Quite long. First I was jamming, then I was sad, then bored, ended with a few more jams though. Could see myself listening again

3.5 Really looking forward to this one. First thought was “why am I thinking of mops?” My second thought was “the drums are on fire holy crap”. Soul/funk never disappoints when it comes to the rhythm section. This album almost makes The Doobie Brothers and Seals & Croft sound cool. The vocals are also great with all the range of emotions displayed, paired with some super cooool harmonies. The slower love songs are a little cheesy and boring but all in all I can see myself coming back to a lot of this album l Stand-outs: Swiffer Commercial Song pts. 1&2, If You Were There, You Walk Your Way, The Highways of My Life

4 Classic R&B/Soul. I always forget how influential Otis Redding was by originating hits such as ‘Respect’ and covering amazing songs like ‘My Girl’ and ‘Satisfaction’. Less funk and more blues. Certainly more timeless. Other favorites include ‘Ole Man Trouble’, ‘Shake’, and ‘Change is Gonna Come’

4.5 Honestly I’m surprised by how much I liked it. It reminds me of the other bands from that era I like and less psychedelic. Some songs are kinda whatever Beatles fare but there are really cool songs here. ‘Anytime at All’ has that rocking spirit that I love about The Who. I’m far more interested in the deep cuts here than the hits. I learned that one of my favorite jazz songs is actually a cover of ‘And I Love Her’ which turns out is also a pretty cool jazzy tune itself. ‘Tell Me Why’ makes me think of the Happy Days theme and not in a good way. The last song has such a lovely melody and really nice harmonies, and almost leaves me feeling melancholy. There might be something to these knappy haired kids from England. There’s honestly more on this that I like than I don’t. To rip-off YouTube movie reviewer Jeremy Jahns: I’d say it’s worth buying on vinyl Favorites include: ‘If I Fell’, ‘And I Love Her’, ‘Any Time at All’,

1 Is this a joke? This sounds like a joke. It sounds like he’s making fun of himself. Also I can’t tell what it wants to be. Is it country? Is it rock? Folk? Some songs even gave me hair/glam metal vibes. The whole thing overstated its welcome from the start and lasted through to the end. Seeing that it came out in 1990 it’s clear that Neil Young was begging to stay relevant but I have to imagine this is what the death rattle of the 80’s sounds like. Favorites include: Mansion on the Hill I guess

2 Kinda boring. It sounds like menu music from an old Xbox Live Arcade game. Might’ve been cool without the vocals but I’m afraid that would just make it house music. It’s like it was made with the expressed purpose for a DJ to remix it. It’s right on the edge of interesting for me. Also British rapping makes me feel weird. Favorites include: Blue Lines, Be Thankful for What You’ve Got

5 I’ve loved this album since 5th grade. The melodies, the beats, the bass. Quincy Jones’ touch is everywhere on this album. It’s so much fun and it’s so theatrical. So many songs on here are all-time classics. The 40th anniversary is this year and it’s absolutely worth buying on vinyl. Favorites include: All of them. Seriously. I love all of the songs on this and the 25th anniversary bonus tracks.

4 I think I really liked this. Some songs were really kinda whatever but others had a certain quality to them that I enjoyed. The pace was enough to keep my attention and I always love a good saxophone. The guitars are jangly and pretty. A little unfocused to be higher but I’m definitely a fan of this one. Favorites include: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, All & Everyone, On Battleship Hill, In The Dark Places, Bitter Branches

2.5 I previously knew or Dwight Yoakam because he played Bruce on the TV show Wilfred. So I went in a little more open minded than I normally would have when it comes to country. Aside from some pretty disturbing illusions to murdering a cheating ex, I think this is pretty accessible sounding country. It did not blow my mind or change my perspective on country by any means but I would be lying if I said I didn’t at least enjoy the sound. Favorites include: Home of the Blues, Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room, Streets of Bakersfield, Floyd County

3 Not big on folk rock and this didn’t do anything to change that. The title track is still a good song. Till Tomorrow is like American Pie again but sadder. Vincent is the token tragedy which was okay. Everybody Loves Me is probably my favorite song but it’s such a standout that it almost seems like a rockabilly parody (I mean that in a good way. Like when Sid Vicious sang My Way) Everything else seemed kinda filler-y to me, all clinging to a similar melody or structure. The deep chanting harmonies of Babylon was a neat moody closer.

