Journey Complete!
Finisher #555 to complete the list
1089
Albums Rated
3.75
Average Rating
100%
Complete
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
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2010s
Favorite Decade
Electronica
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
261
5-Star Albums
3
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
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Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kollaps | 5 | 1.9 | +3.1 |
| Duck Stab/Buster & Glen | 5 | 2.03 | +2.97 |
| Haunted Dancehall | 5 | 2.37 | +2.63 |
| Opus Dei | 5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
| Suicide | 5 | 2.46 | +2.54 |
| Antichrist Superstar | 5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
| New Forms | 5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
| Timeless | 5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
| Welcome to the Afterfuture | 5 | 2.56 | +2.44 |
| Devotional Songs | 5 | 2.58 | +2.42 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishscale | 1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
| A Date With The Everly Brothers | 1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
| Harvest | 2 | 3.83 | -1.83 |
| Buena Vista Social Club | 2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
| Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
| The Marshall Mathers LP | 2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
| Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music | 2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
| Speakerboxxx/The Love Below | 2 | 3.45 | -1.45 |
| My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 9 | 4.56 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 5 |
| Björk | 4 | 5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 4.8 |
| Leonard Cohen | 5 | 4.6 |
| Beck | 3 | 5 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 4.29 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.33 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 4.4 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.5 |
| Metallica | 4 | 4.5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| Blur | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.67 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 4.67 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 2 | 5 |
| Cocteau Twins | 2 | 5 |
| The The | 2 | 5 |
| Portishead | 2 | 5 |
| TV On The Radio | 2 | 5 |
| Goldfrapp | 2 | 5 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 5 |
| Orbital | 2 | 5 |
| M.I.A. | 2 | 5 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| LCD Soundsystem | 2 | 5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 5 |
| Air | 2 | 5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Pulp | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.2 |
| Tom Waits | 5 | 4.2 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 4.2 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.25 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.25 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (261)
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Popular Reviews
Throbbing Gristle
4/5
This is totally my jam
6 likes
Einstürzende Neubauten
5/5
This is totally in my wheelhouse. I love this so much, bring it on. How can this be rated worse that Kid Rock?
Save the turtles indeed people.
4 likes
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
This is a great album. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint a favourite track so I guess I'll have to listen to it again... and again.
4 likes
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
It's pretty awesome for a debut. I certainly fell in love with it when I first heard it and have been a big fan ever since.
Not sure I can pick a favourite but the opener gets you going and closer brings you back down.
3 likes
The Sabres Of Paradise
5/5
Oh this is so awesome and right up my alley. I'd never heard of these guys before so what a treat.
Bubble and Silde starts off on the right foot but Bubble and Slide II take the cake for me. Duke of Earlsfield is a jam with Planet D, Wilmot, and Theme amping up again.
There's just so much to like, for me, on this album.
3 likes
1-Star Albums (3)
All Ratings
John Grant
5/5
Wow, what an album to finish on, or start on if you were lucky enough to start from here.
I've long been a fan of this album and John Grant in general just the way he has with words and weaving in pop culture references.
I was trying to pick a fave for this review but they're all great.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I think I prefer the At Folsom Prison album from this list but still a great concept. This one feels a bit more travelling comedy show.
Fave: San Quentin just for the crowd response.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The one album that's in my personal library, and a pretty great album too. Cherub Rock kicks things of nicely, Today is so lovely, Disarm is well, disarming, and Mayonaise has always been a favourite.
Mercury Rev
5/5
I remember hearing Holes in some TV show and was hooked from that moment on, but the ones mentioned in the wikipedia article don't ring any bells so bummer for that. Anyway, have been a long time fun, and really dug this listen. Hadn't really thought about the Flaming Lips angle 'til I read my colleagures review.
Fave: Holes, Goddess On A hiway
Thin Lizzy
3/5
The Boys Are Back In Town is one of those songs that is always played on classic rock stations. Overall I guess the album was ok, Cowboy Song certainly raised the eyebrows.
Cypress Hill
3/5
It sounds like Cypress Hill but where is Hits From The Bong, oh it's mentioned in Stoned Is the Way of the Walk.
Randy Newman
4/5
So many quirky songs but the OG version of You Can Leave Your Hot on is quite good! I'll have to say my favourite is Political Schiece because nobody wants to hurt kangaroos.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Long time fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, was looking forward to this as part of the last 8 albums on this list. Faves: Date With The Night, Maps, Modern Romance.
Carole King
4/5
Amazing, +1 for the cat.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Oh wow, what an album. Shout is so iconic and I forgot how much I liked it, was a bit worried about the rest until Everybody Wants To Rule The World kicked in with Broken and Head Over Heels / Broken being another incredible highlight. The final track Listen just left me in such a good mood.
Jurassic 5
4/5
What a great bop. Very danceable.
Fave: If You Only Knew, just for the mention of the Gold Coast Big Day Out.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Immigrant Song is such a classic, Tangerine and Gallows Pole are also great.
Tom Waits
5/5
Perfect. I see this is considered part of a trilogy with Swordfishtrombones which I also loved. So many great songs Singapore, Time, Walking Spanish, all of them!
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Monday, Monday is a great track but California Dreamin' really takes the cake. And this is their debut you say, impressive.
David Holmes
4/5
I didn't mind this at all and then happily find that he's on the Pi soundtrack. No particular fave, just a general desire to hear more.
Marianne Faithfull
5/5
This is so great. I've not listened to Marianne before so this was a joy to dig into. Working Class Hero was the standout on the first listen and on the second listen every track was a hightlight.
I think learning about the band was more interesting than the album itself. Love Lives Here, Stay with Me, and Memphis were the standouts.
Donovan
3/5
This album starts off so promising but then doesn't really do anything for me until Season of the Witch (what a cracker) and then fades away again.
The Temptations
4/5
Pure delicious funk.
Fave: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone.
Ian Dury
4/5
Quite an enjoyable rollick through the NSFW world of Ian Dury.
Faves: Wake Up And Make Love With Me, Clevor Trever, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
5/5
I think I quite enjoyed every song except for the title track but I guess it's just a nice closer.
Oasis
3/5
I'm struggling with this one. It just completely faded into the background on both listens. When reviewing the track listing I was like "huh Supersonic was on this, Cigerettes & Alcohol" no recollection at all.
Maybe because nodoby is home and I decided to play this on my speakers instead of using headphones?
Michael Jackson
4/5
This one gets some nostalgia points. Back from when I was still impressionable by pop music.
My wife was a Librarian so I keep hearing that instead of Liberian :)
One of our cats is a bit of a smooth criminal.
Fave: Man in the Mirror -- simple, classic.
Femi Kuti
4/5
Great fun afrobeat. I love the way Wonder Wonder kicks off, other faves: Frustrations, Plenty Nonsense, Stubborn Problems.
Motörhead
3/5
Based on my experience with the Live album I trimmed this album to it's base 12 tracks instead of the additional 15 on the deluxe editon and it was much more palatable. Still probably a bit too soon since the live album was only 5 days ago.
Anyway, Ace of Spades is still great, (We Are) The Roadcrew is my fave from this one.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Good fun punk.
Faves: Warrior in Woolworths, Plastioc Bag
Bert Jansch
3/5
I like how this kicks off with Strolling Down the Highway, the whole album has quite a nice feel but didn't really grab me.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
It's like that scene in Back to the Future "Your kids are gunna love this"
A great performance indeed.
Joan Baez
3/5
Lovely voice, simple folk.
Fave: Silver Dagger
George Jones
3/5
Straight down the middle slide guitar country.
Fave: The Grand Tour, She Told Me so, Who Will i Be Loving Now
Motörhead
3/5
Not too bad but 29 tracks on the first listen was a bit too much. I think I've I'd listened to the base 11 both times I could up this to a 4. And it looks like another Motörhead is coming soon so that will be interesting.
Faves: The Hammer, Iron Horse, Capricorn
Joy Division
5/5
I just love the way this album feels from start to finish.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I quite got into Don't Go Near The Water, Take A Load Off Your Feet, and Student Demonstration Time, but found the rest mediocre at best.
Boston
3/5
Welcome to 70s classic radio where we play your favourite hits all day every day.
More Than a Feeling is a great song but the rest of it just kind of blurred into one.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Because the Group ratings link disappears when I review a song I think about what I'm going to say and then open the Group ratings in a new window to see what others have said but only if I already know what I'm going to say and well this is the first time that I had these exact words in my mind.
"This was a perfectly pleasant listen, but without knowing any Portuguese it kinda slid off my consciousness without making too much of a mark.
Fave track "Tropicalia" - though that just might be because I was paying attention to track one before going back to working and letting it play in the background ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
Brian Eno
4/5
I do like how dreamy this gets towards the end. Funnily enough 1/1 is still my top played track over the last 12 months.
Soft Cell
3/5
Tainted Love is such a great song but the rest of the album is hmm.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
The live versions sounded a bit better I think. Green River opens nicely, Lodi is interesting, Bad Mooon Rising is a fave.
Lou Reed
4/5
Certainly interesting to see the beginnings of what his supporters believed in. Perfect Day is such an incredible song. Walk On the Wild Side is such a classic along with Satellite of Love. But there's a few oddballs in the mix as well.
John Prine
5/5
I feel ike John Prine is one of those artists that songwriters always reference and I can certainly see why. Illegal Smile is a great starter, and every song just has so much character. After the first listen I would have said Sam Stone is my fave, it's just so chilling but each song just grows on you.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
I really enjoyed this and thrilled to discover Fever To Tell is coming up (in about 33 more albums!).
This album certainly starts off strong with Zero, Heads Will Roll, and Soft Shock.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
One of thosse bands my friend was deep into and I always found pleasant enough. This album follows that, pleasnt enough.
Fave: A Different Point Of View
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Well it's nice enough but I really couldn't tell the end from the start from the middle.
Pixies
5/5
Fantastic album, just hit after hit. Perfection.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Love this so much, every track, from start to finish, just wish it was longer.
The Birthday Party
4/5
Ah yes, love a bit of Aussie post punk. This album just is great from start to finish. Blast Off really sets the scene, Dead Joe is a screamer and Release the Bats is just wild.
Le Tigre
5/5
Always been a big fan of Deceptacon, so it was nice to sit down with the album. Banging tunes, great to bop along to.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Lots of great classics on this. Certiainly a good album overall.
Elis Regina
3/5
Interesting, delightful.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Very cool, I sent a link to my kiddo when I saw the mention about time signatures and they really enjoyed the album too. Time Out is such a classic and Blue Rondo à la Turk really kicks it off nicely.
Nina Simone
4/5
It feels nice to sit down with a Nina album. Certainly some great stuff on here but Lilac Wine stands out for me today.
Liz Phair
4/5
Love Liz but haven't spent much time with this album. I didn't really get into it as much as Whitechocolatespaceegg but still keen to dig in.
Blur
5/5
I always had a soft spot for Blur during the Britpop War days. Parklife makes me smile every time and plenty of other great tracks.
Public Enemy
4/5
Oh man, all those samples! Sadly still relevant but such an empowering listen.
Q-Tip
4/5
I dig it, smooth, funky, interesting.
FaveS: You, WeFight/WeLove, Shaka
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Great album, great voice, love the music. What a sad story.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Rattlesnakes and Forest Fire certainly caught my attention but the rest is much of a muchness.
Madonna
3/5
Like a Prayer is great, Cherish is cute, Act of Contrition is funny.
Judas Priest
4/5
I don't know a lot about Judas Priest but this is good old (80s heheh) heavy metal so I guess it's time to start my education.
Fave: Grinder
Sebadoh
3/5
Sebadoh are one of those bands that have been sprinkled throughout my play history but never really captured my attention enought o dig into. This album is ok but nothing really stood out.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
Super strange and something I'd probably explore further but not today.
Fave: 22 Going On 23
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Wow, ok, great prog, epic song In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
glad to have heard it.
Van Halen
3/5
Might as well Jump.
The The
5/5
Ok yeah, consider me a fan. This Is the Day is such a great track and The Sinking Feeling carries it over and it's all so great.
The The
5/5
I quite enjoyed this and looking forward to the next album. It certainly got better with the second listen so here's to more.
Beatles
3/5
I don't really get it, well anyway, this is the last Beatles on the list for me. Au revoir.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
I found the first listen quite enjoyable and was thinking a 4 with Chicago a highlight. Second listen Jacksonville, Decatur, Casimir Pulaski Day also stood out and the the whole album just felt so lovely.
Neil Young
4/5
This looks to be the last of the Neil Young albums for me. I really go into Tonight's the Night but the rest of the album didn't really grab me so I would normally give this a 3 but since I've given Neil a few 4s I'll bump this.
Pavement
3/5
I still feel like I missed the boat with Pavement, Cut Your Hair is pretty eponymous and a few more listens could probably bump this to a 4 but for now it's a 3.
Brian Eno
4/5
Funnily enough Brian Eno is one of my top played artists at the moment due to the inclusion of 1/1 in a sleep playlist I listen to every night.
I didn't really know much about his early days so this was a great discovery. Lots to like, Baby's On Fire, Cindy Tells Me, Dead Finks Don't Talk, and the way Here Come The Warm Jets leaves you feeling.
Carpenters
3/5
I always think of Kermit the Frog when I hear close to you. This album is pleasant enough.
Boards of Canada
5/5
Love it, long time fan.
Hard to go past Turquoise Hexagon Sun as a fave but also quite enjoyed Aquarius and Happy Cycling during this round.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Epic, so beautiful and dramatic.
So many favess: There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Nature Bot, Abattoir Blues, and O Children
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I'm not quite sure I understand the inclusion of this album on this list. It's ok, but meh.
Fave: First Down for the Chemical Brother vibes.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Beyond Belief comes out of the gate strong, Shabby Doll and Man Out Of Time are also highlights. Maybe I need to spend a bit more time on this so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Method Man
3/5
Certainly on the second listen I started to get a bit more into this but it's not really something I want to invest time into right now.
Faves: Mr Sandman, Method Man
Missy Elliott
4/5
Ok, I must admit I wasn't sure but great work Missy.
Work It is an easy fave.
Otis Redding
3/5
He certainly has a way to make all these tracks sound like his own.
Fave: My Girl
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
Hmm, there's a Method Man album coming up as well.
Well, all I've learned from this round of listening is that I don't really need any WTC in my life.
Kanye West
2/5
On the first listen I found the music quite entertaining and the Kanye started rapping and ruined it all. By the end of the second listen I was glad that it was over.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Rollicking good fun.
Faves: Our Lips Are Sealed, Lust to Love, You Can't Walk In Your Sleep
Willie Nelson
3/5
Another hotel bar restaurant, but a bit more lush, with a grand piano and plenty of plants.
Fave: Blue Skies
The Lemonheads
5/5
I like The Lemonheads and this is a pretty good album.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Wow, this is so great, so much energy, just makes me want to dance.
Faves: Ponta De Lanca Africano, O Filosofo, Taj Mahal.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
There are two Tracy Chapman albums in our collection and strangely enough this isn't one of them.
The first two track are so good they almost take away from the rest of the album but I felt more rewarded on the second listen with tracks like Across the Lines, Behind the Wall, Mountains O'Things, and For My Lover.
An easy 5 stars.
Parliament
4/5
Roller Skates not included.
The opener sets the scene and the grooves keep on coming.
The Style Council
3/5
Coming to a hotel lobby near you.
Fave: The Paris Match for the Tracey Thorn vocals.
Aerosmith
3/5
I think this confirms that I don't need any more Aerosmith in my life. After the first listen Janie's Got A Gun was stuck in my head and it's a pretty great track. The rest is mediocre, Love In An Elevator was funny when I a teen.
Bee Gees
3/5
Two Bee Gees albums on the list and neither have those songs we all know. This album is pleasant enough but not something I'm in a rush to play again.
Deerhunter
5/5
I've been a long time fan of this album and it was nice to hear all the songs again, especially on the second listen. Certainly Revival is the first stand out track, Desire Lines, and He Would Have Laughed are also favourites.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
It's like listening to a greatest hits album.
I quite enjoyed My Hometown from this round of listening.
LL Cool J
2/5
Yeah, nah. Mama Said Knock You Out is pretty iconic. Milky Cereal is a bit of fun wordplay but overall it's not for me.
The Pogues
4/5
A rollicking good time.
Fave: And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Beck
5/5
Looks like I gave the other 2 albums 5 stars so while I was thinking 4 I might have to bump it up and just call myself a fan.
The singles are great and I'm sure I'd discover a few more faves with more time.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Grey Goose!
Radiohead
4/5
It certainly doesn't grab me as much as some of their other stuff but still a good album that probably deserves a few more spins.
Certainly Street Spirit (Fade Out) is the stand out for me
The White Stripes
5/5
So many great songs, it's certainly what brought my attention to the band.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Yeah ok, it's reggae, it's Bob. Interesting story.
Faves: Exodus, Jamming, One Love
Anita Baker
3/5
Probably a nice 4-star cafe soundtrack, you know, pleasant enough, and reliable.
Fave track is Same Old Love, but no idea why spotify has it listed as (365 Days a Week).
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Under My Thumb and Flight 505 are the standouts for me. Perfectly acceptable Rolling Stones.
Sparks
3/5
I'm usually first in line for strange esoteric music but this one doesn't quite resonate with me. Equator stood out for me, and maybe it needs a few more listens but for now 3 it is.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Certianly interesting to hear the starting point of these folks. Nothing really here for me to stick around for though.
fave: Shapes of Things
Jane Weaver
5/5
An artist I've admired for a long time. The Architect is just such an incredible song and the whole album is so dreamy and luscious.
David Bowie
5/5
Wow, what a way to say goodbye.
Fave: Blackstar, Lazurus
Pink Floyd
5/5
I love an album that flows so nicely from start to finish. There's just something magestic about this album, what a beauty.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
This album is incredibly captivating for an insturmental and it was surprisingly hard to concentrate on work while listening.
Such a lovely sound. No particular fave, the whole album feels so lush.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
A long time Kyuss fan and I also had a copy of the split album so Spiders and Vinegaroons was a standout for me on these listens. I did enjoy the opening track and maybe I need to spend a bit more time with QotSA so I'll bump this to a 4.
Slint
5/5
When I put this on I thought the album cover looked familiar, checking my play history I've had "Good Morning, Captain" on high rotation in the past but haven't played it since 2020!
Anyway, this album is right up my alley, all 6 songs are terrific, Washer was a standout on these listens and, of course, Good Morning, Captain is still an absolute fave.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I really like this version of Springsteen, I do love great story telling, especially done simply.
Fave: My Father's House
Black Sabbath
5/5
Not sure I quite got into this as much as the others but as a debut and what is claimed to be the first heavy metal album means I'll give it a bonus star.
Fave: Black Sabbath
The Avalanches
5/5
Incredible album and Australian to boot. Love these guys and remember this album blowing my mind when it first came out. Frontier Psychiatrist is just so much fun and the way the album works as a whole is just delightfult.
Madonna
3/5
I could almost bump this up to a 4, certainly a side of Madonna I was not familar with. Ray of Light is a great pop track. Faves for me were Little Star, and Mer Girl.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Hmm, this didn't grab me as much as the other one on this list but maybe it's just not right for me right now.
Fave: The Lung
Animal Collective
5/5
I have a vague memory of hearing My Girls in a TV Show and getting immediately hooked. A long time fan of this album each listen for this project has brought me a lot of joy.
Fave: My Girls
Black Sabbath
5/5
Reading my colleagues review it sounds like the debut is better, well that's exciting because I quite enjoyed this one. I can't pick a favourite track though the whole album just feels so comfortable.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
It's a vibe I could certainly settle down into.
Fave: April Skies
Supergrass
4/5
Great fun album. Alright and Caught By the Fuzz are great tracks. Most of the album holds up nicely and it sounds like the band was having fun making the album.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Unsurprisingly it's the first time I've sat down to listen to a Jamiroquai album. There's been a sprinkling of their songs throughout my play history and if I learnt one thing from this play through, it's that Jamiroquai is good in small doses.
Each song is boppy enough but after a while it just gets grating.
Kraftwerk
5/5
I like trains
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I don't understand a lot of what is going on but it's got that tinge of industrial that just grabs me.
Fave: Revol
Shuggie Otis
4/5
The opening and title track really grab your attention from the get go and then it's all super chill. Strawberry Letter 23 is great but Freedom Flight takes the cake for me.
Foo Fighters
5/5
I've always wondered but never really looked into the beginnings of Foo Fighters and it was an interesting read thanks to this list. Certainly this album took me by surprise and I look forward to putting it on high rotation.
Fave: For All the Cows
The Jam
3/5
Quite an enjoyable album, almost want to give it a 4 as it's a solid 3.5 but as I get to the end of this list the reality of listening to this again in the near future is slim.
Fave: Down In The Tube Station At Mdnight
Stephen Stills
3/5
Certainly a lot more interesting than I was expecting. Still not something that's immediately going on a playlist.
Fave: Don'y Look at My Shadow
Portishead
5/5
Incredible debut and easily a favourite. Long time listener, first time reviewer.
The La's
3/5
It definitely got better on the second listen so maybe it deserves a bit more time. There She Goes is such a standout.
Nitin Sawhney
5/5
An instant fave. I've always been curious about Nitin, an artist that has popped up on a couple of compilation albums that I own.
Incredible subject, heart warming vocals.
Faves: All of them
Ryan Adams
2/5
Not interested, don't care, all 21 tracks sounded the same.
Spiritualized
4/5
So this is where it all began, you can feel the underpinnings of floating in space but it's not quite as impactful but still something I'd love to spend more time with.
Faves: I Want You, Sway, 200 Bars
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
I appreciate what Dizzee does, but I'm not the target audience. Fave: Round We Go
David Bowie
4/5
Another interesting Bowie album that I probably need to spend more time with.
Faves: Beauty and the Beast, Heroes.
Fugees
3/5
Certainly an interesting album but not something I'm immediately going to put on again soon.
Fave: The Beast
The Pretty Things
3/5
Ok, early examply of rock opera, some nice psychedelic sounds, but overall a bit meh.
Faves: Baron Saturday, Walking Through My Dreams
Roxy Music
4/5
Caught by surprise yet again and based on my previous Roxy albums this is a solid 4. I quite enjoyed this with Cassanova being the standout and a lot of highlights along the way.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Maybe my expectations were a bit too high but this one didn't grab me as much as the other on this list. Maybe it needs a bit more time or I'm just not in the right fram of mind.
Fave: Never Let Me Down Again
Pink Floyd
5/5
Epic from start to finish.
Faves: all
The Yardbirds
3/5
Some good bluesy tunes to bop along too.
Fave: He's Always There
The Cure
4/5
Certianly an album I'd like to spend more time with. One Hundred Years certainly sets the scene and the whole album comes together nicely.
Leftfield
5/5
An old favourite. Open Up was always one of those songs that got me on the dance floor.
Original is also an old favourite and this album as a whole is great.
Pink Floyd
5/5
This album just gets better with every listen. This is only my second PF album from the list with 2 more upcoming in the final 140 albums.
A new appreciation, easy 5 stars: Run Like Hell really caught my attention on these listens.
The Undertones
4/5
I feel like this one could grow on me and I gave their other album 4 so let's go with that.
Hard to pick a fave, so many short fun moments.
Raekwon
3/5
It's not for me, but I'm not the target audience.
I didn't mind Knuckleheadz, and North Star but didn't dig too deep into any of the songs.
George Michael
3/5
Good on you George for forging your own path.
This album is not for me, Look at Your Hands was the one track that caught my attention.
