Elvis is obviously more of a phenomenon than he is a recording artist. Genuinely didn’t truly enjoy a single track. Elvis said of himself: “I don’t know anything about music. In my line you don’t have to.” I’m a firm believer that this would have been more enjoyable had he just known a tiny bit.

From the first sound of the gong you are aware that you’re about to witness greatness. Jones’ cymbal washing and later use of timpani is breathtaking, but it is nonetheless Coltrane that stands out as the main character in what can easily be described as his magnum opus. Another milestone by Coltrane that still stands tall almost 60 years later.

One of the best sounding records to emerge from the 90’s. I genuinely can’t comprehend how Shields produced such an intense and dense wall of noise while managing to maintain dreamy vibe and pop sound of the songs. I think it’s fair to assume that a decent amount of my favorite records of the late 90’s and forward wouldn’t exist without Loveless. A legacy almost as massive as it’s sound.

En håndfuld vanvittigt stærke sange; særligt Dancer, Lost in Music, titelnummeret og Easier to Love. De taber mig med Somebody og One More Time, der simpelthen ikke er stærke nok. Ikke nok til at ødelægge oplevelsen fra Rodgers guitar, dog. 3,5

Jeg kan ikke nævne ét moderne britisk punkband, der ikke har skamhørt Stranglers.

Best: Rain When I Die / Rooster / Would? Worst: God Smack / Hate to Feel

I’d completely forgotten how great Di’Anno sounds! Best: Remember Tomorrow / Phantom of the Opera / Strange World Worst: Running Free / Transylvania

Elvis is obviously more of a phenomenon than he is a recording artist. Genuinely didn’t truly enjoy a single track. Elvis said of himself: “I don’t know anything about music. In my line you don’t have to.” I’m a firm believer that this would have been more enjoyable had he just known a tiny bit.

Songhoy enters the legendary Mali music scene and somehow finds themselves at home from the very first strum.

Just enough good tracks to keep this boat afloat. I can’t comprehend that a group who can produce a beat like the one on Ms Jackson can also produce something as ridiculous as Snappin’ & Trappin’. Also contains 7 interludes too many. Best: So Fresh / Ms Jackson / B.O.B. / Humble Mumble Worst: Snappin’ / I’ll Call B4 I Cum / Toilet Tisha Low 3, borderline 2.

The unlikely love child of Pixies and Dinosaur Jr. Doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. But everything kinda works nonetheless. Includes the 2nd best “Man on the Moon” released in 1992. Best: Changes / Helpless / The Slim Worst: If I can’t change your mind / Slick

Compared to both albums of Cohen’s discography surrounding this one, Songs From a Room seems like the weaker option. I understand the sentiment of a record as sparse as this, but more than a few times it doesn’t quite hold up. Bird On a Wire and especially the Partisan more than makes up for it, but it seems like something is still missing altogether.

Lennon said after hearing the album: “It sounds just like Yokos music.” What a weirdly backhanded compliment… Nothing really does anything but slightly bore and annoy me until Rock Lobster kicks off - always a fun thrill. The last two songs are just plain ridiculous and unnecessary. Why on earth are they included? Possibly the world’s most heavily sedated party band. Best: Rock Lobster Worst: 6060-842 / Downtown

3rd times the charm. 1st and 2nd time was great as well.. But it doesn’t make for a great review start. What an awesome record from start till end. The mix is great, Kiwanukas songwriting is it great, his blend of genres is more than great… And there’s a Womack-like quality to his vocal! I’m on the verge of handing this a 5. But I feel like I need the final nudge. Maybe it’s one or two interludes too many that does it? Because overall there isn’t a bad song on this thing. Consider this the biggest possible 4. Best: You Ain’t the Problem / Piano Joint / Hero / Final Days

A couple of really great tracks like Kicks, Steppin’ Stone and Take a Look at Yourself keeps this record fun throughout. A few fillers here and there is almost unavoidable on a record like this, so I’m really not that bugged about that; even though it’s a shame that two of the weakest tracks, Get It On & Louise is right next to each other. A fun record nonetheless!

