style to the production -- lots of details and flourishes and reverb to fill out the sound and make these already big songs sound absolutely mammoth. It's well done and very effective, probably because the songwriting puts such a focus on melody. I've never listened to Soundgarden outside of the hits ("Black Hole Sun" is a classic that still sounds great) and I really enjoyed this. Sounds just as good on headphones as it does through a car stereo. There are some cool surprises here too. “Half” is a really interesting one.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

4/5

This album is somehow both hard rock and easy listening. It totally rocks but man, it's also got this easy-breezy, laidback style. This is my first listen but its reputation precedes it. I've heard radio DJs and other people who were college-age when it came out say the words "Frampton Comes Alive" with a wistful tone, like something magic happened in the room once when they played it. After listening to it, I get it. It's bedroom baby-making music, hang out with your friends music and backyard BBQ rock all rolled into one. I definitely plan on playing this one more.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

3/5

I’ve never been able to get into Frank Zappa before but I enjoyed this. A mix of blues and jazz-rock fusion. These songs have a lot going on but jamming out and riffing is at the core of them. Good energy. I dig it.

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Richard Thompson

3/5

A really nice collection of songs! I like that the album goes back and forth a bit between traditional sounding folk songs and more modern 70’s rock. I enjoy those folk songs sometimes but I usually can’t do too many in a row so I enjoyed having some different songs in the mix. “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight” is an early highlight for me. I love the ‘I’ve been working all week so let’s go out tonight’ lyrics and the melody is great. Honestly, all these songs have strong melodies.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

4/5

I love how much of a role rhythm plays in Talking Heads' music. So many of these songs are built around tight, funky rhythms. But the music doesn't sound like traditional funk. They've got their own unique spin on it. This is an excellent album and has two classics, "Life During Wartime" and "Heaven" (which has great lyrics that read like a poem). Some songs can feel a little cold, which might be why I've listened to this album less than other Talking Heads albums. There are also a few songs on here that I'm more familiar with from the live album/movie "Stop Making Sense" and they come alive even more in that performance.

Synchronicity

The Police

4/5

From the very first notes, this album changed how I think about The Police. I’ve always loved the singles (and the singles are here: the deceptively beautiful “Every Breath You Take,” the heartbreak jam “King of Pain” and the dub-influenced “Wrapped Around Your Finger”) but the album has some surprising left turns too. “Mother” is a bizarre one — it’s fascinating but not something I need to listen to more than once. I love the opening energy of “Synchronicity I” though — starts things off with a bang! The calmer songs are played beautifully too. “Tea in the Sahara” is spacey and gorgeous. And “Murder By Numbers” has a great off-kilter jazz rhythm. Fantastic drumming throughout the album but I really noticed it on this one. It’s a toss-up for me as to whether “King of Pain” or “Murder By Numbers” is my favorite. I guess I’m going to have to go through every Police album now because I had no idea the album cuts were just as good as the singles. 4.5

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

The music on this album has such a fun, positive and restless creative energy. Every song has a ton of different samples mashed together like a collage. This was no doubt a major leap forward for hip-hop production. But the album can feel a little too restless for me. There are so many skits and interludes and joke tracks that I can find it a bit hard to get into. And while the music is inventive and playful, I find the rapping underwhelming.

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

4/5

Excellent album overall. Ghostface Killah has a great flow and man, he just goes! No hooks, just tight bars packed with imagery and wordplay. The opening track "Shakey Dog" is incredible -- it's got a cinematic sweep and he's relentless on it. The album could benefit from some editing but I don't think there's any glaring filler. Just a few too many tracks. Fantastic production. The Pete Rock beats are so good, especially "R.A.G.U" and "Be Easy." The drums! MF DOOM has some great production here too. I love those sustained notes in the “Jellyfish” beat. Something different that stands out from the rest of the songs. His beats have little psychedelic and retro touches, which helps the whole album to sound more varied.

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

3/5

I wasn’t familiar with this artist so I did a quick Wikipedia and he’s known for combining Malian music and American blues. I can hear that right away — African rhythms and melodies with bluesy chords. I can get a little restless with straight blues because (unless the performance is stunning) it can start to all sound the same. But this sort of fusion is where it’s at! I’m digging it. I love his finger-plucking guitar playing. It sounds a little chaotic in a cool, jazzy way. The title track “Savane” has some awesome soloing.

Antichrist Superstar

Marilyn Manson

3/5

I enjoyed some of this but at a distance. I listened to a lot of it on headphones and I kept lowering the volume because it was hurting my ears, but then the lower volume just didn't feel right. It's abrasive music and I didn't enjoy it enough to go back for a repeat listen. But I see the appeal of Marilyn Manson. A lot of songs actually have pretty straightforward pop structures, just dressed up as hardcore punk and metal and industrial. There's a core of solid songwriting in the music. He can also really go full-out hardcore too. This is a huge album and I appreciate that he breaks it up into three segments. Still, I found myself slogging through the end. "Mister Superstar" stood out to me as an interesting one. It's a twisted satire about celebrity and fandom. The lyrics about doing anything for Mister Superstar also felt significant given Marilyn Manson's allegations of sexual abuse and power dynamics.

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

5/5

God, I love the way those drums come in at the beginning of “Time To Pretend.” That moment jump-starts a killer song and an awesome album. MGMT are one of my favorite bands and one of the best and most interesting acts making music today. This album is heavily tied to college in my memories. "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel" were huge songs that were everywhere for a while. They were crossover hits that everyone could agree on -- the indie music nerds, the frat guys, your mom when you played it in the car. This was definitely an album I played in my dorm and heard at parties. I have a distinct memory of dancing to "Kids" with some friends at a house party. But man, it really holds up. The whole first half is fantastic and includes the three hits I've already mentioned. "Weekend Wars" is an anthem and I like how the rhythm changes back and forth. MGMT are very good at composing songs with surprising twists and turns. And "The Youth" has that great singalong, chanted refrain. The first half of the album is all big hooks and stadium-sized synth pop, while the second half gets more psychedelic and weird. But there's still plenty of catchy melodies too. "Pieces of What" is a nice, mellow number. And "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters" is great psychedelic rock (and again, lots of little twists and turns and surprises that keep you on your toes but feel totally natural after you've heard the song a few times). One of the things that always grabs me about this album is its emotion. There are a lot of lyrics about childhood that resonate with me. And for all the psychedelic production effects (the bubbles and warbles and reverb), the emotion is front and center, which makes the album more accessible than you might expect for this genre. It's one of the best debut albums in recent memory and a classic in my book. (And they even managed to top it on their second album "Congratulations," which is one of my absolute favorites. Not sure if that one is going to be on this list or not but it's a masterpiece and definitely on my personal best albums list.)

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

I love this album. It’s one of my favorite “just drank a cup of coffee albums.” The opening track “Move” has a great caffeinated energy. I’ve listened to this album countless times and I’ll listen to it countless more times in my life. It’s always a great pick-me-up. A fantastic driving album too. And one of the best album titles of all time too. Sometimes, the phrase “Birth of the Cool” pops into my head and I think, damn what a great title.

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Every once in a while I like to feel treated to lyrics that read like poetry. The opening songs “Bird on the Wire” and “Story of Isaac” have that feel. I love lyrics that give you some imagery to roll around your head, even if the meaning of every line isn’t always immediately clear. Those two stood out to me the most, though “A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes” has a nice dramatic and full band sound, and the closer “Tonight Will Be Fine” is sweetly romantic. The songs definitely have a Dylanesque style but Leonard Cohen has a style of his own that comes through too. (And it may well be that Dylan and Cohen are just drawing from the same folk influences.)

Hotel California

Eagles

4/5

"Hotel California" is one of the first songs I can remember rolling my eyes at on classic rock radio. I'd thought the song was awesome the first dozen or so times I'd heard it (just about all of the songs on Q104.3 were new to me when I was 12 and I was soaking them up like a sponge) but as I got a little older and starting developing my personal tastes, the lyrics of "Hotel California" started to sound cheesy and silly. I'd either switch the station if it came on or leave it on and make fun of it. I've since come back around to the song. It's massively overplayed and is bound to get on anyone's nerves if they hear it every day but that's not really the song's fault. It's an epic rock song and supremely catchy. And even though the lyrics are a bit clichéd, I also think they hold a certain hokey wisdom. But I think learning to hate songs like this is an important part of developing taste as a teenager so I'm grateful for the years I spent groaning at it. This whole album is excellent. I didn't know the Eagles sang "Life in the Fast Lane" and "Victim of Love." Solid hard rock songs! And the album cuts are really good here too. There are some country-tinged soft rock gems here.

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

5/5

“21st Century Schizoid Man” is one of the best rock songs of all time and an insane album opener. It’s got that ridiculous heavy metal riff and opens up into an all-out jazz freak-out in the second half. Phenomenal. I love how the gentle “I Talk to the Wind” follows the noise of “Schizoid Man.” Great transition and palette cleanser. And a beautiful song too. I love the flute solo at the end. The drumming on this album is fantastic. Michael Giles (had to look up the name and give him a shoutout) is so precise and on point the way you need for hard rock and heavy metal, but he’s also got this light jazzy touch too, depending on the song. “Epitaph” is a prog rock epic! So cinematic. When I was 14, I would listen to this CD on my Walkman and challenge myself not to skip past the avant-garde section of "Moonchild." I think it helped me build up a tolerance for free jazz and experimental music. 😂 Honestly, it's not as challenging as I remember it being. It's actually pretty calming and soothing. Another epic one with the closing title track. Love those dramatic backing vocals. And more flute solos! 🙌 Listening to this took me back to riding the bus to high school in the morning. This CD was in high rotation for teenaged Steve for a while. One of the best album covers of all time. It might even take my vote for best ever.

25

Adele

4/5

Excellent album. Now that some time has passed, I can appreciate "Hello" again. When the album first came out, that song definitely reached a point of oversaturation. (Do you remember when it was the #1 song and some pop stations didn't know what to do with a sad, dramatic song so on weekends at night they'd play these horrible EDM remixes of it? Man, that used to drive me crazy haha) But it's a powerful song and a great opener. "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" is one of my favorite Adele songs. Such a great hook. Damn, "Water Under the Bridge" is another powerhouse song. And "River Lea" is another jam in the same vein. There are a handful of songs on this album that... well, I don't want to call them filler because how could a song with stunning vocals and immaculate production be called filler? But there are a few like "Remedy" and "Love in the Dark" that are beautiful in the moment but quickly melt away once they're over. Adele's such a good singer though that she could sing the dictionary. That's the thing about her, right? And there are also some good album cuts too. I really liked the dramatic and sexy "I Miss You" and the triumphant closer "Sweetest Devotion."

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

2/5

The is album combines a lot of genres I like — jazz rock, prog, funk — but I don’t know, I didn’t quite buy it. The songs change tone pretty drastically and the changes often feel forced. Maybe multiple listens will reveal how these structures are actually brilliant and a perfect fit for each song? I’m not convinced. “Bloody Well Right” is a good example of this. It sound like a mash-up of Chicago, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan. But it’s not as good as any of those bands and I’m not persuaded that they needed to be put together like this. “If Everyone Was Listening” almost worked for me. This album cover is pretty bad but I did look at Supertramp’s other album covers and they have some gems. This is the only bad one.

The Slider

T. Rex

5/5

T. Rex is my #1 ‘three drinks and two hits’ band. When I’m the perfect level of buzzed, no other band sounds as good. This album is top to bottom great, always a blast to put on. “Metal Guru” is a gold standard start-with-a-bang opener, “Main Man” is a *chef’s kiss* mid-tempo closer and in between are 11 more riff-centric sexy as hell glam rock songs. I have a special place in my heart for “Spaceball Ricochet,” which I’ve listened to on repeat in the past. There’s something very romantic about that song to me.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

3/5

“Silent All These Years” almost has the drama of a Meat Loaf song. But that minor chord change-up at 1:01 is more like a Fiona Apple move. “Precious Things” has drama too. But more in the Kate Bush vein. This was Tori Amos’ first album? It’s really bold! That piano trot on “Happy Phantom” is another one that reminds me of Fiona Apple. (And worth noting here that this album came out four years before Fiona Apple’s debut.) “Happy Phantom” is a clear standout. I enjoyed some of these songs more than others but that’s mostly a question of taste. This is a very impressive album, especially for a first album.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

Pink Floyd has great taste when it comes to crafting and pacing albums. They created some terrific album experiences designed to be listened to in one sitting. I think “Wish You Were Here” benefits from a front-to-back listen just as much as “Dark Side of the Moon.” The big achievement here is "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," split into two largely instrumental pieces that bookend the album. Both halves are stunning and show off Pink Floyd's range. And that saxophone that comes in around the 11-minute mark of the first half? It's one of those moments that stops you in your tracks. I don't often think of Pink Floyd as a jazz rock band but they have their moments. The section of the second "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" that goes from 6:20-9:00 is fantastic. Pink Floyd does psychedelic rock better than maybe anyone but they could switch into a cool, grooving fusion band too and sound totally natural. "Welcome to the Machine" is one of those songs I use to get annoyed at on classic rock radio because it got played so much. It's a stunning, haunting, dystopian nightmare of a song. In the context of this album, it's incredible. At a Fourth of July BBQ? Not so much. But this is a gripe with Q104.3 DJs, not Pink Floyd. I love the laser synths at 6:00. Great choice to bring in a guest vocalist to play the record executive on "Have a Cigar." He really hams it up and plays the part. Awesome song. And of course the title track -- another one that's overplayed but when you take some time away from it, you realize how sad and touching and beautiful it is. Great album cover. I follow a Twitter account that takes screenshots from The Simpsons that look like famous album covers and the one they did for "Wish You Were Here" is amazing 😂: https://twitter.com/SimpsonsAlbums/status/1625912717876789259

Murmur

R.E.M.

4/5

Any time I put on one of these early R.E.M. albums I think, "Should I be listening to way more R.E.M.?" I've never quite made the jump from liking R.E.M. to loving R.E.M. but they're such a good band. Lots of hooks and melodies in the songwriting and the performances are full of emotion. Top shelf alt-rock. 4.5

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

4/5

A few weeks back we had an album by Ali Farka Touré that fused Malian folk with American blues. Cool to hear a more recent band pick up on what he was doing and continue the style. Songhoy Blues have a slightly more modern rock sound. (“Nick” has a crunchy beat and blues riff that reminds me of the Black Keys.) I love how a lot of these songs sound like they’re in forward motion. This would be great driving music because the songs already feel like they’re flying down the highway.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

2/5

Not a lot I enjoyed about this one. The vocals are flat and boring. There are some good riffs here and there but the music rarely comes together and becomes a good song. I also didn't buy the moments that get scream-y and tip into hardcore. Those moments should feel cathartic. Here they felt grating. “Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)” was a sweet song — a pleasant surprise near the end.

Here Come The Warm Jets

Brian Eno

4/5

I’m always impressed when I hear music that sounds fresh and new and strange. And when that music was actually released in 1974? Even more impressive. This album has that restless feel of a genius trying to amuse himself with experimental compositions and production techniques. But I felt like I was invited along for the ride. I had fun with it. This is a pop album at heart and you can feel that through all the more out-there creative decisions.

The Libertines

3/5

What a fun-loving group of lads. They’re trying very hard to sound like the Kinks and I find that charming. I have a soft spot for bands like this. I used to listen to the Kooks a bunch in college and they have a very similar sound to the Libertines: blatant worship of British bands from the 60’s, English drawl front and center in the vocals, punk guitars and pop hooks.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

4/5

There's nothing quite like Stevie Wonder's style of soul and funk. It's so light and ethereal but with killer rhythm and groove. I almost don't even notice the individual instruments in the mix -- I just hear the whole sound together. Except the bass. That great, funky bass usually stands out. Excellent album front to back. A nice mix of soulful, romantic songs and more upbeat funk numbers.

Boston

3/5

The first three tracks here, which make up side A, are fantastic. Classic songs I've been hearing all my life. They still sound great but it helps to be in the mood for this sort of cheesy pop metal. I've probably heard them a few too many times but they are great. The second half of the album has more of the same style but the songwriting feels like a step down. There was a moment or two when I felt like the band was recycling riffs and melodies. I almost wasn't sure if it was a musical reprise or just a lack of new ideas.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

3/5

Like listening to the first Clash album on 2x speed. This was very enjoyable (and I appreciate that the runtime is short). This album has a higher level of songwriting than a lot of the hardcore albums that have been on this list so far. And there's a number of political songs that elevate the music too. Strong album!

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

Incredible debut album. What a sound! And it has 6 (six!) classic songs on it: "Purple Haze," "Manic Depression," "Hey Joe," "The Wind Cries Mary," "Fire" and "Foxey Lady." If I had to choose, "Purple Haze" and "Fire" have to be my favorites. Great energy. A lot of other strong tracks too. Some songs, like “Love or Confusion” and “I Don’t Live Today,” turn up the noise and revel in hard rock jamming and feedback. Awesome stuff. Feels very cathartic.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

3/5

This is my first dive into a full Chili Peppers album. I’ve always enjoyed the singles and… I think they’re gonna stay a singles band for me. The style is fun — really good hard rock and I love that slappy funk bass — but a lot of these songs are… kinda dumb (like “Suck My Kiss”). But I think this album benefits from a not-very-close listen. Not every album needs to be listened to closely on headphones. Some stuff is best played in the background so you can jam out without noticing that the lyrics are silly. But man I do love “Give It Away.” (That boing noise in the mix is so funny too.) And “Under the Bridge” is gorgeous. The album has a pretty even one-to-one ratio of eye-rolling lyrics to head-banging riffs so I can’t get mad at that.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

5/5

A joy to listen to front to back. I love new wave rock like this. Fast, tight pop songs. Songs about relationships that take a specific angle or perspective. Top notch all around and has a great upbeat energy. The more I listen to this, the more I hear the punk in their style. But it’s blended with girl group pop too.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

5/5

What an eclectic album. There are gorgeous songs like “You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and “You and I.” But there’s also some fantastic funk and the album switches back and forth. I love the hook on “Maybe Your Baby.” The song has this great dirty funk style that I absolutely love. “Tuesday Heartbreak” is wonderful. And “You’ve Got It Bad Girl” is a great song too. I love that warbly synth that sits low in the mix. And of course “Superstition”! Easily the Stevie Wonder song I've heard the most. Never gets old and always gets people dancing. This is one of those albums you could discuss track-by-track. Every song has its own personality and character, and lot of ground is covered in terms of genre. And man, “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever” is a great closer. It’s almost like Stevie Wonder combined every other song on the album and made it this one epic finale!

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

4/5

Rip-roaring hard rock that tips into heavy metal and prog with loads of guitar heroics. The version of “Smoke on the Water” here is awesome. That last track is pretty gratuitous but overall I really enjoyed this.

High Violet

The National

3/5

The National is a band I’ve had on my list of bands to check out one day for a while. I can see why they’re well-reviewed and popular. Smart and interesting lyrics, tasteful production and excellent playing. The drumming is very dynamic; there are a lot of little details that add energy to the songs. But overall I don’t connect much with their sound. It’s a bit melancholy for me. And Matt Berninger’s vocals are a little too low-key. The band has a lot of U2 in their style but without Bono’s soaring drama, I wasn’t as swept away by the songs. It’s a question of taste though. There was still plenty I found interesting about this album, particularly the lyrics. They’re really well written.

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

4/5

Snoop Dogg has one of the most irresistible flows in rap — laidback and cool but with this fun, playful bounce. One of the most distinct voices in music. And the beats on this album are phenomenal, pretty much just as top-notch as anything on "The Chronic," released the previous year. Dr. Dre is so good as sampling these funk songs and turning them into rap anthems. "Gin and Juice" and "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)" are classics but really, all of these beats are excellent. Man, "Ain't No Fun" has a great, joyful party beat. It’s a shame that the lyrics are degrading, misogynistic b.s. I can deal with a little of that here and there but that song was too much. "Gz and Hustlas" is a personal favorite. I love the way that ice cream truck melody opens the song before the beat comes in. 4.5

Guero

Beck

4/5

Wouldn’t you love to know what Beck is listening to at any given moment? He must have an incredible record collection. You can tell by the music he makes that he has very eclectic taste. This album is less manic than “Odelay,” which switches genres multiple times in a single song. “Guero” still covers a lot of musical ground but the various styles are fused together more. You get a Spanish guitar line, an old-school hip-hop beat and an electro-pop synth all at the same time. “Missing” stood out to me as a good example of the this. The production is modern, the best is sped-up bossa nova and those strings add a mysterious, romantic tone to the song. The opening three songs are excellent: the hard rocking “E-Pro,” the very quotable “Que’ Onda Guero” and the catchy pop of “Girl.” This album doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Odelay” but there are a bunch of great songs and a lot of interesting and surprising ones.

2112

Rush

2/5

So I didn’t actually like any of these songs but every one of them made me smile. Rush almost sound like a parody of Led Zeppelin’s most prog-rock leaning material. The music is shamelessly over-the-top and even though I wasn’t totally into it, I always respect a band that stays true to whatever wacky, wild, ambitious vision they have. Cheers to Rush but “2112” isn’t the album that’s gonna convert me.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

5/5

I haven’t heard this album in a long time. It’s still great. My dad is a big Traffic fan and this album and “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” were albums that got played a lot in the house growing up. A little bit country with a lot of jazzy spirit in the extended jams. Joyful music. The title track has a fun premise. It’s a folk song about farmers slashing down John Barleycorn and harvesting him. But in the end, John Barleycorn gets the last laugh because he’s turned into beer and brandy, and overpowers the farmers by getting them drunk. Now they can’t do anything without a little alcohol.

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

5/5

As a music fan, I do a fair amount of chin-stroking, carefully considering what I’m listening to and evaluating it as art. I can forget sometimes that the primary purpose of most music is entertainment. You can’t forget that when listening to Queen. Hard to think of another band more willing to do handstands and back-flips to amuse you. This album is a blast. It’s got that signature Queen mash-up of hair metal meets vaudeville theatricality. “Killer Queen” is the standout track, one of their all-time bests, and it’s surrounded by a dozen tracks just as wild and energetic and eager to please.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

3/5

Fast, tight punk but the music gets pretty heavy too. These guys must have had a great live show. The songs have a lot of forward energy and big, full rock sound, including piano on a few tracks and some soaring guitar solos. The album is much more musically accomplished than you might expect from a band singing about pizza, blowjobs and having a pocket full of mice in your pants.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

4/5

What a wild performance! I played this one on the speakers in the house and Dree and I were both laughing at the way he riffs and wails through these songs. So fun. Shame that only about half the album is available to stream. I’d love to hear the whole thing straight through.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

5/5

Some of the best funk of all time. Music that sounds like it was made by a party rather than a band. Time melts away on a lot of these songs and all that matters is the groove. I also like how unpretentious it is. Always great to hear music that’s this excellent also be goofy and silly and fun.

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

4/5

Wow. What an impressive album. There's a lot here. Some songs feel like artsy post-punk, others are grunge, others are alt-rock in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins, others are more straight punk (I have a hunch that a bunch of these songs influenced Green Day -- see: "P.C.P."). There are even moments that remind me a little of Bowie. I'm curious to listen to this again because it's a dense album and it feels like a great one. I'm surprised I've never even heard of the band when they're this good.

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

3/5

Cool to immediately get the next Manic Street Preachers album on this list after “The Holy Bible.” Apparently their lyricist tragically disappeared between the two albums and they sound like a different band on “Everything Must Go.” It’s much brighter and more pop-focused guitar rock in the vein of Oasis. I’m not as drawn to this album as the previous one but it’s still good.

Vulnicura

Björk

2/5

Too many of these songs are sprawling and formless. I don't expect pop hooks but I do need some sense of structure to give me an entry point into the music. There was another Björk album on this list, "Vespertine," that I enjoyed much more. On that album, even when the songs were experimental and avant-garde there was some detail that pulled me in -- a beat I could groove to or an interesting synth hook. I felt lost here and found myself slogging through most of it. “Lionsong” stood out to me. The line “Maybe he will come out of this loving me" is a powerful emotional hook. “Atom Dance” has a playful spirit. And Anohni, who sings guest vocals on the song, has an incredible voice -- so distinct. "Quicksand" has that interesting mixing and production I enjoyed on "Vespertine." It's got this thumping bass but the song is far from a dance track.

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

4/5

Sam Cooke has such a powerful voice. He really wails on this album. And the performance is loose. His spoken intros lead right into the songs and he starts a lot of call-and-response with the audience. Great energy bottled in this recording.

The Joshua Tree

U2

5/5

Gorgeous album that opens with a stunning back-to-back-to-back opening three tracks, "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "With or Without You." I also love the hard rocking "Bullet the Blue Sky" and the more country "Trip Through Your Wires" (that harmonica!) Great listen beginning to end, nothing but excellent music.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

5/5

A looser and more experimental album than the two masterpieces of hard rock that precede it, "Led Zeppelin III" is more eccentric than other albums of theirs and has more folk and country-influenced tracks on it, particularly in the second half. Blues was always at the core of their style but previously they’d played it in the style of hard psychedelic rock and heavy metal. Here, they play with acoustic guitars more. The obvious outlier of course is the opener, "Immigrant Song," which sounds like no other hard rock song ever recorded. Just an insane thundering rhythm with that wild scream as a hook. "Since I've Been Loving You" is a stunner too. Amazing slow burn with some terrific vocal riffing from Robert Plant near the end. I was also drawn to "Tangerine" today in a way I never was before. It's beautiful. The highlights combined with the album's unique personality put this in classic territory for me.

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

3/5

Guitar noodling! And lots of it! I’ve mostly only listened to a few studio albums by Grateful Dead but they stretch out and jam much more live. Like the Allman Brothers live album we had a while back, this is perfect music to put on in the background while cooking. Bright, cheerful, pleasant music. Wait, “Feedback” is really 7+ minutes of experiments with guitar feedback? Surprised that one made the cut for the live album. Gets kinda cool in the second half of the song though.

Real Life

Magazine

3/5

Fun art-punk with a lot of energy. At times they sound like someone put The Clash and Talking Heads in a blender. I definitely enjoyed the first few tracks the most.

Aladdin Sane

David Bowie

4/5

Fun album. Mostly glam-rock but with a lot of experiments and musical detours, like the wild jazz piano on the title track or the cabaret style of “Time.”

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

5/5

One of the coolest jazz albums of all time and a personal favorite. I should keep this in mind when people ask for recommendations on how to get into jazz. The funky style makes the album very accessible and there are some memorable, catchy hooks. I feel like Herbie Hancock and his band set out to make music that sounded like it was from the future. It still sounds like that decades after its release. When I start new writing projects, I like to assemble a playlist of a few albums that will match the tone and style of what I’m writing. Then whenever I sit down to write, I listen to those albums and it helps me slip back into the project each day. Earlier this year I wrote a wild and experimental animated feature (first time I ever wrote with animation in mind) and “Head Hunters” was on the playlist. It always helped me enter the strange, weird world I was inventing in the script.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

4/5

Really enjoyable album and it has a range of styles on it — some danceable pop and some more traditional-sounding acoustic folk. We’ve had a few West African albums on the list so far and I always connect with them. I also like that some of the more pop-leaning tracks here have a bit of a cheesy production that you expect from the era. But the rhythms still sound complicated. I’m gonna want to revisit this one. (Oooh this guitar solo in the second half of the closing track “Minuit”! 🎸🙌)

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

3/5

Pretty cool trip-hop with a laidback lounge-y style. Probably not something I’ll seek out again though. I imagine this was very fresh and influential in 1991 when electronic music and hip-hop were still kind of in their early stages.

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

2/5

“Wild World” and “Father and Son” are wonderful songs. But Cat Stevens doesn’t do much for me. I don’t have any persuasive reason for that opinion. I know people who absolutely love him but I don’t connect much with these songs or his style. The album just floated by for me.

1984

Van Halen

5/5

These guitar solos are awesome. The one on “Top Jimmy” stood out to me. It’s kind of rough and sloppy and wild but you can hear that Eddie Van Halen is also a brilliant musician. Some of these solos sound like free jazz but played on top of hair metal. That’s so badass! First time listening to a Van Halen album straight through and I’m impressed. I think I always dismissed them as a goofy band but they’re pretty awesome. I know the big hits off this one from classic rock radio but it’s been long enough since I’ve listened to them that I was able to hear how great they are again. I’m glad this was a Friday album because I had a chance to play it a few times — while working out, driving, in the background at home — and it gets better and better. I’m more and more convinced this is a classic and I’m looking forward to spending more time with it.

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

3/5

Beautiful guitar playing and beautiful singing. This is a particularly mellow album but soothing and calming for the right mood.

Pelican West

Haircut 100

4/5

Delightful. Fun, upbeat, perfect for summer music. New wave rock with a lot of African rhythms and the occasional cheesy jazz solo. Totally up my alley. The lead singer, Nick Heyward, sounds a lot like Joe Jackson, one of my favorites from this era. The band sounds huge. Apparently there are 7 band members (which includes 2 drummers) + a brass section. Amazing. The music has a nice, full sound. Man, "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" sounds a lot like Talking Heads' "I Zimbra." Surprised to see no credit to them considering how close the rhythm + that one vocal part is.

More Specials

The Specials

3/5

Hard to get mad at a band with this many ideas and such a fun-loving, easy-going energy. I enjoyed this album more than the last Specials album we had on the list, mostly because this one is a little more musically restless. Still not my taste but I appreciate its playfulness.

Kenya

Machito

4/5

Ooh I really like Cuban jazz but I’ve never heard it in this big band style before. Reminds me a little of the music in “I Love Lucy.” Really charming album with great brass solos and an energetic rhythm section with lots of small percussion.

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

4/5

I think we all have a tendency to imagine the past as a black-and-white photo where nothing moves. But 1965 was every bit as alive and wild and chaotic and real as the present and it's nice to remember that once in a while by listening to a performance like this. B.B. King is a powerhouse. Just stunning. And the crowd at this show matches his energy and fuels his performance. I love how much shouting and cheering is captured in the recording. You can pick out individual voices and hear exactly what they're saying. B.B. King's vocals are fantastic. I don't listen to blues often but when you hear a master like him perform it, the genre really clicks into place. The songs are a foundation for the performers to embellish on and add emotion to. You can hear that in his expressive guitar playing too. Very moving. “I’ve got a sweet little angel / I love the way she spreads her wings” is one of the best wink-wink metaphors I’ve ever heard for sex. Just incredible.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

4/5

Beautifully produced album. The drums are so crisp. The bass is fantastic -- low in the mix but beautifully played and adds a little funk. The arrangements feel like they have just enough in them -- nothing distracting or pulling attention away from the main focus, which is usually the vocals. Lauryn Hill has a gorgeous voice and there are a lot of great moments when she harmonizes with some sensational back-up singers. She's also an incredible rapper. I've listened to this album a number of times over the years. I'm always impressed but I think I connect to it more on a cerebral level than an emotional level. I have no doubt that other people feel differently and I can see why someone would have a strong emotional bond to this music but I appreciate it at a bit of a distance. The exception is “Doo Wop (That Thing),” which I absolutely adore. And her stellar version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” Man, a lot of people performed on this album! I'm looking at the 'personnel' section on Wikipedia and it's long. Amazing that Lauryn Hill was able to produce such a cohesive album with so many different collaborators.

In Utero

Nirvana

5/5

Incredible album. I love the raw power of it. They sound amazing as a band here. Those drums are huge on “Serve the Servants” and “Scentless Apprentice.” And the bass throughout the album has this ominous, nefarious feel. These guitars solos are sick too. Wild, sloppy shredding that matches the pained screams of Kurt Cobain’s vocals. Great songs, awesome in-your-face heavy sound. I love this album. Okay this is an association that is just for me but this album reminds me of teenage summers by the pool in my friend Steve’s backyard. Us and another friend all got into Nirvana at the same time and we would spend all day in the pool blasting these CDs. Listening to it now definitely takes me back to those hot summer days. I can picture that backyard so vividly right now. Also, ask me to show you the music video I made for “Tourette’s” for my final project in media class freshman year of high school 😂

Dog Man Star

Suede

3/5

Somewhere between Bowie and Radiohead, leaning more towards the Bowie side, especially on the dramatic piano-driven ballads. Very interesting album that surprised me more than once.

Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves

3/5

Beautiful voice, strong songwriting, immaculate production. Kasey Musgraves makes very good country pop. She has an endearing personality and writes charming, straightforward songs. “Slow Burn” is a particularly good one.

S&M

Metallica

3/5

Whoa. Metallica already has such a massive sound and then they added an orchestra? 😂 It’s inspired but also a little insane. The album can be overwhelming and overstimulating. Still, it’s a remarkable and impressive achievement. Add in the audience singalong moments and this becomes a very special recording. This is probably more in ‘I respect that this exists’ territory than me actually loving it. But I also wasn’t familiar with most of these songs. I can imagine my reaction being different if I knew these songs and then heard them expanded into these epic, live, orchestrated versions. I’m starting to get acclimated to the over-the-top style of this album. “Devil’s Dance” is slapping right now. Feels like heavy metal meets Bond theme song with the strings.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

5/5

I like that this album captures the range of Bob Dylan’s personality. Sometimes he’s sincere and heartbroken (“Girl From the North Country”) and sometimes he’s cheeky and sarcastic (“Talkin’ World War III Blues”). Other times, like on the closer “I Shall Be Free,” he tells riddles and jokes, the meaning of which can be hard to pin down. In all fairness, he was only 21 years old when this was recorded and maybe he was still figuring out what he wanted to say and what he meant by it. You can hear that youthfulness on the opener, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” It’s an earnest song written with the wistful spirit of a young poet wondering about nothing less than the meaning of life. He sounds much more sure of himself on “Masters of War,” a stunning and angry song condemning war-mongering politicians that has unfortunately stayed relevant in the decades since its release. I’m also fond of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” a breakup song that has its cake and eats it too — he gets his digs in by calling his ex-girlfriend a child and accuses her of wasting his “precious time,” but he still tries to claim the high road by forgiving her with a reluctant shrug: “It’s alright.” The tongue-in-cheek humor captures a certain perspective. He’s not happy but nothing more can be done to save the relationship and he’s content to walk away. The music on the album is beautiful. The spare arrangements put a spotlight on his songwriting. On all but one song, the only thing you hear is Dylan. His harmonica solos are wonderful — short but expressive passages that highlight the melancholy mood of the album. I don’t listen to this album often because it’s pretty quiet and requires a some extra attention to appreciate fully. But I really enjoyed revisiting this today.

Led Zeppelin

5/5

I can’t believe “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” “You Shook Me” and “Dazed and Confused” are back-to-back-to-back. Just one epic blues scorcher after another. Insane. I love the following track sequencing: The bright 60’s singalong “Your Time is Gonna Come” which melds right into the Indian rhythms meet American folk of “Black Mountain Side” which abruptly ends and smashes directly into the killer heavy metal riff of “Communication Breakdown.” Inspired sequencing. This album is just pure sex blasting out the speakers. That blues guitar. Ugh. So good. Jimmy Page is incredible. So expressive. “How Many More Times” is such a fun closer. I love how the drums change up around 5:40. So cool. What a debut album! An absolute masterpiece.

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Beautifully produced country pop, soaked in reverb. Really pristine sound. Emmylou Harris has a gorgeous voice. When she holds out a note, it sounds so clean. So strong. “Bluebird Wine” is a clear standout for me. It’s got real power to it. I love that forceful country style. I wish there were a few more peppy tunes like this but hey, maybe that’s jus another album. “Bottle Let Me Down” is fun too. The Beatles cover “For No One” has some incredible guitar on it. “Before Believing” is beautiful. I love these lyrics: “How would you feel if the world Was falling apart around you Pieces of the sky were falling In your neighbor's yard but not on you Wouldn't you feel just a little bit funny, Think maybe there's something you ought to do?”

Black Monk Time

The Monks

3/5

An interesting and weird little album. Bold and experimental but very playful too. The music is loose and the production is rough. I find that charming to an extent. Always fun to hear a band not give a f— and just mess around in the studio. But I think that looseness holds the album back a bit too. A cool curiosity from the era that was ahead of its time but I’m not sure I’ll want to revisit it.

GREY Area

Little Simz

4/5

Wow. Little Simz is an incredible rapper. She can spit lightning fast with style and attitude. She has a lot of different flows too. The production is fantastic too. I'm not familiar with Inflo but man he's crazy talented. Great beats packed with details and interesting changes that come midway through a song. The opening track "Offence" is a real knock-your-socks-off track. Little Simz sounds badass and the production matches her attitude and moves all over the place. Awesome stuff. I especially liked the first half of the album, which leans more toward shit-talking and confident swagger. But the whole album is solid.

The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

3/5

"I've been working on a cocktail called grounds for divorce." What a great line. Here's another great lyric: "I have an audience with the Pope And I'm saving the world at eight But if she says she needs me She says she needs me Everybody's going to have to wait" A lot of excellent songwriting on this album. The lyrics have a literary quality to them. There is also stellar production and nuanced music to match the words. I hear a little U2 and a lot of Radiohead influence in the music. But as much as I'm impressed by the album, something is holding me back from fully engaging with it. I think the vocals are part of that. Guy Garvey has a nice voice but his style is very understated and controlled. He sings about love and heartbreak and longing but in a detached way. His vocals can feel conversational and, particularly with his accent, he can sound a little like Morrissey. But Morrissey lets the sadness seep into his vocals more; he wallows in his pain. Guy Garvey sounds numb to the pain. Strong album but I enjoyed it at an arm's distance. 3.5

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

I remember when this album came out. It was in high rotation in our house for a while. This is the first album Bruce released after 9/11 and a lot of songs are about loss and grief. But there's a hopeful attitude too, a 'things are gonna get better' feeling. At the time it felt like an important album. Twenty years later, some of the music sounds cheesy. There are a few exceptions: "Mary's Place" let's it rip with that vintage E-Street Band sound and the title track has a triumphant energy that's hard to resist. But the music on a lot of other songs sounds canned. The production sometimes sterilizes the music, which undercuts the loose, live sound of the band. Bruce's faux-accent sounds silly on a few songs too. Still, the emotions are earnest and heartfelt, and there are a lot of memorable hooks and melodies. "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)" is the standout track for me. I've always loved that song. I love the doo-wop/soul style — it’s always a good fit on Bruce. ("Waitin' on a Sunny Day" has some soul influence too.)

Pump

Aerosmith

4/5

I don’t know much about music production but I’ve seen pictures of producers in the studio behind the boards. This album sounds like somebody slammed every level to its maximum output. How is it possible that every instrument sounds like it’s at the front of the mix? Why is this still screaming loud even when I lower the volume? The majority of the album leans toward heavy metal but there’s a nice mix of songs, including the power ballad closer “What It Takes.” Consistently rockin’, occasionally stupid (in a charming way) and a ton of fun.

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

4/5

Awesome post-punk with a driving energy. The vocals are quite a choice. Can't say I'd make the same choice but it does add up to a cool style: Spoken word vocals + relentless riffs and rhythm. I bet LCD Soundsystem counts this album as an influence. Wow, "Past Gone Made" is an awesome track.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" is probably the album I've listened to more than any other in my life. It's the first jazz album I fell in love with. I can hum along to a lot of these solos as I listen. For years it was one of my go-to albums to play while studying. In high school and college, if I was feeling stressed or anxious or heartbroken, I would turn to "Kind of Blue" as if it were a comfort blanket. In high school, when my dad drove me to take the SATs, I wanted to be in a relaxed, focused state, so I played "Kind of Blue" on CD in the car. We drove the twenty-or-so minutes to the testing center, snow on the ground, listening to "So What" and "Freddie Freeloader." Another time in college, a few us ate weed cookies that were stronger than we anticipated. A few people were getting anxious and I was too baked to be helpful. But I played on "Kind of Blue" from my iPod and we all sat in my dorm room and chilled out, riding out the high. "Flamenco Sketches" is easily the song I've listened to the most in my life because I use it to help me fall asleep. On those restless nights when my mind is racing, I've always counted on "Flamenco Sketches" to center me and relax me. I'll play it on repeat, as softly as possible so that I can barely make out the notes. My brain starts to focus on the calming music instead of my thoughts and eventually... I drift into sleep. A few years back I was at a bachelor party in a cabin with no cell reception or internet. The weather was hot and humid and my friend was snoring in the bunk below me. I tried so hard to fall asleep but I couldn't. Then I remembered: I have a small handful of songs downloaded on my phone, including all of "Kind of Blue." I snuck off to a different part of the cabin, laid on the hardwood floor and played "Flamenco Sketches" until I was able to relax enough that I could fall asleep. I should back up a bit too because the whole reason I even started listening to Miles was because I had a crush on a girl in high school. I’d had some exposure to jazz. My dad loved jazz and he often played it in the house but he didn't have much Miles in his collection. He liked Charlie Parker more. Anyway, the girl I had a crush on came into school one day wearing a Miles Davis t-shirt and I just thought it was the coolest thing. I probably went to Borders that week to buy "Kind of Blue" on CD. I wanted to be ready if she asked me if I liked Miles. Nothing romantic ever happened between us (I was way too shy to make a move back then) but that t-shirt started a love affair with Miles Davis's music for me. I started collecting his albums and getting into his different eras (I love the 70's electric stuff the most). A year or two later, my parents bought me a t-shirt for Christmas... the exact t-shirt my crush had worn. I was mortified. I knew I could never wear it in school because she would see it and recognize it and how embarrassing! I hardly wore it at all until college. Then it became a high rotation t-shirt and I wore it until it had holes in it. I guess I should mention the music too. It's a perfect first jazz album to get into because you can play it in the background and listen casually. But if you put headphones on and zero in on the performances, you're treated to some spectacular solos. The album is wonderfully paced. It opens with the impossibly cool "So What." Those opening bass notes are fantastic; they set the mood perfectly. Then comes "Freddie Freeloader," a peppier song that picks up the pace a bit. Next is the gorgeous "Blue in Green." Bill Evans is such a beautiful piano player. Sometimes a phrase or melody of his catches my ear and time stands still. "All Blues" is a nice, long stretch of a song with more phenomenal and effortlessly cool playing. And of course "Flamenco Sketches" ends the album with a soft and stunningly beautiful lullaby. "Kind of Blue" is my number one desert island disc. If were stranded alone on a beach with no hope of contacting help, I'd want Miles to calm me down and keep my company.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

2/5

Much respect to the art and craft of this but it’s not my particular flavor of aggression. I'm sure its raw power is cathartic for a lot of fans but it’s a little exhausting for me. The album is mostly industrial beats, feedback-heavy guitar and screamed vocals about being horny and doubting the existence of god. Sure, hell yeah, man, go for it. But I’ll personally pass on this. “Closer” is a classic though and the one track I need off this album.

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

4/5

Beautiful production with that 70's country style. Dolly Parton has a great voice with a distinct twang. The songwriting is excellent on this album too. "Coat of Many Colors" had me tearing up.

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

3/5

This list is a real treasure trove of experimental rock and early punk. There are a lot of bands I'm learning about for the first time. The sort of bands that your favorite bands probably listened to. Pere Ubu sounds at times like a less polished B-52's. A little more wild and out there and experimental. Something I've learned by going through this list is that punk and post-punk basically happened around the same time. The name 'post-punk' can be misleading because it suggests that it could have only happened after punk became popular. But it seems like almost right away, a lot of experimental bands picked up on the energy of punk and twisted it in new directions. ("Chinese Radiation" is a good example of post-punk on this album.) Maybe post-punk is a good descriptor of bands that were influenced by experimental 60's rock and just happened to be continuing those sounds alongside punk rock. I also read something recently where a music critic argued that bands don't think about genre as much as fans and critics do. They just make the music they want to make and it gets labelled after. That seems right. Pere Ubu is a band that clearly made whatever crazy music they wanted to make. I don't think they thought a ton about music history when recording this album. The first half felt more focused than the second half. A few tracks lost me in the back half, particularly the nonsense noise of “Sentimental Journey.” 2.5

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

3/5

A very pleasant album of easygoing rock with a full band sound of country, blues and folk. What a wonderful version of “Amazing Grace” at the end of track 3. The acoustic guitar is so expressive. “Maggie May” is the clear standout. Gorgeous song and a perfect example of this album’s style.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

4/5

Wow. What an incredible album. Emotionally rich and dense with musical ideas. A lot of these songs are pretty complex so one listen only scratches the surface. He’s a beautiful performer and the production is top notch though so even a cursory listen is still very enjoyable. I only knew his version of “Hallelujah” going into this. Incredible version and deserving of its classic status. There’s a wide variety of styles on this album including some fantastic rock. The music on a few songs reminded me of Radiohead and Grizzly Bear, two of my all time favorites. This album must have been an influence on them.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

4/5

Excellent blues rock. A perfect album to put on when you’re looking for classic rock to soundtrack a BBQ. The whole album is solid front to back. I really like “Bell Bottom Blues.” Of course the standout track is “Layla.” Just an incredible hook. What a sweeping energy this song has! It’s got the drama of classical music.