Ice Cube
3/5
The syle is ok, I do like socio-political content but that's only half of this store. I feel like this album is building up to something but never quite gets there.
John Martyn
4/5
This one didn't grab me as much as the other one but still I think it deserves a bit more time.
Fave: Solid Air
Primal Scream
4/5
Didn't quite grab me as much as Screamadelica but still something I'd like to spend further time with.
Fave: Trainspotting.
The xx
5/5
When I rated the other xx album on here I said that I hadn't listened to this one. But that was wrong because this album has been on high rotation over the years I just never made the connection.
An easy 5 stars, I just love the way the vocals interwine and the laid back vibes of the music.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I had a t-shirt back in the day, must've been lucky enough to catch them live at some stage. Dirty is still my favourite album, Teen Age Riot is a killer of a tune, Eric's Trip is great and I'm sure I could grow to enjoy this more with a few more listens.
5/5
Starts off great and just gets better and better. An easy 5 stars, what an album.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Maybe I need to be in a certain state of mind to fully understand this album but it certainly is interesting to see where it all started.
Faves: The Gnome, Bike
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
I don't really know much about GLB, and if this is their signature sound then good for them. A perfectly acceptable album.
Fuzzy is certainly a standout, Soft Wolf Tread, and Dixie Drug Store also caught my attention. Oh, and any mention of Chocolate Cake or Ice Cream always grabs me.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I was interested the read how each member of the band was encouraged to sing. When it came to that last track I got curious about this "Moe" person. I really wish I hadn't but good practice is seperating the art from the political.
Pale Blue Eyes just steals the show for me.
Van Halen
3/5
Well it was certainly interesting to read up a bit about Van Halen's journey. This album is not really for me.
Faves: Atomic Punk, Little Dreamer, Ice Cream Man
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
A long time fan, such a great concept and it's hard to imagine anyone pulling it off any better.
Faves, all of them, but particularly on these listens, The Curse of Millhaven, O'Malley's Bar.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
This so lovely, great mix of classic and folk.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Wow, that first track opens up like a disco and before you know it has evolved into samba. A good fun album, Pedro Navaja, and Maria Lionza are highlights for me.
5/5
What a beautiful and tragic discovery. Such a great album with a wonderful sound but such a sad story for the artist.
In terms of fave tracks, certainly Antropofagos is up there along with Samba do Gringo Paulista, Abraco, and the closer. It's all good.
Prince
4/5
A pretty good album and definitive Prince sound.
Faves: Let's Go Crazy, Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain
Fats Domino
3/5
Certainly a classic. Blueberry Hill, great track. Troubles Of My Own also enjoyable.
Miles Davis
3/5
It certainly is cool. I didn't look at any track names, but that final track feels so out of place.
Genesis
4/5
Another solid album from Genesis. The Battle Of Epping Forest is easily my favourite, but each track feels rewarding in it's own way.
Green Day
5/5
This is an album that we have a CD copy of so it's gotten a lot of airplay over the years.
A lot of good tracks on here that make it a 5, a lot of mediocre tracks that bring it back to 4, but +1 for nostalgia.
Paul Weller
4/5
Sunflower certainly is a great song to kick things of. Weirdly Holy Man - Reprise sticks out to me more thant Can You Heal Us (Holy Man). Moon On Your Pyjamas is another fave.
Certianly deserves a few more spins.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
So this is 5 of 6, and looking at my past reviews it seems I like one or two tracks but never quite the whole album and this one holds that pattern too. I Want You is a standout track, Tokyo Storm Warning, and Blue Chair caught my attention.
Michael Jackson
5/5
I've quite enjoyed rediscovering this album. So many great songs, I just love the interplay between Paul and Michael on The Girl Is Mine. Thriller itself, oh man, that video clip!. Beat It, Bille Jean!
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
Not a lot of info about why this is on the list, it's perfectly acceptable dance music but nothing special.
Sometimes was probably the standout for me.
The Mars Volta
5/5
My kiddo saw this on the list and reminded me that we recently listened to this album on a car trip. Which I guess means my kiddo has awesome taste :).
Very cool album, fave is probably Cicatriz Esp, I do love me some 12 minute epic songs. But the whole album is great.
Metallica
5/5
This marks the end of my Metallica journey in relation to this list. With S&M still reasonably fresh in my memory a lot of my favourites from this album are from that album.
Etither way this is an incredible album
David Bowie
4/5
3 more Bowie albums to go as I count down from 169.
All 4s and 5s so far and this is another 4 for me. Enjoyable but nothing really quite grabbed me.
Faves: Aladdin Sane, The Jean Genie
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Pretty fun, great old school hip hop. Love the Aerosmith collab (better together ;) ).
Faves: Peter Piper, It's Tricky, Walk This Way, You Be Illin'
Brian Eno
5/5
Longtime fan, easy 5. As part of my wind down for bed routine I listen to a playlist of songs created by Sigur Ros called Sleep. 1/1 and 2/2 are part of the playlist and instantly bring calm.
Magazine
4/5
I enjoy these kind of discoveries which is why I am persisting with the final 172 albums on this list.
It seems this band has crossed my path before so I look forward to digging in further.
Fave: Shot By Both Sides, Motorcade
Soundgarden
4/5
That was far more enjoyable than I was expecting.
5/5
Another easy 5, it's seems all my other reviews cover what I probably would have said here.
Faves: all of it.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
I think on a different kind of day I could appreciate this more, it's sombre and interesting, but not for me today.
Paul Simon
4/5
There's just something comforting about this album.
Faves: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Paranoia Blues
Chicago
3/5
Free Form Guitar, oh yeah!
South California Purples, cool.
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, sounds familiar.
It probably deserves a few more listens but for now it's a 3.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I had a friend who was a huge fan. I've always found them interesting but never really got into them.
Being Boring starts out strong, How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? is a standout for me and the rest is just pleasant enougn synth pop.
Van Morrison
3/5
It's certainly interesting to read that there was a time when Van Morrison didn't sound like Van Morrison.
This sound is so synonyms now.
Fave: And It Stoned Me -- everything else kind of just blends together.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
So much fun and so interesting.
Fave: Qongqothwane
Haircut 100
3/5
Cute, fun, poppy.
Faves: Kingsize, Snow Girl
The Cramps
3/5
"garage-trash novelty" -- ok, a good fun listen.
Fave: What's Behind The Mask. I Was A Teenage Werefolf
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Probably a 3 star album but it has a nice feeling and I'm a bit of a fan, so I'm bumping it up.
Fave: Road Trippin'
R.E.M.
3/5
Oh, another debut. Good to see where they started. It's an ok album.
Interesting tracks: Radio Free Europe, Catapult, West Of The Fields.
Tricky
5/5
An old time favourite and a hell of a debut although you could argue that Massive Attack was his training ground.
Either way, big fan, Black Steel is incredible but the whole is great.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
OMD are on of those bands that I know are famous for something but I could not tell you what. This album was a joy to discover and certainly deserves a few more spins.
Fave: Joan Of Arc
The Verve
3/5
Nice to hear another side of The Verve it probably deserves a few more listens but it didn't really do a lot for me today.
Spiritualized
5/5
So captivating right from the beginning. I've always loved this album so an easy 5 stars.
Faves: easily the opening, and closing tracks, along with I Think I'm In Love.
Gene Clark
3/5
Drugs are bad mmmkay
Fave: Strength Of Strings
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Fun, quirky, tubular dude.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Such a wonderfully strange journey. Not sure I'm in the right headspace for this album today so maybe it would rank higher on another day.
Incubus
4/5
I can imagine getitng really into this when I was younger. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes for me and kind of feels like a commercial version of my ideal band.
Keeping an open mind, I can't say I hate it, Drive and Pardon Me are good songs.
The Doors
3/5
Riders on the Storm is just such a great tune. The Changeline certainly kicks off in an unexpeted, for me, way. Love Her Madly is cetainly one of their more popular songs as well.
Overall though it doesn't really grab me, just a nice listen.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Nice, fun to bop along to reggae.
Fave: Them Belly Full
The Who
3/5
Ah it's cute. I hope they had fun making it.
I Can See For Miles is the only decent song.
T. Rex
3/5
Just a little bit too much Glam after hearing Electric Warrior less than 2 weeks ago.
Metal Guru is a standout and lots of highlights along the way but just too much Glam in one sitting.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I could basically copy/paste my review from the other album. It's my jam, I like it, deserves a few more spins.
Faves: Wrong, Single, Walking Wounded
Public Enemy
4/5
Such a great album, so many influences on bands that I love and I do enjoy socio political rap.
Fave: Black Steel
David Bowie
4/5
Hmm, 5 Bowie albums and this is my first as I continue my journey backwards currently at 199. 5 in the first 200 albums.
I do enjoy Bowie and Young Americans and Fame are great tracks. But this album doesn't fully grab me.
The Smiths
5/5
It seems every time I've listened to this album I've listened to the whole thing which matches with how I'm feeling abou these 2 listens. It's a great album, I probably need to spend more time with it.
Girlfriend in a Coma is certainly a standout
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Another easy 5, long time fan. Such an incredible album, like a self written eulogy. Absolutely amazing.
You Want it Darker is superd, Travelling Light, and Treaty are also sublime.
Gene Clark
3/5
Hmm, not sure what's so special about this. It's ok but didn't really grab me. Fave is probably Winter In. Looks like I've got another Gene Clark on my todo list as well.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
An easy 5, been a long time fan, just love the atmosphere.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
I like the vibes and the flows.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Nice one Dolly. Not for me but did enjoy Coat of Many Colors and Traveling Man
Pixies
5/5
An easy 5, what a debut.
Fave: Where Is My Mind?
Bee Gees
3/5
Wow a totally unexpected sound from the Bee Gees. I'm trying to imagine if this was their only album what a epic little cult album it would be.
I found in interesting and probably more interesting that their usual fare. I see that there is another album on this list so I guess I'll find out more then but for now there's some great stuff but also some cringe I guess so 3 stars it is.
Fave: Never Say Never Again
T. Rex
4/5
I guess I didn't really understand what Glam rock was but this is the definition.
Faves: Get It On, Cosmic Dancer, Jeepster
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
What a great album, doesn't feel out of place.
Lots of highlights on this album, hard to go past It's Like That, and Wake Up. I also like bopping along to Jays Game.
Bad Company
3/5
My favourite track is Bad Company, from the album Bad Company, by the band Bad Company.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I listened to this a week ago and forgot to write a review. All I remember is that I was keen to explore further.
The Roots
3/5
I certainly started to warm to this more on the second listen but not quite enough for a 4.
The Seed (2.0) is certainly a standout with Pussy Galore, Complexity, Something In The Way Of Things (In Town), and Thirsty! being other highlights.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Lots of 4s and 5s for the Dylan album on this list and this is a solid 4, could possibly creep to 5 with a few more listens but either way it's on the list to revisit.
Fave: Not Dark Yet, Highlands
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
An old favourite.
fave: The Righteous & the Wicked
The Doors
5/5
It is pretty incredible for a debut. Hard to imagine a world where no one had heard these sounds before.
Such a great atmosphere, timeless, an easy 5 stars.
Faves: The End, Alabama Song
Patti Smith
5/5
Another nice discovery. I haven't spent a lot of time with Patti but I do enjoy what I've listened to so it was nice to sit down with a whole album and would certainly like to spend more time with it.
Faves: Gloria
Björk
5/5
Such a beautiful sound, classic and timeless.
Faves. It's hard to go past Hidden Place and Pagan Poetry, and it's a great album overall.
The Teardrop Explodes
5/5
I quite enjoyed this, another great discovery from the list. I'm keen to keep this one on the playlist.
Faves: Sleeping Gas, Kilimanjaro, Treason (and Traison from the bonus tracks)
Nick Drake
5/5
This is so lovely but far too short.
Faves: Pink Moon, Parasite
U2
4/5
Zooropa is my most listened to as it's the one in my wife's CD collection. I had a friend who was a big U2 fan so I never really felt a need to dig too deep.
All that to say this was ok, sounds like U2, some good moments, some meh moments.
Fave: The Fly
Bob Dylan
5/5
Ahh Dylan you've captured my heart again. What a delightful album certainly worth revisiting. I've got one more Dylan left on this list!
Fave: I Shall Be Free
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
A big fan of Pretty Hate Machine and a fan of NIN but never spent much time with this particular album so looking forward to getting to know it a bit more.
Still, A Warm Place is one of my favourites
UB40
3/5
I do enjoy me sociopolitical songs and this is a great debut. So much to unpack here.
Faves: Tyler, Reefer Madness
Iggy Pop
3/5
This album is kind of a 3 for me but Lust For Life and The Passenger are great songs so they kind of bump it up to a 3.5 -- so it really comes down to home keen I am to listen to this again. How much Iggy do I need in my life?
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
I gave the other album a 4 but I'm leaning towards 5 for this one so let's do that. Enjoyable from start to finish, wonderfully atmospheric.''
Faves: Spellbound, Arabian Nights
Hookworms
4/5
Quite an enjoyable listen. Certainly one to explore further. A bit of a sad story but these are the times we live in.
No particular fave but it does finish strong so let's say Shortcomings.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I don't really understand the significance of this inclusion but it was a fun listen. The movie plot sounds interesting as well.
Fave: One Two Cha Cha Cha
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I can't say this one grabbed me as much as the other Stones albums on this list. Probably one for the die hard fans or those who’ve seen them live a few times.
Faves? I dunno it just kind of feels like one long song.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
Yeah nah, no thanks. Intro is a great start but it quickly degenerates and then just gets worse. The only highlight along the way was Juicy.
Faith No More
5/5
An easy 5, and old favourite. Big fan of FNM and Mike.
Thundercat
5/5
Lots of fun on this one. Something I'll come back to for sure.
Faves: A Fan's Mail, Tokyo, Jameel's Space Ride
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
A little too spiritual for me. Certainly the second listen helped and I didn't mind Empty Sky, Worlds Apart, and The Fuse. I suppose Mary's Place also but still not something I'm i in a rush to listen again.
The War On Drugs
5/5
I discovered this band after first hearing and digging into Kurt Vile. And it's one of those bands that keeps getting recommended to my by the various streaming services. All that to say Under the Pressure is one of my favourite songs and this album as a whole is a great listen.
An Ocean In Between The Waves was another highlight.
Keen to keep on the playlist.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
An easy 5. Such a great album with every track a winner. Stairway to Heaven isn't even the standout track with The Battle for Everymore and Misty Mountain Hop at the top of my list.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
Artic Monkeys are one of those bands that's peppered through my listening history so it was nice to sit down and listen through this album. I found it very enjoyable and keen to hear again. Love the accent and the stories.
Fave: Fake Tales Of San Francisco
Circle Jerks
3/5
Short, fast, to the point, and done.
I thought track 2 was I just want to skate.
Kick, push, coast.
Fred Neil
4/5
A nice moody album with a flourishing finish.
The Dolphins is a great opener, There's The Bag I'm In is relatable, Everybody's Talkin', well huh, who know it was about sailing, or is it another euphemism for cocaine?
Ray Charles
3/5
Like listening to an old time radio.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Breezy and cool.
Faves: That Lady, Summer Breeze.
Janet Jackson
5/5
I quite enjoyed this sociopolitical album. I haven't listened to much Janet and was pleasantly surprised.
Found myself humming Rythym Nation, got pulled into the softness of Miss You Much, love the excitement of Escapade, and totally got into the Black Cat.
I'll probably wonder why I put this on my 5 star list but heck let's do it.
Talvin Singh
4/5
Oooh I quite like this one. Certainly one worth further exploration. Traveller is such a great opener and the whole album just flows nicely until that weird moment in Vikram The Vampire.
4/5
This album starts off so stron and finishes brilliantly but there's some parts in the middle that don't hold their weight.
After the first 3 tracks it's like a best of album but then it all just fades into the background until Within You Without You.
A Day In The Life is such a great tune.
Various Artists
3/5
I was reading my colleagues review and they mentioned.
"If I'd had to listen to this in July I can imagine it losing a star..."
Well it's April for me and here I am listening to a Christmas Album from 1963.
I must say as far as Christmas Albums goes this is pretty good so it's not going in the trashfire. But it's certainly not an album that's going on my listen to again list. No particular favourites, all well known tunes.
Pixies
4/5
Oh wow, this my first of 3 Pixies' albums from this list. On first listen I wasn't too sure but after the second listen I was left wanting more.
Not quite a 5 but something worth further exploration.
Faves: Velouria, Dig for Fire
Sepultura
3/5
Not bad, I do like me a, in this case, Brazillian twist. This one didn't grab me as much as Arise but I believe it's on the list because it's the last Max album.
Anyway, fave, Canyon Jam
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
I misread the title as The Gilead Place of Sin. Maybe that flavoured my context as some of it sounded a bit preachy.
Do Right Woman rang some bells, Dark End Of The Street was enjoyable but the rest just didn't do much for me.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I really like the way this album kicks off with You Are The Sunshing Of My Life, it just really sets the scene. The album plods along a little but but You've Got It Bad Girl has a nice feel and then Superstition kicks in followed by the very cool Big Brother and the last track just leaves me feeling hope.
AC/DC
4/5
This does feel a bit more like what i think of when I think of AC/DC. Hells Bells is a great opener and the energy continues until it ramps up for Back In Black and You Shook Me All Night Long. Have a Drink on Me feels a bit on the nose since old mate died of Alcohol Poisoning but hey we're a drinking culture.
Anyway, that's enough AC/DC for me for a while.
Richard Hawley
3/5
This starts off sounding a lot like a Christmas album and ends up as a lullaby. It does pick up in the middle around The Ocean and Born Under A Bad Sign. Eerily enough Spotify added Tonight the Streets Are Ours to my Discover Weekly playlist last week.
Certianly an album that probably grows on you.
Happy Mondays
4/5
This album doesn't grab me as much as Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches did but I can hear the start of the sound that I associate with Happy Mondays.
Fave: Wrote for Luck
AC/DC
3/5
I really thought I'd already listened to an AC/DC album on this list but no, it's on my backlog after Happy Mondays, Richard Hawley, and whatever's new next week.
Anyway, as far as this album goes. Highway to Hell is a cracker of a song but the rest of the album is pretty mediocre. Being Australian I do have a soft spot for them but it's still not quite a 4 for me.
Funkadelic
4/5
Awesome opening track, cool tunes, very funky.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Meh. It's pleasant enough and I guess it's rockier than the other one on this list. But overall not for me.
Fave: Maggie May
Neil Young
5/5
This album is just full of little gems. Such a beautifully meloncholic album that I'm going to have to put more time into.
Faves: so many, but let's go with Vampire Blues, Revolution Blues, and Ambulance Blues
Tim Buckley
4/5
Songs that feel like a warm blanket.
Fave: Pleasant Street
Lauryn Hill
3/5
There's no denying that Lauryn's pretty magical but this isn't something I'm adding a future playlist.
The album has a nice flow and the classroom bits add to the atmosphere.
Fave: To Zion
Manu Chao
5/5
This album is so much fun, full of joy a frivolity. I'm keen to explore more.
Faves: Clandestino, Bongo bong, Welcome to Tijuana
The Black Crowes
3/5
Straight down the middle four on the floor rock and roll.
Fave: Sister Luck
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Is this meant to be an example of the struggling sophomore release?
Anyway, I don't know. Sister Ray is pretty good.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
I don't mind ol' Franz and this album's pretty ok. Not quite a 5 but a fairly solid 4.
Faves: Take Me Out, This Fire, Michael
Billy Joel
5/5
Wow, I quite enjoyed this album. I remember being a fan before I developed my own music taste and never revisited Billy since then so it was nice to reminisce a bit but also these are great songs.
Faves: Movin' Out, Vienna
Songhoy Blues
5/5
A soon as I saw Desert Blues my ears perked up. As soon as the opening notes of Soubour kicked in I knew I was in for a treat. What a delightful album.
Faves: Soubour, Igranda, Jolie
Robbie Williams
3/5
Bollocks sir, kiss my ass.
I did have a negative reaction when I realised I had to listen to a Robbit Williams album.... twice... but I was pleasantly suprised on the first listen and not completely turned off. But still, it's just not for me.
Let Me Entertain You is certainly a bop, but Lazy Days is my fave.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Delightfully enjoyable fluglehorn jazz. Easy to listen to all the way through with Maseru being my highlight.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Smooth music from an artists who seems to know what they are doing.
If You Think You're Lonely Now certiainly has a hook.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Absolutely incredible album. Just perfect.
MGMT
5/5
Yeah, rocking eletronic power pop.
Great album, faves Time to Pretend, The Youth, Kids.
Morrissey
4/5
It's funny how polarising Morrissey is when looking at the reviews. It's been almost 8 months since I listened to You Are The Quarry and I'm not sure where this fits into the zeitgeist.
Anyway, it feels a bit middle of the road, has a few highlights and is a bit slow at times. But I also feel it's worth a little more explorations so keeping it a 4.
Fave: Now My Heart Is Full
Aerosmith
3/5
This is Aerosmith at their best?
Fave: Maybe Last Child
Supertramp
3/5
This is another one of those late night backyard bbq party vibe albums.
It's nice to listen to the whole album in context, Bloody Well Right is still the standout track though.
3/5
So it's live, it's a bootleg, and it's Dylan.
I'm not sure what all the fuss is with the two sides but sounds ok to me.
Faves: Desolation Row, Like a Rolling Stone
Miles Davis
3/5
Very cruisy very smooth very relaxing.
If you're rating is based on the number of tracks you like then this is a fiver but for me it's how much I want to listen to it again or if I want to explore it further.
As much as I liked this it's not being added to a playlist.
The Damned
4/5
A great fun album that has all the things I like about punk.
Bonus connection to The Saints as well!
Faves: Love Song with it's jarring ending, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Noise, Noise, Noise, Smash It Up, Pt 1 & 2
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Ah yes, a transition album, here's what she was, here's what she became.
I read that Boulder to Birmingham is the only track she wrote on this album and on each listen I realised it had gone past without me noticing so I went back and listened to it again, it's a nice enough vibe.
Faves? Bluebird Wine, California Cotton Fields.
Beck
5/5
Smooth to the last groove. Just such a dreamy album that seems perfect for this overcast day. Also an album I've put a fair bit of time into in the past as well so an easy 5 for me.
Faves: Paper Tiger, Sunday Sun, Lost Cause
Dr. Dre
2/5
Well I'm glad that's over.
This will be the fifth time that I've mentioned Natual Born Killers, maybe that soundtrack should have been on this list, but either way The Day The Niggaz Took Over has long been a favourite of mine but the rest of this album is not for me.
Snoop Dogg is certainly a star on this album.
Radiohead
5/5
Automatic 5 for me, this is my most listened to Radiohead album and it's just perfect.
Saint Etienne
4/5
Such a nice downtempo electro groove.
Faves: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Spring
Eels
4/5
Susan's House is such a standout for me, just a perfectly delivered narrative. Novocaine For The Soul is great and it was nice to dig in to the rest of the album.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
A solid 4 for me. Certainly an artist that seems to keep popping up here an there and I still find intriguing.
Faves from this: Once Around the Block, Bewilderbeast, Pissing in the Wind, Disillusion
Leonard Cohen
5/5
I usually take a peek at the wikipedia precis when I start listening, especially for artists I don't know. So for Leonard I just hit play and was much pleased, so I thought I better look at wikipedia to get some context and was surprised to find that this is his debut.
It's such a well rounded beautiful heartfelt pure Leonard Cohen album.
Faves? It's all good, so captivating.