Not sure I quite get the almost surreal hype that, apparently, surrounds this album. Sure, for the most parts it’s a thrilling and enjoyable ride, but the first half feels slightly too long. The second half picks up the pace nicely but unfortunately ends on a lackluster note. Best: Trouble Down South / Hard to be Human Again / Last Dance Worst: Darkness and Doubt / Lost Highway

Unbelievably strong start. As in I genuinely don’t believe how great the first half is! With more than 100 songs recorded during this session and a runtime of more than 50 minutes, I don’t understand the inclusion of the Jimmy Hickey’s Waltz. A filler on an album that most certainly don’t need fillers. Steve Wickham’s violin proves to be the secret weapon on a record that is already loaded with great musicians. Blown away! Best: We Will Not Be Lovers / World Party / Sweet Thing / The Stolen Child Worst: Jimmy Hickey’s Waltz

Listened to this album the other day. Listened to it again today. Will most certainly listen to it again soon. The cover also prominently features Lennon with a fake beard. Very cool. Best: Eleanor Rigby / I’m Only Sleeping / She Said She Said / For No One

It’s been years since I last listened to this. And I forgot that the singles are really doing some truly heavy lifting on this thing. Especially Tears Dry… Jesus Christ is that well written or what?! The Spectoresque sound is ridiculously well produced, Winehouse’s voice is obviously incredible and the lyrics are at times hard hitters. Nevertheless my interest slowly fades away during the songs filling out the space between the album singles. Best: You Know I’m No Good / Back To Black / Tears Dry On Their Own / Worst: Just Friends / Wake Up Alone / Some Unholy War

Somehow this isn’t in my Radiohead top 3. With most other bands this ranking would’ve meant a good but not GREAT album. That isn’t the case here. I would have liked for a couple of the tracks to be a bit more focused, but with Pyramid Song, Knives Out and Life in a Glasshouse appearing on this thing… Who actually gives a shit? Best: Pyramid Song / I Might Be Wrong / Knives Out Worst: Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors / Hunting Bears

I mean, if you really, really, really like Blitzkrieg Bop this is great. Because it’s literally just 30 minutes of the same inane song. No amount of attitude and cool leather jackets can change the fact, that Ramones is one of the most overrated bands to ever release a record. Best: Blitzkrieg Bop Worst: Blitzkrieg Bop (the next 13 times)

From the first sound of the gong you are aware that you’re about to witness greatness. Jones’ cymbal washing and later use of timpani is breathtaking, but it is nonetheless Coltrane that stands out as the main character in what can easily be described as his magnum opus. Another milestone by Coltrane that still stands tall almost 60 years later.

Balancing the thin line between hyper-tense and insane, the Mael Brothers delivers a record that is the exact opposite of the B-52’s… Festive and fun in just the right way. While a few of the songs seem to miss the mark, I never feel bored - maybe it’s the excitement and energy in Russell’s falsetto or maybe it’s the playful songwriting. I’m entertained nevertheless. Best: This Town … / Thank God … / Equator Worst: Falling In Love … / Complaints

A stark but most welcome departure from the Wham! and Faith-days! It really suits Michael’s vocal to be accompanied by less synth and kapow and more guitars and piano. Freedom of course being the huge but amazing exception. A sizable deduction for thinking that pan flute is appropriate anywhere else than in the lobby of a mid-range all-inclusive Greek hotel chain. All in all Mother’s Pride is really the start of a 2nd half that’s nowhere near as strong as the 1st. Best: Freedom! / They Won’t Go When I Go / Cowboys and Angels Worst: Mother’s Pride / Heal the Pain / Soul Free

I couldn’t imagine a more appropriate Juneteenth release. Filled with anger, sorrow, power and a demand for change. The production is so raw and in your face (especially the drums) that at times it almost hurts. Absolutely brilliant! Unfortunately I also knew what to expect when I saw the 20 song tracklist… And this album doesn’t change my mind regarding the overflow of interludes. The lyrics in general are strong enough to get Sault’s message across. There really is no need to keep hammering the same nail; even when delivered via whispering poetry. Best: Stop Dem / Bow / Why We Cry Why We Die / Monsters Worst: Don’t Shoot Guns Out / Black / Pray Up Stay Up / almost every interlude (but especially June Child)

Why this is consistently considered to be one of the greatest albums to ever be released is simply beyond me. The first half features only one great song and by “Never Had No One Ever” I’m always about to call it a day. Luckily the second half puts on a show and almost manages to save the day with a couple of extremely well-crafted songs by Marr. But in the end I think it all comes down to wether or not you find the character of Morrissey interesting enough. And I just don’t. Best: The Queen Is Dead / Bigmouth Strikes Again / There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Worst: Frankly, Mr. Shankley / I Know It’s Over / Vicar in Tutu

Van Morrisons voice is such an incredibly powerful instrument. They could’ve stripped the record of instruments and it would still sound intriguing. The songwriting is beyond incredible (especially on Beside You), even though the scarce instrumentation is beginning to wear out towards the very end. It’s feels like one cohesive stream of consciousness - and what a journey it is.