3 So it seems country music is going to appear on here so I might as well get used to it. Once I gave in an accepted it I really started to vibe with it. Reminded me of the music from Fallout: New Vegas. I think I like country ladies more than good ol boys, I’m more apt to listen to what they have to say. This album unlike the last few had really tight playing and production. The lyrics were better than Dwigt but nothing to write home about. Also some sneaky saxophoooooooooone. I dig it. Not bad, a little better than okay. Favorites: Western Stars, Sugar Moon, Black Coffee, Shadowland, I’m Down to My Last Cigarette

4 2022 has definitely been the year of jazz discovery for me. I’ve been trying to understand Jazz on a deeper level and it’s been a real challenge at times to be honest. So naturally I was excited when our first Jazz album came up and oh boy this is a really fun record. The sheer amount of skill and understanding of the craft is on full display. For a little while I was thinking this was going to be ‘cocktail party iazz’. Something quiet to throw on in the background while everyone pretends to be fancy, at about 8 minutes into the performance I was surprised. The tonal change engaged me enough to keep going. This is not challenging Jazz and I think that’s the best thing about it. It’s the opposite of cocktail Jazz. It’s the album I put on after a long day at work and want a nice, but not boring drive home. I’ll definitely be listening again and again because I don’t feel like I’ve heard every he has to say yet. It’s not really structured with songs so I can’t name a favorite but I definitely would buy on vinyl.

3 It’d be hard to not have heard of Paul Simon or the song You Can Call Me Al but I definitely had never heard much else by him. Since he was part of S&G I was worried we were in store for another folk-rock album but this isn’t that at all. Apparently released near the end of apartheid and motivated by that you can hear the African influences in its rhythms and themes. At times you could almost imagine them all in the studio recording the different parts. The baselines were pretty groovy too. think it’s influence has only come to harm it though. It won a Grammy at the time but now it’s nothing I haven’t heard 1000000 times before in one way or another. Something about it seems off as well. Like he’s not quite on time or the reverb is bad, which definitely took me out of the experience. Catchy but mostly forgettable 80s fare. Favorite songs: I Know What I Know, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

3.5 Jackie from That 70s Show probably listened to this. When it wasn’t making weird noises it was almost a Zeppelin/Queen crossover with a touch of the Doors. Mostly engaging and it’s catchy enough for me find worth listening to again. Though at times it sounded like a guy who got a new keyboard and is playing with all of the settings. Some of the songs reminded me a lot of the music from the Treehouse of Horror Level (7) from Simpsons Hit & Run which made me happy to hear. Pretty average 70s Psych/Prog rock that’s alright with me. Favorites: Rock and Roll Pussy, Zen Archer, Just Another Onionhead; Da Da Dali, When the Shit Hits the Fan; Sunset Blvd, Just One Victory

4.5 Duran Duran + The Smiths = ABC? I really liked this. It’s grooves were so infectious. It’s bass was everywhere and I had a blast. It almost felt like 80s RnB (Lionel Richie-esque) with an awesome rock edge. I particularly liked how they weren’t afraid to give each member a big moment for a cool solo or something. It sounded like a cohesive work in a way that I really appreciated

2 Ofc I knew of No Scrubs thanks to Weezer but the rest of this album didn’t really do it for me. It was pretty cool 90s hip hop for a while but I found myself getting very bored near the end. I have always loved the song Waterfalls though. I need to listen again because I don’t feel like I got everything out of it. Favorite songs: Creep, Diggin’ On You, Waterfalls

What is there to say about this album that hasn’t been said? It’s a 10/10 iconic live album that stands up with the greats. A good handful of these songs are the definitive versions like About A Girl. I don’t care for Lake of Fire but that about all I don’t like.