Protection

Massive Attack

3/5

Cool atmospheric music. For a group called Massive Attack, their mood is pretty laidback and loungy. Some of the beats and rhythms have a jazzy swing to them too. Overall I dig it but mostly as background music.

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

4/5

A nice mix of headphones electronica and dance floor euphoria. Some songs have a playful spirit with lots of fun details. Others are club-ready bangers, like “Paris Four Hundred.” The back half of the album is particularly packed with dance tracks. Excellent stuff, really fun.

NEU! 75

Neu!

3/5

Beautiful, long rock songs that would be perfect to listen to on a road trip. “Seeland” has that ‘driving through the country’ feel to it. The vocals on “Hero” are wild. I love the contrast between the soaring music and the crude wail of the singing.

Green

R.E.M.

4/5

The first half of this album has a playful sense of humor. I really like the opening track “Pop Song 89.” The second half rocks a little more. “Orange Crush” is excellent. And the closing track, “Untitled,” is beautiful. I love the layered backing vocals. R.E.M. are great at writing pop songs but they do it with their own distinct style. Lyrics are excellent too.

Kid A

Radiohead

5/5

"Kid A" casts a gloomy, dystopian mood and for that reason, it's not an album I reach for often. But it's great. And one of the defining Radiohead albums. I appreciated on this listen the way they use ambient soundscapes to add tension to the music. "How to Disappear Completely" is a melancholy song with acoustic guitar strumming. It might have been pretty straightforward but listen how in the opening minutes those eerie tones in the background push it into darker emotional territory. Three songs in particular stand out to me as favorites: "Everything in Its Right Place" is a great album opener. It sets the mood and gives you a sense of what to expect from the rest of the album. It doesn't have a traditional rock or pop structure. It builds and builds as they artfully add new layers of sound until the song hits a climax and then settles back down. And in its own weird way, the song does rock. "The National Anthem" is incredible. What a killer riff. I love songs that loop a great riff and build on it. These drums are so good. Impossible not to bang your head to this. And when the jazz horns come in halfway? Wow. This is one of those songs that makes me laugh because its so audacious. A one-of-a-kind song. And "Idioteque" is prime electronic Radiohead. That jittery, anxious beat that begs to be danced to but you can only dance to it the way Thom Yorke does in concerts: manic and twitchy and random. I love the lyrics too. I don't often pay close attention to Radiohead lyrics but I like how Thom Yorke often writes in an impressionistic style. There isn't a clear story or meaning but rather a collection of images and phrases that add up to something. "Who's in a bunker? Who's in a bunker? / Women and children first ... Ice age coming, ice age coming ... Take the money and run." The end of the world is here and everyone is freaking out and scrambling. "Morning Bell" has another line I like: "Where'd you park the car? Where'd you park the car?" It's a mundane, everyday thing we all say but when Thom Yorke sings it, it sounds sad and beautiful and painful. This song is another good example of how the music straddles different emotions and tones. It's a pretty gloomy song until it hits that rock break in the middle that almost gets hopeful until the mood drops again with the line, "Cut the kids in half." The whole album keeps you guessing like this. It's complex and strange and always interesting to revisit.

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

Blistering punk and hard rock with a bare bones production. The songs feel joyful too, mostly thanks to Karen O's in-the-moment, live-sounding singing. For the first half of the album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' main goal seems to be to make the most amount of noise with the least amount of instruments. I can't believe these songs are just drums + guitars + vocals. Then "Maps" comes on. A stunning song and the clear standout track. It's a beautiful song that has resonated with me over the years and I know that millions more have connected with it too. Yeah Yeah Yeahs start the album with an impish punk energy but by the end, they show what a big heart they have too.

Beautiful Freak

Eels

1/5

I don’t like this. The lyrics are clunky. I get the impression that the band thinks the songs are more clever than they are. The vocals and the style of the music sound like a product of the 90’s in a way that grates on my nerves a bit. Very bad album cover too.

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

3/5

Fun 60’s rock with a some psychedelic style, some Beach Boys pop and some country pop. I love “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone.” I’m more familiar with the Monkees’ version. In this version, the vocals go harder. Really great.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

5/5

Sensational performance. I love that big band sound. The band plays to entertain and the crowd is loving it! I think this is my first time listening to Duke Ellington. He’s a great piano player. He loves to riff on the melody with these drunken-sounding off key notes. Very fun, really entertaining. That wailing at the end of “Festival Junction”!! Wow, that’s wild! Excellent. Really enjoyed this.

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

4/5

Fantastic funk. Rich, dense arrangements and songs that stretch out and groove for as long as they feel like. Sometimes that means the back half of the song has guitar shredding and jamming. Sometimes that means the songs loop for a while (and occasionally drag on a little too long). Overall excellent and a lot of fun.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

2/5

So Limp Bizkit is like a dirtbag Rage Against the Machine? I never thought of that before but they sound like they're explicitly imitating Rage's musical style on a lot of these songs. But Fred Durst is no Zach de la Rocha, and without the latter's political lyrics, Limp Bizkit's anger sounds performative rather than righteous. It's just an act. Most of the time, Durst directs his anger at critics who don't like Limp Bizkit. His rage doesn't have a higher cause; it's self-indulgent. But I can't get too mad at some of these dumb lyrics. I just roll my eyes. And even a watered-down version of RATM rocks pretty hard. I found myself banging my head from time to time. I also find it charming how much Limp Bizkit wears their influences on their sleeves. There are interpolations of Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses right at the top of the album. Later, on the second verse of "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)," Durst sounds like he's imitating Eminem. I’m surprised to hear some more emotional tracks near the end. The music gets pretty heavy. And “Hold On” is surprisingly gorgeous. The album cover is so bad that I almost kinda like it. It’s so unpleasant to look at. I remember being drawn to it and disturbed by it as a kid.

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

Oooh there are some smooth jams on this album. Some funky ones too. A lot of the music is cheesy but Bobby Womack is a hell of a singer. I really enjoyed this.

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

Punk riffs, ska horns, reggae beats and soaring rock refrains are all on the color palette on “London Calling” and The Clash paint with the confidence of masters. The music stretches in a dozen different directions across nineteen songs and the band switches styles effortlessly. The songs are frequently pessimistic about the state of the world. Apocalyptic doomsaying, disillusionment over capitalism and oppression at the hands of the police are all part of the lyrical world of the album. But you almost wouldn’t notice given the frequently joyful and exuberant tone of the music. There would seem to be an inherent contradiction between the words and the music. Or maybe not. In punk, the realization that the world is awful can be liberating. It's the first step in a revolution: The government is corrupt! War is destroying the world! Now you know! Let's do something about it! And what better prophet of the revolution than Joe Strummer? His drunkard's howl and Cockney accent are a frequent focal point of these songs. He's a great rock frontman and he gives some incredible performances here. His vocals give an edge to the otherwise immaculately produced music. This might be the greatest double album of all time -- no filler! nothing but great songs! -- and, for my money, is a safe bet for best rock album ever if you absolutely made me pick one. I've spent a lot of time with this album and it never gets old. The album is fantastic front to back but I’m always stunned by the second half in particular. There are at least a half dozen tracks that could have been the album closer. But The Clash end with two entire sides’ worth of album closers! Incredible.

Dookie

Green Day

5/5

Green Day was one of my favorite bands in high school and “Dookie” is a classic. It has a bunch of great songs and the whole thing is excellent beginning to end. The track list flows really well. A lot of these songs have the momentum of a roller coaster. They blast off right out of the gate, barrel through a few verses and choruses and leave you dizzy after two minutes. Tons of fun, always great to revisit.

Sea Change

Beck

5/5

Spaced out country and sad, string-laden pop. A beautiful album with fantastic production. The music captures the melancholy fog of heartbreak. But the songwriting is so strong that I don’t mind spending 50 minutes with that tone. And Beck has a gorgeous singing voice. His typical style doesn’t get to showcase it as much.

All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah

3/5

Fun, old-school hip-hop with an impressive mix of styles including house music and reggae. Some cool jazzy samples too. The production is excellent although the style sounds dated now. I’m glad I listened to this though. I’d never actually heard Queen Latifah’s music before today. She’s a very good performer and a good lyricist. (Some lyrics were a little repetitive; I heard a few lines on more than one track.)

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

3/5

A track like “Djed” is interesting to me because it reminds me of jazz in the way it riffs on a melody and the way the music transforms and shape-shifts. But it does so methodically. There’s a calculated feeling here that I associate with electronica or prog-rock. The music straddles the line between organic and mechanical. The album becomes much more organic on the following tracks. "Glass Museum" is gorgeous and sounds more like the product of a full band. And "A Survey" is really cool. It's driven by that ominous, creeping bass line. Cool that one band can go from spacious and laidback on one song to high-strung and tense on the next. Really strong experimental album!

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

4/5

Beautiful, spare country soaked in reverb. Sad and slow (but sometimes sexy), it’s definitely music for a certain mood. Excellent covers of “Blue Moon” and “Sweet Jane.”

Black Sabbath

4/5

Big riffs and big drama! From the very first track, Black Sabbath knew exactly who they were as a band. The opening title track is a great mission statement for their career that followed. Style and showmanship are the focus here. The songwriting isn’t always memorable but who cares when the music rocks as hard as this?

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

This album has an interesting style. There’s a strong 60’s R&B/soul influence but filtered through glam-rock and punk. David Bowie produced the album and co-wrote a lot of the music and you can hear his dramatic style. Iggy Pop can be very theatrical with his vocals too and the production puts his voice front and center. The standout tracks are the classic “Lust for Life,” and “The Passenger.” Great rock songs.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

4/5

Beautiful soul, blues and rock with some killer guitar playing. Great drama and atmosphere. Michael Kiwanuka is a powerful singer and an excellent songwriter. This album is stacked with good songs. The track sequencing flows really well too.

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

3/5

Bass-thumping techno alongside more textured, atmospheric electronica. All of it is impressive and well-produced, though I gravitate towards the less clubby songs. “Banstyle / Sappy’s Curry” is resonating with me. The music sounds like it’s submerged underwater. There’s some blips and bloops but also some organic-sounding instrumentation as well as guitars.

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

5/5

Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” is an over-the-top masterpiece featuring epic tributes to 50’s rock ‘n’ roll and doo wop, and soaring power ballads. All of the emotions are blown up to blockbuster proportions. It would be parody if it weren’t performed with such straight-faced sincerity. It’s an audacious concept album about horny teenagers that captures the impossible magnitude of getting laid for the first time. The lyrics are packed with brilliant one-liners and bewildering head-scratchers, all of them passionately delivered by Meat Loaf as if they were wisdom handed down from heaven above. Jim Steinman‘s music is passionate one moment, tender and delicate the next. The whole production might have collapsed under the weight of its own ridiculousness if these songs weren't so beautifully composed and arranged. And cheers to producer Todd Rundgren for keeping everything in balance. I've listened to this album dozens of times but I still found myself laughing out loud listening to it today. It's such a joyful, entertaining album. "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a wedding reception staple and I have fond memories (and photos of us) dancing to it at my wedding.

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

1/5

Experimental and out there but lacking purpose. I’m not sure why I’d ever want to listen to this. Occasionally the music reminded me of Tom Waits but Tom Waits is a phenomenal songwriter and performer. He has a way of drawing you in and making you think, “I can’t believe that music this strange is so compelling.” This album just sounds like pointless stoner experiments. I couldn’t wait for it to end. I think “Hello Skinny” was the only song I genuinely enjoyed. It’s got a cool, low simmering energy.

Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes

2/5

I’m usually an easy sell with this style of 60’s psychedelic pop but this album just floated by without making an impression. It’s okay but forgettable.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

3/5

Pleasant and playful psychedelic pop with futuristic electronic flourishes. I don’t always love narrative-heavy concept albums they way I did when I was a teenager; sometimes I find them a little silly now. But either way, I need to get into the music before I dig into any kind of story. The music here is enjoyable and inventive. I liked it but probably not enough to learn the lore of the pink robots.

Soul Mining

The The

4/5

Wow, right off the bat, "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" is one of the best songs I've heard in a while. Energetic, catchy and fun. But it also captures an anxious feeling I get sometimes of being trapped in a world that won't stop spinning while my life rushes past me. The lyrics are great and the music matches the anxious energy. "This is the Day" has similarly existential lyrics but it's wrapped up in a pop song. I love that. That jazzy piano on “Uncertain Smile” is awesome. Excellent album and one of the more exciting discoveries for me on this list. I’ll definitely listen to this more! Hilarious band name too. Kudos to that.

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney

4/5

Who says punk can't be musically complex? These songs have great interplay between the guitar riffs and the rhythm section. All three of them lock in — the music is tight. Excellent, high energy album. I really liked it and could see myself loving it with more listens.

New Forms

Roni Size

3/5

These beats move at a breakneck speed. I guess drum ‘n’ bass is dance music but, man, you could have a heart attack if you try to keep up with these songs. This is an epic album too. I broke it into chunks — two-plus hours is a lot when every song has more or less the same fast drum loop. I liked the songs without vocal hooks the most. Highlights: “Let’s Get It On,” “Mad Cat,” “Morse Code,” “Destination,” “Hi-Potent,” “Trust Me,” “Share the Fall”

Immigrés

Youssou N'Dour

4/5

Joyful music, full of emotion! The whole band is excellent. The bass playing stood out to me — there are some cool bass lines that add complexity to the music. And the guitar is gorgeous. Definitely going to put this one in rotation for a while.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

3/5

“Freedom! ‘90” is one of my absolute favorite songs. It’s an instant mood booster. I first got into it around 5 years ago when my mother-in-law demanded it I play over and over again at a family Christmas party. I’ve since fallen in love with it on my own but I’ll probably always associate it with her too. The rest of this album is pretty good. It’s heavy on slow ones. The songs are earnest and heartfelt though not many connected with me aside from “Freedom!”

New York Dolls

3/5

I hear the influence of the Stones on this and some influence from T.Rex and fellow New Yorker Lou Reed too. A bunch of songs remind me of The Clash but The Clash were still a few years away from releasing their first album so it’s fair to say New York Dolls probably influenced their sound. Definitely feels like an important album. It exists somewhere between classic rock, hard rock and punk. So I dig the style. But there weren’t many memorable songs for me. I’d be curious to hear another New York Dolls album though. Ok I just got to the end and “Jet Boy” rocks! This might be an album that grows on me.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

Blues rock dominates a lot of classic rock but Creedence Clearwater Revival were one of the best to ever do it. These songs immediately leap out of the speakers with style and color and attitude and joy. It’s the sound of talented musicians loving what they’re doing. And wow John Fogerty is an awesome lead singer. He puts so much raw feeling into his singing. A lot of classic songs on this album. And the less famous album cuts rock just as hard and keep the energy going. Fantastic album. What a silly album cover for such a great album! 😂

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

3/5

Good electronic music. There are a fair amount of sound effects — metallic noises, the sound of a sword being unsheathed, etc. — especially early on in the album. I could do without that. But when the beats get going, the music slaps. A lot of songs have live instrumentation too, or at least live-sounding samples. It’s a mix. Highlights: - “Duke of Earlsfield” has this great hip-hop bass line in the beat and then adds in a xylophone sound that could have been in Super Mario Bros. - “Wilmot” has a very different energy and I love the scatting vocals. It’s really not even an electronic song. It starts with a Middle Eastern style, settles into a reggae/dub beat and adds swinging jazz horns. Amazing!

Ocean Rain

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

I like this! Reverb-heavy 80’s alt-rock with lots of dramatic and theatrical flourishes. Reminds me of early U2.

Very

Pet Shop Boys

3/5

There’s an amusing disconnect on a lot of these songs between the hyper, exuberant club beats and the subdued, often disaffected vocals. Pet Shop Boys let the music carry all the energy while they cooly sing on top. This album falls into the ‘I respect it but don’t personally love it’ box. Great beats, fun music, interesting lyrics. Just not something I’m going to put on a lot on my own. Wow “Go West” is awesome. I’m gonna save that one. I love when artists save the best song for the album closer. Such a boss move.

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

3/5

Some nice meditative psychedelic guitar. The songs take their time and we get a couple of slow burns in a row right at the top. "Revolution" kicks things into high gear with some riffs and feedback. I found myself feeling grateful for a little noise and chaos. I guess that song is more of an outlier though. Most of this album is mellow. It’s a simmer, not a boil. Even “Suicide,” the other loud and noisy track, is an 11-minute slow burn than feels more like ambient music than rock. I think that’s the standout track here. The rest of the album is good but I need to be in the right mood for it. “Suicide” is powerful though.

1977

Ash

3/5

Ash reminds me a little of Weezer. They write tight, punchy songs that put the melody and lyrical hooks front and center ("Goldfinger," "Girl From Mars"). And like early Weezer, they're able to take that bright pop songwriting and play it in a much harder style. "I'd Give You Anything" starts with an awesome heavy metal riff and features a sick, messy guitar solo. Overall this is a pretty good album. The vocals were lacking though. Not enough oomph or personality. And they’re often buried in the mix. I guess that’s fair since the rest of the band is rocking out pretty hard but it feels a little unbalanced. Oof some of these vocals actually aren’t good (“Lost In You”) but I still find the songwriting and music just charming enough to rate it a 3, meaning “I like it.” But a 2.5 is more what I’m feeling. Not a band I’ll listen to again.

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

4/5

Did 1001 Albums know that we were going to have a cloudy, rainy day today and give us “Hail To the Thief” to match the weather? (Two songs by my count explicitly reference rain!) The music on this album is a fusion of anxious electronic beats and shape-shifting prog-rock. Most of it casts a gloomy tone. It’s a dense, rich album. Every song feels dense and packed with details. There’s always a few interesting elements in the production that give each song it’s own weird, uneasy personality. The compositions are complex too. The songs frequently swerve and move in a new direction. What holds the album back from greatness for me is that each of the 14 songs feels like an island. The transitions between them are often jarring. Even though there is a consistent tone and style, each song somehow feels self-contained, like it doesn’t need the others. Or maybe it’s just that overcast tone that holds me back from loving the album. There are probably a few songs that could have been cut too. I’m just nitpicking though because Radiohead are one of my favorite bands. There’s a lot to enjoy on this album. “A Punchup at a Wedding” is a standout. I love that sexy bass line. The band actually sounds a little loose on that one. And oooh “Myxomatosis” rocks so hard! This is the best Radiohead album cover and one of my favorite album covers in general. I love reading through all the words. It captures the anxiety of living in the modern world where everything is screaming at you for attention. 4.5

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Wow, I've never heard anything quite like this before! What a performance! Big theatricality - he's not leaving anything on the table here. That's awesome. Sometimes he sounds like he's doing some twisted, modern version of Elvis or Roy Orbison. Mostly he sounds like no one else. The songwriting is very good too. The lyrics grabbed my attention more than once. Feels like this album exists in its own strange world.

Aha Shake Heartbreak

Kings of Leon

4/5

I’m thoroughly charmed by this. Loose unpretentious rock. Some of the music is influenced by 70s/80s hard rock ("Taper Jean Girl," "Pistol of Fire") except they’re not playing it quite as hard. Kings of Leon follows more in the mold of Coldplay's mellow sound ("Milk") but their rhythm section also has this fun bounce that reminds me of the first Vampire Weekend album. It lends the music a good times vibe. (They literally sing "Let the good times roll" on "King of the Rodeo.") I love how short and sweet these songs are too. This is a very easy album to listen to. I can tell already I'm going to listen to it a bunch more.

Zombie

Fela Kuti

5/5

I love the propulsive energy of the title track. Relentless, maximal jazz-funk! Fantastic horns too. “Mr. Follow Follow” has a more laidback strut but the rhythm section is still strong enough to carry this song through 13 minutes. These are long songs but they flow easily and I would still jam out to them if they were even longer. "Observation is No Crime" keeps the tempo nice and easy. Again, these horns are great. And the live track "Mistake" is a nice bonus. The band has some real swagger!

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

"Dancing Queen" is incredible. It's one of the songs on my short list to play for the aliens one day when they land on our planet and want to learn about Earth culture. It's pure joy in a bottle. The rest of this album has its moments. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" is a good one. And I like the rockin' "Why Did It Have to Be Me?" The lyrics are fun and I love that swinging melody that the horns play. And ooh those drums on "Tiger" are so dramatic. Really, every song on this album is dramatic and cheesy. That's what makes it so ridiculous and so charming. A few songs are pretty silly. "When I Kissed the Teacher" is a surprising album opener. Not one that has aged well. 😂 And “Money, Money, Money” is funny. It sounds like a song that was cut from a musical.

Homework

Daft Punk

5/5

I've never listened to Daft Punk's first album but I love "Discovery" and "Random Access Memories" so I'm excited to dig into this. A lot of the early tracks are pretty straightforward house music but really well done. “Da Funk” is sick! Awesome build up. "Around the World" is a song I've heard a lot and sometimes the vocal hook grates on me because it's so repetitive. But if you start focusing on the other elements of the song, which are really dynamic, the vocals fade to the background and the song comes alive. (And then of course you still end up singing the vocal hook to yourself for the rest of the day.) Okay, did I use the word straightforward earlier to describe their approach to house? I take that back. The screeching sound on "Rollin' and Scratchin'" is absolutely bonkers! This is one of the coolest songs I've heard in a long time. And these samples on "High Fidelity" are really interesting. This is another banger! Wow, this album is just one high energy track after another with lots of invention and experimentation. This is a masterpiece of untz untz bass and artful club music. My respect for Daft Punk has reached a new high. 💯

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

4/5

Lots of aggressive noise on this album but the band excels at controlled chaos. Unlike a lot of noise rock or hardcore bands, where a certain amount of guitar feedback and sloppiness feels improvised, these guys sound like they’re very deliberate behind the boards. They deploy the screeches and feedback right where they want them. That feeling of being carefully put together is probably a result of the songwriting too. A lot of this music is dense and layered. I hear a Rolling Stones influence on a bunch of songs. Joe Cardamone’s vocals often sound like Mick Jagger. The band even sounds a little like Zeppelin on “Virgin Velcro.” It’s a potent combination: ‘fuck you’ hardcore noise + smart songwriting and musicianship + rockstar showmanship. Excellent album.

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

2/5

Orchestral chamber music that paradoxically sounds both proggy and baroque. There are moments of experimentation and moments of serenity. Not much stood out on the first half. “The Sound of Someone You Love…” is very pretty. It takes some interesting turns in the second half of the song though - almost sounding like a horror movie score for a bit. That’s that proggy side of the music coming out. Not bad but didn’t do much for me.

New Wave

The Auteurs

2/5

Pleasant enough Britpop with a strong Kinks influence. Sometimes the lead singer has a John Lennon-esque rasp. Sometimes he sings in a high-pitched warble. Neither mode particularly worked for me. The songwriting is decent but once the chorus came around on any given song, I felt like I knew everything that was going to happen musically. These are short songs but I still felt restless. Anytime the lyrics stood out to me, it was usually because there was a line I didn't like.

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell

3/5

Smooth, funky baby-making music. The songs stretch out and groove. They take their time. They don't have anywhere else to be. They're just right here, right now, with you, baby. Dim the lights and let them work their magic.

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

One of my absolute favorites. Jam-packed with tight, angsty songs about sexual frustration and full of big hooks and memorable melodies. Elvis Costello takes on the persona of the smart, snarky guy in the corner of the room judging everyone at the party but his lyrics have enough self-deprecation that you're always on his side. To me, this album is a gold standard for balancing sharp lyrics and loud rock. I love punk and I enjoy a good singer-songwriter album but sometimes I secretly wish that the punk songs had sharper lyrics and that the singer-songwriter album had more guitar riffs. That's probably why I love Arctic Monkeys so much. Their early albums do what this album does so well. The music is high energy but Nick Lowe's production is clear enough that you can always hear the snarl in Elvis Costello's vocals and pick out the details in the music. The backing band here is just incredible.

I See A Darkness

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

3/5

Good singer-songwriter album with a mostly somber tone. Some interesting off-kilter moments throughout. “Nomadic Revery (All Around)” stood out to me. I like that dramatic climax with the howling backing vocals!

Our Aim Is To Satisfy

Red Snapper

3/5

A mad mashup of styles and genres tied together with driving drum loops and dance grooves. Good, fleeting fun while it lasts though it doesn’t make a major impression. A few melodic numbers are tucked in at the end that I enjoyed.

Truth

Jeff Beck

3/5

Very enjoyable blues rock with flashes of excellence. The piano playing on "Blues Deluxe" (around the 4 minute mark) is fantastic! And great guitar throughout. Rod Stewart on lead vocals brings a fun energy too. I was already thinking that the band reminded me of Led Zeppelin (fwiw Jeff Beck put out this album a year before Zep's first) and then "You Shook Me" came on. The Jeff Beck version of course pales in comparison but that's hardly Jeff Beck's fault. Overall, this scratched the same itch for me as Led Zeppelin so it was easy listening for me.

Lazer Guided Melodies

Spiritualized

4/5

Stellar blend of psychedelic, ambient and soaring rock in the vein of U2. ("I Want You" in particular sounds like something off of "The Joshua Tree.") I like how positive the music is. There's a joyful feeling in these songs. This would be a great album for a road trip. The songs take their time and build. I was into this one.

I See You

The xx

4/5

The xx have some of the best-produced albums in indie music today. Just immaculate. By this album, The xx had well-established their melancholy, sexy, bedroom-lights-dimmed-low style but I love how "I See You" also feels colorful, particularly in the opening tracks. They use samples and mix in elements of dance music for some incredible, addictive songs. I love when the vocal sample comes in on "On Hold." I can't get enough of that. "Say Something Loving" is another great song that uses a vocal sample in an interesting way. I'm not sure I've heard another band slip in a sample like this to enrich the emotions of the song. And the lyrics about allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to accept love are heartbreaking and beautiful. The vocals on this song (and every other song on the album) are fantastic. I love the male-female back-and-forth between Oliver Sim and Romy. It's part of The xx's signature sound and it makes every song feel so intimate and sexy. I particularly like Romy's vocals. She's got a solo album that came out recently that I've been obsessed with. "A Violent Noise" is a fascinating track. It's a sad song about going out with friends and dancing in the club but still feeling a lingering sadness (presumably from a breakup). The music captures the feeling perfectly. It sounds like it takes place within a club but doesn't actually feel like club music. It's the sound of being lonely in a crowd. Excellent album. I had it on repeat all weekend. 4.5

The Modern Lovers

3/5

Fun, driving riffs that feel pitched right between rock n roll and punk. Definitely draws influence from The Velvet Underground. There’s a lot of irony and sarcasm baked into the music and vocals but I actually think that’s just a cover for lead singer Jonathan Richman to hide his earnestness. Song after song, he seems to crave love and sincerity. “Old World,” for example, is an open-hearted song about nostalgia for the ‘50s. “Hospital” was a nice change from the faster paced tracks. I liked the vulnerability of the lyrics. It’s a strange, sad song about a bad relationship. It stopped me in my tracks and made an impression. I enjoyed this. A more varied mix of sounds or maybe some surprising lyrical turns would have pushed this into excellent territory. But it’s a strong album.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

5/5

Fast, loud and tightly wound songs about late night drinking and waiting in line at the club. It's a classic debut album that introduced Alex Turner's sharp songwriting and in-your-face drawl. He stands out right away as a great rock frontman. His delivery drips with attitude and you can tell he's a good singer even if he spends most of this album shouting and sneering. Meanwhile, the band plays heavy metal riffs at punk speeds. But even when the music gets hard, the band’s performance feels light. You can dance to these songs as much as you can bang your head to them. You can thrash in the mosh pit or you can jump up and down on the sidelines. There are nothing but excellent songs on here including some classics. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor" is still a high-energy attention-grabber after hundreds of listens. "Mardy Bum" is a light and catchy pop-leaning number. And "From the Ritz to the Rubble" has always been a personal favorite. I love how it sounds like a speeding train about to fly off the rails. Another standout track is "Riot Van," a much-need midpoint palette cleanser. It's the song that I think best shows why Arctic Monkeys ended up having a long career as opposed to being a flash in the pan. Alex Turner takes a chaotic scene -- police officers arresting drunk teenagers and throwing them in a van -- and describes it in detail, adding in bits of dialogue. The action plays out in slow motion as gentle guitar strumming casts a rose-colored nostalgia over the scene. This could have been another lightning fast blast of punk rock but instead it's the most sentimental track on the album. It's a great example of Turner's observational writing as well as the band's impeccable taste and capability for restraint, qualities that have carried them through nearly two decades of music and counting.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

3/5

This was a little tricky to find online but this YouTube link has the remastered version with bonus tracks: https://youtu.be/dPBY3vBFWmA?si=Gxf76TwlvI5WisoO Beautiful music. I like how the solos are on top of this layer of soft, ambient sound. It creates a kind of tension in the music. But tension isn’t the right word because the effect is actually soothing and calming. Even when the drumming picks up, that layer of sound gives the music a peaceful tone.

Ananda Shankar

3/5

Fun to hear the covers of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire" played with sitar. "Sagar (The Ocean)" is a standout track too -- a 13-minute build-up with some nice shredding at the end! A nice, jammy, easy to listen to album of Indian-rock fusion.

Sheet Music

10cc

2/5

Is it possible for a band to have too many ideas? 10cc is an undeniably talented band but this album can feel a little exhausting. The songs are mostly Beatlesesque pop, frequently dipping into Queen-level theatricality. It’s smart stuff but maybe too clever for its own good? I respect that they take a lot of risks but most of it didn’t work for me.

Low

David Bowie

4/5

“Low” is on the more experimental end of Bowie’s music although there’s still a big emphasis on melody, especially on the first half which is made up of relatively straightforward rock songs. I really like the first half and the way the music works strange sounds and styles into the songs. I can’t get enough of “Breaking Glass.” “Sound and Vision” is the only song I was previously familiar with because it’s on the Greatest Hits and it’s definitely the closest to straight-up pop. Great funky sound. The second half is a little more hit or miss for me but it’s also the more challenging half. It leans toward ambient music and experimental rock. I’m not sure when I’ll ever really want to listen to a song like “Warszawa.” In addition to being a dramatic movie score-type track, it’s a little cheesy. “Art Decade” is beautiful though and “Weeping Wall” has a trancelike vibe. “Subterraneans” is excellent too. I like that Bowie uses his vocals on this one for a few minutes before he sings any words. Interesting album. I listened to it twice and it definitely got better the second time. I’ll let this one continue to sit with me.

Young Americans

David Bowie

5/5

Yesterday we had the Bowie album “Low” on this list. I thought it was a very good album but it asks more from the listener than the typical album does (a little more attention, a little more patience). “Young Americans,” on the other hand, only asks that you dance. It’s generous with its party energy, funky licks and big hooks. It’s a lot of fun. Funk and soul aren’t necessarily a natural fit for Bowie but he makes the genres his own. Some of the songs have a strange, awkward swagger to them. You expect smoothness from funk. But Bowie makes the music a little gangly and weird. I love it. His vocals get pretty wild. He’s got that jazzy, improvisational spirit. The title track is a classic. It’s a little weirder than I remember it being too. Wow - “Fascination” is a banger! This backing band is phenomenal. And “Right” is spectacular! I love the call-and-response between Bowie and the backup singers. “Fame” is another classic and a perfect example of the style I’m talking about. It’s cool and funky and danceable but a little odd and off kilter too. I’m very glad I finally listened to this album.

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

2/5

I've tried to listen to The Pogues. My father loves them and played them in the house growing up, and I have a friend who's always recommending them to me. We had another album of theirs on this list about a year ago too. It's just not for me. I enjoyed this album more than the other one. The band is excellent. They can switch gears and play a variety of moods and styles. And there's no shortage of showmanship. They must have had a hell of a live show. But the Irish music can get a bit grating for me and there's only so many late night tales of drunken debauchery I can do. Much respect to them though because they're being 100% themselves and I'm happy that they've found such a wide audience. 🙏

Sulk

The Associates

2/5

I enjoyed the fast-paced, slightly out-of-control, glitchy opening instrumental. But after that, the music descends into a weird nightmare world of twisted 80s pop. It’s bold but I’m not sure it’s something I’ll want to replay.

Faith

George Michael

4/5

This is spectacular. I love that there’s a 9-minute song about wanting to have sex and it has absolutely no subtlety or innuendo. Honestly, it feels very earnest. “Faith” is a classic and I might like “Father Figure” even more. Great song. Love that rhythm in the beat. The rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to the fun of the opening three tracks but George Michael’s sexy, sultry vocals carry the other songs. (“Monkey” is hilarious and awesome though.) Everything is well produced too.

Document

R.E.M.

4/5

I don’t often think about the craft of rock but I think about it when listening to R.E.M. sometimes. They released a lot of excellent music and even if I don’t love it the way I love my favorite bands, I’m always impressed. They knew their craft and they always had a lot of ideas. Most of this album is strong from a melody perspective and the band fleshes out each song with great playing and interesting details. And the lyrics are smart. A lot of lyrics seem to be focused on criticizing politics. “It’s the End of the World…” and “The One I Love” are great songs and two of R.E.M.‘s best. They show off the band’s range too. They could be playful and fun, or dramatic and melancholy. I was impressed by the range of this album in general.

Gorillaz

3/5

Gorillaz have a handful of amazing singles that fuse hip-hop, pop and alt-rock. The whole album is a mixed bag though. Everything sounds cool and it’s well-produced but there’s a high quotient of songs where you check to see how much time is left. Maybe I’m doing the music a disservice by listening closely. Some of these songs would make great mood music. But they’re not quite complete songs in a pop sense. But man the great songs are so much fun. “Clint Eastwood” is a classic. It’s got a unique sound and style. And the sample in the beat of “Rock the House” is so joyful. Del the Funky Homosapien is obviously a big part of what makes both songs great. Maybe this album needs more rap features? The chorus of “19-2000” is summer in a bottle. Irresistible. The highlights are fantastic and personal favorites. But there’s too much aimless experimentation on the rest of the album.

Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals

3/5

Fun Lovin’ Criminals have a smooth sound: hip-hop with touches of country rock and a jazzy rhythm section. They’re cool but their coolness feels like an affectation. It’s a little calculated and feels a bit dated. But I can’t dismiss them entirely because they do have musical chops. I’m impressed to see most of these songs feature live instrumentation. Acting cool is one thing but sounding this slick and smooth is an accomplishment. This isn’t something I’ll be replaying but hats off to them all the same.

Basket of Light

Pentangle

3/5

I appreciate that this list gives us some real hippie folk stuff once in a while. Not every song on this album is hitting for me but I like the gentle psychedelia mixed with the acoustic guitar riffing. But also, you know, my mileage with medieval-influenced folk music is pretty low. Some songs are very much in that style, others are more true to the time. So it depends on the track. The songs with 60’s-sounding guitar are what are keeping me interested here. I really like “Sally Go Round the Roses.”

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

4/5

Listening to this album is like walking through a psychedelic funhouse. You never know what’s around the corner and the music is constantly trying to surprise and disorient you. Like how the epic nine-minute experimental “Interstellar Overdrive” is followed by the playful, bedtime folk song “The Gnome.” There are a lot of great moments that make this worthwhile. Some highlights for me were the surf rock swagger of “Lucifer Sam,” the jazzy piano in the first half of “Pow R. Toc H.,” and the manic jamming on “Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk.” This is a perfect album to put on a list like this. It’s fascinating and entertaining but listening to it once before you die is probably enough. I think this is my second time listening. The first time was in high school. I was smoking weed in a parking lot while my friend played it for me in the car. Not sure if we got through the whole thing that time. And of course this album deserves recognition for being the first Pink Floyd album, though their sound here is pretty different from the band they eventually became. The story of Syd Barrett, who was the frontman for only this album, is an interesting one. I’m only vaguely familiar with his mental health struggles but I’ve always thought it was fascinating how he made this one album and then the band went on to become one of the all-time greats without him.

Apple Venus Volume 1

XTC

2/5

Dan, it's funny that you mentioned Dirty Projectors the other day in your review of the Pentangle album because I hear their sound in this album too. Especially in the vocals and the layered production of the first track "River of Orchids." I like the line "The grass is always greener when it bursts up through concrete." I was just talking yesterday about this idea of taking a cliche phrase or saying and changing a part of it to freshen it up and make it new again. (There was a line in an Arctic Monkeys song that made me think of this concept: "I don't mean to rain on anybody's cabaret." What a fun writing trick!) The second track "I'd Like That" almost sounds like solo Paul McCartney. A lot of these songs sound influenced by the Beatles. I’m liking this less and less as it goes on. A lot of these songs are corny. The vocals frequently made me cringe. And aside from a good first impression, I don’t like the lyrics. “Your Dictionary” struck me as particularly clunky. This album started interesting but by the end, I was happy it was over.

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

4/5

I enjoyed this -- beautiful music. And hearing Ravi Shankar's quick introductions to the different structures was interesting. They gave me a little more appreciation for what was happening in the songs. I think it's interesting too that he says there is improvisation but that this isn't jazz. There's a different kind of solo-ing happening within the form. This made for a good background soundtrack today while I was adjusting my fantasy football teams 😆

xx

The xx

5/5

If it were possible to wear out an mp3 from overplaying it, I would have worn out this album in college. “Intro” in particular is a song I would play on repeat. Amazing for a band to have such a unique, stylized sound and know exactly who they are right from the start. I said this about the xx album “I See You” and it’s true about this one too: None of these songs are club songs or dance songs but they borrow elements of that music. The songs sound like synth-pop tracks that have been refracted through a prism and beamed across a room. And in the process, half the information went missing. They’ve been reduced down to something much more minimal but they still have that feel. I never thought this before but doesn’t “Infinity” almost sound like a Roy Orbison song? Something about that strummed guitar chord has that dramatic country western sound. The difference of course is that even in the emotional climax, the xx sing in a hushed whisper when Orbison would have belted it. But I think there’s a shared musical DNA there. When you think about sexy music, you don't usually think about emotional vulnerability. But the xx infuse that tender, intimate feeling into every song. It makes the music feel very close and personal. Impeccable production and excellent songwriting. Great debut album and a great album overall.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

3/5

I’ve always heard people describe David Bowie as being influential and I guess I believed it without really knowing it for sure. But listening to this list has definitely confirmed that for me. Bowie is the #1 artist I find myself comparing other artists to when describing their style. For Sisters of Mercy, it’s the dramatic vocals that sound like Bowie. But actually the first band that jumped to mind was The Cure. They’ve got that same dark, reverb-heavy goth sound. This is good. I’m not so drawn to it that I’ll seek out more from the band but I might give it another spin when I’m more in the mood for it.

McCartney

Paul McCartney

5/5

A personal favorite. Such an easy album to listen to. A perfect album to play on a Sunday. I like how loose it is. It feels unpretentious. It’s got that feeling of a friend playing you half a song on guitar or tinkering with some little melody that’s stuck in their head. I also think it’s romantic in a quiet, simple way. That’s how I think of romance anyway — small gestures and little moments. I don’t usually think of romance and love in terms of grand gestures and big moments. For me, it’s the daily domestic life and the inside jokes no one else would understand. Something about “The Lovely Linda” and “That Would Be Something” capture that feeling for me. But if you’re looking for the big grand gesture, the album does have “Maybe I’m Amazed,” which is a classic. A number of years back Dree and I got on a kick with this album and played it a ton. So I’ll always associate this music with us. I love this album cover too.

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

3/5

Some beautiful songs with pristine production. I liked the first half more. The early songs have drama and momentum. The second half is slower and wore on my patience a little more. “From Rags to Riches” in particular is very pretty.

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

5/5

I’m fascinated by the way rhythms overlap on this album. As a former drummer (once a drummer, always a drummer), I love listening to offbeat rhythms or oddball time signatures. On song after song, Animal Collective introduces a series of beats, rhythms and melodies that at first seem to conflict. But give it a minute and everything clicks into place. This is dense, layered music but the big picture is stunning every time. Listening to the beginnings of these songs is like watching someone put together a puzzle of an abstract shape. It looks wrong at first but in time, the full strangeness of the picture takes shape and makes sense. What really helps this music work though are the emotions. Animal Collective have a big heart and these songs resonate with earnestness. The music also captures a childlike wonder and sense of play. As complex and intricate as the music gets, it doesn’t feel pretentious to me. They sound like they had a lot of fun experimenting in the studio (and presumably smoked a lot of weed). And as polished as the final product is, it still has that feeling of friends goofing around. For years I appreciated Animal Collective at a bit of a distance. This album came out when I was in college and I respected it without fully embracing it. But last year Animal Collective put out a great album called “Time Skiffs” that unlocked their sound for me. It’s a lighthearted album of psychedelic pop and very approachable by their standards. I read a review of that album that referred to the Beach Boys influence in their music and that comment hit me like a bolt of lightning. I’d hadn’t thought of that before but once you hear it, it’s hard to miss. The way they harmonize is right out of the Beach Boys playbook. And that bass drum thump in “My Girls” could easily be a timpani hit lifted off of “Pet Sounds.” This album has grown on me over the years and it gets better and better. Classic album cover too. Very trippy.

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt

1/5

Oof. These vocals are tough to listen to. They’re high-pitched, grating and frequently off key. The music occasionally has some interesting stuff going on but the it’s hard to get past the singing. And anyway, the music doesn’t particularly call to me either. It’s got a queasy feeling to it. I get the impression that this is exactly the way Robert Wyatt wants the music to sound but man, I’m really not into it. I’m enjoying these horns on “Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road.” This is a cool song. I don’t totally love it (again, the vocals) but it has a certain power. Some interesting music in the second half, including experimental free jazz on a few songs. It mostly feels like a backdrop though. And usually what's going on in the foreground (like the German-accented vocals at the end of the last track) isn't something I'm interested in.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

This album is packed with great songs and I never get tired of listening to it because as the years go by there’s always another song that becomes a new favorite. Of course the title track and “Dancing in the Dark” take all the attention when you first hear it. But after a while, “I’m Going Down” became my favorite. It was the song I would always put on BBQ and party playlists. Then I went through a period where I realized what a quietly powerful song “I’m on Fire” is. And today while I was driving to work, “No Surrender” hit me in a way it hadn’t before. I blasted it loud and jammed out. Great mix of styles on this album. There are country rockers, soul-influenced tracks, hard rock and touches of synth. But it all comes together as one distinct, cohesive whole. On other albums, the E-Street Band is loose and wild but I’m not sure they’ve ever been as tight and focused as they are here. On another note, I paid attention to the lyrics on the song “Born in the U.S.A.” for the first time in a while and it really deepened my appreciation for the song. I knew it criticized war and our treatment of veterans but the words resonated with me today. Honestly, all of these songs have such a strong emotional undercurrent. Great songwriting and fantastic delivery from the Boss.

Suede

3/5

This is a real swing for the fences rock album. It’s got hard rockers with grit and swagger, and it’s got soaring, stadium-sized anthems. I like the energy but after two going on three listens, not a lot of songs stick out in my memory. But I’m enjoying them in the moment.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

4/5

The first time I heard “North American Scum,” it immediately shot to the top of my coolest songs I’ve ever heard list. I listened to it over and over again. I couldn’t get enough of it. LCD Soundsystem has a great style. Layers and layers that rise and build over the course of long songs. Some of these tracks can really put you in a trance. Everything is deliberate and intricate and precise. But you can still boogie to it! The lyrics of the title track are really funny. What a great, simple observation. We sometimes say we want to relive our youth but maybe we don’t actually want to be teenagers again?

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

2/5

Well crafted music but I’m not that into it. The lead singer’s vocals are too airy or something. He sings with a disconnected, disaffected tone that in turn keeps me at a distance too. The lyrics are interesting though. There are charter sketches with nice details and social commentary. There are also some pretty frank lyrics about sex. I just don’t think they’re best served by this stylistic choice in the vocals. This is just me though. I get why people like the band and I’d be curious to hear more from them. I did a second listen and my appreciation for the music deepened but my opinion on his vocals are the same. I just don’t want to spend much time with this voice.

I Against I

Bad Brains

3/5

Bad Brains have a robust, muscular sound on this album with just the slightest hint of reggae/dub. It’s like a hidden spice in the music; you almost don’t notice it until you get a song where it’s more pronounced. Metal riffs with clean, spacious production. A good listen for the morning workout today.

Mott

Mott The Hoople

3/5

One of the fun things about this list is that it allows you to take some deep dives into different rock genres. Like, if you only want to hear the very best glam rock albums, you can find "Ziggy Stardust" or T.Rex on any top 100 or top 500 albums list. But this is 1001 albums and there's room for more artists. I like glam rock so this Mott the Hoople album was an enjoyable listen today. Nothing too memorable but definitely entertaining. I like how much piano there is on this album. I feel like early rock 'n' roll featured a lot of piano but at some point the guitar took over as the primary rock instrument (and understandably so). But I love the sound of someone pounding on the keys! “I Wish I Was Your Mother” is a surprise. It’s a pretty obvious Dylan homage. There’s actually a few more styles on this album than you’d initially expect.