More than a decade after its release MBDTF still stands as a monolith of modern hip hop… Fuck it, modern music in general. If released today it would be just as fresh, progressive and impressive as it was 12 years ago. Best: Dark Fantasy / POWER / All of the Lights / Runaway

An album by Cubans, recorded in Cuba, sung by Cubans, written by Cubans… And now selected for preservation by the United States National Recording Registry. What a milestone!

Novocaine and Susan’s really did a great job getting my attention with unusual songwriting, structures and production. I like the simplicity that seems to haunt the entire record… Even though it at times also turns out to be its greatest weakness. Especially regarding the lyrics. A solid 3 for having My Beloved Monster appear in Shrek.

Rio is one of the greatest album openers of the 80’s. The energy, the composition…. THE SAXOPHONE…. Jesus! The songwriting is beyond great, Le Bon sounds amazing and the band plays their hearts out. I almost cried due to the sheer emotions on display in Save a Prayer. It’s worth noting that ⅗ of the band is surnamed Taylor. Without being related. A British band if there ever was one!

Deep Purple is certainly at their best when they allow for their songs to build up. They possess a skill for grandiose songs but unfortunately they only really showcase it on the magnificent Child in Time. Apart from Gillan’s singing, Blackmore and Lord are the absolute highlights of the record. Blackmore seems to overshadow Lord on this record, but when the organ gets to shine it’s always a joy. While a shocker in 1970 for sure the more classic blues and jam heavy parts don’t quite hold up today. In the end, while having some excellent and timeless moments, it just doesn’t hold my attention throughout.

The lo-fi approach almost feels like a direct attack on the growing grunge sound of the same era. Still noisy as hell, but with absolutely no obvious attempt at writing something even resembling a hit. Also the fact that Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins was genuinely furious at the band for referencing them in Range Life is hilarious!

Music For the Masses is ironically the record where Depeche Mode really embraced the darkness and minimalistic approach... And in this gloomy realm the band truly seems to shine. Gahans vocal is haunting and the compositions are, for the most parts, incredibly subtle yet powerful. Pimpf is not an ending though. Feels like the introduction to an epic album but somehow only leads over in a hidden interlude. Just plain ridiculous. Best: Strangelove / Little 15

An almost surreal successor to Astral Weeks. What a musical journey Van Morrison undertook in those years. An incredibly impressive track list with a few minor misses.

Opening with "Zero" and "Heads Will Roll" is really setting the bar high. A brave move that doesn’t always pays off. Especially when you drastically change direction right after. The subsequent nosedive into despair manages to calm my excitement a bit. While containing great songs that aren't as danceable as the lead singles, the massive "Runaway" being the prime example, it just doesn't manage to keep me truly engaged all the way through. I actually think that just spreading out the lead singles would have earned this another star. Tracklists are an artform.

It’s fair to say that these doctor’s orders weren’t meant for me. Neither is the humor - if you can actually call it that. The production is solid and there’s some interesting scratching. Not that impressed by most of the rap in itself… And the record itself is just way, way too long! This would’ve gotten an extra star if not for the non-stop jokes and skits.

Without a shadow of a doubt Nirvana’s strongest record. Grunge really peaked with In Utero and everything grunge beyond this release is slowly fading into alternative rock to be honest.

I’d forgotten how much this album at times screams Ibiza! Quite often it sounds like a band struggling to realize wether they are a dance or rock-band. I mean - going from “Love Less” to “Round & Round” is a surreal move. But at the same time it never fails to keep me engaged entertained. Maybe Hook’s melodic bass-lines are making me feel generous!

One of the best sounding records to emerge from the 90’s. I genuinely can’t comprehend how Shields produced such an intense and dense wall of noise while managing to maintain dreamy vibe and pop sound of the songs. I think it’s fair to assume that a decent amount of my favorite records of the late 90’s and forward wouldn’t exist without Loveless. A legacy almost as massive as it’s sound.

I don’t dig the reggae influence on this record at all. And I absolutely adore reggae! Is it a good thing if one of the best track on a trip hop album is the closest thing to a classical piece; “Weather Storm”? I was gonna hand this a 3 until I was reminded of the horrendous cover of “Light My Fire”. How on earth this was included on the original track list is beyond me.

I was lucky enough to experience Prince live twice. Two of the greatest musical moments I’ve ever witnessed! Listening to his albums doesn’t quite bring out the same magic though. It sounds like no one told Prince no in quite some time (and why would they think to do so, he’s a genius)… It might have been healthy once in while. Enduring tracks such as Housequake and Forever In My Life makes this feel way too long… Prince is simply better with a band than stripped down; as beautifully showcased on I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man. At least 20 minutes could easily have been cut.

