I appreciate this submission. You’re wild for submitting it - people here are going to hate it - but I appreciate it. I’m more of a fan of the drone-y, metaphysical psych of Super Æ or Vision Creation Newsun-era Boredoms, but I’m also a firm believer that people should listen to music that is outside of their comfort zone from time to time and pretty much any record by Boredoms is going to be about as far out as you can get.

Since it’s a holiday weekend and I got some time to kill, I figured I’d break out my copy of this album and listen on vinyl today. I remember buying this in 2014 when it was issued on vinyl. Within a minute or two of getting home from the record store, I accidentally dropped the record on the hardwood floor and it landed spine up, causing a decent-size (about two inches) seam split on the top of the jacket. I hadn’t even opened the record yet - what a putz. Luckily, only the jacket was damaged and not the records, so it’s really only a cosmetic annoyance. Alive 2007 is more or less a greatest hits record, but remixed and mashed with high intensity. There are a couple stylistic choices that are maybe a little underwhelming - like foregoing the instrumental section of “Face To Face” in favor of mixing it with “Harder, Better, Faster Stronger” - but that’s a small complaint and one that is rooted solely in my opinion that the sample work in “Face To Face” might be the greatest thing Daft Punk ever did (more on that when Discovery gets recommended). In fact, thinking about it, the intricacy of the sampling on that song might be why they didn’t attempt recreate it live. That, or the sample clearances/payouts that would ensue. Either way, it is a really impressive cut and paste job on that one. That said, when the mixes really click, which is the majority of the record - but specifically on “Around the World/Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” or “One More Time/Aerodynamic” - I don’t think you could ask for a better live performance. That they were able to capture the energy of their performance and transfer that to record in a vibrant and tangible way makes it an even more impressive feat. Personally, I’d rank this among the greatest live albums of all time, even if some may think an EDM record would be an unlikely choice for that type of list.

I have a little bit of familiarity with Swedish rock that incorporates Swedish folk music, from listening to Dungen (and maybe to a lesser extent, Träd, Gräs och Stenar) By comparison, Garmarna seems a bit like the inverse to those to acts, in that they incorporate rock (and other styles) into music that is more traditionally folk. It was nice to kind of see the other side of that coin, if you will. I liked this record and a few of the more brooding songs, like “Nio år”, reminded me of the music in the German television show Dark, which I love. Always glad to listen to more non-English music. A nice inclusion on the user list.

Music to refuse to clean your room by.

Feels a bit like two different records at times and though I prefer the parts that tilt towards odd, lo-fi indie (like on “Little Things and “Simulation Swarm”) to the more traditional Americana sound, I found “Dragon…” to be engaging, unique and worth revisiting.

Back in May of 2016, I had the pleasure of seeing King Gizzard, on tour for this record, at the Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan. I had been a fan of theirs for about a year at that point and this record had only come out a few weeks prior. It was, hands down, one of the best shows I’ve ever seen and as I describe the show, I’m going to try not to sound like the type of guy who is like “you missed out on something special if you didn’t see this era of the band”, but I’m afraid it might come off like that. Apologies in advance, I still think they are a great live band, but I’ve never seen another band play with the intensity they had on this tour. They came out, started with Robot Stop and then continued through their set, song after song, with hyper-focused intensity and barely a break in between songs. The way the songs go from one right into the next on this record, they were doing that onstage, but also incorporating songs from their other albums as well. They were an unstoppable juggernaut in this era, channeling NEU! and Hawkwind’s propulsive energy into their high octane garage-psych. They were intent on bowling you over and unless you didn’t have a pulse, it knocked you right on your ass. It was, pardon the pun, like getting hit by a train. The only time they took a break for more than 30 seconds or so that night was when they paused the show in the middle of The River to stop a security guard from ejecting a fan from the show for vaping. They stopped playing, asked the guard why the guy was being tossed out, and then told him bring the fan back in. The guard acquiesced, let the fan back in and then got on stage, bowed before the band, in an effort to make peace with the band and the crowd. (Video here: https://youtu.be/3Xxkac158Bg?si=KpNKK3ERQbtZQ3mv) Like I said, no one was getting in their way that night. For the next 3 years, whenever they came to New York, I was there to see them and they did not disappoint. Their show at Central Park in 2019 during the Infest the Rats Nest tour was the peak of the hyper-focused live energy I first saw in 2016. During that time, they were absolutely the greatest live band I’ve ever seen, though I know King Gizzard fans will argue that they’ve only gotten better live since then. For me, I’ve begun to sour on them as they’ve embraced a more “jammy” sound and their albums have become, to my ears, less memorable. They are still a great live band, I’ll often watch their live streams to keep up and see what the shows are like these days, but as they’ve grown more exploratory in the live setting, I feel like they may have lost some of the intensity that drew me in a decade ago. …and that’s ok. Bands change, people’s taste change. It’s the way of the world. It’s just that for me, from 2014 - 2019 (during which they released 11 albums, I think), this band felt unstoppable, like they consistently hit the mark and couldn’t miss.