Arc Of A Diver

Steve Winwood

4/5

Ooh I’ve always liked the band Traffic but I had no idea the singer / plays-a-little-but-of-everything guy in the band had a solo career that includes this slightly cheesy 80s pop album. I’m very much open to loving this. So far, based on the first few tracks, the vibe is positive and his vocals are a great fit for this style. Reminds me of Peter Gabriel but I’ve never been a big Gabriel fan so this is a slight upgrade for me. He played every instrument on this? Wow. Genius level stuff. “Night Train” is a funky synth-rock jam! Really enjoying it. 😎😎 Very good album. Gonna put it into rotation for a while.

3/5

For some reason I thought, “The song “Gang Bang” couldn’t possibly be about what I think it’s about.” Turns out it’s about exactly what I thought. 😂 And am I crazy that it’s actually a jam? I like when a song’s music clashes with the lyrics. But maybe the song actually captures the joy and fun of a gang bang? I think that’s the intent here. And “Giddy Up a Ding Dong”? Yep that one is about his dick. Honestly though, those songs are among my favorites. There’s an impish, dirty humor that Alex Harvey has and the band backs him up 100% and rocks hard regardless of how weird the lyrics get. “Next” was a strange one. It sounds like a twisted musical number. And we’ve actually heard that song on the list before. It was written by Jacques Brel (a French singer on the list) and it was covered by Scott Walker (whose album featuring his version of “Next” was on the list). Fascinating that multiple artists have been drawn to this song. It is good. It’s just such a bold choice to cover. Alex Harvey commits though. I really liked about half of these songs and the other ones made me go, “Wow, okay, that’s a choice.” It could be more consistent but it’s definitely entertaining.

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

2/5

Wow, I forgot what an amazing voice Christina Aguilera has. It’s powerful. And some of these vocals runs are insane. I like the hip-hop-leaning production on Disc 1. Even when the songs aren’t that memorable, the production is appealing and Aguilera sounds awesome. Disc 2 gets cheesy for my taste and the production choices are frequently annoying. The producer tries too hard to style the music so that it sounds like old jazz and soul. And I think those choices hold the songs back. “Save Me from Myself” is nice though. I never hear her sing in a hushed voice like this. 2.5

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

5/5

Excellent album. Really smart and funny songs that also rock. The opener “Days of Graduation” was a surprise. Cool vibe and dark energy, and I definitely wasn’t expecting it to end with a “Free Bird” joke. The other spoken-word song, “Three Great Alabama Icons,” was mesmerizing. Fascinating story about the former governor of Alabama. Incredible opening line too: “I grew up in north Alabama back in the 1970s when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.” Lots of funny vignettes and plenty of memorable songwriting. And I think it’s cool that about half of these songs form a loose concept album about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s an interesting idea and ties the songs together. I want to buy this on cd so that it can live in my car because it’s a very long album and all of these songs are interesting and deserving of repeat listens.

American Idiot

Green Day

5/5

The 2004 Bush/Kerry election was the first time I paid attention to politics. I was 13 years old and excited to have someone to root for (or root against really). I wanted George Dubya out of the White House, which made me a Kerry voter even though I was too young to cast a ballot. This album came at the perfect time. I felt angry and frustrated about the state of the world and Green Day fueled my fire. The morning after the election, I wallowed in the new misery of knowing my candidate had lost. On the bus ride to school that day, I played “American Idiot” on my Walkman because it felt like the only thing to listen to. I’m so happy to report that the album is still awesome. The first four tracks in particular are fantastic. The epic 9-minute “Jesus of Suburbia” was always my favorite and I get just as caught up in its drama now as I did when I was 13. The other epic song, “Homecoming” is stunning too. Man, drummer Tré Cool is incredible. On the early Green Day albums you can hear him imitating The Who’s Keith Moon (and doing a great job, I might add). He does those thundering tom fills just as well as Moon did. But by “American Idiot,” he’s a beast all his own. He can play big and dramatic stadium rock or blistering punk. A few times, he even brings out the doo-wop influence that hides in a lot of Green Day songs. And since the album features a lot of multi-part songs, he often has to change genres on a dime.

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

3/5

Cool, spacey, sometimes creepy synth instrumentals. Mostly I felt like this was a movie score missing a movie. But depending on the track, I vibed with it. Moments that stood out: - 1:42 on Pt. 2 when the high-pitched synths make a dramatic entrance. - Pt. 4. I like the bouncing rhythm and the way the synths fit into it. - The new drum beat that comes in around 5:25 of Pt. 5. Sounds ahead of its time. Almost like a techno or hip-hip beat.

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

3/5

I can never get mad at a bunch of lads screaming into a microphone and playing their guitars as loud as their amps will allow. There are some surprises here too though. The majority of the album is fast, short, don't-overthink-it punk. But there are a lot of memorable melodies and they've definitely got some tricks up their sleeves. The band can get a little dark and they can get a little weird. I actually heard a little MGMT in a few songs. I'm sure this is a band that countless bands would call an influence. Curious to listen again and hear more from the band.

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

3/5

What an interesting, clunky, industrial sound. It sounds a lot like David Bowie’s “Low,” which makes sense because they were made around the same time and Bowie produced this album. Some of it worked for me, some of it didn’t. The production on some of these songs is pretty murky. It has to be intentional (especially since other songs have a much cleaner sound) but it’s an interesting choice. I wonder what sort of drugs were happening in the studio when they recorded and mixed this. “Mass Production” is starting to sell me on the sound of this album. Those awful, queasy synths (?) that come in around 4:30? I kinda dig it 😂

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Man, I love this sound. The reverb and distortion are front and center on every song and I find it very satisfying, like scratching an itch. It just feels good. The thing about this kind of music is that the production can take all the attention on a first listen and it takes a few spins before you hear the songwriting. I had some errands to run today so I was able to get through the album a few times and started grooving to the early songs. The last few tracks are wild! “nothing is” rocks so hard. Just wall-to-wall one riff and nothing else. Really cool. And the closer “wonder 2” is mesmerizing. It pushes what I was saying earlier about reverb and distortion to the extreme.

Melodrama

Lorde

3/5

A while back I had a revelation about Lorde and this album in particular. The songs are at their best when they’re played in the background and you don’t pay too close attention to the lyrics. I’m sure Lorde wouldn’t want to hear that because she clearly labors over every word and carefully delivers every line. But man, she writes some silly lyrics. And her performance is unintentionally funny on a bunch of these songs. Like when she whispers on “Sober”: “I know this story by heart / Jack and Jill get fucked up and possessive when it gets dark” 😂 Like, even aside from the dramatic way she delivers this dumb line, aren’t Jack and Jill brother and sister? Why would you use them as a metaphor for a romantic relationship? But every time I laugh at a line, the next moment I get drawn back in by the melody. Lorde is similar to Taylor Swift in that way. Both are very talented at coming up with hooks that get stuck in your head and melodies you remember for years. But they’re not always great at attaching words to those melodies. I can’t tell if they overthink their lyrics or don’t put enough time into them. Maybe I’m pointing my finger at the wrong person though. Jack Antonoff is credited as a songwriter and lyricist on a lot of these songs and he writes with Taylor Swift too. He’s probably responsible for a lot of these dud lines. But his production on this album is a highlight. There are bright colors and interesting sounds on just about every song. I love that bouncing piano that comes in and out of “Green Light.” And how it builds and crashes into the chorus! Hard not to get caught up in that. Great album cover too.

Country Life

Roxy Music

3/5

On “The Thrill of It All,” Roxy Music sounds like this surging, living thing. I can’t always make out every individual instrument. It’s this churning sea of sound with piano and guitar and saxophone occasionally jumping out of the mix. It’s really cool! The rock songs on this album are awesome. I’m not so crazy about the theatrical numbers. “Bitter Sweet” and “Triptych” feel like classic ‘skip’ tracks.

Nothing's Shocking

Jane's Addiction

3/5

I don’t listen to Jane’s Addiction much but they have a distinct, funky, punky sometimes psychedelic style. Good stuff and keeps you guessing.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

3/5

Great loungy, smokey style with psychedelic guitar and the occasional burst of strings. I wish I had subtitles because the spoken word French lyrics are definitely a focal point in the mix. Okay Wikipedia has a plot summary because this is a concept album: A guy is driving when he accidentally hits a 14-year-old girl on a bike. He falls in love with her and takes her virginity but then she dies in a plane crash and he mourns her death. 😬 🤷🏻‍♂️ The music is cool though.

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

5/5

One of my favorite albums. Nothing but great pop songs with memorable melodies, and each song has its own personality and character. I also love that the songs are tied together by the theme of nostalgia. On some songs, lead singer/songwriter Ray Davies satirizes the way we look back on the past with rose-colored glasses. Other times I think he's being pretty genuine and earnest. It's an idea I connect with. On one hand, nostalgia is a powerful, personal thing. It's one of the things that makes us human. But we can also get a little carried away with it as a society. The title track is excellent and functions as a great opening thesis for the idea of the album. And "Picture Book" is a classic. One of the band's catchiest songs. Can you believe that "People Take Pictures of Each Other" was written over 50 years ago, well before the days of smartphones, selfies and Instagram? The song resonates now more than ever. Funny to think that Ray Davies saw this annoying quality in people even back in the 60's. I've been thinking about this sort of idea lately -- how people always complain about the present day and imagine the past to be better. 'Kids these days' are always worse than kids in the past. Technology is always ruining society. But I don't buy that. I think people would have said the same thing 20, 50, or 100 years ago. So is the world really getting worse or is complaining about the present just a thing people always do? Honestly, the whole album gets at that idea but it does so with bright, playful songs. Always a pleasure to put this album on and today it also got me thinking.

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

2/5

Jazzy noir horns and horror movie synths. There are nice moments but not much that’s particularly memorable. Apparently the shtick with this album is that Barry Adamson made a soundtrack to a made-up crime film. That’s definitely what it sounds like. Apparently this helped him get work as a film composer including David Lynch’s “Lost Highway.” That makes sense because Lynch was one of the first names that jumped into my head when I wondered what kind of movie this music would actually soundtrack.

Face to Face

The Kinks

3/5

I've been enjoying hearing more Kinks albums as we make our way through this list. Previously, I had only known one or two but it's fun to get a wider sense of their catalogue. This one is a fun, early-ish album. Definitely scratches the same itch as early Beatles albums. Fast, short, upbeat songs focusing on characters. Honestly, a bunch of these songs have parts that remind me of Beatles songs. I like when we get a Friday album like this that’s worth listening to a few times or easy to put on in the background. My first impression was that this was a solid batch of songs but that some of them felt a little clunky. I’ve put it on a few more times over the weekend though and it’s growing on me. As the melodies are becoming familiar, I’m enjoying the album more. It’s a quirky, catchy and sometimes funny album. Great album cover.

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

3/5

This album has the energy of a low-key party. There are dance beats and upbeat tunes but nothing too clubby. There’s also a Sade energy in the music I’m enjoying. Some songs are druggy and spacey. It’s a nice mix and it was fun background music while getting ready to go out this morning.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

3/5

Wonderful 60’s pop. A few tracks are a little dated but most of it is still charming and fun. I love the song “Do You Wanna Dance” and I love hearing ‘new’ versions of it that I didn’t know existed. The Mamas and the Papas do a lovely version. It’s slowed down a bit like the Bette Midler version, which is my personal favorite. “California Dreamin’” is a classic song. It’s an original here but it’s another one of those songs that’s been covered dozens of times. A few years back I got into the Jose Feliciano version. I also really liked “Somebody Groovy” and “The ‘In’ Crowd.”

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

4/5

Excellent performances. Ray Charles is a great, emotive singer. He jazzes up these songs in a way that sounds very natural and organic. Great piano too. Very easy, pleasant listening this morning. Love that big band sound too!

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band

2/5

I wasn’t really feeling this until the segment from 0:45-2:40 on “A Very Cellular Song.” It’s a 13-minute suite but that little stretch there sounds like something I might hear on a Paul Simon or Vampire Weekend album. The rest of the track is more in line with the other songs — heavy on British folk and old medieval-sounding melodies. (There’s gotta be a better word than medieval for this sound but that’s always what it makes me think of.) “Mercy I Cry City” has a little touch of that Paul Simon sound again. A little Bob Dylan too (especially with the harmonica). Those flashes of modern style drew me in but the emphasis on older styles and structures kept the music at a distance. A lot of songs incorporate psychedelia into the music and I guess that's the modern edge here. But when the base song is still rooted in older, baroque genres, I can find the music grating.

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

4/5

Excellent psychedelic rock. "You're Gonna Miss Me" rocks! The whole album is a fun ride though. A lot of good songs and catchy melodies.

Different Class

Pulp

3/5

Lead singer Jarvis Cocker gives a lot of good performances on this album. And they feel like performances in the acting sense of the word. He takes on a lot of different characters, many of them unsavory and sleazy men who pine after women they can't have. The lyrics are sharp and witty, and he really commits vocally. The pop side of the songwriting is strong. There's good hooks and strong melodies. And the band is capable of a bunch of different styles. In general, I don't know if this is the sort of music I'd play on my own but I was impressed with it overall.

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

5/5

I've only heard of Meat Puppets from the Nirvana Unplugged album, which means I was already familiar with three songs off this album. I've always wanted to check them out because of that and I'm loving this so far. I wasn't expecting so much rockabilly/country in their sound. Combined with some fuzzed out grunge guitar and punk style, it adds up to an awesome sound. It's just rough and loose enough to sound feral and weird but the musicianship and songwriting are still excellent. The country/folk instrumentals on this are fantastic. This is one of my favorite albums from the list in a while. Great songs and a unique style. I’m curious to dig into the lyrics a little more.

Strange Cargo III

William Orbit

3/5

Solid electronica. Nothing too unique or revolutionary but enjoyable as background music.

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

3/5

Cool, vibey, mostly instrumental rock with a mix of guitars, synth and electronics. There’s a lot of build up in these songs and not always a lot of payoff. Sometimes, especially on the early tracks, I get the impression that the songs know that they’re cool. As the album goes on, the songs are more genuinely laidback and chill. There’s a 60s psychedelic flair on a bunch of tracks. Beautiful production throughout. Whoa, this jazzy electronic stuttering sound around 3:40 of “Aisha” is awesome!

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

3/5

Jazz! Indian music! 60s influenced pop! Orchestral score with Ennio Morricone-level drama! This soundtrack is a whirlwind. The music is strong all around and a pleasure to listen to. The cheesy fun of “One Two Cha Cha Cha” was a blast.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

4/5

50 Cent is a really charismatic performer and knows how to entertain. He sounds like he's having fun. He's got the swagger and confidence of someone who can command a stage. His rapping is excellent on a technical level and the performances are full of personality. He talks a little shit about Jay-Z on this album but he definitely sounds influenced by Jay-Z. The beats on the album are great. Lots of head-bopping with hard drums and catchy piano snippets. I'm seeing Dr. Dre and Eminem's names a lot in the production credits, which makes sense. They're both great at making hard rap feel like accessible, catchy music. The beat on “Like My Style” is cool. I like that siren sound. And whoa the beat on “Poor Lil Rich”! Obviously the hits on this album as insane — “In Da Club” and “P.I.M.P.” — but there’s no obvious filler tracks and a lot of album cuts are nearly as strong as the singles. Some great Eminem features on this too. Man, I’m always just so blown away by him. Really good album and I bet it would be in classic territory for me if I’d grown up with it. This is my first time hearing it aside from the singles and I was really impressed and very entertained. Looking forward to playing it more.

American Pie

Don McLean

3/5

It’s so hard for me to hear “American Pie” without singing the lyrics to the Weird Al Star Wars parody in my head (where he recounts the full plot of The Phantom Menace). I’ve listened to that song more than I’ve listened to “American Pie.” I’ve even sung it at karaoke. It cracks me up every time. But of course, “American Pie” is an incredible song. The rest of the album is mostly acoustic folk. The only song that even tries to capture some of that same energy is “Everybody Loves Me, Baby.” Sometimes Don McLean sounds like Simon & Garfunkel, sometimes he sounds like Bob Dylan. He’s a good singer and the songs are nice. But “American Pie” towers over everything else and the album seems to be designed this way.

Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

4/5

Killer blues rock. Some real rip-roaring stuff. Great energy and great performances.

Kala

M.I.A.

4/5

This album is awesome. Such an incredible energy. The beats are eclectic and absolutely wild. And M.I.A. has such a cool presence. Remember that summer when "Paper Planes" was playing out of every car window that drove down the street? Man, it's still so good. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. It's so fun. I can vaguely remember hearing it for the first time and thinking, "Whoa, what is this?" "Paper Planes" is easily the most pop-focused track here but the whole album is packed with "Whoa, what is this?" moments. 4.5

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

3/5

We’ve had a few albums by The Fall on the list now and I’m starting to get a feel for their style. I dig the energy but this album is in that “respect it, don’t love it” category. It’s loose, ragged and weird punk. They were probably a great live act.

Follow The Leader

Korn

2/5

This isn't my cup of tea but it has its moments. Korn have no shortage of raw power and they sound good on a technical level. The rhythm section is solid too. Even when I didn’t love the song, I still caught myself banging my head from time to time. But the songwriting is lacking. And without memorable melodies, the tracks blur together. Getting through an hour of this music can feel like a slog. There are some good metal riffs but it wasn't enough for me. This is missing something. The low point is definitely the Fred Durst-featuring, homophobic insult battle "All in the Family." That one was rough. I really like the animalistic grunt-scatting on "Freak on a Leash." I wish there were more strange, creative choices like that in the music.

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

5/5

This is a big, dense album but the music always carries me through it. It's a mash-up of G-funk and sensual R&B with sudden bursts of free jazz. There's always some new detail to discover or a groove I forgot about. Some great bass lines throughout the album too. Kendrick Lamar is a rapper who has flows for days. He's restless on the mic, constantly changing up his style and rhythm. And he plays with his voice too. Most of the time he raps in that nasally tone but sometimes he growls, sometimes he sings, sometimes he's out of breath. On "U" he raps a verse while acting like he's drunk and crying. The lyrics are dense and it's hard to keep up with him because he moves through ideas so fast. You could probably spend a week in a college course pulling at the different threads of race, politics and sex. But I also like how a lot of the album is confessional. He's getting things off his chest, struggling with guilt and working through his personal anger. "King Kunta" is a such a killer, funky jam. And the jazzy "For Free?" is always fun (amazing music video too). The middle of the album has a lot of slower R&B-styled songs and the production on those tracks is great too.

Bummed

Happy Mondays

4/5

I first discovered Happy Mondays about a year and a half ago from this list with the album "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches." It's become one of my favorites from 1001 Albums and as a result I started listening to this album too. I love the energy of this album. It's perfect for hyping yourself up before you go out or for rocking out while cooking. The music has such a cool style -- a little dance-y, a little druggy, a little chaotic, the drums are reverbed to the the max and the leader singer sounds absolutely wasted on every song -- I can't get enough of it. All of the layers in the songs make them sound huge. This is music that fills a room. I love the Beatles interpolation on "Lazyitis” too. 4.5

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

5/5

What a delightful album! There are so many fun and interesting choices. The songs feel carefully orchestrated and written but the improvisations still feel loose. And the tone is light even when the music is complex. I’ve put this on in the background before but it rewards a closer listen! That drum solo on “Take Five” is great. I’m not sure I’ve heard anything like that before. That military snare followed by the bass drum thud is so dramatic and cool. And Dave Brubeck is a fascinating piano player. I should be listening to more of him. There’s a clear emphasis on melody in these songs but he’s really playful and inventive in his soloing. There's a moment on “Pick up Sticks” starting around 2:40 that sounds like he has four hands!

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Lucinda Williams

5/5

One of my favorite singer-songwriter albums. Nothing but great songs and memorable melodies front to back. The first six songs in particular are fantastic. “Joy” is such a good rocker! That chorus is a head-banging, get the crowd chanting anthem. It’s got a great rough and sloppy guitar solo too!

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

5/5

Nobody skewers a phony like Fiona Apple. Like this line on "Under the Table": "I'd like to buy you a pair of pillow-soled hiking boots To help you with your climb Or rather, to help the bodies that you step over along your route So they won't hurt like mine" I think that's my favorite song on this album. I love the "Kick me under the table all you want, I won't shut up" chorus. And the way "I would beg to disagree but begging disagrees with me" overlaps with the chorus. A lot of backing vocals on the album add drama and little countermelodies like that. (“Newspaper” has some interesting backing vocals too.) The drums on this album sound like you’re in the middle of some elaborate grandfather clock, surrounded by the click-clack of gears moving in different directions. “Heavy Balloon” is stunning. This verse struck me as a beautiful and heart-breaking way to describe depression: "People like us get so heavy and so lost sometimes So lost and so heavy that the bottom is the only place we can find You get dragged down, down to the same spot enough times in a row The bottom begins to feel like the only safe place that you know" A lot of these songs switch up halfway through and introduce a new idea or beat or melody. The beat switch on “For Her” at 1:08 is insane. It sounds like “Hey Mickey,” briefly giving the song an upbeat feel before switching again for the line: "Good morning / You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in." Whew. This is a ferocious album. Really great.

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

4/5

Oooh the opening two tracks — “Dreamin’” and “Music Makes You Lose Control” — are awesome. Really infectious fun! I love how it unpretentious this album is. Lots of cheesy 80s pop influence and great dance beats. Some of it gets a little goofy too and I mean that as a good thing. I would love to be on a dance floor and laugh at some zany synth effect or crazy vocal sample. It’s all part of the fun. With only a few exceptions, this album is a dance party waiting to happen.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Raekwon

4/5

The music here is just about as lean as rap gets. Drums are the main focus, accompanied by bass and some spare sample loops (usually piano). The drums are hard-hitting but not exactly crisp. They have a sort of low-fidelity sound that gives the beats grit. The rapping is just as percussive. You can zone out a bit, miss a few lyrics and still appreciate the craft of what Raekwon and Ghostface Killah are doing. The vocals fit right alongside the snare hits and piano samples. To me, it sounds like jazz the way they riff over the beats. And anyway I don’t think the lyrics are always 100% essential. You get some drug-dealing imagery, the occasional gun threat and a lot of stack your cash motivational talk. There’s isn’t a lot of variation. The album could use editing; it feels repetitive. But the craftsmanship on display is impressive. Okay hold up, the soulful “Heaven or Hell” is a late surprise on the album. I’m surprised there aren’t more songs like it or at least more songs featuring a different style. This is nice.

All Hope Is Gone

Slipknot

3/5

I was jamming to this one. Great head-banging riffs. I appreciate how they balance the intense screamed vocals with more melodic vocals but I also don’t love the more melodic singer. His parts can feel a little cheesy or something. Insane drums! That double bass assault is ridiculous! Solid overall and I respect it but it’s not something I’m going to return to.

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

This is a fascinating album. The first few tracks have some influence from classic rock and definitely psychedelic rock but they’re also very inventive and forward-thinking, pointing towards alt-rock. And the riffing solos tip the music into jazz-rock fusion. “Mushroom” rocks in a way that sounds like grunge to me. And the singer wails like Mick Jagger! “Halleluhwah” has some killer soloing on top of a driving rhythm section. Mesmerizing song. I’m less keen on the other 17-minute track, “Aumgn,” which is experimental and ambient and features vocals tones that sound like Gregorian chants. Maybe if I was at a live show and the edible just hit. But I felt insane listening to this on my headphones at the supermarket. 😂 Wow this album gets pretty wild and weird in the second half. “Peking O” is bonkers. I think the first four tracks on their own would be close to masterpiece territory and the last three tracks are interesting but not as worthy of repeat listens. This was quite the ride though and I’m hoping for more Can on the list in the future.

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

3/5

“Honey” is just incredible. So smooth, so sexy, so easy to listen to. And it’s got that great, funky beat! The sparkling slow jams are beautiful but sometimes too cheesy for my taste. I prefer the hip-hop-leaning numbers. I love how the mix layers different vocal tracks so that we’re sometimes listening to seven Mariah Careys at once. You can lose yourself in the mix and surround yourself with her voice. I think the effect adds to the sexy, bedroom appeal of the music. “Close My Eyes” is great. I love that “la-da-da-da-da” hook. Ooh “Fly Away” has a nice house beat! I wish there were more dance tracks like this.

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

2/5

Beautifully produced album with a pleasant sound and a good energy. I could see why someone would love it but it’s just not for me. Between the sugar-coated synths and the lead singer’s cutesy voice, the music is a bit too precious for me. I find it a little grating. I remember when this album came out and hearing friends rave about Chvrches. For my money, I preferred Purity Ring, whose debut album came out around the same time. They have a similar style to Chvrches but are a little more spare and melancholy and have some hip-hop drums. I actually just put on that Purity Ring album and I’m enjoying it much more. Anyway, Chvrches aren’t my speed but I see the appeal.

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

5/5

Incredible collection of songs. "Singapore" is an amazing opening track. It sets the tone right away and drops you into Tom Waits' strange world of drunken sailors, dirty streets and circus freaks. I got this song stuck in my head while I was at work and then realized there was no way I could sing it out loud because I'd sound absolutely insane. "Clap Hands" has a great, sexy rhythm that sounds like it was played by a skeleton band. And that bluesy guitar solo rips! The more I listened to this album, the more I realized how many of the songs are rooted in blues. There are some strange, off-kilter songs (like "Cemetery Polka" and the title track) that grab your attention but actually a lot of the music is jazz and blues. But Tom Waits is such force that he plays the music in a completely original style. "Tango Till They're Sore" has one of my all-time favorite lyrics: "Let me fall out of the window with confetti in my hair." What an image! The sequencing on this album is great because it balances the weird songs nicely with the more emotional ballads and blues numbers. You don't get too much of one style in a row. Two songs in particular stood out to me this time around and made for a great breather: "Hang Down Your Head" and "Downtown Train." Both of them, especially "Downtown Train," could be Bruce Springsteen songs. And considering Tom Waits wrote "Jersey Girl," it's fair to say they listened to each other's music even though they seem incredibly different at first. Wow, that growling scream he does on the last track "Anywhere I Lay My Head"! It's a beautiful song but whoa, nobody would sing it the way he does!

Fleet Foxes

5/5

One of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. It’s got a special magic to it. I don’t even think about the instrumentation on a lot of these songs. The music is just this singular, gorgeous sound. I think the vocal harmonies have a lot to do with this. The backing vocals often melt into the rest of the sound and create a backdrop for the band to play over. Robin Pecknold is a tremendous talent. He has a beautiful voice and his songwriting is excellent. The songs nod to old traditions but still sound new and unfamiliar. That’s one of the magic, paradoxical things about this album. It somehow feels completely fresh and also old at the same time. I guess that’s just a long-winded way of calling it timeless.

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

4/5

Excellent album packed with great details in the lyrics and lots of fun twists and turns in the music. Sometimes Joni Mitchell's lyrics feel like diary entries. She has a way of writing in a very emotionally direct way but she still sneaks in clever turns of phrase and metaphors. Dan, the other day you were talking about how Fiona Apple jams a bunch of words into a song and bends the song to fit her lyrics. Joni Mitchell definitely does that too. I love how she speeds up sometimes to fit a long phrase into a line that wouldn't fit otherwise. It gives the songs personality. It's one of my favorite things about her style. "Car on the Hill" is a great song! The jazzy chorus with the backup singers is fantastic. And the section from 0:50 to 1:30 when the music swirls and builds and you're not sure where it's going next but then the flutes bring it right back to the main melody! Really cool. I've heard that Joni Mitchell liked Steely Dan and I can hear that connection in this song. "Twisted" is a great last song. It's a surprising change in style and the lyrics are really funny, how she thought she was a genius at 3 years old and chugged a bottle of vodka and had visions. This song stopped me in my tracks and I just had to give all my attention to it.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

3/5

This is the third Joni Mitchell album on the list so far and the songs on “Hejira” are more languid and stretch out more than the songs on “Blue” or “Court and Spark.” The music feels inspired by the open road and the American west. More than usual for her music, I feel I need to pay a little closer attention to the lyrics or else the songs drift by. The guitars on “Black Crow” are cool. It’s one of the few songs with a driving momentum. This is a nice, mostly gentle album. I'll give it a few more plays to see how it grows on me.

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

3/5

Solid 60s psychedelic rock. I thought the loose, blues/country-flavored rock songs were better than the spacey psychedelic ones. And I got a kick out of the LBJ-dissing "Super Bird."

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

3/5

Good new wave rock with a nice 80s sheen on it. They’ve got a cool sound. It’s hard rock with an ear for pop stylings. I like how horns enter the mix in an organic way.

Infected

The The

3/5

Really cool band with a lot of ideas and an awesome energy. The production is very much 80s but these songs definitely have a distinct artistic stamp on them. We had another The The album on the list and I remember thinking it was also exciting. The lyrics on this album (and the previous one) have a mix of the personal and the political. I really connected to this line that opens the album: “I've got too much energy to switch off my mind but not enough to get myself organized”

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

4/5

This is a really interesting album full of surprises. There are some psychedelic moments and Beatlesesque pop but then there are hard rock songs with horns making the band sound more like Chicago. And then all of a sudden “When I Touch You” swings in with a heavy metal sound! It’s a bit all over the place but also fun for that same reason. “Nature’s Way” is a really cool song. Beautiful and sort of sad. The production creates a unique mood. And I love the vocal harmonies. There are a bunch of moments on this album that surprised me with gorgeous vocals. Like “Love Has Found a Way” — one of the guys in the mix almost sounds like Michael McDonald. “Animal Zoo” is a stand out. Really catchy. It's not a perfect album. There were times I wished it was more polished. But I gotta give it credit for being so entertaining and eclectic.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

3/5

Great energy. Heavy metal played at speeds that sometimes border on hardcore punk. The songs blurred together for me on this live album but I’d like to hear a Motörhead studio album.

Opus Dei

Laibach

2/5

Industrial German rock with an experimental edge. I took German in high school and college, so I actually picked up on a few words in the German songs. Laibach reminds me of Rammstein. They must have been an influence on Rammstein. Some of this is cool and I vibe with the antiauthoritarian lyrics. At least, I assume it's anti-government and antiwar. The military drums and call-to-arms vocals feel ironic, like they're making fun of military marches. Anyway, all due respect to Laibach but I'm mostly a polite "No thank you" on this one. Funny to hear their version of “Live is Life.” I know it as a triumphant soccer anthem but the way Laibach play it, it’s much heavier and more serious. The last four tracks on streaming are apparently from a different project but they’re kinda cool. They’re more ambient with looping, chanted vocals. Not exactly something I’m gonna put on again but it was interesting.

Fromohio

fIREHOSE

3/5

A lot of this album has the energy of a group of friends messing around with their instruments in a garage. There are singalongs, jams and silly in-jokes. It’s low-key and charming. There's some good guitar rock with a lot of bright melodies. It sounds to me somewhere between The Kinks, Violent Femmes and your friend's band from high school (and I don't mean that as an insult at all).

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

3/5

The musical equivalent of a summer breeze. Joyful, easy listening. Bright guitars, cheesy MIDI synths and light, upbeat rhythms. This album cover is so tacky but I kind of love it.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Frankie Goes To Hollywood

2/5

The ambition is impressive. It’s almost like prog synth pop. But I don’t know… I find it kind of grating and pretentious. Wow, the cover of “Born to Run” is a surprise. But I don’t like it. The mostly instrumental “The Ballad of 32” is pretty good. It’s like a Pink Floyd song but with sex noises. I’ve never heard an album quite like this before, so points for that. But I mostly found it annoying.

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

4/5

This is great! Most of the album is African pop but there's also a couple old school hip-hop tracks including the incredible "Buffalo Gals." Once the hook came in ("First buffalo girl go around the outside," etc) I realized that I knew it from being referenced and sampled in other songs. (Eminem's reference to it was the first one that jumped to mind.) Anyway, the song is awesome. Great beat and great record scratching! It's a jam. "Legba" was another stand out track for me. The synth tones sound like nothing I've ever heard before. They're sad and beautiful. I love the way the different layers of melody seem to speak to each other. It's a gorgeous song that I got lost in. The concept of being a radio show fits the album because it's got a little bit of this and a little bit of that musically. It can feel like you're listening to a radio DJ playing whatever he wants. I'll probably want to skip past some of the DJ transitions on future listens but it was fun on the first go. The only track that didn't work for me was the rodeo dance closer "Duck For Oyster." I just didn't see the point of that one. But overall, this was fascinating and fun. I'm clicking through the tracks and remembering how many excellent songs are on it. The soft, mellow opener "Obatala" is beautiful. "Double Dutch" is big fun and really catchy. And "Song For Chango" is another interestingly layered track I'm gonna want to revisit.

The White Room

The KLF

3/5

Top shelf dance/house music. The production is immaculate. I'm listening to the 2021 "Director's Cut" so I'm sure it's been remixed and remastered but it sounds great on nice speakers.

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

4/5

I’m struck by how direct and plainspoken Bob Dylan is on these songs. A lot of the songs are blues songs which keeps them in realm of the simple and to-the-point. These are songs about heartbreak and he doesn’t try to lyrically reinvent the wheel. But the arrangements are wonderful. “Love Sick” has a slight reggae influence mixed with the blues and I can hear that style a bit on “Million Miles” too. It’s a surprise but I think it works. And ooh that beat in “Can’t Wait” is a perfect fusion of the two genres. I guess reggae was always rooted in the blues but I didn’t expect Bob Dylan to be the guy to show me that connection. “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven” is lovely. The organ creates a nice sense of drama. And what is that — slide guitar? — that comes in and out with a sad tone? Beautiful harmonica solo too. Man, his voice is gritty on this album. I love it. Sometimes the production even seems to accentuate how gravelly and frayed his voice is. It’s a great fit for these lonely songs about heartbreak. 4.5

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

4/5

Phenomenal beats and stellar rapping. Guru's rapping is mostly in the old school style with that emphasis on end rhymes. But his flow sometimes has a more modern style too. He packs a lot of internal rhymes into his lines. It's a blast to listen to, even if you're just listening to the flow of vowels and consonants. And DJ Premier's beats are crazy. These drums hit hard! And the sampling is clean and adds bursts of character and personality. There are a lot of details in the music -- a funky bass line here, a jazzy horn there, some record scratches to top it off -- but everything is in balance and you can hear everything. "Check the Technique" in particular has a ridiculous beat. The sample is so cool. I had to look it up because it sounded familiar -- "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, which I was jamming on kind of recently. Great song.

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

3/5

I love “Just Like Honey.” I first heard it at the end of the movie “Lost in Translation” and it’s a perfect bittersweet soundtrack for that ending. There are a few more melancholy type songs on this album but most of the music here is fuzzed out and distorted to the max. Some of it borders on punk but even the midtempo song are abrasive. It’s a cool, bold style. I want to love this album but right now I just like it. Not a lot of songs stuck out to me and sometimes it’s even tough to hear the songs when they’re buried under this much feedback.

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

3/5

Great blues. I know Muddy Waters is one of the biggest names in blues but I don't think I've ever listened to him before today. It's an excellent performance. To my ears, it sounds pretty straightforward but I also don't know the history of the genre well and I'm probably not hearing what was 'modern' about this at the time. “I’ve Got My Mojo Working” is a clear standout. Really fun. I like the studio recordings at the end of the album. They're bonus tracks but they sound fantastic.

Live At Leeds

The Who

4/5

This album has reinvigorated my appreciation for The Who. Their rhythm section is awesome. Keith Moon is so much fun to listen to on drums. He steals the show on a lot of these songs. The live setting lets them really rip. Sometimes (like on the silly story suite “A Quick One, While He’s Away”) The Who can focus too much on concepts and ideas. But here, in front of a live crowd, roll n roll is mostly the focus and they play pretty hard. This is probably the only time I’ve heard them tip into heavy metal territory. The final minutes of the “My Generation” suite get nice and heavy!

Teenage Head

Flamin' Groovies

4/5

A strong batch of loose, countrified rock n roll, similar at times to the Rolling Stones. There are some dumb and horny lyrics and lots of excellent playing. There’s a nice mix of styles too, from the drunken cowboy swagger of “City Lights” to the hard blues of “Teenage Head” to the country folk rock of “Whiskey Woman.” There’s even a tongue-in-cheek Elvis knockoff (“Evil Hearted Ava”). I’m surprised I’ve never heard of these guys but happy to know about them now. Some fantastic bonus tracks on this one. Their version of “Louie, Louie” is awesome!

The Only Ones

3/5

Very good album. Listening to it, I thought it might have been recorded in the 90s. The Only Ones sound like some Britpop bands from that era. Good guitar rock with strong songwriting and a quirky English energy. I like the lead vocals, heavy on the accent. My favorite tracks are the easygoing opener “The Whole of the Law” and the sloppy punk of “Language Problem.” 3.5

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

4/5

What a wild, ambitious sound! It’s a mashup of disco, doo-wop and prog-rock, and takes equal influence from Queen and The Beatles. It’s all big, soaring choruses and orchestral strings and flamboyant theatricality. I like that most of the songs aren’t actually that long. But they pack a lot into 4 minutes! And wow, this album is one song after another, each song matching the previous song's exuberant energy.

Chore of Enchantment

Giant Sand

2/5

Not much is grabbing me here, either lyrically or musically. The lead vocals tend to be pretty low-key, sometimes spoken word. That already makes this a more subdued listen. I hear the influence of Lou Reed, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen (who gets name-checked on one song) but outside of a few interesting production choices here and there, nothing hooked me.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

5/5

Great album. On the spectrum of jazz-rock fusion, this album tips toward rock but the jazzy solos are fantastic. And a lot of these songs prioritize the solos so much that you totally forget about the chorus or the verse until the song suddenly snaps back into place. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are great songwriters and all of these songs are strong enough to work on the level of the standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure. But most of these songs also have some kind of turn -- a key change or a new musical idea -- that gets introduced two-thirds of the way into a track that pushes the song into new territory. The songs keep you on your toes. The lyrics are sharp and interesting too. By my count, three songs criticize materialistic lifestyles ("Bodhisattva," "Razor Boy" and "Show Biz Kids") but I like how Fagen and Becker are self-aware enough to include themselves in that world. In "Show Biz Kids," there's a reference to rich yuppie-types who "got the Steely Dan t-shirt." Even in this counterculture criticism of wealthy people, they stop to point out: "Yeah also maybe us being a successful rock band is part of the problem too." And, as always with Steely Dan, there's a few songs I don't understand at all. "Tobacco they grow in Peking In the year of the locust you'll see a sad thing Even Cathy Berberian knows There's one roulade she can't sing" I have no idea what those lyrics refer to on "Your Gold Teeth" but I love listening to the flow of them. A lot of Steely Dan lyrics will have these little character details or story fragments and you don't always have enough information to piece it all together but the words are fun to turn around in your head. The production is clearly meticulous -- every guitar lick and piano riff is placed in just the right spot -- but the music still sounds so loose and effortless. It has a breeziness about it that can hide how well-crafted every song is here. A+, 5/5, big fan of this one.

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Every My Bloody Valentine album on this list has sounded strange and new and foreign but also beautiful. It sounds as if aliens heard alt-rock and then tried to make music like the humans do. The other day, after listening to the first Jesus and Mary Chain album, I noted that their songs are buried under so much distortion that it can be hard to hear the actual songs. My Bloody Valentine also employ a ton of feedback and distortion but I’m always able to hear the music underneath the noise. And the noisy elements actually add emotion and tension to the songs.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

4/5

The opening track is massive, moving back and forth between experimental jazz, heavy metal and what sounds to me like creepy film score from an old movie. I certainly wouldn’t mind more huge guitar riffs on the album but it’s also funny to me that King Crimson consider metal just one of the colors on their palette. Like, “a dash of mystical flutes here, then some mind-melting hard rock guitar there, and then we’ll sprinkle in some avant-garde drumming.” “Easy Money” is a cool song. I love that slinky bass line and all the small percussion. There’s a lot of different instrumentation in the mix here but it’s all driven but that funky rhythm. Oh damn, the slow build on “The Talking Drum” is sick! This is a fascinating album. I look forward to diving back into it again soon. 4.5

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

3/5

Smoky, jazzy energy with a spotlight on her vocals. Oh wow, I recognized the song “Human” right away because it’s sampled on one of my favorite late career Kanye tracks, “Freestyle 4.” Funny to hear the sample in its original song. How has Goldfrapp not been asked to do a Bond theme? About half of these songs would have been better than the last crop of Bond songs (with the exception of Adele’s “Skyfall” 🙏). (I googled it and apparently they almost did the theme for “Casino Royale.”) “Felt Mountain” is a lovely, airy song. Dreamy and beautiful. Not every song hit for me here (“Oompah Radar” feels like an easy one to cut) but I liked the album overall. Cool vibe.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

2/5

Maybe I could get into to these songs if they were part of a musical production. I need more context. It's a cool idea to record the songs of an older composer and make them feel fresh and alive. Dagmar Krause definitely does her best to sell these songs. Her singing is very dramatic. The composer Hans Eisler lived through some turbulent times in Germany (both World Wars and the beginnings of the Cold War!) and you can hear the weight of that history and the politics in the music. But I need a little context or some spark notes to give me insight into each song.

Heroes to Zeros

The Beta Band

3/5

Solid album that sounds influenced by Britpop to me. Nice melodies and some cool production choices throughout, though the music is mostly pretty tasteful and reserved. A lot of that reserved energy comes from the lead singer who has a muted style of performing, even on the harder rocking songs. Definitely one of the more misleading album covers I've seen in a while. I thought it would be pop-punk or maybe something irreverent like the Beastie Boys. I'm surprised the band chose this as the artwork when their style is relatively restrained.

Black Metal

Venom

3/5

I don’t usually hear metal that sounds this rough and low-fi. It sounds like it was recorded in a garage. The songs are pretty unpretentious too. Fast riffs, over-the-top growling, the usual brimstone and hellfire in the lyrics. Nothing too memorable but it was enjoyable.

Kenza

Khaled

4/5

Wow, the opening track "Aalach Tloumouni" is a banger! That beat is sick. The next track, "El Harba Wine" is great too. A big, soaring pop song with strings. And I love the guest singer too. She's got this wild, high-pitched voice that ups the drama. I love the way the strings bob and weave through these beats, like on “Melba,” another hard-hitting track. So good. “Raba Raba” has that too but with horns! What a groove! The music surprisingly eclectic. “El Aadyene” has a funky beat and “Gouloulha-Dji” features Latin rhythms. But Khaled makes each genre his own. This was awesome. Really fun and one of the coolest inclusions on the list so far.

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

4/5

Excellent reggae. The music has a rich, full sound. The backing vocals are soulful and the horn accents are wonderful. I’m loving the flutes too. Lots of little details in the mix make this good headphones music. The bass gets real deep too. I like how some of the more serious songs get into that low, almost bluesy territory. The beats can get kind of trancelike. There’s some great upbeat tunes too. It’s a perfect mix. The songs about Marcus Garvey made me curious and I did some reading about the man on Wikipedia. He seems like he was an interesting political figure with some bold (and also some decidedly not great) ideas.

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

4/5

The Mothers of Invention try on musical genres as if they're Halloween costumes. The songs are big and exaggerated and they always sound as if the band is at least half kidding. But the thing is, they're actually good songs too. "Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder" is a legitimately good soul ballad. The vocals are over-the-top and poke fun at the cheesiness of the music but the songwriting is still solid. Opening track "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" rips off the Stones' "(I Cant Get No) Satisfaction" but builds the song into something new: a counterculture anthem about American brainwashing that features -- am I hearing this correctly?-- a kazoo? “Wowie Zowie” is another one that feels tongue-in-cheek but is also just plain fun. I love how they steal the melody of “Sherry Baby” at the end. A lot of these songs blur the line between pastiche and parody. Wow, the lyrics on “Trouble Every Day” feel just as relevant to the 2020s as the 1960s. Oh man, the album is getting into wild, avant-grade territory with “Help, I’m a Rock.” Honestly, I’m really jamming to this right now. Same with the delirious 12-minute epic “The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet.” I’m mesmerized by it. The first half of this album is clever and charming. The second half is bonkers and brilliant.

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

2/5

The music on this album is so calm and relaxed that it risks not leaving any impression at all. I’m usually down for some slow, meditative music and I generally like this sort of jazzy singer-songwriter style but these songs are pretty boring. “Gypsy Woman” is a nice surprise. I like this wild energy. The song is still a bit formless though. I’m not sure there was a strong enough song to begin with before it breaks down into jazzy riffing and improvisations.

Low-Life

New Order

3/5

Really good dancey post-punk/synth-rock. The beats are great for dancing and grooving, the hooks are strong and the vibe is gloomy and goth. Good stuff!

