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Mon Apr 11 2022
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Really great B side. The jazz elements and cello work together really well with his folksy style
5
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Tue Apr 12 2022
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
Pretty good. Not a ton to see, nice to see reggae roots
4
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Wed Apr 13 2022
Forever Changes
Love
I did not really like this album. Some of the guitar work was good, but the vocals and lack of substantive lyrical content was tough for me
2
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Thu Apr 14 2022
Grace
Jeff Buckley
Last song is great. I never realized how operatic Buckley’s voice is. First side was a little slow for me
4
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Fri Apr 15 2022
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Pretty good! Not a huge Joni Mitchell fan, but nothing bad to say about the album
3
View Album
Mon Apr 18 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
A bit disorienting times, but a really great listen. A bit of neutral milk hotel, a bit of nick drake, and a lot of fun!
5
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Tue Apr 19 2022
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Easy listening punk,
4
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Wed Apr 20 2022
The Yes Album
Yes
Easy listening punk,
4
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Thu Apr 21 2022
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
Those bass lines! Little kitschy lyrics at times but the synth instrumentation and use of reprise more than makes up for it
5
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Fri Apr 22 2022
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
Not my style a little too dark and dreary
2
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Mon Apr 25 2022
25
Adele
Some really great tracks on the b side I liked it way more than I expected to
4
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Tue Apr 26 2022
Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
Some catchy tunes but I just didn’t find it that memorable overall. Maybe biased against my idea of contemporary country tho
3
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Wed Apr 27 2022
Quiet Life
Japan
I didn’t really like it. The songs felt kinda similar and didn’t really move me
2
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Thu Apr 28 2022
Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
Pretty good guitar work at points but on the whole didn’t speak to me too much
3
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Fri Apr 29 2022
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
Good start but the end got a bit redundant
2
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Mon May 02 2022
Let It Be
The Replacements
Really great garage band vibe. Unpretentious
4
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Tue May 03 2022
Queen II
Queen
Yeah idk I couldn’t find myself engaged
3
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Wed May 04 2022
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
Pretty great album. Lots of spirit and the unplugged versions wer an interesting change of pace, I still prefer the electrified version of their hits though
4
View Album
Thu May 05 2022
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
Karma chameleon delivers but all of the other songs feel a bit empty
2
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Fri May 06 2022
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
Didn’t strike the right balance of engaging and ambient. May not have been in the right headspace though
2
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Mon May 09 2022
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
I really wanted to like this album bc I love quest but I found myself waiting for it to end
3
View Album
Tue May 10 2022
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
The bside is especially fantastic but overall great
5
View Album
Wed May 11 2022
The Only Ones
The Only Ones
Nice pink vibes. Overall pleasant to listen to but missing an x factor
4
View Album
Thu May 12 2022
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
Couldn’t fully get into this album. I like the generally direction of the stripped down punk but I didn’t really identify with it. Also there were just a lot of songs
2
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Fri May 13 2022
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
A few good tracks but I’m a bit burnt out on punk
2
View Album
Mon May 16 2022
Play
Moby
Overall a pleasant album to listen to but not super engaging like I’d go back and listen to it
3
View Album
Tue May 17 2022
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
I didn’t love it. The covers felt a bit uninspired and the whole album just didn’t feel like it was pushing any boundaries. Tina turner does have a great voice though. Maybe it’s just the instrumentation that felt a bit dated
2
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Wed May 18 2022
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
Great album. I liked this one more than the prior good blend of rap hip hop and other instrumentation
5
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Thu May 19 2022
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
It’s one of my favorite albums. The waves of dissonance with the monotone vocals. The immersive wall of sound is so perfectly mirrored in the album art. It’s really a treat every time I hear it
5
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Fri May 20 2022
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
I was really surprised by how much I liked this album it was a bit long but overall really witty and selfaware
5
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Mon May 23 2022
Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
I was in a bit of a bad mood, so that didn’t help but I couldn’t get into it and it felt a bit repetitive
2
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Tue May 24 2022
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
I’d give it a 3.5 if a could my feelings towards this album are better than neutral but only marginally so
3
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Wed May 25 2022
Tidal
Fiona Apple
I actually quite liked this album. Definitely some bob dylan elements but I liked the piano and lyrics
4
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Thu May 26 2022
Either Or
Elliott Smith
There were some good folksy moments but I wasn’t compelled by the lyrics
3
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Fri May 27 2022
Transformer
Lou Reed
I liked this album. A slightly jazzier velvet underground. I suspect this album grows on you, but for now only four
4
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Mon May 30 2022
Dry
PJ Harvey
Sheela-na-gig is a banger but otherwise not really my style
2
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Tue May 31 2022
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Some good songs but a little one note. I like the other styles of music that mr Charles dabbled with
3
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Wed Jun 01 2022
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
It’s a five after that first bass line. This album really taught me that dissonance in jazz isn’t just meant to be pretentious and gatekeepy. The funk can’t be contained
5
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Thu Jun 02 2022
Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
Not sure what happened to my previous rating but I really enjoyed this just a little lomg
4
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Fri Jun 03 2022
Diamond Life
Sade
Solid album. Very well mixed and mastered. Smooth operator is a banger.
4
View Album
Mon Jun 06 2022
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
I initially was not excited for this album but it really grew on me.
5
View Album
Tue Jun 07 2022
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
Fantastic. Immersive in the way that Loveless or Sgt Peppers is and with beautiful restrained production and guitar work.
5
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Wed Jun 08 2022
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
A bit bland I really don’t have good or bad things to say about it
3
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Thu Jun 09 2022
Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
Pretty good. Emmylou has a great voice and the instrumentation is fantastic. The album was a but samey though
4
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Fri Jun 10 2022
The Stranger
Billy Joel
I’ve always liked billy Joel but this album so far surpasses my expectations. He’s really like an Elliot Erwitt with his compelling narratives and playful barbs at the American condition.
And then on top of that the sax rocks and there’s a random boss’s nova background band for get it right the first time. Just fantastic
5
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Mon Jun 13 2022
Urban Hymns
The Verve
I was really bored by this album. I really didn’t like any songs and it all just kinda dragged
2
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Tue Jun 14 2022
Berlin
Lou Reed
I wanted to like it but the production was a little rough around the edges and I didn’t think the lyrics were as compelling as other Lou reed songs
3
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Wed Jun 15 2022
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
There were some okay songs but on the whole I didn’t find it as intriguing as some of their other work
3
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Thu Jun 16 2022
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
Kinda like Leonard cohen but without the emotional impact
2
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Fri Jun 17 2022
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
Okay. Nothing really jumped out at me as being super memorable
3
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Mon Jun 20 2022
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
Also just kinda bland. I think we need a palate cleanser
3
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Tue Jun 21 2022
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Definitely some interesting ideas with the industrial vibe. The depiction of sex was a bit off putting to me and I was really bugged by how hard the vocals were to depict in the mix
3
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Wed Jun 22 2022
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Nice instrumentation and blending with the electronics. But the Album is a bit too long and I found myself bored
3
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Thu Jun 23 2022
Bad Company
Bad Company
Another 3. It’s like not bad but just palpably samey to the other rock of the day
3
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Fri Jun 24 2022
Treasure
Cocteau Twins
Pretty good. Dragged at times but neat to see Proto-shoegaze
4
View Album
Mon Jun 27 2022
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
It’s basically a greatest hits album, and there are definitely some great songs. Wild, Wild horses is always great. Brown sugar is beyond problematic but at least they’ve retired that song concerts??