This is a record that I’ve seen talked about a lot, but never really bothered to check out because I’m not a big Reggae fan, but as I’m listening to it now (and loving it) all I can think is: How is this record not on the original list? It seems like a pretty egregious omission, if you take into account influence and the excellent music here. Kudos to the user who submitted it, an excellent choice.

How on earth did we get to the point where music that sounds like fucking Phil Collins is considered “Alternative”?

Yeah, this should probably be on the list, I remember it being massive when I was a kid in late 80’s. Need You Tonight and New Sensation were everywhere. On the other hand, is that enough to warrant inclusion on the list? When compared to other entries on the official list, it’s more than enough, especially considering some of the odd choices that were made (the Triffids record, for instance). But also, then, why not include Huey Lewis and the News’ “SPORTS” which was wildly successful and contained a ton of hits…? From my personal perspective, I’m not sure “Kick” is the most groundbreaking or influential record, and it feels very much tied to its era. All the songs are good, though, and there’s a definite variety of styles/sounds here, so I’m going to give it some points for that. I can see the arguments for including it on the list and also get why it might not have been included. I’m gonna split the difference with a 3.

Feels a bit like two different records at times and though I prefer the parts that tilt towards odd, lo-fi indie (like on “Little Things and “Simulation Swarm”) to the more traditional Americana sound, I found “Dragon…” to be engaging, unique and worth revisiting.

Pretty decent Power-Pop(ish?) collection of songs. Enjoyed it more as the record went on and there’s some pretty great musicianship on this record. Vocally, I was reminded of Elvis Costello a bunch and my PTSD from his records on the main list might have kicked in a bit and impacted my enjoyment. As a form of recompense to the user who submitted this album for letting that sully my rating, I have a song recommendation that I think you might enjoy: “Starry Eyes” by The Records (the version on the Power Pop Heroes compilation is the one to listen to).

Really appreciated the craftsmanship and production on this record. Great sounding, with a ton of layers and interesting instrumentation. The music isn’t always 100% for me, but there were enough unexpected twists and turns to keep my attention throughout. It’s a pretty wild and enjoyable record.

“Yes, I wish that we could sit upon a bed in some motel Listen to the stories it could tell” Gross.

I, too, am a fan of Bruce Springsteen.

Typically, I am a sucker for an under-appreciated/overlooked sixties psych. This fits the bill, but I’m not sure it does much that wasn’t done by others. In a way, this feels a little like it’s trying check off the requisite boxes to be a “psych” record. Backmasking/reversed instrumentation? Check Mellotron? Check Fuzz Guitars? Check Sitar? Check Overuse of Flange? Check Whimsical Band Name? Check A solid effort, one that fits in with the sound of late sixties psych, but does little to differentiate itself from the pack.

First off, awesome album cover. Argus is kind of a prog record, but also kind of not, in that it isn’t as overtly reliant on technical prowess and crazy time signatures as a Yes or ELP record might be. In fact, if you’ll excuse the odd comparison (and my forthcoming denigration of Crosby, Stills and Nash), in a way, Argus kind of feels like what a CSN record might be if they made cooler music. Sorry, CSN fans (and Wishbone Ash fans, if you take issue with my CSN comparison). Anyway, that was a really roundabout way of saying, “I like this record a lot.”

If the content of this record is any indication, Roger Waters might be the worst lay on earth.

[To be read in Werner Herzog’s voice] There’s a beauty in the repetition of Krautrock and Cluster’s take on it is no exception. At its core, repetition is the base of the song, but on top of it, layers get added in, one after another. The layers interweave with the base, fading in and out of focus, building up and breaking down…they breathe life into the base and it becomes something more: a sort of pulsating, self-sustaining, auditory organism. That same repetition is found in our day to day lives, our routines: We get up, go to work, have lunch, finish the workday, go home and have dinner, relax and then go to sleep to do it again. Despite that repetition, every day is not the same. Each day, there are different layers, no matter how minuscule they seem, that weave in and out, moving our days forward and changing their trajectory in various ways. This is the music of life

I have a little bit of familiarity with Swedish rock that incorporates Swedish folk music, from listening to Dungen (and maybe to a lesser extent, Träd, Gräs och Stenar) By comparison, Garmarna seems a bit like the inverse to those to acts, in that they incorporate rock (and other styles) into music that is more traditionally folk. It was nice to kind of see the other side of that coin, if you will. I liked this record and a few of the more brooding songs, like “Nio år”, reminded me of the music in the German television show Dark, which I love. Always glad to listen to more non-English music. A nice inclusion on the user list.