Brothers

The Black Keys

5/5

The Black Keys are one of my favorite modern bands and "Brothers" has my vote for their best album. "El Camino" is the Friday night party album, "Rubber Factory" is a great early-era blistering blues album and I'll always have a soft spot for the melancholy psychedelia of "Turn Blue" but this album feels like the one most deserving of the #1 title. It's got the sprawl of a double album and spans a range of blues and rock styles with a variety of moods. The songwriting is excellent and the production is impeccable. I heard new details in the mix today which is always exciting for an album I've listened to countless times.

Tommy

The Who

5/5

This is an album I’ve been curious to revisit on the 1001 album list. I listened to it a lot as a teenager. The Who were one of my favorite bands in high school as I got into classic rock. At the time, the idea of an ambitious concept album was so cool to me. Listening to it now, I’m surprised how much of it is ingrained in my memory. I must have listened to this a ton because I know every shift and change in the music by heart. Twenty years after I first heard it, I think this album is pretentious and ridiculous but also brilliant and amazing. The music really carries it. The lyrics and story are so strange though. A deaf, dumb and blind boy is subjected to all kinds of torment — a bullying cousin, a preacher trying to save him… a prostitute? … an uncle who molests him? 😬 — and he turns out to be an amazing pinball player? And then is cured by a miracle medical treatment and becomes a prophet? What compelled Pete Townshend to tell this story? But even though the story is the driving force of this album I kind of think you actually don’t completely need it. Is that crazy to say? The music is so good though. I love how musical themes are established and reprised. “Overture” and “Underture” have an epic sweep to them. The Who helped legitimize a level of ambition for rock music that still reverberates today and I’m so grateful for that. Damn, Keith Moon is so good. I said that about him on The Who’s live album “Live at Leeds” too. These drum fills on “Go to the Mirror!” are insane. He’s an absolute thunderstorm on the toms but somehow sounds light as a feather too. And he switches gears to play a different beat in an instance. Incredible. Ugh, hold up, back to the story — why is Uncle Ernie playing a part in Tommy’s camp? I guess Tommy could never know what happened to him when he was a kid but man, that’s such an unsettling inclusion right at the end of this album. Ultimately, the grandeur of this whole thing really swept me up all over again. This album swings for the fences and I can’t help but call it a masterpiece. I had a lot of fun diving back into this.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

4/5

The Gun Club sound as if Johnny Cash was in a punk band. Rough and sloppy guitar riffs with a tight and powerful rhythm section and half-shouted vocals that remind me of Lou Reed on the early Velvet Underground albums. Great style. Country western twang with a healthy dose of noisy chaos. I could see myself loving this with more listens. Great album cover. I love the pink splashed with a little yellow at the top (though some places have it as green). It feels timeless. I don’t think I could have guessed what year this came out based on the artwork. I probably would have said it was from the last few years.

War

U2

5/5

Sometimes I hear the lead singles off an album and think, “This is awesome! I hope every song on the album is like this!” That’s often not the case and I guess that’s reasonable. But then I appreciate all the more when I hear an album like U2’s “War” that absolutely delivers on the promise of the singles. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Years Day” are massively catchy rock songs that still sound great even after hearing them countless times on the radio. And the rest of the album follows suit with a bunch more high energy songs in the same style. “Seconds” is just as catchy as the singles that come directly before and after it and “Like a Song” is a killer hard rock jam, especially at the end. “The Refugee” and “Two Hearts Beat as One” are also great. This album is strong front to back. This makes me wish I could see U2 perform live in their early days. Bono’s wail on this album is killer and the whole band rocks.

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

4/5

Wow, The Hives bottled a special energy on these songs. They sound just tight and punchy enough to showcase the songwriting and just rough and sloppy enough to capture the spirit of a live punk show. They’re punk bordering on hardcore but they also sound like they love The Rolling Stones. Really fun sound. Kicks like a double shot of espresso.

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

3/5

Fat and funky baselines and old school raps. Smart, political, socially conscious lyrics. But the music is also a lot of fun with plenty of playful moments. “Belly Dancin’ Dina” is a cool one. The music has that high-pitched Dr. Dre g-funk synth and one of the rappers even has a Snoop Dogg flow for a moment. And this was 1988, four years before “The Chronic.” A lot of interesting production throughout this album. It kept surprising me. The dense sampling is a lot of fun too. Lots of “Ooh I recognize that! What song is this from?” moments.

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

3/5

“Autopsy” is a cool song. I like the swagger and the swing in the beat. And “A Sailor’s Life” starts as a traditional British folk song with some psychedelic style and builds into a nice, extended rock jam. I like the mix of folk and rock on this album. “Who Knows Where the Times Goes?” is beautiful too.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

3/5

I’m happy to get some vintage country on the list. It’s a nice change of pace. The production on this album is very clean and well-balanced. I can hear every instrument behind Waylon Jennings’ deep, soulful voice. This isn’t music I’d usually seek out but it’s very well made and it’s enjoyable. The closing ballad "We Had It All" is wonderful. Those strings are great.

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

4/5

Oh hell yeah, this album opens with what sounds like a hard rock version of the 60s Batman theme song. These guys aren’t messing around. They’re rock n roll but they’re rocking so hard that they push the music close to heavy metal territory at times. And the screaming wail on the lead vocals! Wow. I was familiar with about half of these songs but the band totally transforms them and brings a wild energy. Even the guy on saxophone is a maniac! The production is pretty rough but the energy is through the roof!

Good Old Boys

Randy Newman

3/5

Nobody has a voice like Randy Newman. He’s an excellent songwriter too. Everything on this album feels carefully placed and thoughtfully produced. I like those slightly off key notes in “Guilty” that make the song sound a little drunk. In high school, my friends and I made a silly short film and used “Marie” as the soundtrack for a breakup montage. Totally forgot about that song until I listened to it today. It’s a beautiful, sad song. A lot of these songs are about race and politics and culture in the South. There’s a mix of voices and perspectives. I liked this album although I didn’t connect to the songs very strongly. I’d love to hear more Randy Newman though.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

4/5

The Beastie Boys make some of the most restless music I've ever heard. They rip through samples of other songs like kids in a candy store. I thought the sample of "Superfly" was bold on "Egg Man" but then they top it by sampling The Beatles on "The Sounds of Science." So much fun to listen to these songs and get constant whiplash. I'm enjoying reading about the making of the album on Wikipedia. The Dust Brothers are apparently the geniuses behind the music and they apparently thought the beats would be too dense for anyone to rap over. The lyrics are the usual goofball antics from The Beastie Boys but the vocals are all about attitude and style. And the music is so consistently interesting and exciting that I don’t care if the lyrics are silly and juvenile. 4.5

Atomizer

Big Black

3/5

I’ve never heard a band quite like this before. They’re on that metal-hardcore spectrum — heavy riffs, abrasive style — but there’s a grating, high-pitched sound on a lot of the songs that makes the music sound almost tinny. Is it the guitars? “Fists of Love” has a screeching noise that sounds like a whistling tea kettle. As I often am, I’m drawn to the rhythm section. There are some great, steady grooves here. I found myself swaying back and forth to the beat on a lot of these tracks.

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

2/5

I had a hard time finding an entry point into this one. Ministry definitely have the technical chops but they move at such a ferocious, breakneck pace for the first few songs that I felt like I was trying to catch up with their energy rather than be brought along for the ride. “Jesus Built My Hot Rod” shows me they have a sense of humor. And a few of these riffs feel like they’re just a few thrashy steps removed from hair metal. So I know these guys are here to jam and have fun. But then the vocals on “Scare Crow” remind me of Marilyn Manson which tips the music into darker, heavier territory. There’s also an effect in the background on that song that sounds a lot of The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” which makes me think they draw on a wide array of influences. Last two tracks are heavy on the noise. I respect the anarchy of it but I’m not loving it.

Moby Grape

3/5

This album felt like listening to a radio show of lost gems from the '60s. I'm surprised all 13 tracks were by the same band. There's pop, hard rock and country rock. Nothing earth-shattering or particularly inventive but all of it was enjoyable. I'm a fan of this style so I'm always happy to put a band like this on in the background. I thought the hard rock songs were the strongest.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

2/5

There’s a lot of anxiety and tension on this album. The music sounds on edge. As with the other Peter Gabriel and Genesis albums on this list, I found it fascinating but also hard to fully enjoy. It’s too pretentious, too preoccupied with ideas and not focused enough on the emotions and melodies. Gabriel is clearly brilliant and there are a lot of moments and production details that are cool here. But overall I appreciated it at a distance and didn’t connect much with it.

OK

Talvin Singh

4/5

Combining drum ‘n’ bass with Indian tabla music is an inspired and ingenious idea. The two styles work so well together. It’s a natural fit. I’m also always intrigued by the ways different cultures mix and influence each other. India and Britain of course have a long, complex history but there’s also this rich shared culture now as a result of that colonial history and this album is an interesting product of that. “OK” is a banger! Sounds like something that could be on an M.I.A. album. Some of this gets pretty dreamy and spacey. I like the dance and electronic leaning tracks the most. But all of this is beautifully and thoughtfully made. Awesome sound!

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

3/5

Dance beats and a bright, pop energy. A lot of songs sound like they were made while on drugs for people to do drugs to. A bunch of them stretch out with extended mixes perfect for DJs to play with. “Inner Flight” surprised me. It’s dreamy and beautiful with this odd, warped carnival bounce floating through the song. The end of the album is pretty mellow. I guess it’s the come down after the party? Ooh that jazz solo at the end of “I’m Comin Down” is great. Is that a sax? I love this album cover. Very memorable.

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

4/5

A very enjoyable, easy to listen to album for me. Slick and cheesy sounding but, as is always the case with Steely Dan and Donald Fagen, there's a strangeness to it too. Fagen's vocals always give the music a sleazy, sinister edge. I love him on the title track where he plays a late-night radio DJ. Some interesting lyrics here too. "I.G.Y." is about a utopian sci-fi future, "The New Frontier" is about surviving the apocalypse and I think "The Goodbye Look" is about a military takeover of a Caribbean island resort?

Live!

Fela Kuti

5/5

Fantastic. What a pleasure to put on today. The band is incredible. They have such a big, robust sound. They rock hard, have an awesome funk rhythm and then unleash these killer jazz solos and extended jams. A+ all around. Great energy. The drum solo bonus track was cool too!

Rage Against The Machine

5/5

One of my all-time favorites. I was in middle school when I got into The Matrix and I was talking with a family friend a few years older than me about how awesome the end credits song was. She said, “If you like that, you gotta listen to more Rage Against the Machine.” And she burned me this album on a CD-R that I probably still have somewhere. It rocked my world. I listened to it all the time. I even fell asleep listening to it once if you can believe that. It introduced me to hard rock, metal and rap all at once. Honestly, it introduced me to leftist politics too. I had never heard the phrase “Euro-centric” before “Take the Power Back” and it irrevocably altered how I viewed history class. I recently sang "Killing in the Name" at a karaoke hangout and it was a huge hit. Highly recommended. Gets the people going. I don’t always think of Rage as being a metal band. I just don’t classify them that way in my head. But I can really hear the Sabbath influence in “Take the Power Back” today. Their style is this furious collision of heavy metal, funk and hip-hop. All the dials are turned up to 10 but the production is still clean and crisp. You can hear every instrument. They’re a lean, muscular band on this album. Zack de la Rocha is a great rapper but I forgot how much screaming he does on this album. Awesome, intense, cathartic screaming. Classic album.

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

2/5

A little bit psychedelic, a little bit folk, a little bit whimsical, a little bit mystical. Pleasant but forgettable. I’m curious to read more about it and learn why it’s on this list.

Run-D.M.C.

4/5

Love these drums. Clean and confident. That bass is so deep. And the snare hits! And the record scratches fit right in like another part of the percussion. Highlights: “Rock Box” - love that guitar riff “Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)” - the drums hit hard on this one “It’s Like That” - I love the playful flow of the vocals. And the way they trade off back and forth every few words. So cool.

Horses

Patti Smith

4/5

A pretty stunning mix of rock n roll, punk and new wave. It’s a blend that doesn’t sound quite like anyone else. Patti Smith is a bold, wild performer. The production captures a raw, live feel. Looking at the credits, John Cale from The Velvet Underground produced the album. I can hear their influence on the music. Patti Smith’s style of rock is untamed and experimental in a way that reminds me of The Velvet Underground.

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

I’m starting to get a feel for Pet Shop Boys’ style. They make high-energy dance music but there’s also a certain level of restraint that would seem to run counter to making club songs. The vocals are cool and detached. And even when the beats are danceable, there’s a feeling that every sound was carefully placed. The music can have a mechanical sort of perfection. And yet somehow it works! This album is a lot of fun. There are big hooks, interesting production choices and great beats. A lot of lyrics are about money. Buying things, paying rent, asking a lover to buy things, telling a lover I can buy my own things… Given the tone of the singing, I think a lot of this is meant to be ironic. I like that Pet Shop Boys are sneaking in some social commentary while they pump out the dance tracks.

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

4/5

Excellent new wave / post-punk. They sound like early U2. I love that all the songs have high energy. And a lot of them have horns too! The mood is generally overcast and gothic but the gloom doesn't seep completely into the music. There are a lot of singalong moments and pop hooks.

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

4/5

What a wonderful album. Beautiful, upbeat pop songs with warm, full arrangements and lyrics that feel like short stories. There are some surprising production choices, including some synths. “Electronic Renaissance” has a cool sound. And I like the warbly synth in the background of “I Could Be Dreaming.” I was looking for an entry point into Belle & Sebastian’s music and this was it.

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

3/5

Gentle country folk. She has a great voice. Very expressive. This was good but I didn’t connect to it much today. Some of it was a bit sleepy for my taste, especially that long slow one at the end.

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

3/5

I never really listened to Dinosaur Jr. but always loved the band name. They’re pretty cool! Rough and sloppy alt-rock / grunge. A lot of catchy melodies alongside the hard rock jamming. Not a standout album for me but the music has a gritty energy and I’d be down to check out another album by them. I like this album cover a lot. It's very memorable.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

3/5

Very enjoyable soul and funk. The standouts for me were the extended funk number “Runaway Child, Running Wild” and the light and airy doo-wop song “Why Did She Have to Leave Me.” This funky bass throughout the album is so good.

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

4/5

Awesome album. X-Ray Spex have a similar style of punk as Blondie but with an extra edge. Fast riffs, big energy, an ear for pop melodies and a really charismatic frontwoman. And as a bonus, there’s a saxophone player in the band! Amazing. Sharp lyrics too.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

I love the exaggerated, flamboyant style of lead vocalist Kevin Rowland. He sounds like no one else. The music is fun. It’s got a bright and sunny ska style. I smiled a lot listening to this one. I could see this album growing on me with more listens.

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

3/5

In addition to being a great rapper, I often think of Eminem as a champion of free speech. I’m not sure anyone has pushed the envelope of what you can say in a song more than him and this album has got to be one of the all-time pinnacles of saying things you shouldn’t say. The violent misogyny of “Kill You” is quite a way to open the album. I’d understand if you turned off the album there (and I don’t particularly like the song) but Eminem is also clearly very smart and thoughtful about his words too. The very next track, “Stan,” tells the story of a fan with an unhealthy obsession with Eminem who believes Eminem would want him to imitate the violence in his music. It’s a stunning, heartbreaking song and one of the best rap songs of all time. Eminem follows this up with “Who Knew,” another song that plays with the idea of whether or not he’s responsible for his words. The answer isn’t exactly a “no” but more like, “If I am, then all of you are just as responsible if not more.” He continues to shrug off his responsibility on the classic “The Way I Am.” The track has a stunning beat and Eminem’s flow is relentless. And then there’s “The Real Slim Shady,” which somehow packages his devil-may-care, idgaf scumbag persona into a pop anthem. I remember hearing this song so much on the radio and seeing the video on TRL. It’s still a blast to listen to. And ooh… that wailing g-funk siren at the end of the song is so good. This album swings wildly between furious venting at his critics, uncensored therapy sessions and gleeful vulgarities about pop stars and Bill Clinton. Eminem delights in saying the worst thing he can think of and if you don’t like it, he spins the responsibility back on you for being the one bobbing your head to the music. Not all of it is great though. As the album continues, the mood gets increasingly grim and gloomy. The homophobia of “Marshall Mathers” is indefensible. The song on a whole is bitter and hostile in a way I find grating. On the first half of the album, Eminem argues that he has the right to rap about any vile or disgusting thing he feels like. And sure, I agree, especially when he's playful and tongue-in-cheek about it. At a certain point though you have to ask, "But why? What's the point?" How can you possibly justify spending six minutes on a song where Eminem interrogates his cheating wife before murdering her? That the song plays out as a dramatic scene rapped in verse is kind of incredible but it feels like a waste of creative energy. It’s self-indulgent in the most disgusting way. Wow, I’m surprised to hear him pull back from saying the n-word on the closing track “Criminal.” Incredible to know that he actually does draw a line somewhere. This is a fascinating album with some undeniably great songs and tons of excellent rapping. It gets weighed down by the brutal second half though. Eminem is one of the greatest rappers of all time and dealing with the complexities, contradictions and occasional despicableness of his music is always going to be a part of the listening experience. I definitely enjoyed engaging with this today.

Porcupine

Echo And The Bunnymen

3/5

I like this sound and style. Opening track “The Cutter” was a highlight. I didn’t like this as much as the other Echo & The Bunnymen albums on this list but I still enjoyed it. Some of the songs were tough to get into but a lot of them hit.

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

5/5

Wow this is a really cool album. Synth rock and psychedelic rock with really sharp, interesting lyrics. “Guilt” really grabbed me lyrically. “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” is a sad one. But the music contrasts the story with interesting synth-driven music. Marianne Faithfull’s version of John Lennon’s “Working Clads Hero” is fantastic! I found myself focusing on the lyrics as if the song was totally new to me. It’s such a great song and she totally makes it her own. Whoa, the closing track “Why’d Ya Do It” is incredible. Brutal and bitter but a total jam and a singalong too! I love that this could have been a singer-songwriter album. There’s that focus on songcraft and lyrics. But Marianne Faithfull makes sure that the music is as interesting and distinct as her lyrics. It’s tough to give an album a 5 on a first listen but I feel like I have to here. Rarely has an album on this list stopped me in my tracks like this. A lot of times the albums float past me and I wonder, “Would this have been better if I wasn’t partially distracted and listening on headphones while food shopping?” Today I had to stop more than once while cutting chicken and just listen to the songs. I’m gonna want to return to this album again and I’m so curious to here more by Marianne Faithfull.

São Paulo Confessions

Suba

3/5

You could almost think this album is loungy enough to be played at a chic restaurant but it demands more attention than that. For every cool, laidback song, there’s another one with an experimental detour or an unexpected sound. I love the overlapping rhythms and the way melodies fit into place like puzzle pieces. It’s a fusion of Latin genres with electronic dance styles and the songs frequently don’t develop how you’d expect them too.

Sound Affects

The Jam

3/5

Good British rock with a punk edge. “Music For the Last Couple” had a more modern style that sounded like indie rock to me. Honestly, all the most interesting songs are tucked at the very end. All good stuff but nothing too memorable for me. Feels like a classic “your favorite band’s favorite band” kind of artist.

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

5/5

A classic and deservedly so. The rapping is excellent. Biggie has one of the most distinct voices in rap and he has a great flow. He switches up his style and emphasizes certain phrases and lines so that you don’t miss a word of what he’s saying. And I love how he’ll rhyme a few words back to back. The beats are fantastic. The drums hit hard in that 90s New York style but the music is pretty eclectic. A lot of funk and soul samples mixed in with everything else. I started listening to this in college after I’d been listening to hip-hop for a few years and I remember having a bunch of a-ha moments when I recognized lines and references from more modern rap songs. I love that about hip-hop. There’s always a dialogue between present and past and you can jump in at any point. Sometimes I hear a new song and a few years later I’ll realize that one of the lines in it was an homage to an old song. Then I’ll learn that that old song was actually a reference to an even older song. And on and on. So many rappers from this era take the mid-album detour to brag about their sexual prowess for a track or two. Did Biggie start that? Probably not but this was the first album I heard that did that and I started recognizing the move in so many albums after that. The lyrics are great. He has a good eye for detail. I like how a few of the crime stories have rapped dialogue in them. They feel like scenes from a Scorsese mob movie, where the gangsters are bickering in the heat of the moment. Excellent album front to back. That first stretch of songs in particular is killer. The drama of "Things Done Changed" sets the stage and "Gimme the Loot" and "Machine Gun Funk" keep the momentum going.

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

5/5

Amy Winehouse recreates the classic soul sound very faithfully but also turns it into something fresh and modern. A lot of that updating comes from her lyrics. I love the line “What kind of fuckery is this?” on “Me & Mr. Jones.” It's something that could have obviously never been on an older soul song but also doesn't feel out of place either. The retro soul sound runs through the album but each song has its own distinct flavor. I like the reggae bounce on "Just Friends." And man, I love the soaring doo wop of “Tears Dry On Their Own.” The production on this album is fantastic. So many classic songs on here -- "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black" -- but the album tracks are excellent too. This is such an easy album to listen to. It's full of raw emotion, big hooks and excellent backing music. A classic without question and a pleasure to return to.

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

3/5

This album has a really cool style. Smooth R&B with hip-hop beats and big, rubbery funk basslines. Of course Timbaland produced the whole album. He's so good at making music that borrows from the past while also feeling futuristic. Missy Elliott does more crooning on this album than I expected. A lot of the rapping on the first half comes from guest appearances. But there's still a fair amount of rapping from Missy Elliott. I like the sound effect ad libs she does on “Izzy Izzy Ahh.” (The wordless hook on that song is cool too.) She has a calm, confident presence on the mic. Definitely no shortage of swagger. Wooow that beatboxing on "Gettaway" is so good. The beat sounds almost alien. The album is probably a little long for my taste but there's a lot of highlights and the production is top-shelf throughout.

Yeezus

Kanye West

5/5

There's no album quite like "Yeezus." It's bold and in-your-face and (for my money) Kanye's most entertaining album. It captures the racing mind of a manic episode. The lyrics swing from delusions of grandeur to trashy sex jokes to commentary on the prison-industrial complex before swinging back and landing on another trashy sex joke. The industrial and electronic music is full of surprising moves. I remember the shock of listening to it for the first time. The out-of-left-field samples dropped smack into the middle of the song. The abrasive, glitchy sound effects. The screaming. But one of the joys of listening to this album countless times over the last 10+ years has been memorizing every sudden twist and turn, and being along for the ride. The guest appearances are perfectly placed. I love how Kanye uses Justin Vernon from Bon Iver. On "Hold My Liquor," he runs Vernon's voice through a garbled auto-tune effect to introduce the song before bringing in a snarling Chief Keef to play the role of a substance-abusing lover. And on "I'm In It," the ferocious feature from Jamaican rapper Assassin is immediately followed by Justin Vernon again, this time singing falsetto over a wailing siren beat. Or how about that Beenie Man sample right at the end of the club banger "Send It Up"? For years now, my wife and I have been imitating the way he sings "Memoriiiies." A lot of rappers have sexist lyrics about not trusting women. But on "Blood on the Leaves," Kanye takes this ugly trope and twists it into an epic song about his darkest insecurities and fears -- infidelity, divorce, drug abuse -- that audaciously samples Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit," a song about lynching. It's a reckless but stunning song. His auto-tuned vocal solo at the end always stops me in my tracks. The pacing of this album is so tight. It's got an arresting opening sequence, stretches out in the middle and finishes strong with a few more quick songs before ending on the upbeat, spacious and (I think I can use this word to describe it) romantic "Bound 2." "New Slaves" is probably my favorite song on this album but I'm a big fan of "Bound 2" also. On Kanye's next album, "The Life of Pablo," he has a great tongue-in-cheek song "I Love Kanye" that parodies fans who say they "miss the old Kanye." If there's a Kanye that I miss, it's this one. I miss the Kanye that could include a gut-wrenching guitar solo in one song, only to follow it up with a dumb punchline a few moments later. The Kanye that could be crude and untamed and irresponsible in his lyrics but still be charming and charismatic enough to make you laugh. The Kanye that could make an album where ugliness, beauty, brilliance and imperfection coexist as part of the same take-it-or-leave-it artistic expression. This album was made by that Kanye and, God help me, I absolutely love it.

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain

3/5

Strong, mellow alt-rock with a throwback style of songwriting. It reminds me of Roy Orbison and artists from that early 60s pop era. There’s a new indie band called Dehd that I like and I was struck by how similar their sound is to this album.

Konnichiwa

Skepta

3/5

Hard-hitting rap with great electronic-influenced beats. Skepta has a great voice (love the British accent) and a fun, bouncing flow. Solid all around. The Pharrell track “Numbers” was a fun one too.

Cross

Justice

5/5

Wow, I didn’t know there was another artist capable of doing what Daft Punk does. Prog-techno… is that a term? That’s how I’d describe both Daft Punk and Justice. This album has experimental bangers with weird rhythms and glitchy beat switches but also songs like “D.A.N.C.E.” which is pure dance floor candy and “The Party” which has incredibly charming guest vocals that feel like a monologue designed to pump you up for a Friday night out. And then a song like “Stress” comes in like a disco hurricane. I kept having to check to see when songs ended too — it’s mixed like a continuous DJ set. Brilliant album.

Berlin

Lou Reed

4/5

The first half has bursts of rock n roll and doo wop. (“Caroline Says I” and “How Do You Think It Feels” were highlights for me.) And the second half has longer, sadder story-centric songs. (“The Kids” and “The Bed” were both heartbreaking.) Lou Reed is a plainspoken poet. He’s very direct in his lyrics and he emphasizes that directness with a sort of flat style of singing. He’s not afraid to say something in a monotone voice and just let it sit there for the listener to absorb. I’m a big fan of his in general and this was an interesting album I hadn’t heard before. Lots to dig into and enjoy.

Architecture And Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

2/5

This one didn’t do much for me. The synths had a warbly, off key sound I didn’t love and the sound of the music overall felt kind of gray and flat. Bits and pieces reminded me of Arcade Fire. And “Souvenir” sounds like an MGMT song. Most of the songs are in a post-punk vein. I could see this being an influential album. It’s definitely not bad but wasn’t my style.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

3/5

Joyful rhythm and blues. This was a pleasure to put on today. I’m always surprised by how short pop songs are from this era. There’s a real “get in, do the song and get out” attitude that I appreciate. There are occasionally some jazzy solos on this but mostly the songs are very lean.

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

TV On The Radio

4/5

TV On The Radio have such a cool sound. Their style feels like a very pure creative expression, as if they're not trying to imitate other genres or styles but rather using their instruments to make whatever sound is best for the song. The guitars mostly feel like alt-rock, the drums sometimes feel like rock but other times feel like dance/electronica, and there are a lot of interesting back-up vocals and harmonies. Some of the music is dark and brooding but a lot of it is uplifting and liberating. I get the impression that they were influenced by Radiohead but not exactly because they sound like Radiohead. They just have the same fearless spirit of invention.

Scott 4

Scott Walker

2/5

I wanted to like this more than I did. I like the cheesiness of it and the lounge singer style — he’s got a great voice — but I didn’t connect with many of the songs. There weren’t enough upbeat song to draw me in. I liked the swinging drama of “The Old Man’s Back Again” but there weren’t many more like it on this album.

In It For The Money

Supergrass

4/5

In college I was the assistant music director for the campus radio station for a few years. The main job was to comb through all the CDs that promoters sent to the station and decide which ones got played. In addition to listening to tons of new albums, there was also a big back wall of music. Every time one of the upperclassmen recommended a band I should know, I went to the back wall, grabbed the whole discography and caught up on what I’d been missing. Supergrass was one of those bands. One summer, I had to drive down to campus from home every week to pick up the CDs that promoters sent during the summer months. I was always pretty grumpy about making that 90 minute drive but it was at least a good opportunity to listen to music. This album was in high rotation for that drive. It's packed with catchy, high-energy songs. I haven't listened to this in years but it's still pretty deeply ingrained in my memory. Supergrass have a punk attitude (especially in Gaz Coombes' sneering vocals) but there's a big influence from British classic rock bands like The Beatles, The Who and The Kinks. The music also features funk licks, splashes of Indian tabla, bursts of hard rock and more. And how about around 1:30 on "Hollow Little Reign" when the band turns into Chicago for a moment? "Cheapskate" was always my favorite. I must have put that song on every party playlist for a year or two straight.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

4/5

Gorgeous music. I love how their songs have a driving, forward momentum. Something about those steady, chugging drums and the big echoing guitar tones. The songs feel like a speeding train. Or maybe a car on an open highway. This would be a great road trip album. Something you can put on while the miles melt away. The lead singer sounds like Bob Dylan, if Bob Dylan fronted a stadium rock band. The songs feel big and they take their time and stretch out. They feel designed for arenas.

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

2/5

There’s a surprising amount of German cabaret music on this list. This isn’t the only artist on the list to cover old German songs. French songs too. This album also has songs by Elvis Costello (I like him but those songs felt boring) and Tom Waits (you can hear his style even with another singer) among others I was less familiar with. I liked some songs more than others and Ute Lemper has a nice voice. But this felt pretty niche to me. Not essential listening and not my taste. It’s too dramatic and stage-y for me.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

5/5

T. Rex are the epitome of cool for me. This album oozes swagger and sexuality. It rocks hard but also sounds tossed off and casual. And it's stacked with great songs. "Mambo Sun" is such a great opener. That drumbeat combined with the riff captures that laidback rock star style so well. "Jeepster" is a classic too. I love the dirtbag poetry of the line "Girl, I'm just a Jeepster for your love." Brilliant. The riff is so catchy. I've heard a few bands copy it (and even heard T. Rex basically reuse it on other songs) and I don't blame them. It's awesome. "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" is the huge hit here and I love it. It always makes me happy when I hear it. I'm also a big fan of the closing track "Rip Off." It sounds wild and loose. The slower "Life's a Gas" that comes right before it would have been a fine song to end the album on but I love when bands sneak in one more high energy number before the end. Just great from beginning to end. One of my personal favorite rock albums.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

3/5

Terrific heavy metal. It’s very dramatic and theatrical. The guitar shredding is sick, the drums are really tight and pack a big punch, and the bass parts are complex and interesting. Overall I think I was more impressed than I was fully engaged in the music. I liked the showmanship more than the actual songs. Still, much respect to the band. I never listened to Iron Maiden before and I like when this list makes me spend time with a band I had only heard about. 3.5

The Coral

3/5

Catchy, fun, upbeat songs. In addition to sounding like a lot of British bands from this time, there’s a mix of other influences — some Spanish guitar here, a little polka bounce there. That sort of thing can feel like musical cosplaying to me and I don’t always love it. But this was enjoyable more often than not.

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Megadeth

4/5

I love the snarling spoken word vocals that kick off “Peace Sells.” Great hook. I vibe with the anti-authority lyrics too. Really great song. Man, these songs move fast! I can’t believe the intricate solos the guitarist is able to do playing at this tempo. Ooh I like the rock n roll swagger of “I Ain’t Superstitious.” I like that they change the style up a little and keep it fun. This was a blast. Definitely interested in hearing more Megadeth.

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

3/5

"Bawitdaba" and "Cowboy" were radio staples when I was a kid. They're still fun. The next track, "Devil Without a Cause" sounds like imitation Rage Against the Machine (with a little touch of Beck's "Odelay" around 3:08). The lyrics are all shit-talking to his critics and mythologizing how awesome he is, the sort of thing you hear in a lot of old-school hip-hop. There's a clear Beastie Boys influence throughout the album too. It all feels pretty earnest though. The genre mashups like "I Am the Bullgod" -- metal meets country meets rap-rock -- sound natural. It's not forced. Kid Rock has the swagger to pull it all together. Wow, he really underlines his Rage Against the Machine influence with "Fists of Rage." It's a little on the nose. The auto-tuned country ballad "Only God Knows Why" is a surprise. Nice change of pace. This album has lots of big riffs, catchy hooks and plenty of dick jokes. Good, trashy fun. Okay wait, this last track “Black Chick, White Guy” is surprisingly heartfelt. I could do without the misogynistic name-calling but overall it’s interesting to hear Kid Rock in storyteller mode.

So Much For The City

The Thrills

2/5

Jeez, the opening song “Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far)” is so repetitive. A lot of these songs repeat themselves without introducing new ideas. The hooks and choruses aren’t that great to begin with and definitely don’t justify the endless refrains. I don’t like the lead singer’s voice. Soft-spoken, high-pitched and raspy? A lot of his singing sounds flat.

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

2/5

I’m gonna need someone to sell me on this one. I couldn’t find an entry point into this album. It’s all minor chords, violent imagery and off-key instruments with echoing reverb. There’s a high level of craft and musicianship too but I just don’t see when or why I’d listen to this. I’ve liked some Sonic Youth in the past but I’m often appreciating them at a distance. And this one felt further away from me enjoying it than others.

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

4/5

Like a summer breeze. Some of it is light and airy, some of it is jazzy and funky, some of it is smooth and sexy. She’s a great performer with nice range. Wow, this last track “Aprendendo a Jogar” is fantastic! I was on the fence about rating this a 3 or a 4 but this song is pushing it to a 4 for me. Love ending on a high note!

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

3/5

An enjoyable album from the extended CSNY universe. I do like this concept for a band — a group of songwriters who each contribute a few songs and record them together. I’m surprised more modern indie artists don’t do this. (Boygenius is the only one that jumps to mind but maybe there are more.) The majority of the songs have a psychedelic rock edge and feature some excellent guitar soloing. Two of the early songs, “Everydays” and “Expecting to Fly,” sound like they were recorded in soft focus which is an aesthetic choice I don’t love. The riff on “Mr. Soul” sounds very close to The Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” 👀 “Good Time Boy” was a surprising genre shift — rock n roll soul. Fun! Overall I think the highlight here is the guitar playing.

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

5/5

Dan, I was just saying the other day how when I was a kid I used to throw a blanket over my head and dance around the living room to "The Earth Died Screaming." I thought it was such a weird, spooky song. I think I was originally making fun of how strange it sounded and how crazy it was that my dad actually liked this music. But there's something about that rhythm and that bluesy melody. It's powerful. It's a good example of the magic in a lot of Tom Waits songs: they sound strange and foreign at first but once you realize what an incredible songwriter he is, you hear the beauty and pain and humor in his music. "Dirt in the Ground" is a stunning song. Gut-wrenching and beautiful. "All Stripped Down" is such a jam. There’s a bunch of unconventionally rocking songs on this album. "In the Colosseum" is another catchy one and "Goin' Out West" oozes swagger. "Who Are You" has a lot of great lines but that opening line is incredible: "They're lining up to mad dog your tilt-a-whirl." And of course "I Don’t Wanna Grow Up" is a classic in my books. Such a true, real feeling that we all know. In a way, I think I’ll always be a kid and this song reminds me of that.

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

4/5

Recently, I've been enjoying the André 3000 album "New Blue Sun" (his ambient flute album) and reading reviews of it too. One thing critics seem to point out is how André 3000, one of the greatest rappers of all time, is actually a novice at playing the flute. His performance on the album isn't a showcase of virtuosic jazz playing, but rather the sound of a brilliant artist trying out something new. But there's something special about that too. It feels pure and vulnerable. I feel a similar way about Bob Dylan's harmonica playing on the first half of this album, the acoustic set. There are moments where he sounds tentative, almost like he's testing out the sound of the instrument before playing the real notes. These moments are usually followed by him wailing on the harmonica in a much more confident way. I like the rawness of that. I like knowing that Bob Dylan is just a guy messing around, using the harmonica as a means to express himself even if it's not always genius all the time. I'm not sure what genius harmonica playing sounds like but I like how Dylan uses the instrument. He punctuates his lyrics with it and emphasizes his emotions. The second half of the album, a plugged-in full band set, is loose and rockin'. I really enjoyed hearing songs I've heard a hundred times before played in a new way. I enjoyed the first half but this second half is something I could see myself putting on in the background again and again.

Disraeli Gears

Cream

3/5

A mix of hard blues rock and gentler hippie psychedelia. Even when it rocks hard it feels pretty easygoing. Compared to similar bands of the era, I personally prefer the urgency of The Jimi Hendrix Experience or the straight up sexiness of Led Zeppelin. But this was good. My first time listening to Cream aside from their big hits. I knew “Sunshine of My Love” and “Tales of Brave Ulysses” but there were some good album cuts here too. “World of Pain” was a highlight for me.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

3/5

The 22+ minute title track about the joys of riding the Autobahn is a little silly but it ended up being the highlight for me. There are some beautiful instrumental stretches on that track. The other songs are ambient-leaning electronica for the most part. Each piece has a different mood. I like listening to Kraftwerk albums from this list because they’re clearly an influential band and they’re also just an interesting, unique band in their own right. They’ve been hit or miss for me though, with this album falling somewhere in the middle. Interesting and enjoyable but probably not something I’ll put on again.

Feast of Wire

Calexico

3/5

Some acoustic folk, some rock, songs songs with a Sergio Leone influence and some Latin songs including one with mariachi horns. The jazzy funk of “Attack El Robot! Attack!” was the first track I genuinely vibed with rather than passively listening. Cool groove. “Dub Latina” and “Güero Canelo” were cool too. I like these instrumental grooves. And the jazz of “Crumble” is excellent! This album is full of surprises.

Third

Portishead

4/5

This album sounds like a dream. Sad and melancholy one moment, ominous and frightening the next, mysterious in a way that’s hard to put your finger on. It’s beautifully produced. There are lots of surprising turns and experimental effects but they’re folded into the songs seamlessly. Portishead sound like a hybrid of Radiohead and Björk on this album. At the same time, I’ve never heard anything quite like it. Electronica fused with prog-rock, something like that. Beth Gibbons’s vocals are full of pain and longing. It makes for beautiful and sad music. Very compelling, adventurous album.

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

4/5

A wonderful album of soulful, jazzy, doo-wop influenced songs. I love these midsong tempo and time signature changes. And her voice is stunning. Powerful and strong and beautiful. She has some moments where she reminds me of Joni Mitchell. How has Laura Nyro not been a name I’ve been hearing for years? This is great.

Foo Fighters

4/5

Excellent. These songs rock hard but there’s a major emphasis on hooks and melodies. Great range of tones and styles too. There’s some hard rock, some grunge, some songs that tip into metal and some softer songs. All around great playing and strong songwriting.

Transformer

Lou Reed

5/5

The glam-rock style of this album makes it one of Lou Reed's most accessible. "Vicious," "Andy's Chest" and "Satellite of Love" all have a glam-rock-era Bowie flair to them (which makes sense because Bowie plays on the album and produced it -- I actually forgot about that until I heard his backup vocals!). I always liked "Satellite of Love" but the one I woke up singing this morning was "Hangin' 'Round." Of course the classic song here is "Walk on the Wild Side." There's no song quite like it. The production shines a spotlight on the bass line, complementing it with some gentle snare brushes. I'm just noticing now that there's some acoustic guitar strumming even lower in the mix than the drums! I think I've always felt the effect of those guitars without really paying attention to them. The song is paced beautifully, with the backup vocals fading in after Lou Reed introduces the "doo-doo-doo's" and the strings following shortly after that. And of course, the saxophone solo that comes in right at the end like a cherry on top. It creates a sweet, nostalgic tone, framing a picture of trans sex workers on the streets of New York City in a way I'm not sure anyone else has. Lou Reed is nonjudgmental about these women's lives. In fact, he's sentimental about it. "Make Up" is another song about gender queerness, taking the perspective of a man watching their lover get up in the morning and transform into a woman with make up and gowns. He seems to be charmed by the process and the song captures a flirtatious energy. The other song that stands out is "Perfect Day." The production, like "Walk on the Wild Side," puts the bass up front with some gentle piano alongside Lou Reed's vocals. Then, when the chorus kicks in, there's a wall of strings, the piano gets louder and Lou Reed's vocals jump up in the mix so much they sound blown out. A melancholy air hangs over the song like a cloud and makes you wonder, was this really such a perfect day? Maybe he's looking back on a perfect day with a conflicted feeling, like he wishes he could escape the present and go back to that perfect day? This time around, this line stood out to me: "Just a perfect day, you made me forget myself / I thought I was someone else, someone good." I know that feeling of having a dark feeling -- like guilt or anxiety -- momentarily recede when I'm suddenly caught up in the moment having fun with someone. But those feelings have a way of creeping back in like that ominous last line: "You're going to reap just what you sow." This is a complex and fascinating song. Excellent album. It's not one I turn to very often but it's got too many great songs to not award classic status. 4.5 pushing a 5.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

Interesting album. The songs are unmistakably Beach Boys pop but they’re also sometimes trippy and experimental and even political. I love the police siren effects on "Student Demonstration Time" -- sounds like they’re being made by a wah-wah pedal and some feedback. The psychedelic “Feel Flows” is really interesting! Feels like an odds and ends sort of album, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Curious to put this on again and see how it grows on me. 3.5 What an interesting album cover. I can’t imagine the reaction from the record label when they were told the new Beach Boys album would be called “Surf’s Up” but then saw that this was the artwork. 😂

90

808 State

4/5

This slaps. Fast beats and sticky synths. Techno that’s not afraid to get a little weird and playful. Loved it.

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

4/5

The marquee names on this album are a vibraphonist and a bandoneon player (which is apparently subtly different than an accordion) but the band is strong all around. The pianist is excellent too (adding some drama to the compositions) and the violinist has some great solos. The interplay between the two main performers is dynamic on “Vibraphonissimo”! The vibraphone in particular is very fun to listen to on that song. It sounds like the notes are bouncing around my headphones like a ping pong ball. The last two tracks, “Operation Tango” and “La Muerta Del Angel” get pretty frenetic and wild! Lovely album.

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

An incredible, sprawling double album with nothing but excellent songs. The Stevie Nicks-led songs are stunningly beautiful. I love the slow simmer of "Sara." Gorgeous song. And "Sisters of the Moon" has some epic drama. The Christine McVie songs are gorgeous too. She has a gentle, vulnerable style on the ballads but she has a powerful voice too. I think that's what draws me to a lot of Fleetwood Mac in general. Their songs feel like they're coming from the depths of heartbreak but still feel strong and empowering. I'm always drawn to the Lindsey Buckingham tracks on this album. He gives the album a nervous rock edginess, like on "It's Not That Funny." (I love imitating his vocals on that one.) And my favorite here is "What Makes You Think You're the One." The lyrics are such a perfect takedown of a selfish, arrogant person: "What makes you think you're the one Who can laugh without cryin'? What makes you think you're the one Who can live without dyin'?" "That's All For Everyone" is another highlight. The production is stunning. The backing vocals have this heavenly glow to them. And because there's 20 songs on this album, there's always another one that stands out when I put it on. It's a really rich experience.

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

4/5

Great set of songs about relationships, heartbreak, jealousy and sex. Loretta Lynn is soulful when she sings about being lonely and strong when she’s kicking a cheating lover out the door. Her voice is gorgeous. The backing music is excellent too. Clean, crisp production to match the tight, lean songwriting. I love the twanging guitars and horse-trot drums.

Stand!

Sly & The Family Stone

5/5

Stellar funk rock. “I Want To Take You Higher” is a big, boisterous party of a song, “Sing a Simple Song” is a roll your windows down while you’re driving anthem and “Everyday People” is like a perfect summer day in a bottle. And oooh “Sex Machine” is a killer extended jam.

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

4/5

Cuban jazz feeds my soul like few other genres of music can. I almost forgot that until I put this album on today. Love the vibraphone on “Hong Kong Mambo”! Great album cover.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

4/5

The sequencing of this album is funny because it's five pretty tight songs in the middle, bookended by two long songs, about 10 minutes each. The opener, "Maggot Brain" is a stunner. Basically one, epic psychedelic guitar solo. The closing track is the absurd, apocalyptic funk track "Wars of Armageddon." Not something I need to listen to a lot but it does make me laugh. The top highlight for me is "Can You Get to That." Just an incredible, soulful, funk-pop song. That acoustic guitar riff is so good. It's a great, feel good song. I first heard it in college when the indie band Sleigh Bells sampled it for the song "Rill Rill." I was very happy to be introduced to this album as a result of that song. (And that Sleigh Bells song is still a banger.) "Hit It and Quit It" is excellent as well. Honestly, all of these tracks in the midsection of the album are strong. Great album cover. 4.5

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

3/5

This album has three huge songs on it: “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Paradise City” and “Sweet Child of Mine.” They’re all classics that absolutely rock, though I think I’ve also had plenty of moments in my life where I’ve switched the station when one of these songs comes on. They’re great but overplayed. The rest of this album rocks hard. Lots of guitar shredding and great production that keeps everything in balance. But I guess I thought I’d like this more than I did. I think Axl Rose’s vocals can be a little grating. The album feels like a classic of the genre but it doesn’t rev my engines the way it should. I totally understand why someone else would go nuts for this though — it’s high energy and consistently delivers track after track. I just lean more towards other hard rock and heavy metal bands.