4
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Tue Jun 28 2022
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
A good album. I didn’t love it enough to give it 5 stars but it definitely deepened my appreciation for me Bowie
4
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Wed Jun 29 2022
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
I liked this album. Tim is a hard guy to judge. Not certain how much of the music is being playing straight and how much is pointed satire.
Absent thinking about the lyrics though it’s a great album
4
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Thu Jun 30 2022
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
Bb king is a legend. This is such a great album and it’s so benefitted from being recorded live. I haven’t listened to the blues in a while but this will always serve as an excellent reintroduction
5
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Fri Jul 01 2022
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
It’s a cool album but I didn’t feel it leaving a lingering impact
4
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Mon Jul 04 2022
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
Eh. I had a hard time getting into this. The instrumentation is fine but the lyrics seemed a bit needlessly pretentious
3
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Tue Jul 05 2022
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
Some phenomenal tracks. Meatloaf’s mixture of sincerity and sarcasm is really nice. Some songs are just a bit long and repetitive
4
View Album
Wed Jul 06 2022
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
I’m certain this is good for the right kind of person but I was not feeling grimy electronic music so I struggled with this
2
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Thu Jul 07 2022
Scott 2
Scott Walker
Some good tracks. At times redundant but overall an interesting listen
4
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Fri Jul 08 2022
Yeezus
Kanye West
Truly a masterclass in modern production, but it’s Kanye so the best I can do is a three
3
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Mon Jul 11 2022
Horses
Patti Smith
Definitely some interesting and important ideas that are communicated concisely and intelligently but the musical stylings didn’t totally do it for me
4
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Tue Jul 12 2022
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
I really didn’t like everything except the last three songs, those were pretty good, but I just couldn’t get into the rest of it
2
View Album
Wed Jul 13 2022
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
I liked this album. Does it appeal to my white boy sensibilities, absolutely, but I’m not complaining. Money for nothing is so good and there are some other fun songs on the album
4
View Album
Thu Jul 14 2022
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
Of course Mariah Carey has a good voice. The production seems a bit dated though and some of the songs read as very shallow (esp that one about growing up too soon)
Overall it’s not an unpleasant experience, it could just be so much more
3
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Fri Jul 15 2022
Debut
Björk
I liked everything about the album except for Björk’s voice. I really just can’t with the operatic warbling. I’ll give it three because I believe it’s a taste that could be acquired
3
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Mon Jul 18 2022
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
I like Depeche Mode but this album was just quite boring. I never realized the importance of a “single” on an album, but here I noticed that there’s no one song tie the others together
2
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Tue Jul 19 2022
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Making consent sexy since 1973.
Definitely a solid album and this is more like a 4.49 for me but I guess I felt it was missing something extra to push it to a five
4
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Wed Jul 20 2022
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
An important and interesting album for sure, but I struggle to really rate old school rock and roll too highly because all of the songs are so similar
4
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Thu Jul 21 2022
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Waterloo sunset comes out of nowhere as a five star song but the rest of the album is just so 60s and so British that it feels a bit too of its time
4
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Fri Jul 22 2022
NEU! 75
Neu!
I’m a little embarrassed by how much I enjoyed this album. But a bunch of German dudes making space sounds was a great time
5
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Mon Jul 25 2022
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
It just feels like an inferior version of the revolver album by the Beatles, just 30 years later
3
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Tue Jul 26 2022
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
It’s pretty good. The songs are a bit samey but the overall vibe is fun
3
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Wed Jul 27 2022
Doolittle
Pixies
A really foundational album. It’s everything I love about grunge especially the way it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You can totally hear their influence on much later bands like grouplove. It’s very easy to listen to & fun all the while
5
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Thu Jul 28 2022
Disintegration
The Cure
Some great tracks but the album drags a little due to its length. I now like the Cure more than I thought I did which is neat
4
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Fri Jul 29 2022
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Soooooo looooong. Definitely some great tracks that have aged well, but the album is just so long without much justification and that holds it back for me
4
View Album
Mon Aug 01 2022
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
I honestly loved this album. Such a fun blend of Louis’s Italian heritage with his jazz/blues upbringing in NEW Orleans. The songs/lyrics are good, but the instrumentation and vocals and their mixing and mastering are phenomenal
5
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Tue Aug 02 2022
The Score
Fugees
A really witty album with lots of great tracks and great instrumentation
5
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Wed Aug 03 2022
Shaka Zulu
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
This has been a really important album to me that I’ve listened to be fore and I’ll listen to again, but on this listen through I didn’t find it as engaging as a I have in the past
4
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Thu Aug 04 2022
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
I used to really love this album, and it’s got some good tracks but Neil young and CSN is somehow less than the individual parts combined. Good, but neither of their best work
4
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Fri Aug 05 2022
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
Pretty good album. I definitely understood the smiths in my mind. I don’t have too much negative to say, it was just missing that secret sauce
4
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Mon Aug 08 2022
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
I feel like this track is missing a single to tie it together. The production is great but otherwise the songs are a little bland
4
View Album
Tue Aug 09 2022
Pump
Aerosmith
It’s really misogynistic so it’s hard to hear it for anything beyond that. The musicians are obviously good and the folksy moments are fun, but the lyrics are so trite and problematic that it’s a 2 for me
2
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Wed Aug 10 2022
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
I had really low expectations after the last album, but this album is actually really fun! I was head banging a little bit on the train and some of the guitar solos are really novel and interesting. It’s not totally my vibe so I can’t give it a five though
4
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Thu Aug 11 2022
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
A very fun early prog album that packs a lot of depth into its short runtime ((the opposite of many other prog works). I like space jazz
5
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Fri Aug 12 2022
The Wall
Pink Floyd
How can you not love the wall. Such a landmark piece of music that has such wide appeal. The guitar is great, the lyrics are great, Pink Floyd is just pretty great
5
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Mon Aug 15 2022
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
Two good songs on the album but otherwise a bit bland
4
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Tue Aug 16 2022
American Idiot
Green Day
The well known songs are bangers, but The lyrics feel pretty dated and empty. The slurs used don’t add anything while really ruining my immersion
3
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Wed Aug 17 2022
Being There
Wilco
It’s pretty good, but I was expecting so much more. And tbh a lot of the songs reminded me of Jan from the office singing about her assistant. Smth about the whiny tone
3
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Thu Aug 18 2022
Pink Flag
Wire
Idk I just found this album to be really boring. There’s basically nothing remarkable that I can remember from it. It didn’t help that I never understood any of the lyrics
2
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Fri Aug 19 2022
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
There are some fun moments but I don’t want to be tied to deep purple for 2 hours
3
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Mon Aug 22 2022
Kid A
Radiohead
I like Radiohead but this album was quite boring. There were no memorable songs and i just found myself wanting it to end
2
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Tue Aug 23 2022
B-52's
The B-52's
For sure a fun album just missing something I can’t put my finger on to push it to a five
3
View Album
Wed Aug 24 2022
Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
I think this album is really fantastic. The production is spot on, Michael Jackson really brings unmatched energy to any track he touched
5
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Thu Aug 25 2022
Third
Portishead
This album was boring. I like ambient beeps and boops, but these beeps and boops bored me
2
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Fri Aug 26 2022