2.5 Man, for how famous Billy Joel is I expected more. The hits are classics and I dig those but it’s almost like they belong on a different album by a different artist. It’s more piano filler music to me, but it isn’t cocktail party music so I don’t know where to place it. I felt the same about Piano Man too. It’s just whatever. Favorites: Movin’ Out, Only The Good Die Young, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant

4 Fun fact: Tom Waits plays Captain Hook in Shrek 2! Anyway I went into this knowing that he was smoky drunken singer but I did not expect to like this as much as I did. It’s discordant and weird but it’s also catchy and very emotional. At times it was like evil Leonard Cohen. I even dig the almost weird noir movie monologues. The imagery his music paints is strong. You can almost imagine the dusty, dingy carnival, or smoky bar. It’s eclectic enough to be interesting, rocking and catchy enough to keep me listening. Favorites: Clap Hands, Jockey Full of Bourbon, Time, Gun Street Girl, Union Square, Downtown Train

3 At the start of this I really was not enjoying myself, but around the third song in I started to buy into the sound. I don’t think it has much of an identity of its own though, bouncing around from Country to RnB to Pop and Jazz. I didn’t particularly care for a lot of the lyrics but for as many lyrics that I didn’t like there were just as many that I did. While I don’t see myself rushing out to listen again, I do think some of these songs will be refreshing when I’m in the mood for something different. Favorites: Strong Enough, Solidify, No One Said It Would Be Easy, All I Wanna Do, We Do What We Can, I Shall Believe

2 There’s some thing about 90s R&B that I just don’t like. It’s not quite R&B it’s not quite rap and it all sounds the same. Really not a fan of the lyrics on this one either, could’ve used a touch more nuance.

3.5 This is more along the lines of the type of jazz I’ve been spending the year listening to. It starts off a little rough, it doesn’t seem like they’re jelling too much with the bassist being all over the board, but by the second song it seems like they find a groove and the music becomes much more hooky. I don’t think it stands out among the jazz that I’ve heard recently, but there are a few stand out tracks that will absolutely be added to my Jazz favorites playlist. Favorites: My Man’s Gone Now, Solar, Alice in Wonderland, Jade Visions

4 This couldn’t have come at a better time for me. After seeing the movie and listening to its soundtrack I’ve been all in on Elvis music lately. I honestly wasn’t expecting much from his debut, I figured it would be too old timey sounding. It turned out to be like Johnny Cash with an edge and I enjoyed that very much. The slower ballads left a little to be desired but not so much that they ruined the experience. All in all, solid debut. Favorites:

2 I’ve never been much of a Doors fan tbh, not sure why. I enjoy Soft Parade but that’s about it. LA Woman came later in their career than I thought it did and boy does it sound sloppy. No one sounds like they care and everyone sounds drunk. It’s almost a decent blues rock album but I have others I’d sooner listen to. Favorites: Love Her Madly, Riders on the Storm

3 James Brown is one of my favorite cameos in Blues Brothers so I loved hearing the music that influenced the movie. Pretty good live album, energy is really high and JB does a great job with controlling the crowd through interactions or whatnot. Musically I hasn’t left much of an impression but I think it’s an album to listen to just for the vibe

2 When it first started I was worried I was in store for a tender acoustic album but it wasn’t that. Textured and layered electronic alternative was not what I expected. It had some cool moments and was kind of a vibe but nothing really blew me away Favorites: Happiness, Road to Somewhere, Cologne Cerrone Houdini,

3 I’ve never listened to The Cure but being an elder emo I’m well aware of their impact on rock music culture. With that said I was pretty disappointed with this. It has a likely purposeful hollow and empty production. It reminded me a lot of Joy Division but without the emotion and dread that comes along with listening to the laments of a doomed frontman. The bass here was cool and very much the star of the show it seems but even still I had a hard time distinguishing one song from the next. It wasn’t until the last half of the album that I started to vibe with it. Maybe it’s me and because of that I feel compelled to listen again. Favorites: Three, A Forest, M, At Night

5 Fun fact about me: I’m a bigger disco fan than I let on. There’s something about the cliché guitar patterns and orchestras and funnnnky bass lines that I love. This would be workout music for me, if I was the type of person that took proper care of themselves. It’s uptempo, it’s iconic, and so sleek and cool. The songs run a little long but even then I couldn’t stop dancing. I was prepared to listen for as long as it would go. I can just imagine myself doing chores listening to this album and having an absolute blast. I definitely didn’t care for the repeated overuse of the band name as lyrics, I’ve always found that lame no matter who does it. The tender but skillful instrumentals were a welcome surprise too. All in all this was a really fun listen that I will absolutely listen to again. Favorites: Chic Cheer, Le Freak, Savior Faire, Happy Man, Sometimes You Win,(Funny) Bone