A *glaring* omission from the original list. I remember buying this when it came out in 2004 and thinking after the first listen that it was a classic record. You could tell it was something special and my mind hasn’t changed on it in the 21 years since. Madlib and DOOM were already in a class of their own. Together, Madvillian is unstoppable. One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, easy.

Radical in almost every sense of the word.

This thing’s got more ratcheted drum beats than an Einstürzende Neubauten record. Damn, I’m funny.

Anti-melodic and oddly structured at times, especially at the start. Feels a bit like a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces were forced together without concern for whether they actually could be connected, but if you were to to the take the time to rearrange the pieces, there’s a cohesive image that could be formed. That said, it gets better and starts to make more sense as it goes on.

Lacks the bombast and maybe some of the overt hookiness of Bandwagonesque, but makes up for it with more consistent and fleshed out songwriting.

Reminded me of going to punk shows in the 90’s, I remember of few of these songs from those days. A nostalgic 3.

Sounds like it should’ve been released maybe 7 or 8 years earlier than it was…like it was already a little behind the curve when it was released. Going to add an additional star for the review here that, I’m pretty sure, coined the phrase “The Panteraverse”. Without this record being added to this list, that phrase might not have entered the lexicon and I wouldn’t be here thinking about the things that make up the Panteraverse and how it’s kind of fitting that “Ride My Rocket”, the first track on Metal Magic (Pantera’s first album), actually kind of makes a great creation point/big bang event for the start of the Panteraverse.

I don’t remember their album on the main list being as Peter Gabriel-ish.

Music to refuse to clean your room by.

I liked parts of this way more than I thought I would. It’s a very pretty record in a lot of places. The parts I didn’t like, well, I disliked those exactly as much as I thought I would. If you love the first King Crimson record, there’s a lot to like here. It’s a little too ornate for my tastes at times and a bit too poppy, but not a bad record by any means.

I’m probably the worst person to make a judgement on a record like this. The MC5’s “High Time” has been in constant rotation for me over the last two weeks and, in general, I don’t really understand the appeal of a lot of popular culture, but I enjoyed the breadth of variety on Lemonade and I recognized the one song from all the Kamala Harris rallies last year. This was good for a listen, but I’m not the right person to tell you if it’s great or important or whatever.

First things first, this man (I’m assuming it was Richard Edwards) wrote a song called “Hello Vagina”. As someone who has a (probably) unhealthy obsession with songs with terrible/bizarre/borderline gross or inappropriate titles, this album is, in fact, one I need to hear before I die. That song will go on the playlist next to Stephen Stills’ “Can’t Get No Booty”, without a doubt. Next, I find it interesting that there are (kind of) two versions of this album and that the one chosen here is the one that their record label preferred. It’s interesting because this record definitely feels like a record that a major record label would throw their weight behind. There are quite a few genre touchpoints to late 2000’s alternative/indie here: Radiohead-esque electronic experimentation and vocals, Americana, garage/surf rock, Beach Boys harmonies and chamber pop…they really ran the gamut to try and capture that era’s indie zeitgeist. Maybe at some point, I’ll check out the other disc to see which is better. Or maybe it was all just a ploy by a major label to drum up sales/help the band keep their “indie cred”. Either way, this was a pretty good album, even if it wasn’t the most original thing I’ve ever heard.

I like his brother, Frankenstein, better.

Liked this quite a bit - instrumentally, a little more melodic than a lot of post punk, with jangly guitars that reminded of The Feelies “Crazy Ryhthms” or some of the Flying Nun bands like The Chills, The Verlaines and The Clean. Will definitely revisit this one.

By the time emo started taking off nationally, I was an adult - but I had familiarity with a lot of emo from hanging out in the punk/hardcore scene in New Jersey, which was one of the epicenters of emo in the 90’s, with bands like Lifetime, Saves the Day, Midtown, Thursday and countless others. It was never really a scene I was super interested in, but I definitely ended up seeing (and enjoying) more than a few emo bands in those days. When this record came out I was in college and I had a friend who liked these guys. In fact, when “Sweetness” came on, I nearly fell out of my chair. This was a song that we’d play on our college radio show when this record came out, but I haven’t thought about it in almost 25 years. Crazy how that happens. Like, I 100% forgot about that song and 3 seconds in, it was like those years hadn’t passed by at all. [two hours later] …actually, now that I’m really thinking about it, my familiarity with the song couldn’t have been from my college radio days: When this album was released I was just out of college and I must be conflating it with something from their prior album, Clarity, as my friend would have definitely played something from that album based off of the timing. So, I’m not sure what synapse was triggered by hearing that song - I know my younger brother was a fan of these guys and his band might have covered it and maybe that’s where I know it from? I also saw them on the warped tour in the summer of 2001, so maybe there? I don’t think it’s from radio play, because I didn’t really listen to much mainstream radio back then and my response to it was more impactful than “Hey, I remember this song from the radio”. It was more nostalgia based, like I’ve got positive memories associated with this song, but I can’t put my finger on what they are. Weird. Getting old sucks, kids. Anyway, Thanks to the user who suggested this record - the opening vocals of that song hit hard and really sent me back to some place and time that isn’t exactly clear to me, but still had a strong impact…Great song.