Justice
5/5
Great fun french electro pop.
Faves: D.A.N.C.E, Phantom Pt. II, The Party
Neu!
5/5
This is so good and perfect example of why this list exists, such a dichotomy but still works.
Faves: Isi, Seeland, Hero, E-Musik
Led Zeppelin
4/5
So far II and Physicaly Graffiti have gotten a 4 from me and I still have II and III to catch up on.
Fave: Dazed and Confused
Beyoncé
3/5
I probably need more time with Beyonce to get what she's really about but there's not doubt she's talented.
Fave: ***Flawless
Talking Heads
4/5
Long time fan of Talking Heads but never listened to this album. Take Me to the River is a standout track with some other highlights being Stay Hungry, and The Big Country.
Gang Of Four
4/5
This is pretty great but will need a bit more brain power to fully comprehend.
Faves: Natural's Not In It, Not Grat Men, Damaged Goods.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
It's like listening to a greatest hits album!
What a cracker.
Faves: Second Hand News, Dreams, and The Chain still gives me shivers.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Eighteenth album and he nearly threw in the towel?
Well, I'm certainly glad he didn't. This is a side of Stevie I wasn't familiar with and certainly keen to keep on the playlist.
Faves: As, Saturn, All Day Sucker
Super Furry Animals
5/5
There is something enticing about this ecletic mix.
Faves: (Drawing) Rings Around the World, Receptable for the Respectable, Juxtapozed with U, and Run! Christian, Run!
Joni Mitchell
5/5
So beautiful. The first listen the first 7 tracks just kind of sat in the background just nice and chill and then River came on and changed everything.
Beautiful songs, beautifully delivered.
Faves: River, A Case of You, This Flight Tonight
Elton John
3/5
Certainly and interesting artist. Tiny Dancer is well known and pretty good. Levon was interesting, along with Madman Across The Water, and Rotten Peaches.
But it's not something I'll be rushing to hear again.
SZA
4/5
Smooth, interesting, and curious. Certainly worth digging into further.
Fave: Garden (Say It Like Dat)
Röyksopp
5/5
A big fan of Royksopp, great debut. Boppy electronica.
Faves: Sparks, Poor Leno
The Who
3/5
Epic rock opera with an epic song.
Fave: Pinball Wizard
The Who
3/5
I see the next on my catchup list is another The Who release. Pretty strong debut but it's not for me.
Fave: The Ox
Machito
3/5
Upbeat lounge music? Very cool afro jazz vibes and what on earth is Cubop.
Metallica
4/5
I guess I can now call myself a Metallica fan. I'm enjoying what I've listened to in this list and keen to discover more.
Certainly it's hard to see what impact the Orchestra is having on the songs overall. I mean The Ecstasy Of Gold certainly sets the scene but I'm not familiar enough with the rest of the songs to know what's what.
Fave from this release: Of Walk And Man for the wolf call out, For Whom The Bell Tolls for the sing-a-long, and Wherever I May Roam.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Very cool afrobeat with funk and politics.
Fave Zombie, Mr Follow Follow
Stereolab
5/5
This is so cool and brings me so much joy.
Metronomic Underground is such a great opener and the follow two tracks just keep up the vive. Les Yper Sound is also great and Spark Plug just booms.
Too many songs to mention, the title track is also awesome.
Gary Numan
5/5
I try not to let my friends reviews influence mine but this was a 5 already and I totally agree with the faves.
---
Fave track - "M.E." maybe - source of that badass sample the Basement Jaxx used for "Where's Your Head At?". "Cars" is obviously an absolute tune. "Metal" was a stand out. The bonus track "Bombers" was excellent too...
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Awesome voice, she really knows how to make these songs her own.
Respect is a classic, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) was also a standout for me.
Beth Orton
5/5
A big fan of Beth Orton and as soon as Stolen Car started playing it was like a big warm welcome home.
I was a bit dissapointed to learn that Central Reservation was about drugs but hey, all music (art) is open to interpretation.
Faves: it's all good but special call out for Stolen Car and Central Reservation.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
It's like listening to the greatest hits on a jukebox that doesn't have the license so the songs are just instrumental versions.
Such a cool vibe, very enjoyable grooves. Green Onions and Mo' Onions were the standouts for me.
Living Colour
3/5
It's such a strangely straight down the middle of the road rock album.
Fave: Open Letter (To a Landlord)
TV On The Radio
5/5
Unfortunately I wasn't able to give both playthroughs a really good listen but I enjoyed what I heard and quite liked Golden Age and DLZ.
But I'm keen to hear it again so that makes it a 5.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I've always enjoyed PSB but never really got into them I had a friend who was a big fan and that was enough for me.
One More Chance is such a delightful opener it really capture my attention. Rent is such a great song. Overall quite enjoyable.
Deep Purple
5/5
Space Truckin' is one of my favourite songs and Smoke On the Water is so iconic but I didn't know the story so that was pretty cool to learn.
Highway Star is a great opener.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Very cool and relaxing.
Alice In Wonderland does certainly capture your attention for a moment.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Very cool, jazzy, bluesy, spoken word, history lesson.
Fave: H20gate Blues
Beastie Boys
3/5
Ok, I think that's the last of the Beastie Boys for me on this list and that's 3 for 3 (boom, tish!).
Faves: Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn
PJ Harvey
5/5
I'm having a pretty good run on this list lately. Love PJ Harvey. I love that she gave this album her all thinking it would be her only chance and yet here we are 10 albums later and still going strong.
Faves: Dress, Sheela-na-gig
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
I just listened to Tangerine Dream before this, I'm in complete heaven. I was sad when I realised this album was about to finish. So brilliant.
Faves: Part 2, Part 5, Part 6 -- the whole album is great.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Some pretty neat harmonica here. But overall, this ain't for me.
Faves: Damn Sam (I Love a Woman That Rains), Come Pick Me Up
Fela Kuti
3/5
Good fun live afrobeat. I do love a drum solo.
Black Man's Cry is a great track also, and the sing along in Egbe Mu O (Carry Me)
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I don't know anything about Amy Winehouse and I must say this is a pretty impressive debut.
Faves: You Sent Me Flying / Cherry, Fuck Me Pumps, In My Bed
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It's like a well matured album I guess. A rewarding listen.
I've mentioned my parents on all Rolling Stones reviews so far so here's another mention.
Fave: hard to pick one but I did particularly enjoy You Can't Always Get What You Want.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Ok, number 2 of 5 for me and as much as I like the song Born To Run the rest of the album doesn't quite reach that crescendo.
Other fave: Meeting Across the River
Mj Cole
3/5
Middle of the road UK garage? I didn't mind this so much and particularly enjoyed Sincere and Crazy Love. Slum King as well.
This is firmly a 3.5 for me.
Elastica
4/5
Poppy grungy post punk. Weirdly doesn't sound that dated. Everyting old is new again.
Faves: Connection, 2:1
System Of A Down
5/5
Oh yeah, what a great album. I do enjoy artists that take different approaches and the variety of sounds on this album is just a joy.
Faves: Know, Sugar
Beatles
4/5
Looks like another 3 Beatles albums after this one.
I can't quite justify 5 stars for this one, it's enjoyable but not in a way that I must listen to it immediately again.
Faves: Come Together, I Want You, Sun King
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
When I think of this band I remember a review from way back when that kind of influenced my opinion that simply said "Stop Whinging Billy".
Anyway, it was nice to pay some attention and what a wonderful album. I've only ever really listened to Siamese Dream but of course knew some of the big hits from here.
I do like 1979, and Zero, but there are so many songs like Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans that are also great.
Thanks 1001 for changing my views.
Tom Waits
5/5
This is more of the Tom Waits I know and love.
Looks like there's one more album. So far it's 2x5s and 2x3s
Fave: too hard to choose.
Beastie Boys
3/5
Since I'm going through the albums I've missed backwards I haven't listened to License To Ill yet and Hello Nasty is the album I'm most familiar with.
I didn't mind this album, the boys have a certain charm. But it's not really something that'll get regular play.
Fave: Shake Your Rump
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Damn, this is pretty cool, doesn't quite make a 5 for me but certainly won't mind it on a future rotation.
Walk On By is just great.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
This is a pretty cool and funky album.
Faves: Stand! Everyday People, You Can Make It If You Try
OutKast
2/5
I quite enjoyed Ms Jackson when that came out and I was aware of Hey Ya! and Roses from this release.
I really thought I might dig it but man it's a hard slog getting through these songs, especailly The Love Below.
Faves: GhettoMusick, She's Alive, My Favorite Things
Paul Simon
3/5
Eh, it's ok. I guess it's on here because Garfunkel was deleted.
Fave: The Late Great Johnny Ace
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
I found this quite enjoyable and just a nice relaxing curiousity.
Faves: Flying High, Super Bird
The Pogues
4/5
A good fun rollicking album. Certainly one worth further exploration.
Fave: South Australia
Michael Jackson
3/5
It's a kind of refreshing version.
Faves: Don't Stop.., Off the Wall
Lou Reed
5/5
I've always thought of myself as a bit of Lou Reed fan but this is the only album I've listened to in full so it looks like I have a nice journey of discovery ahead of me.
Faves: The Kids, Sad Song
Elton John
3/5
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is an incredible album opener. Candle In The Wind is what it is, Bennie And The Jets is good fun, along with Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting), and I do enjoy Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
But there's some other songs on here that I just can't get onboard with so not a 5, but also not really high on my list of next in the queue, so 3 it is.
New Order
5/5
My 17 year old is into New Order and has recently breathed new life into this band for me. Elegia has long been a favourite song of mine but I have not listened to this album for a long time. So it was a pleasure rediscovering it.
Faves: Love Vigilantes - is he a ghost? The Perfect Kiss - slightly creepy, Elegia, just beautiful.
Kanye West
3/5
Eh, it's ok. I listened to this over a few days so it's a bit hard to be totally objective about all the tracks but there's certainly some bop along bits and some awful bits.
Spaceship and Jeses Walks are the standouts for me.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Sounds like a good fun time. Sam holds the room nicely.
Fave: Cupid, and Nothing Can Change This Love
David Bowie
5/5
Always such a delight listening to Bowie. This album has some of the more well known songs so it was great to hear them in context.
Faves: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Tings, Life On Mars?, Kooks.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I like Fiona Apple :shrug:
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
It's certainly an album that grows on you.
Certainly a nice laid back feel to the whole album.
Faves: Sara, Walk a Thin Line, Tusk
Eminem
2/5
I appreciate what Eminem is doing, it's just not for me.
Fave: The Real Slim Shady, The Kids
The Divine Comedy
4/5
It's like a movie soundtrack. Certiainly atmospheric.
Fave: If...
Frank Sinatra
3/5
10th album huh. Peak Sinatra? who knows.
Fave: Making Whoopee
Underworld
5/5
Everything I love about Underworld in one tight package.
Too hard to choose a fave, they're all good.
Burning Spear
4/5
Great reggage with a history lesson.
Faves: Old Marcus Garvey, Jordan River, Resting Place
Daft Punk
4/5
I do like me some Daft Punk but this album feels a bit mediocre these days. Certainly a few interesting bits here and there and I certainly am into Da Funk and Around the World but everything else just feels a bit samish.
Brian Wilson
2/5
This whole album feels like a fever dream. The whole album just blends into one long extended play.
Fave: Heroes and Villains
The Sugarcubes
5/5
I love this so much, it's so out there and you can see why Bjork had to go her own way. Just so much fun.
Faves: Birthday, Deus, Take Some Petrol Darling
Can
4/5
Hard to pick a fave out of 4 tracks, the whole album is great.
Black Sabbath
5/5
What a great album, timeless, and still rocks hard.
Planet Caravan is great, just wish it was 3 minutes longer.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
what a great fun album. I've always been intrigued by Janelle Monáe and enjoyed diving into this album.
Fave tracks: Cold War, Mushrooms & Roses, Wondaland and Say You'll Go.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
5/5
I listened to this album so many times when it came out and was lucky enough to see these guys live.
Being so familiar with the album I feel like all the tracks are my favourite but I like Satanic Reverses (for the geography history lesson), Television The Drug Of The Nation, Music And Politics, and California Uber Alles.
Steve Earle
2/5
Not much variety in these songs and a little bit too much country for my taste.
Fave track: Little Rock 'N' Roller
Slipknot
3/5
I like this one a lot more than the debut. The second listen really grew on me. Fave tracks Psychosocial, Gehenna, Vermillion Pt 2 - Bloodstone Mix, 'Til We Die.
Eric Clapton
3/5
Given the context I guess it's good to see a rising star on the rebound. Nothing really struck me on this album but my fave track would be Mainline Florida.
Norah Jones
3/5
Pretty incredible for a debut. She surely did take the world by storm. Don't Know Why and Turn Me On are my faves.
Barry Adamson
4/5
This is such great fun. The whole album is a fun trip. No real standout tracks but keen to give this another spin.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
First time listening to a whole Jimi album.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Good one Iggy
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
I was kind of expecting to like this but it didn't do much for me on the first listen and second go around I still wasn't able to get much into it.
Maybe this album needs a time and a place.
Fave: Metal Baby
Kid Rock
1/5
This album starts off ok. Bawitdaba with it's nonsense sounds and rockin' tune. Cowboy with hilarious nonsense about a boy from Detroit.
The album then just completely devolves into "I am the best" until the laughable Only God Know Why where he wants use to feel sorry for little Bobby.
Then finally he just tells everyone where to go.
This album is a hot mess and I'll be glad to not hear it again.
Harry Nilsson
5/5
Haha this is great. At times joyful, at times heartbreaking.
Faves: Gotta Get Up, Coconut
Neil Young
2/5
Bit of a snooze fest, wasn't really in the mood for this.
Queen
5/5
What a great album, so much fun. I love how it opens up and the way Bohemian Rhapsody fits in perfectly with the rest of the album.
Faves: You're My Best Friend, Bohemian Rhapsody
The Smiths
5/5
Maybe there's some familarity here but after recently listening to a Morrissey album this certainly feels more comfortable.
Fave: Meat Is Murder
PJ Harvey
5/5
I consider myself a bit of PJ Harvey fan, but I haven't spent a lot of time with this album and found it very curious. It certainly deserves more time and I'm sure I'll get more into it with each listen.
Faves from today: The Glorious Land, On Battleship Hill, Written On The Forehead
Solange
4/5
What a delightfully smooth listen. I didn't really know what to expect but I enjoyed the ride. Cranes in the Sky is great, I love the way Don't Touch My Hair flows into Where Do We Go via the Interlude. The album overall has a good flow.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Another interesting story but there's something about the way Johnny tells a story in each song. Certainly Folsom Prison Blues hits hard at the start and the whole record kept me engaged. 25 Minutes to Go is my favourite today.
B.B. King
3/5
I guess if I need some blues in my life then this is a good one to have in my collection. No doubt that B.B. King is good at what he does but nothing really grabbed me on this album except for How Blue Can You Get?
Gorillaz
5/5
Ahh back when CDs were still a thing this was such an exciting release and we played it to death. My kid got into Gorillaz a few years ago and this got a lot of airplay on car trips (the car being the only cd player we had!).
It's hard to pick a favourite song for me, all of the songs are like your favourite pieces of clothing, well worn and very comfortable.
Beatles
3/5
I remember when reading reviews of other Beatles albums on this list a lot of people mentioned Rubber Soul but apart from Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), and Nowhere Man I don't really get it.
Merle Haggard
2/5
Another intesting story around the album but the opening track didn't really grab me. Nor did much else on the record except for Mixed Up Mess Of A Heart.
Guided By Voices
4/5
It's like a tasting platter.. some were very tasty and I'll be back for more.
Faves: A Salty Salute, As We Go Up, We Go Down
Solomon Burke
3/5
It's a bit like listening to one of the best easy listening stations. Very smooth.
Santana
4/5
My Dad is a big Santana fan so I have a bit of nostalgia points for this. I certainly enjoyed Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen and Oye Como Va.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
wow, what fun, got a bit weird around born to run but such a nostalgic sound
Grizzly Bear
4/5
Ahh memories. This is the album that got me into Grizzly Bear back in 2013.
Metallica
4/5
Oh hey it's Metallica
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
OK, yeah a bit of fun and a few memories.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
OK wow, pretty wild and fun.
The Stooges
2/5
Yeah, right, well Ok.
Throbbing Gristle
4/5
This is totally my jam
John Lee Hooker
2/5
Smooth
David Bowie
4/5
Mylo
3/5
Feel like I've heard these songs in some shape or form over the years. Really love Sunworshipper which I first heard on a Ministry of Sound Chillout Sessions album in 2007.
Khaled
2/5
Good fun listen, man this dude is prolific!
The Incredible String Band
3/5
The birth of psych folk? I'm here for it.
Fave: A Very Cellular Song, and maybe Mercy I Cry City
Primal Scream
5/5
I've always had a liking for Primary Scream but never really dug in. This album is great with Movin' on Up being such a classic. Come Together and Loaded are great tracks too.
The Prodigy
4/5
Ah yes, music for the Jilted Generation indeed.
Deep Purple
4/5
I remember listening to my Dad's Deep Purple records (yep, vinyl) when I was a young un. Still enjoy these grooves.
Germs
3/5
Wow, I really enjoyed that. Wasn't sure at the start, but the short punchy songs really got me going. All topped off with a cruisy come down at the end.
Hole
4/5
Still such a great album to this day. Great work Hole.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Timeless classic and very enjoyable.
The Who
3/5
I feel like live albums are better if you are either intimately familiar with the band or have been to an awesome concert.
Not sure they're talking about my generation but still a good fun listen.
Bauhaus
4/5
Long time listent of Bauhaus, very enjoyable.
Suicide
5/5
Really enjoyed this, way ahead of it's time.
Don McLean
3/5
Eh, I don't know. I guess it's a product of it's time. American Pie and Vincent are standouts for sure but the rest doesn't really grab me.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Such bongo! Such fun. Apache is the show stealer and the rest starts to get a bit too much with In A Gadda Da Vida being another highlight.
Britney Spears
2/5
It's not terrible, just not for me. I did look into the meaning of ...Baby One More Time and it seems to a non-native English speaker "hit me" means "call me". I mean hit me up some time Britney we can have a chat.
Fave song, Autumn Goodbye, mostly because it's the last song.
Ice T
3/5
After the first listen I was so sure but on the second playthrough I started to warm up so maybe it just needs a few more listens. For now though faves are Midnight and Body Count.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Such a beautiful album. This could easily be a 4.5 and I think with a few more listens it could nudge it's way into a 5.
Fave track: Ghosteen Speaks.
4/5
Oh this is so great what a fun vibe.
The opening track is great and probably In This House That I Call Home are the highlights but the whole album has such great energy.
4/5
I had a friend who was a bit U2 fan from the early days so I've always been aware of them as they have grown into the phenomenon they are now.
This is a great album and those opening tracks are jusst incredible. Excluding those my other faves would be Bullet The Blue Sky and Mothers Of The Disappeared.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Jazzy
Bob Dylan
5/5
Wow, that was a really fun listen. I should probably spend some more time with ol' Bob.
Radiohead
4/5
I haven't spent much time with this album but certainly enjoyable.
Adele
3/5
She certainly does have some powerful pipes.
Sigur Rós
5/5
This is right up my alley. Love this band so much and this album has been on high rotation for a long time.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Out of the Neil Young albums I've listened to from this list so far this one is the best. It really started warming up to me on the second listen. I like the story telling of the early songs and I like the crazyness of Welfare Mothers and Sedan Delivery.
The closing track is unhinged and a great way to finish.
Eminem
2/5
That was a struggle for me to get through on a zoom intensifies kind of day with the only music being this album which I did not enjoy, although it had a few interesting moments.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Melancholy vibes, made me think of my mum.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I do enjoy listening to the old Zep.
Eagles
3/5
Just grateful that this doesn't have Hotel California on it.
Being their debut, this is a pretty impressive album.
Paul Simon
5/5
So much nostalgia for this. On my first listen it felt like hit after hit after hit. On my second listen I tried to figure out which ones are my faves for the purpose of this exercise and while the first 5 tracks are great You Can Call Me Al is incredible and Homeless was also a highlight.
Mariah Carey
2/5
Yeah, ok, not my cup of tea.
Steely Dan
3/5
A good fun listen, quirky in the middle.
Spacemen 3
4/5
Oh, wow, never listened to these guys before but am a big fan or Spiritualized. What a fun trip.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Totally not what I was expecting from Peter Gabriel! What a fun listen.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Most of my exposure to Leonard Cohen was from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and newer stuff. This album is incredble and definitely makes me want to dig deeper.
Ghostface Killah
1/5
Yeah, nah, no thanks.
Louis Prima
3/5
This is the guy you want singing at your wedding. So much fun.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Pleasant voices. I'm not familiar enough with Linda and Emmylou to determine who was who. Only Hobo's Meditation caught my attention.
The Smiths
5/5
I do very much like this album and well played by the team :hat-tip:
Ray Charles
2/5
Christmas already? Oh, not a christmas album but feels like one.
Love
3/5
Enjoyable but a bit of a snooze fest. The first track starts off hopeful but doesn't keep my attention.
Live And Let Live is interesting, You Set The Scene is also ok.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Well my Mum was a big fan of The Rolling Stones, so this makes me think of my Mum and that made me happy.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
What a trip!
Kraftwerk
4/5
Always been a Kraftwerk fan. This is right up my alley.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
What a trip. A delight to listen to .. so many songs though!
Most memorable: Jsut Another Rhumba
Happy Mondays
5/5
I'd forgotten how much joy I get out of listening to Happy Mondays, something about them just makes me ummm Happy.
Fave songs Kinky Afro, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle, Step On.
The Auteurs
3/5
Jangly brit pop?
Fave track: Show Girl
Jeff Buckley
5/5
A pretty incredible debut.
Fave track: Last Goodbye
Prince
3/5
Sexy and fun.
Joy Division
3/5
Ahh yes, the division of joy. Meloncholy at it's best.
Kanye West
3/5
Fav Track: Bound 2
The Killers
4/5
What a banger!
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Ant music!
The Cure
4/5
It's hard to go past A Forest when picking a fave for this album but At Night caught my attention too.
Love The Cure looking forward to spending more time with this one.
Taylor Swift
3/5
For someone who has not listened to a lot of Taylor Swift this was quite a pleasant surprise.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I've never heard Leonard Cohen like this before. What a groover.
Fugazi
4/5
Short, fast, kicking ass.
The Kinks
3/5
Didn't quite get into this one as much as some of the others on this list but still a good fun listen.
Fave track: Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
Radiohead
4/5
Very enjoyable
The Hives
3/5
Nothing like a bit of swedish punk from the naughties
Richard Thompson
2/5
I don't really get it.
Queen
3/5
Wow, most of these songs are completely unfamiliar to me. Very enjoyable!
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
4/5
That was strangely familiar and so much fun.
Garbage
3/5
wow, the 20th anniversary edition is 7 years old.
Still a good fun pop rock album.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Love this album
Turbonegro
4/5
What a whole bunch of fun!
Television
4/5
Wow, 77, still a great album to listen to.
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
The Flaming Lips
5/5
I love this album, always have.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Such a great fun album
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
There's something about country music that I have a problem with and I wasn't looking forward to this but I pushed through the first listen and on the second listen I started to get a better appreciation but by the end I was glad it was over.
Fave: Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)
Who doesn't love a murder ballad.
Love
2/5
Uh, yeah not sure what's going on here.
Björk
5/5
Love Bjork, love this album.