2.5 I think the fallout games have given me a huge appreciation for vocal jazz of this era. I love Frankie’s voice which sounds awfully redundant because like, that’s what he’s known for but I don’t think it’s for nothing. It was cool to hear a Frank Sinatra album that wasn’t a compilation or live album. I especially like the particular way he sang about the subjects he was singing about, nuanced and emotional. Some parts didn’t age especially well but others very much did.

4 The dudes at Green Light are huge Kraftwerk fans so I’d heard a few albums in the background working or whatever but I never ended up listening to them on my own. I know how influential Kraftwerk was to house and techno music because of how many artists credit them, hell you can absolutely hear Daft Punk in a lot of this. However when this album first started I was worried again. Worried about an experimental boop boop album with little variety. What I got was a lot more entertaining. The songs definitely ran long but a lot of times I didn’t notice and was surprised that it’d been 7+ minutes. My only complaint is that it could benefit from a low end rework. It’s a little sharp on the ears. Maybe also that I keep thinking the cover is a golf club. The worlds this album took my imagination to were fun, vibrant and a little spooky. Def going to look into these guys more. Turns out the dudes at Green Light know what they’re talking about sometimes. Favorites: Europe Endless, Hall of Mirrors, Showroom Dummies, Trans-Europe Express, Endless Endless

2.5 Two Doors albums down and I’m still not blown away. While I enjoyed this one more than LA Woman mainly because Jim’s voice is totally shot yet. All the sea-faring blues songs got old here like they always do for me. I do dig the drums in this one a lot though. The frantic pace almost reminds me of Keith Moon’s style of playing. I liked Maggie M’Gill, but mainly because of Better Call Saul. There’s definitely more here but not a ton. Favorites: Roadhouse Blues, Ship of Fools, Land Ho!, The Spy, Maggie M’Gill

4 Yes yes yes. This is my kind of jazz. I think it’s like Fusion/BeBop. Uptempo and consistent. This was a really really fun listen. Every player was on point and kept me guessing around every corner. Got a little whatever near the middle but I think it finished out strong Favorites: Part of a Whole, Minawa, The Big Apple, Unhome, Maesha

This era of soul and Jazz normally impresses me and I love Sam Cooke but this was fine. Well performed and fun but I wasn’t able to get into this one like I the James Brown one (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BTW). It didn’t help that he didn’t play any of my favorites by him. All in all pretty serviceable but tired. Favorites: Soul Twist, Chain Gang, Twistin The Night Away, Bring it On Home to Me

4.5 RIP DIMEBAG DARRELL AND VINNIE PAUL Okay with that out of the way I liked this one. I was wondering if we were ever going to see a metal album on this list and this is a solid starter. I’ve always viewed Pantera as the logical evolution of 1980s Metallica with a very similar but more varied type of thrash. Dimebag’s signature chugging is here in full force along with some gnarly breakdowns and gnasty bass. Face melting solos and some smash starts that’ll give even the most seasoned horror fan a real jump. And of course I have to mention Avenged Sevenfold’s cover of Walk which was actually my introduction to Pantera. An absolute blast front to back. There’s so much to keep me coming back again and again. Favorites: Mouth for War, Walk, Fucking Hostile, This Love, Rise, By Demons Be Driven (those harmonics 👌🏻), Hollow

3 I’m really glad this popped up because it’s been on my list for a long time. I liked it well enough. It’s like a companion piece to NWA. Less violent but retains a similar sound. On first listen not a lot immediately stood out to me but I really vibed with it so I’ll be listening again

4.5 This is often considered the best jazz album of all time. This is where I was recommend to start my jazz journey by a customer named Marty and I did. There are so many incredibly iconic players on this record that it’s basically the Avengers of jazz and they’re all at the top of their game. I admit that I had to listen to this one a few times to finally start to enjoy it. But once it clicked it clicked. There are moments of tenderness, but also the faster almost Ed , Edd n Eddy style sound. Every time I listen I like to try and zero in on a different player and how they’re fighting for the limelight at any given moment. It’s a different album every time I listen based on my mood. I still have a lot to learn from this one but I can safely say I get why people like it so much. Favorites include: So What, Freddie Freeloader, All Blues, Flamenco Sketches