Always liked this record a lot, but never realized there were so many different versions/tracklists. There are definitely additional songs here compared to the vinyl copy I have - just titled Rocky Erickson and the Aliens. Nice to hear some additional tracks on this one, because it’s a fucking awesome record.

Since I’m in my mid-40’s and reside in the United States, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how the world I knew growing up has changed completely and a new world, that seems to be kind of awful, has taken its place. So sentimentally, i can relate to this album, particularly when Robert Smith sings that his “world has grown old”. Not only has it grown old, but for me, that old world seems farther away with every passing day. From an aesthetic standpoint, I’m not sure I like the mixing of this record - everything sounds very compressed and thin, brittle and trebly, lacking depth. It’s better on my AirPods in Dolby Atmos than it was in my car, but even still, it feels very harsh, cold and unforgiving. Perhaps that is an intentional stylistic metaphor, considering the album is titled “Songs of a Lost World”.

The coolest thing Bob Seger ever did was contribute percussion to the MC5’s “Skunk (Sonically Speaking)” from their 1971 album, High Time. The second coolest thing Bob Seger ever did was give permission for ALF to dance around to “Old Time Rock and Roll” in the third episode of season one, “Looking for Lucky”. I would say this album probably ranks as the seventh or eighth coolest thing Bob Seger ever did.

Wasn’t much of a fan of this in the 90’s, when friends of mine would play this record, and, over the last 32 years, that hasn’t changed. It always kind of sounded like church music to me in a way.

One of the most disappointing concerts I’ve ever seen was Modest Mouse on the Unlimited Sunshine Tour in 2002. Unlimited Sunshine was a tour that Cake put together for the summer of 2002 with The Flaming Lips, De La Soul, Modest Mouse and a band from Mexico called Kinky. When we arrived at the Mann Music center in Philadelphia, Modest Mouse had just began playing and my girlfriend and I made our way to our seats to catch the show. They were playing pretty sloppy, but I didn’t put much stock in it as we walked to our seats, because they weren’t exactly known for having Steely Dan-like precision: Sloppy playing was part of the charm. Once we sat down, and had a chance to focus on the stage, you could tell it wasn’t going well. They were pretty clearly intoxicated, to the point of stumbling around and falling on stage. They played maybe one or two songs before he swore at the audience and they walked off stage early. I’d say we heard/saw them play maybe three songs before they called it quits. I’d see them again 8 years later at the Pitchfork Music Fest. They had massive success in the intervening years and this was shortly after Johnny Marr had left the band. Their performance that night was the polar opposite of the one I caught in 2002. The band was tight, but extremely sedate, lacking almost any enthusiasm or energy. It was pretty damn boring, if I’m being honest. I’m sure there’s a happy medium to be found with their concerts where they’re energetic and lively, but not falling-down-fucked-up. I don’t think I’d buy a ticket on the hope that the third time will be the charm, however. Built to Spill is more my cup of tea when it comes to that sort of Pacific North West indie, but I enjoy Modest Mouse’s earlier records, even if the concerts I’ve seen of theirs have been memorable for the wrong reasons.

Only really knew The Posies as the band that made up part of Big Star in the 90’s and 00’s and I guess that this album sort of intersects with that timeline. Never gave them a real listen until today, which was probably a mistake. This is an album that is right up my alley. Fuzzy power pop with restrained guitar noise a la Neil Young? Yes, please. It sounds a bit of-its-time in parts, but if you paired it with Teenage Fanclub’s “Bandwagonesque” and Sloan’s “Twice Removed”, you have a pretty great afternoon of power pop to listen to.