This is the most Björk album ever. A horrible start for anyone new to the singer and the perfect album to test wether or not you really like Iceland’s most adventurous musician. Claustrophobic, haunting, devastating but still stunningly beautiful. A unique album to be sure; but what a thrill. This is THE Björk album I would love to hear performed live.

This is obviously good. The musicianship is great, Waters sounds great… And still it does little to nothing for me. Straight up blues just isn’t my thing. And I’m not really particularly sad about it.

Led Zeppelin at the peak of their creativity. There is an abundance of legendary tracks on this and side two (Houses through Kashmir) is absolutely ridiculous. It might have proven better had they left the 4th side blank, but this is nonetheless a show of sheer strength. Also, how beautiful is Page’s playing on “The Rover”?

This sounds like a collection of theme songs to movies I’ve never seen. I feel strangely emotionally severed from this record and despite beautiful moments I need to remind myself to keep focused on the songs… Quite often in fact. Pretty sure I’ve heard “Oompah Radar” in RuneScape at some point.

I feel fru-fru-fru-fru-frustration listening to this. How is this a serious record!? The lyrics sound as if improvised a lazy afternoon. The production is equally lazy and just plain boring. Also Almond's vocals are horrendous. He almost seems to deliberately avoid hitting any tones on the entire record. This is the sound of the high school singer you all applauded out of pity and then talked about behind his back. Imagine being this bad and still have the courage to release "Sex Dwarf".

Absolutely insane that this is a debut album. And released in 1969? I mean... Side one is non-stop perfection with an absolute highlight in "Dazed and Confused" (inspired by Jake Holmes). Side two is not quite as strong but still contains incredible tracks such as "Communication Breakdown" and "How Many More Times". Even when the record gets almost too close to just being blues Plant's voice comes roaring in and saves the day. This is not on the verge of being handed a 5/5 but it's definitely not a 3/5 either.

How is this the first time I hear this record in it’s entirety? GZA’s vocabulary is insane and his flow likewise. Surgical precision; nothing less. While not flashy the beats are the perfect backbone for GZA and his guests often rough, harsh and honest storytelling. The focus on extremely lyrically heavy songs ends up being almost physically exhausting. But with lyrics like these it takes a lot more to actually grow tired of it.

The one album that really makes Soundgarden deserve their spot in grunge history alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Super unknown is the first truly great Soundgarden album; it’s heavier and more harrowing, it’s faster and more experimental and it’s the absolute peak of the band’s songwriting - especially when it comes to range and complexity. It’s greatest strength, beside from Cornell’s awesome vocal, is the variety in genres. The heavy stuff is great, the ballads are great. But I’ve never truly understood the brutal 70 minutes playtime. While there are few actually weak tracks you feel full when it’s over; and I would have loved being left wanting way more!

Is this a contender for best 25th album by an artist? One of rock’s greatest comebacks. Incredible to return to the stage and deliver this after 10 years of absence. Like so many of Bowie’s records this is best when he steps away from the conventional road and experiments. And while I still find the first album to be strong it’s the second half that really shines!

It might have been a brave and important step for a folk singer to use a rock band as backing… But ending on an 11 minute folk ballad? Dylan at his best! There are so many excellent tracks and Dylan’s storytelling is as good as it ever gets; “Ballad of a Thin Man” and “Desolation Row” being prime examples. If you rate Dylan-albums by the sheer volume of harmonica (and you should), this is quite good.

I’ve never quite understood the appeal of Elvis Costello. I’ve listened to a couple of records but I was never blown back. So imagine listening to this record for the first time… And still don’t care. “Alison” is great and there’s some great breaks and musicianship. And knowing the popularity of this guy it doesn’t please me one bit that I still feel totally indifferent to Costello’s discography.

There’s no way three guys in Newcastle Upon Tyne could have predict the mayhem (pun intended) this would cause in Norway half a decade later. “Buried Alive” and “Raise the Dead” are absolute highlights on the first side while the harrowing tale of “Countess Bathory” dominates the second half. The artwork and lyrics are almost comically extreme and the production on especially the drums leave some to be desired.. But this is just, almost surprisingly the cover taken into consideration, an extremely fun record! For the sake of my sanity I try to ignore the fact that the album closes on a teaser of the first song of Venom’s next album… Because… Who in hell would actually do such a thing? Nobody, right? Nobody.

Tusk is a legendary album - especially due to its absurd cost. It feels more evident than in previous and later albums, that the three main songwriters (Buckingham, Nicks and McVie) wrote these tracks individually. Especially Buckingham’s songs stand out.. But often not for the better. “Not That Funny” and “That’s Enough for Me” are totally misplaced and it’s clear that he had wanted the band to go in a whole new direction - not an easy goal to achieve when the songwriters are given almost total individual freedom. Nicks’ provides some of the best songs, “Storms” and “Sisters of the Moon” while McVie offers both great moments and easily forgettable ones. At almost 75 minutes this is filled with both classic Fleetwood and a glimpse into a new direction for the band. In the end neither are pursued all the way and the result is, though most often great, somewhat incoherent.