5 LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Favorites Include: Overture, 1921, Amazing Journey, Cousin Kevin, The Acid Queen, Fiddle About, Pinball Wizard, Tommy Can You Hear Me?, Miracle Cure, I’m Free, We’re Not Gonna Take It

3.5 Pretty solid 60s fare. This album seems to have found a nice middle ground between The Beatles and The Who and I dig it for the most part. Not much else to say because it’s nothing I haven’t heard before but it is pretty well done even in that sense. Favorites: Stephanie Knows Who, 7 and 7 is, The Castle

4 I really enjoyed this one. I’ve always been meaning to listen to Bob Marley & Co but never had a real reason to and boy do I regret it. I was worried I was in store for a repetitive album with an okay track but I definitely got an interesting and varied album. Some major soul, RnB, and jazz elements sprinkled throughout that I absolutely loved. Also Bob Marley has a really nice voice on top of it all. Will definitely be listening again Favorites: Lively Up Yourself, No Woman, No Cry, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), Rebel Music, Natty Dread

Lmao shout out musical from sophomore year of high school 1 Gershwin is already not one of my favorite musical composers. I don’t think much of his stuff has aged particularly well. I do, however, like everything I’ve heard from Ella Fitzgerald (which is pretty much just from Fallout 3). I love Ella’s voice and backing orchestra but this is still so damn boring. I’m happy I didn’t listen to the 3.5 hour long version holy shit. I personally think that’s on Gershwin, though. All the outdated talk of “waiting around for the man I love” and shit like that was a lot at times. I wish the music saved it more here but sadly there were only very brief moments that I found interesting. I know there’s stuff I like out there so I’m not going to give up Ella so soon, but this one is not for me. Favorites: I Got Rhythm

4.5 Okay so confession time: I haven’t listened to enough Smiths/Morriesey to have a strong opinion on either. I knew I’d been missing out but holy shit this was an absolute blast front to back. I never knew they were so catchy (which is apparently important to me), and there’s so much more nuance to Morrissey’s voice than I realized. There were some lyrics that I found kind of cringey but that’s about all I have in terms of negatives. The music takes every chance it can to subvert my expectations, be it an irregular chord progression or some cool pan flutes, I was engaged completely. I will be listening again and looking into more by The Smiths at least. I liked all of the songs here except maybe Some Girls are Bigger than Others. Perhaps a bit rude. Musically really cool though.

4.5 I didn’t know much Iggy Pop beyond what appears in Tony Hawk games which were always cool punk songs. This was also a really fun punk album to listen to. Surfy and fast which is my favorite kind of punk. The 10 minute chant in the middle was surprising and overstayed it’s welcome by about 7 minutes though. Short of that it was perfectly serviceable. Favorites include: Pretty much all of them except We Will Fall

1 Nonsense and noise. All overlayed on top of the same goddamn drum track. It doesn’t help that I already thought Beck was boring and a borderline plagiarist. Devil’s Haircut is only cool because of Dude, Where’s My Car and Where It’s At is a bop. Short of that I can’t figure who this is supposed to be for?

2.5 I’ve heard this album before but it didn’t leave much impression tbh. I absolutely adore Maggie May and it’s iconic bass line but sadly, despite being perfectly serviceable 70s rock, the rest of the album didn’t quite stack up. The gospel influences were nice to hear (I love gospel vocals) but they were too few and far between with an inch too much country twang for me. That’s All Right was almost unrecognizable in a good way but I still prefer the original. Some okay stuff here but not much I’ll be clamoring for any time soon (except for Maggie May) Favorites: Seems Like a Long Time, That’s All Right, Maggie May, (I Know) I’m Losing You

5 Absolute quintessential punk fucking rock. Lexicon Devil is what got me started (s/o THUG2) and I’ve listen so many times since. Top shit

2.5 Heard this one before and I think for every one cool song there’s a bullshit psychedelic nonsense song. Should’ve been a single LP. Favorites: Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Blackbird, Helter Skelter

3.5 I really enjoyed this one. It didn’t do anything amazingly remarkable but I can absolutely see why people really like this album. I’ll definitely be listening again. Favorites: Welcome to the Working Week, Miracle Man, Alison, Sneaky Feelings, Waiting for the End of the World, Watching the Detectives

3.5 Really low-key indie pop music. I could see myself listening to this late at night in fall. Sometimes catchy, sometimes dreamy, I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would.