Instantly put-off by the album cover. I hate it so much. They call this sophisti-pop, but from a lyrical perspective, it seems intellectually stunted. “Imagine a mirror bigger than the room it was placed in” Ok - it’s a huge mirror that has decimated the walls of the room it was placed in. In its reflection, you not only see yourself, but you see the collapsed and crumbled ruins of the walls that used to make up a room - which no longer exists because a gigantic mirror was placed on it. Additionally, the mirror is now jutting out into the hallway and causing a tripping hazard. You’re gonna have to call facilities and get the hallway cordoned off so no one gets accidentally injured and sues the company you work for - which could cause you to lose your job in a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty. Now what? Oh, you want me to “imagine a rod that cannot hold a fish?” Fucking why? It’s pointless. This is some thought experiment for burnouts where, at the end, you’re going to tell me, “yeah, but, like, imagine if it did exist, maaaaan,” isn’t it? Sorry to the user who submitted this, I realize I’m being an asshole here and I shouldn’t get all snotty about not liking a record. I try to keep it in check, but my genetic make up is faulty.

Boy, 1001 albums generator users really love their prog, huh? So, I’ve tried over the years to get Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and kind of always leave his records feeling a little unimpressed. Don’t get me wrong, they sound great and he is talented. It’s just that the music, a lot of the time, feels a little generic, or maybe too referential towards his influences. It’s almost a paradox: is it actually *progressive* rock, if the music is clearly indebted to and playing off of works in the genre that have come before it? I’m not saying this is a Genesis rip off or something like that - it’s not - just that you can definitely hear the influences of “classic prog” in his work and I’m not sure that musically enough is going on to make the music unique or challenging. I will say, I liked some of his mixes of the classic Yes albums, though.

Hey, that’s me on the cover. I died after being exposed to all the pollen in that field. Just kidding, I survived, but I’m still paying off the medical bills. America, am I right? Anyway. I quite liked some of the music on this record, there’s a sort minimalist/ambient streak to some of it that really works for me. I’m not a huge fan of the songs that have traditional vocals / lean closer to pop music, as they start to veer into a kind of cheesy territory.

Frenetic insanity. I made it to the end, but I was hanging on by a thread. That said, I wish this was on the main list, just so I could see the general user base’s reaction.

I saw Tool 3 times on the tour for this record. First time was at Madison Square Garden a month after the September 11 attacks. Holy fuck, was that a weird time/place to go see a concert. There was still a real uneasy and uncertain vibe in the city at that point, with a high police/military/security presence in and outside of MSG that night. I know I wasn’t the only person thinking “is it a great idea to be in a huge crowd at a New York City cultural landmark a month after they flew planes into the World Trade Center?” In retrospect, it was probably a really safe time to go to a concert in the city at that point, with everyone on high alert, but at the time, who knew - everyone was freaked out still. Speaking of, remember how they had a color coded Terror Alert system back then so they could tell you exactly how scared you should be at any given time? Boy, those were the good old days, huh? I saw them again a few weeks later on Halloween at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. It was fine, exact same show, just on Halloween and in Long Island, which was a pain in the ass to get to from New Jersey. Third time was at Radio City Music Hall the following year, August ‘02. Apparently, this show is considered legendary - at least by the Tool subreddit. I remember them covering the Ramones and that it was a really great show, but outside of the fact that they were playing Radio City, I’m not sure what makes it “legendary”. Don’t get me wrong, it was the best show I saw them put on and they had a really awesome stage setup for the occasion, but I guess the locational backdrop matters, too, and I didn’t really give that consideration its deserved weight before. So yeah, apparently I’ve seen a legendary Tool concert and I’m just finding out about today. All of this to say that I know this record really well. I think there’s a pretty good case to be made for it as their best album and it is definitely the last time they put out an album that was a clear progressional step forward from the album that preceded it. 10,000 Days and Fear Innoculum, for the most part, feel like extensions of the ideas on this record and, to me, are not as vital, inspired or interesting as this record or Ænima. It is a really long record, though - something that both 10,000 Days and Fear Innoculum also suffer from. They do a lot with 79 minutes here, but also, by the end of the record, it might start to feel like you’ve heard it all before. Then, it just kind of peters out, rather than making a statement to close out the proceedings.

I grew up, in the early 90’s, within a 30 minute drive of New Hope, Pennsylvania and had no idea Ween existed until I went to college 300 miles away in Upstate NY in the late 90’s. I remember being told that they were from New Hope by my friend who introduced them to me and just couldn’t get over that I had never heard a thing about them. It’s crazy how something incredibly cool might be happening in your proverbial backyard and you have no idea about it. In a way, Ween changed my life - at least when it comes to appreciating music. I was pretty die hard metalhead and hardcore fan before Ween came along. Ween was a band that probably shouldn’t have made sense to me then, but it did and I’m pretty sure that listening to Pure Guava on acid - specifically, “The Stallion Part 3” - permanently rewired my brain. I could feel that song vibrating throughout my entire body, as though I was experiencing a new, previously inaccessible dimension of music. I would end up chasing down music that could replicate that sensation, or that would tickle my brain in a similar sort of way. Metal didn’t cut it anymore - in fact, I began to find it limiting and boring. 26 years later, I’m not as much of a fan of Ween as I was then, but I am happy to have Chocolate and Cheese recommended today. I think it is probably the correct choice for a Ween record, since it runs the stylistic gamut in a way that some of their other records don’t. Personally, I would choose “The Mollusk”, but I’m happy it’s not “quebec” - which I think is kind of overrated by Ween’s fanbase. Chocolate and Cheese is a no-brainer, 5 star record for me. It’s great from start to finish, nearly every song is a Ween classic and it was the start of a run of records that are Ween’s best - Chocolate & Cheese, 12 Golden Country Greats and The Mollusk. Plus, it has my absolute favorite Ween song on it, “What Deaner Was Talking About”. I’d also recommend checking out the version from the Live In Toronto record, which is a really beautiful rendition.