Considering the fact that Billie Holiday's take on "Gloomy Sunday" was so depressing that it was once banned for decades on BBC, I am not surprised that this record didn't exactly lighten the mood. At the age of only 43 it's remarkable that her voice sounds like it has already lived a full life - and then some. It's not as vibrant as in earlier recordings and while Ray Ellis (and his Orchestra) provides a beautiful tapestry Holiday paints almost every song with the exact same emotions as the ones before and sticks to the same vocal formula through every song. The end result, beautiful and emotional as it surely is, simply isn't enough to keep me invested.

Ending on “Cry Baby Cry” and only 28 songs was a really good decision by the Beatles. Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really glad nothing comes after. You can almost physically sense the creative overflow of the Fab Four on this record. You never sense the turmoil going on behind the scenes; on the contrary actually. In many ways this is back to basic compared to Sgt. Pepper. Simply just expertly written songs one after the other.

For someone who starting smoking at the ripe old age of 9, Mitchell sounds stunning. The complexity in her vocal schemes, the innovative sudden changes in keys and the sheer mastery of the songwriting is beyond most recording artists of the early 70’s. Her relationship with James Taylor becomes apparent on a couple of tracks; and we’re all the more lucky for that. Taylor’s playing suits Mitchell’s voice perfectly. Mitchell is one of the most important songwriters of the 60’s and 70’s. And there’s really very little to debate right there.

Quite the debut album! Knopfler (the not David one of them) is a laid back frontman when it comes to vocals, but on the guitar he’s a living legend. His picking style out of this world! There’s a few almost misses, but overall there’s nothing truly bad to find here. I completely forgot how fun it is listening to Pick Withers. Especially his work on the hi-hat and ride is intriguing while he still manages to stay well in the background just sitting tight in the pocket.

I was honestly surprised at how good the first half is. The interludes didn’t bother me, the productions and beats are killer and there’s a fair amount of bangers. Then the second half kicks in and I slowly lose interest. I don’t particularly care for their vocals when they rap and the songwriting is simply more boring. Just as I was about to almost defend the inclusion of interludes, “Sexy-Interlude” kicks in. Oh how I love me some potty humor; just what I needed.. Fuck you whoever thought of this. The last interlude is likewise about 2 minutes too long. Luckily André 3000 swoops in and saves the day on the awesome last song - this offers just enough redemption, along with the first class production on this whole thing, to deserve a 3.

I mean… This had some fun songs on it, but as a whole I didn’t really care much for it. I don’t remember a single chorus or hook just hours after listening. It’s not a bad record, but I don’t actually see the point of it being on here. Maybe I would’ve been blown back in 1980? Or maybe it’s an album that needs some time to grow on you? But as of right now it didn’t do much for me.

Eagles’ strongest card by far is the fact that they’re all solid vocalists and their ability to write strong vocal harmonies. It shines through on almost every song alongside the joy of just playing together. There are obvious low point, such as “Chug All Night”, where they let straight up rock have the upper hand. Everything sounds more in place when they take it down a notch and let the melodies lead the way; as on “Take the Devil”. This is a great template of everything that was to come for one of history’s best selling bands!

This, and its sister album folklore, was were I first really understood the hype surrounding Swift. Working with Dessner did wonders to her songs; this sounds like an artist finding her true calling and potential. Lyrically this is by far the peak of her career with her storytelling beating her contemporaries by quite a few miles. folklore is more immediately available, containing a few more upbeat songs, but after listening a to both a few times I’m starting to be convinced this is the superior twin by a hair.

I doubt you find a folk artist or band in the last 20 years who isn’t massively inspired by Drake (the one with a first name). While all of Drake’s albums are emotionally sublime, there’s something deeply ominous about this, his last album. The production fits the tone of the compositions perfectly and both his guitar playing and vocal is haunting and eerily beautiful. Undoubtedly one of the best albums to clock in at just under half an hour.

Legendary record. Ridiculously over the top, way too grandiose and at times it feels almost like a straight up spoof on rock operas.. In other words; it’s just perfect. Steinman’s songwriting is incredible and the feeling of impending doom is perfectly supported by one of the most impressive bands ever put together and Meat Loaf’s almost absurd vocal. What a performance from just everyone involved. Few albums are as much pure fun as this. And while it contains every recipe to be well over an hour long, the fact that the runtime is just over 45 minutes is almost a miracle.