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
I don’t like prodigy really. This album is just not that great, I don’t have strong feelings about it
2
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Mon Aug 29 2022
The Joshua Tree
U2
Maybe a 3 is a bit unfair, but I know this is not an album I’ll return to. The famous songs are good but the rest just don’t really hit for me
3
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Tue Aug 30 2022
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
It’s definitely a fun album that still feels modern even today. Too bad their music doesn’t stream so I can listen to it without YouTube audio compression
5
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Wed Aug 31 2022
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
We’ve had a lot of this early electronic music and it’s pretty good, just not very remarkable
3
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Thu Sep 01 2022
Young Americans
David Bowie
This is a fun album! My favorite Bowie so far, still missing a special something that I can’t put my finger on. I dig the American though
4
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Fri Sep 02 2022
The Undertones
The Undertones
Definitely one of the better punkish albums we’ve had. Not too self serious. Short, which is important. And well produced. Better than neutral, but not a 5 for me
4
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Mon Sep 05 2022
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
This is a fantastic album. Really great synergy with the band. Super fun and nothing negative to say
5
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Tue Sep 06 2022
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
3
View Album
Wed Sep 07 2022
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
2 I didn’t hate it as much as I expected to. But it’s too long to be as repetitive as it is and the nine minutes of laughing for an outro isn’t the best thing in the world
2
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Thu Sep 08 2022
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
It’s fine. I’m a bit over britpop tho. I don’t have a whole lot to say
3
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Fri Sep 09 2022
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
Lots of interesting ideas. Not all of them resonated with me, but you can tell this was put together with a lot of thought. Not the kind of thing I’ll relisten to, but glad I heard it
4
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Mon Sep 12 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Pretty solid. I’m still not all in on the smiths but you can definitely see a lot of good ideas here
4
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Tue Sep 13 2022
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
Good solid fun country music. Nothing to complain about here
5
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Wed Sep 14 2022
S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
Pretty good album. The through line is not as definite, but it’s basically the first concept album so I can’t ask too much of it. Also the hard left right pan is a just a bit distracting
4
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Thu Sep 15 2022
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
Pretty solid album. I’ve definitely unfairly written off the beastie boys in the past, but this album is pretty good old school hiphop/rock. My only gripe is that the album is a little long for the number of ideas it’s bringing
4
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Fri Sep 16 2022
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
Tainted love is fire of course but that’s the only thing saving this album from being a two. It’s boring, needlessly sexual, and not something I’ll return to
3
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Mon Sep 19 2022
C'est Chic
CHIC
Nile rogers on guitar is always great but this is not my favorite of chic’s work
4
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Tue Sep 20 2022
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
I found this album to be so boring but I think I was just in the wrong headspace. It’s probably worth another listen but it’s not the kinda album I’d crave listening to, the tracks are a bit all over the place in terms of style
3
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Wed Sep 21 2022
Parachutes
Coldplay
Way better the previous Coldplay album we had, does this appeal to my white boy indie loving sensibilities, ye. Do I mind? No. Loved the guitar tone and the lyrics weren’t as prominent so I didn’t have to dislike them
5
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Thu Sep 22 2022
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
Fantastic. It’s hard to go wrong with Sinatra but there are no duds on this album. The master is great (not always a given for these older albums) and it’s really a joy to listen to
5
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Fri Sep 23 2022
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
Really solid album. It’s totally my style so I can’t go all the way to a five but really enjoyed the guitar work and the drums. I’d never listened to a Metallica album and was pleasantly surprised
4
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Mon Sep 26 2022
High Violet
The National
When this album started I thought I might really enjoy it, but then it just went further and further downhill. It’s just a bit boring and the songs aren’t well differentiated
3
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Tue Sep 27 2022
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
Definitely some good songs, and I think I could give 5 stars to a different talking heads album. Just something about this falls a little flatter than I might like
4
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Wed Sep 28 2022
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
Pretty good. The representation of women and gay folks is a little problematic, but the flow is good and there are definitely some good lines. Nothing super catchy and single-able
4
View Album
Thu Sep 29 2022
Ctrl
SZA
I’m a sucker for neosoul, so of course I like this. SZA is great, she’s not my favorite in the genre, but the album is well produced, the lyrics are right, and SZA certainly brings a lot of emotion and energy to all of the tracks
5
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Fri Sep 30 2022
Metallica
Metallica
If you like Metallica I’m sure this album is monumental. For someone less interested in metal, it’s still pretty cool. It’s not exactly my style, but it does feel slightly better in terms of variety than the previous album we listened to
4
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Mon Oct 03 2022
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
This album felt super boring. I don’t really have much positive to say, but it also wasn’t bad I guess
3
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Tue Oct 04 2022
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
There are some indisputably fun songs on here (although I don’t know if Jon was going for “fun”). There are some stinkers. On the whole a decent album, and that intro organ riff pushes it up to a four for me
4
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Wed Oct 05 2022
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Iconic Dylan. Definitely incoherent at times, but in the pleasantly dissociative sense. This album is great for reasons that aren’t easily put into words. The instrumentation and mastering is great, but that’s not it. Dylan’s voice and lyrics are great (if you’re into that), but that’s not it either. It’s tough to say, but easy to say it’s a five
5
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Thu Oct 06 2022
British Steel
Judas Priest
The guitar tones are great but I kinda hate the lyrics. It’s a tough one for me, if we hadn’t had so much metal recently I might feel differently
3
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Fri Oct 07 2022
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Some really great tracks here. I enjoyed this album and that feels pretty unusual coming from a modern band Id never heard of
5
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Mon Oct 10 2022
OK Computer
Radiohead
I was starting to think I didn’t like radio head with the past two albums. However this album really reoriented my thinking. It’s great and quirky in all the right way
5
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Tue Oct 11 2022
2112
Rush
I really was not in the mood for 70s rock, and I really was provided with 70s rock. Just arrived at the second song, and 76 is way too late for this hideous exoticism and colonial smoke show.
The guitar playing is good, but not very inspired—living in an uncanny valley between 80s greats like Van Halen but after the more direct and unpretentious styles of earlier 70s.
Overall it’s very self serious without good reason. It feels like it wants to be a concept album but just isn’t hitting it. I wanted to like rush but I didn’t
2
View Album
Wed Oct 12 2022
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Really solid album. Not the kind of album I seek out for a relisten but glad I heard it. A fun blend of blues jazz and that 60s instrumental avant garde
4
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Thu Oct 13 2022
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
I’ve been woefully uninitiated to Queen Latifah’s work. She’s definitely great but it loses one star just because I don’t think there’s a single to tie the album together, the production feels a little dated (especially the mix is a bit weird), and finally the album is just a bit too long to not have a nice arc between the songs
Very witty lyrics with great delivery, both of which definitely hold up
4
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Fri Oct 14 2022
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
This is a neat album. The band had existed for 19 years when this album came out, and it shows in the production which is pretty great. However the album doesn’t seem stale for such a seasoned band.
That being said, I can’t give it 5 because it’s missing something I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a high 4, but a 4
4
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Mon Oct 17 2022
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
This is a really fun album. I like the blend of traditional acoustic instrumentation with the electric guitars. I have t really been exposed to Brazilian music outside of bossa nova and a taste of samba, so I’m a bit out of my depth here. I’m glad I got the additional exposure.