Yes almost always bums me out in that it’s not as good as I want them be. They always devolve into like some weird classical rock mix thing. Asia is better. 2/10 doesn’t have roundabout

Shout out to Apple Music for finally adding the app to Xbox. Much easier to listen without distractions. Anyways, 4.5 The only other thing I’ve heard by Fairport Convention is Liege and Lief which we got a few days after we originally got this one. I remember not particularly caring one way or the other about it which tracks because I rarely like folk rock things. Unhalfbricking, though, is different. Pretty much right off the bat this one grabbed me with its melancholy lyrics and really interesting instrumentation. The musicianship as a whole is pretty great here. The drums are really excellent and was often what kept my attention. Noodly guitars and whispy, dreamy vocals stand to serve the lyrics nicely. Dear Landlord gets a special mention because ROCK N ROLL but level headed…despite the vague threat at the end. I am curious if the song help or hurt Bob Dylan’s situation with his landlord? Did he play it for them? A Sailor’s Life really killed the momentum and vibe of the album, feeling a little disjointed compared to the sound they were establishing this far. It was around this point that I realized I was listening to the album on shuffle. After fixing that up and listening to a nice French ditty, I have to say I had a nice time with Unhalfbricking. Might buy on vinyl if the price is right. Favorites: Genesis Hall, Si Tu Dois Partir, Autopsy, Who Knows Where the Time Goes?, Cajun Woman, Percy’s Song, Dear Landlord

I’m a pretty big Eminem fan, having heard everything he’s ever released (Overground), and while this is not my favorite Em album I can see why it won a Grammy and is fondly looked back upon. For most of it I don’t exactly care for the subject matter that he’s rapping about, be it spousal abuse or homophobia, but I love the sound and the vibe of the songs…short of Kim. I still can’t squeeze any entertainment value out of that one. The hits like Stan, RSS, and The Way I Am are still amazing and deserve all the acclaim they get but the deep cuts are where this album shines to me. Dr. Dre’s production is almost top of his game with some cool samples and beats. Not my favorite but there are lots of songs that have grown on me over the years and I’ll listen again as I’ve listened before. Favorites: Kill You, Stan, Who Knew, The Way I Am, The Real Slim Shady, Remember Me?, I’m Back, Marshall Mathers, Amityville, Criminal

3.5 I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Short of the middle parts that were a little draggy. When it was grooving I thought it was really grooving and I could find myself vibing with a lot of these songs in the future.

3 I like a handful of JLL songs and while this started of pretty strong with solid energy, I was pretty over it by the end. The songs I was excited to hear all were better originally. Nothing special. Favorites: High School Confidential, Great Balls of Fire, Good Golly Miss Molly, Lewis Boogie

3.5 First The Smiths, which was excellent and now this which was pretty good, I’m really starting to buy into this whole morrissey guy. Catchy and interesting to listen to. Some middle stuff that kind of blended together but I think I will be listening to this again.

2.5 The dudes from Green Light would usually play this when we got a used one in and I like it. Smoke on the Water doesn’t really do the rest of the album too much justice. Really pretty heavy for the time it was released but I don’t see myself coming back to it a ton . Favorites: Highway Star, Maybe I’m a Leo, Pictures of Home

5 This is my first favorite right out of the gate, I think. Upon first glance I didn’t think I knew anything on this album and it was such a party. Catchy and unique. Front to back I loved every single song and I will absolutely be buying on vinyl one day.