Off the bat, this has got a couple strikes against it for me: Justin Vernon, Ani DiFranco (because of an ex-girlfriend, not a reflection on Ani DiFranco’s talent) and it’s a musical. The Hayden sisters are a plus. Overall, a well done record, but one I don’t see myself returning to.

Huh…I didn’t realize Reddit started a Cake cover band.

Pretty weird and rocking German psych. To make a solely Krautrock based comparison, it’s a bit like if Florian Fricke (Popol Vuh) wrote a concept album, but gave it to Guru Guru to perform. Overall, an enjoyable psych record.

Great band name, great album title. I know Steve Malkmus from Pavement is a fan of The Groundhogs and listening to this record, I can definitely hear their influence on his music - particularly on his albums with The Jicks, like Real Emotional Trash or Pig Lib. Overall this is a pretty fucking rad album with a unique, proggy blues vibe and some white hot guitar solos. An easy 4 on first listen, gonna give it a few more listens to see if it should be upped up to a 5.

Going to have to agree with the general consensus that this record should have been included on the list in lieu of / in addition to Little Earthquakes. To my ear, which is not super familiar with Tori Amos’ catalog, the songs, music and production here gel in a way that wasn’t as present on Little Earthquakes. Or, at least, it worked better for me here than there.

Sorry, this is a little too nerdy for me.

[inner dialogue: “Would it be cliche of me to say that Boards of Canada’s music is like the soundtrack to a vintage educational film from an alternate reality?” Yes, that’s probably the most unoriginal thing you could say about their music at this point. You probably stole that from a pitchfork review or something. “Ok, how about if I talk about how there’s an argument to be made that Geogaddi is as good of an album as Music Has the Right to Children, and in certain aspects it’s even better?” Also not the most original thing you could say about this record - there’s gotta be thousands of threads about that on Reddit alone. “Hmm…in that case, I’ll probably do a straight forward review and, after a paragraph or two, start talking about Tomorrow’s Harvest because I’ve got a short span of attention and that’s my favorite Boards of Canada record.” Yeah…uh, you already did that in your review of Music Has the Right To Children. “…Fuck”]

Appreciate their stylistic adventurousness. Had this been a straight “metal” record, I don’t think it would’ve kept my interest for its 75 minute runtime. It ends up being kind of an indie/metal hybrid, which was good, but somehow it feels like it didn’t offer up too many surprises.

Since it’s a holiday weekend and I got some time to kill, I figured I’d break out my copy of this album and listen on vinyl today. I remember buying this in 2014 when it was issued on vinyl. Within a minute or two of getting home from the record store, I accidentally dropped the record on the hardwood floor and it landed spine up, causing a decent-size (about two inches) seam split on the top of the jacket. I hadn’t even opened the record yet - what a putz. Luckily, only the jacket was damaged and not the records, so it’s really only a cosmetic annoyance. Alive 2007 is more or less a greatest hits record, but remixed and mashed with high intensity. There are a couple stylistic choices that are maybe a little underwhelming - like foregoing the instrumental section of “Face To Face” in favor of mixing it with “Harder, Better, Faster Stronger” - but that’s a small complaint and one that is rooted solely in my opinion that the sample work in “Face To Face” might be the greatest thing Daft Punk ever did (more on that when Discovery gets recommended). In fact, thinking about it, the intricacy of the sampling on that song might be why they didn’t attempt recreate it live. That, or the sample clearances/payouts that would ensue. Either way, it is a really impressive cut and paste job on that one. That said, when the mixes really click, which is the majority of the record - but specifically on “Around the World/Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” or “One More Time/Aerodynamic” - I don’t think you could ask for a better live performance. That they were able to capture the energy of their performance and transfer that to record in a vibrant and tangible way makes it an even more impressive feat. Personally, I’d rank this among the greatest live albums of all time, even if some may think an EDM record would be an unlikely choice for that type of list.