I’m giving it a 4 because to me, a non-Portuguese-speaking person, the album felt a bit like a cluster of decent songs that didn’t feel all that unified. Id happily be disproven or get a better explanation for why the album format doesn’t work the same way in this cultural milieu
4
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Tue Oct 18 2022
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
Head empty a bit here. It’s kinda interesting and he’s definitely a talented producer. I feel like he tantalizes us a bit with a whiff of cool production techniques but doesn’t fully develop them. The songs don’t feel dated Per se, but they don’t exactly hold up either.
I’m pretty neutral overall
3
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Wed Oct 19 2022
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
I don’t love the lead vocalist. The rest of the instrumentation is pretty cool
Medication is a pretty standout song.
This is one of those albums where I could see myself giving other albums by them a 5 but this just slightly missed that mark
4
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Thu Oct 20 2022
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
The pogues are definitely the pogues. They’re pretty hit or meh for me. I’ll never hate a bit of shanty punk. This album’s direction as more ballad-centric is not particularly to my taste, but still a solid album overall
4
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Fri Oct 21 2022
Ray Of Light
Madonna
I didn’t know this phase of Madonna existed, so definitely an interesting listens.
The lyrics feel like a bit of a step backwards away from the witty and sometimes incisive exploitations of cultural mores of her 80s hits (like a virgin, material girl) Even her more basic
The vibe is interesting, and the album is definitely well produced, I’m just not certain that I jive with the 90s dance music production. It’s very Moby to me with the drum beats, it’s just missing the fun samples. Maybe this was ahead of its timed, but it feels a bit dated now
I don’t really like madonna’s vocal performance, it feels a bit strained at times despite being technically fine.
3
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Mon Oct 24 2022
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Fantastic album. It’s part concept album and part list of mega singles. I’ve always loved this album but I never gave it enough credit for how meaningful it was. It’s so personal and raw while also applying those feelings to larger societal issues (alcoholism, police brutality, etc). fantastic production and really tasteful non musical interludes. A five for sure
5
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Tue Oct 25 2022
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
I don’t have a whole lot to say here. It’s very competent jazz but it didn’t feel super distinctive (maybe it was at the time), but absent a more informed prior, it’s gotta be a 4
4
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Wed Oct 26 2022
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
That opening Rhodes tone with that bass, killer. Give me an album of that.
This album is kinda the height of that 80s sample-based hip hop, and it’s fantastically produced—great use of soundstage.
the lyrics of the beastie boys are not great, both inscrutable and simplistic. a bit juvenile as well. Id like to see a post-superstar beastie boys when their artistry remains but their pomp wanes a bit.
A year and a day slaps
If it was just the bboy tracks it would definitely be getting a 4 and I will round up to a 4 but it’s more like a 3.6
4
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Thu Oct 27 2022
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
When you learn to play wonderwall on guitar you completely ignore the lush orchestration and tasteful drum palette. Re-listening to wondewall with a more critical ear really deepens my appreciation for that track.
On the whole, you can hear the strong influence of classic rock (don’t look back in anger is so John Lennon it borders on pastiche)
The general mastering is pretty great, the clean drums and vocals punch through the heavier guitars with ease
4
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Fri Oct 28 2022
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
Great guitar tone and really tight drumming. The lyrics are interesting, and I’d probably need another listen to have a full picture. However they’re definitely clever, the phallic imagery on the “rust in piece… Polaris” is a well-executed satire of Cold War one-upmanship .
I really enjoy the enjoy the guitar playing. (Knowing nothing of the genre) it has all the elements that I like from both math rock and classic rock.
Honestly, I think this is as good as it gets for metal and me
5
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Mon Oct 31 2022
Illmatic
Nas
I wish I had more to say about this album but for some reason I really just didn’t connect with it. I think it was probably really influential in shaping the post-2000 rap sound.
The lyrics are good, a mix of vulnerability and wit. The production is okay, but I won’t hold that against Nas too much. Maybe on a different day this is rated higher, but it’s a 4 if I’m true to myself
4
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Tue Nov 01 2022
Hysteria
Def Leppard
To me, Def Leppard has always lived in an uncanny valley between Peter Gabriel and Metallica. That 80s sonic palette just doesn’t totally gel with the hard rock sound they’re striving for. The lyrics are bad, or at least boring.
Nothing about the album is poorly executed, solid vocals and 80s pinch harmonics guitar.
Of course, pour some sugar on me rocks. but the album feels like the record label described their median consumer and the Def Leppard created a normal distribution around that median—pour some sugar is the outlier in that distribution.
I think pour some sugar goes so hard because they leverage the background singers much better—it feels like a song by a band and not market research made manifest.
Strong words for an album I don’t really have strong feelings for. Sorry, Mr. Leppard you don’t really deserve the hate I’m giving.
2
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Wed Nov 02 2022
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
You can really hear Thelonious’s deep understanding of the rules of jazz and the blues in his playing. He bends the rules in all the right places making for a wonderful bit of piano playing.
Sonny Rollins kills on sax. The mix on the bass is a little low, but the bass player still holds it down. The drum tone is great, so classic and restrained.
It’s amazing how just a title and Monk’s playing unlocks a rich lyricism in “I Surrender, Dear”. That slow swung section is amazing.
But I just didn’t connect with this album as much as I have other 5s, so it has to be a 4
4
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Thu Nov 03 2022
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
I almost wish I didn’t see the R Crumb album cover before listening to the album itself. The racial caricatures aren’t cool.
Janis’s vocals are superb, a surprise to no one, and the band highlights her voice well.
The guitars are fantastic, it’s the early days of the fuzz pedal and you just don’t hear tone like that anymore. You can feel that they’re pushing the boundaries of the music that’s currently available to them.
I could do without the tanbura (or super sparse sitar?) on “Oh, Sweet Mary,” but I can’t fault them too much for wanting to experiment.
Overall I’m super glad I listened to this, no complaints about the music.
5
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Fri Nov 04 2022
Pelican West
Haircut 100
I had never heard of this band, so I was really struggling to justify why this album is on the list.
My preconception was totally misguided; this album rocks.
The band is so locked in. Their use of the funk palette works way better than it should for a bunch of young effeminate British white dudes from the 80s. The lyrics are fine, but the bass, percussion, and guitar more than make up for it. And a little clarinet in a pop album? bring it on!
5
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Mon Nov 07 2022
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
I really hated listening to this album but I was not in a good mood for Zappa-esque weird rock.
I suspect that this album is actually pretty good, but I can’t give it any more than a 3
3
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Tue Nov 08 2022
A Night At The Opera
Queen
I’ve been off queen for a little while, and this album proved to be an excellent return to form.
The band has a lot of cohesion and Freddie’s vocals and arrangement really shine. I don’t really have anything negative to say
5
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Wed Nov 09 2022
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
This album is quite bland to me. Even everybody hurts, a song I thought I liked, read as a little dry.
I can see why people love REM, but this hasn’t aged well to me. Maybe the lyrics are good, but I kinda hate them? I think that the album conjures Neil Young vibes in an uncanny way.
I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt with a 3 but to me it’s barely eking out a 2.6
3
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Thu Nov 10 2022
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
The triplet flow on those initial bongos are amazing.
Mayfield assembled a really tight band for this album. No pieces are out of place.