3.5 I don’t even watch Stranger Things and I know Running Up that hill because of it. Listening to it here I wonder about it’s context in the show. Nevertheless this was pretty okay. I liked a lot of the music but her voice was a little off at times. I could see her unusual style growing on me over time but for now it’s my biggest detractor. Moody and pretty catchy, I’ll probably be listening again. Favorites: Running Up That Hill, Mother Stands for Comfort, Cloudbusting, Jig of Life, The Morning Fog

2.5 This was pretty good. There were definitely high points on this but I feel like it’s too early in their career to have the real heavy hitters on here. There were times especially near the end that I was getting major Queen vibes but it just never quite got there for me. I’ll probably come back to a few of these songs but a lot of the middle stuff isn’t doing it for me. Favorites: Big Eyes, Need Your Love, I Want You to Want Me, Surrender

1.5 I really didn’t care for a lot of this one. It’s like psychedelic country with a yodeling singer. I’m not a lyric person so maybe they were saying some cool stuff but musically this did not hit for me. The build up on Matty Groves was really neat to hear though. Favorites: Come All Ye, Matty Groves

Lmao

3.5 I’m a Stevie Wonder fan for sure but I’d never heard this one. It does t have any of his super hits but after about the 3rd sing in I was really jamming along to it and can see this being a good deep cut album. But still this and not Songs in the Key of Life or Innervisions?

3.5 Right off the bat I was surprised. This is simultaneously nothing like and exactly like what I was expecting. This is what the 60s must’ve sounded like. Really interesting, fun pace for most of it. I can see myself listening again for something different but also safe sounding.

3 Very moody and dark. At first I couldn’t get into the vocals but by the end I was pretty sold. This group seems like they know when to let the music rest in order to earn a catharsis, or in some cases an anti-catharsis. Oldies sound with a the aggression and malignancy that came along with the 90s. Didn’t blow me away but I think I might look into them more when I want a change of pace.

2 I think this is true alternative. It’s not quite anything but it’s also everything. At first I fucking hated it but strangely by the end I was bought into a lot of it. It’s too long for sure. Some songs could use a little monotonous chanting. Not something I’ll ever buy on vinyl but might listen to others by her.

2 Never been huge on The Rolling Stones. They have some hits that I absolutely love but I consider them that: a hits band. I’ve heard a few of their full albums and there are occasionally some deep cuts that I kind of like but as a whole they rarely impress me. This is no different. I adore Sympathy for the Devil and outside of that I found a few on here that I kind of enjoy but nothing too crazy. I kind of like some of the harmonica musings but as a whole it just didn’t have the same energy as Sympathy for the Devil Favorites: Sympathy for the Devil, Parachute Woman, Jigsaw Puzzle

3 I really feel like I don’t have much to say about this one. I listened to it twice and still it failed to leave much of an impression. I feel I enjoyed its slower tender moments a lot but it felt inconsistent. Sometimes it was a rock album, others a psychedelic album. It’s even touched on Jazz noire? Hasn’t aged particularly well, I think. Favorites: Mr. Soul, Expecting to Fly, Everydays, Bluebird, Good Time Boy

3 So I think I’m a closeted Beatles fan. This feels especially apparent after having just listened to Beggar’s Banquet. In my mind the Rolling Stones Vs. Beatles argument is settled. I have actually heard Revolver before because Eleanor Rigby is one of my favorite songs. Like before I think this is a more front side album with it feeling kind of tired near the end. I definitely prefer the early career Beatles before they get overly psychedelic, which you can hear edging it’s way into this album. Sweet, Sad, and hooky enough for me to listen again. I think A Hard Day’s Night was stronger, but marginally.

2 Obv I’ve heard the song Faith before but I’m definitely more of a WHAM! guy. I know this album is beloved and I’d always meant to listen to it, so needless to say I was pretty excited to see it pop up today. Faith is still a great (if not a touch dated) song but it doesn’t seem indicative of the album as a whole. Fitting somewhere in between Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson, George Michael’s voice is just as immaculate here as in any WHAM! song I’ve heard. lyrically however it leaves a bit to be desired. Here we have another example of 80s/90s pop being all “ooga booga let’s fuck” with all the nuance and subtlety as a shotgun blast to the face. Musically it didn’t start picking up until One More Try. After that it was a lot less boring until the last bit, which just became kinda creepy. All in all not super impressed. I’d rather listen to Queen, MJ or WHAM! Favorites: Faith, One More Try, Hard Day

I’m so frustrated that this is the Supertramp album that we get first. Breakfast in America is one of my all-time favorites and kicks the ever loving teeth out of Crime of the Century but here we are. 4.5 Anyway, with that said this is still a very good album in its own right. It still has a lot of the themes of anxiety in youth and change, like in BiA, but it feels like they haven’t committed to it yet. This album is a good example of music is the space between the notes. Every time it would start to lose me all of the bullshit would drop out and it would starting building to a grand catharsis. Almost like it was on purpose. Musically, lyrically and thematically this still hits hard, despite not having any well-known heavy hitters on it. I already own on vinyl. That’s how I listened to this one.