I knew these guys were from NJ, but I didn’t realize that the singer was originally in Catch 22 in their early days/Keasbey Nights era. Catch 22 was sort of a local band for me back in those days and I saw them a couple times back then at local venues/vfw halls, though that may have been after he left the band, which actually might make this kind of a pointless anecdote. Anyway, as you can tell by the fact that I’m just finding out that about the Catch 22 connection, I was never very invested in the ska scene, but the scene in NJ at that time was cross-pollinated with punk, hardcore and ska - so you might see a show where there were punk, ska and hardcore bands sharing a bill and it usually worked out pretty well. I was more attuned to the punk/hardcore side of things, but it was a fun scene to be a part of. In a lot of ways, it still informs me as person today. This is a nostalgic 3 for me - not necessarily my thing, but it was well done and reminded me of some fun times.

I appreciate this submission. You’re wild for submitting it - people here are going to hate it - but I appreciate it. I’m more of a fan of the drone-y, metaphysical psych of Super Æ or Vision Creation Newsun-era Boredoms, but I’m also a firm believer that people should listen to music that is outside of their comfort zone from time to time and pretty much any record by Boredoms is going to be about as far out as you can get.

First things first, I love that this was put out by Shake It Records. They’re a great record store in Cincinnati, and I bought the last two 7” singles I needed to complete complete my Yo La Tengo collection on vinyl there several years ago when I was in town on business, and I had no idea that they also were a record label at one point. Second, Funeral Dress checks a lot of boxes on my list of things that make a great indie rock record…it’s got a DIY feel, it’s a little ramshackle, it’s got personality and individuality, none of the songs feel like retreads of the others and it doesn’t over stay its welcome. This was a great submission.

Not a huge fan of this guy’s voice/vocal affectations, he’s a pretty good, technical guitar player, though. This first track sounds *a lot* like Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” - to the point of “Marvin Gaye should probably get a writing credit on this one”. When this record gets soulful or funky, it’s in a very safe, Steely Dan-ish way, so ultimately, it ends up feeling kind of sterile and not very engaging. They’re kind of like fruit from the same adult-contemporary tree, if you will. I disliked that in the cover of “Bold as Love”, he inserted a major chord change into the chorus, which took a great (and underrated) song and made it feel hokey. His soloing on the song also feels a little too busy and lacking the visceral emotion and energy of Hendrix’s original. I feel like this record probably could’ve/should’ve been included in the main list, but its lack of inclusion won’t sway my rating here.

Arguably their last “great” record - For me, The Wall is a bloated, self-important and nihilistic mess of an album and even if Animals is preview of where Roger Waters’ bleak and cynical worldview would take the band, it succeeds because the band is still (mostly) working as a cohesive unit. On “Dogs” in particular, Animals falls into a similar trap as the first “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” from Wish You Were Here, where the tempo is so languid that its 17 minutes feel like they just drag on and on, even if the pay-off at the end makes the glacial pace worth the trip. By comparison to “Dogs”, “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” and “Sheep” feel concise, energetic and to the point, which is kind of a funny thing to say about songs that both clock in at over 10 minutes. It may seem like I am shitting on “Dogs” a lot, I do like the song, but you can feel every minute of its 17 minute run time. Finally, the two versions of Pigs on the Wing pretty much only serve as intros and outros to the album, but offer a somewhat more positive outlook than the venomous, cynical worldview that is sandwiched in between. On the whole, Animals, along with Meddle, is one of my preferred Pink Floyd records, though I suspect that it’s due in no small part to the fact they are less overplayed in the mainstream.

Sorry, I just can’t take his voice and there are so many layers of it. It is really distracting to me. I can see the argument for this being on the list, but I find his music really off putting because of the vocals, whether they are densely layered like on this record or treated with vocoder or auto-tune like on his later records. Musically, I think it is fine - the instrumentation is not really outside of the norm for late 2000’s indie, and as a result, the vocals feel like the sole focus. This just isn’t for me.

Excruciating quirk-core

Australia seems hellbent on saving rock music and I love them for it.

Wait is the version on Apple Music ripped from vinyl? You hear the needle drop at the start of “Boots or Hearts” and if it’s a sample/sound effect, it’s really well done. That’s all I got, really…the music is fine. This sort of heartland rock isn’t really for me, but it had some very enjoyable moments.