The Stooges
3/5
Some cool jams on this one.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
I still love you Lana Del Rey
The Kinks
4/5
What a fun listen, Party Line is a crackup, Sunny Afternoon sure is a cracker.
Faust
4/5
Wow, what a journey. Krautrock had me from the getgo, The Sad Skinhead gets stuck in your smashed up faces. Giggly Smile is as catchy as all get out. But Lauft.. is the track that stole my heart.
Sugar
3/5
This album slaps in you in the face straight out of the gate but from Helpless onwards reminds me more of Barenaked Ladies than punk :D
Fave track: A Good Idea.
4/5
I wasn't a big fan of Oasis at the time but I certainly have come to appreciate them more.
Fave track: She's Electric
Fiona Apple
4/5
I've been a big fan of Fiona Apple for a long time. This album definitely needs a couple of listens. My fave is probably Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Never really paid much attention to Arcade Fire but have always liked what I've heard. Ready to Start is a fave on this album and Rococo kept catching my attention and might need a few more listens to fully understand. But Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) is my absolute favourite.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
This album feels very reminiscent of it's time. The earlier tracks sound familiar in some way but I found the whole album a struggle.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
This felt like one cohesive piece rather than 4 individual tracks. I rather much enjoyed the whole thing.
Bob Dylan
4/5
The Velvet Underground
4/5
What a great trip, with the start buying the drugs and the end with a crash.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Such a great album. Jane's Addiction is one of those bands that all my friends were into so I never really dove deep. Really loved Three Days and Classic Girl is a great closer.
Soul II Soul
3/5
Feels like there's one or two good songs on here that get rehashed over and over again. I think African Dance and Jazzie's Groove are standouts for me,
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I've got a whole lotta love for the Zep, but I think my fave from this album is Heartbreaker.
The Kinks
3/5
Really enjoyed Afternoon Tea and Harry Rag is good fun.
Cheap Trick
3/5
I've probably said this before about live albums but I feel they are better if you have seen the band live yourself. On first listen the screaming fans got to me but by the end of the record I was enjoying the experience so the second listen was more enjoyable.
I'd say favourite tracks would be Surrender and Clock Strikes Ten.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
A bit much to take in all at once. Standout track is probably Parchman Farm.
Small Faces
3/5
Good fun album. Really enjoyed Lazy Sunday, Mad John, and Happydaystoytown.
Pantera
4/5
What a banger. I really enjoyed this and am having trouble picking a favourite track. Walk is most familiar but so many other tracks are just great.
Supergrass
3/5
Richard III easily favourite track, also enjoyed the acoustic version of Caught By The Fuzz. Overall an enjoyable listen.
The B-52's
3/5
Good fun, really enjoyed Planet Claire.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
This album sure does take you on a journey through the south. I feel like I'm missing quite a bit of context but I started to get into this album a bit more on the second listen. Favourites are 72, Three Great Alabama Icons, Let There Be Rock, and Dead, Drunk And Naked . The closer, Angels and Fuselage, feels like a good late night song.
4/5
Sometimes Blur sounds like Gorrillaz and sometimes Gorrillaz sounds like Blur but this album is pure Blur.
Fave tracks are For Tomorrow and Chemical World.
3/5
Wow, that was a lot more fun that I was expecting.
Fave track is Show Me, really sets the scene as the opener. And the track Theme from "Mantrap" is the perfect closer.
CHIC
2/5
This album starts out so promising with Chich Cheer setting the mood and Le Freak building on that. But rest of the record just kind of fades into the background and doesn't really go anywhere.
The White Stripes
4/5
A very enjoyable listen. Hard to pick a favourite but Dead Leave and the Dirty Ground really sets the mood. The other songs that caught my attention are just the more well known ones like Hotel Yorba, and I Think I Smell A Rat but the album probably needs a few more listens.
The Temptations
3/5
Easy listening. Fave track is Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love
Buck Owens
3/5
Raucous fun. Favourite tracks are Trouble and Me, Let the Sad Times Roll On, The Band Keeps Playin' On.
3/5
Good fun listen. Faves are the title and I Got Caught.
Wilco
5/5
Very enjoyable album with lots of great tracks.
Especially like Jesus, Etc., Ashes of American Flags, Heavy Metal Drummer, and Reservations.
a-ha
3/5
Take on Me is just so well known the rest of the album just kind of fades into oblivion. But I did enjoy the title track and Here I Stand and Face the Rain is a nice closer.
Kate Bush
5/5
I'm a big fan of Kate Bush and this is a great album. Really enjoyed Sat In Your Lap, Suspended in Gaffa, and The Dreaming.
Ministry
5/5
Big fan, love this album, no favourite tracks, it's all good.
John Coltrane
3/5
Smooth
The Byrds
3/5
I don't mind the first 3 songs, and the last (instrumental). Was surprised to hear their version of We'll Meet Again.
Linkin Park
3/5
Yeah, nah. Didn't really get into this one. Fave track Cure for the Itch.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
What a groove!
Really liked the opener You Ain't The Problem as well as Rolling, the Piano Joint (intro + song), Living in Denial, and Light. But damn, it's all good.
Rush
3/5
Didn't really get into this one, although by the end of the second listen I started to see some of the progressive elements in songs like The Camera Eye, Witch Hunt, and Vital Signs which are probably my favourite from this album.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
So dreamy. Strangely Ivo doesn't really capture me but once Lorelei kicks in I fall in love all over again.
Nirvana
5/5
Such a classic album really. A lot of great tracks but Something In The Way is my fave.
Cream
3/5
One of those bands you know of but didn't really know you knew until Sunshine Of Your Love kicks in.
Can
4/5
Wow, just wow. First time round didn't really get much out of this but second time around I started hearing Radiohead and Stereolab. TIL that I heart krautrock.
Fave track is totes Halleluhwah
Def Leppard
3/5
Another one of those bands that one of my friends was deeply into but I wasn't. Reading the history of this album was interesting but I didn't find it overly compelling, Love Bites and Pour Some Sugar On Me got stuck in my head but not sure if that makes them faves.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Spotify says Blue Suede Shoes has 102 milltion plays. This album was good fun to listen to but no real standout for me except for the better known songs.
Little Richard
3/5
Another good fun listen but the only standout for me was Tutti Frutti.
N.W.A.
4/5
This was a lot more enjoyable than I was expecting and probably deserves a bit more exploration.
Fave tracks are Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Express Yourself, and I really like the way Something 2 Dance 2 wraps up the album.
ABBA
3/5
I don't think I've ever heard ABBA like this before. Nice surprise with fave tracks being Two For The Price Of One, You Owe My One, and The Day Before You Came.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Good fun listen, I'm sure my dad had a ELO record but can't remember which one. Fave tracks Sweet Talkin' Woman, Birmingham Blues, and of course My Blue Sky is a cracker.
Frank Ocean
2/5
Yeah nah, this is not my jam. I did not look forward to a second listen but I perservered and my faves would be Pyramids and Bad Religion.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
Wow, 1971, this is so timeless. The whole album is a great trip but I particularly enjoyed L'hôtel particulier.
Tom Waits
3/5
Took me a while to get an understanding of this one so I gave it 3 listens. I feel like I need to spend a bit more time with Tom Waits but for this release I liked the title track, Downtown, On The Nickel, and Ruby's Arms is a nice closer.
The Dictators
3/5
Good raucous fun. Fave tracks California Sun, Weekend, and (I Love For) Cars and Girls.
Talking Heads
4/5
I've always been a fan of Talking Heads but never spent much time with this album. I Zimbra sets the mood, Life During Wartime sounds eerily like the Bunnings theme song, and Dancing for Money is a trip.
Overall feels just as relevant today.
The Replacements
3/5
Standout tracks for me are Answering Machine and Unsatisfied. Androgynous is a well known hit.
Overall the album is charming enough.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Maybe I need to be more British to get the full Bragg experience but an enjoyable album all the same. Fave track is Greetings to the New Brunette.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Reminds me a lot of Salif Keita who my dad was really into during my late teens. Very enjoyable bop, a few standout tracks but Salminanam is the only one I remembered the name of.
Elvis Costello
4/5
I quite enjoyed this one but also learnt this is one of 6 in the list! Wow. Anyway, enjoyed 13 Steps Lead down, 20% Amnesia, and Sulky Girl.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Wow, turns out I might actually be a Bob Dylan fan. Really enjoyed this one especailly Outlaw Blues (I might be a bit biased) and Bob Dylan's 115th Dream is a crackup at the start.
Definitely keen to get into some more.
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
Oooh, I really like this one. Nocutnal Me grabbed me from the first listen and I think I like it more than Killing Moon.
Elbow
4/5
First listen I wasn't really getting into this and was thinking 3 but it must of got me into the mood for a second listen because now it's a solid 4.
Love the tracks Grounds for Divorce, Hotel Instanbul, and One Day Like This is incredible.
The Clash
3/5
London Calling is such an iconic track the rest of the album is fun the listen to and I'll say Lost in the Supermarket is my fave from that bunch.
3/5
I like this album as it's a journey from start to finish and it's hard to single out a favourite track.
GZA
3/5
I feel like this album is trying to tell me a story but I'm not sure what it is. I did enjoy it and I think my fave track is B.I.B.L.E.
The Police
4/5
This is a fun album that takes some strange turns especially in Mother! But I'm a fan and faves here would be King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, and Murder By Numbers.
Def Leppard
3/5
So, this is their radio friendly album huh? Well nothing really stood out for me.
John Lennon
3/5
Ah yeah, this is pleasant enough. Imagine is a good track, Crippled Inside is a bit of a banger and Oh Yoko! is just funny.
The Byrds
3/5
First time through that second track, Have You Seen Her Face, sounded like The Beatles. Second time through though I could hear the Byrds as I became more familiar with their sound. CTA - 102 is interesting and my fave track would be The Girl With No Name.
Miles Davis
3/5
So smooth. Hard to pick a favourite but Feio stands out because of that dog barking kind of sound and chit chat at the end.
Very enjoyable to listen to.
New Order
3/5
Meh, dancy, disco-ey, and ok.
Fave track would be Mr. Disco.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
I'm sure there are some Belle and Sebastian songs that I like. I gave this album 3 goes and I didn't really get into it. Fave tracks would be She's Losing It and Mary Jo.
Goldfrapp
5/5
I've always been a big fan of Goldfrapp, I remember when this came out I was instantly into it. Listening now it's hard to choose a favourite track but I think Utopia would have to be it.
The Young Gods
4/5
Oh wow, this starts very subtly and then jumps into wonderfully angsty fun. Just the kind of mood I was in today.
I love the duality of La fille de la mort, and my fave track would be Crier les chiens.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Such disco. Great lines in He's the Greatest Dancer \"One night in a disco on the outskirts of Frisco
\" and Lost in Music \"I Quit! my 9-5\".
We Are Family is such a classic.
Coldplay
5/5
I kept getting distracted while listening to this album, so I gave it a third go to see if I could pick a few favourite tracks. I really enjoyed the whole album and will put Daylight and A Rush of Blood to the Head as my faves.
FKA twigs
5/5
This is very cool. Really enjoyed Two Weeks, Numbers, and Kicks. But so many great moments overall.
Tom Waits
5/5
This is the Tom Waits I know and love. I think on on the bandwagon with loving Goin' Out West and I Don't Wanna Grow Up is classic.
Napalm Death
3/5
Wow. 28 songs, 33 minutes, what a rush.
You Suffer? hilarious. I do actually like the opener, Multinational Corporations, and the closer, Dragnet.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
Love this album, and always been a big fan of The Chemical Brothers. It was hard to choose favourite tracks as I've listened to this album many times over the years. But for the purposes of this review I'm going to say my faves at Where Do I Begin (also a big Beth Orton fan), and The Private Physchedlic Reel just puts me in such a good mood.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I guess this is Alright and that's my fave track. <mic drop>
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Didn't know what to expect here so pleasantly surprised. Not really my thing but I did enjoy the songs The One You Love and Old Whore's Diet.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I probably need to give this a few more listens. Only songs that really stood out for me were Long Gone, and For Now and Ever. After reading other reviews I feel like I'm missing something, maybe just not in the right frame of mind.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
This was a good fun ablum with heaps of great tracks like Who Needs The Peace Corps?, What's the Ugliest Part Of Your Body, Flower Punk, Lets' Make The Water Turn Black, and Lonely Little Girl.
Crowded House
3/5
This is a pretty classic album. Lots of well known tracks. From my listening my fave is that last track, just makes me laugh.
Arcade Fire
5/5
I do enjoy me some Arcade Fire. Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) are such great tracks.
Scott Walker
3/5
Wow Jackie is a great song. Next is hilarious, and I also enjoyed The Girls And The Dogs, and the closer Come Next Spring (so croony).
Brian Eno
4/5
What a great album. I really enjoyed the opener and all the tracks leading up to the incredible The Big Ship.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Fun album and with 69 tracks I thought it would be difficult to choose favourites but narrowed it down to Come Back From San Francisco, I Think I Need a New Heart, and Love Is Like Jazz.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
My mum was a big fan of The Rolling Stones, can't say I'm overly familiar with this album but it's a debut and a good fun listen. Route 66 is great and Walking The Dog is a fave.
The Streets
4/5
I had forgotten how enjoyable The Streets were. What fun. Could Well Be In, Fit but You Know It, and Dry Your Eyes are all stuck in my head now.
Pavement
3/5
14 songs in 40 minutes, short, sharp, not sweet.
Fave track Summer Babe (Winter Version).
Tori Amos
5/5
Love Tori, Love this album. All the tracks are winners.
The Modern Lovers
4/5
Such a great timeless album. Pablo Picasso is easily my favourite and RoadRunner is very enjoyable.
Tina Turner
2/5
One of the first albums I had as a kid was Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome so my first exposure to Tina Turner was We Don't Need Another Hero (plus she was in the movie).
Another memorable Tina moment in my teen years was Nutbush City Limits, also heard many times at my kids' school discos.
This album doesn't really grab me with What's Love Got To Do With It being the only stand out.
k.d. lang
3/5
To think where k.d. lang got to from this debut is pretty incredible. Not sure how I feel about cover songs but if the purpose was to showcase her voice then that worked.
Fave track has long been a favourite of mine from other artists: Black Coffee
Baaba Maal
3/5
Very enjoyable. Can't really remember any faves but the whole album is a great listen.
Iron Maiden
4/5
What a cracker of an album. Hard to go past The Number Of The Beast and Run to the Hills for my faves at the moment but would certainly love to explore further.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I have a soft spot for Simon & Garfunkel. From this round of listening I would say Cecilia and Keep the Customer Satisfied are my faves.
Doves
4/5
The into to There Goes The Fear sounds like the intro to a parenting video series I'm currently watching.
Pounding is a great track and I would like to dive more into this band.
Nightmares On Wax
5/5
I didn't get all the way through this on my first round of listening but was very much enjoying the music as such that when I was making dinner I put Nightmares On Wax on and very much enjoyed some of their other tracks.
Faves on this release would be Groove St., and Rise.
Looking forward to spending more time with these guys.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
What a smooth groove. On the back of the Nightmares On Wax album this is smooth and gentle. Hard to pick a fave as this album just flows so nicely.
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
This feels very 80s, a good fun listen. Favourite is Double Dutch. Merengue piqued my interest as it uses the same sampled dialogue that another song I like also uses.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Hard to go past hits from the bong err Song Of A Preacher Man as a standout track but my faves from this release would be Just A Little Lovin' and I Can't Make It Alone.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Jimi is a good fund frolic through the era of psychedelic substances. I liked the craziness of Third Stone From The Sun.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Starts off like a punch in the face. On a Rope has big Faith No More vibes. I really liked Ball Lightning for the mentions of cheese and wine. I was so warmed up to this band by the end that Burnt Alive is also a fave.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Moar Punk! I learnt about California Uber Alles via the cover by Disposable Heros of Hypocrisy, I have a world map in my bathroom and think about Holiday In Cambodia everytime I look at that section of the map.
This album seems to be a reaction to what was happening in the world at the time but sadly it's still happening.
The Adverts
5/5
This is incredible! 1978! So timeless. One Chord Wonders and Gary Gilmore's Eyes are great songs but my favourite is Bored Teenagers. I also love the way that the live version of No Time to Be 21 ends. :mic-drop:
Billy Bragg
3/5
Nice concept. Not really familiar with Woodie Guthrie. I enjoyed Bird and Ships and fave would be One by One.
Jethro Tull
3/5
I kind of expected to like this one, seems like a genre right up my alley but maybe I'm not in the right head space for something so "cerebral".
Fave track was Wind-Up.
The Byrds
3/5
I can imagine this in high rotation on an easy listening station. Quite an enjoyable listen with fave tracks being the opener, Artificial Energy, and Triad. Moog Raga is also pretty cool.
Suede
4/5
I don't think I went far past Animal Nitrate when Suede first came onto my radar. This album was quite enjoyable. I like the opener Introducing The Band but the standout for me was The 2 Of Us.
Dire Straits
3/5
I remember this album from my teenage years, one of those bands that beeen ever present.
The first 4 tracks have a high play count on Spotify and they're all great tracks. I think the standout for me was Why Worry? Ride Across The River sounds like it would be a good instrumental track.
3/5
This album probably would have been a breath of fresh air in 1978. It has aged quite well but I listen to such a bredth of music it doesn't really stand out as unusual. I do love the cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, very catchy.
The Jam
3/5
Oh right, that band. I wasn't sure what I was getting into until That's Entertainment kicked in. Start! is an enjoyable track as well.
Orbital
5/5
My wife introduced me to Orbital, and this is one of the albums she had a physical copy of and was in high rotation.
For people who know me they would understand that I Wish I Had Duck Feet is a fave. I really like Philosophy by Numbers and the way it feels more like an extension of Science Friction. Kein Trink Wasser, Quality Seconds are great and Are We Here? is another favourite.
Tom Waits
3/5
Oh wow, Tom Waits story time. This album makes me wish I was in that club (with a cigar and a whiskey?).
This is the third Tom Waits album I've heard through this site and a quick search shows there's at least two more. All have been vastly different and very enjoyable.
Favourites would be Emotional Weather Report and Eggs and Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson)
Pearl Jam
4/5
I never really got into Pearl Jam but this is another band that my wife had on high rotation except she had Vs. AFAIK this is my first listen to Ten and it's quite enjoyable especially for a debut with those well known tracks Even Flow, Alive, and Jeremy.
For me the album really comes alive when Even Flow kicks off and keeps the energy high with a nice late night finisher at the end of Release.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
"Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” has appeared in at least one movie or TV show every year since 2001."
Haha, as soon as White Rabbit kicked in I was like "Oh, which TV/Movie show did I hear this in before".
Regardless I still think it's a great song. White Rabbit and Somebody to Love stand out so much the rest of the album kind of fades into the background.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Much like the recent Tom Waits album I feel this would be more enjoyable in a certain state of mind.
That said I did enjoy it. Crosstown Traffic and 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) were favourites and All Along The Watchtown is such a standout track.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Fun trip down memory lane. I'm sure one of my friends had this on cassette back in the day.
Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City, Sweet Child O' Mine are still great. I do also like Mr. Brownstone.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Wow, on the first lesson the promise of School's Out made the rest of the album fade into insignificance. So I thought of it as an album all school leavers should listen to but still didn't get right into it.
Fave track is easily Grande Finale, sounds like a James Bond them played by the High School band at the game.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Another album that kicks off with a lot of promise. But Cinnamon Girl doesn't stay the course.
I enjoyed this more than the Cooper album but only just. Fave tracks would be Down by the River and Cowgirl in the Sand
The Everly Brothers
1/5
The first track just made me feel icky. The rest of the album doesn't improve much and the only thing going for it is that all the songs are under 3 minutes.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Not sure what I'm missing here but didn't get into this at all.
The Fall
4/5
Ah yes, this is my cup of tea. What a great album.
Fave tracks would probably be Paintwork, Petty (Thief) Lout, and Spoilt Vicrtorian Child.
Definitely going to give this a few more spins.
Devendra Banhart
4/5
I quite enjoyed this. Can't really think of any particular track that stood out.
Dr. John
5/5
As soon as Dr John's voice kicked in I knew I'd heard it somewhere before and remember that I Walk on Guilded Splinters was on a Back to Mine album by Lamb from 2004.
Not realising that I Walk on Guilded Splinters was on this album I was thinking my favourite track was Jump Sturdy. On my second listen I got into the other tracks a lot more but I Walk on Guilded Splinters is still a stand out for me.
Oh, and I always thought the lyric was "'til Alberta" :)
Pentangle
3/5
This is pretty cool. Nice to listen to, feels like a story telling session in a remote country tavern.
Hard to go past Sally Go Round the Roses as a standout track as it's on the album 3 times.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
The kind of album that I'd expect to hear around the campfire at a party in the bush.
Nothing really stands out until Layla kicks in.
Common
4/5
Oh, this was quite cool. Wasn't sure what to expect not being familiar. But Be (Intro), GO!, and It's Your World - Part 1 & 2 are great tracks.
Looking forward to hearing it more.
Aphex Twin
5/5
I've been a big fan of Aphex Twin for a long time. This album was good to listen to in full. I found it hard to pinpoint a particular track that I liked since I enjoyed the whole lot.
Stan Getz
3/5
It was raining quite heavily both times I listened to this album and it seemed to fit quite nicely. Although I could imagine this on a sunny tropical beach too.
No particular favourite track, nice dreamy listen overall.
The Icarus Line
3/5
Great album, angsty LA rock.
Fave track is Big Sleep.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
Yeah, I still really don't get this.
Hole
4/5
This is one of those albums that my wife had a copy of so I'm more familiar with this than their other albums.
That said it's been a while and I really enjoyed listening to this and think my fave track is Rock Star.
Meat Loaf
3/5
What I like about Meat Loaf is the epic love ballads. What I don't like about Meat Loaf is the epic love ballads.
My mum and dad were big into Meat Loaf, a product of their generation. So I'm quite familiar with these songs.
From this listening session I'll say my favourite is Paradise By the Dashboard Light.
The Cure
5/5
Such a great album, feels like putting on something comfortable.
I was hooked from the opening strains of Plainsong. With my favourites this time around being Pictures of You and Fascination Street.
M.I.A.
5/5
Wow, what a great album. Been a while since I listened to this album. I thoroughly enjoyed this session.
Fave tracks are Boyz, 20 Dollar, XR2, and of course Paper Plans.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
This is so different to my previous experience to African (Mali?) music and it's wonderful.
If I had to pick a favourite track it would be the last 2, they just leave you with such a good feeling.
I look forward to exploring this further.
Calexico
4/5
What a nice surprise. A journey indeed.
Black Heart, total Portishead vibes. Close Behind, The Book and the Canal, Attack! El Robot Attack! are all great tracks.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I find it hard to pick favourite tracks of an album I've listened to many times for many years.
I guess this album carries more weight being his last.
Anyway, all that to say, this is a great album :)
Mekons
4/5
Wow, what a surprise. When Chivalry kicked in I was like ok, these guys sound pretty cool and then Trouble Down South kicked in and blew me away.
Hard to Be Human Again brought some normality back along with Darkness and Doubt before Psycho Cupid just leaves my jaw on the floor.
I look forward to spending some more time with this.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
The Message is just part of the culture right it's one of those songs that's applicable today as it was when it was written.
The rest of the album is fun but doesn't quite hold up to the epicness of The Message. I did quite enjoy It's Nasty (Genius of Love).
Peter Frampton
3/5
This is another one of those albums where I feel like I'm at a party with a big bonfire. The party is well into the night, not quite ready to end and Peter Frampton comes on.