This album is great, there’s nothing at all to complain about.
5
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Fri Nov 11 2022
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
Another long overdue introduction to a hip hop legend.
This album has aged beautifully. Ice Cube is not trying to be cute or too clever with the lyrics. It’s straight ahead hip hop that’s well produced with good lyrics. It’s really a wonderful album to listen to.
It’s a man’s world is an interesting subversion and dismissal of the misogyny trope, I’m here for it.
5
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Mon Nov 14 2022
Garbage
Garbage
Shoegaze and grunge guitar with trip hop beats leaning on the darker synth textures of 80s British alternative (Depeche Mode, new order) . A wonderful synthesis of the nineties. Totally holds up.
It pulls on the attributes from contemporary and past music while clearly delineating a path to 2000s alternative, a really great album to hear.
5
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Tue Nov 15 2022
Sea Change
Beck
Modern production with nick drake melancholia, great.
There’s no way the song Sunday sun isn’t a reference to nick drakes Saturday sun
5
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Wed Nov 16 2022
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
This album cover is amazing. Listening to this is a little strange because I can tell that Solaar is doing some French plays on words, but I have no idea what they mean.
The flow is superb, the samples and beats are equally superb.
5
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Thu Nov 17 2022
Shadowland
k.d. lang
this album is solid. k.d. has a great voice with a really authentic patsy cline vibe. The album feels a little safe, but the what’s there is well-executed. The bass tone on “down to my last cigarette” is super corny
4
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Fri Nov 18 2022
Mask
Bauhaus
This is Tuesday 11 pm WPRB music. It definitely has a crowd, I’m just not in it. In a purely neutral way, it has a timeless quality, it’s hard to assess when it came out without checking.
This band feels very influential, “Hollow Hills” feels like the intro to a nirvana song, so clearly the band is pulling on the right strings.
Kick In the Eye is a really tight song, and a much better use of that plunky 80s bass sound than yesterday’s album
4
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Mon Nov 21 2022
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
This is a solid album. The production is top notch but the actual songs are just a little bland. They feel almost too crisp to me
3
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Tue Nov 22 2022
In It For The Money
Supergrass
Oasis automatically played after the album ended, and I was like “oh this song is pretty good!” I think that says enough about the rest of the album
3
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Wed Nov 23 2022
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
Definitely colors within the lines of southern rock, but I’ll never sneeze at some good Americana.
4
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Thu Nov 24 2022
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
I’ve never really connected with gangsta rap or stoner rap so I’m not surprised I don’t connect with this.
2
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Fri Nov 25 2022
Born To Be With You
Dion
If Father John Misty and Steely Dan had a baby and raised him in a loving Christian household, this is the music I think he’d make.
3
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Mon Nov 28 2022
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
My favorite piece of melancholia to ever be released. Nick drake perfectly captures the emotional milieu of wistfulness, lethargy, and yearning. Truly transporting and one of its kind. I’m only sad there’s not more nick drake to listen to.
5
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Tue Nov 29 2022
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
It’s tough to describe why I liked this album. It felt very raw and vulnerable which is cool. You want it darker is super weird and absolutely rocks. Overall a great listen
5
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Wed Nov 30 2022
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
The mix/master lacks a bit of oomph which is distracting. Im not totally sure what George Michaels was going for with this album. It’s never bad, but it feels a bit all over the place.
3
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Thu Dec 01 2022
Hot Fuss
The Killers
It’s hard to disentangle nostalgia from merit on this album, but I definitely enjoyed listening to it. The songs do a good job of feeling distinct but tied together
5
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Fri Dec 02 2022
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
Any good faith review of this album needs to buy into the Tom Waits grovelly-voiced musical ecosystem. With that predicate, this album rocks. It’s a great mix of hopelessness, wit, vulnerability, and inscrutability. Overall very Tom Waits.
Nice production too, the sandpapery mostly acoustic (and sometimes non-instrumental) sounds really add to the tangible roughness of Tom’s voice.
5
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Mon Dec 05 2022
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Ordinarily, I feel like I should really dig this album, but it didn’t live up to what it could have been for me. I think I just don’t love this kind of early rock and roll stuff, but it’s a solid album for sure
4
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Tue Dec 06 2022
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Without casting a value judgment here, this album feels way ahead of its time, in humor, master, instrumentation. I didn’t really like it that much, but a very strange time capsule to behold
3
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Wed Dec 07 2022
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
I really do not have any feelings towards this album.
3
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Thu Dec 08 2022
Before And After Science
Brian Eno
I love Brian Eno, but I’ve never loved his vocals. That’s how I feel about most of this album.the one standout is “By this River” which is quite beautiful and suits Eno’s voice perfectly.
4
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Fri Dec 09 2022
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
I really want to like the talking heads, but I still haven’t totally come around to them. This album is definitely solid though I still struggle with David byrne’s whimper shouts
4
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Mon Dec 12 2022
The Slider
T. Rex
This album was fighting an uphill battle against my grumpiness, and it actually won. I really enjoyed the weirdness of the songs because the weirdness is balanced by convincing instrumentation and musicianship
4
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Tue Dec 13 2022
GREY Area
Little Simz
Really solid album. Cool flow and fantastic instrumentation. I’m here for all of her creative choices
5
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Wed Dec 14 2022
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
This album is too long and by the end you realize that it’s really not that good. Some of the samples are kinda fresh, but the album is mostly lacking.
2
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Thu Dec 15 2022
Viva Hate
Morrissey
It’s a decent album, but it suffers without Johnny Marr and Morissey is just too melodramatic for anything more than a three
3
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Fri Dec 16 2022
Amnesiac
Radiohead
I’m a bit over Radiohead. It’s one of those albums where the algorithmically generated album started automatically playing and I didn’t notice. It’s good but it’s nothing special
3
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Mon Dec 19 2022
John Prine
John Prine
I will always love John Prine. His lyrics are so balanced in profundity and unpretention. So wonderful. And oh boy is “your flag decal won’t get you into heaven” still relevant today
5
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Tue Dec 20 2022
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
There were some songs I liked and some I didn’t. It’s a little long
4
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Wed Dec 21 2022
Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
This album is pretty generic. Definitely not bad but also definitely not something I’m gonna hurry back to.
4
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Thu Dec 22 2022
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
I struggle with 80s songs that say “Bad thing bad” in upbeat pop songs (Looking at you, “Do they know it’s Christmas?”). The first half of this album falls under a similar umbrella for me.
“Illiteracy, No!” Is quite possibly the worst lyric I’ve ever heard. Maybe that rhetoric is poignant for a certain demographic, but it reads as trite for me. I acknowledge that Janet did not make this album to appeal to my then-unborn white boy sensibilities.
The album takes a decent upturn with “miss you much” but disappoints in the later songs.
The one piece of praise I’ll give is for the flow of album which is very well sequenced.