Dust stands as a monument to what a beast of a singer Lanegan was. Scrappy and hoarse yet fragile and beautiful. An absolutely unique voice mainly comparable to singers such as Waits and Cave. While a bit more polished than earlier Screaming Trees records this still sounds extremely raw at points. And while the string section delivers it is Barrett Martin's exceptional drum and percussion work that earns Dust the last star for me personally.

There are some good intentions on this record. I understand where most of it comes from and I can even sense, what Bee Gees were trying to accomplish. But it just doesn't work. You can feel the concept album that this was supposed to become in the title track and the instrumentals. But instead of a grandiose concept Odessa is strewn with half finished and often lazy songs without much weight behind them. It's obvious that there was turmoil behind the scenes when this was recorded. I truly think that Bee Gees could have done something great here channeling all that energy. It's just not the case at all.

I don’t know where I went wrong in my high school obsession with the 60’s, but I honestly don’t think I ever heard of the Beau Brummels. And if I did, they didn’t do that much of an impact. But this time they did! “Only Dreaming” really caught me off guard and from there on I was blown away by their grasp of melodies. Among the best examples are “Painter of Women” and “The Wolf of Velvet Fortune”, where especially the latter should rank along the best choruses of the 60’s. I don’t care as much for the fast driven “Nine Pound Hammer” and the pub sounding “Old Kentucky Home” but luckily they don’t tend to stay long with those sounds. Glad to have found the victim of my next vinyl hunt.

There are few singers out there capable of conveying despair and helplessness in the same way as Robert Smith. And rarely is he more present than on this record. And oh my, does his guitar sound absolutely amazing as always? If you’re used to only listening to The Cure’s more uptempo and (used with quite a bit of restraint) “joyful” later material, Pornography is extremely bleak - as perfectly illustrated by the brutally sparse “Siamese Twins”. This is by no means their most accessible or easy album; but I think that actually makes it that much greater.

First; Igor is an absolute beast behind the kit. Few combines the incredible speed and sheer power that he puts behind every hit. Arise is where I really start paying attention to the Sepultura discography. Venturing further away from their death metal roots (get it? lol) and experimenting with latin instrumentation and industrial really suits their take on thrash metal. I say this with absolute no knowledge of the subject whatsoever, but this is one of the greatest records to come out of Brazil in the early 90’s.

This is peak dad rock if there ever was one. Even though I was nowhere near being alive when this released I feel weirdly nostalgic listening to it. Like reminiscing about a sweet memory. There’s no reason this is as good as it is, but with an opener like “More Than a Feeling” you have no other option than to give in. Scholz is the perfect classic rock guitarist and Delp was one hell of a singer. Banger after banger and great choruses followed by even greater ones. Had B-side been as strong as the exceptional A-side this had been an easy 5. But this is a thrill nonetheless.

Few albums actively defined a whole genre like Black Sabbath. But even fewer albums contain songs that lunged more than one genre almost a decade out into the future; as is the case with “Black Sabbath” and “N.I.B.”. It’s unbelievable that this was recorded in just half a day from just the band playing their live set. Jesus, what I wouldn’t give to have seen an early Sabbath-show. The whole band is as good as they ever were - which is almost surreal considering this is their debut. Especially Ozzy’s vocals are mixed to perfection. The panned production on “Behind the Wall of Sleep”? Holy shit. It’s hard to fathom that this record is actually more than half a century old.

Let's just address the elephant in the room right away. Yes, "Brown Sugar" is icky as hell lyrically. But musically it's as strong an opener as the Rolling Stones ever delivers. After the disbandment of the Beatles the previous the year, Sticky Fingers feels like the Stones proving, that those hyper popular 60's bands would continue to have a voice leading into the next decade as well; with the Stones later proving that they would still have a voice even some 50 years later. This also finds the band venturing further into both jazz and country which really suits the frantic sound the Stones is equally capable of delivering. Also a review of Sticky Fingers without a mention of the absolute pinnacle of this record: "Wild Horses". So here goes. "Wild Horses"? Wow.

If you’re expecting another ABBA album for your nights of partying, you’re sorely mistaken. Like the title suggests, this feels like an alien that tries to blend in with the ABBA discography - in the best way possible. I mean, who would’ve thought of an ABBA record containing lyrics about nuclear war in 6/4 and strong Cold War references? While not being their most catchy album it is by far the most interesting album by the group and it solidifies Andersson and Ulvaeus’ exceptional songwriting partnership.