Nixon

Lambchop

3/5

Lambchop is an interesting artist. He's a wordy songwriter and does some interesting things with his voice. I first discovered him a few years ago with the 2016 album "FLOTUS," which features auto-tuned vocals. I have a soft spot for artists that use auto-tune in unconventional and artistic ways, and I listened that album a few times when it came out. He certainly sings in interesting ways on this album too. His typical style is somewhere between a talky poetry reading and crooning. But wait, what is he doing with his voice on "You Masculine You"? Whispering in a falsetto that he can't hit? So strange. And again on “What Else Could It Be?” On that song he sounds like he’s going for a soulful 60s R&B style but because he can’t get anywhere near, say, Smokey Robinson’s upper register, the end result is almost parody. Honestly though, I’m kind of vibing with it. It’s absurd but sort of works. The music throughout is wistful, melancholy soul for the most part. It’s very pretty. There’s also some interesting alt-rock tracks. Not sure I connected with those as much. But this is an interesting album. I’m curious to listen to more Lambchop. Funny album cover. I think it captures the mood here — there’s a sweet, nostalgic tone to the music but also a fair amount of irony.

So

Peter Gabriel

3/5

I like Peter Gabriel in pop mode. This album has two classic songs: “Sledgehammer” and “In Your Eyes.” Both are great. “In Your Eyes” is particularly beautiful. I love lyrics that find find new ways to say, “let’s bang” and this one from “Sledgehammer” is pretty great: “Show me 'round your fruit cage 'Cause I will be your honey bee Open up your fruit cage Where the fruit is as sweet as can be” The slow songs are a little meandering for me and there’s still a fair amount of pretension here which is the thing that always keeps me from enjoying Peter Gabriel more. But the two big songs were enough to remind me that I do like him sometimes.

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

3/5

A little Lauryn Hill, a little old school Beyoncé, a little Amy Winehouse. Not a ton of tracks stood out to me but consistently good overall. The beat on “Krazy Krush” is awesome. “Danger” and “Ramp” (which I guess are bonus tracks) had a nice tough reggae flow which was a fun change of pace.

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

3/5

Listening to the first few songs by The Bees, I hear the influence of two other B’s — The Beach Boys and The Beatles. Mix in some jazzy soft rock, ska and indie it adds up to a pleasant, varied, low-key style. “A Minha Menina” is a catchy one! Wow, “Zia” is gorgeous. I wouldn’t have been mad about one or two more upbeat songs but this was still very enjoyable.

Casanova

The Divine Comedy

2/5

There’s a bit of Morrissey’s drama here and some of Scott Walker’s style (who I learned about from this list), who sang modern takes on French and German cabaret. I also hear just a touch of Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, at least the current longe act version of the band. In general I don’t love this album but I can’t be mad at a guy who’s just trying to put on a show for me. 2.5

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

3/5

Definitely a different album than Sly & The Family Stone’s classic “Stand,” which is more pop-oriented. The songs on this album are looser and funkier and the production feels less polished. The mix sounds muddled. It’s still enjoyable but not as immediately accessible as their previous album. Great album cover. Simple and classic.

Roxy Music

3/5

A restless album brimming with creativity and musical ideas. Lead singer Brian Ferry is a wild frontman, sounding like a cross between David Bowie and David Byrne. Roxy Music are still in the “respect them don’t exactly love them” camp for me but I enjoyed this, especially the first half of the album. I see this described as art rock. Sometimes the art half gets in the way of the rock half, at least for my taste, and that’s when my enthusiasm flags a bit.

Blunderbuss

Jack White

5/5

Excellent album. A blend of blues, folk and rock that sounds like it could have only been made by Jack White. The piano in particular sounds great. The production throughout is spectacular. I love those bursts of fuzzed out hard rock guitars on certain songs. Front to back great songs but some of my favorites are the punk-sounding "Sixteen Saltines," the blues rocker "I'm Shakin'" and the epic drama of "Weep Themselves to Sleep."

The Last Of The True Believers

Nanci Griffith

3/5

Lovely album of gentle country tunes. Nanci Griffith has a wonderful voice. I like this sort of easygoing, old-fashioned country and this I’ll have to keep this album in mind when I’m in the mood for that sound.

Vulgar Display Of Power

Pantera

3/5

Sometimes the album cover and title say it all. Pantera have a lot of raw power and rock solid sound that smashes into you. Ooh I love that strutting rhythm + riff on “Walk.” A natural head banger. You can’t help but nod along. The band is really tight and I like when the shredding guitar solos come in. The solos sound loose and free on top of a tough, locked in groove. Okay “Fucking Hostile” is different. Thrashy and fast! Another change in style with “This Love.” Mid-tempo, melodic verses that rip open into an intense riff and screamed vocals. I feel like Pantera has a little bit of everything for metal fans on this album. Wow the drums on “Rise” are insane. Pantera play a lot of different styles and they play them all exceptionally well. 3.5

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

4/5

Fantastic set of songs. The opening sequence ending with “Southern Man” is really strong. And “Southern Man” in particular is tremendous. Very powerful and rocks hard. “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” is another great song. The piano has a sort of cinematic sound to it. Love that riff on “When You Dance I Can Really Love.” And the jamming in the back half of the song is great. I wouldn’t mind even more jamming on this album. The band is great. 4.5

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

4/5

Very good psychedelic classic rock from a band I’ve never heard of before. There have been a few bands on this list that emulate and imitate The Beatles and The Kinks and I think The Pretty Things are one of the best I’ve heard so far. There’s a pretty clear influence from The Who here too. The guitar part on “Old Man Going” feels lifted off a Who album. But Pretty Things actually match their drama and momentum and push the sound even further into hard rock territory! “She Says Good Morning” is a highlight. I love this drum solo in the middle of “Baron Saturday.” The hook is cool too. It’s the kind of hard rock flair John Lennon might add to a Beatles album. The backing vocals are interesting on “Trust.” There’s a voice that echoes the lines after the lead singer and it almost turns the song into a round, looping back as the lead vocals start a new line.

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

4/5

I love me some weirdo rap. Surprised to hear something this out there and strange from 1996! The skits made me laugh out loud a few times. The beats are great. They have an old-school New York style. Most tracks also have a little something in them to tip the sound toward the sci-fi premise. The rapping is great too. He isn’t afraid to rap off beat or try unconventional flows. I love the off-kilter hook on “Earth People”: “Earth people, New York and California, Earth people, I was born on Jupiter.” It sounds odd at first but then gets stuck in your head. “Technical Difficulties” has a rambling, write-past-the-margins flow with a free associative lyrical style. He’s rapping too fast to pick up on every line but the verses are packed with surprising phrases and name drops. A lot of this album is absurd but his technical skills are top shelf.

Trout Mask Replica

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

4/5

This album is a thrilling mashup of blues and avant-garde jazz that sounds like a musical Frankenstein’s monster. You could convince me that Captain Beefheart had reanimated his band from the dead, replacing their missing limbs and organs with junkyard parts. These songs are vibrant and alive but also strange and unholy. Some songs are straight blues, others are pure experimentation. And on some songs, once you get accustomed to the atonal riffs and conflicting polyrhythms, you can actually find a groove that feels funky. It’s not exactly music you can dance to but it is music you can bob along to and maybe twitch to. This is a big album and and I’m looking forward to exploring it more and spending more time with it over the years. But “Moonlight in Vermont,” “Pachuco Cadaver” and “Veteran’s Day Poppy” were highlights that felt (somewhat) more accessible than the rest. I imagine that Tom Waits must have been influenced by Captain Beefheart. The lead vocals sound similar to Waits’s growl and the spoken word tracks are reminiscent of the sort of interlude he likes to include on his albums. There’s another band I thought of while listening to this, an indie band called Abe Vigoda. Their 2008 album “Skeleton” was something I listened to a bit in college and I still put it on every once in a while when I get a craving for their sound. They play a more pop-oriented, punky version of the controlled chaos Captain Beefheart plays here. I bet they were fans too.

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

3/5

Another Roxy Music album and I feel a similar way about it as their self-titled album and “Country Life.” Clearly made by a smart and talented band, the album has a nice amount of high energy tracks, some cool rock swagger and plenty of inventiveness. But I don’t connect much with the music emotionally. I enjoyed “Grey Lagoons” the most. I like that old school rock n roll sound with piano and sax.

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

4/5

Dinosaur Jr. layers their songs with feedback and noise but there are strong melodies and catchy riffs underneath all the noise. I enjoyed this album, mostly in the background. The energy is great and I could see myself really liking it with more listens. I was gonna rate this a 3 but then “Don’t” came on and I was blown away by the sheer power and pain of it. Those screamed vocals are intense. Excellent song, really strong album. Bumping it up a rating because I’m starting to see that Dinosaur Jr. are capable of some incredible highs.

Destroyer

KISS

2/5

I’ve always enjoyed the hits of Kiss and I’m open to a deep dive but this isn’t the album that’s going to convert me into being a bigger fan. A lot of these songs are silly and surprisingly pretentious. I rolled my eyes more than once. Some of the songs about sex feel like infomercials for banging the band. But Kiss also doesn’t seem to have much respect for their groupies. I thought “Great Expectations” was merely tacky until I took a closer look at the lyrics. Kiss is really poking fun at fan culture but that actually just makes the song feel patronizing. Did they play this live, essentially making fun of their fans to their faces? Similarly, “Do You Love Me” is about women who are only into them for the fame and money. “Shout It Out Loud” is winning me over though. I need more good times party songs like this on the album. Circling back and listening to a few songs again and “Flaming Youth” is pretty good too. 2.5

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

4/5

“Let It Bleed” is bookended with two of The Rolling Stones’ biggest hits. The opener is the dramatic and cinematic (featured in 3 different Scorsese movies) “Gimme Shelter.” Incredible style. There’s nothing quite like it. And the closer is the classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The bulk of the album is a loose set of countrified, country-fried tunes, the highlight of which is probably the title track. I’m also a big fan of “Monkey Man.” It’s one of my favorite Stones deep cuts and I like to put it on BBQ playlists. 4.5

Tical

Method Man

3/5

Great beats and a fun, bouncing flow. Method Man has a playful rhyming style. You can hear him having fun. Sometimes I think Wu-Tang Clan albums are style over substance and I think that’s the case here too. But the style is great so I don’t mind too much. “Bring the Pain” and “P.L.O. Style” popped out as highlights for me.

Exit Planet Dust

The Chemical Brothers

4/5

Wow, killer techno with relentless energy. Lots of propulsive, driving beats. Perfect for a workout or soundtracking a Matrix movie. There are a few melodic tunes mixed in here too. All around excellent.

Elvis Is Back

Elvis Presley

5/5

Wonderful album with a great, varied collection of songs. There’s crooners and rockers, country ballads and swinging tunes. And Elvis sounds completely at home no matter what style or genre he’s singing. He’s a great singer and more than that, he’s an incredible entertainer. His delivery kept putting a smile on my face. What an incredible performance he gives on “Fever”! He really milks those lines for everything they’ve got!

The Grand Tour

George Jones

3/5

Good, old-fashioned country. Beautiful crooning with some gorgeous slide guitar adding nice details in the background. The opening title track is devastating. The final lines are heartbreaking. “She Told Me So” is a funny song about a guy in denial about his lover’s fidelity. Fun premise and great chorus.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

4/5

“When I'm lying in my bed, I think about life. And I think about death. And neither one particularly appeals to me.” What an incredible line from “Nowhere Fast.” Morrissey is a great lyricist. I also really like this line from “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”: “I've seen this happen in other people's lives. And now it's happening in mine.” It’s a simple but potent sentiment about realizing that hard times fall on everyone. I love the sound of The Smiths. Their harder songs have great riffs, a muscular rhythm section and Morrissey floating on top of it all like a sad angel. And the ballads are gorgeous and melancholy. I like this album a lot. It’s definitely the album of theirs I’ve listened to the least though and when I first heard it in college, the version I heard included “How Soon Is Now?” which, for my money, is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. I guess that was a single from this era and not on the original album. On one hand, it’s so good that it might take over the album but on the other hand I wouldn’t be mad if you swapped the closing title track for “How Soon Is Now?”

Who Killed...... The Zutons?

The Zutons

3/5

Delightful. A vibrant, spirited mix of old school rock n roll, 60s British pop and more modern indie. They’ve got grit and swagger and plenty of personality. Fun songs with big energy and bright hooks.

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

Bright, layered indie dance. Reminds me of Pet Shop Boys. “Night and Day” has a cool, weird club beat. There’s actually a mix of stuff on here, not just dance music. Though I like the dancey tracks the most. “Let Me Be Him” was a highlight for me too.

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

4/5

Everything you do feels cooler when you do it while listening to the Shaft soundtrack. Making coffee, taking out the recycling, just walking down the street? If you’ve got this album in your headphones, you feel like you’ve got the coolest backing band in the world playing just for you. An orchestra with a funk rhythm section is a great idea for a movie score. “Café Regio’s” is a particularly cool track. “No Name Bar” is a nice funky one too. The horns on that one are awesome. And oooh that guitar solo on “Bumpy’s Blues” is so good. The epic 20-minute “Do Your Thing” is a stellar finale. This was a fun listen with a lot of excellent performances.

Stardust

Willie Nelson

3/5

A very laidback album of familiar songs played in an unassuming style. It’s pleasant but so low-key that I feel limited in how enthusiastic I can be about it. Willie Nelson has a very warm voice though. His singing here made me smile.

69 Love Songs

The Magnetic Fields

4/5

Listening to this album was like going through a list within the 1001 albums list. 69 tracks is a big undertaking as an artist and it feels like a lot as a listener. But most of these songs show a strong sense of songcraft. They have interesting perspectives and feel like vignettes. A few of them were moving and only a handful grated on my nerves. There are several specifically queer love songs too which was a pleasant surprise. I occasionally got a bit exhausted working my way through the album but just when I started to get restless, a song like “Papa Was a Rodeo” would come on and pull me back in again. That’s my pick for the best song here. The sequencing of the album is very good. Finding an order for 69 songs is a big task but the album flows nicely. Certain songs feel grouped together while other sections have a mix of tones and styles.

The Scream

Siouxsie And The Banshees

3/5

I wasn’t expecting to hear a connection between Siouxsie and the Banshees and The B-52s but they have a similar exuberance in their performances, particularly in the vocals. (And anyway, B-52s are more punk than people give them credit for.) I liked when this album had that bouncy, get up and move energy. The vocals were the main draw for me. I don’t think I’m gonna become a big fan anytime soon but I see the appeal and I enjoyed this.

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

4/5

Any time I spend a stretch of time with an Eminem album, I have a mix of reactions. I admire his technical skills (he’s one of the all time greats), I’m charmed by his delivery (he’s a fantastic entertainer), I laugh at a bunch of his punch lines and I cringe at just as many more. His lyrics range from playfully irreverent to “I can’t believe he said that” to genuinely despicable. It’s all part of the experience by design. His music demands your attention and requires a visceral reaction. Compared to its successor, “The Marshall Mather LP,” this album doesn’t have as many five-star classic tracks but it also doesn’t have as many of that album’s depressing low points. “The Slim Shady LP” is pretty consistently fun, with great hip-hop beats that tip their sound just enough into Eminem’s warped world.

Iron Maiden

5/5

Incredible album. They play that classic heavy metal style and actually match Black Sabbath in terms of energy and talent! Epic, fun music. I love the midsong groove changes too.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

3/5

Great voice, strong songwriting, nice mix of styles. “All I Wanna Do” is a classic from my childhood. Solid singer-songwriter album.

D

White Denim

4/5

Some bands sound like they were doing drugs in the studio. White Denim sound highly caffeinated. They have a boisterous energy and a style that ranges from blues rock to jam band with some other influences scattered throughout. One song has West African rhythms and others have dense sections that sound kind of proggy. The lead singer sounds like Dan Auerbach. He’s right in that sweet spot — soulful enough to carry the prettier melodies but with enough grit to sound like a rock singer.

Quiet Life

Japan

2/5

Really cool energy right out of the gate. Love that new wave sound. I’m less sold on the 6-minute melancholy numbers but the bass on “In Vogue” is keeping me hooked. I wanted to like this more than I did but there were too many slowish, druggy numbers. I liked the first two tracks though. Overall this band has an opening act vibe but I can’t see myself wanting to buy a headlining ticket to one of their shows. 2.5

Out of Step

Minor Threat

3/5

Been a while since we’ve had some hardcore punk on the list. This album reminded me how much I like bands like this. Minor Threat move at a breakneck pace and can get a little sloppy but there’s some great musicianship happening here. The guitar riffs interlock with the bass grooves, and the drums fire like a machine gun, pushing the band to keep up the relentless tempo. But it’s never perfect — they fall slightly out of step with each other, which is just how I like my punk bands. It feels organic and chaotic and raw when you play like that. I love how the bass takes center stage a bunch of times too.

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

4/5

Great blues rock and folk rock. The album has a loose and live feel that makes it one of the most purely enjoyable Neil Young records I’ve heard. Fun, easy listening.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

4/5

A fun, funky and horny set (a lot of songs are about sex including one that mentions licking toes!) of jazzy rock songs with lots of jamming. The band has a big sound, including strings! Tim Buckley brings a lot of energy with his vocals on this album. I can’t believe this is the same guy that made the sleepy album “Happy Sad” that was also on the 1001 list. The whole band sounds like they’re having fun in the studio and it’s infectious. This was a pleasure.

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

3/5

Joyful, exuberant dance music. Loads of fun samples and catchy hooks. There are some cooler, more mellow songs mixed in too. “Santa Cruz” is actually pretty soulful. I found it kind of calming.

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

5/5

Elvis accompanied by a big production! What’s not to love? The arrangements are gorgeous and Elvis sounds incredible.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

3/5

“Like a Prayer” is the undeniable standout track here. Great song. But the rest of the album isn’t exactly filler. The songs are frequently off-kilter and the album has a range of styles. I don’t think all of it hits but I appreciate that Madonna doesn’t make boring albums. She goes for bold ideas. “Oh Father” is a powerful song. I love this insane closing track, “Act of Contrition.” Hilarious finish to the album.

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

3/5

Stripped down garage punk with some nice, funky bass. Sounds a little like Violent Femmes. There are also moments when I can tell that this album must have influenced a great many other artists. I hear glimmers of Red Hot Chili Peppers, some newer indie bands and even Weird Al. The lyrics sound pretty dense and political, a surprise given the tossed off nature of some of the recordings. I wasn’t paying too close attention but sounds like there’s a lot to dig into lyrically. I like the countryish songs too. Reminds me of how Meat Puppets split the difference between punk and country. Wow, I wasn’t expecting the Steely Dan cover, “Dr. Wu.” This is a wild, weird and experimental album. I respect it and it kept surprising me but I can't imagine wanting to listen to it again any time soon. “Corona” and “The Glory of Man” were highlights. I liked the instrumental tracks scattered throughout too.

Ambient 1/Music For Airports

Brian Eno

5/5

I’ve been getting more into ambient music this past year or so and loving it. It makes for great background music while I’m writing. This album is one I discovered earlier this year and put into rotation. It’s also a great album to end the night with. I’ve sat out on my porch late at night listening to this. It’s really tranquil music. The piano melody on “1/1” is particularly gorgeous. And on “1/2” as well. I also love the synths on “2/2” that sound like sad, muted horns. Beautiful music and all the more impressive knowing that it was one of the pioneering works of ambient music.

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Small Faces

2/5

I liked the first half, which is a strong collection of 60s British rock. I wished the vocals were a little more prominent in the mix but the band sounds great. The second half lost me though. It’s some kind of storybook mini concept album with spoken word interludes but it didn’t grab my attention as much as the first half did.

Imperial Bedroom

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

An excellent singer-songwriter album with a wide array of musical styles and influences. The songs are particularly wordy, even for Elvis Costello. They’re packed with clever phrases and character descriptions. The music is strong too. The rich arrangements feature lots of interesting details. It’s a dense album with a lot of dense songs and for this reason it’s not a Costello album I listen to often. But it’s hard to deny the craftsmanship of the album. 4.5

Fear and Whiskey

Mekons

2/5

British alt-rock with dashes of punk and a strong influence from folk music of the UK (and some American folk too). Reminds me slightly of The Pogues. Getting me to enjoy that style of music is already an uphill battle and I didn’t connect with any of the songs here. The band sounds solid and I don’t have anything against the album exactly but I have to file this under “not my cup of tea.” 2.5

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

4/5

Fantastic. "We Are Family" is one of those songs that I sang along to as a kid practically before I even consciously thought about music. It's one of those classic songs. Listening to it today in the context of this album, I appreciated just how good it is. All the layers -- the slick guitar riff, the funky bass, the syncopated drum beat, the piano melody and strings -- combine beautifully into a groove I could listen to for an hour straight. The same goes for album opener "He's the Greatest Dancer." What an amazing funky riff! I know it from Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" -- I had no idea that riff was lifted entirely from this song. And the vocals are stunning throughout. Great, belting, soulful, show-stopping singing. I really enjoyed the album by Chic on this list and this album is just as fun, probably better overall. Niles Rodgers and Bernard Edwards are the masterminds behind both albums. They lock in together perfectly -- guitar and bass -- for some insanely catchy music. And the production is top notch all around.

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

3/5

Solid, textbook Britpop. They sound a lot like Oasis on most of these songs, with a little of the dance rock of Happy Mondays on a few tracks. The songwriting is strong enough for the album to stand on its own two feet though, even if the band’s style is cut and paste from other artists. I’d probably quibble with its inclusion on this list but it’s enjoyable music. The Dylanesque rocker “Get On It” was a highlight. Epic finale on that song.

New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

Simple Minds

3/5

Cool style — synth pop with dramatic vocals and loads of reverb. I dig it 🤙🕺🏼

Either Or

Elliott Smith

3/5

Lovely singer-songwriter album with smart lyrics. “Rose Parade” was a standout track for me. And when Elliott Smith injects more rock into his music — like on “Cupid’s Trick” — the result is pretty potent. I’d love to hear more rock-leaning stuff from him. I could see myself really liking this album with more listens.

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

2/5

The Dandy Warhols were one of the bands in college that everyone at the radio station told me to listen to. I got into them for a little while and a few of us saw them in concert. They put on a good show but I don't have great memories of that concert. Everyone seemed to know the songs better than I did and I began to feel left out and bored. Then some people in the crowd started passing around a joint and this 60-year-old in front of me took a hit and briefly fainted on me. He snapped out of it right away but he looked disoriented and dazed. I couldn’t wait for the show to be over and to leave. The only song I know on this album is “Not If You Were the Last Junkie On Earth.” It’s a catchy song but the lyrics hit me now as kind of obnoxious. That smug attitude is an issue I have with the band in general. A lot of their music sounds as if they know they’re cool. A bunch of these songs are meandering and druggy. They drag down the rest of the album, which is otherwise fun and upbeat. Some enjoyable stuff here too but nothing I feel any real connection to.

Slayed?

Slade

3/5

The wailing vocals on this album are excellent. Lead singer Noddy Holder sounds like he’s shredding his voice at the end of a concert — and he sounds like that on every song. Occasionally his style has a touch of Robert Plant, one of the all-time rock wailers. Oh wait, hold up. They’re covering Janis Joplin on "Move Over"? Holder is clearly a fan of those screaming vocals then. Very ambitious to cover Joplin and actually try to sing like her but he pulls it off! My initial impression after the first two songs was that these guys sounded like a second-rate T.Rex — and there are a few glam-rock numbers here that could still fit that description — but they're more than that. They have energy, man. They're the sort of band that believes rock should be loud, in-your-face and fun. This album checks those boxes. The crunchy blues song "I Don't Mind" was a highlight too.

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

3/5

Beautiful vocal harmonies. The group’s voices combine for a rich, warm sound. 30+ minutes of a cappella singing is a lot though and I wish there was some percussion or other instrumentation mixed in. The last minutes of the closing track have some foot-stomping and I’m curious why there aren’t a few more inclusions like that. I’m familiar with the group from Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and happy to know they had more success outside of their collaboration with him. If there’s another album of theirs with a full band, I’d love to hear it.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

2/5

I'll continue to check out Leonard Cohen albums from time to time and I'm happy that this list has had a few but this didn't do much for me. It felt tedious. 6-minute songs with sparse arrangements focused on acoustic guitar and little in the way of hooks. There are poetic lyrics (but not much that grabbed me) and some beautiful guitar playing (opener "Avalanche" has a great, Western-sounding guitar part) but the album dragged for me. I need a little more drama maybe. Or more of an emotional entry point. Or more variation in song style. "Diamonds in the Mine" was a strange, upbeat song but that was the only one that picked up the pace at all.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

4/5

Wonderful album. Paul Simon is a gifted songwriter. The melodies on this album are so warm and comforting. But there are also little complications in the music that keep it interesting. And for every line that’s heartfelt and direct there’s another one that makes you think a bit. The exact meaning isn’t always obvious. Here are two lines I like from “Train in the Distance” that are simply written but also make me think: “Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance. Everybody thinks it’s true” “Negotiations and love songs are often mistaken for one and the same”

Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope

4/5

On the first track, I hear a touch of Lou Reed. On the second, a little R.E.M. And on the third, there’s a pretty clear Doors influence. Later, “Hanging Out and Hung Up On the Line” is a hybrid of a surf rock riff with warped-sounding 90s alt-rock. So there’s a lot of different strains of rock coming together for this album. Wow, “If You Loved Me At All” is great. Catchy pop song with some wild, screamed vocals in the refrain. This is an ambitious album with lots of slow-building, epic songs. And the style only gets more varied as the album goes on. Not all of the songs are ones I’d want to return to often but overall the album is very impressive.

The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets

3/5

I’m a big fan of Alex Turner and this album shares some musical DNA with his main band, Arctic Monkeys, in particular the tightly wound punk of their second album “Favourite Worst Nightmare.” This album is sort of like an elaborately orchestrated version of that sound, with strings and soaring drama. Almost every song on this album sounds like the climax to a spaghetti Western. (Although the band does occasionally take a break to sound like a 70s spy movie instead.) This is a fun album but it’s also a little exhausting. For my money, I prefer their second album, “Everything You’ve Come to Expect.” I was obsessed with that album when it came out. This one’s good, that one’s great. I saw them live in 2016 and the other singer Miles Kane wore a leopard print kimono. Great energy, great show.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

3/5

When an album has hits on it as big as “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” I like to judge it based on the question, “If someone bought this album because they loved the singles, would they be satisfied with the rest of the album?” The answer here has got to be yes. This is an easy album to listen to and the album cuts fit right alongside the singles. It’s an enjoyable album of summertime rock. I can’t find anything to complain about here.

Welcome to the Afterfuture

Mike Ladd

4/5

Mike Ladd is a phenomenal rapper. “Airwave Hysteria” blew me away. I’ve never heard a flow like his before. He raps off-kilter one moment, then falls back into a rhythm whenever he wants to. Some rappers talk about changing flows from track to track but Mike Ladd does it multiple times in a single track. The lyrics are dense. They’re packed with fantastic wordplay and smart political commentary. Even when I was paying close attention to these songs, I knew I would need to go back for multiple listens to catch everything. His verses are brilliant poetry — not a word or syllable is wasted. All of the rap songs on this album are incredible. But only about half the album is rap. I was surprised by how many instrumentals there were and my gut reaction after one listen is that there could have been less instrumentals and more rapping. Then again, when the rapping is this dense and virtuosic, maybe you don’t need to pack the album with it. Also, Mike Ladd is the lead producer on all of these tracks so even the instrumentals are him. Is Mike Ladd a genius? Why have I never heard about him before? Great album.

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

3/5

Very enjoyable album of 80s alt-rock. It’s upbeat and melodic with some occasional blues and a touch of twang. Sometimes they almost sound like The Smiths if The Smiths were cheerful.

Sail Away

Randy Newman

3/5

I love Randy Newman’s voice and I respect his ability to write short, powerful songs. He has a distinct style too. His piano melodies are almost as distinct as his voice. The highlights for me were the opening title track about slavery and the haunting closer “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind).”

Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Hüsker Dü

4/5

Now I understand why I've always seen Hüsker Dü and R.E.M. mentioned in the same sentence. They have a similar style, at least on this album. The vocals in both bands make them distinct though. This is a big album but easy to listen to. It's perfect for putting on in the background -- I did some cooking and folded laundry while listening to it today and I was jamming. The style is pretty consistent across more than an hour of music -- loud and noisy alt-rock with some good hooks and good lyrics (although the vocals aren't always up front in the mix so I didn't always catch the lyrics). Give me more Hüsker Dü! I've waited too long to listen to them. I really like this album cover too.

Pyromania

Def Leppard

4/5

Great cheesy fun. One of the best examples of this sort of 80s pop metal I’ve heard. The album is packed with guitar riffs, dramatic hooks and shouted backing vocals. Perfect for singing along or banging your head.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

5/5

This is one of those albums that brings back memories. I remember where I was in my life when this album came out. It was a staple in our house for a while. It’s still a classic — an ambitious, sprawling, sexy, genre-shifting album packed with great songs, surprising turns and cool details in the production. Here are some of my favorite parts: The skittering hip-hop drums on the moody “Haunted.” The silly Jay-Z verse on “Drunk in Love” I’ve heard so many times that it’s been etched into my brain forever. The bright neons and disco inflections on the sex jam “Blow.” The swagger of “Partition” and all its eyebrow-raising lyrics (“He Monica Lewinsky’d all on my gown,” “He like to call me peaches when we get this nasty”). The epic anthem “Flawless” (again with the swagger and those killer hip-hop snares). That slightly warped piano on “Blue,” which also almost sounds like “Over the Rainbow” in the beginning. I learned something new on this listen. The distorted backing vocals on “Rocket” that kind of sound like a guitar or a synth are Justin Timberlake! Great detail that adds a lot of style to the track. This is also one of those great albums where I bet everyone has their own favorite and least favorite songs. For me, I could pretty much always skip “Pretty Hurts” and just start the album at track 2. And the Drake-featuring “Mine” has some good bits but drags a little too. But whatever. Great albums don’t have to be perfect. This was a blast to revisit. Definitely one that I would include on my personal essential albums list.

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

Excellent album. When The Smashing Pumpkins want to rock hard, they can really rock hard. But there's an undercurrent of vulnerability in most of these songs too that gives the music an emotional complexity. The whole band is great. I love the bass playing on this album. This never occurred to me before but Billy Corgan sometimes sounds like Mick Jagger. They have a similar wailing rock style. Corgan feels like a musical descendent of Jagger in a way, even if the rest of the music is pretty different from the Stones.

Signing Off

UB40

4/5

An absolute pleasure. Laidback reggae in the reverb-heavy dub style with great grooves. I love the instrumental jams but there are some songs with politically-minded lyrics too about oppression and living under British rule. I didn’t know UB40 was like this. I could definitely jam to this one some more.

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

3/5

Indie rock with some lo-fi numbers and some songs that lean toward psychedelia and freak folk (a genre name I’ve always loved). Some of it was a bit sleepy but I liked the tracks with a bigger sound. “Desire Lines” was a highlight for me. And “Helicopter” is excellent. It reminds me of Beach House but with a weirder, psychedelic style to it. The saxophone on “Fountain Stairs” is a nice touch. And again on “Coronado”! This album gets better as it goes on.

Pretenders

4/5

An excellent album with a variety of styles. There’s lots of punk and hard rock, especially in the first half, along with more melodic rock and new wave. But it feels like one cohesive sound too. Definitely the sort of album you can put on and enjoy in one straight listen. “Brass in Pocket” is the classic here — great song — but everything is strong. Chrissie Hynde is a great lead singer.

Locust Abortion Technician

Butthole Surfers

5/5

Heavy metal meets hardcore. Butthole Surfers are committed to irreverence and experimentation in equal measure. They want to make a lot of chaotic noise, push the boundaries and also mess with you a bit. The music is wild and brilliant. “The O-Men” is a mad piece of hardcore absurdism sung in gibberish. It feels like walking through a nightmare funhouse. Oof, this last track is pretty devastating with the voices of women talking about abuse on top of the music. From the opening Black Sabbath cover through every weird twist and turn this album takes, I was continually surprised and delighted. Heaven help me, I think this might be a masterpiece. Great album cover.

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

5/5

I love this album. I usually recommend it alongside "Blonde on Blonde" as an entry point into Bob Dylan's music because the songs are so enjoyable and accessible. Great blues rock, folk and country, all beautifully produced. And if you want to pay closer attention and listen to the lyrics, this is Dylan at his most quintessentially Dylan. I like how most of the songs are about characters but addressed to "you." It's an effective way to draw the listener in. It feels more direct, more conversational, especially when he's getting a good dig in at some superficial or pompous person. A lot of the lyrics are about disillusionment with the modern world and the sorts of people that occupy it. The album is also loaded with head-scratching lines, some of which I get, most of which I don't. But I don't think every image or metaphor on this album is supposed to have a clear and concrete meaning. That's the fun of Bob Dylan for me. He's kidding with you about as often as he's being sincere and you don't always know which is which. "Ballad of a Thin Man" seems to poke fun at this. "Something is happening here but you don't know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?" I've always taken the Mr. Jones character to be a pretentious critic, trying to understand Dylan's music but always missing the point. The song feels like Dylan trolling the snooty art critics of the world. "Desolation Row" is another good example of Dylan's style. I appreciated it on this listen more than I have in the past. Dylan likes to grab references and characters from across literature, folklore, the Bible and pop culture and jam them together. I don't think there's always a grand meaning to it all and I suspect his writing is more free associative than most people think. He seems to enjoy making connections in his mind and invites us to do the same. And maybe that's his way of painting a picture of life in the modern world. We're all swimming through a sea of references and ideas, trying to make sense of it all. Dylan delights in illuminating that experience as much as he does muddying it up and adding to the confusion.

Tracy Chapman

5/5

This is a stunning and heartbreaking album of folk songs. Many of them tell stories of the working class and racial inequality in America. Others focus on broken relationships where the characters battle loneliness and disappointment. All of them are sung with deep compassion by Tracy Chapman, whose powerful voice is an emotional force. The opening sequence of songs is incredible. The rallying cry of "Talkin' About a Revolution" is a great opener, leading into the bittersweet storytelling on "Fast Car." "Across the Lines" is an impassioned song about race relations. And "Behind the Wall" is just devastating. I hear the influence of classic folk artists on this song (I'm thinking of Joan Baez, who I was introduced to from this list). The a capella delivery stops your tracks. There are a lot of other styles on this album too, like the sparkling power ballad "Baby Can I Hold You," the reggae-tinged "She's Got Her Ticket" and the country twang on "For My Lover." "Mountains O' Things" was another highlight for me. Great lyrics about how the American dream is focused on collecting stuff we don't need. Incredible album.

Debut

Björk

4/5

This sounds like an alien came down to Earth and made an album in the style of Madonna. Said another way, this album is pretty fun, especially for Björk. There are mystical turns, bursts of electronica and dashes of jazz but at it’s core the album is dance pop. Björk’s music can be hit or miss for my taste but this one hit.

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

3/5

Wow! This is really something. Prog-rock with a metal influence and emo-style vocals. There’s even some Pink Floyd guitar noodling and some extended jams that are basically jazz-rock fusion. All in all, it’s not totally my thing but there’s no denying that it’s impressive and well made. I can’t believe this album only had 10 tracks. I feel like I just listened to 16 or more. I don’t mean that in a bad way though. This is epic stuff with multi-part songs and experimental intros and outros. Much respect 🙏

Sex Packets

Digital Underground

3/5

Fun old school hip-hop with horny lyrics and funky beats. Sounds like there’s a fairly large cast of MCs but they’re all unified by a goofy sense of humor and strong technical rapping. Haha the last few tracks of the album get taken over by the concept of "sex packets," pills that give you visions of having sex. I love that they were so into this idea that they dedicated a mini-suite of songs to it.

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

Fun, high energy Latin rhythms with lots of hooks and a big sound. It reminded me at times of Santana’s “Supernatural” album. There are also a handful of rap features and songs with Middle Eastern and African influences.

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

4/5

I’m always happy to say the sentence, “I’ve never heard anything like this before.” Nick Cave growls and snarls and screams through a wild set of dark and brooding post-punk songs. On some songs, he sounds like Tom Waits with more of a demonic touch. On other songs he sings like a demented lounge singer. The band shifts too. Sometimes they lurch through heavy, brutal riffs, and sometimes they actually swing! Wild, brilliant and totally unique.

Dust

Screaming Trees

3/5

This album sounds somewhere between grunge and Britpop, with a little bit of U2’s soaring drama. Which is really just a roundabout way of saying these guys rock! Strong album.

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

One of my favorite albums and one of my most-listened to albums. The first side of the album is a collection of 6 tracks, including "Come Together," "Something," and "Oh! Darling," three of the Beatles' very best songs. I've always loved Paul's vocals on "Oh! Darling." In my memory, I think I've always classified it as a John song because it feels like the sort of screaming rock 'n' roll he was so good at it. But I also love that Paul is singing in John's style here. "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is a fascinating one. There's no other song quite like it in the Beatles catalogue. The second side of the album is a stunning suite that gradually builds steam until we get a series of rapid-fire tunes that move one right into the next, leading to the epic finale of "Carry That Weight" and "The End." One of those albums that helped me understand how great an album could be, as opposed to singles.

Hypnotised

The Undertones

2/5

Hard to be mad at this because these guys seem to be having an earnest good time playing short, punchy songs about teenaged love (including a cover of "Under the Boardwalk"). There's plenty of Ramones-style punk and at times they reminded me of The Who in their early days (there were flashes of The Beatles too). But the album was a bit repetitive for me and I found myself checking to see how many track were left.

evermore

Taylor Swift

3/5

I don't think I could have asked for a better album to listen to while raking leaves. This was a pleasure. I'm not a big Taylor Swift fan but I usually enjoy engaging with her music and listening to an album straight through. She has a gift for writing melodies and she's an expressive singer with a gorgeous voice. I also enjoy engaging with her music with a critical eye. For every clever line she writes, there's another that makes me roll my eyes. Her lyrics can feel like high school poetry -- they're earnest and heartfelt but often cheesy and filled with clichés. She also has a tendency to stuff a verse with a bunch of different metaphors, which dilutes the power of what she's saying. Sometimes I want to yell, "Just stick to one image per verse!" Here's an example of the sort of mixed metaphors she writes from the opening track "Willow": Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneakin' in As if you were a mythical thing Like you were a trophy or a champion ring And there was one prize I'd cheat to win First off, trophies and champion rings aren't mythical things. They're difficult to get but "mythical" feels like the wrong word choice. Also, the first line here is wonderful. Why not stick with the wind and tree imagery a little longer? Why introduce something new when the first metaphor is still ripe and has more to give? But just when I start to get grumpy listening to Taylor Swift, there's a song like "'Tis the Damn Season" that wins me over. It perfectly captures that vulnerable, nostalgic feeling of returning home for the holidays and running into people from your past. "Happiness" is another strong song. There's a lot of poignant lines here. "Tell me, when did your winning smile begin to look like a smirk?" is a biting one-liner. And "All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness" is a wonderful way to describe the conversations people have after a break-up. The production is also fantastic here, mostly by Aaron Dessner from The National, along with Swift. The music is just gorgeous.

The Real Thing

Faith No More

3/5

Eclectic mix of metal styles, from radio-friendly hair metal, to heavy metal, to more thrashy songs to rap-metal reminiscent of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I don’t like the nasally, pinched-nose vocals the lead singer uses sometimes but other than that this was pretty enjoyable. The bonus cover of “War Pigs” was fun.

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

4/5

Blues rock that isn’t afraid to let its freak flag fly. The production is pretty rough and the band sounds like they haven’t overthought or over-produced anything here. They captured a great energy — crunchy blues riffs with stranger sounds and psychedelia mixed in. I really enjoyed the last Captain Beefheart album on this list, “Trout Mask Replica,” and I remember noting that some of the songs were essentially blues songs buried underneath noise and experimentation. Hearing their debut album and realizing they were more or less a blues rock outfit at the start makes a lot of sense.

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

3/5

Strong collection of Dylanesque folk, acoustic singer-songwriter tunes and country rock. I really liked the call-and-response chorus on "Shakedown on 9th Street."

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

4/5

This is so cathartic. Insanely heavy riffs with record scratches, rapping and soaring vocals. (Plus the screaming. I never used to like stuff like that but the screaming was really hitting today.) I didn’t listen to Linkin Park much as a teenager. I know the big songs off this album (they’re still great) but most of this was new for me. It’s fantastic. Just one banger after another fueled by powerful, earnest emotions.

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

3/5

Beautiful, smooth pop. A lot of songs are jazzy, a few have touches of folk. It’s almost in Sade territory — the music has that same sort of good cheesiness and slick production. Vocals sounded great and I liked the lyrics. Soothing music.

Rapture

Anita Baker

3/5

Anita Baker is a powerhouse! Her sexy, smoky vocals are a perfect fit for this sort of ultra-smooth R&B but when the songs reach their climax, she unleashes her voice and belts like no one else I've heard before. What a performer. She even does some nice scatting, like at the end of "Been So Long." I don’t seek out this style of music but it’s very well made here and Anita Baker is excellent, particularly on the first few songs.

Rings Around The World

Super Furry Animals

2/5

I can’t be mad at a band with this much creative energy but I wasn’t into this. The songs feel overproduced, overwritten and overstuffed with ideas. Sometimes that classic British pop charm would peek through. I can tell these guys are students of the classics (The Kinks, The Who, The Beatles) but there are too many extra bells and whistles, and too many moments that go bonkers with a genre switch or a wild production choice.

Talking Timbuktu

Ali Farka Touré

3/5

We’ve had a few albums of desert blues (West African folk + blues) on this list which has been a surprise but certainly a welcome one. This is a fairly calm take on the style. The guitar rhythms almost feel meditative in the way they loop and repeat. Those looping rhythms lay the groundwork for some excellent riffing on top. You get both African folk guitar soloing along with blues guitar solos. Great hybrid album, very enjoyable and relaxing.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

5/5

I look at this album cover every day because I have it framed in my bedroom. It's such a peaceful scene. I find it very calming. It's also a great album! John Lennon's lyrics feature raw emotional confessions and cynical observations about the world. There are a lot of spare piano-driven songs that highlight his pained vocals ("Mother" and "Isolation") but also some fantastic, blistering hard rock ("I Found Out" and "Well Well Well"). I also really like the touch of soul on "Hold On" and the folk anthem "Working Class Hero." "God" is stunning track too. It's a stark takedown of our idols (including Paul and the Beatles) that builds and builds before ending with a sweet message ("I just believe in me.") "Well Well Well" is my favorite song here though. Just incredible. Those screams in the second half of the song?! Amazing. I wish John Lennon lived long enough to form a hardcore band.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

2/5

I guess I don’t really like Leonard Cohen very much. There’s been a bunch of his albums on this list and I usually only feel lukewarm about them. This one has more of an edge to it — some darkness, some synths — but it doesn’t do much more for me than the other albums. I do love that deep voice of his. Very distinct, very dramatic.

California

American Music Club

3/5

Strong album of Americana and folk rock. Some twang, some hard rock (“Bad Liquor” was a banger!) and a gritty style. The lead singer reminded me of a newer artist I like called David Nance.

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

4/5

“White Dress” is one of my favorite Lana Del Rey songs. There are nights when I just need that song and nothing else will do. I love her breathless falsetto. It’s a touching, nostalgic song reflecting on those golden years of your youth when you feel independent, free and unstoppable. But there’s a touch of irony too. “Down at the Men in Music Business Conference” is a hilarious line that introduces a touch of menace into the song. Where does this 19-year-old waitress get her power from? From her tight, white dress as she serves professional men in the music industry. It makes her “feel like a god,” probably because of the attention she gets wearing it around these powerful men. And while “summer’s almost gone,” along with the innocence that comes with it, this memory of being 19 still feels precious and pure. I always get swept up by the momentum of the music on that song and on the title track that follows. Lana Del Rey and Jack Antonoff’s songwriting and production can make piano-driven torch songs feel like head bangers. There’s so much drama in the music! “Let Me Love You Like a Woman” is an another gorgeous song. Lana Del Rey has such a mesmerizing voice. She has power in her voice but her performances can also be subtle and restrained. She can sing deep and sultry, or high and soaring, or bring the volume down to a whisper. Lana Del Rey has one of the more idiosyncratic styles in modern music — there’s no mistaking her songs — and I love how she sprinkles in a wide variety of sounds and styles without changing the core sound too much. Some rustic country here, a hip-hop beat there, lush strings and a 70s rock influence… but the music is always uniquely hers.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

3/5

A good early Stones album. There’s a lot of stripped down blues and some nice, soul-influenced songs. “Think” could be an Otis Redding song. There are also a lot of tracks where they sound very British (including some folky psychedelic numbers) which isn’t typically what I think of when I think about the Rolling Stones. “Under My Thumb” is a fantastic song. Such a distinct, memorable sound. And “Paint It Black,” which was only on the US release, is of course a classic.