2
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Fri Dec 23 2022
Solid Air
John Martyn
To me, there are few more perfect songs than “Over the Hill,” so I was disappointed to learn that the rest of the album is not equally great. It’s still a solid album, I just wanted a little bit more
4
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Mon Dec 26 2022
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Fairly solid album. It's a Christmas Album, so I think it would be near impossible for any non-Vince Guaraldi artists to get a 5
4
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Tue Dec 27 2022
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
Really evocative vignettes. I wasn’t 100% in a Waits-y mood, but always an interesting listening
4
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Wed Dec 28 2022
Dookie
Green Day
I’m not a Green Day hater, in fact I think good Green Day can be really great, I just didn’t think that this album was all that special
3
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Thu Dec 29 2022
The Band
The Band
I like the band, so I liked this. It’s not as spectacular as big pink but still good
4
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Fri Dec 30 2022
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
I wanted to enjoy this album, but the rock was a bit too intense for me to really get into the instrumentation and lyrics are kinda nonsense, very forgettable
2
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Mon Jan 02 2023
Protection
Massive Attack
The first song is pretty good but the rest is either boring or a little cringe. Definitely personal bias speaking, but I feel trip-hop is a bit over-represented in the sample here
2
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Tue Jan 03 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
This album feels like a bit of a boring misappropriation of the punk musical vocabulary. Maybe it’s an interesting transition between the more straight-ahead rock of the 70s and the glam rock of the 80s, but I just don’t find it that compelling.
2
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Wed Jan 04 2023
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Great guitar tone, great voice, reverent to the Americana tradition without feeling derivative. If you like James Taylor, it’s a winner.
5
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Thu Jan 05 2023
Sex Packets
Digital Underground
This album feels very MTV. I’m always scared of an album with a big hit as its first song (is the rest just padding?). But I don’t think this album is deliberately padded.
I’ve just never been into the jocular vibe in hip-hop especially when that’s intermingled with misogyny. The best songs are their most direct, like “Freaks of the Industry” etc.
2
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Fri Jan 06 2023
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
Fantastic playing throughout. The slide guitars on “You Ask Me To” is a further standout.
It loses a star for some bad takes, but solid old school country through and through.
4
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Mon Jan 09 2023
In Utero
Nirvana
This is a tough one to rate (and to listen to). You can really tell that Kurt put his heart and soul into every track. However, he must have been in such a dark place that it’s hard to hear this album without being constantly reminded of Kurt’s impending mortality.
4
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Tue Jan 10 2023
Dance Mania
Tito Puente
Of course I love it. Usually with world music I’m willing to be lenient with some production weirdness, but this whole album is super tight. The percussion is especially wonderful.
5
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Wed Jan 11 2023
Kala
M.I.A.
I initially didn’t understand why MIA was included on this list but, my preconceptions were quickly dispelled when I actually listened to the album.
The album should get a five just for its novelty, I’ve never heard anything that sounds like it. But the album is more than just a cool sound, it’s solid all around.
5
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Thu Jan 12 2023
Wild Gift
X
I always feel like I’m not schooled enough in what makes good punk good, but this just felt a bit unremarkable to me.
3
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Fri Jan 13 2023
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
I love 90s R&B/neosoul so this album was destined for a high rating from me. While I don’t think it’s quite as good as my favorites of the genre, it still deserves a five, and it’s an album I could see myself revisiting
5
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Mon Jan 16 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
This is a really fun album. It’s definitely pre-punk which makes it an interesting cultural artifact. The lofi sound is perfectly done, and overall I have nothing bad to say.
5
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Tue Jan 17 2023
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
I love a Tribe Called Quest and this album is no different. Super old school vibe that suits their flow well
5
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Wed Jan 18 2023
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
Obviously a hugely important album that will get a 5 from me. There’s a lot of misogyny and some homophobia which is not super cool, but I’m going to set that aside for the purposes of this rating
5
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Thu Jan 19 2023
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
This album is like a 3.49-3.51 to me and I’m not quite sure how to round it. No parts of it are bad but it feels very plain for a Joni Mitchell album
3
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Like Water For Chocolate
Common
I really love neosoul and I’ve always liked common’s vibes. This album isn’t perfect, there’s some slightly jarring language and it’s a little long. A solid album overall, but I wanted just a little more
4
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Mon Jan 23 2023
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
No frills punk. Crazy that such an influential band only really released one album. However, the album does make up for that outsized influence.
5
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Tue Jan 24 2023
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
I feel like I could really enjoy this album if I was in a different mood, but as it stands this album fell a bit flat to me.
Their sound is way ahead of their time, but it almost so perfectly predicts the 2000s singer-songwriter vibe that the music feels a bit played out (definitely not their fault).
4
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Wed Jan 25 2023
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
Some positively insane guitar tone. Classic Neil Young songwriting. As always, the Canadian songwriter makes me relish in Americana.
5
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Thu Jan 26 2023
Kimono My House
Sparks
I didn’t love this album. I can easily believe that it was hugely influential, but this vibe has never really gelled with me. It kinda falls into that zone of the Talking Heads where I feel like I should like it
3
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Fri Jan 27 2023
Dust
Screaming Trees
I really have no feelings about this album. It feels like generic 90s rock
2
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Mon Jan 30 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
Every time I think I’m off of Radiohead I get pulled back. I think this is my favorite Radiohead album. Some of the same eccentricities of their later work balanced with a bit more overt vulnerability. It’s a wonderful album that’s wonderfully produced
5
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Tue Jan 31 2023
Fun House
The Stooges
I little bit of punk, a little bit of prog, and a whole lot of fun.
4
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Wed Feb 01 2023
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Big 60s energy without feeling too cliche. A fun listen for sure.
5
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Thu Feb 02 2023
Pearl
Janis Joplin
No strong feelings for this one. I don’t think this was the best use of Janis’s undeniable talent.
4
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Fri Feb 03 2023
Achtung Baby
U2
This barely squeaks out a 3 for me. I’ve never been a U2 fan and this album is no different. I speak of uncanny valleys a lot, but I think U2 is uniquely uncannily between rock and pop.
3
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Mon Feb 06 2023
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
I had a pretty visceral negative reaction to this album. Maybe this is someone’s jam, but it is definitely not mine.
2
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Tue Feb 07 2023
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Fantastic guitar playing but just a little too long and generically classic rock to grab a 5 from me
4
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Wed Feb 08 2023
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
This is a solid album but lacks some extra pizzazz that would bump it up to five for me. I bet if you’re a CCR fan this is gold, but I’m a little too ambivalent to go above a 4
4
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Thu Feb 09 2023
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
I’m usually not too picky about the mastering of an album, but those jangly guitar tones were just too piercing for me. Each of the tracks were a bit generic. Cool to see early psych-garage, but not really my jam.
3
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Fri Feb 10 2023
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Wow! This was genuinely one of my favorite albums we’ve had to date. Maybe it just struck the right nerve, but something about the amazing mastering with the equally amazing playing just made this pretty magical. I just only wish I could have heard this in 1970 when this would feel even more groundbreaking
5
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Mon Feb 13 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
This was a cool album! I wasn't 100% jamming on it, but i suspect that if i had any degree of Portuguese fluency it'd be 5 stars for me, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
5
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Tue Feb 14 2023
Vivid
Living Colour
I really tried to give this album a fair shot. And I think maybe I’m still not doing that, but I really didn’t like this album. The b side in particular is not my vibe. It falls neatly into the the preachy 80s music that I’ve lamented previously. Coupled with that glam rock style, it’s a lose-lose for me.
2
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Wed Feb 15 2023
Smash
The Offspring
Very unremarkable 90s alternative.