Pretty sure my dad had this record while it's not really my thing I did enjoy Doobie Wah, Baby, I Love Your Way, and that final track Do You Feel Like We Do.
Syd Barrett
4/5
One my first playthrough I wasn't really sure about this album, having no idea who Syd Barret even was but was thinking this was a 3.
Second listen made me realise how much I enjoyed No Good Trying, and Love You (where it sounds like he is actually saying "Ice Cream" instead of "I scream") and instantly made this a 4.
After reading more about Syd I am keen to hear more.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Very enjoyable but it's hard to tell where one track ends and another begins.
Fave tracks Hello My Baby and Rain, Rain Beautiful Rain.
Shack
3/5
The first song I did not like the second song starts to warm you up a bit and I did enjoy Pull Together, Lend's Some Dough, Captain's Table, and I Want You.
While the album overall is ok, it doesn't really leave me wanting to hear it again.
Hot Chip
4/5
Don't mind myself a bit of Hot Chip.
Fave tracks are Don't Deny Your Heart, Night and Day, and Let Me Be Him.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
What a great album, especially for a debut.
This came at time of music discovery in my young life and will probably always hold a special place.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
At an $oldJob my boss was a big Dinosaur Jr. fan and they always felt like a band I need to spend more time with.
Well that feeling is still true today I didn't fully get into this album but I'm still intrigued enough to explore further.
Fave tracks: Yeah We Know, and The Post.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Smooth grooves. I like Billy Jack, and So in Love.
Jesus sounds like "cheeses" to me, so makes me smile.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Good wholesome rock and roll :)
Fave track: That'll Be The Day.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Just Like Honey is just such a comforable feeling song. Like putting on your favourite jumper.
I'll need to spend some more time with this album to figure out what other tracks I like, both sessions felt like the rest of the album just faded into the background (in a good way).
Kings of Leon
5/5
I think it says a lot about an album when the final track makes you want to listen to the album again.
Red Morning Light is a great start, Joe's Head certainly grabs your attention, California Waiting, and Molly's Chambers are great tracks but there's something I really love about Talihina Sky.
Wilco
4/5
I enjoy Wilco and probably need to spend more time with them. Strangely this seems to be the first time I've listened to this album.
Anyway, quite enjoyed it and came away with at least 4 favourite tracks for now.
Misunderstood
Monday
Red Eyed and Blue
Sunken Treasure
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
Have always been a big fan of LCD Soundsystem.
This album is great, lots of favourite tracks: oh baby, other voices, call the police, american dream, and emotional haircut.
Cornershop
3/5
I remember when Brimful of Asha was all over the airwaves. It certainly piqued my interest but this is the first time I've given Cornershop a good listen.
It's an interesting album with my favourites being Butter the Soul, What Is Happening?, and that interpretation of Norwegian Wood.
Violent Femmes
4/5
Another one of those albums that I discovered during my formative years and my friends absolutely devoured.
Blister In The Sun, Kiss Off, Add It Up, all great songs, but my fave is Gone Daddy Gone.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Nice dreamy album. Hard to pin point an exact moment it's like when you have a nap and are suprised at how much time has passed.
All I know is that I'll be happy to listen again.
R.E.M.
4/5
Interesting album. I don't mind listening to REM and It's The End Of The World... and The One I Love are great tracks.
I feel like I need to give the rest of the album a bit more time.
King Crimson
5/5
I totally dig prog rock and this is totally my jam.
Larks' Tongue In Aspic (Parts 1 and 2) and Book Of Saturday are the standouts for me.
Also love the bonus tracks.
George Michael
3/5
Couldn't really get into this one. Freedom! '90 is a pretty good track.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I think I need to spend more time with this one. Didn't grab me as quickly as Ocean Rain but still really enjoyed it.
Fave track: Rescue
Buzzcocks
4/5
Good fun punk rock! Fave tracks Fast Cars, Fiction Romance, Moving Away From The Pulsebeat.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
A side of Stevie I don't believe I've heard before.
Fave tracks Too High, He's Misstra Know-It-All
Sonic Youth
5/5
This album brings back a lot of fond memories for me and I found this time around to be quite enjoyable.
100% is still great, as is Sugar Kane, Creme Brulee just leaves me wanting more so let's go again!
Beck
5/5
I wasn't really familiar with this album so it was a nice surprise.
E-Pro and Que' Onda Guero really set the mood. Girl is great too as is Send A Message To Her.
4/5
This is so great. Love the tracks Broken Witch, There's Always Room on the Broom, Hold Hand and It Will Happen Anyway as well as They Took 14 for the Rest or Our Lives.
I look forward to spending more time with this band.
JAY Z
3/5
Wasn't sure what to expect and I guess I was pleasantly surprised. Not really my cup of tea but I did enjoy Takeover and U Don't Know.
Ozomatli
4/5
Oh what fun! I'm glad I had a chance to listen to this album it was really enjoyable.
Fave tracks would be (Who Discovered) America?, Saturday Night, and Dejame En Paz.
Cuando Canto is the perfect closer leaves you feeling relaxed afrer all the hype.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Not really my thing, it's not bad. Fave track Ain't The Devil Happy.
Arcade Fire
5/5
Well if there's one thing I've learned from this website it's that I'm an Arcade Fire fan.
This is the 3rd Arcade Fire album I've heard on this list and I've really enjoyed all of them.
For this album my favourite tracks are Keep the Car Running, (Antichrist Television Blues), and No Cars Go.
The Charlatans
3/5
This is their best album? Ok, well didn't really get into it. Standout track for me was One To Another.
Public Enemy
4/5
Ahh, this is the kind of hip hop that I like. The album is a great listen from go to woe but Bring Tha Noize just brings a smile to my face.
4/5
Muse is one of those bands I've always been aware of on the periphery but never dived into. Take a Bow really sets up quite a fun listen with Knights of Cydonia taking the cake for me. I'm keen to hear some more.
Kraftwerk
5/5
I'm a big fan of Kraftwerk and have always enjoyed Autobahn (and the idea of driving on one one day).
I also enjoyed Morgenspaziergang on this release.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
Yeah Nah. I don't really understand the hype, it's boppy it's fine, but not for me.
I did enjoy Cry Me a River and Rock Your Body (probably more because I know it from Just Dance)
Aerosmith
3/5
Walk This Way is such a classic but I think my fave from this album is Sweet Emotion.
Round And Round certainly borrows it's style from some of my favourite bands so that was an interesting twist on this album.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Scarborough Fair/Canticle is quite dreamy.
My faves from this are Cloudy and A Simple Desultory Philippic
Duke Ellington
3/5
Smooooooooth. This album really captures a point in time while the music itself feels timeless.
Fave track Blues to Be There.
4/5
I really enjoyed this, very funky. The album cover is fun. The Cisco Kid and The World Is A Ghetto are great tracks. I also enjoyed City, Country, City,
Van Morrison
3/5
As far as live albums go this is a pretty good one.
I'm not familar with the majority of songs on this album so it was nice to hear a different side of Van Morrison.
Fave tracks Warm Love, Wild Children, Saint Dominic's Preview.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
I found this quite interesting a big range that was interesting at times.
With 33 tracks it's hard to keep track of favourites but River Song, Holy Man - Instrumental, and All Alone at the top of my list.
Lambchop
4/5
Wasn't sure what to expect but what a nice surprise. Somehow this album had passed me by and most of my exposure to Lambchop prior to this was a remix on a chillout album.
I quite enjoyed Grumpus, Up with People, and The Book I Havent Read.
Coldplay
4/5
Don't Panic really sets the mood for this album. Spies is one of my favourite Coldplay tracks and I quite enjoyed Everything's Not Lost, especially as the closer.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
More nostalgic vibes. Push It Along is a great opener. I wish the album was a bit more fluid, it seems to hint with mentions of the next song at the end or most songs but the flow doesn't feel right.
Pubic Enemy made me laugh. Fave tracks would be I Left My Wallet in El Sedungo, Bonita Applebum, and Can I Kick It?
Minor Threat
3/5
9 songs, 21 minutes, probably one thing I like most about punk, short, sharp, to the point.
This album is pretty good, not something I'm going to put on repeat but I did enjoy Betray, Think Again, and Cashing In.
Traffic
3/5
I wasn't sure where this was going at first but when Feelin' Alright? kicked in I was back in familiar territory.
I enjoyed some of the crazy turns it took like Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush and Shanghai Noodle Factory.
Venom
3/5
On the first listen I wasn't really sure about this but this album really does grow on you and I was having a lot of fun right about the time I heard Buried Alive for the second time.
As the album progressed I was thinking this was a 4 for sure but I realised this version has 10 extra songs and I think this album would be perfect if it ended with Don't Burn The Witch.
By the end of Acid Queen - 12" Version I was starting to get a bit over these goes so 3 it is.
Favourite tracks Buried Alive, Leave Me In Hell.
Slipknot
2/5
Pretty interesting and pretty good for a debut. However, can't say I enjoyed it overall.
Favourite Track: Wait and Bleed.
Ramones
3/5
Blitzkrieg Bop is such a great song. Unfortunately the rest of the album kind of felt like 13 versions of the same song. Maybe I need to spend a bit more time with this release but I can say it has aged well.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I wasn't sure about this when I saw it was all cover songs. But when Hurt came on it sent chills down my spine. Other faves would be I Hung My Head and Personal Jesus.
Being his final album We'll Meet Again seems poignant as the closer.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Apparently this is considered classic Stevie and I agree. A cruisy comfortable listen.
Fave tracks: Smile Please, They Won't Go When I Go, and Bird Of Beauty
Nick Drake
5/5
Wow, this album is so timeless. It could have been released yesterday and still be so great.
River Man is easily my favourite. I look forward to exploring this album further.
Sade
3/5
I like Sade's voice and this album was smooth as. Smooth Operator is a classic.
Fave tracks When Am I Going to Make a Living, and the 80's vibes on Why Can't We Live Together.
Orange Juice
3/5
Rip It Up is such a great song, the rest of the album kind of pales in comparison with the exception of Hokoyo. Also Tenterhook is a great closer.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
This is a great album. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint a favourite track so I guess I'll have to listen to it again... and again.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Oh What A World sets the scene for this gentle album. Once again enjoyable enough middle of the road.
Fave track 11:11
The Byrds
2/5
I struggled to get through this one but it was a bit better the second time through.
Fave track Blue Canadian Rockies.
White Denim
5/5
What a great fun album. It's Him grabs you from the very beginning. Back at the Farm is my absolute favourite. Street Joy seems to be popular and I can see why. Looking forward to hearing this again.
Goldfrapp
5/5
Ahh, so dreamy. Fave tracks, Little Bird, A&E, Cologne Cerrone Houdini, and Caravan Girl
The Cult
3/5
Pure fun rock and roll.
Fave tracks, Electric Ocean and Love Removal Machine.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Pure easy going reggae.
Fave track: Stir It Up
Sheryl Crow
3/5
The best thing about albums pre-streaming days was that you could discover more of the artist. I think that's what I like about this website too as while this album has some very well known songs it was nice to hear some of the funner stuff like The Na-Na Song.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
So relaxing and boppy at the same time.
Fave track: Lasidan
Fairport Convention
3/5
I don't mind myself some folk music and fairy tales and this is a gently flowing album that takes you on a journey.
Fave tracks: Matty Groves, Tam Lim
Steely Dan
3/5
When I listen to this album I feel like I'm at a party on a farm where there's a campfire and people are sitting around having a good time. I guess also it's the 70's because no one is looking at their phones, they are just happy with each other's company.
Fave tracks: Do It Again, Turn That Heartbeat Over Again.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Good raucous glam rock fun.
Fave track: The Last Of The Teenage Idols
ABBA
3/5
These guys certainly know how to make a pop song. So many well known songs it was hard to listen to this objectively. I'm going to say Fernando is my fave track as it's been stuck in my head the most.
Robert Wyatt
4/5
This is great. Just overall interesting. Fave tracks The Duchess, Free Will And Testament.
Girls Against Boys
4/5
Unexpectedly delightful. I love that this list introduces me to things like this that I kind of know exist but have never dived into.
Fave track for now: Learned It
The Verve
3/5
Bitter Sweet Symphony is well known and pretty catchy. The Drugs Don't Work is a meme these days isn't it? Lucky Man is ok.
Fave tracks from this session: Catching The Butterfly and Deep Freeze
The Vines
4/5
What a great debut. Highly Evolved really sets the tone and 1969 is a great closer. Get Free is very catchy.
I think my favourite track though is In The Jungle.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
What a great album. I remember the Sledgehammer video when it came out and the song is still great. Big Time is fun as is This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) with In Your Eyes rounding out my favourites for today.
The Soft Boys
4/5
So the release I listened to had 10 tracks and 30 bonus tracks which was a bit of a slog to get through after 20ish or so tracks. But I still really enjoyed it an just listened the 10 tracks for my second listen.
Fave Track: Positive Vibrations.
I Got the Hots is funny, so is Old Pervert. Underwater Moonlight is growing on me too.
David Ackles
3/5
Feel like I'm in a fancy bar, or at a concert hall.
Fave track: Montana Song
Joni Mitchell
4/5
This is so lovely. Such a great voice, such wonderfully intricate stories.
Fave tracks: Coyote, Song for Sharon.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Interesting, strange, varied.
Fave track: Caligari's Mirror
Queen Latifah
4/5
All Hail the Queen indeed, what a great album. Not really knowing what to expect Dance for Me really kicked it into Gear and the craziness of Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children makes it my favourite track along with Inside Out.
David Crosby
3/5
I wasn't really sure where this album was going on the first listen by the end I started to get into it. Second listen I was still a offput by Music Is Love but I really like Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves).
R.E.M.
5/5
Such a comfortable listen. This was certainly a big album during my formative music years.
Fave tracks: Drive, Ignoreland, Nightswimming
MC Solaar
4/5
Wow what great fun. I really enjoyed this whole album, with the standout track being Boude de La - Part 1.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Wow, totally unhinged heavy rock.
Summertime Blues really sets the scene. Doctor Please is a trip unto itself.
The Gun Club
4/5
This is pretty cool, especially for a 1981 release. Probably need to spend a bit more time with it but fave track so far is She's Like Heroin To Me.
DJ Shadow
5/5
I've always been a big fan of this album and it was a joy to listen to for this exercise.
Fave tracks are many but probably Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt and Midnight In A Perfect World are stand outs.
Talking Heads
4/5
I was a big fan of Talking Heads during my very young years but never really dug deep into them, just always appreciated them.
Fave track is easily Psycho Killer. I love the Carribean vibes on Uh-Oj Love Comes to Town, and Happy Day stands out for me.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Certainly didn't know what to expect but what a wonderful album.
Fave tracks O Trem Azul, Saidas E Bandeiras No 1 and 2, Um Girrassol Da Cor Do Seu Cabelo, and Trem De Doido.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Dy-Na-My-Tee is a good fun track but seems different to the rest of the tracks. Seed Will Grow caught my attention as well. Still enjoyable enough but not quite to my taste.
Taylor Swift
3/5
It's like bubblegum for your ears. Sweet to listen too but tiring after a while.
Fave track Blank Space.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
I guess I'm not a Todd Rundgren fan. This album once again feels like a product of it's time and probably best enjoyed under the influence.
Fave track: Just One Victory.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Christmas? Maybe. Smooth? Definitely.
Fave tracks: I Concentrate On You, and Baubles, Bangles And Beads, for the little doop de doos in the background.
Moby
4/5
Good fun album, hard to escape some of these tunes which makes it hard to be objective but I enjoyed it all the same.
Fave tracks: If Things Were Perfect and The Sky Is Broken
The Divine Comedy
5/5
As soon as Something for the Weekend kicked in I knew I was in for a treat. I vaguely knew of this band but have never spent any time with it and really enjoyed this album.
Fave tracks, The Frog Princess and A Woman of the World.
N.E.R.D
5/5
I never really knew NERD beyond She Wants To Move and this album was a delightful surprise.
Fave tracks are probably Breakout, Wonderful Place / Waiting For You.
I look forward to spending more time with this.
Air
5/5
Big fan of Air since Moon Safari and this movie/soundtack blew my mind when it came out. You know it's a good soundtrack when you can picture the movie while listening to the album although it's been a hot minute since I've seen the movie.
Playground Love does stand out as standalone track but the rest of the album is basically one piece. To choose a favourite for this exercise, The Word Hurricane, because I like clouds :)
Big Black
3/5
I think teenage me would have loved this and it's a pretty kick ass release, glad to have given it a go.
Fave track is easily Kerosone.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
I wasn't really getting into this on the first listen but Wolf of Velvet Fortune caught my attention (and remains my fave). I started to appreciate the album a bit more on the second listen. San Fran Folk Rock for sure.
Heaven 17
4/5
hahah what fun. Young teen me would have been right into this it's a bit too 80's for current me but hey nostalgia right?
Fave track: Song With No Name.
Iron Maiden
5/5
I never really got into Iron Maiden it was another one of those bands my friends were into that I didn't feel a need to dive into.
This album was such a blast, not even sure what I was expecting but so enjoyable.
Fave tracks: Running Free,Phantome of Opera, and Strange World
Roxy Music
4/5
This totally caught me by surprise. I didn't know much about Roxy Music except that they existed.
2HB is easily my favourite. Certainly an album that deserves more plays.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
There's country music and then there's this. I don't know enough to really understand but this album is just good fun.
Fave tracks: Keep On The Sunny Side, and Tennessee Stud
The Blue Nile
4/5
Scottish folk ambient from 1984 that sounds timeless and reminds me a bit of Peter Gabriel.
Fave tracks Tinseltown In The Rain and From Rags To Riches
Van Morrison
3/5
Put into context this album is pretty good. However maybe I need to spend a bit more time with it as I just didn't overly enjoy it.
Fave track is Cyprus Avenue. Special call out for Ballerina as when it starts I wondered whose iPhone was ringing.
Skepta
3/5
I still struggle with hip hop and was leaning towards dismissing this as a 2 after the first run through but it started to win me over on the second listen and I feel I could get more into it with more time.
Fave track: It Ain't Safe
Django Django
5/5
When I saw this ablum come up I was curious and thought, I think I've heard of these guys. My listening history shows that I've listened to them pretty much every year since 2013.
As soon as Default kicked in it all came flooding back. This album is right up my alley and I look forward to giving it another spin.
Fave tracks from today: Default, Zumm Zumm, Wor
LTJ Bukem
4/5
Nice chill vibes but does get a bit samey samey.
Fave track: Universal Music
Kate Bush
5/5
Love Kate Bush, certainly unique.
Fave tracks, The Sensual World, Deeper Understanding.
Ice Cube
2/5
It's certainly a hard album to listen to but is that a reflection of the lifestyle the commentary is based on. I don't know and I guess I should be grateful for that.
Fave track: It's A Man's World or maybe I'm Only Out For One Thang for the Flavor Flav feature.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
Dirty Projectors have always been one of those bands that come up every so often that have some interesting songs. This album is a good example, most of it is mediocre but Stillness Is The Move is a realy standout for me.
KISS
3/5
Yeah, I'm not an American Teenager so totally did not get into Kiss. But it is a fun listen and I can see the appeal.
Fave track: Detroit Rock City
Muddy Waters
3/5
Good ol' fashion blues from the 70's?
Fave track: Mannish Boy
Snoop Dogg
3/5
I mostly know Snoop Dogg from Gorrilaz and I guess his biggest hits. To me the misogyny mostly feels tongue firmly in cheek but that doesn't make it ok.
Fave track: Gin and Juice for the laid back vibe.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
This album really hits you fair and square right from the start. I wasn't really sure where this was heading at first but by Dracula Mountain I was getting into it and that feeling continued through 2 Towers and On Fire. Crown of Storms and Longstockings could also be contenders for favourites.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Pretty groovy. Great album for a debut especially knowing where Lenny got to from here.
Standout tracks for me are problably Let Love Rule and Flower Child.
Kelela
4/5
This certainly caught me by surprise. Having no context for who Kelala is her voice just shines bright through the whole album.
Fave track: Take Me Apart.
Certainly worth another listen.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I'm told there are five Springsteen albums on this list an this is likely the best of them? Well being my first I've got nothing to compare it to so here we go.
Badlands stands out for me so much that I feel like this album needs a few more listens to get more out of the other songs. Certainly Adam Raised a Cain, Racing in the Street, and The Promised Land piqued my interest.
Certainly the album deserves another listen.
Megadeth
3/5
I was never really into metal, I was deep into industrial but now I realise I was missing some great stuff.
I don't really know much about Megadeth except that all my friends had t-shirts. This album is pretty good with Devils Island probably my fave today.
Common
3/5
I enjoy the style and music of Common. This album didn't really grab me though but it was still an enjoyable listen.
Fave track: Pops Rap III...All My Children.
Beatles
5/5
I must admit I was like oh Beatles wil there goes my Spotify recommendations but this album is pretty darn good.
Taxman is a good laugh, Eleanor Rigby is such a wonderful song, Yellow Submarine is a joy, and Tomorrow Never Knows is a great song I wasn't previously familiar with.
Mudhoney
4/5
I've really like Touch Me I'm Sick since it came on a compilation of songs performed live from a local radio station. I've gained a new appreciation for this band after listening to this "album". Sweet Young Thing.. is great and In 'N' Out of Grace is good fun too.
Roxy Music
3/5
This one didn't quite grab me as much as the debut but still interesting. That first song kind of wrecks the whole album but the later songs from about Editions Of You are more enjoyable.
Ute Lemper
3/5
Feels like the soundtrack to a stage show. I enjoyed the quirky lyrics. Fave song is probably Die Dreigroschenoper: Tango Ballad
2Pac
3/5
An album like this makes you wander what could have been. I've never listened to 2Pac before but would happily listen to this again. Still it's nothing special, just cruisy hard life hip hop?
Faves: Me Against The World, Old School, Dear Mama
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
I opened Spotify to play this album and see I already had North American Scum, Someone Great, and All My Friends markes as liked songs. On this listen I got a new appreciation for Get Innocuous! and Sound of Silver.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Only being familiar with his popular stuff I wasn't really sure what to expect. Reading that this was a concept album about social and environmental issues piqued my interest. Certainly What's Going On is a standout track, but I like the way the songs following flow into each other with faves being Flyin' High, Mercy Mercy Me.
Sisters Of Mercy
5/5
There's been quite a few bands on this list that, during my formative years, my friends were all into but I was mostly just aware of. Today I was trying to figure out why that was the case, well simply I was poor and couldn't go out and buy every damn CD of every band that piqued my interest. Nowadays with access to just about everything I'm gaining a new appreciate for these bands and Sisters Of Mercy is certainly one of them.
Every week my friends and I would go to this club in the city and every week they would play This Corrosion and man does this album bring back some memories.
Fave tracks Dominion / Mother Russia, Lucretia My Reflection, and of course This Corrosion.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
I'm not really sure what that was. Very bizarre.
The Toonerville Trolley seems to be the best and worst track.
Suede
3/5
As a debut this album kind of feels like a promise of better things to come than an actual great album. I mean Animal Nitrate is pretty catchy but nothing else really stood out for me.
Grateful Dead
3/5
This album feels like a product of it's time. It's all about radio air play and something like this just fits the bill. Being their fifth album I guess they had a big enough following to keep up the momentum.
Fave track Truckin' -- I just love a good driving song.
Radiohead
4/5
I really need to spend some more time with Radiohead. It was raining while listening to this and House Of Cards and Videotape stole the show for the vibe.