A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Streets

1/5

The rap flows are awkward and clunky, the hooks are annoying and the lyrics are boring and uninspired. I’m surprised this is popular.

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

3/5

Enjoyable album of 60s British pop from The Kinks. My favorite track was the hard-rocking "Love Me Till the Sun Shines." The production on some of these songs feels a little thin or something to me. There were times when I liked the songs but wished I loved them and I wasn't sure if it was the songwriting or the production that was lacking.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

3/5

Rip-roaring fun. The songs all blurred together for me but what a blur! This would be a great workout album. It’s wall-to-wall riffs and wailing. I love the lead singer’s hoarse, shouted vocals.

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

One of those special pop albums where every song has its own personality and character. This was probably the first Beatles album I fell in love with. It’s the first one where I can remember loving the deep cuts (like “The Word”) just as much as the big songs. Nothing but great songs here but “In My Life” gets an extra shoutout because it was the song I danced to with my mom at my wedding.

Crazysexycool

TLC

3/5

A mix of old-school hip-hop, G-funk and smooth and sultry R&B. I liked the hip-hop leaning tracks more than the baby-making tunes, particularly on the earlier half of the album. “Waterfalls” is the big track but there’s a lot of style throughout.

Dirty

Sonic Youth

3/5

This album has a variety of alt-rock and punk styles that Sonic Youth switch back and forth between, sometimes mid-song. Some of it is exhilarating but some of it gets a bit tedious for my taste. I think one of my issues with Sonic Youth is that their music can sometimes feel more like performance art pieces than rock. They've got raw power, a punk spirit and loads of innovative ideas but there's usually something holding me back from getting into it. The music only occasionally grabs me and shakes me. Then again, as with most of their albums, this feels like one that gets better with multiple listens. Maybe I'll get there with Sonic Youth but for now they continue to be a band I respect at a distance. I definitely respect the noise of this album. 🙏 "Sugar Kane" was a highlight

Damaged

Black Flag

4/5

Pretty spectacular hardcore. Black Flag are angry but they’re also smart and witty and strong songwriters. This album is plenty noisy but the feedback and sloppiness don’t get in the way of the riffs. And the vocals are produced in a way that makes them easy to hear on most songs. It’s well controlled chaos. Damn, this last track “Damaged I” is so heavy. I’m gonna have to revisit this album some more. This is incredible.

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

5/5

A gorgeous collection of beautifully arranged songs sung with passion and vulnerability by Dusty Springfield. "Son of a Preacher Man" is the indisputable highlight. It's one of those magic songs. But the whole album is filled with excellent performances. "Don't Forget About Me" stood out as another highlight and "Breakfast in Bed" was a touching song. I love her sultry, smoky voice. She can sound heartbroken and sad one moment, and triumphant and empowered the next.

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

4/5

What a blast! Kings of Leon were really fun and wild in their early days! They sound particularly influenced by The Rolling Stones and AC/DC (the latter band’s style showing in lead singer Caleb Followill’s wild rock star screaming) with plenty of blues rock played at lightning fast speeds. A lot of young bands rely on pastiche on their debut albums but few have as much fun with it as Kings of Leon do here.

Remedy

Basement Jaxx

4/5

I can’t believe this came out in 1999. The distorted vocals on “Rendez-Vu” and “Yo Yo” would be right at home on a hyperpop song today. Way ahead of its time. Mostly house with a little techno. The music is stuffed with manic sampling and beat shifts. It’s got a wild personality but still feels like something that would play on an actual dance floor. Honestly, I would love to hear more crazy stuff like this on dance floors. It’s so inventive and fresh but still has a killer beat. Great album cover too. Highlights: “Rendez-Vu,” “Red Alert”

Close To You

Carpenters

3/5

Lovely album of twinkling, soft focus vocal pop with arrangements that feature flutes, strings and horns. “(They Long to Be) Close to You” is the big hit. It’s a great song, beautifully produced and performed. It’s one of those songs I’ve heard in movie montages without ever thinking about who performed it. I love the extended outro to the song. The cover of The Beatles’ “Help!” was nice too. (Wow, this jazz rock freak out on the last track is a surprise!)

Suzanne Vega

2/5

This is mostly personal taste but I don’t like this very much. The songs are too talky. They feel too heady to hook me emotionally. Not enough heart or something. I feel like I enjoy talky singer-songwriters — Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan can get very talky but their songwriting also has a heavy emphasis on melody. You know who she sounds like? Taylor Swift. Their vocals tones are similar and certain phrasings reminded me of how Taylor Swift phrases her talkier lines. I bet she cites Suzanne Vega as an influence.

Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

3/5

I find the ambition and imagination of this album pretty charming. Feels like a lot of the lyrics and music were written after some serious bong hits. But Emerson, Lake & Palmer have the musical chops to back up their wildest ideas. Much of the music feels carefully composed -- with unconventional time signatures and multi-part suites -- but the band also finds room for some jazz-rock fusion improvising which gives the album a nice balance. The album art is bonkers. Part of me wants to say that it's a bad album cover but it's so distinct and weird that I can't help but approve. It definitely confirms my bong hit theory of the band.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

5/5

On “Hunky Dory,” David Bowie fuses glam rock, Beatlesesque pop and the drama of Broadway musicals to deliver some absolute bangers. "Changes" is a classic and "Oh! You Pretty Things" is an epic singalong anthem that I forgot was this good. "Life on Mars?" is another Bowie staple and "Queen Bitch" is one of his best hard rockers. There are some nice deeper cuts in between and a couple of oddball, experimental numbers but the strength of the highlights absolutely puts this in classic territory.

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

4/5

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is one of my all-time favorite songs. It makes me so happy. If you were somehow able to measure how much joy a song has given me per minute listened over the course of my lifetime, it might take the top spot. If I’m at a wedding and just took a bite of my steak dinner, and the DJ plays “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” I get up and dance for the next four minutes while my food gets cold. “Time After Time” is the other classic on this album. Beautiful song. And “All Through the Night” is a great pop tune too. The rest of the album leans toward new wave and it’s solid all around. Fantastic album cover. I could frame it and hang it up.

Now I Got Worry

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

4/5

Sounds like a punk band that was trained on the blues and sometimes more like a blues rock band trained on punk. Either way, it’s awesome. This has got to be one of Jack White’s favorite bands. Sounds like the sort of thing that could have influenced The White Stripes. I get a kick out of the songs where the vocals have an Elvis warble on them. Very fun. But they don’t overdo it. There’s plenty of good shouting and wailing too. This is one powerhouse of an album. Brilliant stuff.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

5/5

“Sympathy for the Devil” has got to be one of the best opening tracks of all time. Kicking off the album with this kind of momentum is incredible. I was paying attention to it a little more than usual today and appreciating every layer in the mix. The drum rhythm, the backing vocals, the bursts of guitar solos… every layer feels inspired. A lot of these classic Stones albums will have a handful of these huge hits but then they’ll fill the rest of the album with more low-key country rock and blues. I like “Dear Doctor,” a funny song about a guy dreading his wedding day whose heart is saved when he learns his fiancée has left him at the altar. Ooh “Street Fighting Man” is great too! And as far as hard rockers go, “Stray Cat Blues” is great! Worthy of sitting alongside some of the band’s other classic tracks.* Mostly what I love about this album is how easy it is to put on and listen straight through. An absolute pleasure front to back. *Okay actually I just read the lyrics for “Stray Cat Blues” and saw the line where he says the girl is 15 years old. Eek 😬 what an unnecessary detail.

With The Beatles

Beatles

5/5

This is such satisfying musical comfort food for me. It’s one of those albums I put on when I don’t want to overthink the choice and just want music that makes me happy. It’s joyful, fast-paced and energetic. Of course the world went nuts for The Beatles. They play rock ‘n’ roll with such a light spirit, drawing heavy inspiration from blues and soul but putting their own twist on it (and writing some great songs too). This is a perfect soundtrack for everyday living — laundry, driving, building IKEA furniture, you name it — and you could put it on for a BBQ or a Friday night living room hangout and no one would be mad about it. There’s something magic in this one.

Harvest

Neil Young

4/5

Excellent Neil Young album with two classic songs, "Heart of Gold" and "Old Man." I'm also a fan of the opener, "Out on the Weekend." I love that laidback, strutting drum beat. Spare folk with some beautiful country twang and a bit of hard rock here and there. A nice collection of everything Neil Young does well.

Cypress Hill

5/5

Fantastic. Hard, funky beats with a boisterous, playful energy. I loved all the little bells and whistles in the music — the sampling is top-notch. And the vocals occasionally add some sing-song hooks that add to the fun. The main rapper B-Real has a great, nasally voice and a killer flow. He reminds me of Danny Brown, one of my favorite current rappers. I always thought Danny Brown’s voice was one of a kind (it’s sort of an exaggerated, cartoonish version of B-Real) but it’s cool to see that he almost certainly drew inspiration from Cypress Hill. This was a blast and I’m excited to keep listening to it.

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3/5

This is what I like to call a jukebox album, where the songs aren’t necessarily unified by one sound but are a variety of genres and styles. The first two tracks are good dance floor fun with an old-school hip-hop style. Then the album takes a surprising turn into what feels like proto-techno with “Scorpio.” A couple tracks later there are a pair of Stevie Wonder-inspired soul songs (one of which explicitly praises Stevie Wonder). I think the results are hit or miss. Of course the real reason this album is on the list is “The Message,” a classic early rap song. It holds up great! The flows still sound fresh and the beat is fantastic. There are days when that hook gets stuck in my head out of nowhere — “Don’t push me, cause I’m close to the… edge!”

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

3/5

Excellent psychedelic rock with a flair for the theatrical. The songwriting didn’t stand out to me as much as the style and the energy of the performances. Lots of great jamming in these live recordings.

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

4/5

Funky, hip-hop-influenced dance music. The BPMs generally don’t get too high but there’s a steady bass pulse that keeps the beats going. Great cast of guest vocalists throughout too. I really enjoyed this. It’s dance-y but chill.

Clube Da Esquina

Milton Nascimento

4/5

I've never heard an album quite like this before. It has a unique energy. Sounds like a few different types of Brazilian music are being woven together, occasionally taking a turn toward rock. There were moments that reminded me slightly of the airy psychedelic sound of Love's "Forever Changes" album (also on this list, a while back). I enjoyed immersing myself in this. It's a big album and a lot of it blurs together but there were at least a half-dozen moments when I had to stop what I was doing and just say "Wow" at some shift in the music or new melody being introduced.

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

3/5

Chill vibes. A little spacey, a little jazzy, very much easy-listening. It feels designed to be listened to as background music but it’s nicely produced and pleasant throughout.

The Score

Fugees

5/5

Fantastic album. The production is stellar, the beats are great and the rapping is top-shelf. There are smart lyrics and a range of exciting flows on every song. A great rap album all-around. I still can't believe that Lauryn Hill has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard AND she's also one of the best rappers of all time. She's stunning on this album throughout. I was struck by her breathless verse on "Manifest."

Elvis Presley

4/5

I've been really enjoying all the Elvis albums on this list. There are some classic tracks on this one but I can tell it's his first album. He sings higher than usual on a few of these songs. I wonder too if the producers were mixing his voice differently than they would later in his career. He doesn't always sound completely like himself. But it’s a strong batch of tunes with a lively energy supported by total pros in the backing band. A fun one to play loud in the house.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

4/5

This is one of my go-to albums to play when I want some relaxing, soothing jazz. I learned about Bill Evans from him playing with Miles Davis and he’s fantastic here too. I bet I’ll come to appreciate him even more if I learn more about jazz or piano-playing. He sounds so at ease and relaxed but he’s very expressive and I’m sure his playing is technically impressive too. I like that the bass is mixed loud enough that you can hear it easily. Often at a live show the upright bass can get lost a bit if it’s not mic’d properly but the bass solos really shine here. I love that the recording includes some background conversational chatter. And once or twice you can even hear plates clinking. It makes you feel like you’re right there at the club for the live show. And maybe this is weird to say but I think it’s cool that someone dropped a fork in the back of the club and now it’s preserved on a classic album for all time. 😂

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

5/5

Breathtaking, beautiful music. I just listened to “Pt. I” and it’s one of the most stunning pieces I’ve ever heard. Keith Jarrett is an amazing performer. He moves from classical to jazz to Beatlesesque pop all in the same piece. It flows wonderfully and with a playful spirit. There were moments too when I could hardly believe one person was producing all of this sound live in concert. There are passages of stunning, fluid music that sound heavenly. What a gift. I look forward to listening to that again. “Pt. II A” is delightful! It reminds me of Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy.” It has a bluesy style (man, is there any genre this guy can’t fold into his music?!). I love these occasional moans you hear from Jarrett. I’d love to see a video of him performing. I can imagine he’s a very passionate performer.

Reign In Blood

Slayer

3/5

Wall-to-wall hardcore metal theatrics played at a breakneck pace. And I really mean theatrics! These guys clearly love putting on a show. The vocals are all wild wails from the depths of hell and the guitar solos are absurdly fast. I love the tempo/riff changes too. The music is dense and I’m sure there’s plenty more to discover on repeat listens. I haven’t had any coffee yet today so this was a lot but I had fun with it. I’ll have to bank it and put it on for a workout sometime.

#1 Record

Big Star

3/5

Some hard rock riffs at the start but the album mostly mellows into folk-leaning rock by the second half. Nice vocals throughout too. And “In the Street” is the theme song to “That 70s Show”! Such a great choice for a sitcom theme song: “Hanging out, down the street / The same old thing we did last week / Not a thing to do, but talk to you.”

Leftism

Leftfield

4/5

Fantastic dance/electronica, a lot of it with a steady house beat. Wow, “Afro Left” is a banger!! It’s really hitting for me right now but I’d also love to be sweating it up on a packed dance floor late at night listening to this. There are a lot of styles from around the world fused into some of these tracks. It’s really well done. Very cool album worth replaying soon.

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

3/5

Rough and rowdy heavy metal. The music is loud, fun, sometimes cheesy and occasionally a bit much for me. But there are moments of brilliance, especially in some of these lengthy jams and solos. Deep Purple were clearly a great live band and they capture that fun in the studio too. Looking back at past 1001 albums, we listened to a live Deep Purple album a while back that I liked a little more than this.

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

5/5

This is my first time listening to this album, though I’m familiar with a few tracks already. I love how beautiful and welcoming these songs are. It’s a big album but very earnest and open-hearted. The country influence on many of these songs imbues the music with a wonderful warmth. Bob Dylan has two songwriting credits (a co-write with Harrison and a cover of one of his songs) and I think a lot of the album sounds like a joyful middle ground between Dylan and The Beatles. There’s a lot on this album other than country though — guitar rock, blues, gospel, funk and soul — and I’m excited to absorb it all on future listens. Interesting that the last chunk of the album is a bonus disc of blues rock jamming with Eric Clapton. It rocks! It really feels like its own mini-album.

Fever Ray

2/5

Björk-inspired electronic pop, particularly in the vocals. The songs have a low, simmering energy. They’re beautifully produced but aren’t in a hurry to wow you with anything big. I’m hesitant to embrace this album for the same reason I’m lukewarm on certain Björk albums. It’s cool but why would I want to listen a second time? This is probably mostly a question of taste but there wasn’t much that excited me.

Bert Jansch

3/5

Lovely folk music. The acoustic guitar plucking is fantastic. There are some nice, subtle guitar parts that keep the music interesting even when it’s as spare as this style can get. “I Have No Time” is a powerful song about how we choose to turn away from other people’s suffering. I really sat with the lyrics on that one. I like the inclusion of instrumentals. They’re excellent and work as palate cleansers after songs with heavy lyrical themes.

Dub Housing

Pere Ubu

3/5

I enjoyed following the cartoon logic of these songs. The album can feel like a carnival funhouse where mirrors distort your reflection and floors move unexpectedly beneath you. It’s a surreal trip through punk and surf rock with plenty of experimental turns. “Caligari’s Mirror” is a highlight. I love the way that joyful chorus bursts in!

Traffic

3/5

The first half of this album has some of the most purely enjoyable classic rock I’ve heard on this list. Bright, country-tinged rock with horns and catchy melodies. It ends with the hit “Feelin’ Alright?” which I had no idea was originally a Traffic song. The second half is good too but leans more on that 60's folk rock sound, which I'm not as into as a more straightforward rock style.

The Gilded Palace Of Sin

The Flying Burrito Brothers

3/5

Pleasant, easy-going country rock. The sweet, lovelorn soul of “Hot Burrito #1” was a surprising change of pace. It’s a good song and I like the way his voice breaks a little as he sings but I’m mystified as to why they would ever call the song “Hot Burrito #1.” 2.5

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

2/5

I can imagine this album influenced a lot of other artists and albums -- from Nine Inch Nails to "Yeezus" -- who took elements of its abrasive style and incorporated it into their own work. Metal objects as percussion, machine sounds, sudden bursts of distorted screams -- it's all interesting and powerful but this style, in its raw and uncut form here, feels a bit punishing. The album feels more like a toolbox for other artists to take from and use in other genres. At first I thought I might enjoy it more if I could understand the German lyrics. But after glancing at a few translations and reading things like "Lust for flesh! Lust for drugs!" I doubt my opinion would change much. The version on streaming includes a bonus instrumental EP that feels just as bold but that I found more palatable and enjoyable.

Femi Kuti

4/5

A spectacular, funky, big band sound! I love the energy. The upbeat mood and fast-paced tempo are so relentless that you almost can't catch a breath. Very fun, entertaining music.

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

3/5

Todd Rundgren seems like the kind of genius who can write hit songs in his sleep and so instead he makes wild and manic prog-pop albums like this because it’s more interesting to him. I certainly wasn’t bored but I don’t think I’ll revisit this. The soul medley on Side B is great and makes me think that Rundgren probably listens to Motown in his spare time. I’d love to hear an album of him just writing pop tunes without overthinking it. The second half of the album delivered on that more than the first. 2.5

Is This It

The Strokes

5/5

I was jamming to this today, remembering how great it is, when "Someday" came on. For a moment, I actually forgot that "Someday" and "Last Nite" are on this album. They were the hits that made me fall in love with The Strokes in college and they're still fantastic. But this album is stacked with so many good songs that it would be great even without them. I've always loved "When It Started." And "Take It or Leave It" is a great high-energy closer. Julian Casablancas really wails on that last track. The Strokes have a style that draws on multiple eras of rock. At their core, these songs feel like old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. But there's some punk spirit here along with a new wave influence. And even though there are plenty of hard-rocking moments, the band has restraint. They feel like they're totally in control, upping the emotion when the songs need it and falling back into a cool, 'yeah, whatever, no big deal' posture a moment later. I've heard this album dozens of times before but I actually probably don't listen to it enough. Just fantastic.

Dig Your Own Hole

The Chemical Brothers

3/5

Fast-paced electronica with thumping, rattle-your-speakers bass. The Chemical Brothers paint with a colorful palette — a lot of sounds and styles are blended into these songs.

In Rainbows

Radiohead

5/5

“In Rainbows” could be a sort of Radiohead greatest hits, not necessarily because it has their best songs on it but because it showcases them playing a variety of styles they excel at. The album has “Bodysnatchers,” an incredible hard rocker, all riffs and feedback. It also has expansive prog numbers like “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place.” It even has what might be the only Radiohead songs that could be called sexy: “Nude” and “House of Cards.” There isn’t much electronica but the glitched-out beat of opener “15 Step” feels like electronica-rock fusion. And the bass line in that song is just insanely cool and steals the show. Also I love how a quick sample of a children’s choir gets dropped in a few times. The mix is unique but somehow all adds up to a soaring song. There are other singular tracks here, like “All I Need,” a devastating song about unrequited love. “I’m an animal trapped in your hot car.” What a brutal and perfect way to describe loving someone from afar. The music captures that big, cavernous feeling of loneliness and of having love to give but no one to give it to. Thom Yorke’s falsetto on “Reckoner” is gorgeous. Everything about this album is well-balanced and this song is another great example. The piano melody carries the song’s emotional heart, complemented by the strings, which take the emotion to another level. The bass line anchors the song in a rock beat and the small percussion really shines with those little flourishes of tambourine. The mood of the album is often melancholy, as the case tends to be with Radiohead. But there’s a lot of hope and beauty here too. True to the title, there are flashes of sonic color I find dazzling. No two songs are alike. And the emotion behind these songs make them deeply rewarding. The production, the songwriting and the performances all combine for an incredible experience. It’s the Radiohead album that made me fall in love with the band and it’s one of my all-time favorites.

Want One

Rufus Wainwright

3/5

This album sounds like a lush, orchestrated stage musical with a touch of Radiohead’s “OK Computer.” There are moments when Rufus Wainwright’s vocals sound a little like Thom Yorke in that dramatic mode. I wasn’t sure about some of the lyrics at first. Some of them feel overwritten on first listen. But I liked the lyrics on “Vibrate.” “Pinocchio's now a boy who wants to turn back into a toy” is a great line. The arrangements are gorgeous. I mostly felt like I was taking it all in this time around but I was impressed.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

Very few albums are stacked with hits like “Thriller.” At least 6 huge songs on this album are among the best pop songs ever recorded. And they don’t age. They still instantly work their way into your brain and make you move even if your brain is like, “But wait wasn’t Michael Jackson a horr— 🎵 gotta be startin’ something… 🎶” Quincy Jones’s production is incredible. There are a lot of layers but they meld perfectly into an infectious funky pop style. “The Girl is Mine” is one of those songs I love to make fun of. Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney both sound cheesy on it and that spoken word portion where they playfully argue always makes me laugh. They have no chemistry together. Like, based on this song, I can’t imagine either of them getting the girl. My favorite here has got to be “Beat It.” What an incredible track. Those synth-gong hits at the beginning? Amazing. And the electric guitar… it’s basically a hard rock song. A little extra magic in that one.

Liquid Swords

GZA

3/5

Intricate raps, tough beats and kung fu movie samples. Everything you expect from a Wu Tang album. As with other Wu Tang albums, I find the technical skills more impressive than engaging. GZA is an excellent rapper but he’s so level-headed in his delivery that I can almost tune him out and let the music sit in the background. I’ll always prefer a rapper with a little more charisma who grabs you and shakes you every few lines to make sure you’re paying attention. But nothing wrong with demanding a little extra attention when the rhymes and flows are stellar. “4th Chamber” stood out as a highlight. Great beat.

Paris 1919

John Cale

3/5

Beautifully arranged baroque pop. Pleasant and charming. The songs are mostly short and sweet. I like that. Just because the arrangements are elaborate, doesn’t mean the songwriting has to be or that the songs should be drawn out. Nothing overstays its welcome here. I know John Cale because he was in The Velvet Underground for their first two albums. Very different style here and interesting to see where he went with a solo career versus where Lou Reed went.

Exile In Guyville

Liz Phair

3/5

Smart and snarky singer-songwriter alt-rock. The songs are pretty stripped down and put a spotlight on Liz Phair’s wry delivery and attitude. Not totally for me but pretty good.

En-Tact

The Shamen

3/5

Dance music that sometimes has elements of rock but as the album goes on, there’s a lot more straight electronica. This is an easy sell for me, even if it sounds a little dated at times. It has great beats, a restless energy, and fun sounds and effects packed into every song. “666 Edit” was a highlight for me. Ooh and I love the house beat on “Lightspan Soundwave.”

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

4/5

This album is a delight. Tom Waits is in late-night drunken poet mode and he has an excellent jazz band backing his spoken word stories and wordy one-liners. There are too many good lines here to write them all down but I jotted down two in the moment. One is right at the top: “I’m so goddamn horny, the crack of dawn better be careful around me.” And later, describing himself walking down the street drunk, he says he’s “using parking meters as walking sticks.” Puts the image right in your mind. The story behind this album is interesting and the Wikipedia write-up is worth a quick read. It's technically a studio album but to recreate the live feeling of a jazz club, they invited audience members to drink and sit at tables in studio and recorded a total of four performances across two days. They even had a burlesque dancer as the opener. Such a cool idea. The energy of the live recording is perfect.

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

Elvis Costello sure can pack a lot of words into a song. I wonder what the word count is on "Tokyo Storm Warning." I definitely didn't catch everything the first time around but listening to great lyrics like these is a treat. The Attractions are in rock mode too, which makes the wordiness of the songs easier to digest. I'm a fan of Elvis Costello but I haven't heard most of the albums from this middle era of his career so this was an enjoyable listen.

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

4/5

An excellent collection of folk rock and vintage country. A mix of vocalists and a variety of moods and styles make this a nice listen front to back. The context of the album feels important. Unused lyrics by Woody Guthrie were turned into full songs decades later by Billy Bragg and Wilco as a sort of tribute and posthumous collaboration. Interesting, thoughtful idea. But the songs also work nicely without the backstory. Warm, friendly, inviting music.

Live Through This

Hole

4/5

Righteous anger and roaring grunge riffs. The performances feel untamed but the songwriting is tight. There’s a lot fury in these songs and yet they also have a strong sense of pop structure and plenty of hooks. Mother’s milk and babies are images that come up a lot and while I don’t yet have a firm grip on exactly how these songs feel about motherhood, this is definitely a fresh and exciting way to approach these themes. Rejection of beauty standards and even a wholesale rejection of society is present in a lot of these songs. I really vibe with it. This album rocks. *** Totally random connection but two days ago we had an Elvis Costello album on this list with a song "Honey, Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?" that had the line, "She's just a doll like so many more / She's the kind of doll that you'd like to pull to pieces." It stood out to me as a great image. And now on today's album, Hole has a song called "Doll Parts" with the line, "He only loves those things because he loves to see them break."

Songs The Lord Taught Us

The Cramps

3/5

The Cramps twist and distort Elvis-style rock ‘n’ roll in a similar way that The B-52’s distort surf rock. They get pretty raw too. I had fun with this and I’d be down to hear another from them.

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

3/5

Big, sweeping, orchestrated love songs, most of them with some sort of sardonic twist that splashes some poison in with the sugar. God bless this guy, he’s doing his thing. It’s not totally for me but I respect it. Just when I started to crave something more from these songs, “If…” cranked up the humor and the weirdness. 2.5

Shadowland

k.d. lang

3/5

Music with an old soul. Classic crooner country (and a little bit of cool, smoky jazz) with beautiful production. She’s got a great voice for this style.

Slipknot

3/5

Brutal, blistering metal. I was definitely banging my head to a lot of this. Although some of it, like the punishing assault of “Tattered & Torn,” pushed the limits of what I could tolerate. The drums are amazing. In addition to driving the energy of most of these songs, the drums occasionally have some playful moments that break from traditional metal drumming. And the riffs are killer. There’s no denying the skill these guys have. Some cool genre mixing here too (including some record scratches and rapping). Keeps the music fresh. Slipknot continues to impress me (this is their second album on the list so far) but I can’t imagine I’ll ever want to listen to this again. It’s just too brutal.

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

3/5

Nice set of country tunes about love, heartache and cheating lovers. There are also a few songs about working hard but still feeling like you're short on money. It's a sad but sweet album. All good songs.

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

4/5

Some excellent songs on this one. At its best, the album has a driving energy with plenty of big, anthemic songs. The pacing gets a little muddy in the middle — a few too many slow-moving, 5-minute tracks — but the highlights are still more than strong enough to put this in near-classic territory. I never noticed before how much “(Antichrist Television Blues)” sounds like a Bruce Springsteen song. He seems like a big influence on Arcade Fire. “My Body Is a Cage” is an incredible song. There’s no other song in Arcade Fire’s catalogue quite like it. It’s such a show-stopper.

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard

3/5

I can appreciate some good, old-fashioned country like this, although I rarely get excited for it. But what I like the most about classic country is the focus on strong, simple songwriting. The songs are usually pretty short, they have a clear perspective and some nice imagery. This Merle Haggard album has all of that. “Someone Told My Story” was a highlight. It's a fun, self-aware song about songwriting. And the upbeat rock n roll of “If You Want to Be My Woman” was a pleasant surprise too.

Rejoicing In The Hands

Devendra Banhart

3/5

Lovely acoustic folk that’s influenced by classic folk singers while adding a modern style. I like that he gets a little weird in his vocals sometimes.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

5/5

Wow. What a performer! There’s a reason she’s called the Queen of Soul. These performances are packed with emotion. Every syllable has so much feeling. Great band behind her too. The songs are excellent and include some classics (“Respect” opens the album and her version of “A Change Is Gonna Come” is a stunning closing track) along with a few songs I wasn’t familiar with that are also fantastic.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

2/5

I'm not into this and the lead singer is the main reason. I don't find him very charismatic and his voice has a thin, almost whiny quality. The music is ambitious -- Britpop with a lot of different genres and styles mixed in, particularly psychedelic rock. But the songwriting doesn't grab me and there were a handful of moments when I felt the mix of styles didn't gel together.

Hysteria

Def Leppard

4/5

"Women" has got to be one of the most earnest rock songs about being horny I've ever heard. It's a thank you to God for creating women ("lots of pretty women") and the joys of "skin on skin" action. It's a silly opening track and I'm totally charmed by it. Track 2, "Rocket," is just as sincere. It's a straightforward ode to rock, filled with direct references to the classics. Even the third song, "Animal," another horny song that uses werewolves as a metaphor for lust, feels strangely sweet. These guys don't hesitate to pack the opening tracks with sex and rock 'n' roll, but somehow they still feel like a goodhearted group of guys. The cheesiness of it all is endearing. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” kicks the album into high gear. From that song on, it’s big, hair metal fun. I’m reading more about them and just learned that the drummer lost an arm while recording this album?! And he kept touring with the band after?! Incredible!

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

4/5

Frank Sinatra has a beautiful, soothing voice. The album is mostly lovelorn, string-accompanied ballads. I wasn’t familiar with the songs but Sinatra is an absolute pleasure to listen to on them. I love this painted album cover too.

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

5/5

This was one of my favorite albums in college and I still play it whenever I'm reminded of it. I've heard it countless times. Every grace note and off-kilter vocal inflection is etched into my memory. The music is full of wonderful details, and I love rediscovering all of them when I put this on. The music is so colorful. That's probably why it's stuck with me for 15+ years. Right from the opening notes of "Cannibal Resource," the effect on the guitar has a neon quality to my ears. And those bursts of back up vocals add splashes of color and feeling. It's gorgeous and vibrant music. "Temecula Sunrise" and "The Bride" could almost be Led Zeppelin songs. The mix of soft, pastoral acoustic guitar with hard rock drums feels like an update of Zeppelin in folk-rock mode. And I love how "The Bride" slowly builds up to a pretty heavy riff. "Stillness Is the Move" is a great song. Those colorful guitar tones are there again, but this time on a track that sounds like a 90s R&B jam. There's a strange, special combination of sounds on this song you can't find anywhere else. You just have to put the song on again to get this specific feeling. (By the way, if you like Amber Coffman's vocals on this album, I'm a big fan of her 2017 solo album "City of No Reply." Another great album.) "Useful Chamber" is epic. The release that hits when the music reaches the climax is so powerful. I guess a lot of this music could be described as prog-rock, but it's also very pop-minded and more playful than most prog-rock. A lot of that playfulness comes from frontman David Longstreth, whose vocals stretch in strange ways, like a more rubbery David Byrne. (I love the way he sings "Gaaaatoraaade" on "Temecula Sunrise.") Another example of that childlike playfulness comes on "Remade Horizon" at 2:35 with those chopped up, chirping vocals. Such a fun, wild, inventive album.

Scissor Sisters

4/5

Fun, funky and humming with a vibrant sexual energy. The style feels equal parts Bee Gees, Bowie and George Michael. I could totally see myself spending more time with this one. The cover of “Comfortably Numb” is incredible. I can’t remember the last time I heard a cover so completely transform a song. They turned it into a Bee Gees song! And it works!

L.A. Woman

The Doors

3/5

The highlights of this album can be found on any Doors greatest hits: the rocking "Love Her Madly," the fast-moving and epic "L.A. Woman," and the simmering and jazzy "Riders on the Storm." The rest of the album is pretty straightforward blues rock with some psychedelic rock mixed in. 3.5

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

5/5

One of my favorite albums, and one of my most listened to. I haven’t heard it in a while so this was a pleasure to revisit. All of Grizzly Bear’s albums are excellent but this one has a special place in my heart. “Two Weeks” was a ‘play on repeat for an hour straight’ song at one time for me. The songs on this album can go from campfire folk to arena-sized indie rock, and somehow the progression feels completely natural and organic. A few tracks are gently psychedelic, and the string-accompanied tracks have the scope and drama of a classic Hollywood score. The drums are a big part of what makes this album feel organic. At certain points, they flow like water over rocks. They actually swing on a few songs. Drummer Christopher Bear (amazing that that’s his real name) is incredibly talented, but he sounds relaxed too. And the vocals are wonderful. I love that there are two lead singers. Ed Droste has an angelic voice, while Daniel Rossen’s voice has a mysterious quality. The whole-band harmonies are gorgeous too and one of the defining features of the group. And I just learned that the bassist Chris Taylor produced this album, and that he’s produced all of their albums. That’s amazing. The production is incredible. It keeps all these instruments and complex arrangements in balance. Just stunning work. Check out the music video for “While You Wait For the Others.” It’s one of my favorite music videos. Great song too.

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

I used to have a personal tradition where I would listen to this album on the first day of the year that felt like autumn. It's a bit out of season for me to listen to this, although I guess late February falls into the "hazy shade of winter" category. I love this album. It's one of my all-time favorites. It feels like a Beatles album in the way that every song has a unique style and character. The songs are playful and inventive. That opening synth on "Save the Life of My Child" is such a great surprise after the acoustic intro "Bookends Theme." The whole song has cool production details -- voices and effects! It's a quirky collection of tunes, with the classic "Mrs. Robinson" sitting alongside the airy "Punky's Dilemma" and the rocking "Hazy Shade of Winter." There's also the memorable and heartbreaking sound collage, "Voices of Old People." The closer, "At the Zoo," is one of my favorites. I love that they end the album on that note, and I love how you can hear Paul Simon laugh a bit at 1:04. It's such a joyful song. At just under 30 minutes, "Bookends" is a short album but it's rich with emotion and full of character. Simon & Garfunkel made a lot of incredible music, but this will always be the album of theirs that I hold closest to my heart.

Van Halen

4/5

Great glam metal with a strong current of blues running through the music. The album is stacked with hits, particularly the first half. Fantastic shredding on the guitar solos too.

1989

Taylor Swift

5/5

Sometimes, I roll my eyes at Taylor Swift's music because there are certain things about it that annoy me: her muddled metaphors, the cliché turns of phrase, the way she overemphasizes her cheesiest lines. All of these things are on "1989," but her strengths are more honed than ever too: her ability to write hooks that stay in your head for years, her soaring vocals, the way she takes vulnerable feelings and amplifies them into stadium-sized emotions. I can't help but get swept up in it. And the things I roll my eyes at on other albums of hers kind of become charming quirks when the songs are this good. The production takes cues from 80s pop, but gets pumped up with big, Max Martin drums. The music is bubblegum pop one moment, sweeping melodrama the next, and Taylor Swift carries it all with confidence. An irresistible album for me.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

4/5

Wonderful album of country-influenced classic rock. "The Weight" is one of my favorite songs. A lot of the music is easy-going, some of it is sad and melancholy. All of it is beautifully played and heartfelt. 4.5

Honky Tonk Masquerade

Joe Ely

3/5

Nice country album, though there’s a low ceiling to my enjoyment for this style of music. Lively backing band though. A couple tracks add an extra bit of distortion on the electric guitar, and I would have loved more of that. 2.5

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

3/5

Tina Turner is an incredible performer. What a rockstar! A lot of this music sounds dated to my modern ears but she’s a powerhouse singer. She does some great covers too. Her version of “Let’s Stay Together” is excellent. And she transforms The Beatles’ “Help!” into a power ballad, and it sounds fantastic.

Ys

Joanna Newsom

3/5

I find this album fascinating. The songs are long, and Joanna Newsom packs them with dense lyrics. I noticed a lot of nature imagery, though I’m not sure I followed much beyond that. But I still enjoyed the music. She sounds a little like Björk. But her sound and style are very much her own too. I guess what I find cool about this is that Joanna Newsom doesn’t sound like she compromised her vision at all. This feels like exactly the album she dreamt up in her mind. But man, these songs really are long. I was a little exhausted by the end of this. I’ve been enjoying harp music lately. There’s a new artist Mary Lattimore who I listen to when I’m anxious and having trouble sleeping. Her music is beautiful and soothing, and it leans toward ambient music. And recently I started listening to Dorothy Ashby, a jazz harpist from the 50s and 60s who has a very upbeat and bright style. And now I hear Joanna Newsom using harp as the lead instrument for long, melancholy folk songs. I think it’s cool that the instrument is so versatile. I wouldn’t have thought that a few years ago.

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

5/5

Ooh this is a special one. I’ve listened to it casually a bunch in the past and it works very well in the background because the music is soothing and restrained. Giving it a closer listen today was nice. The style is jazz played as laidback, dreamy funk. The bass definitely has a funky vibe at least. The rest of the music has an air of mystery and mysticism. Apparently there are three players on electric piano (and organ) on this album? Wow. That mystical sound is very full and rich, and that’s why. John McLaughlin’s guitar solos are a highlight. He’s an incredibly skilled guitarist, and his playing here is technically impressive but also sort of subtle. Like every other instrument here, his guitar sounds very organic in the mix. Wayne Shorter on sax is also wonderful. I’ve heard him absolutely shred on other albums but he’s less flashy here. Lovely solos, inventive but restrained. Miles seems like the one player who really lets loose a bit. His solos leap out a bit more than the others, which is a cool effect given the calm mood of most of the music. I love how the drums on the first half of the album are basically just open hi-hat. It gives the music a very distinct vibe, somewhere between relaxed and on edge.

The Rolling Stones

4/5

Excellent album of blues rock and an awesome first album from the Rolling Stones. Mostly covers with a few originals mixed in. I've never heard this before but it’s great front to back. I'm looking forward to putting this on again. Great energy.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

5/5

Great debut album. It has “Psycho Killer” on it along with a bunch of excellent deep cuts. I’m a fan of “Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town,” “Don’t Worry About the Government,” and “First Week/Last Week… Carefree.” David Byrne is such a singular performer and songwriter. The world looks different when you see it through his eyes. The lyrics on these songs are funny and surprising and insightful. The band sounds awesome too. They morph from driving new wave, to spiky art punk, to slinky lounge pop. Whatever the song calls for.

Caetano Veloso

4/5

Fantastic Brazilian music with a psychedelic flair. Lots of different styles are packed into a fairly short album. I’ll definitely play this again, and I’d love to hear more from Caetano Veloso.

Make Yourself

Incubus

4/5

I don't know why I never got more into Incubus as a teenager. I bought "A Crow Left of the Murder..." on CD because I loved "Megalomaniac," and I listened to that album a bunch. It's been years since I've heard it but I remember liking it front to back. Somehow, I just never ended up listening to more of them. Happy to correct that today. The band's style is a stew of different genres. They blend alt-rock and hardcore, with a touch of grunge, a dash of dub, and plenty of record scratches. It makes for a nice, diverse listen. I love Brandon Boyd's singing. He brings the emotional hooks to these songs. I love those big, soaring vocals.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

4/5

Oh man, "Livin' on a Prayer" is such an anthem! It's one of those songs my body is hardwired to react to. I can't not sing along and pump my fist when it's on. "You Gave Love a Bad Name" is another banger, and "Wanted Dead or Alive" is a fun one too. And I wasn’t as familiar with “Raise Your Hands” but it’s just as much of a rock anthem. The rest of the album is excellent. There’s a power ballad with lyrics about banging in the back of a car (“Never Say Goodbye”), a top shelf Springsteen knockoff (“Wild in the Streets”), and a bunch of open-hearted, hair metal songs about love. “I’d Die For You” is particularly good. It’s a great pop album all around.

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy

4/5

Excellent political hip-hop in the vein of Public Enemy. Michael Franti even sounds like Chuck D on a lot of these songs. His cadence and flow is similar. The lyrics cover a wide range of topics -- war, the media, homophobia, environmentalism -- but manage to distill big ideas and radical messages into digestible verses. I think what impresses me the most about this album is how succinct and to the point its messages are. There are no wasted words. Michael Franti makes complex arguments against the powers that be, but he's very clear and hits his targets with precision. "Television, the Drug of the Nation" stood out as a particularly strong track. He rattles off a dizzying number of reasons why TV is numbing us -- force-feeding us commercials, distracting us from the horrors of the world, turning politics into entertainment -- all of which feel just as relevant in 2025 as they were in 1992. A lot of the lyrics on this album are unfortunately very relevant to the present moment.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

5/5

The Prodigy have got to be the best group to do this style of hard-hitting electronica. The beats have a relentless energy and momentum, the samples are bold and perfectly placed, the features are great (I really enjoyed the Kool Keith verse), and the tone is aggressive while still maintaining a certain playfulness. And all of it sounds like something you’d hear in a Matrix movie, which will forever be a gold standard of cool in my mind. (I was already thinking The Matrix and then “Mindfields” came on, which was in the first one!) Amazing album cover.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

3/5

Interesting album. There are some tracks that have that lush, orchestrated (and sometimes psychedelic) pop sound I expect from a Beach Boy. But it’s also much grittier. There are some nice 70s rock songs. Dennis Wilson’s voice definitely has grit and texture. Sometimes he even sounds a little pitchy, but the performances come off as vulnerable and raw.

Microshift

Hookworms

3/5

A pretty impressive fusion of synth pop, indie pop and prog rock. The songs are bright and colorful. The production is excellent. Some songs reminded me of MGMT, others a little bit of Radiohead. A lot of songs have a driving, repetitive rhythm that gives the songs forward momentum.

Murder Ballads

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Nick Cave is a fascinating performer. This won’t be an album I play again any time soon but it has some surprises on it (particularly the lyrics on “Stagger Lee”). I respect it and I was entertained by a lot of it. Nearly an hour of folk songs about brutal murders is tough to love though.

Heroes

David Bowie

3/5

Sometimes I use the word 'experimental' to describe music that's new or strange to me, but in actuality, a lot of the time, that music is pretty polished and refined. It's just a little out there and weird. On the other hand, certain David Bowie albums feel truly experimental. This album and "Low" (both released in 1977) have songs that sound as if Bowie and company genuinely didn't know what sounds they were going to make before they made them. There are lots of unusual effects in the music, and sometimes your brain needs a moment to adjust to them. There are a bunch of songs where the beat is crunchy and sounds like it was made by a machine. Paradoxically, a lot of those songs also have a funky style to them. And there's a big, cavernous sound in the production that makes me wonder if a lot of post-punk bands looked to these albums for inspiration. Near the end of the album, there are a few ambient tracks, which feel very exploratory and experimental. The title track is the clear standout. Great song with a beautiful, big sound. I also really enjoyed "V-2 Schneider" and "The Secret Life of Arabia."

Justified

Justin Timberlake

4/5

What a pleasure. Excellent pop album with great hip-hop beats and smooth R&B jams. Most of it is either produced by The Neptunes or Timbaland, so the music is top notch. Man, I love the beatboxing Timbaland mixes into his beats. So good. His songs in particular on this album are layered with loads of fun details. “Cry Me a River” is a song I’ve heard countless times but the backing vocals still surprised me and sounded fresh! Great song.

Movies

Holger Czukay

4/5

There's a lot going on on this one, but the bulk of the album is stellar psychedelic jazz-rock fusion on two long tracks. There's also a Middle Eastern-influenced track. The first song is pretty wacky but everything is great after that. Lots to dig into and lose yourself in.

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

4/5

Really fun album. It’s got all the glam-metal theatricality of Queen fused with the sci-fi dystopian vibe of Radiohead’s “OK Computer.” I forgot that Muse can get pretty heavy. “Supermassive Black Hole” is of course an awesome song, but “Assassin” is also a really sick, heavy track too. Man, I remember being so into “Starlight” when this first came out. It’s cheesier than I remember, but I also kind of like the cheesiness.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

4/5

Fun, funky hard rock. The hits on this album are fantastic. Classic songs. And there’s plenty more where they came from. This is one of those albums that delivers on the promise of the singles. I like that RHCP don’t take themselves too seriously either. But they’ve got serious musical chops! They’re loose and rowdy and cool as hell. This is a strong album all around with a great mix of moods. I like that sometimes the bass sounds like it gets a little ahead of the drums. It creates a fun, chaotic energy, like the whole band could break apart at any moment.