What a voice; absolutely surreal that it took 10 albums for her to finally strike some much deserved success. It really sets the bar high opening with “Respect” and while the A-side continues to deliver solid songs, it’s not until Franklin herself gets songwriting credit on “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” and “Baby, Baby, Baby” that I can really sense her full presence accompanied beautifully by her sisters on backing vocals. I would’ve liked for the drums and guitars to be a bit more present in the mix, which is heavily dominated by bass and the horn section. But with Franklin’s vocal in front, it doesn’t bother me that much.

While the rest of the world was falling head over heels over the White Stripes, I always had a harder time fully understanding the hype. I don't really care for Meg's simplistic drumming and Jack's heavily blues-inspired songwriting rarely hits me. That's not to say that there isn't a lot of things I really appreciate about the band and Elephant in particular. Jack's absurd guitar sound is as always a thrill (especially on "Ball and Biscuit") and there's a fair amount of great songs on this thing; not only counting the of course legendary "Seven Nation Army" and the banger "The Hardest Button to Button". In the end it all feels a bit to sparse, even with White's ear for production. I get the idea of dropping the bass, but the lack of it makes an otherwise explosive chorus as the one on "Little Acorn" feel like it was ripped directly off an early demo. A big 3. But a 3 nonetheless.

This is just booming with variety! I was okay with the first couple of songs, but starting at “Fall at Your Feet” things really started moving fast. The chorus on “Tall Trees” is amazing, “Four Seasons In One Day” touches something Beatles-esque, the harmonica on “There Goes God” is just incredible and all of a sudden they hit you with vocal harmonies on the powerful “Fame Is”. Australia (and NZ) are really capable of some great things musically.

Started listening to this in my car but quickly realized that it truly deserved being played on my actual hi-fi system instead. The production is insane! I had absolutely no expectations going into this… If anything I wasn’t that hyped. But I genuinely really enjoyed both Baker’s incredible tone and range and the extreme smoothness of the production. Everything single detail stood out clear as day - especially the bass. I probably enjoyed this way more than I should have; but what a voice and what a collection of musicians. I almost gave this a 4 due to the taste of red wine during my listen and the fact that it sounded incredible on my speakers. But on any given weekday I don’t think there’s quite enough memorable moments for it to actually deserve it.

I really want this to be good. But it just isn’t. Let’s start of with the wrongs. Only few of their early songs really benefit from the addition of a string orchestra and while some tracks off of Load and ReLoad benefit quite a bit, I still don’t really care about many of songs in the first place. Which might be why the second half of disc 1 seems so long. Just an overload of the (Re)Load-era. Who’s honestly happy to see “Devil’s Dance” here? Dishonorable shoutout to a hopeless rendition of “Fuel” by the way. Who got the idea of adding strings to that? I also don’t enjoy the tone the often obvious autotune adds to Hetfield’s vocal. It always feels kinda off. Just listen to “Wherever I May Roam”. Jesus… On the other hand the new song “No Leaf Clover” is among the best post-Black Album 90’s stuff Metallica did - absolutely incredible. The same goes for the S&M-rendition of “The Memory Remains” and “The Outlaw Torn”; possibly one of the most underrated Metallica songs ever. Would I have loved to have been there? For sure. The atmosphere in the room must’ve been awesome. But listening to it at home? Except for a few tracks, I’d much rather listen to the original studio recordings once again.

I really need to get this off my chest before I dig into the album. This would have been under an hour an, had it not been for the skits and “Last Call”. Just putting it out there. I was pretty underwhelmed during the first songs, nostalgia telling me, that I should expect more. Then “All Falls Down” happens and my curiosity awakes. Kanye’s strongest card is his productions and beats and while most of the album isn’t as experimental and progressive in its ideas as his later material, there are still tracks that ranks among his best in this. I’m of course talking about the insanely great duo of “Jesus Walks” and “Never Let Me Down” (and the later on “Through the Wire” as well). On the Pablo-track “I Love Kanye” West exclaims: “I miss the old Kanye”. Personally, with the exception of a few tracks, I actually prefer the newer Kanye.

While everything about this is wholeheartedly enjoyable, I might not be built for this much mamba. The legendary Tito Puente and his band play their hearts out and I truly feel like being transported to the Americas during “El Cayuco” and “Llegó Miján”. I’ve got nothing really bad to say about this; in the end I’ve just had enough mamba for the week.

There’s no getting around it; Karen was an incredible singer and Richard really knows his way around arranging vocal harmonies. The obvious highlights are the title track and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” (both originally by Burt Bacharach). The cover of “Help” on the other hand adds very little new. And while there’s no getting around the talent on this record, it just never actually moves me. In fact, I’m quite bored when we reach the end. All respect to the Carpenter’s - it’s just not my jam.