Lorde
4/5
It's always good to see a "local" artist do well. I enjoy Lorde's really down to earth moments. Green Light certainly first the bill.
The other standout track for me is Supercut.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Glam Rock from the 70s.
All the Way from Memphis is pretty good but my faves would be Drivin' Sister and I Wish I Was Your Mother
Al Green
3/5
Let's Stay Together is such a classic. Interesting to learn how this was kind of the start and the end of the height of his success.
Fave track: I've Never Found a Girl
Queen
4/5
This is certainly a side of Queen I wasn't familar with. What a great fun 70s rocking vibe.
Faves: Father To Son, The Loser In The End.
Frank Black
4/5
It's got that 90 indies rock vibe that I enjoy.
I didn't really know who Frank was and thought it sounded familiar and then reading the description of the album made the penny drop.
It's like a fun version of The Pixies.
Faves: Abstract Plain, Freedom Rock
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
It certainly feels like an album of more to come and I guess this was pretty unique for it's time.
Fave: Fodderstompf
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Another album full of promise but one I got a bit more into and feel I could really dig with a few more listens.
Fave track: Lose My Breath.
The Stone Roses
5/5
This is totally my cup of tea. Just something about The Stone Roses that makes me feel good.
Fools Gold is my absolute fave track.
Beatles
4/5
This album starts off so strong and I'm like yeah this is easily a 5, good job Beatles. But by the end I'm so over it and the album is back to a 4.
I guess considering I like 7-8 of the 30 songs ... if this was a 10 song album ...
De La Soul
5/5
What a great fun easy going happy vibe.
Faves: The Magic Number and Eye Know
Alice In Chains
5/5
Great example of 90s grunge at it's best.
Faves: Them Bones, Rooster, Hate To Feel.
King Crimson
5/5
It's like the birth of prog rock.
Picking a fave is hard but Court Of The Crimson King is one I look forward to hearing again.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
My third Costello from this list so far. This one didn't really grab me at the start but does pick up around the end.
Fave track: Radio, Radio
Lucinda Williams
3/5
Thanks for the Geography lesson Lucinda
Fave: Title
Willie Nelson
4/5
This album is so quiet that I was 6 tracks in before I remembered I had music playing. Then something about my day made it hard to concentrate so I can't really give this a fair rating.
I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and put it on my listen again another time list.
David Bowie
5/5
I don't recall hearing any of these songs before and what a joy of discovery.
Faves: The Next Day, If You Can See Me, Dancing Out In Space
Sex Pistols
3/5
Pure anarchy.
Fave: Submission.
Os Mutantes
5/5
Ahh this is so much fun and so timeless!
Faves: A Minha Menina, Adeus Maria Fulo
Big Star
3/5
Good old fashioned power pop.
I knew Thirteen from Elliot Smith's version which I feel is a bit more haunting. Fave track on this album is When My Baby's Beside Me.
Randy Newman
3/5
Lucinda gave me a geography lesson, Randy sprinkles in politics and social commentary.
Fave track: Rollin'
Alice Cooper
3/5
I certainly like this one more than School's Out.
Faves: Elected, Unfinished Sweet, No More Mr. Nice Guy, and Generation Landslide.
The xx
4/5
I like the atmosphere on this one and certainly am becoming a fan of The xx.
I haven't listened to the other album as part of this list so looking forward to that coming around.
Faves: Dangerous, Performance, and On Hold.
OutKast
4/5
I have a fond spot for OutKast and the song Ms Jackson for the way the owl in the film clip makes my wife laugh hysterically.
Ms Jackson is a standout song on this album and I also enjoyed B.O.B. and Stankonia.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I do enjoy Joni Mitchell. Help Me is quite a standout on this album. I also enjoyed Just Like This Train, and Raised on Robbery.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This one doesn't grab me as much as some of the others I've heard from this list but still enjoyable.
The Partisan stands out and I enjoyed You Know Who I Am, and Tonight Will Be Fine made me smile.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Such a delight. Jumpin' Jack Flash is certainly a banger. Unfortunately Light My Fire reminded me too much of those baby lullably albums which are basically cover versions of popular songs using instruments like a sitar.
The rest of the album is great though especially Sagar (The Ocean)
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
The live sound is a bit gimmicky but I guess it works. Janis is just awesome. Certainly a good fun album with Piece of My Heart the standout track.
Julian Cope
4/5
What a wild trip. I knew nothing about Julian Cope coming into this and wasn't sure how I was going to get through 29 tracks but it really did grow on me.
Faves: Drive, She Said, Soldier Blue, Love (L.U.V) Remix.
ZZ Top
3/5
I would have been 9 when this came out and I remember ZZ Top being in high rotation. Loved the car and the film clips. Certainly giving this one some points for nostalgia. Sharp Dressed Man is great, Legs is catchy as and TV Dinners is hilarious.
Cat Stevens
5/5
Wow, what a great storyteller. I didn't realise how many Yusuf / Cat Stevens I knew but I really like at least 5 of the 11 tracks.
It's not just the lyrics but the way he sings too, it's so captivating.
The Specials
4/5
On my first listend I really dug A Message to You Rudy but the rest of the album seemed to pale in comparison. Second listen I started to get more into it and it's a good fun album.
Aside from the opener I also enjoyed Concrete Jungle, Blank Expression, and Too Much Too Young
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
5/5
I also discovered Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan via the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and this is the first time I've really dug in since then.
A great album each track awesome.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
Interesting back story and a lot of wondering what could have been. I just couldn't quite get into this album though. The highlights for me were Little Hands, War In Peace, Grey/Afro.
Pere Ubu
4/5
I quite liked this but found it hard to understand the lyrics so I just pretended it was in a different language.
I really enjoyed Modern Dance and Sentinmental Journey -- I will defintely give this anohter listen sometime.
Nirvana
5/5
A band trapped in time at their prime.
I like Dumb and many of the others.
Moby Grape
3/5
Certainly has a good 60's San Francisco vide.
Faves: 8:05, Naked, If I Want to
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Great fun energy. I was not familar with this band beyond Come On Eileen so it was a fun discovery that I look forward to hearing again.
Faves: Geno, Seven Days Too Long
Traffic
4/5
I was just about to write my review and thought I'd just have a quick look at what my friend wrote and it's 100% what I was thinking.
---
I liked this a whole lot more than their self titled album. Has more character of its own.
Might need to come back to this one for additional listens!
Fave tracks - "Glad" and "Freedom Rider" are baller openers!
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
I found the opening track really confusing as much as I love Satie. Smiling Phases picks up the pace and sets the scene nicely with More and More, And When I Die keeping the interest high. Spinning Wheel tops it all off.
Stereo MC's
3/5
I was digging the groove on the first run through but it did start to grind by the end of the second listen.
Connected is great, I also enjoyed Fade Away and Step It Up.
Madonna
2/5
The first listen made it hard to listen to again but I perservered and it's not a complete trainwreck.
This quote from the wikipedia article also makes me curious
"...she intended to embark on a tour. However, her record company encouraged her to return to the studio and record new music before going on the road."
Anyway I like Music for the boogie-woogie.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
What a blast this album is. Putting this on high rotation for sure.
Fave track is easily Electricity. Zig Zag Wanderer, and Abba Zaba are highlights too. I can see why people seem to be into I'm Glad and I'm sure it'll grow on me.
Ash
4/5
Gotta love an album that kicks off with Star Wars sound effects. This album certainly kicks off with a cracking pace and settles into a nice rhythm.
Girl From Mars and Kung Fu are certainly the highlights, not bad for a debut.
Beatles
4/5
A lot of the reviews for this seem to mention Rubber Soul, which I haven't listened to yet, along with what looks like another 4 Beatles albums!!
To me, this album is pure pop, and like bubblegum after a while you forget that you're listening to it.
A Hard Day's Night and Can't Buy Me Love are certainly standout tracks but I think I need to spend more time with this album to fully appreciate it.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Hahah this is great and growing on me. I'm going with 4 for now but feel this could definitely move to high rotation one day.
Fave: Tuesday's Gone.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
There is something captivating about Anohni's voice. Mixed with the personal vulnerabilities just grabs you.
Fave track: You Are My Sister
The Police
4/5
This one gets nostalgia points but does stand quite well on it's own. Message In A Bottle, and Walking On The Moon are standout tracks, On Any Other Day is catchy.
Deep Purple
5/5
I was a bit apprehensive about yet another live album on this list but Deep Purple was one of those albums my dad had that I loved listening to when I was knee high to a grasshopper.
That said, I did get into this album, althoug the edition I listened to had 3 x Black Nights and 2 x Speed Kings. By the end of the first listen I'd had enough of those songs.
For my second listen I kept one of each track and glad I did because Black Night is a great track. I love the call and response on Strange Kind Of Woman and Space Truckin' is one of the tracks that was on the album my dad had and is my absolute favourite.
Megadeth
3/5
I might have to go back and listen to Peace Sells.. because this album didn't really grab me and if this is the best.....
Fave track: Rust In Peace...Polaris
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Shining Star and Yearnin' Learnin' gave me real Jamiroquai vibes. The album as a whole as a nice feel to it but didn't really grab me.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Another cracker of an album, such great energy.
Every song feels like it's building up to Come On Eileen.
Fave Track: Jackie Wilson Said
Hanoi Rocks
4/5
Oh this is so great. I knew nothing about this band and had no idea what to expect but this was such good fun.
Fave tracks: Malibu Beach Nightmate, Tooting Bec Wreck.
Prince
4/5
This album is all over the place and probably deserves a bit more time. Imagine what the 3 album version would have been like.
Standout tracks for me Sign O' The Times, Starfish And Coffee
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Certainly an intriguing album that I would like to spend some more time with. Lead A Normal Life is so chilling. Games Without Frontiers is a classic. No Self Control is my fave today.
Gang Starr
4/5
This album certainly grew on me more with the second listen and I feel like it deserves a few more if not at least a deeper listen.
Fave track for now Step In The Arena
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I remember this was an album that my dad had although can't say I recall listening to it much.
It has a pretty timeless feel. Brown Sugar and Wild Horses are big hits but my faves are Can't You Hear Me Knocking and Dead Flowers.
Peter Tosh
3/5
2024 and the and still feels relevant. I love the weird croony Till Your Well Runs Dry but faves are Whatcha Gonna Do and Ketchy Shuby whatever that is.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I guess I can start to call myself a fan. This quite enjoyable and my first time listening to the whole album. This could potentially become a 5 with a few more listens but for now fave track is A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, and Suddenly Everything Has Changed.
The Young Rascals
3/5
I wasn't really sure about this but these guys really nailed it with Groovin'. On the second listen the other songs started to grow on my and I liked You Better Run.
Gram Parsons
2/5
This is viewed a succesful hybrid between country and rock but it sounds like any old country to me.
Fave track: Return of the Grievous Angel
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
I'm not sure that I need more electric jug music in my life. While I appreciate pschedelica and this album is ok, it wasn't anything real special.
Fave: Reverberation (Doubt)
Nas
3/5
I like learning the nuances of Hip Hop and I can certainly appreciate this album.
Fave: The World Is Yours
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Such an incredible voice. There's something timeless about this music too.
Faves: Love And Affection, Tall In The Saddle
Genesis
4/5
I had no knowledge of Gabriel era Genesis. This album is epic. Peter was obvioulsy such a creative force that he had to go his own way. Faves? too many to mention this album is long and I like more an more with each listen.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
A delightful, charming, intimate, live album. Beautiful voice.
Fave: How High The Moon
Bob Dylan
5/5
I've still got a few more Dylan albums to catch up to on this list but the ones I've listened to so far I've enjoyed and this one tops them all so far.
It's hard to go past Like a Rolling Stone as it's such a classic. Tombstone Blues, and Desolation Row are other standouts for me.
Meat Puppets
3/5
When Plateau came on I was like oh I know this song! So thanks Nirvana for introducing me. I couldn't help but think this sounds a lot like Dinosaur Jr. and I'm not sure if there's a connection there. Anyway, I found myself enjoying more of the bonus tracks.
Faves: Plateau, Lost (Demo Version), and Aurora Borealis (Demo Version).
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
A Design for Life certainly caught my attention on the first listen. Not being famaliar with this band I wasn't really sure what to expect but the songs certainly grew on me on the second listen. 3 for now but could probably be a 4 with a few more listens.
The Libertines
4/5
Another band I was not overly familar with but Can't Stand Me Now does ring some bells. I liked this album more than the Preachers album and found it to be a lot of fun.
Faves: Can't Stand Me Now, Music When The Lights Go Out, What Became of the Likely Lads
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Delicious voice, groovy sounds. It's like a chillout album.
Faves: August Day Song, Bananeira, Close Your Eyes
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Incredible voice. Chain of Fools and You Make Me Feel are incredible songs. My fave from this listen is Niki Hoeky such a different fun wacky vibe.
Kings of Leon
5/5
Oh man this album is great. Closer just grabs you straight away and by the time Manhattan kicks in you wonder do I like this particular song or am I having a dopamine rush. Certainly after my second listen I was keen to listen again.
Faves from today are Crawl, Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, and Notion but there's plenty more in second place.
That's 2 out of 2 5-Star records from KoL for me!
Steve Winwood
3/5
This is like 80's in a bottle.
Faves maybe Spanish Dancer and Night Train
Ehh, I guess it's pretty good and nice to know U2 were going back to their roots. But still after the first 3 tracks the rest of the album just kind of fades into the background.
Fave: Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
CHIC
4/5
Oh yeah this is disco at it's best IMHO. Good Times is just that a good time with A Warm Summer Night and My Forbidden Lover standouts on a very boppy along album.
The Slits
5/5
This is so good I can't believe this was recording in 1979 especially when thinking of how different this is to the 1980 Steve Winwood album.
I certainly have come across these gals before and I'm a fan.
So hard to pick a fave from this album but maye Instant Hit, So Tough, Fm, Newtown, Ping Pong Affair.
The Cars
4/5
Huge nostalgia points for this one as it's one I was really into when I was really young. Still sounds great!
Faves are the obvious: Good Times Toll, My Best Friend's Girl, Just What I Needed.
The rest is ok, nothing special. Without nostalgia probably a 3.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Pretty impressive debut. Great voice, great tunes.
Faves: Mama Said, Do Re Mi, Wishin' And Hopin'
Waylon Jennings
2/5
I like the story of the album more than the album itself ... damn record companies.
The songs, lyric wise, are indeed interesting but when I compare this to some of the other albums I listen to I can't quite justifty a 3.
Roni Size
5/5
Outstanding. Railing really sets the scene and just as you think this song is getting even better you're already a minute into Brown Paper Bag which in itself is exceptional. New Forms, Let's Get It On, and Digital keep the ball rolling. Heroes is a fun track and Watching Windows has been a favourite of mine for a long time.
John Lennon
4/5
At first it sounds like a bunch of unfinished songs but after a while the lyrics start to worm their way into your brain. It really does deserve a bit more time.
Faves: Remember (for the explosion), and God (for self belief)
Morrissey
4/5
Not sure how to seperate Morrissey from The Smiths except for maybe Johnny Marr so as a fan of The Smiths I found this quite a comfortable listen. Certainly worthy of more plays.
Faves: Everyday Is Like Sunday, Late Night, Maudlin Street
Bill Callahan
4/5
I was an instant fan of Bill Callahan when I first head him under the name Smog but I haven't really dived deep into his catalog so it was nice to spend time with this record. It certainly reminds me of what drew me in the first time with the way he just delivers such simple concepts.
Faves from today: Eid Ma Clack Shaw, My Friend, and Faith/Void for the line about tear gas at his grave.
Klaxons
5/5
Coined as a "science-fiction concept album about the future" and I'm here for it.
I had a feeling that I'd heard these guys before and as soon as Golden Skans kicked in it all came rushing back. So first run through was getting familiar with the concept again and second listen was enjoying the energy.
Faves: Golden Skans, Isle Of Her, Gravity's Rainbow, Forgotten Works, and It's Not Over Yet.
Scissor Sisters
4/5
A good fun record, pretty epic debut. Faves are Laura, Take Your Mama, Tits On The Radio and that cover of Comfortably Numb just gets stuck in my head every single time.
k.d. lang
4/5
This is k.d. lang really hitting her stride.
Faves: Save Me, The Mind of Love, and Constant Craving which feels like a strange closer.
The Strokes
5/5
I've been slowly learning via this list that I have very limited knowledge of post 2000 music as I stuck my head in the sand at some stage pre 2k. That said my 16yo has been a huge fan of The Strokes and I've been getting into them as I hear more and more.
This album is touted as the "reinvention of post-millennium guitar music" so my thanks go to The Strokes.
Faves: Someday, Last Nite, and Hard To Explain.
Scott Walker
3/5
I wasn't sure what to expect with this as I head he can get a bit weird. Anyway they say this is his best and after my second listen it really started to grow on me. A sad crooner with a bent for the mythical.
Faves: The Seventh Seal, The Old Man's Back Again
The Band
3/5
The first 3 tracks didn't really grab me on the first listen then I was getting into Caledonia Mission thinking ok there's at least one track on here that I like. Then, of course, The Weight kicks in and it all falls into place. Nothing in the remainder of my first listen really matched The Weight but I found on the second listen the other tracks started to grow on me.
A few more listens might get it to a 4 but for now it's a 3 for me.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Not sure how to pick a favourite from 4 improvised songs but certainly the latter half seems to capture my attention more. Relaxing, enjoyable, intriguing.
The Specials
3/5
Good fun and interesting but not sure how this is "cited as an influence on the trip hop genre". Enjoy Yourself sounds like the a good song to sing at the pub with your mates. I enjoyed the journey on Stereotype / Stereotype Pt 2.
The Sonics
3/5
As The Witch kicks off I'm like oh yeah this is pretty cool but the rest of the album feels like these guys were hired for a wedding band.
Faves: The Witch, Boss Hoss
James Brown
3/5
Certainly I side of James Brown I have not been exposed to before. I really like the intro and the bridges and Lost Somone is good with my fave being Night Train.
Björk
5/5
Already looking forward to giving this one another spin. It does seem to hark back to some of her earlier albums but with a modern spin I guess.
Faves for now: History Of Touches, Atom Dance
Coldcut
5/5
So dissapointed that this isn't on my streaming services but so glad I was able to listen to it because it's right up my alley and so good I'm finding it hard to pick a favourite track.
As soon as Smoke Dis One kicks in I'm hooked and Stop This Crazy Thing ramps up the vibe, Not Paid Enough is so much fun but I couldn't find a list of all the samples. Which Doctor? and My Telephone are great and Fat (Party And Bullshit) keeps the party going.
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Such a cutesy lovely vibe. Every song is so cosy.
Faves Parade (A Banda) and You Didn't Have To Be So Nice
R.E.M.
5/5
This album starts off quite strong but then Stand and Orange Crush just steal the show so much so that I listened to the album a third time and skipped those two tracks and yeah it's not too bad overall.
Faves the two aformentioned, Pop Song 89, and I Remember California.
The Pharcyde
3/5
Its a bit of fun but it's not for me. But yeah it does sound like classic hip hop.
Fave track: Otha Fish
Suzanne Vega
5/5
When I saw this I thought oh good I like Suzanne Vega but hadn't listened to this debut. When Marlene On The Wall kicked in I immediately when to my music collection to see why I knew this song and it turns out that the two Suzanne Vega albums I have are 99.9F and Tried and True (which is a best of).
The three tracks I already knew are fantastic songs, Marlene On The Wall, Small Blue Thing, The Queen And The Soldier. Overall it's a great album and certainly deserves more listens.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Such a warm and cozy feeling.
Faves: The Jungle Line and Harry's House / Centerpiece
Skunk Anansie
4/5
I don't really recall much about Skunk Anansie except for the name. So I guess it was good to hear this with fresh ears and no expectations.
The album comes out of the gates strong and leans into the electronica side and gets very balladly by the end maybe like a big night out. Anyway certainly deserves some more time.
Faves: On My Hotel Tv, I'm Not Afraid
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I got to ruminate over this one a bit longer than usual and can say I do like the guitar focus on this one.
Looks like there's another 2 albums on my to-do list but this one is up there with my faves from Mr Young.
Fave tracks: Fucking Up and Love to Burn
The Sabres Of Paradise
5/5
Oh this is so awesome and right up my alley. I'd never heard of these guys before so what a treat.
Bubble and Silde starts off on the right foot but Bubble and Slide II take the cake for me. Duke of Earlsfield is a jam with Planet D, Wilmot, and Theme amping up again.
There's just so much to like, for me, on this album.
The Monkees
3/5
That's just too many monkees on the deluxe edition. The story is interesting but the end result doesn't make a lot of sense to me, maybe you had to be there.
Fave track: Rand Scouse Git
The Offspring
5/5
It's like happy hour at the punk rock cafe. Yes, I was familiar with The Offspring but have never sat down and listened (which is the point of this right!) and what a delight. It kicks off with such great energy and just keeps it going. Certainly, Genocide, Something to Believe In, and Come Out and Play are highlights but Self Esteem really does take the take.
I never considered myself a fan but 5 stars easy.
David Gray
4/5
Such a lovely relaxed vibe. It seems I'd encountered David before and I found this album quite relaxing and enjoyable. I'll be back for more.
Faves: Babylon, White Ladder
The Beta Band
4/5
I really enjoyed this. Squares caught my attention immmediately with their version of Daydream which I'd orginally familiar with thanks to I Monster.
The rest of the album is great and certainly deserves another listen.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Nice relaxing quick listen. It probably deserves a few more listens, I certainly feel that I could grow to like this band but for now it's a 3.
Faves: A Sailor's Life, Si tu dois partir, Cajun Woman
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
It's country hour on the local easy listening radio station. It's the kind of music I'd expect to hear any time of the day when tuning in.
Fave: The Road's My Middle Name
Cee Lo Green
3/5
The music's pretty cool.
Fave track: I'll Be Around
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
The first listen this felt a bit dated and I wasn't in the right frame of mind but on the second listen I started to get into a bit more and feel like I should like it more than a 3 so will give this a chance.
Fave: It Goes On
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Pretty epic for a debut indeed. Dreamy melancholic folk music.
Faves: Helplessly Hoping, Long Time Gone
50 Cent
3/5
Much like a nothing burger there's nothing much for me here. It's not overly confronting or offensive or fun or interesting.
Fave: If I Can't. P.I.M.P has a nice groove.
Tito Puente
3/5
Fun and bouyant boppable tracks.
Fave: El Cayuco I guess as it kicks everything off.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Music school for music nerds. But hey still fun to listen to.
Culture Club
2/5
It was interesting to listen to this at a distance but it hasn't aged well and is pretty boring overall.
Fave: Stormkeeper
Billie Holiday
3/5
Billie Holiday is pretty incredible but this album just feels like 12 versions of the same song.
Fave: You've Changed
The Youngbloods
4/5
What a joyful listen. I'm certainly keen to listen to this again. Darkness, Darkness really sets the scene and such a lovely closing vibe in Ride the Wind
Dire Straits
4/5
Dire Straits hold a special place in my memory as many many years ago, when I was but a preteen, our family had just invested in a new stereo system (with a CD player!) and a distant cousin of mine, being a huge Mark Knopfler fan, insisted that we play Sultans of Swing to test out the audio delights of this new stereo.
This album has a really nice comfortable feel. Down To The Waterline seems a strange choice for the opener but it works. I really dug Water Of Love, Six Blade Knife, and of course Sultans Of Swing.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Keep on Chooglin'
10cc
4/5
What a delightful surprise. This album is so much fun. I had to go back and listen to I'm Not In Love to check it was the same band.