3
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Fri Feb 17 2023
Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
I’ve definitely given worse albums 4s and better album 5s. It’s on the fence for me, but I think it falls on the low side
4
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Mon Feb 20 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Solid overall but lacking the tinge of psychedelica that would make this a 5 for me
4
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Tue Feb 21 2023
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Some interesting ideas that probably laid the groundwork for later styles of rock (punk etc). But it’s interspersed with too much of what John Lennon would call “Granny Music”.
4
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Wed Feb 22 2023
Boston
Boston
Great playing, great vocals, great fun!
5
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Thu Feb 23 2023
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Very listenable. Concise without feeling incomplete much better showing for CCR than their previous album
5
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Fri Feb 24 2023
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
The most notable thing about this album is its horrible album cover. Otherwise the music is unremarkable.
3
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Mon Feb 27 2023
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
This album is so packed with monumental hits that I’m a little desensitized. But I think if I was listening to candle in the wind or Benny and and jets for the first time, this album would be an instant five, so that’s what I’ll give it
5
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Tue Feb 28 2023
The La's
The La's
I struggle to justify the inclusion here. The single “There She Goes”, isn’t even that great. The songs either feel like music that the Beatles did better 25 years prior or that Oasis would do better 5 years later.
2
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Wed Mar 01 2023
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
Great musicianship across the board, and some fun songs. Not every album has to have a catchy tune, but I think this album would have more staying power (for me) if I could latch onto one song.
4
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Thu Mar 02 2023
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Nick Cave is not totally my jam, but this album obviously has a lot of effort put into it. For me, this is as good as it gets for nick cave
4
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Fri Mar 03 2023
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
I like this album. Not super relistenable, but I’ve tried to get into this album before but it was nice to finally have the incentive to finish it. Solid all around
4
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Mon Mar 06 2023
Moving Pictures
Rush
Unfortunately, I think I hate Rush.
2
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Tue Mar 07 2023
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
It would be misleading to call this album ahead of its time. This album is so integral that the face of rock music would be unrecognizable without it. You can’t be ahead of your time if you bend the times to your whim.
5
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Every one of them words rang true and glowed like burning coal. Pouring off of every page like it was written in my soul.
5
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Thu Mar 09 2023
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Nothing wrong with this album, but not anything that knocked my socks off
4
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Fri Mar 10 2023
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
An album that can be appreciated on every level. No filler, the band is super tight, and Aretha kills. A no surprise 5.
5
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Mon Mar 13 2023
Guero
Beck
I absolutely adore Beck, but this is not my favorite by him. Some good songs, and not an unpleasant listen, but squarely in 4 territory for me.
4
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Tue Mar 14 2023
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
I always feel like I should like New Wave more than I actually do. The A side is a little generic but the B side is wonderfully weird and very Devo
4
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Wed Mar 15 2023
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
This is a pretty cool album. I love that you can hear the last pieces of big band still hanging on while hearing the emergence of the instrumental palette of funk and soul. James Brown gives a great performance and the audience adds to the experience. Some production quirks, but I won’t hold that against anyone.
5
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Thu Mar 16 2023
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
This album punches above its weight for me. I’d definitely throw this album on in the background of the imaginary parties I throw.
It’s missing just a little something that would push it to a 5, but a strong showing to be sure.
4
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Fri Mar 17 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
The more psychedelic tracks are really cool! I could take a whole album of that funk prog psych rock thing but I feel like they were a bit afraid to really lean in
4
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Mon Mar 20 2023
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
I wish I was better able to appreciate jazz. I didn’t personally connect with this album, but if I try to be objective about my ratings, it’s a 5.
4
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Tue Mar 21 2023
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
I love shoe gaze and dream pop, so you can’t ask for much more.
5
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Wed Mar 22 2023
Black Metal
Venom
This album didn’t speak to me personally but it does have merit as a jumping off point for many later bands.
3
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Thu Mar 23 2023
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
There’s nothing wrong with this album, but it’s not really my style. Some of the extended solos are pretty cool, but I didn’t like the vocals or the subject matter thereof.
3
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Fri Mar 24 2023
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
Man, I love bob dylan. The sound of that shrill harmonica in that gigantic concert hall really hits different.
“She belongs to me” and “just like a woman” were especially captivating.
Loved it
5
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Mon Mar 27 2023
The Visitors
ABBA
ABBA rocks. Both infinitely nostalgic and infinitely fresh. Their production is always unparalleled and their band cohesion is top notch, a great album on all fronts
5
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Obvious five. When the deeper cuts are better than some monumentally famous songs, you know the album is good
5
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Wed Mar 29 2023
The Stooges
The Stooges
This album is a very strong four for me. If we hadn’t been listening to such great albums recently, I might give it a five.
The proto punk is cool to see and the album still feels pretty fresh
4
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Thu Mar 30 2023
The Clash
The Clash
Very simple and very good. Political without being naggy.
5
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Fri Mar 31 2023
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
I don’t like techno
2
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Mon Apr 03 2023
Close To You
Carpenters
Fun album! Little Bit of baroque pop, little bit of folk rock. Great harmonies. That last song is bizarre but not unwelcome!
5
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Tue Apr 04 2023
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I’m not sure how I’ve never crossed paths with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but this album is pretty good! It definitely hits that alt rock vibe while still feeling fresh.
4
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Wed Apr 05 2023
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
Not surprised to hear that this was produced by a velvet underground alum. Simple, but still fresh. Doesn’t totally feel like it’s pushing any envelopes, but still very solid
4
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Thu Apr 06 2023
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
I’m always gonna love nick drake. That intro is one of the most beautiful orchestrations in the history of pop. This album is an easy five no matter how many times I’ve heard it
5
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Fri Apr 07 2023
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
I like old school country, and I certainly don’t dislike punk and its derivatives, but, this album fell flat for me. I’m reaching for the Pogues, the Cure, or most anything else before this.
I can imagine a later stage in my life where I wonder how I ever gave this album such short shrift. But for now, it remains worse than neutral
2
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Mon Apr 10 2023
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
It may be that I’m just growing into my appreciation of PJ Harvey, but this album was pretty good! Not a whole lot of analysis I can give, it just struck me better than our previous PJ album.
4
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Tue Apr 11 2023
Machine Head
Deep Purple
It’s nothing to write home about, but it gets bumped to a four for having some fantastic guitar and keyboard tone and for being so concise.
4
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Wed Apr 12 2023
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
I’m vehemently neutral on this album. Some decent songs, but largely not very memorable
3
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Thu Apr 13 2023
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Fonky!
5
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Fri Apr 14 2023
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
I really enjoyed this album which kind of surprised me! Without the bonus tracks it’s a perfect length to enjoy the vibe without getting saturated.
5
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Mon Apr 17 2023
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
Very good album. No frills, just good tracks.
5
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Tue Apr 18 2023
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
This album is very nostalgic to me, so I can’t be impartial. But I can be amazed by just how much I still love these British dorks.
5
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
This album lands squarely in the “I feel like I should like this” camp. However, for reasons I can’t articulate, I just don’t find it that compelling
3
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Thu Apr 20 2023
Arise
Sepultura
This is someone’s jam, but not really mine.
3
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Fri Apr 21 2023
The Next Day
David Bowie
This album is a little unmoored, but the tracks individually are solid. David’s voice sounds great, and some of the melodic choices are fantastic.