I remember stumbling into this when I was about 14 - and I really liked it. But for some reason I never returned to it after I listened to my friend’s CD 2-3 times. And I think that might be the reason, that I don’t care that much for the record today - because this has all the elements of a 90’s record that require some nostalgic attachment for you to really appreciate it. At times it’s quite fun and I like their jangley sound, but it often feels monotonous and without any true emotions. It’s a shame.

Released in 1975; how is this Nelson’s 18th record?! While I never grow tired of listening to Nelson’s timeless vocal, the same can not be said of the instrumentation. No one plays badly, and Bobbie Nelson’s piano and Jody Payne’s mandolin are especially beautiful - the mixing of the backing vocals are spot on as well. But as everything goes on in almost the exact same tempo it all becomes rather dull in the end. I don’t get the big picture of the concept album that this should be either; but putting together an actual concept having only written under half of the songs yourself is everything but easy. The first time I feel that the band puts something on the line is during the wonderful instrumental “Bandera”. And by then it’s already time to wave goodbye for now to the Red Headed Stranger.

I’ll never be the big Aerosmith fan. They’ve got a handful of bangers, but other than that I just don’t care that much for one of Boston’s horniest and most cocaine sounding bands - quite an achievement by the way. For some reason I didn’t dislike this as much as I would’ve thought going into it. I don’t love it, but I most certainly don’t hate it. “Young Lust” was a surprisingly strong opener almost sounding like the Toys in the Attic-era. “Janie’s Got a Gun” and “The Other Side” are highlights as well, the first being one of the band’s absolute greatest songs. While most of the record still falls victim to many of the Aerosmith cliches I don’t enjoy, I wasn’t nearly as annoyed as expected. I actually rather enjoyed most of their antics. Well done, Aerosmith. I won’t give you a listen for the next many months. But quite well done, nevertheless.

It’s been possibly years since I last heard this, and I always remembered this as perhaps the greatest Rolling Stones album; maybe in part due to the almost universal consensus that Exile is one of the greatest albums ever made. There’s no denying the fun and greatness of “Rocks Off”, “Let it Loose” and “Shine a Light”. And while few other songs are as bad and boring as “Shake Your Hips”, “Casino Boogie” and “I Just Want to See His Face”, the rest is not particularly great or interesting either. Most of them are just… Kinda there. I found this 2003 quote from Jagger concerning the record: “I'm not too sure how great the songs are, but put together it's a nice piece. However, when I listen to Exile it has some of the worst mixes I've ever heard.” It’s harsh, but he’s not completely wrong.

What a show of power Kendrick Lamar enters the mainstream music scene with. That I’m able to call this my least favorite of TPAB, DAMN and Mr. Morale feels almost surreal, considering just how great good kid, m.A.A.d. city is. Possibly the greatest album streak in hip hop-history! Lamar is an extraordinary storyteller and matched with his unique vocal, masterful flow and ability to convey a full range of emotions, you are left with a rapper that easily ranks above the rest of the game. It takes a few tracks, but by “The Art of Peer Pressure” it feels like Lamar has fully moved on from his earlier efforts and emerges as a fully developed artist. From there on there are no missteps. By the time of the overwhelming masterpiece “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” I’m ready to just hand this a 5 star-rating. Maybe it’s knowing where Kendrick takes his sound from here or maybe it’s the few songs I’m not fully invested in, but i gently lower the 5 stars and saves it for Lamar for a later time. Also includes the unlikely, but nonetheless extremely popular, party song “Swimming Pools (Drank)”.

You have to dig deep to find a 70's rock band with more theatricals and sick humour - even though they do their best to hide it behind very competent and serious musicianship. Musically Alice Cooper is best on the great title track, the classic "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and the violently graphic and tongue in cheek "I Love the Dead". At times I reach a point where the gimmicks and humour is almost overwhelming, especially on "Unfinished Sweet", but in the end Cooper wins you over by way of antics and simply just being one of rock's most iconic individuals.

You might not expect a French/Spanish singer armed with an acoustic guitar, sound collages and the ability to sing in French, Spanish, English, Portuguese, Arabic and Greek (just to mention a few) to be one of the world’s foremost figures when it comes to progressive musical thinking challenging a variety of political and humanitarian causes globally. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what Manu Chao is as he encapsulates the spirit of punk way more than most contemporary bands of the genre. Recorded in Estudio Clandestino (basically his laptop) I’m amazed at how alive this album sounds. Being recorded on the go and whenever the opportunity and creativity allowed for it really works wonders for the songs. Whether he sings of the King of Bongo, welcomes you to Mexico or challenges the state of the world in enough languages for at least a couple of world leaders to understand, time just flies by when you’re in the great company of Manu Chao.