Faves: The Worst Band In The World, Clockwork Creep, The Sacro-Iliac
Christine and the Queens
3/5
I much preferred the french versions over the english versions but still it's not really my thing.
Fave: No idea, they all sound the same.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Only the second Sonic Youth album that I've listened to from this list and not quite as good as Dirty but still a great album that deserves some more time.
Faves: Tunic, Kool Thing
Madness
5/5
Totally my cup of tea. I like to think I've always been a fan of Madness but the only album in my collection is their 1992 greatest hits collection Divine Madness.
It was a joy to discover this album in its entirety whatever it's past transgressions may have been.
Faves: Tomorrow's (Just Another Day), Our House.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
I've always enjoyed what I've heard of The Dandy Warhols but never really dug into them and found this album quite enjoyable. Psychedelic power shoegaze pop?
Faves from this session: Boys Better, Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth and the last two tracks which are the come down of the album. bah dum tiss!
Massive Attack
5/5
I've been a big fan of this album for a long time and it's an instant 5 stars from me. Listening through was an extreme pleasue both times and I can't pick a favourite, they're all my favourite.
3/5
First listen just felt like 40 minutes of noise. Second listen I started to understand what was going on.
> considered an important forerunner to punk rock music
ok, good on ya then.
Joe Ely
3/5
Well if someone were to ask me what my favourite country album is I guess it could be this one. What a fun listen with a timeless sound.
Fave: Boxcars. I do also like the joyfulness of the last three tracks.
The Zombies
4/5
I forgot to look at the wikipedia article or even the track listing for this one and just hit play. The album sure starts out nice and quirky and continues with lots of little highlights along the way and then Time of the Season kicks in and it almost sounds like a different band.
On the second playthrough, I started to get a better appreciation for this band and am keen to listen again.
Fave: Time of the Season is so dreamy.
Weather Report
4/5
Well this is good fun. Those first few notes of Birdland sound like the start of some kind of ambient edm but then the horns kick in and away we go.
Birdland is a good fun frolic, Teen Town is a cool jam, and something in The Juggler keeps catching my attention.
I won't be sad if this pops up on my radar again.
Stan Getz
3/5
Maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind for this one but as soon as I saw The Girl From Ipanema was on here I groaned inwardly.
Still, it was pleasant enough but I'm also glad that it's over.
Morrissey
3/5
As a big fan of The Smiths I expected to enjoy this but it is largely underwhelming with Glamorous Glue being the highlight.
The Fall
4/5
Ok, so my second exposure to this band from this list and I must say I'm a fan. The way this album kicks off really grabbed my interest and the mayhem at the beginning of Lost In Music is great fun.
Lost In Music is certainly the standout but I really also enjoyed Im Going To Spain and Paranoia Man In Cheap S**t Room
Maxwell
4/5
I like the way this album draws you in and then just keeps the jams rolling with that beautiful outro.
Fave: ...Til the Cops Come Knockin'
Rush
4/5
I do love a 20 minute futuristic space ballad. Certainly some great moments in there. The rest of the album is ok I guess.
Tom Tom Club
5/5
This feels like an early 90s version of Superorganism which is right up my alley. Such a delightfully joyful bop along album.
Faves? All of them
ZZ Top
3/5
This sounds completely different to what I know ZZ Top and I guess that's why it's on the list. I really like how it opens but I kind of lose interest when Hot, Blue and Righteous kicks in. La Grange is great but then the album loses me again.
The Who
4/5
Baba O'Riley is such an epic track it put me in a good frame of mind. Behind Blue Eyes is certianly intriguing and Going Mobile made me chuckle.
A good fun raucous album.
Gillian Welch
4/5
It's nice to rediscover artists you've forgotten about. Weirdly on the first listen I wasn't really sure about this but it did grow on me especially April the 14th Pt. 1.
This is maybe a 4.4 at the moment.
Other faves Everything is Free and I Dream a Highway.
Marty Robbins
3/5
A bit of a fun album to listen to. Not something I'd want in high rotation but good to reminisce about my gunslinger days.
It's hard to pick a favourite they all have their little charms.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
He sure does have a good voice, what a crooner.
Fave. Mood Indigo
The Human League
4/5
Interesting that the two best tracks, imo, are the last 2. So many albums open with their best but this album starts off mediocre at best and picks up with Love Action and takes off with Don't You Want Me.
Red Snapper
5/5
I totally enjoyed this. I have a bit of a black hole for early 2000s music and glad to have this list filling the void. Somehow in my history of listening to Red Snapper I had not listened to this one and I have it on good authority that Making Bones is even better so I think I'll queue that one up next.
Faves. Keeping Pigs Together and Shellback.
Duran Duran
5/5
On the back of the recent Human League album I do find this much more enjoyable.
Rio is great and Hungy Life The Wolf is awesome.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
When I saw this pop up I was like, "Oh yeah, Alanis, she's ok".
But this album is just hit after hit after hit.
Faves from these sessions: Not the Doctor
William Orbit
5/5
I must admit I thought this was Orbital at first. Same but different.
Anyway, I totally got into this album, right up my alley.
Faves: Water From A Vine Leaf, Into The Paradise, A Touch Of The Night
The Associates
4/5
On first listen I wasn't really sure about this but second go through it all started to make sense.
The instrumental opener doesn't really set the scene for what's to come but No is a cracker of a track and he cabaret keeps on coming.
Fave: Club Country
Nico
5/5
It blows my mind that this album is from 1967, it could easily have been a new release it still sounds so fresh and relevant.
Something about Nico just grabs my attention. From the first moments of The Fairest Of The Seasons I'm hooked.
Other faves: These Dats, Chelsea Girls
Marilyn Manson
5/5
Hahaha I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting, it gets a huge nostalgia bump but even then it's such a fun concept album.
I love the opener with the line "I wasn't born with enough middle fingers", The Beautiful People is a pretty great track, but the whole album just works.
Charles Mingus
4/5
Essentially it's one track with 4 movements, so if I like one track I like 100% of the tracks on the album. Does that make it automatically 5 stars?
It's a totally enjoyable jam, nice noir feeling.
The Cardigans
4/5
I was only familiar with Lovefoool via the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack so I was curious to listen to this. Lovefool certainly stands out but there are a lot of nice surprises on this album.
Faves Happy Meal II, Losers, Choke
Soft Machine
3/5
Ok, another album with 4 tracks, but this one has some standout moments. The linked article says you need to listen to their first two albums for this album to make sense so maybe you'll get more context if you put the effort in.
Still, enjoyable enough with my faves being Moon In June and Out-Bloody-Rageous
Kate Bush
5/5
Third album on the list and I'm just more in love.
Running Up The Hill (A Deal With God) is just epic. Faves from today include The Big Sky and Waking The Witch.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
I wasn't really sure what to expect but I appreciate some of the clever lyrics.
Faves for me. Slow Burn, Rainbow
The Black Keys
4/5
Another one of those bands that I've been aware of but never really dug into. I quite enjoyed this and certainly think it's worth another spin in the future.
For now, faves are Everlasting Light, Sinister Kid
Simple Minds
4/5
I don't mind myself a bit of new wave and it's was enjoyable digging into this album.
Faves for me: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), Promised You A Miracle, Somebody Up There Likes You.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Hmm... not sure about this one, sounds a bit like a cross between REM and Barenaked Ladies. Maybe a bit grittier but maybe not.
I thought I'd find it a bit more enjoyable on the seond listen but it wasn't to be.
Fave: She Floated Away
Morrissey
4/5
Ok, this is more like what I was expecting from a Morrissey record, not sure what the difference is but this one is far more interesting.
Faves: America Is Not The World, The First Of The Gang To Die
Ray Price
3/5
When the record ended I was relieved. Not that this was painful but it all just kind of blends in and becomes a bit monotonous.
Fave: The Twenty-Fourth Hour
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Certainly something intersting going on here and worth further exploration. Passionate, vulnerable, honest.
Faves: What Jail Is Like, Brother Woodrom
Sinead O'Connor
5/5
Long time fan of Sinead. First time digging into this album. That's the whole point I hear you all say.
Faves: The Emporer's New Clothes, Nothing Compares 2 U
U2
5/5
Looks like I've still got one more U2 album to catch up on from this list but so far I think this is one of my favourites.
Faves: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, The Refugee, Two Hearts Beat As One.
Pretenders
4/5
Haha this is so great. Such a fun debut. Precious is a great opener, Brass in Pocket is incredible but I think Mystery Achievement is the standout for me today.
Certainly worth further exploration.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
This is my kind of hip hop. Social commentary, tongue in cheek, having a good time.
Faves: Acknowledge Your Own History, Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother.
John Martyn
4/5
I didn't notice anything untoward about his voice until I saw it mentioned in a review. I certainly feel that this album needs another spin but for now it's a solid 4 with my favourite being Small Hours
Elliott Smith
5/5
I find it hard to rate favourites from an album I love from an artist I love.
The Fall
4/5
I've like the other releases from The Fall on this list so far and this is another interesting one that probably requires a bit more time.
Frightened certainly captures me from the start.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Looking back at my review of Safe As Milk it was an album that I quite enjoyed. This album is much more challenging to listen to and I'm not sure I'll get much out of more listens.
Fave: Ella Guru
Eurythmics
4/5
When it's tea time in our house Google Assistant says Sweet dreams are made of tea. At one stage we even had it play the song but that was a bit too much.
Anyway, good to listen to this whole album. It kicks off strong with Love Is a Stranger but kind of loses its way until The Walk, and Sweet Dreams. Jennifer seems to begin the more electro sessions. Other notable mentions for me would be This City Never Sleeps
The Only Ones
4/5
Is The Whole Of The Law an indie version of I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)? Anyway, it's a catchy opener.
Another Girl, Another Planet I was familar with and is a great track.
A few other standouts along the way so probably need a few more listens as it did start to grow on me more on the second listen.
Massive Attack
5/5
Another album that I just love to pieces. Certainly Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy are standout tracks but the whole album is just sublime.
The United States Of America
4/5
Wow what a trip. I'll say my fvourites are The Garden Of Earthly Delights and the hot mess that is the closing track, The American Way Of Love.
Sepultura
4/5
All of my friends were metal heads but I never really felt the need to dig too deep. All that to say I know of this band but have not spent any time with them.
It's a great album that hooks you in from the start. Arise is a great opener and Dead Embryonic Cells just takes the cake. Anyway, I'll put this band on my listen to again one day list.
Radiohead
5/5
I feel like this is an easy 5 stars but looking back I only gave Kid A 4 stars... I guess I wasn't ready to commit back then :).
Anyway, this album, along with Kid A, Pablo Honey, and OK Computer are at the top of my Radiohead charts.
Faves from today: Packt..., Pyramid Song, You And Whose Army?, Life In a Glasshouse
Fever Ray
5/5
When I first discovered Fever Ray I was hooked, I devoured everything including The Knife.
If I Had a Heart, When I Grow Up, Keep the Streets Empty For Me are certainly standouts on this album but even tracks like Now's the Only Time I Know get stuck in my head.
The Triffids
4/5
This gets +1 just for being Australian. The problem I have is, that the context for this album's inclusion evades me when it's not their best but seems to have a strange story that lead to an "over the top" album.
Anyway, faves are Bury Me Deep In Love, Kelly's Blues, and A Trick Of The Light.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Yes, an enjoyable upbeat Congolese Soukus album that is missing from my life.
Just not something I feel like diving further into.
Yes
4/5
Looks like I gave the other album a 3 but after listening to this I'm willing to give them a few more spins.
Roundabout is certainly the standout, especially since the edition I listened to had it as a bonus track at the end so I ended up hearing it 4 times.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
So this is a band that jams and didn't like the fact that albums were limited to 3 minute songs. Therefore "we have to make a live album"
Welcome to the new age friends.
George Harrison
4/5
I enojoyed this quite a lot. I saw something about this being the best ex beatle non beatles album and yeah this certainly stands out a bit and I think is worth exploring further.
Faves: My Sweet Lord, Isn't It A Pity, Let It Down
Joanna Newsom
5/5
This the problem I've always had with rating your music by the number of tracks.
Ys - 55 minutes, 5 songs, I've listened to it at least 15 times so 75 plays
Milk Eyed Mender, 50 minutes, 12 songs, I've listed to this at least 25 times so 300 plays.
Oh yeah btw, I love this album.
The White Stripes
4/5
Ok, only my second album from this list, yeah I've got some catching up to do.
I like these guys and certainly worth another listen down the line, just not quite a 5 for me.
Fave: My Doorbell
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
The Cutter is an incredible track, the rest of the album doesn't overly grab me but I can say I'm a fan.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
I wonder if I lived in London how I'd feel about this. Anyway, it's Damon Albarn, it's ok, I'll give it another spin some day.
Fave: the title track
Silver Jews
4/5
On first listen it just sounded like Pavement to me, then reading the bio I realised the influence. Second listen it did start to grow on me and faves would be Slow Education and I Remember Me.
Certinaly worth another spin.
Little Simz
4/5
Little Simz is certainly clever, I love the way she sets the scene with Offence and the album just flows nices. Other fave 101FM.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
It's pretty awesome for a debut. I certainly fell in love with it when I first heard it and have been a big fan ever since.
Not sure I can pick a favourite but the opener gets you going and closer brings you back down.
Slade
3/5
I get the feeling that these guys sounded fresh and interesting in the early 70's but to me they just sound like a parody and maybe they are just having fun.
Weirdly enough, the wikipedia article calls out Look at Last Nite as a standout track but on both listens I have no memory at all of that song.
Fave? I don't know, maybe Let The Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Compared to the previous album this album sounds timeless. It's a little bit chill and full of interesting moments.
Hard to pick a fave from 4 tracks but Chameleon drags you in so I'll go with that.
Digital Underground
2/5
A 90s album that's stuck in the 90s.
First listen I was like: Yuck.
Second listen it started to grow on me but it still has lots of yuck. So 1.5 makes it a 2?
The Beach Boys
3/5
"abandonment of car or surf songs" I'm sorry, but that's what I'm here for.
Faves: Do You Wanna Dance? When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
The Darkness
4/5
Ha! What great fun. Turns out I listened to this album 10 years ago and not since. So strange, anyway I really enjoyed this round and look forward to putting it on again.
Faves. Love Is Only a Feeling, Friday Night
Japan
4/5
ooh I quite dig this one. Certainly a nice discovery, some of the tracks remind me of INXS and some obviously feel like new wave.
Faves: Alien, All Tomorrow's Parties or Quiet Life if we're not counting cover songs :)
Minutemen
4/5
This is my kind of punk. It's bit like a tasting platter but also filling enough.
Fave: Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
After the first listen I wasn't sure I wanted to listen again, it's just a bit too much country for me.
Second listen I did start to get into it a little more and In The Pines was a particular standout.
Overall thought I'm Thankful that it's over.
2/5
I've never paid much attention ti Limp Bizkit and I'm glad. This album is just funny.
Fave track: Hot Dog because it's just so stupid.
Orbital
5/5
Big fan of Orbital, was really looking forward to this especially after the last couple.
Faves, Impact (The Earth Is Burning), Walk Now..., and Halcyon and On and On
Wild Beasts
4/5
It seems I've run across this band a couple of times during my travels and glad to say I still find them intriguing and will give them another spin some time.
Faves: The Fun Powder Pot, We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
A good fun listen which I guess is their aim.
Faves: The Fun Lovin' Criminal, Passive/Aggressive, Scooby Snacks.
James Taylor
3/5
I often wonder what kind of music someone like this would make in the here and now. I mean this guy apparently likes to rock and roll.
I certainly appreciate the folkier songs as another review mentioned. But Lo and Behold this is not for me.
Fave: Sweet Baby James
The Boo Radleys
4/5
The only exposure that I'm aware of to this band before was via a compilation album from 2009.
I certainly found the album enjoyable enough to warrant another listen and found it interesting how some songs start off sounding familiar but them completely fall apart at the seams, like Spun Around.
Faves: Upon 9th And Fairchild, Barney (...and Me)
Adele
3/5
Nice voice, passionate, and heartbreaking.
Fave: Set Fire to the Rain
Blur
5/5
Another enjoyable listen from Blur. I never really understood the hoo haa with Oasis but I'm glad they found a way out of it.
Faves: Well I gues Song 2 is iconic, Beetlebum is cool, and Death of a Party is a fave.
Deee-Lite
3/5
It's nice hearing an iconic track like Groove Is in the Heart in the context of an album. On the first listen it seemed to blend in niceley but on the second listen it really stood out as a lot of the other tracks are missing the flair that Groove Is in the Heart has.
Still, an enjoyable, light and fluffly listen.
Faves: Deee-Lite Theme, Groove Is in the Heart, Who Was That? is interesting and little creepy, and Build The Bridge.
Goldie
5/5
This is right up my alley. Yet another album I've been happy to discover on this journey.
Timeless is an epic opener, A Sense of Rage, and Angel are other standouts.
The Band
3/5
Nothing really stood out for me on this but I do like stories. Unlike the other album that had a standout song this one is solidly 3.
Fave: Up On Cripple Creek
Holger Czukay
4/5
This is pretty good, I like to be cool in the pool. Certainly interesting and fresh sounding even today.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Middle of the road rock and roll.
Breakdown is good, Luna is curious, Americal Girl is meh.
Talking Heads
5/5
This is my third Talking Heads album from this list and seems I've not been ready to commit and just been handing out 4s. This album is like a 4.5 for me so I'll finally commit and give it a 5.
Faves: Once in a Lifetime is just epic, Listening Wind, and Right Start are also faves.
TV On The Radio
5/5
TV On The Radio is a band I've dabbled with in the past and certainly a band that I'd like to get to know better.
I see there's another album on this list that I haven't got to yet so I might give this the benefit of the doubt and bump it up to a 5.
Fave: Staring at the Sun is great but there's so much more here to be uncovered.
Björk
5/5
I just love the plot twist, what a great artist and such an incredible album.
Faves: Where Is The Line, Who Is It, Triumph Of A Heart
Sonic Youth
3/5
Hmm, not sure I'm in the write frame of mind for this today, nothing really grabbed me and I've defintely digged some of their stuff in the past.
It's probably an album that needs a little time to settle but I have so many of those already do I just add this to the pile or move on?
Fave: not sure, maybe Catholic Block.
XTC
4/5
XTC is another one of those bands that I find interesting but have never dug too deep on.
This album has a lot of interesting moments but Dear God sticks out and doesn't really fit, which I guess is why it wasn't originally included but it had to be because it's such a great song.
Other songs I enjoyed were Summer's Cauldron, 1000 Umbrellas
Destiny's Child
3/5
This is pretty good but it's not for me. The first 3 songs all hit the mark but my fave is Apple Pie A La Mode.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Intro was intresting but something about the ending caught me off guard on the first listen but I didn't notice it again on the second listen.
Anyway, nice voice, but not for me. Standouts for me were Thank You, and The Right Man.
Arrested Development
5/5
This album brings back a lot of memories. As the songs played they all came back to me.
So this gets a nostalgia bump for sure but it's still quite a feelgood album.
Faves: People Everyday, Mr Wendal, Tennessee.
Yeah, obvious ones right?
PJ Harvey
5/5
Big fan of PJ Harvey, automatic 5 from me. I hadn't spent a lot of time with this album though so I'm grateful to dig into it.
Faves: 50ft Queenie, Dry
TLC
3/5
Waterfalls is a great song, the rest of the album is not for me. I did appreciate the humour in the interludes, especially Sexy-Interlude.
Fave: Waterfalls.
Portishead
5/5
Atmospherice, dramatic, trippy, all up my alley.
Big Portishead fan for a long time and this album is fantastic.
Slayer
3/5
Fast and furious.
Laibach
5/5
Ah yes, love this so much, right up my alley.
Such a great story behind this band too, love it.
Fave: Leben heißt Leben -- it just sets the mood perfectly.
Grateful Dead
5/5
Ok, this is pretty cool, love the vibe.
Really liked Dark Star, didn't really dig Turn on Your Love Light but still giving it a 5.
The Byrds
3/5
Interesting mainly for the reasons of inclusion. Relaxing, ok, but middle of the road for me.
Faves: Mr Spacemen, Captain Soul, 2-4-2 Fox Trot
Dion
2/5
A bit of an AM radio snooze fest really. Luckily it's only short.
Fave? New York City Song?
Funkadelic
4/5
Sure is funky. I love the play on words and certainly dig the grooves.
Fave: Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?
Neil Young
4/5
It sounds like a Neil Young album and that's not a bad thing.
Fave: Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Scritti Politti
2/5
This is way too saccharin and sweet for my tastes.
Fave: Small Talk
Emmylou Harris
3/5
This does not fit my definition of Emmylou Harris. Sultry, emoitional, welcoming, warming. It's certainly intriguing.
Fave tracks - "Michelangelo" and "J'ai Fait Tout"
Elvis Presley
3/5
As a colleague of mine said, it's nice to hear another side of Elvis. Fever is certainly the standout for me.
Donald Fagen
3/5
This certainly feels like an album from a time and place. It's very cruisy late night 80s radio.
Faves: New Frontier because it seems to be about finding love in the apocalypse and for rhyming beer with frontier. Walk Between Raindrops a nice feel good closer.
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
I only knew of Sweet Jane from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack, so what a treat to discover the whole album sounds just as dreamy.
Certainly an album that could grow on me.
Faves: Sweet Jane, Walking After Midnight.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
It seems to have been a right album for the right time, but the time is not now and it's not for me.
Janis Joplin
5/5
Epic, beautiful, powerful, sad.
I think Move Over is my fave today, it's all good.
Steely Dan
4/5
This feels more warm and welcoming than I remember the earlier album feeling like. Less outdoor party vibes, more warm inside relaxing vibes.
Faves: Bobhisattva, My Old School
Gotan Project
5/5
What a delightful discovery (althought apparently I'd listened to a couple tracks back in 2016). I didn't really know what to expect but I was hooked from the very first moment.
Queremos Pax, Chunga's Revenge, Troptico, Una Misca Brutal are just some of my favourites from today but the whole album is a delight.
Eagles
3/5
The first 3 songs are blistering good and the rest of it just falls by the wayside. On the second listen I had more appreciation for Victim of Love and The Last Resort.
The Clash
3/5
It's good fun, it's punk, it's The Clash.
Fave: Janie Jones
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
I found this quite enjoyable and I do like a 7 part 20 minute track.
The closing track is a curveball that just seems to show they were having fun making this album.
Sabu
3/5
Hey, it's congo's. Certainly an enjoyanble listen.
Fave: El Cumbanchero
Brian Eno
5/5
I totally dig this, experimental, sampled, instrumentals.
Faves: I always find it hard to remember instrumental track names but for this Jezebel Spirit, Very Very Hungry, and Solo Guitar with Tin Foil.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
High energy, raucous fun. Unfortunately my fave song is on the bonus tracks, Cool Vee, so I'll give the award to Rocketship.
The Zutons
5/5
Ha! This is great, that closing track just leaves me wanting more. It feels like a bit of a slow start but really picks up after You Will You Won't. Looking forward to giving this another spin.
Fave: You Will You Won't/
Beach House
5/5
Ah, so dreamy. I just love the feel and flow, the whole vibe. A favourite of mine for a long time has been Norway. I look forward to exploring more.
Pulp
5/5
An incredible album that I'm very familar with. Common People is an absolute cracker, Disco 2000 is still great fun, an every song has something going for it.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Pretty cool, pretty groovy, by my oh my, with so many albums what makes this one special?