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

3/5

Fun, varied album of art rock. I never knew what was coming next. So far, after listening to a lot of Brian Eno’s music on this list, my favorite stuff is either the songs/albums he co-wrote and produced for other artists, or his ambient music. You can hear hints of Bowie and Talking Heads on a lot of the early tracks here. And the end of this album features some beautiful ambient-leaning instrumental sections.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

4/5

I’m seeing more and more why people talk about Wilco as a special band. The songwriting is excellent. The music is memorable and the lyrics are always smart and interesting. I’ll keep listening (to this album and others).

Pink Flag

Wire

3/5

Classic punk riffs and a tight rhythm section. I wish I could understand more of the lyrics. That would have elevated this even more for me. But this list has been great at introducing me to punk bands I’ve never heard before, and I enjoyed the energy of this.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

5/5

A personal favorite. Packed with punk energy, rock ‘n’ roll swagger, and a playfulness that feels very British. Supergrass play like they’re just a bunch of kids goofing around with guitars in a garage, but the songs are actually pretty complex. There are loads of surprising turns and plenty of interesting elements that add tension to the music. Mostly though, this album is just a really good time. Listening to it feels like hanging out with a group of friends who like to jump fences. There’s a bit of danger and adrenaline, but you end up laughing a lot too.

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

This album is close to being really good. The songs are catchy but not quite enough to stick in your head after they’re over. A lot of them have an epic sweep but not quite enough to justify being 6, 7 or 8+ minutes long. But this is the third Dexys Midnight Runners album on the list and I’ve enjoyed being in the company of their music every time. This album has a loose and live feel. There are even spoken word interludes that sound like stage banter.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

5/5

There's a lot of competition for this title, but this is my favorite Steely Dan album. It's so tight, front to back. To me, it's always felt like the most Beatleseque album in their catalog. The songs are mostly short, catchy pop tunes that each have their own sonic flavor and style. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is one of the most purely enjoyable pop songs Steely Dan ever wrote. It's a great opener. And the funky "Night By Night" is a fantastic, high-energy follow-up. I also love the folk-rock of "Any Major Dude Will Tell You." Later in the album, there's an instrumental jazz cover ("East St. Louis Toodle-Oo") and the blues rock of the title track. There's a lot of different styles on this album but they flow seamlessly from one to the next. This is a fun album to try to decipher the lyrics on. Other than "Rikki," which is a pretty straightforward love song, most of these songs have lines in them that make you go, "Wait, what is this about?" And for me, that's one of the fun things about Steely Dan. "Parker's Band" is about getting high and listening to Charlie Parker, "Pretzel Logic" might be about time travel but I take it be a metaphor about nostalgia, and "Monkey in Your Soul" is about... I have absolutely no idea. But that horn solo is awesome. And shoutout to the album cover, which I really want to frame and put on the wall one day.

Logical Progression

LTJ Bukem

3/5

Excellent drum n bass compilation. I’m never mad about listening to this kind of music. A lot of tracks have short, soulful vocal samples. It’s a great vibe, all perfectly produced. This was a tricky one to find. I didn’t see it on streaming but I found someone on youtube that posted both CDs worth of tracks, missing a few I think. I love that sample from Ferris Bueller on “Links” by Chameleon. I quote that line all the time!

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

5/5

Stellar country rock and folk rock, with some great hard rock too. There are also some nice jams, particularly on “Down By the River.” Awesome guitar solos throughout. “Cinnamon Girl” is a classic too. I love that Neil Young has this hard rock side to him. The songwriting is excellent all around. Lots of great tunes.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

2/5

I thought I’d like this more than I did. Ice Cube’s flow feels repetitive. It’s always the same relentless flow, delivered in the same shouted tone. The misogyny on a lot of these songs made things worse. The beats are a mix of N.W.A. g-funk, with some Public Enemy maximalism on other tracks. The music is strong. I just don’t love being in the company of Ice Cube for this long.

System Of A Down

5/5

System of a Down are a one-of-a-kind band and a personal favorite. I love the bizarre theatricality of their style. I find myself laughing out loud a lot when I listen to them. But man, they've got power too. This album has brutal riffs, heavy metal guitar hero solos, and sweeping drama. I also appreciate the unflinching way they treat war, genocide, and the hypocrisy of religion in their lyrics. Serj Tankian often takes on the role of the villain in these songs -- the twisted preacher, the authoritarian government -- and paints a horrific, twisted character. The humor in his performances is fun and funny and engaging, but also gets at the absurdity of the violence. Mostly though, this album rocks. It pushed me extra hard during my workout this morning.

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg

3/5

Really enjoyable set of stripped down songs. The style is rooted in folk, but a few of these songs would be punk if the sound was a little more fleshed out and the band was bigger. Cool to hear the connection between folk and punk like that. I love his voice too. He’s got a great accent, and he’s very emotive.

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

4/5

Lovely bossa nova with some subtle modern touches. An absolute pleasure.

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

4/5

This is a fun White Stripes album. There’s less hard rock than some of their other albums, but there’s lots of loose folk rock and blues rock with nice production flourishes. What’s that mallet percussion that shows up on a lot of tracks? Xylophone? It adds a playful tone to the music. Okay, there’s still some hard rock on this album too. I guess what distinguishes the sound of this album is a sort of stage-y theatricality. I don’t know how else to describe it, but they sound like they’re performing in a small theatre rather than an arena. Highlights: “My Doorbell,” “The Denial Twist,” “Take, Take, Take”

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

3/5

Cool electronica. Once the songs fall into a groove though, most don’t develop much from there. Nice mix of loungy and dancey tracks with a hint of jazz here and there. The James Bond remix was a fun surprise.

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

4/5

I know (and love) Bee Gees for their disco hits but I didn't know about this album. A lot of these songs remind me of songs from "Let It Be." The music has a similar grandeur, and the songwriting is that good. There's a lot of Beatles influence throughout the album, and some country twang too. And the show-stopping drama of it all! The emotions are big on this album. This feels like the sort of album you seek out when the moment is right (I can imagine playing it on a long drive down country roads), and I have a feeling I'll be playing it again soon. Fantastic album cover. I wasn't sure at first how it would fit with the Bee Gees' sound, but it totally fits with this music. 4.5

Spiderland

Slint

2/5

Brooding and sometimes heavy music. I don’t like the soft, spoken word vocals. They’re too low in the mix and difficult to hear. The vocals also feel pretentious. This band has power and big emotions simmering under the surface. I’d rather they unleash that energy instead of crafting these long, artsy, slow burn songs.

Killing Joke

4/5

Hell yeah. I liked this album from the opening notes. It's a great mashup of different punk styles. The lead singer's vocals have that Clash-style English snarl, a lot of tracks have that big cavernous post-punk sound, others have a new wave style, and a few songs even border on hardcore. I love the energy. The use of synths adds color to a lot of songs, and helps Killing Joke stand out from other punk bands from this era.

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

4/5

I should really listen to The Police more. This album is a lot of fun and has a great mix of styles. Their sound is a mix of rock n roll, punk, and reggae that they fuse into a style you instantly recognize as The Police. There are two big hits on this album, though I'm not even sure those are necessarily the best songs. The album cuts are excellent too. I can imagine finding more favorites the more I listen to this. I’m also starting to appreciate how weird The Police can get. They have a quirky side to their music for sure.

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

2/5

I’m usually into this sort of 60s songwriter style, but there wasn’t much that stood out to me here. Also, I like the hippie psychedelic sound of some songs, but I have much less patience for that English folk style that is prominent on the second half of the album. “Phantasmagoria in Two” is a very pretty song. Awful album cover. What even is that? Even the text is pretty bad too. 2.5

Virgin Suicides

Air

3/5

Lovely movie score from an interesting band. I've seen The Virgin Suicides once years ago and remember liking it. I'd love to rewatch it and pay attention to how the score is used.

Raw Power

The Stooges

4/5

Hell yeah. I love these layers of loud, messy, fuzzy guitars and feedback. The energy of this album is fantastic. The Stooges get all the style points too: great album title, great album cover, great band name. 4.5

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

3/5

Lovely, easygoing singer-songwriter album of folk, country and blues. James Taylor has a wonderful voice — very smooth and balanced. The production is fantastic too. Again, really nicely balanced. This would be an excellent Sunday morning album.

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

4/5

Excellent 90s East Cost rap with socially-conscious lyrics and hard-hitting beats produced by DJ Premier. I've never head off Jeru the Damaja, but this album stands alongside some of the best rap of this era.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

4/5

Excellent rock album start to finish. It's got some classic tracks -- all four of the opening songs but "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me" in particular -- and maintains a strong energy throughout. I love the drama of it. The hooks are huge and The Killers know how to amp things up to make the choruses as big as possible. There's also something a little silly about The Killers that I can't quite put my finger on. Like, maybe they take themselves too seriously or something? The music can be pretty melodramatic and over-the-top. And there are a few lyrics that make me think, "Wait, what does that mean?" I think they absolutely get away with it though, and the music totally works (because really, when has being over-the-top ever been a detriment in rock?). For me, the silliness adds to their charm. I would put this on my personal 1001 albums list, partly out of nostalgia (I heard these songs so much in high school and college), but mostly because it rocks.

Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto

3/5

A light and airy album of Brazilian bossa nova mixed with 60s vocal pop. A lot of songs felt like a ray of sunshine, particularly the bossa nova numbers. I was less sold on a few of the pop tunes (like the song about parades). This is the woman who originated "The Girl From Ipanema," so props to that!

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

The Attractions are in top form here as a new wave rock outfit, and Elvis Costello gives them plenty to do. The arrangements are complex but the band manages to translate them into some very fun, accessible music. As is usually the case with Costello, there are a lot of words. Some lyrics are a snarky commentary on sex and relationships, some are more social commentary, and there are plenty of lyrics I’ve never understood (but sing along to anyways). I’ve heard this album dozens of times before but there were still lyrics I felt like I noticed for the first time today. The pacing and sequencing of this album is great. One song flows to the next and the energy is upbeat. There was clearly a lot of work that went into crafting the music and lyrics, but the end result is still an infectious, enjoyable, easy-to-listen album. Also, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” is a great song! 4.5

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

3/5

Public Image Ltd are a well-polished machine that sound great on the album and were probably even better live. Brooding but eccentric post-punk with lots of driving riffs and beats. The bass was the star of the show for me, or at least the element that grabbed my attention the most. I don’t go crazy for this sort of post-punk band (I understand why some people do though), but the bass is usually fantastic in this genre.

Play

Moby

5/5

A classic album stacked with great songs. It has an energy unlike any other album I know. It has electronica beats, blues and soul samples, and big pop hooks. The production is immaculate too. I also think this is the sort of album anyone could love. I could see it being an entry point into electronica for a lot of people. It’s great, accessible music. Great album cover too.

Vauxhall And I

Morrissey

3/5

I’m a Morrissey fan so I’m never mad about spending 40 minutes with his music. This is a good album! There weren’t many songs that jumped out as being particularly memorable, but the band is great. The production is nice and clean too. It has a polished sound but the rock songs still rock.

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail

Buck Owens

3/5

Pleasant, old-timey country music. Some of it was a bit corny to my modern ears, but all of it was enjoyable.

Tom Tom Club

3/5

A fun and interesting album of funky, experimental pop. "Genius of Love" is the clear standout, but there are plenty of cool songs throughout the album. The fact that Tom Tom Club was formed by the bassist and drummer from Talking Heads is important context. There's a focus on grooves and rhythms throughout the album, as well as some of the experimentation Talking Heads is known for. 3.5

Tragic Songs of Life

The Louvin Brothers

3/5

Earlier this week we had an album by Buck Owens that I called “old-timey country,” and now we have a country album from a full decade earlier, so I think I might have spoke too soon with that description. Nice music. It’s very earnest and pure. At the same time, after a few songs, listening to this starts to feel like homework. It feels more like a historical artifact than something I would put on for fun, but that's just me. Interesting to hear an early version of “In the Pines”!

Amnesiac

Radiohead

5/5

“Amnesiac” has a reputation for featuring some of Radiohead’s most experimental electronica, which is true. There are plenty of glitchy, programmed drum beats and ghostly samples. The opening track “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box” sets the tone right away for some sort of dystopian dance party. And “Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors” is all distorted drums and ambient chaos. But paradoxically, this album also features some of the only songs in the band’s catalog where they actually swing. “Pyramid Song” has a hypnotic, jazzy beat. The drums on “Knives Out” are light and loose. And the closer “Life in a Glasshouse” is a stunning, drunken lounge number. It’s a fusion of rock, jazz and electronica that only Radiohead could make. It’s got a vibe all its own. One of those albums that gets better every time I hear it.

Skylarking

XTC

3/5

This took me some time to warm up too, though ultimately I still wasn't crazy about it. A lot of Beatlesesque songs and a few that felt more like new wave. Sometimes the lead vocals reminded me of a singer I love, Joe Jackson, but a lot of the times the vocals annoyed me. I think too often the music is a little too cute or something. "Earn Enough for Us" is my favorite song here. The lyrics on "Dear God" are really strong too. That 'Hey, God, what are you doing up there while we suffer?' sort of theme is something I think about it a lot.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

4/5

There are double albums, and then there’s “Speakerboxx/The Love Below,” which is actually a 2-for-1 album. It was a sneaky way for Big Boi and André 3000 to make solo albums without their upsetting fans. They basically each did their own thing but billed the album as an Outkast double feature. Album #1 is Big Boi’s “Speakerboxxx,” an excellent rap album. I love Big Boi’s bouncy, rubber ball flow. It’s a great fit for these funk-infused, southern rap beats. “The Way You Move” is a classic. “Bust,” featuring Killer Mike, is an awesome hard rap banger. And “Last Call” is an anthem that I totally forgot about but is so good. That song deserves classic status. I feel like not enough people know about it. Album #2 is André 3000’s “The Love Below,” a weirdo, jazz-funk fantasia that is so insistent on not taking itself seriously that it nearly becomes a comedy album at times. The music is beautifully produced, but the tone is mostly pretty goofy. It’s definitely a good time, but I do find myself shaking my head and rolling my eyes as often as I laugh, particularly during the silly interludes. The song where this style really gels together for me is “Roses.” It’s a ‘fuck you’ anthem with a funky beat, an irresistible hook, and a singalong chorus that features the words ‘poo-poo.’ It’s as ridiculous as it is ridiculously catchy. Oh, and this album has “Hey Ya!” If you told me that “Hey Ya!” was the One Song You Need to Hear Before You Die, I’d say, “Yeah that’s a good choice.” Like everyone else on planet Earth when this song came out, I was absolutely rocked by this song, and I still am every time I hear it. It’s one of those magic pop songs that unites generations. The style is a little bit retro, a little bit hip-hop, polished enough for pop radio, but still eccentric enough to be an Outkast song. A few years ago, I was at a wedding, and the DJ insanely played “Hey Ya!” just as the salad course was being served. I looked at my wife and said, “No way can ‘Hey Ya!’ play to an empty dance floor.” It felt sacrilegious. So I pushed my salad aside, stood up, and my wife and I danced to the entire song while everyone else at the wedding watched. We were the only ones out there. But I knew we were doing the right thing. Everyone else was wrong for sitting. If you hear this song, you have to move. There’s just no other option. Both albums are a 4.5 in my book.

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

3/5

Nice Britpop with a mix of psychedelic pop, guitar rock, and more punk-styled songs. This was fun. There was also a lot going on, so I think I’d enjoy it more the more I listen to it. Feels like the sort of album that gets better as you learn all the weird little left turns and detours that the music takes. Sometimes the vocals held me back a bit from enjoying this more, but I liked it overall.

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

3/5

Excellent classic rock that mellows into some lovely, thoughtful, folk-leaning rock. It’s a great mix of rock and gentler music.

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

3/5

Nobody has a voice like Anohni (billed here as Antony & the Johnsons). That vibrato is so distinct! This is a gorgeous album of artful ballads. I enjoyed putting it on today and could see myself getting more into it at the right moment in my life, or in a certain mood. There are a number of songs about being trans, and while her vocals are certainly melancholy, the music can also feel uplifting and hopeful, especially with imagery in the lyrics about birds and flying. “Fistful of Love” is a highlight. I love that soulful melody and those jazzy horns. “For Today I Am a Boy” is a beautiful song too.

Pearl

Janis Joplin

5/5

Janis Joplin is a talent like no other. She’s in her own league. ‘Powerhouse’ feels like an inadequate description of her vocals. There’s a rawness to her emotions when she sings. It’s guttural and primal, and somehow beautiful and expressive at the same time. And this album is a perfect showcase of her power. Oh, and the band is incredible too! The music is a stunning blend of soul, gospel, and hard rock. The songs have a great, live in the studio feel, all fantastically produced. I love that organ too! 🙌

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

5/5

Oh yeah! The energy on this album is fantastic. It's light and playful but with a big, full sound. The drums have a great thump-a-whump style to them, the horns are spectacular and theatrical, and the piano from Count Basie is a joy to listen to. When I'm writing, I like to make playlists of albums that fit the mood of the story. Depending on the project, that might be ambient electronica, or maybe something more industrial. Lately I've had a need for upbeat jazz, and this album is going right into my current project's playlist.

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

Excellent Neil Young album. Another great mix of heartbreaking folk and hard-rocking guitar. The opening track is the highlight, but there are strong tracks throughout. Apparently some of the album was recorded live in concert and finished in studio — that’s cool! It definitely has a live and unpolished feel in the best way. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the reprise of “My My, Hey Hey” that closes the album. It’s really heavy! The feedback and grit is really rough. Great stuff.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Coldplay

4/5

I find these first couple Coldplay albums very soothing. The vibe is mellow and the songs are melodic. The production is fantastic — really polished and well-balanced. The songwriting is excellent too. There are a handful of classic tracks here and plenty of strong album cuts. Excellent album all around.

Lost Souls

Doves

3/5

This is a good rock album. I’d say it’s a funny choice for an ‘essential albums’ list, but removed from that context, it’s a solid album. Nothing revolutionary, but plenty of strong performances.

Gold

Ryan Adams

4/5

An excellent album of country rock, folk rock, and blues. Ryan Adams clearly loves Dylan and Springsteen (along with the Stones and Zeppelin), and he set out to make an album that blends those styles in his own voice. And it's really good! At 70 minutes, there's a lot of music here, but it doesn't repeat itself or overstay its welcome. Just one good song after another. Listening to Ryan Adams always feels funny for me because I'd heard a handful of his albums years ago and was on the cusp of getting more into his music when the news story came out that he was generally a pretty terrible guy. It put a damper on on my burgeoning fandom, because it's one thing to deal with that kind of story when you're already a fan -- (Can you separate your established love of the music from the gross life of the artist?) -- but it feels strange to deliberately seek out an artist that's new to you after you read that. Anyway, I was mostly able to compartmentalize those thoughts while listening to this, but they were definitely still swimming around my mind as I enjoyed this album.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

4/5

I don’t think I can describe this album any better than the title does: “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!” It perfectly captures the upbeat, jazzy vibe. The opener, “You Make Me Feel So Young,” is the top highlight, but Sinatra puts his spin on lots of classic tracks here. This was an absolute pleasure.

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

4/5

“You know there ain’t no devil, that’s just God when he’s drunk.” What a line. Great set of blues and ballads by Tom Waits. Nobody sings like him. Nobody writes like him. This album also has “Jersey Girl” on it, which Bruce Springsteen later made famous. Springsteen’s live version is the definitive one, but the song is powerful in its original form too.

Roots

Sepultura

4/5

Excellent, intense metal. I had fun jamming along to this. Sepultura have personality in addition to technical chops, which made this more accessible to me than some other metal albums. The chanting and tribal drums were cool additions on certain songs, and the brutally raw vocals were powerful. The call and response vocals at the top of “Ratamahatta” are awesome! Really fun song. Nice to hear some acoustic guitar led tracks in the back half of the album. I don’t hear that kind of style switch-up much on metal albums. Great change of pace for a few minutes, and those songs were really good too.

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

3/5

Nice, bluesy jazz album. Nothing jumped out as spectacular here, but it was enjoyable background music. I was curious why it was included on the list so I read the entry in the 1001 album book. Apparently, this album was crucial in making the organ sound cool again after mostly being thought of as church music. I hear the organ in so much rock, blues and jazz that it's hard to imagine a time when it wasn't popular, but seems like important context here.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Classic album with lots of classic songs. It's got a little bit of everything Led Zeppelin does well: blistering rock 'n' roll (including "Rock and Roll"), psychedelic folk rock, and heavy metal. For whatever reason though, it's the one Led Zeppelin album from their classic period that I feel the least personal connection to. Maybe that's because a bunch of these songs -- "Black Dog," "Rock and Roll," and "Stairway to Heaven" -- have been played so much on classic rock radio and in commercials. It's hard for me to hear them with fresh ears. It's still a great album, but for whatever reason, I gravitate emotionally more toward some of their other albums. "When the Levee Breaks" is incredible though! I think that's my favorite song here. It's got such a sexy riff and groove. I was really jamming to that one today!

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

Lovely album of soul sung by one of the all-time greats and accompanied by excellent arrangements. The title is funny because I hear very little country music here. But a lot of these songs draw a connection between those country western strings and soul/R&B, as well as jazz. All these genres come from the same roots, so it's nice to hear an artist not adhere too closely to any one set of rules or expectations and just mix these styles all together. 4.5

Night Life

Ray Price

3/5

What a crooner! We’ve had a lot of country and honky-tonk on the list lately, and I think this is one of the better ones. His voice is great and the songwriting is strong. Fantastic album cover. I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like it. Very dramatic and sexy.

Smile

Brian Wilson

2/5

I feel bad giving this album a low rating a day after Brian Wilson’s passing, but it didn’t really work for me. I’m vaguely familiar with the story behind the original “Smile” album — an epic, unfinished Beach Boys album that was plagued with problems during the recording — and it’s cool that Wilson went back years later and ‘completed’ it. But it feels more like a curiosity than anything else. I think something gets a bit lost in the decades that passed between the 60s and 2004. And, I don’t know, I find the music kind of grating and pretentious. It’s big on orchestral sweep, but short on pop melody. The Beach Boys always struck a nice balance between those two poles, and I think that balance is missing here.

Calenture

The Triffids

3/5

These guys are great! I’m surprised I’ve never heard of them before. They sound a little like The Smiths, but with less melodrama and maybe a bit more post-punk edge? There’s also some folk-leaning tracks and some pop. Really good 80s rock overall. I almost wonder if the reason they’re not more famous is because their name is The Triffids. I keep having to look back at the name as I listen because I can never remember it. 3.5

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

2/5

Industrial grinding, ambient sounds, and snippets of conversation / audio from technical recordings. Hard to imagine anyone genuinely enjoying this. I can imagine people being inspired by it though. I’m sure there were artists who heard this and thought “Oh okay, cool, we’re doing that now? I’ve got an idea for that sound.” But this album feels too abstract and formless to listen to in any sort of everyday context. Okay “AB/7A” is a real surprise! It sounds like some modern, synth-y indie. It would sound at home on an MGMT album. I wish there was more like this!

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

4/5

Excellent album of ambitious, orchestral rock, folk and pop. The music has a big, dramatic style, like it was designed for a Broadway stage, but still manages to feel accessible. I think that’s because the songcraft is very strong. For the all the ambitious ideas in the music, the songwriting still feels emotionally driven and direct. Some highlights for me on a first listen: - “Chicago” feels like the standout track. A big, epic pop song. - “They Are Night Zombies!!” is a cool, dramatic song. - “The Tallest Man…” is another clear standout track. Bright and sunny like a Paul Simon song but with an epic sweep. - “Out of Egypt” is a gorgeous finale. It feels like a very technical song but the craft of it is in service of this big, overwhelming emotion. Really cool way to end an impressive album. 4.5

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

5/5

A hip-hop masterpiece that is bold and ambitious but also a ton of fun to jam to. That's what makes Kendrick Lamar so special. When he's at his best, the artistic and commercial pursuits merge into one, and he makes an album that features hit singles in addition to a meticulous attention to detail and powerful storytelling. Take "Swimming Pools (Drank)" for example. The chorus is a singalong anthem about doing shots and diving into a swimming pool full of liquor, but the song is actually about alcoholism. On one hand, I think this is Kendrick mixing the medicine in with the sugar. You can't usually get a song about alcoholism on the radio, but you can if it has an amazing beat and an unbeatable hook. Also, a song about developing a drinking problem probably should have this tone. The song is about peer pressure, so it makes sense that the music is as seductive as the friends pressuring the main character to drink more. There's a handful of cinematic songs -- "The Art of Peer Pressure," "good kid," "m.A.A.d City" -- that I find exhilarating. The lyrics are dense, but the beats are amazing, and they have the momentum of the second act of a movie that's grabbed you and won't let go. "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Backseat Freestyle" are two of my absolute favorite Kendrick Lamar songs. Those are the two that I play even when I'm not listening to the album. They're songs that I just crave and need to hear sometimes. Nitpicking a little? I think the album loses some momentum in the final stretch. The first nine tracks are unstoppable, and then the album kind of peters out with two long, slow songs back-to-back. It feels like a small gripe though when the rest of the album is so fantastic.

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

This album has a unique energy. The synths and drums are very much a product of their time — those big, 80s reverbed drums — but the music has a hazy, dreamy texture all its own. I like the way the vocals overlap too, sometimes creating a sense that there’s no beginning or end, just a continuous stream of singing and melodies and music. The tone is somewhere between joy and melancholy, like the last day of a great vacation.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4/5

Excellent bluegrass and country-western album. This is one of the better country albums on the list so far. The performances are so good. You can tell that they got the very best people in the room for these sessions. I love all the talkback and studio chatter too. It starts to feel like you’re hanging out with friends. Hearing them talk about what key to sing a song in, or who gets a solo, gave me an appreciation for the craft. It’s cool to hear them in the midst of creating. They sound like professionals, but they also sound like they’re having a ton of fun. “Sunny Side of the Mountain” was a highlight. I love how the singer drags out certain words: “Don’t forget aaaaaaaaaall the promises you gave me.” Jimmy Martin is the lead singer on that one, and I kept noticing his vocals after that. He’s fantastic.

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

4/5

Great alt-rock that has pop hooks at its heart and an occasional hardcore edge. Every song offers up something a little different. All of it is confident and assured. I would recommend this to anyone who likes their alt-rock with plenty of personality in addition to musical chops. Frank Black is a great performer. I listened to about half of this before learning he was the frontman for Pixies. This album has a similar mix of of melodicism and punk chaos that Pixies albums have. It’s a big, ambitious album though. The kind of double album you need to listen to a lot before you can fully absorb it all. But it made a great first impression on me!

Palo Congo

Sabu

3/5

A lot of these songs have very spare instrumentation (including some that are only percussion!), which is interesting, but I ended up gravitating and grooving to the tracks with a little more going on. Even just adding a little guitar riff was enough to flesh out the music into a song for me. Highlights: “Choferito-Plena” and “Rhapsodia del Maravilloso”

The La's

4/5

Great Britpop bursting with personality and fun musical choices. Strong songwriting and confident style in equal measure. It’s a fast-paced album too. I want to go back and listen again because one listen wasn’t enough. Oh and it has the original version of “There She Goes” — it sounds just as good with that English drawl.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

3/5

Jazzy beats with loads of great samples and bouncy flows. This album has a great energy. Track after track, it put a smile on my face. 3.5

Emergency On Planet Earth

Jamiroquai

4/5

This is some impossible to resist, good times, positive vibes music! Soulful jazz-funk that takes influence from Stevie Wonder and Parliament. A joy to put on, and would definitely play again.

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

3/5

I forget sometimes that bands used to sequence their albums with the Side A / Side B of vinyl in mind. That's definitely the case here. Side A is all cool, loungy jazz. Nice music all around. Then Side B explodes with a variety of styles including old school hip-hop, R&B, and pop. There's even a trio of songs at the end of the album that could be on a Dexys Midnight Runners album, a comparison that comes to mind because I saw on Wikipedia that the keyboardist here was briefly a part of that band. Interesting, eclectic album!

Headquarters

The Monkees

3/5

I've often heard The Monkees described as a lite version of The Beatles, which is kind of rude, but also that description does fit here. This is a charming album of short pop songs, a bunch of which sound like The Beatles, as well as other 60s pop and rock 'n' roll styles. “Shades of Gray” is a touching song. It’s an elegy to a simpler time, when right and wrong were easier to distinguish, and when life seemed easier. Someone could be singing it in 2025, but I can imagine that 1967 felt a similar way. Also, I tend to think that maybe everyone feels this way as they get older: life was simple when we were young, and now it’s miserable and complicated. Is that universal regardless of time period? The psychedelic “Early Morning Blues and Greens” was a highlight too. “Randy Scouse Git” was a surprise. At first it sounds a lot like a Beatles knockoff but then that angry, thundering chorus comes in!

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

Great album. It has the scope of a big concept album. And while I don’t think there’s any one single narrative through line, there feels like there’s a story happening. The music is just so cinematic, and the lyrics suggest a sci-fi dystopian world. The songs are perfectly sequenced too. To borrow the title of a Radiohead song not on this album, everything is in its right place. There’s a nice range of styles too. A lot fall under the umbrella of Radiohead’s signature proggy sound, but there are a few Britpop/guitar rock leaning songs, and “Paranoid Android” is pretty punk. I’ve always been a fan of the twinkling and melancholy “No Surprises” too.

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

Great psychedelic album. A blend of folk, doo-wop, and rock. Lots of highlights throughout the album. “This Will Be Our Year” is a personal favorite. It’s a wonderful little gem of a song. And I can’t think of another example of a band saving a song as great as “Time of the Season” for the final track of the album. It feels like a humblebrag, like they believed in the rest of the material enough to let it all play out and then say, “Oh yeah, ‘Time of the Season.’ Did you guys want to hear that one too?” It’s a fantastic song that’s become representative of a whole decade. But also it’s so cool. It’s impossible to not groove when you hear it. They tapped into something magic with that one.

Slanted And Enchanted

Pavement

3/5

Alt-rock in a similar vein to Pixies. There are moments where melody and hooks shine through, but the band mostly prefers to hide all that under feedback, noise, and shouting. They have a very loose style too. They like falling out of time with one another and creating a little chaos. There are plenty of moments that popped out at me, but overall it isn't exactly my taste. I'm not crazy about those talky-style vocals. A little more singing in the vocals would draw me in more.

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

4/5

Powerful political rap. My brain needed a moment to adjust to the wall of sound that is Public Enemy’s sound. But once it did, I found a ton to appreciate here. The music is great — hard-hitting beats that mix old school hip-hop with 90s funk. Chuck D’s flow is very deliberate even when he raps fast — I was able to follow along with everything he said. “By the Time I Get to Arizona” was a highlight! The combination of the soulful backing vocals with that fat, funky, and fuzzed out bass is epic! I also heard the musical connection between Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine for the first time today. There were a few lines that popped out at me that get quoted in Rage songs, and a few musical moments too. I see how Public Enemy paved the way for them.

Stephen Stills

3/5

Breezy folk-rock and funky blues. The music is soulful too. It's a great collection of songs all around. Very good classic rock. "Love the One You're With" is a staple of classic rock radio, but the lyrics have always annoyed me a bit. I feel bad for the girl he's settling for. Like, who wants to be loved when the person who's loving you is still thinking about somebody else? The music is gorgeous though. 3.5

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

2/5

I liked the music on this. There beats are good, with lots of jazzy samples and musical flourishes. But I wasn’t sold on LL Cool J as an MC. He’s decently charismatic on a few tracks, but just as often I thought his performances fell flat. He lacks a certain oomph. His flow is solid but unremarkable, and his lyrics are overly reliant on rap cliches. Not a bad album but I didn’t think it was anything special either. 2.5

Future Days

Can

4/5

Brilliant, beautiful, breathtaking music. The members of Can are clearly gifted performers with a lot of music theory behind them, but their music feels emotionally-driven. All of these songs flowed naturally and felt authentic. I suppose they’re prog-rock to some degree, but the music isn’t belabored or overcomplicated. The songs breathe and stretch out. I loved this.

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

3/5

Beautiful, meditative album of Senegalese folk and desert blues. I found it calming. But there’s a nice, steady rhythm to the music too.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

3/5

A big album of soaring stadium rock, blues, rock n roll, country, and glam. Some of it has an epic sweep (the opening track feels like the overture to a musical), and some of it is more straightforward rock. There are a bunch of major songs here, and a bunch more in a similar vein. I didn’t feel a strong emotional connection to this album, but there’s not denying that it’s impressive. “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” is my favorite. I love that hard rock sound! And Elton John’s shouted vocals are great! 3.5

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

4/5

Oh yeah. I love this. Anxious and horny new wave / synth-pop. This scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. “Tainted Love” is a great song but I never thought about who sings it. I’m happy to learn that there’s an album’s worth of music like it. Also, can we talk about the song “Sex Dwarf”? It’s really a jam about a BDSM relationship with a little person? Haha okay yeah sure 🤷🏻‍♂️

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

2/5

90s alt-rock / jangle pop mixed with a little French pop. I mostly found it pretty irritating. I kept checking to see how much time was left in the songs. It’s too twee for me. They even manage to turn “Iron Man” of all songs into a cutesy little number. “Lovefool” is the exception. It’s different than the rest of the tracks and a major earworm. A 5/5 track and a personal favorite. “Losers” was good too. Sounds like an Elvis Costello song in the style of The Beatles in psychedelic mode. 2.5

Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Spiritualized

4/5

This album has a big, expansive sound. It sounds as if it was made from ingredients found in classic rock, but they’ve been mixed together in a way that feels unique to Spiritualized: a spacey, alt-rock style that is expressive and soulful. This band loves a slow burn. They know how to make music that is spare and minimal. But they also love layering their songs with lots of instruments and sounds. And they can get nice and noisy too. How good is “No God Only Religion”? It’s a surging, chaotic, but still rhythmic track with horns! Really cool.

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis

5/5

This album has such a distinct style. The music is mystical and ethereal. It’s driven by rhythm with dreamlike melodies floating in and out of the mix. Sometimes performers drift away and do their own thing. And then sometimes everyone in the band snaps into place and they become an absolute hurricane force. I love when Miles plays those staccato stabs on the off beat. You can hear it around 10:30 on the title track. He does that a lot during this era and I can never get enough. (There’s a track recorded a few years after this called “Red China Blues” where he plays a solo that is entirely short bursts on the off beat. It’s a total headbanger.) The second half of this gets bluesy and funky. Love that. In college, this was my go-to studying/research album. When I needed to drink a large coffee and stare at a computer screen for a few hours, I played this on my iTunes. I liked how the music already sounded caffeinated. After a while, I started to associate it with studying, so I felt that it helped me get in the headspace I needed to be in. Many years removed from that now, I can appreciate the album in a new light, though a few moments did conjure up a vivid image of the campus library.

Technique

New Order

4/5

Wow, the opening track “Fine Time” is incredible! I felt like it was rewiring my brain as it assaulted me with layers and layers of programmed drums, spiky synths, and guitars. The song keeps morphing, adding new elements in a wild, dance floor mania. Really cool track! This album is pretty eclectic. It moves between synthpop bangers, post-punk and alt-rock, and I was along for the ride. One listen was not enough. I felt as though I was only beginning to wrap my head around it all after one listen. Beautiful album cover. It feels ahead of its time. So striking and colorful. Fantastic.

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

2/5

Rufus Wainwright is clearly very talented. I feel bad rating this a 2, but I also try to keep my rating score honest to how I felt while listening. Sometimes this sounded like Radiohead but sleepier. Sometimes it felt like homework. I kept waiting for a song to grab me and pull me in, but I couldn’t find an entry point. This is impressive music on a technical level, but nothing hit me at a gut level. Very little of it moved me. “Gay Messiah” made me smile though. And “Waiting for a Dream” was good too.

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

3/5

I never thought about French hip-hop before. This is great though! The beats are excellent. And even though I couldn’t understand MC Solaar’s lyrics, his flow is fantastic. He’s got a great, bouncy, playful style. He can rap fast too! Oh man, I love the chaotic energy of “Ragga Jam”!

Siembra

Willie Colón & Rubén Blades

4/5

Terrific salsa music! It has an upbeat, breezy energy, and rhythm rhythm rhythm! There's some big band horns, along with dramatic strings on at least one track. And lots of personality. The vocal performances pop with fun choices throughout.

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

4/5

A joyful album of Southern hip-hop and soulful R&B. A lot of good tracks but “My Kind of People” stood out as particularly great. A little more hit or miss as the album went on, but still had plenty of highlights.

Fred Neil

3/5

Excellent singer-songwriter album with some country twang. The highlight is Fred Neil’s wonderful, deep vocals. His voice is striking. You have to turn your head and listen to him when he sings. The songwriting sounded great from a first listen too. 3.5

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

3/5

Indie rock with some electronica mixed in. Pretty good music but a bit sleepy at times. But just when I started to want a little more oomph, the album delivered and upped the bass and rhythm. This charmed me little by little. I liked it.

White Ladder

David Gray

4/5

Wonderful 90s singer-songwriter pop. David Gray has a great crooning voice. And the hooks and songwriting are excellent too. Very catchy and emotionally moving batch of tunes. Add in some electronica-influenced production, and it all adds up to a very strong album.

Queens of the Stone Age

4/5

I think this is my first time listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s first album. It’s awesome. Right out of the gate, they had their signature style of heavy metal and hard rock figured out. There’s lots of heavy, crunching riffs as well as Josh Homme’s soaring, dramatic vocals. In hindsight, taking their whole career into consideration, this album lays the foundation for their sound. But it absolutely rocks on its own terms too. On later albums, when their songwriting is even stronger and their range expands, they become a classic band — I would argue one of the absolute best of the 21st century — but as a first album, this is great jamming fun for sure! I lost track of how many times I grunted in satisfaction or said “hell yeah” to myself while listening to this.

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

5/5

Spectacular album. It's rare to hear music this inventive and unique also have a bunch of certified bangers on the album. "Dancing Choose" and "Golden Age" are kinetic, infectious dance tracks that demand to be played loud. You just have to move your body when they're on. "Red Dress" is another fun one too. The music is impressive from top to bottom. There are lots of interesting production choices and flourishes (a fuzzy sound on the bass, a sudden burst of strings or horns), but the core songwriting is really strong too. There are key changes and transitions that surprised me in the moment but then immediately felt perfectly placed. The style is awesome too. Prog-rock, funk, alt-rock, dance and electronica all mixed into a stew that is uniquely TV On the Radio. It reminds me a bit of Radiohead's "In Rainbows," which came out the year before this. Like that album, this one has a wide range of styles on it, but the band sequences the tracks in a way that lets everything flow naturally. It's surprisingly accessible for music that also pushes the envelope. I had a blast with this. I'd heard it a few times years ago, but I should listen to it more. And listen to more TV On the Radio in general too.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

3/5

Straightforward blues with good performances throughout. The opening track "Mannish Boy" stood out to me the most. It has an great energy on the lead vocals and background vocals. The rest of the album blurred together for me.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

4/5

Wonderful, laidback soul. Solomon Burke is new to me. He’s got an understated, soulful style on a lot of these tracks, but his charisma shines through. And he’s got power behind his voice too. Depending on the song, he can really belt. The rest of the band is great too. You can’t ask for anything more from this vintage soul style. Great performances all around.

Raw Like Sushi

Neneh Cherry

2/5

I usually don't mind when music sounds like a product of its time, but something about this feels particularly dated. New jack swing is a genre that can sound more dated than other styles, and this album sounds cheesier than most. The lyrics feel cheesy. Most of the songs feature social commentary, but I felt like the messages were too on the nose or written in a way that felt clumsy or silly. I like the hook on "Love Ghetto." "Phoney Ladies" was pretty cool too.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

4/5

40 minutes of scorching and horned up hard rock and heavy metal. Incredible to open with “Highway to Hell” and then maintain that energy for an entire album. Bon Scott’s screaming wail is absolutely insane. This is a fun and ridiculous album, but a good time for sure.

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

Liars

3/5

I always like when a band makes music that stretches the definition of what I previously thought music could be. Liars fill their songs here with distorted bursts of demonic noise, droning instruments, off-kilter rhythms that sound almost tribal or maybe possessed, and chanted vocals. It's a weird, creepy trip, but I was along for the ride. It probably falls just shy of making me want to listen to another Liars album anytime soon, but I'd be curious to hear more.

Moving Pictures

Rush

4/5

Epic prog-rock that puts an equal emphasis on big hooks, guitar heroics, and complex, orchestrated songs. "Tom Sawyer" is such a banger of an opening track. Glancing at the Wikipedia, that song wasn't released as the first single, which means most people put this record on and heard that song fresh for the first time in that moment. I can't imagine how incredible that must have felt as a Rush fan. "Limelight" is another classic rock radio staple. And I honestly enjoyed every other song here. I'm not a big Rush fan, so this was great to hear a tight 40-minute album of excellent music from them. That dub/reggae bounce on "Vital Signs" was a surprise. It's almost a Police song.

Highly Evolved

The Vines

3/5

Fun, energetic rock with a get in, get out attitude to songwriting. The tracks are short, there isn't a lot of needless jamming, and the band's performances are tight. They dip into punk, Britpop, and Beatles 60s throwback pop. Lead singer Craig Nicholls yells and shouts with a punk snarl. I mostly heard references to other bands (including a pretty direct quote of Blue Öyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” on “In the Jungle”) not so much a distinct or original style, but the lads have spunk and energy. I’ll give them that.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

Killer blues rock! There are some heavy, hard-rocking moments that helped me see the connection between blues and heavy metal. There are also some wonderful, soulful tracks too. ZZ Top has a nice range. They do some sweet jamming on this too! Excellent music aside, this has to be one of the worst album covers I’ve seen on the list so far. That shade of green doesn’t fit the music. There’s a weird negative space above the title. None of the photos are good photos. And the font is kinda cheesy. It’s always funny to me when a band with this much talent has no taste in album art 😂

What's That Noise?

Coldcut

3/5

Really enjoyable mix of house, electronica, and old-school hip-hop. It’s a little bit chaotic and a whole lot of fun. A great one-stop shop for a party soundtrack. 3.5

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

3/5

Cool new wave rock that sometimes reminded me of The Clash and sometimes Bowie. It’s fun stuff but I didn’t connect to it emotionally. Some goofy and zany choices here. Like, how about that pirate song?

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

3/5

Lovely album. A lot of it is light and airy folk but usually with a somber or melancholy tone that reminded me of Radiohead. Other tracks were very reminiscent of psychedelic Beatles songs. And “Road to Somewhere” felt like a midtempo 90s pop song, like Madonna in electronica mode. Nice, eclectic album with a mellow vibe.

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

Man, there’s no song in Bruce Springsteen’s catalogue quite like “Adam Raised a Cain”! What a performance! It’s a blistering blues rock song about a father and son, and how anger only breeds more anger. It’s really powerful and absolutely rocks. Lots of great tracks here with some particularly pained vocals from Bruce. He sounds hurt, but there’s some real catharsis in these songs. Listening to this album today, I appreciated the influence that soul and doo-wop have on Bruce’s music. A lot of songs here have that soul style in their DNA. Excellent album overall. 4.5

Life Thru A Lens

Robbie Williams

2/5

I can see why Robbie Williams is popular. He sounds like a cross between Liam Gallagher and George Michael. But there’s something I find off-putting about him. Maybe it’s the way he sneers when he sings. I get the impression that I wouldn’t like him if I met him. Also, some of the lyrics talk about average people being bored with their lives. And I find it kind of annoying when a rockstar passes judgement on other people’s lives. Like, easy for you to say! You’re famous and rich! The album’s outro suggests that Robbie Williams came up from nothing, but I didn’t feel that anywhere else on the album. The songs are strong though. Enjoyable pop with a nice rock edge and plenty of hooks. But this isn’t for me. 2.5

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

4/5

This is interesting! It’s essentially big band, but they’re playing a cool, smoky style of jazz, which is not at all what I expect from big band. And those smooth melodies often build into big, chaotic climaxes that feel more like free jazz. There are a few other styles that emerge from the smoke before falling back into the noise — I heard a little Spanish guitar a few times. This is a dense album. I enjoyed throwing myself into it, and I’d be curious to listen more and see what else I find in it.

Eagles

4/5

Great collection of country, folk rock and hard rock. The songs are great — including a few classics right at the top — and the production is gorgeous. The 1001 albums list is gradually converting me into becoming an Eagles fan, and I’m not mad about it at all.