4
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Mon Apr 24 2023
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
Some great songs, and I’m particularly fond of “Friend of the Devil”. But this album feels longer than it is. I need to go deeper on their back catalogue, but for now I don’t feel super connected to the Dead’s music
4
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Tue Apr 25 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
Strong album, teetering between a low five and a high four. I’ll bump it up for the adventurous ambient sax and Eno collaboration.
5
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Wed Apr 26 2023
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
The kinks are always solid, and this album is no different. Really good production for 1969. All in all, nothing earth shattering, but nothing to complain about either.
4
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Thu Apr 27 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
Great at every turn. I was expecting this an album to feel a bit dated (it is already ten years old). But it doesn’t at all. “Rocket” is now far and away my favorite Beyoncé song.
5
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Fri Apr 28 2023
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
Solid. Better and more thoughtful than generic aughts indie, but still not knocking my socks off.
4
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Mon May 01 2023
Parallel Lines
Blondie
Some standouts, of course, but not everything I was hoping for. Some slightly weird production at points, but a good listen all in all
4
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Tue May 02 2023
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
This album is too long, but it’s also too Stevie to be anything less than a five.
5
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Wed May 03 2023
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
You’ve gotta respect this album for pushing the boundaries of modern music. However it remains remarkably musical despite its innovativeness.
5
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Thu May 04 2023
Smile
Brian Wilson
I don’t know if it’s possible to be derivative of your past self. If you can, this would be the first album I’d add to that list.
It’s so disappointing because Brian Wilson can be pure magic, but this just feels like flaccid covers of a past life.
I’d have preferred 52 minutes of chorale arrangements like that first song. That song was beautiful.
2
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Fri May 05 2023
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
This album is noticeably stifled by its outdated, and now cheesy, instrumentation.
The vocals are a little shaky, and the lyrics are a bit uncomplicated.
There’s an endearing earnestness to all of the aforementioned. However, not endearing enough to push it above a 3.
3
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Mon May 08 2023
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Really cool album. I dig the proto new wave. Not afraid to get weird but still being very listenable. Always nice to be exposed to an album you probably would have never found otherwise
5
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Tue May 09 2023
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
I used to think of Led Zeppelin as these untouchably cool figures. Now I know that they’re actually huge nerds. Their devotion to the folk music canon with the flavors of hard rock makes for really interesting and timeless music. There’s a lot packed into this relatively short album
5
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Wed May 10 2023
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
One of the best debut albums i have ever encountered. The band is unbelievably tight and the album flows like water. The production and mastering (or remastering?) is flawless.
The line between appropriation and inspiration is fine, especially with Zeppelin. But regardless of who should get the true credit, this albums rocks.
5
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Thu May 11 2023
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Better than much of the 90s singer songwriter music out there, but still not music I really connect with.
4
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Fri May 12 2023
Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
I can see the merit of this album as a film soundtrack, and maybe in one of my more avant-garde moods, I can appreciate a soundtrack for a nonexistent movie.
For now, it basically just reintroduced the city noise my headphones were actively trying to cancel out.
3
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Mon May 15 2023
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Pretty solid album. The flute is refreshing and tastefully done, but the whole package just can’t be a five for me.
4
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Tue May 16 2023
Blackstar
David Bowie
As I read more and listened more to this album, I appreciated it more. It’s still a little eerie to me that this was released two days before his death.
I do think this is a really good album, but it’s still not an album I really enjoyed.
4
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Wed May 17 2023
...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
One verse of “…Baby One More Time,” is euphoric pop bliss, but quickly becomes trite. Unfortunately, the album lacks anything else with similar pull.
The ballads are bad, all of the outdatedness with none of the emotional sincerity. It’s a 2.5 for me with a round up.
3
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Thu May 18 2023
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
Simple yet deep. Definitely the kind of album that benefits from additional listens. Nothing to complain about. It’s my favorite album that prominent incorporates a jaw harp.
5
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Fri May 19 2023
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
Truly a magical hour of music. There are certain musicians who cannot make a mistake while improvising. The connection between their feelings and the music they play is direct. Jacob Collier and Herbie Hancock immediately come to mind as other examples. Jarrett obviously also possesses this skill.
Listening to music like that will always be a treat. There’s a reason why this became the best selling solo piano album to date.
5
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Mon May 22 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
One of the best “fly on the wall” live albums I’ve ever heard. The perfect mix of clean and professional with loose and intimate. Sarah has an amazing voice and the band sounds great.
Also huge shoutout to the recording team for making a live 1957 recording sound better than a lot of studio albums 10 years later.
5
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Tue May 23 2023
So
Peter Gabriel
This album is a little dorky at times, but so am I. Something about tors album speaks to me and it’s an album I can see myself growing with. And “In Your Eyes“ is a no surprise standout.
5
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Wed May 24 2023
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
Music from this era is feeling a bit passé. I’m sure the pendulum will swing back, but for now I’m not a huge fan of this style. It feels way more sterile than the Neo soul of a few years prior which I don’t love. It’s not bad, just not good.
3
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Thu May 25 2023
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
I just can’t help but love the 60s. This album is definitely good and i’d love to give it a 4.5. But since there are so many amazing 60s albums, I’ll leave it at a 4
4
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Fri May 26 2023
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dylanesque lyrics with some fantastic guitar playing. I’m always happy to be pandered to. “Wild West End” stands out as my favorite.
5
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Mon May 29 2023
Low-Life
New Order
Some of the synths are really good. And I have a lot of respect for the direction that this album pushed music in. That being said the main vocalist is so wildly off key that the album is tough to listen to. It makes you wish auto tune was invented earlier to prop this album up.
3
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Tue May 30 2023
Hotel California
Eagles
I can’t help but love this album. Yes I’ve probably listened to 5 hours of Hotel California in my lifetime, but the title track still somehow feels fresh, and the other songs don’t feel like filler. I’m a sucker for music that feels palpably American though.
5
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Wed May 31 2023
Faith
George Michael
This is not really my style. Even “Faith” is worse than I remembered because of the bad mastering. It sounds like “Faith” is being played on a small speaker in another room.
2
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Thu Jun 01 2023
Stripped
Christina Aguilera
The first half of the album is pretty tough. The second half of the album is a little better, but not enough to bump it up. The hits hold up, but they’re drowned out by way too many other tracks
2
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Fri Jun 02 2023
Opus Dei
Laibach
This album is really not my thing. Maybe if I understood German I’d like it more, but this was really a slog for me
2
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Mon Jun 05 2023
Abraxas
Santana
This would be an easy 5 if it came out in 2023. The fact that it came out in 1970 makes it even more impressive.
Santana’s guitar playing is obviously great, but upon revisiting these songs the percussion stands out as another tasty feature
5
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Tue Jun 06 2023
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Really fun album. Freddie gives an amazing performance and the rest of the band is equally tight. Good all around
5
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Wed Jun 07 2023
Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp
I don’t feel like I have the right mental frame to understand why this album was included. Maybe I should go back over the lyrics with a finer tooth comb, but I won’t, because I didn’t like it
2
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Thu Jun 08 2023
Damaged
Black Flag
It’s definitely punk. I’m not too deep into punk so this won’t get highs marks from me. There’s nothing especially wrong though
3
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Fri Jun 09 2023
Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
No doubt that this is a musical family. I’m huge bossa nova fan, but if you would have described a “bossa nova, drum machine, new age” album, I would have been skeptical.
All of the elements blend together in a really tasteful way that shows considerable restraint for the time.
A treat to listen to.
5