Fave? I guess Back At The Chicken Shack.
American Music Club
3/5
Middle of the road americana.
There are some nice moments on this and I feel it could grow on me.
Faves: Pale Skinny Girl, Bad Liquor, Last Harbour
The Crusaders
4/5
This is very cool and ultra smooth.
Street Life is for sure the standout. The rest kind of blends into one track but is still great.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Eh, it's ok I guess. I don't really know enough abpout pre-Christina but it is interesting that albums 4 and 5 are on this list.
Fave: Fighter, Make Over was also interesting.
The Stooges
4/5
My knowledge of Iggy is not very deep and certainly this was not what I was expecting. A bit more of a mellowness than ferocity.
Fave: Search and Destroy.
3/5
Thrashcore Jazz? I dig it.
Fave: Good Old Days, Feet Music
Talk Talk
4/5
Well I learnt me a little bit more about New Wave. I thought synths were a pre-requisite but these guys certainly fit the bill, even with their anti-synth stance.
All that to say, I like it, I'm a sucker for New Wave.
Faves: Happiness Is Easy, Time It's Time
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Hmm, reading the wiki during the opening of Save the Life of My Child got my interest but it's such a short album that it's all over before it really gets going. On top of that it's a bit of a mish mash. Still, it's ok and continues my tradition of 3 stars for these guys.
Faves: Save the Life of My Child
Elvis Presley
3/5
So Elvis finishes his soundtrack contract, gets put in a studio with a bunch of musicians and creates this? Not bad I guess. Croony, perfect example of Elvis.
Fave: it's hard to go past In The Ghetto.
Doves
5/5
Usually when listening to an album on this list I'll check the Album Summary to get some context. I didn't do that with this album and was pleasantly surprised when I recongnised the opening track as one I've heard many times on a chillout compilation album.
The album just got better from there and I was also familar with The Cedar Room.
Apart from the two tracks already mentioned I also enjoyed the title track.
I look forward to given this another spin.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Belle & Sebastian don't seem to really click with me. They sound promising enough but I just never quite get into it. It looks like I gave Tigermilk a 3 and I was trying to be generous with this one but even a 3 feels generous.
Faves: The Fox in the Snow, Judy and the Dream of Horses
Blondie
4/5
Such a great fun album. So many great tracks, so many hits.
Fave today: Hanging On The Telephone
The Thrills
5/5
What a delightful surprise. Another unexpected gem that this list has opened my eyes to.
At first listen I was a bit confused about why an Irish band had so many US song names but hearing the story just made me smile along with them.
By the end of the second listen I was hooked.
Faves: Santa Cruz, Say It Ain't So
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Smooth Mr Gaye, real smooth.
Sonic Youth
5/5
It's album like this that makes me realise how much I like Sonic Youth. I'd not spent any time with this one previous so look forward to a few more listens.
Faves: Shadown Of A Doubt, Secret Girl
Marvin Gaye
2/5
I can really understand why an album like this makes this list. It's certainly very interesting and so vastly different form Let's Get It On. The ultimate sex album and the ultimate divorce album, what a combo.
I'd like to give it 5 stars because it just makes sense, but it's not really for me and I don't really care to revisit it any time soon.
Fave: A Funky Space Reincarnation because it's from a time when Pluto was still a planet. "Send you over to the Plutotarium to be Plutotized" Oh Yeah!
Missy Elliott
3/5
It's a debut with a lot of well known collaborators so I guess she made a name for herself early on.
It's ok, but not for me.
Faves: The Rain, Why You Hurt Me
Erykah Badu
3/5
Cafe R&B? First listen it just felt like the kind of music you would put on in your hip little cafe. On the second listen I started to appreciate the personal lyrics a bit more. Still it didn't really grab me.
Fave: ...& On
Nirvana
5/5
They'll never get any better, they'll never get any worse.
There's something magical about this album and all the songs are my favourite.
fIREHOSE
3/5
So this is like an alt-rock album from right before grunge took off? I started to get into a bit more on the second listen and I think it could grow with a few more but for now it's a 3.
Faves: The openers are great, Riddle Of The Eighties, In My Mind
The Shamen
3/5
I listend to a fair bit of The Shamen back in the day and reading their wiki article makes me realise it was only because of the popularity of Boss Drum that I probably even noticed them.
This album has most of what I remember of The Shamen and the context seems to be that it's a transition record.
Faves: Move Any Mountain, Hear Me
4/5
Certainly an album that grows on you with more listens. Reading other reviews it seems like this was an album out of time, not well received but quite a magical psychedlic rock album nonetheless.
Faves: When I Touch You, Morning will Come
Elvis Costello
4/5
I've still got 2 more albums to catch up on. This one is felt kind of average but then I realised it's a debut and does set a pretty high bar. Unfortunately, for me, Watching The Detectives is just such a standout track it kind of takes away from the rest of the album.
Other fave: Alison
Wire
3/5
The best thing about punk is short songs straight to the point :)
It's certainly interesting to see the influence this band his had.
Anyway, faves, Field Day For The Sundays, Three Girl Rhumba, Mannequin
5/5
Ok, this increases my liking of XTC. It really captured my attention right from the beginning. I guess this album kind of marks the beginning of the end for XTC.
Faves: River Of Orchids, Your Dictionary, Harvest Festical
808 State
4/5
I feel like 808 State are one of those bands that music recommendation services always recommend to me and it looks like I did a deep dive into them about 10 years ago.
Anyway, I quite enjoyed this and certainly look forward to exploring further.
Faves: Magical Dream, Pacific 202
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
This list does it again, an interesting find, and that's about it. Classic Rock and a bity of a mixed bag. You could say these boys have a bright future.
Faves: My Soul, Broken Arrow.
Bad Brains
4/5
Is this hardcore? Am I a hardcore fan? I don't know but I dig this album and look forward to exploring further.
Faves: Re-Ignition, Sacred Love
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Looking at my previous review of this band I mentioned that it sounds like these guys were having fun, and this album just reinforces that view.
Concept and deliver. Great work.
Faves: The Hut, and The Curse, Of Baba Yaga
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Sananda Terence Trent D'Arby Maitreya
So he changed his name over 20 years ago and has release 9 albums since and this is the first I've heard about it.
I was singing Sign Your Name when I first saw this album come up, not even knowing that the track was on this album. The track is definitely a highlight.
Seven More Days was another standout track.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Umm ok, influential I guess?
Faves: Amsterdam, Les jardins du casino
The Doors
3/5
So this is on the list because it's a return to form for The Doors? I maan it sounds like The Doors, but there's not a lot here for me.
Roadhouse Blues is a great opener and Land Ho! stands out but that's about it.
Simply Red
3/5
I guess I'm lucky to have not been over exposed to Simply Red and maybe I have a bit of a soft spot for pure 80s pop. Anyway, I didn't hate this, don't really love it, it just is what it is.
Fave: Money's Too Tight (To Mention). I mean we're talking about Reagonomics!
Giant Sand
5/5
Ah yes, quite enjoyable. Certainly something I'll dig further into.
Faves: Shiver, Satellite
Black Flag
5/5
I have a friend who is probably Rollins' number one fan. I've seen Henry doing his spoken word thing a couple of times. I really enjoyed him as Zaheer in The Legend of Korra. Yet I've never really dug into Black Flag so it was nice to sit down with a short sharp introduction. If you'd asked me if I like hardcore, I would probably say no but albums like this make me question my understanding of hardcore.
Faves: Rise Above, Six Pack, TV Party, Life of Pain
Hawkwind
5/5
I do love me a bit of space rock and am happy to add a band like this to the pile.
Fave: Organe Accumulator
Korn
2/5
I saw my friend's 1 star review and I was like, "hey I don't remember Korn being tha t awful" and after It's On! and Freak On a Leash I was starting to get into it but then it just devolves into a big hot mess.
You had your time in the sun Korn, goodbye.
D'Angelo
2/5
Guns are bad mmmkay
Fave: Cruisin'
Ride
5/5
It's been a hot minute since I listend to the Ride. I was so caught up in the music that I forgot to pay attention to the song names to mark as my favourites. Which I guess is what would happen if I was gazing at my shoes too.
Faves: Polar Bear, Dreams Burn Down.
3/5
The Kinks are the 13th most played artist since I first played Face to Face in November 2022. Equal with Nirvana. But I guess that's not surprising since I've mostly been listening to this list over that time as well.
Anyway, I don't really see the appeal of this band, this album is certainly an interesting concept but it's just as mediocre as the rest of the albums.
Fave: Australia
M.I.A.
5/5
A breath of fresh air after the last album. There is certainly something I enjoy about MIA's music and style. I didn't get quite into this one as much as Kala but it's strong for a debut.
Faves: Pull Up the People, Bucky Done Gun
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
It took me a bit to get into this one. A colleague showed me the video fo This Is What She's Like and the album started to make more sense. I'll give this the benefit of the doubt and add it to my check out again later list.
Fave: This is What She's Like
Beastie Boys
3/5
I'm about 3 albums away from License To Ill which I'll get to once I catch up with the current album (Black Monk Time by The Monks).
Anyway, all that to say I'm not sure where this album fits in the whole scheme of things.
Sabotage is an outstanding track, Sure Shot is a great opener and there are some other pearls on here. But I'm not quite ready to give it a 4.
Metallica
5/5
I see there's two more Metallica albums that I've still got to catch up on and if they are anything like this then I think I might be a fan.
This album is just epically good from start to finish.
Faves: hard to say, maybe Orion :)
Nanci Griffith
3/5
She certainly has a way to pull you into the story.
Fave: One Of These Days
Tangerine Dream
5/5
Automatic 5, it's just blissfully delicious for my ears.
The Monks
5/5
What a blast, such great fun. An unexpected delight as this list often provides.
Faves: Monk Time, Cuckoo
Einstürzende Neubauten
5/5
This is totally in my wheelhouse. I love this so much, bring it on. How can this be rated worse that Kid Rock?
Save the turtles indeed people.
The National
5/5
An easy 5 for me. I just like the sound and his voice and the words that make you think.
Fave: Bloodbuzz Ohio, Afraid of Everyone, Anyone's Ghost
Steely Dan
3/5
After the other two Steely Dan albums I was curious to see where this one fits. It's pretty bland really, nothing really stands out, there's one moment on Peg where I think it's going to improve but then it just returns to blandness.
Overall it's a nice enough vibe so not quite a 2.
Bon Jovi
3/5
I had a quick look at the reviews when I began my first listen, wow so much negativity. This album starts off quite strong so I was thinking 4 for sure but it really drops off after Wanted Dead Or Alive so it'll have to be a 3.
The Stranglers
3/5
Good fun punk, a bit dated, but of it's time I guess.
Fave: Peaches
Kings of Leon
3/5
Thanks to this list I have listened to one KoL album every year for the past 3 years. I really got into the other 2 but this one is very hit a miss. Some great moments, some not so great.
Faves: Taper Jean Girl, Milk, The Bucket
John Cale
3/5
I asked AI to write my 3 star review using the keywords from the global reviews.
Paris 1919 by John Cale is an interesting solo album that showcases his versatility beyond his work with the Velvet Underground. The orchestral arrangements add a beautiful, baroque vibe to the tracks, and the lyrics are fine, though not particularly memorable. While some songs have a cool and catchy folk influence, others tend to be slow and a bit boring. Overall, the album offers a pleasant and accessible experience, but it might feel too familiar and meh for some listeners. It's a fine listen, though not as groundbreaking or fun as Cale's work with Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.
Fave: Paris 1919
Fatboy Slim
3/5
A good fun album, I seem to remember it being pretty unique at the time.
Anyway, I quite enjoyed Right Here Right Now and Rockafeller Skank. Fave from today is You're Not from Brighton.
Tortoise
5/5
Automatic 5 from me, this is just so ... me.
Delightfully atmospheric.
Faves: Djed, Glass Musuem, and Along the Banks of Rivers
The Go-Betweens
5/5
I'm trying to think what I would give this if they weren't a) australian, and b) from my home town. I guess it's a solid indie record that doesn't feel so dated so maybe a 3 or 4. But I gotta bump it up as a matter of pride.
Faves: Streets of Your Town, Was There Anything I Could Do?
The Waterboys
4/5
An interesting fun and enjoyable album that I'm keen to dig into further.
Faves: World Party, Killing My Heart
Mudhoney
4/5
I don't know why this has such a low overall rating. I'm starting to find myself as a fan of Mudhoney, I certainly have enjoyed the two releases from this list.
Fave? I couldn't really pick one it just feels like they all have their moments.
Paul McCartney
3/5
I feel like a lot of the themes on this list are transitional albums and I guess that makes sense. Here is a moment in time when all roads led to the Beatles breakup.
As far as this album. It's ok, nothing special.
Fave: Maybe I'm Amazed is ok I guess.
Green Day
3/5
Oh hey it's Green Day. Wow they are very popular.
For me, this album is ok, I do enjoy a concept American Idiot is a great opener and I did enjoy Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Wake Me up When September Ends has a nice vide but the rest of it is pretty mediocre.
Jane's Addiction
5/5
I was a big fan of what turns out to be Ted, Just Admin It.. that was called Sex Is Violent on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and I still found it chilling on this album. Jane Says is pretty epic and overall I found this album enjoyable enough for 5 stars.
The Beta Band
4/5
Ok, I guess I might be becoming a Beta Band fan, that's two 4 stars for me. Something nice and cosy feeling about this album.
Faves: Space, Out-Side
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Very cool, very funky, I like the directness of the messaging. I don't really know anything about the film except that it exists.
It's good that the music can standalone.
Faves: Pusherman, Freddie's Dead
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Well, I don't know anything about this band but apparently I have listed to I Trawl the Megahertz before. Anyway, this album started to get better and better on the second listen and it's a solid 4 for me.
Faves: Faron Young, Appetite
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
I might be eating my words by the end of this list but as far as I can tell there are no albums from the bands of the members of this supergroup.
Does that just mean they are like the power rangers?
Anyway, this is quite a fun album and certainly worth a few more listens.
Faves: the title track, In My Room
SAULT
5/5
This is very cool, a good idea done well.
Faves: Wildfires is just incredible, Black Is, and Monsters
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Funky indeed. It's hard to understand the influence of an album like this but I guess that's why it's on the list.
Faves: Runnin' Away, Spaced Cowboy
Miles Davis
3/5
A very smooth mellow 45 minutes.
Not sure I can pick a fave out of 5, it all just blends together.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
This feels like the epitome of 1966 rock and roll.
Kicks kicks off the album ok, I'm Not Your Stepping Stone certainly is a highlight. I wasn't going to bother with the bonus tracks on my second listen but SS 396 is my fave and my TIL.
Big Star
2/5
A hot mess of an album that would probably be good for someone whose life was also a hot mess.
No real faves but Femme Fatale was recognisable.
Fishbone
3/5
Freddies Dead misses the mark for me. Curtis Mayfield has stolen my heart.
A lot of the album feels kind of promising but then doesn't really deliver.
Fave: Subliminal Fascism
Neneh Cherry
4/5
It certainly does feel like the epitome of the 80s all rolled up into one package.
As a child of the 80s I totally dig it.
Fave: Buffalo Dance, although that bit in the middle always made me think she was British.
Basement Jaxx
5/5
Such a good upbeat album, pretty awesome for a debut.
Faves: Yeah, all the singles.
David Bowie
5/5
Certainly a side of Bowie that I wasn't familiar with.
Great atmosphere, great instrumentals, certainly worth another spin.
Faves: Speed of Life, Sound and Vision
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I'd like to think that I'm an EBTG fan and I certainly hadn't heard this album before. And it seems the only music of theirs that I have on CD was from a compilation album.
Anyway, I like Tracey Thorn's voice and there's a certain intimacy to this album that probably deserves further exploration.
Travis
5/5
A change from their rockier past? Well it worked, such a lovely meloncholic vive :)
Faves: Driftwoord, Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
Jack White
4/5
Jack White, The White Stripes, I can't really tell the difference. Looks like I have one more White Stripes album to catch up on so that's now 3/4 with 4 stars.
Faves: Missing Pieces, Trash Tongue Talker
CHVRCHES
5/5
An easy 5 stars for me. I've always benn captivated by CHVRCHES and love Lauren's voice and the power-pop-synth backing her up.
This is an album I've already spent a lot of time with, must be time to branch out.
Faves: The Mother We Share, We Sink, Gun, Recover
The Coral
5/5
Wow what a great fun album. Apparently I came across this band on a compilation album 10 years ago but I have no recollection.
So as a first time listener I'm keen to dig into it more. Great boppy mix of styles.
Faves: Simon Diamond, Goodbye, Calendars and Clocks
Afrika Bambaataa
5/5
This is another fun album, love the interpolated Kraftwerk and the old-school vibes.
Faves: Planet Rock for sure and many other highlights along the way.
The Saints
5/5
Aussie Punk that punches above it's weight.
Can't help but be a little biased as these guys are from a suburb near where I used to live.
Either way, it's an enjoyable raucous listen with Know Your Product leading the way.
Other faves from today: Memories Are Made of This, International Robot
The Prodigy
5/5
I always thought the saying was The Fat Of The Lamb but anyway.
This is a great album full of energy and some kick ass beats.
Faves: Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, Firestarter, Narayan
Laura Nyro
3/5
Seems like a gal having a good time behind a piano.
Fave: Luckie, I guess.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Well I certainly wasn't expecting reggae. Sunday Shining triggers some long ago memory that I have no real recollection of.
Anyway, it kind of grew on my on the second listen, with faves being Sunday Shining and the title track.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Love the One You're With is certainly a cracking track.
Chuch (Pt. Of Someone) also piqued my interest but the rest of it was just kind of bland early 70s rock.
The KLF
5/5
Ok, so I listened to the Director's Cut and then 1991 UK and US releases and then the Director's Cut again.
My memory of The KLF was all about that 3AM Eternal which isn't even on The Director's Cut and wow this album was a lot more chill than I was expecting.
As much as I enjoyed the 1991 albums I'm putting the Director's Cut at the top of my list.'
Faves: Build A Fire, Last Train...
Astor Piazzolla
4/5
I certainly wasn't sure what to expect but such a delightful album.
Faves: Vibraphonissimo, Operation Tango
Nick Drake
5/5
Such a lovely album so warming.
Unfortunately this is an album I listened to all but 2 tracks on Friday and the final 2 tracks Monday and I didn't take any notes so can't pick any particular faves just know it was a joy to listen to and I'll be back.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
A pretty incredible debut and all my favourite things about post punk and a great follow up after just finishing The Damned.
Fave: Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Feminine indie punk rock! Sign me up.
Certainly an album worth further exploration.
Fave: Buy Her Candy
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Super smooth jazzy grooves.
Yes
4/5
Interesting, certianly something worth further exploration. The bonus tracks just ended up confusing me. I think Your Move is my fave.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
I haven't bothered to check if there are any other soundtracks on this list and nor can I really remember as we approach the end but I do love a good soundtrack and Theme from Shaft is a fantastic opener that really sets the scene.
Everything else is quite cool and I'm sure it would have more effect if I had recently watched the movie.
Other fave: Be Yourself
Killing Joke
5/5
A debut you say? Well I'm keen to learn more. I quite enjoyed this album. Requiem kind of sets the scene but it's the instrumentals that grab me like Bloodsport, what a great track.
Dr. Octagon
4/5
This is totally the style of hip-hop that I'm into. Just relaxed beats with crazy lyrics and I don't how to define that sound but it just sits so nice with me. Not to mention the scratching, my word.
This is almost a 5 but it is a bit too cringy but not quite a 3 so I guess it sits in the middle.
Faves: 3000, No Awareness (for the Transformers reference), Blue Flowers
Muddy Waters
3/5
Good raucous fun.
Faves: Tiger In Your Tank, I've Got My Mojo Working
The Beach Boys
3/5
Oh hey it's them. Songs that have been played a billion times and used in advertising for thousands of years. Still, it's nice reading how influential it was at the time.
Fave: Sloop John B
Barry Adamson
4/5
Well I do enjoy a good soundtrack and this fits the bill.
I'll have to have another listen to Lost Highway with my newfound knowledge.
Anthrax
3/5
Another one of those bands that I've been aware of but never really dug into it. This was pretty cool and I'm glad to have listened to it but it's just a bit mediocre.
Fave: I Am the Law
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I feel like PIL is one of those bands that's always recommended to me by various music services but I've never really gotten into. There are some intriguing moments on this album but it's very cohesive.
I also find it amusing that the First Issue wiki says "It is considered one of the pioneering records in the development of post-punk."
And the wiki for this album says "Metal Box is widely regarded as a landmark of post-punk."
Anyway, Faves: Poptones, Radio 4
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I wasn't really sure where this was going to sit with me as I've never paid much attention to ol' Lupe but as soon as Kick, Push kicked in I was hooked. The album got even better on the second listen.
Fave: Kick, Push, Daydreamin' is cool too.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Nice harmonies, wholesome tunes.
Fave: Our House because cats.
Throwing Muses
5/5
It turns out that I've listend to a lot of Kirstin Hersch but not much Throwing Muses so it was nice to discover this album. I look forward to digging further.
Fave: Hate My Way
New York Dolls
3/5
Good fun glam punk. I'm glad they were able to capture their sound so well.
Faves: Personality Crisis, Frankenstein, Jey Boy
The Undertones
4/5
I don't recall much chocolate but certainly plenty of teenage angst and girls. A good fun album and I still have the self-titled album in my todo list so it'll be interesting to see what that's like.
Fave: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls and any one of the others could easily take the crown.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
I do enjoy Nick Cave and am a subscriber to The Red Hand Files. According to my listening history I've never listened to this album before. Obviously very aware of Into My Arms which is a beautiful song. So it's nice to listen to the album as a whole.
Fave: Brompton Oratory
The Bees
5/5
This album is so great. My only exposure to The Bees before this was Chicken Payback so this was an absolute treat. Also wen A Minha Menina is such a great track I can see why it's been used in advertising. I'll definitely be digging in.
Pulp
5/5
A Pulp album that I have not spent any time with. Very enjoyable and looking forward to putting it up there with His N Hers and Different Class.
Faves: hard to say it gets better towards the end, probably every song after This Is Hardcore
Death In Vegas
5/5
I've long been a fan of Death In Vegas so it was nice to revist. Dirge is just such a great opener and those vocals are just delicious.
Aisha is another standout.
Mike Ladd
5/5
Oh yeah! Where is my floating car that I was promised in 1999. I do love me some sci-fi hip hop.
Faves: 5,000 Miles West of the Future, Planet 10
The Residents
5/5
Oh this is so good, I love the weirdness of it all. As a big fan of Primus I can totally hear the influence.
Faves: the whole damn lot -- it's a journey
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
For me this is ok in small doses. I quite like the schtick but it's just too much all in one go. I can see the appeal to the college crowd for Cold Beverage (and they also mention ice cream!) but for me the standouts were Garbage Man, Shooting Hoops.
Air
5/5
An easy 5 this one. Such a beatiful album with every song a winner and gorgeous contributions from Beth Hirsch.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Strange Feelin' had me feeling good about this album and then Love from Room 109 stands out with Gypsy Woman giving me some Led Zep vibes.
Sing a Song for You just leaves me fealling melencholy so I guess the album does what it says on the tin.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Is this the album where he goes off the rails? Based on the other two albums on this list this one just doesn't work for me.
Dagmar Krause
4/5
I found this quite enjoyable. Her voice is just great and feels like a wonderful story teller.
Standouts for me: song of a german mother, balad of (bourgoise) welfare, the wise woman and the soldier