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

3/5

Recently, I read a quote from a music critic who said that after spending half his life interviewing bands, he came to the conclusion that bands think about genre much less than critics do. He said they just play the music they want to play, and then people label it. That struck me as funny, but it makes sense. As a listener, I want to categorize and label. It’s part of how I wrap my brain around something new. But I think that artists, more often than not, just play whatever they feel like, which is usually some version of what they enjoy listening to. This album sounds like a mash-up of influences — punk, dance rock, post-punk, and prog rock are all swirling around in the mix here — but I get the impression that Klaxons weren’t thinking about genre when they made it. The style feels more instinctual than calculated, like everybody added a dash of what they like into the pot rather than going off a recipe. This is all a roundabout way to say that Klaxons have a cool, original style that sounds natural. The music doesn’t feel overthought. But it’s also polished and very well produced! They remind me a bit of early Arctic Monkeys. They have a similar style of danceable punk. (I just looked at the album credits and James Ford is a producer here. He’s produced so much of my favorite music in the last 10-20 years, including Arctic Monkeys starting with their second album.)

Timeless

Goldie

3/5

Nice drum ‘n’ bass with a mix of samples. The album actually takes some moments to breathe too. It’s not just wall-to-wall breakbeats. There are some mellower intros and outros and the occasional softer track that changes up the formula. I actually could have skipped those bits — I’d rather maintain the high energy. But I enjoyed this overall.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

Wow. Amazing that this many great songs are on one album. “Movin’ Out” is a killer opener. It’s like a Beatles song with a theatrical sweep! And the title track right afterwards is fantastic. It sounds like Steely Dan, which is some of the highest praise I can give a song 😂 But Billy Joel has his own style too. He’s a great showman. I resisted his music when I was younger, and now I’m not sure why. I guess I found him a little cheesy. Parts of “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” are a little corny, but it’s an epic song filled with ear worms. I only learned recently that “Only the Good Die Young” is about a guy trying to convince a Catholic girl to sleep with him. I don’t know how I missed that before. It’s such a funny premise. I had already liked it, but it got so much better once I realized that.

On The Beach

Neil Young

4/5

Really good singer-songwriter record. The music is great and the lyrics are sharp. Every detail — the solos, the additional instrumentation — feels in service of the song. This wasn’t a Neil Young record I was familiar with, but I’d love to hear it again. Great album cover too.

Suicide

4/5

Fascinating style! Repetitive rhythms and synth loops with vocals that remind me of Lou Reed. The music has an experimental, avant garde heart. But there's a dash of nostalgia too. You can just barely hear the influence of rock 'n' roll. Like, “Johnny” could be a surf rock song. Whoa, “Frankie Teardrop” is wild. I don’t exactly love it, but it definitely got a reaction out of me. Those screams are so abrasive. I mentioned Lou Reed before; this track could easily be on Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat.” Hypnotic art rock. I dug it.

Clandestino

Manu Chao

3/5

Enjoyable album that blends styles from around the globe. The majority of it sounds Latin American, but there’s an eclectic mix here. Joyful, lively music.

Odessa

Bee Gees

2/5

This gets off to a slow start. That first long song drags and feels kind of formless. As the album goes on, there are plenty of good songs, but also a fair amount of songs that didn’t gel together for me. They lacked a certain spark. But I love “Marley Purt Drive” — great song. So fun. There’s a version by Jose Feliciano that’s particularly great. I might have actually heard his before the original. I wish there were more hooky songs like that one. Or maybe just some more editing on the album to make the strong songs stand out more. Wow, this last instrumental is impressive. Very cinematic. 2.5

Arular

M.I.A.

4/5

This is awesome. M.I.A. is just so cool. She’s got so much swagger singing and rapping over these beats. And the beats are nuts — a mashup of hip-hop and electronica with a wide array of global influences. I had a blast listening to this. No major hits on this album but plenty of bangers! I always love the chaotic energy of M.I.A.’s album covers, and this one is no exception.

Medúlla

Björk

2/5

Listening to this album is like walking through a modern art museum. There are lots of interesting pieces that clearly took time and effort to create. There’s a high level of craft on display. But not much hit on an emotional level for me. A lot of these tracks gave me the feeling of walking into a side room exhibit, looking around, and saying, “Wow, that’s really something,” then leaving a few minutes later mostly unmoved. Björk is hit or miss for me like this. When she’s in experimental / avant-garde mode, I feel a wall between me and the music. I don’t have a good entry point into it. I’m not sure how to enjoy it. Her voice is beautiful, and the arrangements are bold and unusual. But I find my mind wandering off, looking for the next piece in the museum. “Ancestors” is a wild track. Gorgeous, overlapping vocals clashing with primal grunting. It’s a good example of the interesting-from-a-distance, art project vibe of the whole thing. The freaky beatboxing on “Triumph of the Heart” was sort of fun though.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Really impressive singer-songwriter album of mostly ballads. The music really breathes. There’s a lot of space here, capturing the feel of a live recording. The songs feel grand, but they’re pretty minimalistic in terms of their arrangements. Nick Cave isn’t totally my jam, but this is a strong album. “Into My Arms” is a classic. There’s a dash of irreverence in the lyrics of that one (and on a few other tracks), which somehow makes the romantic sentiment feel more genuine. Almost like Nick Cave is saying, “I know this is sappy and sentimental but I really do love you.”

Machine Head

Deep Purple

4/5

Awesome heavy metal! Some blues-leaning hard rock too. Big hooks, heavy riffs, and a soaring energy. Epic, fun music all around. The opening track “Highway Star” is incredible. The solos are killer! "Smoke on the Water" is a classic song and actually one that I haven't gotten sick of despite hearing it countless times on the radio. In fact, the more I hear of Deep Purple, the more I appreciate the song. This is a killer album front-to-back. I’d love to play it again nice and loud and rock out.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

2/5

Cool new wave style with some fun synth parts. I also appreciate the political lyrics on some of the songs. I’d like to like this more, but I didn’t connect with any of the songs here. Enjoyable (if dated) sound, but nothing too memorable. 2.5

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

5/5

What a beautiful sound. Lush strings, twinkling bells, a flurry of woodwinds here and there, lots of small percussion, and layers of gorgeous vocals. It’s soothing, healing music for a broken world. The lyrics and the emotion of it all were hitting today. Everything Marvin Gaye sings about here — inequality, war, pollution — is top of mind in the news. His pleas for love, peace, understanding are as necessary today as they were half a century ago.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

5/5

Is there any rap album that comes out swinging with a more confident style than “The Chronic”? Hard beats, fat bass lines, whining synths, classic funk samples, and a bouncy rap flow that often sounds like a schoolyard taunt. It’s all swagger and attitude, and it’s a blast from start to finish. This is one of the albums that got me into hip-hop. It’s a classic that hooks you from the very start and keeps you entertained with an infectious energy. The production is the star of the show, though the rapping is excellent too. It’s billed as a Dr. Dre solo album, but it’s basically split between him and Snoop Dogg, whose presence on most songs is one of the things that makes the album so fun. The production is so good that I’m always willing to overlook the homophobia and misogyny in the lyrics. And it’s not like you can just look the other way at the occasional line or two. It’s pretty constant. But like a lot of classics from this era, it is what it is, and you learn to cringe or shake your head at the lyrics even as you nod your head to another incredible beat. Lots of classics here including “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.” I’ve always been a fan of “Let Me Ride” too.

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

4/5

Oh hell yeah. “Cowboy Movie” is such a jam. Probably my favorite track here. I’m a casual CSNY fan, and anything I’ve heard from a member of the group is reliably strong. This one leans into rock, but there are some lovely moments that draw on folk and psychedelic rock too. Wow, the closing tracks are very different but really beautiful. Those reverbed vocals! All around excellent album.

The Band

3/5

Country rock, blues, and rock n roll. Nice album. I’ve always liked the voice of the main singer, Rick Danko. I had to look up his name, but it’s a name I should know. One of the most distinct voices in rock.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

4/5

Joyful jazz-rock fusion featuring big band orchestrations that rival Chicago. "You've Made Me So Very Happy" is a personal favorite. It takes a simple and romantic sentiment and blows it up into this huge, dramatic song. It's gorgeous, and I really connect to it. Love can really feel like that.

Trio

Dolly Parton

3/5

Lovely album of gentle and lovelorn country songs. The harmonies are beautiful. I enjoyed spending time with this today.

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

3/5

A fun, hyperactive set from Talking Heads. It’s got spiky riffs and an anxious and twitchy energy. The band keeps things moving — one relentless rhythm moves right into the next. This is a good album, though not a great one in my book. But it does have their classic version of “Take Me to the River.” 3.5

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

3/5

Oh man, that part in the chorus of “Take on Me” where the drums change up from their usual beat and slip into a new, syncopated rhythm. That part amps me up so much. Like, obviously the synth hook is the star of the show here, but the drums are a huge reason this song is such a banger. The rest of the album is solid 80s pop. Big reverb on everything, some of it melancholy but still with a beat. I like it. And “Take on Me” is a 10/10 classic. Honestly, it’s even better than I remember. Cool album cover. I love that dynamic blur that almost looks like a brushstroke.

The Bends

Radiohead

5/5

One of the greatest guitar rock albums of all time. Every song feels like a classic. The album is packed with catchy melodies and big hooks, which makes it a ton of fun to sing along to, or just jam out. But the music is layered too. These tracks are more complex than your average rock song. The band also absolutely rocks on this one. There are moments where their sound gets close to grunge. I love the mix of beautiful melodies and scuzzy feedback. Great album and a personal favorite. The emotions are so big! And the music is so easy to listen to.

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

2/5

This style of alt-rock just isn’t for me. I understand why someone would be into it, but I find the lead singer’s voice grating. It’s a well-produced album of heartfelt music, but I don’t think Afghan Whigs are my taste.

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

3/5

Nice, easygoing mix of 60s pop ranging from soul to psychedelic rock. Pleasant and enjoyable, though not particularly memorable. Sometimes I wanted a little extra oomph from the songs, but overall I liked this.

It's Too Late to Stop Now

Van Morrison

4/5

Nice live album by Van Morrison. It highlights the jazzier elements in his style. He has a great band here with a lush, rich sound. The production on the live recording is excellent.

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

3/5

Excellent folk rock. Great mix of traditional influences and 60s rock. There are some nice instrumentals too. This would make for a great, easy Sunday listen. 3.5

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

3/5

Enjoyable album. The music is rooted in reggae but stretches out into a few other neighboring genres. I love that deep and funky bass throughout. Finley Quaye is a nice singer too. His vocals are front and center in the mix — soulful and charismatic.

Garbage

3/5

Alt-rock with a hard edge, a big attitude, and big hooks. This was a fun, moody, good time. What a great band name too. And a cool album cover. That pink color must have really popped on store shelves in 1995 and in people's CD collections. It really announces itself.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

3/5

What an opening trio of songs: "Independent Woman Part 1," "Survivor," and "Bootylicious." All of them are bangers. I remember these songs taking over the world when they came out, and they stand the test of time two decades later. Some of the vocals on “Apple Pie a la Mode” have a wild, swirling flow. I love the loose, playful feel of the song and the jazzy vocal runs. (It reminds me a bit of one of my favorite Beyoncé songs, "Blow" from her 2013 self-titled album). There are surprising interpolations on the album. The inclusion of the "Oh-wah-oh-wah" from "Tarzan Boy" on "Nasty Girl" caught me by surprise and made me laugh. And "Sexy Daddy" recycles a bit of Gloria Estefan's "Conga" around the 1:25 mark, which makes for a fun "Wait, I know this, what is that?" moment trying to place the familiar melody. Like a lot of albums from this era, there’s a fair amount of filler and fluff. But there’s some good albums cuts too, and all of it is beautifully produced. And even when the song is less than memorable, Beyoncé’s vocals always stand out. 3.5

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

3/5

This album lives in its own world. There’s no way to predict what’s coming next. There’s dance rock, jazz, ambient, and what sometimes feels like film score. Most of the vocals are snippets of spoken word. They feel like overheard conversations, or maybe samples from field recordings captured out in society. (Also, there’s a twisted fairy tale near the end too. That’s a surprise.) Fascinating album. It’s all over the place but somehow feels like a cohesive experience.

Phrenology

The Roots

4/5

Wow. I can’t believe I’ve never listened to The Roots before. This goes so hard. Black Thought has a great, deep voice and a tough-as-nails flow. And the beats are fantastic. The production is rich and full. The live band sound is incredible. They pivot from funk to soul to hip-hop to jazz with an amazing rhythm section. This is powerful, muscular music. 4.5

Oar

Alexander 'Skip' Spence

2/5

Alexander 'Skip' Spence has a very laidback — bordering on lazy — style of performing. He doesn’t always sound like he’s fully opening his mouth when he sings. And the guitar strumming can feel almost halfhearted. This feels more like an oddity or curiosity than an essential album. There are moments that get a little psychedelic and weird. And he leaves the occasional sour note in. The album is deliberately imperfect. But it’s also kind of tedious, and I’m not convinced I need to hear it. Okay, reading about the album definitely gives some context. Alexander 'Skip' Spence had previously been in a rock band but wrote these songs while he was committed in a mental hospital. And he released the demos rather than recording full versions of the songs. The music definitely captures a distinct, interesting energy. It’s just not an energy I enjoyed on a first listen.

Take Me Apart

Kelela

3/5

Dreamy, spacey, electronica-influenced R&B. I think it's cool how nowadays, R&B singers reach for electronica and dance beats as often as they do hip-hop beats. The line between the genres can often blur. My favorite R&B artist is Tinashe, and her recent albums have a mix of hip-hop, drum 'n' bass, and other electronica. It makes for great grooves and opens the genre up for a wide variety of sounds. This album has a similar style at times. A lot of these tracks border on being too dreamy for me though. I can get a little restless if the music is too formless or if the structure isn't clear. Then again, this isn't music to listen to while doing the dishes. It's bedroom music. Some of these spacey synths and meandering songs might work a lot better between the sheets. Overall, I liked this! Great style, even if there wasn't a ton of memorable songwriting. "Onanon" was my favorite here. The opening few songs are really good too.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

3/5

The guitar tone on this album is beautiful. And I love how the finger plucking frequently dips into minor notes. It adds a mysterious tone. The music feels deep and complex as a result. This isn’t just standard chord strumming. It’s intricate. Nick Drake’s vocals are restrained but confident. He captures the quiet drama of these folk songs. I wasn’t paying close attention to the lyrics, but they sound like stories, and I’d guess that there’s a lot of heartbreak and sadness in the lyrics. There’s some great piano on this album too. Really beautiful, mesmerizing music. 3.5

Chelsea Girl

Nico

4/5

What a great album to listen to as the weather transitions to cooler temperatures. It’s very autumnal music. I love the opening two tracks, “The Fairest of the Seasons” and “These Days.” Especially “These Days.” What a gorgeous song. “It Was a Pleasure Then” is stunning. It’s sparse and sort of ugly but also breathtaking and one-of-a-kind. Lou Reed and John Cale of the Velvet Underground are songwriters and performers on this track (and a few other songs here). I love their visionary, boundary-pushing attitude toward music. They really made music that had never been made before. It’s bold and exciting. It still sounds strange and jarring. Oh yeah… and Nico’s voice! What a unique singer. Beautiful and expressive and sad. Her deep tone is unmistakable. I really connected with this today. It’s got a special energy.

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

2/5

A lot of punk riffs tend to be simple and repetitive. But some of the melodies on this Buzzcocks album are also simple and repetitive, and I find the songs a bit grating. Maybe it's also the singer's whiny wail. I found myself wincing through the first few tracks. “Get On Our Own” hits a nice stride though. It’s got an almost soaring quality. And a little later, "I Don't Mind" has some great 'Oooh-ooh' backing vocals. I love that. “Sixteen” is an interesting one. I can’t remember another time I heard a punk song that could also be described as a march. There’s definitely more going on here than I thought at first. Solid musicianship but not a lot that I connected with. 2.5

Vivid

Living Colour

4/5

Fantastic heavy metal with a funky bass! There are also some more pop-minded hard rock tracks here. Even a touch of blues. It’s a great stew of influences. Very fun and full of personality. “Cult of Personality” is an awesome song! Listening to classic rock radio as a teenager, this song blurred in with the other heavy metal / pop metal songs (that genre wasn’t really my thing at the time) but man this track is excellent. I also love how Kennedy and Gandhi get mentioned alongside Mussolini and Stalin. The song isn’t just criticizing dictators — it’s about anyone who tries to make themself a symbol rather than just a person. It argues that we should be skeptical of all leaders, regardless of politics. I love that message. Wow! “Which Way to America” is amazing. Love the message, love the speed, love the energy. Living Colour is a great band just in terms of the musical performances, but they also elevate their songs with political and social commentary. I bet Rage Against the Machine cite them as influences. 4.5

G. Love And Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

3/5

Fun, loose, bluesy and jazzy music with a laidback rap flow. A real pleasure to put on and groove to. And as much as this is a chill, weekend vibes album, the performances are really strong. There are a lot of musical ideas squeezed into the songs. The band is great — funky and relaxed but able to kick into high gear when needed. They blend hip-hop and blues seamlessly. And I love that funky bass! “Baby’s Got Sauce” was particularly fun. Very catchy.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

3/5

I love U2. I love them in rock mode, and I appreciate them in cheesy pop mode, like they are here. In 2014, I felt like I was the only person who thought, "Oh, cool. The new U2 album is automatically on my iTunes." U2 is earnest and big-hearted. They want to make you feel something. Even on their more forgettable songs (this album has plenty), that guitar tone is gorgeous and moving. The emotions are pure, and the production is immaculate. U2 also has enough hits to fill two greatest hits albums. This album opens with three of them. These are huge songs that took over the world when they came out. I still enjoy humming along to them in a department store, even if they're not my favorites.

Funeral

Arcade Fire

5/5

Arcade Fire have a big sound and big emotions! The melodies soar on this album! The arrangements are beautifully orchestrated, but it still feels like a rock record. There’s a touch of Springsteen in the mix here. There are so many great songs on this album that feel like anthems. Really powerful, beautiful music that holds a special place in my heart.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

4/5

Nobody makes a singer-songwriter album like Joni Mitchell. She has a singular voice and style. This particular album was full of surprises. There were lots of production and arrangement choices I wasn't expecting, including a few moments that sound ahead of their time. It was an interesting ride with a lot of great music.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

2/5

Wonderful finger-plucking guitar on this album. But I continue to be underwhelmed by Leonard Cohen. He’s just not for me. There are some thought-provoking lyrics and nice musical moments, but overall it felt monotonous to me. I was bored.

Moondance

Van Morrison

5/5

When I asked my parents what song they danced to for their first dance at their wedding, they both smiled and said “Moondance” by Van Morrison. Then they thought about it a moment longer and my mom said, “Actually it wasn’t. It was another song. But it should have been Moondance.” They both had trouble remembering the name of their actual first dance song. I love this album, partly because I grew up with it, and because there was as a sense of specialness around it in my household. But also, it’s a fantastic pop album, stacked with great songs, and I’ve formed my own special relationship with the music. On my own wedding day, there was a moment when I realized that I had left something important at the venue during our morning rehearsal: a bag of ties that I was supposed to give to a few of the groomsmen. I needed to drive 20 minutes from the hotel to the venue, then 20 minutes back to the hotel to get dressed. It was a real pain of an extra trip to take on my wedding day when I should have been relaxing. But it was a beautiful, sunny day, and I thought: “Why not enjoy the drive and listen to some music?” The choice of music was obvious. Van Morrison’s “Moondance.” It’s almost exactly 40 minutes long, and it perfectly captured the bright joy of that warm day in May. I savored that drive. I can picture the roads I drove down as clearly as many other memories from that day. It was a nice way to be alone with my happiness, if that makes sense. A way to process the significance of what was going to be a special day and a great party. This music feels like a balm. It’s bright and colorful and full of life. Always a pleasure to put on.

The Lexicon Of Love

ABC

3/5

Big, dramatic, theatrical disco pop! RIYL Dexys Midnight Runners. It's hard not to like music that's doing backflips to entertain the listener. This is a very fun listen.

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

4/5

Lovely classic rock with plenty of blues and some hard rock too. Rod Stewart is a great frontman. He’s got an awesome rock n roll wail. I don’t know how singers like him perform every night without losing their voice. “Sweaty girls and damp motels is where I'm gonna stay” — something about that line on “Too Bad” hit for me. Like, hell yeah. I love that off-kilter guitar part on “That’s All You Need.” And listen to those steel drums at the end! What a pleasant surprise! I was jamming to this from beginning to end.

Nick Of Time

Bonnie Raitt

3/5

The opening title track here particularly stood out to me. I don't hear a lot of songs about the anxiety of getting older. It was refreshing to hear. Great song. Bonnie Raitt's voice is gorgeous and the production is smooth and polished. It's mostly rock leaning towards pop, but there's some blues and country too. Very pleasant overall with a strong emotional core.

Superfuzz Bigmuff

Mudhoney

3/5

There’s a big punk spirit and energy on this distortion-heavy, grungy collection of songs. I really liked another Mudhoney album on this list, “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge.” This one proves they had talent from the very start. The songs feel messier than they actually are. There’s depth and complexity in the chaos. It’s definitely richer and more sophisticated than your standard punk album.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

5/5

The drums on this album are insane! They're big and cavernous, booming like a cannon. The rest of the music is filled out with a mix of hard rock guitars and loose funk. The majority of the album hits hard, but there's a playful streak throughout too. The lyrics are radical and in-your-face (and occasionally reprehensible on the subject of women). "Fuck tha Police" is a classic and an absolute jam. Some of the lyrics are still shocking. They go back and forth from righteous rage to gleeful violence. The title track is incredible too. What an opening statement. "Express Yourself" and "I Ain't Tha 1" are very fun songs -- the more playful side of N.W.A's hard-hitting sound. I'm always amazed by the contrast of how joyful the music is on "I Ain't Tha 1" and how awful the misogynistic lyrics are. This is an entertaining listen front to back. Amazing energy and a unique style that influenced countless other artists in addition to launching the careers of everyone in the group.

This Is Hardcore

Pulp

2/5

Jarvis Cocker seems like a very intelligent guy. He's clearly talented too, as are the other members of Pulp. These are carefully crafted songs. The lyrics and production feel deliberate. But, I don't know, I'm just not connecting with the material. I typically form an emotional connection to music before I form an intellectual one, and this music isn't engaging me emotionally. Really good album cover though! 2.5

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

3/5

Fast and dynamic rap flows over crunchy electronica beats. The production in particular is a highlight. Every track is interesting. The rapping is really stylized too. Cool album. Unique sound.

Manassas

Stephen Stills

4/5

Wonderful classic rock album of folk-rock, blues and country (even some bluegrass). This is a big album — 21 songs! — and I enjoyed putting it on in the background and letting it wash over me. Beautiful music and very easy to listen to.

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

3/5

A fusion of jazz-rock, prog-rock, and funk. It's a fun ride with a lot of different ideas. Probably not an album I'd put on again but I like Pharrell, so I enjoyed hearing him in a different mode than usual.

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

3/5

In college, I took a poetry creative writing class, and in addition to writing poetry, we sometimes had to analyze published poems of our choosing. In the first class, our professor stressed that we could not pick song lyrics. "Not even Bob Dylan," she said. "He's a rock lyricist. Not a poet." Then she thought about it and said the only exception she would allow was David Berman from Silver Jews, and maybe a few songs by Tom Waits. Listening to this album, I totally understand why David Berman's lyrics might count as poetry. His lyrics are surprising and inventive. The language is plain and direct, but the imagery feels dense. A lot of lines make you tilt your head to consider them a little more. Some of them make emotional sense before they make logical sense. Speaking of Tom Waits, this particular verse from "Horseleg Swastikas" could easily be in a Waits song: "On the wrong side of Sunday morning Shattered in the terrible light Working for a bankrupt circus On the wrong side of Saturday night" Also, "horseleg swastikas" is an incredible phrase. Feels like the kind of image you could roll around your mind a bunch and have totally different "A-ha, now I get it" interpretations of over the years. "I Remember Me" is beautiful and touching and surprising and a little funny. The bit where he buys the car that put him in a coma and touches the part that hit him? It's heartbreaking but not without a bit of humor. The music is very good too. The country style complements Berman's half-spoken style of vocals. Also, William Tyler is the guitarist here -- I love his instrumental solo albums. I didn't realize he was in Silver Jews beforehand.

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

4/5

Whoa! This is an awesome and exhilarating album of high-speed thrash metal with riffs, drama, and killer solos. It's overwhelming to hear music this dense played so fast. Sometimes I could hear the complexity and intricacy of it all. Sometimes it whipped by me in a blur. Either way, the energy is contagious. Going along for the ride is a lot of fun. Amazing album cover.

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

5/5

Fantastic pop album filled with high-energy disco and jubilant funk. “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” is one of Michael Jackson’s best. It’s impossible to resist. There are other hits too but what I love about this album is that even the non-single tracks are great. “Workin’ Day and Night” is just as good as some of his biggest hits. I love how the momentum keeps going even when he’s singing lines like “I’m so tired now.” It’s like he’s on this nonstop rollercoaster of a work schedule and can’t escape. “Burn This Disco Out” is another excellent lesser known track. The energy dips briefly with the twinkling ballad “She’s Out of My Life,” but other than that, this is a full party in an album and a personal favorite.

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

4/5

My first impression is that I’m surprised this came out in 2002. If I hadn’t seen the year, I might have guessed mid 90s, maybe earlier. This is conscious rap with an old school heart. They sound influenced by A Tribe Called Quest. My second impression is that with so many rappers on the album (4 who are officially in the group plus a few guest features), there’s always some new flow or voice pulling your attention in a different direction. They trade verses and lines pretty quickly. It feels very collaborative. “A Day at the Races” is an incredible track! Lightning fast flows from everyone, and every line is delivered with impeccable and precise diction. I love how when one verse ends, they don’t even let a single beat pass before passing the baton to the next guy and launching into another verse. Really awesome. Great funk and soul samples throughout. And this last instrumental track?! Wow, awesome showcase for the two DJs in the group.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

This album has some of the most soulful reggae I've heard. The tone is soothing and easy-going, even when the lyrics are about generational pain and suffering. I love the gently funky bass lines throughout too. The bass just kind of struts along through these songs and carves its own path through the music. It's fun to follow along with. I've always liked the Peter Tosh songs on this album. "400 Years" is haunting but also hopeful. And I love "Stop That Train," an easygoing, bluesy number. "Stir It Up" is of course the standout track. What a beautiful song. And that guitar solo is fantastic. I've heard that solo so many times that I could almost sing along to it. And that talk box sort of effect on the guitar really makes it sound like the guitar is singing. Great batch of songs with excellent production. I really enjoyed listening to all the details in the mix today. This is a classic in my book.

Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout

3/5

For a minute there on the first track, this band sounds influenced by The Smiths. There's still a touch of that influence on later tracks, but the majority is glossy 80s pop. The lead singer has a great voice. It's smooth enough for pop but with enough edge to take it into rock territory if he wants. As the album went on, I heard more Elvis Costello in the sound. And it almost has some of the complex jazz-rock arrangements you might hear on a Steely Dan album. I'm seeing the term "sophisti-pop" on the Wikipedia page, and I think that sums up the style well. Nice music with more cool details and interesting choices than your average pop album.

The Undertones

3/5

Fun punk with lots of hooks and a playful, carefree attitude. I like the bouncy bass lines throughout. “True Confessions” was a surprising twist — more of a new wave style. A few of these songs actually lean towards new wave in addition to having classic punk riffs.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

I didn't know that Björk was in a band before her solo career, but I'm happy to learn about them now. This is awesome. The Sugarcubes are like if Björk sang in The B-52's. She’s got a B-52's-esque energy on lead vocals: a willingness to get wild and freaky in the name of rock 'n' roll. The band has a post-punk style with jagged riffs and deep bass lines, but they have some playful moments too. And the drums are nonstop energy, driving the music's momentum. Definitely worth more listens.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly

3/5

Really enjoyable psychedelic rock album. There's hard rock, pop, and some early heavy metal in these songs. Side A is a fun batch of shorter songs, and Side B is the 17-minute title track "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." I had fun jamming to this today. 3.5 Side note: I've been paying more attention to fonts lately and man oh man, the font on this album cover is terrible! It's obviously dated but even still... those I's and A's look ridiculous.

The World is a Ghetto

War

3/5

Great funky rock with a jazzy energy. I don't know if any one song stood out to me, but this is an all-around great vibe with strong performances throughout. 3.5

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

4/5

This is the real deal here: raw, unpolished hard rock from a band that plays blues and heavy metal with equal ferocity. This is loud music with a capital L. I love the chaos and the noise of it. I’ll definitely have to check out more from Blue Cheer. And extra impressive that they were pioneers of heavy metal. Seems like they basically helped invent a new sound by being as loud and heavy as they could be.

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

4/5

Ooh this is really good. The music mixes krautrock rhythms with airy melodies in a way that reminds me of the band Stereolab. The arrangements are interesting and complex, but the songs still have strong emotional hooks. There are some cool, psychedelic tracks too, which is right up my alley. Honestly, every song here has its own character and style, and all of it is beautifully produced. This is an impressive album worth diving back in for more listens.

Electric

The Cult

4/5

Hell yeah! Rock and fuckin rooooollll! I enjoy a lot of different hard rock and heavy metal, but this is right in that glorious sweet spot between classic rock and metal. The energy is stadium-sized. Lead singer Ian Astbury wails like he has a wind machine behind him. The music is blues-centric but heavy. It's got all the fun of a band like AC/DC, but with the politically conscious anti-war lyrics you'd expect on a Sabbath record. Ohh, okay, Rick Rubin produced this! I heard Rubin say in an interview that his main talent isn’t musical skill. It’s having great taste. I think that's on display here. This feels like the product of a band and producer with impeccable taste. It absolutely rocks, but it's smart music too. The performances are incredible with some killer solos, but the songs are also tight and focused. They get in and get out, packing a wallop in fairly short amount of time. Nice cover of “Born to Be Wild” too!

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

3/5

A friend of mine loved this album in high school and played it a lot. Hearing the opening track immediately took me back to driving around my hometown mall’s parking lot. The music has a sort of overcast mood. It’s definitely a vibe, though maybe a bit murky for me to want to put it on. The songwriting feels particularly influenced by The Kinks. Damon Albarn kind of sounds like Ray Davies occasionally too. A few highlights here but it’s mostly middle of the road for me.

A Seat at the Table

Solange

4/5

What a beautiful sound. The music is rooted in easygoing grooves with deep, funky bass lines. And Solange floats over all of it, sounding ethereal. The style is a mix of R&B, jazz, funk, and pop. It’s a distinct sound and I love putting it on and just soaking in it. Great album cover. I love how those hair clips look like butterflies.

Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti

2/5

This sounds like someone tried to make a Michael Jackson album but cheap and plastic. Even the lead singer’s voice sounds thin. I could see myself enjoying some of these songs if they were produced differently. They sound like solid pop songs. But the cheesy, pristine sheen on every track is off-putting.

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

4/5

Joyful, energetic, good times party music. It’s electronica at its core, but it samples so many other genres and styles that the big picture effect is like a musical collage. Every song is packed with samples and surprising shifts. Very fun. Really artfully put together and produced.

Viva Hate

Morrissey

3/5

I always enjoy a Morrissey solo album, though they mostly blur together for me. I'm not sure I have a favorite, but he's consistently good. This album has lots of sweeping melodrama and some post-punk rockers on it. I didn't catch all the lyrics, but seems like his usual witty writing about heartbreak and relationships. He's got some good one-liners. This one made me laugh: "So he drove me home in the van / Complaining, 'Women only like me for my mind.'" I also like the line "Rejection is one thing but rejection from a fool is cruel." Sounds as though he doesn't even like the person he's being rejected by, which is particularly sad and makes him seem like a jerk. But also, I kind of get it. The highlight here is his voice. I love his vocals. Nobody else sounds like Morrissey. No one else can wallow in their misery like he does.

The Cars

4/5

This is one of those albums that plays like a greatest hits. “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Just What I Needed,” and “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” are all on the same album?! Wow. The Cars have a great style. It’s new wave inspired by classic rock n roll. Some of the most enjoyable, crowd-pleasing rock music I can think of. The album cuts are good here too. The album flows nicely between the lesser known tracks and the mega hits. Maybe a slight dip at the end, but the opening sequence is fantastic! Great classic album cover too. 4.5

Parklife

Blur

3/5

Blur are very British. I think this is the main thing holding me back from loving them, along with a number of other artists. Some British artists wear their culture on their sleeves, and I can feel like an outsider looking in. I enjoy their music, but I don't deeply connect with it. It feels as though it wasn't made with me in mind. I get the sense that this music contains dozens of nostalgia triggers that would get pressed if you had grown up in England: music your grandparents listened to, old TV theme songs, character types from the neighborhood, and just a general English sensibility, along with any number of other cultural references that go over my head. If you grew up in England, you would get all the jokes and winks and nods. But as an American born shortly before this album came out, I'll always be a step behind. The other day, we had a different Damon Albarn album on this list -- The Good, The Bad & The Queen -- and I noted that they sounded like The Kinks. Blur sounds like The Kinks too. I like The Kinks a lot, and they're definitely very British, but there's something about the songwriting on most of their albums that transcends culture and lands that emotional connection for me. Sometimes it's here on "Parklife," sometimes it's not. A lot of Damon Albarn projects have one or two major standout tracks, and then a lot of forgettable songs. "Girls & Boys" is the standout here. Great song. It really captures a fun, youthful, and horny energy. There’s an impressive mix of styles on this album. There’s a lot here. I’m impressed, even if I’m not totally wow’ed. Incredible album cover though. I’ve wanted to listen to this album for years because I saw the album cover and thought, “That must be a great album.”

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

3/5

You gotta love an album that sounds like a bunch of friends goofing around in the studio. The Pharcyde definitely don't take themselves too seriously. I mean, there's a whole song dedicated to 'Yo mama' jokes. The beats are loose and jazzy, and the flows are playful. I lost track of how many rappers there were in the group, but the album sounds like a party.

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

3/5

“Sunshine Superman” is a classic song! Definitely one of the tracks I would pick to define the 60s. I love the swagger of it and the touch of psychedelia. But man, what a letdown of a second track. I kept checking to see how much time was left on the 7-minute “Legend of a Girl Child Linda.” It’s such a repetitive, boring song. I can’t imagine why anyone would pick that as their second track, especially after an absolute banger of an opener. The album slowly picks up after that, but it’s not really until “Season of the Witch” that the album delivers another truly strong song. In the end, about half of this album is enjoyable rock (including two 5-star tracks), and the rest of it is pretty boring. The last song, “Celeste,” is lovely though.

Ingenue

k.d. lang

3/5

Nice, mature singer-songwriter album. This is classy, sophisticated music with great production and great vocals from k.d. lang. Not really my taste, but I can definitely see why she’s respected.

The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett

3/5

There's something entrancing about the flat, almost disinterested way that Syd Barrett sings on this album. His style makes you lean in a bit. It makes you wonder, "Who is this guy?" As the former frontman of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett is definitely worthy of recognition in rock history. I think the first Pink Floyd album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is the one to check out if you're curious about Barrett's songwriting. I'm happy to have listened to this solo album too, but I'd file it as a curiosity of music history rather than an essential album. I thought it was interesting though that his vocals reminded me of Roger Waters on a few tracks. His influence on Pink Floyd must have been huge even after his departure, and looks like Waters and David Gilmour produced a few tracks here too.

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

4/5

A few years ago on this list (I can't believe it's been so long that I can say a phrase like that), we had the album "Jazz Samba" by Stan Getz, which I really enjoyed. In the months after, I ended up listening to it a lot more, and it became one of my most-played albums. I even listened to this album, "Getz/Gilberto," and another Stan Getz album called "Big Band Bossa Nova" because I couldn't get enough of the style. This is a lovely, easy-to-listen-to album of bossa nova with wonderful solos. The piano and saxophone in particular stood out to me on this listen. I love how the music is both calming and upbeat. I find I can put it on in just about any situation and it fits the mood!

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

3/5

Nice pop songs with a bit of country twang. This was a sweet and wholesome throwback that I'd be happy to play again. The opening track “Made to Love” is really good but the lyrics are a little silly. It’s about a father giving his son ‘the talk’ about girls, but all he says is “girls are made to love,” which isn’t really anything. I was expecting the father to say “girls will break your heart” or something, but I guess Everly Brothers are too wholesome even for that.

Sister

Sonic Youth

2/5

Sonic Youth are one of the few bands that make me think, “Maybe I had to be there.” We’ve had a lot of their albums on this list, and I’ve liked a few. But I mostly find myself listening passively. I guess I see why people love them, but I wonder if I had to have listened to their music when it came out, or at a younger age. Or maybe there’s a live energy that’s not translating to the recording. There are some heavy, distorted sections that feel tinny when they should be rocking me at a gut level. The music is mixed in a way I find off-putting. The vocals are grating too. Seems like a few different members sing on various tracks, but I don’t like any of them, at least on this album. Having said that, I do get the sense that the band was thoughtful about all these choices. And there are moments of rock and punk power that almost do it for me.

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

5/5

I've listened to this album a bunch in the past, but I forgot how gorgeous it is after the opening title track. The song “Legalize It” is a classic, and I love singing along to the lyrics. The verses have some funny lines too ("Doctors smoke it"). The rest of the album though is a great collection of bluesy and soulful reggae songs with lots of memorable hooks and melodies. It's got a light and breezy energy, but Peter Tosh's songwriting often features these lower chords that deepen the impact of the music. I love his vocals too. He's very soulful. And he sings with a familiar ease, like he's your friend.

Back to Mystery City

Hanoi Rocks

3/5

Hanoi Rocks seem like scholars of rock and roll. There are lots of little references and musical jokes and genre switch-ups in their songs. They often sound like they're nodding to their influences in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way. Their main mode is hard rock and heavy metal, but there's no shortage of theatricality and showmanship. They've got as much in common with Dexys Midnight Runners as they do Black Sabbath. It's a fun energy.

Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

The music on "Ghosteen" is melancholy and full of grief, but there's a lot of beauty too, and an air of mystery. Nick Cave wrote the songs in the wake of his teenaged son's death, and that's crucial context here. A lot of songs have imagery of children departing. These lyrics on "Sun Forest" felt like a core image on the album: "I lay in the forest amongst the butterflies and the fireflies And the burning horses and the flaming trees As a spiral of children climb up to the sun Waving goodbye to you and goodbye to me" The synths on these songs ebb and flow in waves. They feel like long, deep breaths inward followed by an equally long exhale. It's gorgeous, meditative music. I was really struck by the backing vocals on "Ghosteen Speaks" starting around 1:15. They sound otherworldly, like a spirit reaching out from another world, which I think is exactly the intent. They rise and fall like a lot of the instrumentation on the album. So much of this music feels alive and organic — it breathes and pulses. This is a heartbreaking and deeply moving album.

The Stone Roses

3/5

This is a nice album of Britpop-esque music with plenty of Beatles worship. (Maybe too much Beatles worship for my taste?) But there seems to be more of an emphasis on craft and production than songwriting. A few too many songs rely on studio trickery and production effects, and those production choices hold me back a bit. A lot of the performances sound like they’re happening across the room. Or like the music is underwater. Is it the reverb that’s bothering me? Everything has this extra echo on it. It makes the music feel distant. And how about “Don’t Stop,” with its backwards drums and sitar-style effects? It’s cool, but is it a song I want to listen to? I have a hard time rating this low because there’s clearly a ton of talent in the band. And the melodies are nice! I just don’t think the production is serving them. “This is the One” is interesting because it opens with those nice and loud guitar and drums hitting in unison. But then the vocals are again buried under reverb. I like this song better than the others, but it’s still holding itself back a bit. “I Am the Resurrection” is really good. This is that front-and-center rock sound I’ve been wanting. And “Fools Gold” is a nice, dance-y number. I’m curious to know if this sounds better playing from speakers rather than headphones. That might make the difference for me. I might be missing the mark here and need more listens, but my reaction is lukewarm for now.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

4/5

Nice, heavy music. A little bit hardcore, a little bit grunge, a little bit post-punk. There are a few meandering, slow-ish songs, but aside from those, this is pretty sick. When these guys rip, they fuckin rip! This makes me want to go to a loud, noisy punk show. Side note: I don’t like the band name, I don’t like the album name, and the album art is pretty bad… but I really like the music.

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

I can’t name many albums that minute-for-minute deliver as much great songwriting as “Rumours” does. “Dreams” is such a gorgeous song. One of the best ever written and it never gets old. It has that undercurrent of heartbreak and longing but it’s powerful, cathartic music too. I’ve heard this album plenty of times, but it really unlocked something in me this time. “Songbird” made me tear up. And the climax of “The Chain” is overwhelming. That guitar solo is amazing! Fleetwood Mac take country and folk music and reach deep into the genres to pull out the most soulful emotions those styles have to offer. Then they turn it into stadium-sized rock with big anthems and gorgeous melodies. Terrific music. Probably a top 10 album. I wouldn’t call you crazy if you ranked it #1.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

5/5

Kanye West’s music has taken so many forms and styles over the years that when someone says, “I miss the old Kanye,” they could be referring to at least a half dozen different iterations of him. Listening to “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” it’s hard not to miss the Kanye who had great taste. The production here steals the show. Every song is colorful and meticulously crafted, filled with details and grace notes that elevate the music. I also miss the Kanye who knew how to keep everything in balance. This album has straightforward rap songs alongside genre-bending tracks that push the boundaries of hip-hop. He also knows here that there are only so many crass jokes he can make before needing to deliver a verse packed with wordplay and wit. And for every moment of arrogant egotism, there’s one of unvarnished vulnerability. You know what Kanye I miss the most? The artful Autotune Kanye. I love that distorted vocal solo he does at the end of “Runaway,” blurring his voice with distortion and vocoder effects until it becomes abstract. It’s heartbreaking and gorgeous. I guess I mostly miss the Kanye who cared. In 2025, Kanye seems to think that caring what people think about you makes you weak. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Caring what people think can just mean putting thought and care into your art and crafting an album that’s big and ambitious and entertaining. I miss that Kanye.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

4/5

“Tiny Dancer” is an incredible song, and I’m just learning today that there’s a whole album of sweeping, piano-driven rock songs in the same style where that came from. Beautiful production, great songwriting, and an energy that can turn any room you play it in into a stadium.

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

What a fun, big album to dive into. A mix of funk, pop, dance, and rock. And since this is Prince, you also get some killer shredding guitar solos. I love how often the album surprised me. The genres switch between tracks, but each song has its own character. The production often adds weird effects to certain instruments. It keeps everything fresh and adds a playful tone. I get the impression that Prince was meticulous about this music, but it still feels fun and organic and wild. I could see this being one of those albums that takes a few listens before you realize just how great it is, but on a fist listen I still had a blast.

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

3/5

Melodic alt-rock with a female lead singer. The music gets pretty metal at times and even dips into electronica once or twice. It’s a bold style and while I don’t think I’ll play it again, I respect the boldness of it.

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

2/5

An interesting slice of British psychedelic folk that exists outside of time (it was recorded in 1997 but sounds like a product of the 60s or 70s). It’s a dreamlike stew of sounds that is compelling in a strange way. The music is mostly beautiful enough to make up for the frail, pitchy vocals. Robert Wyatt is clearly a guy who thinks a lot about music, but he is definitely not a great singer. Overall pretty enjoyable but not something I’d play on my own. 2.5

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

3/5

Pleasant country music with a nice clean sound. The production is very good. This is nice, easy listening all the way through. Just glanced at the Wikipedia — this was the first album to be called “country rock”? That’s wild.

Celebrity Skin

Hole

4/5

Fantastic. Muscular grunge with big hooks. Courtney Love is a great frontwoman. I really enjoyed this. I should be listening to Hole way more often. This is the second album of theirs on the list, and I thought both were great.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

I love Simon & Garfunkel, and this album is a fantastic collection of folk songs and folk rock. It’s like a warm, cozy blanket. The melodies wrap themselves around you. “Scarborough Fair” in particular feels immersive with all its layers of guitar and vocals. Lots of other great songs here too including the classics “Homeward Bound” and “Feeling Groovy.” I’ve always been a fan too of “7 O'Clock News/Silent Night,” which is both a lovely rendition of “Silent Night” and a time capsule of the news in 1966.

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

4/5

This is an excellent Morrissey album. The songwriting is sharp with lots of good hooks and memorable lyrics. And the band is tight — they sound like a band with chemistry, as opposed to sounding like set musicians, which can sometimes happen on singers’ solo albums. “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful” is a very funny song. Classic Morrissey. And… what are we supposed to do with the song “You’re the One For Me, Fatty”? 😂 It makes me laugh but I have no idea what he was thinking when he wrote this. And actually, the best tracks are probably the hard rockers. The opening two in particular are great!

Rocks

Aerosmith

5/5

This album rocks. That could honestly be the whole review. It almost seems ridiculous to describe it in more detail. Blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal. All of it loud. All of it with a huge, soaring energy. The album isn’t stacked with mega hits, but it actually might be the band at their best.

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