As a life-long New Jerseyan, I’m happy to see the number of albums that have been added to the user list by artists from New Jersey. This is third or fourth I’ve had and that’s not including the Springsteen live record that was added. On Rose Mountain, and in general, Screaming Females embody a nice cross-section of the DIY/underground music scenes in New Jersey - punk, hardcore, indie, maybe even a little metal at times - and meld them together seamlessly, while adding their own distinct style. I don’t know if I can describe it in any other way except for saying that they capture an ethos that is familiar and “like home” to me - and that might only make sense to a certain type of person from New Jersey…I don’t know. The band’s playing is really tight and even when they stretch out with an extended instrumental or solo passage, the songs don’t lose any steam. Finally, Marissa fucking rips. The guitars on this record are electrifying and enthralling. An A+ addition to the user list.

Took a bit for it to hit its stride, about midway through for me, but once it did, Phantom turned out to be a good rock record. Particularly liked Escape Is At Hand for the Travellin’ Man.

I’m sorry, but the inspiration for this album title has me cracking up. This record, which is ethereal, dreamy, often quite beautiful and is generally regarded as one of the all-time-classics of its genre… …is named after a prank phone call dick joke. I’m dyin’ over here.

This one’s got a lot going for it in my book: DIY/Lo-fi spirit, songs with sparse, but captivating instrumentation. Lyrically, it’s humorous and poignant in the right ways. My biggest gripe about the main list was how much American indie rock from the mid 90’s and early 2000’s was overlooked. I think if you’re telling the story of that era of American indie rock, The Mountain Goats are an excellent inclusion. Hail Satan.

A good mix of glam, psych and a bunch of other genres, but…it’s a bit much, if I’m being honest.

Whether intentionally or not (I suspect it’s intentional), many of the additions to the user list underscore just how poorly the main list covers indie and alternative music from the mid 90’s and early part of this century. I don’t know enough Low to say whether this is the best choice for the list, but “Things We Lost in the Fire” was such an excellent record I’m going to I’m going to dive in and explore it further. This is a great record for an early fall evening near a campfire: with its slow tempo, it creates a haunting, meditative atmosphere to get lost in.

It’s gotta be a generational thing. I’ve tried and I just do not get the appeal of this band. Like, if I’m in the mood for space age lounge music, I’m picking up a Stereolab record and, musically, I don’t think anything on this record comes close to competing with them. It may be due in part to Alex Turner’s vocal style. His songs are always very busy vocally and the music doesn’t feel like it has a chance to breathe. That works when you’re aping Gang Of Four on your debut, not as much here. The music here seems to just be a bed to lay his voice on top of and not much more - a complaint I also had about his Last Shadow Puppets record.

One of the things I appreciate about Donald Glover is the depth and attention to detail he brings to his work. Whether it’s here, as a musician, or on Atlanta, as the creator and also an actor, he strikes me as being meticulous in pursuing his vision - which makes the things he creates worth revisiting over and over. I’m giving this a four, with the very distinct possibility that I change my rating to a 5 after a few more listens.

I was pretty sure I saw Descendents on the warped tour in the late 90’s or early 2000’s, but now that I’m thinking about it, it was ALL, the band they formed when Milo went to graduate school. Correct me if my Descendents history is incorrect, thanks. Anyway, Milo Goes to College is a classic California punk record, highly influential on pop punk and, at 22 minutes, it’s succinct and to the point. If you were to compile a less Anglocentric version of the main list, this should be a no-brainer for inclusion.

I’ve been listening to a lot of ambient music lately. I’m finding that it works as an effective salve to treat the soul crushing and unrelenting barrage of bullshit that constitutes life in America in 2025. It’s a warm and enveloping escape from reality - an audio narcotic, if you will. I enjoyed this EP quite a bit. It washed over and temporarily quieted my racing mind on yet another Monday that’s come too soon.

I can’t decide if he sounds like Beck or if Beck sounds like him.

Not gonna lie, this is beginning to feel like 1001 Prog Albums to Hear Before You Die. That said, I didn’t dislike this record. Solid instrumentation and good songwriting, even if it feels a little one-note tonally. Reminded me a little of the music The Dream Syndicate has put out in recent years following their reformation.

I’m telling ya, Australia is going to single-handedly save rock and roll.

Yeah, yeah…It’s an all time classic, should have been on the list instead of Homework, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseam…it’s fucking great. …but what we really need to talk about is the sampling that’s going on in Face to Face, which was a collaboration between Todd Edwards and Daft Punk. (As a New Jersey resident, I am contractually obligated to mention that Todd Edwards is from Bloomfield, New Jersey) There are nearly 30 samples going on to make that song: They’re chopped and sliced - literal slivers of songs - pitched, bent and tweaked to make something completely new and incredible. If you have anyone in your life who doesn’t think sampling is a legitimate art form, or if you yourself feel that way, listen to Face To Face, then watch this video which recreates each sample, shows how they were modified and how they all fit together: https://youtu.be/fd7zDp35zBI?si=Fb6ZGFu5oLpPb4Md That song is a masterclass.