4 I admit that I’m not the biggest Bowie fan in the world. That’s not because I don’t like him, it’s more because he has such a vast catalogue of music that I just am not well versed. I’ve heard things here and there but I gotta admit I quite liked this. At first I was a little worried that it was going to sounds too dated but it really found a groove and mood that I dug a lot. Lyrics don’t normally jump out at me but this had a few right off the bat that had me interested. Musically it was equally interesting with a piano forward sound. I would very much like to listen to this one again.

Shout out Fallout: New Vegas! 4 I think I really enjoyed a lot of this. Outlaw country done really well. If you told me this was an influence on Elvis’ music I’d absolutely believe it. There were a few songs where I felt like they were repeating the hook from Big Iron again and one song literally felt like an ad for just water. Outside of that, though, I think I found a direction to start a country journey if I want. Also this album has real Better Call Saul energy. I could imagine Jimmy doing his thing to any one of these songs. Favorites: Big Iron, A Hundred and Sixty Acres, Cool Water, Billy the Kid, Utah Carol, El Paso, The Hanging Tree

4 When I first saw the length I was really concerned. I find rap challenging to begin with and a long one is intimidating to be sure. I’d say for the first few songs my fears were realized, but when I got to “What’s Golden” I felt like the album really found it’s footing. Pointed, clever, catchy. This felt like Sugarhill Gang X NWA (even though I think there’s an NWA diss track on here). I especially liked the bit about the messed up LP. All in all it’s definitely a back half album that I think I’ll be going back to often. Favorites: Everything after “After School Special”

2 This is almost my kind of thing. Some really great lyrics here but musically it left a lot to be desired. The songs all blended together after the second track. I felt like I was anticipating something that either never came or wasn’t satisfying for me. It could’ve gone way harder than it did. Either way I prefer this guy’s work with T Swift way more. Favorites: Sorrow, Bloodbuzz Ohio

2.5 I really wish I had more to say. It’s a slightly above average dream pop album and it’s fine. There were times where the wubby music was really cool but the vocals were such a turn off. The effects made it impossible to hear what she was singing about but the mix was too vocal forward. Could’ve been a lot better. Favorites: The Architect, The Lightning Back

4 I really dig funk music. It just feels so cool and smooth. Sly and the Family Stone prove they are among the best in funk. When I listen to Soul/Funk I always listen to the drums and bass first and in both cases they’re on fire throughout. This also has the blown out soul fried vocals that I love. Varied enough to stay interesting and cool enough to get me to listen again. Favorites: Luv N Haight, Poet, There’s a Riot Goin On, Time, Space Cowboy

5 One of my absolute favorite albums and my gateway into hardcore punk. I love the speed and cynicism that drenched this album. The bass is off the hook here, along with the drums. There was recently a new mix of this by Chris Lord-Alge and people hate it. Anyway we wouldn’t have so many awesome punk groups if it wasn’t for this album. Favorites: Kill the Poor, When Ya Get Drafted, Let’s Lynch the Landlord, Drug Me, Your Emotions, Chemical Warfare, California Über Alles, Holiday in Cambodia

2.5 I have to be honest for an album that I enjoyed so much while listening, I’m surprised it didn’t leave more of a lasting impression. It had a cool sound but nothing remarkable. Plus idk why Frank Black creeps me out. I definitely feel like I need to listen again because I can’t pick out any particular favorites despite enjoying well enough.

3.5 So, I’m actually surprised by how much of this was…coherent. Almost good even. At best it’s really catchy and well paced but at worst it’s like sleepy country music.

2.5-3 I’ve heard of Echo and the Bunnymen because Ghost covered one of their songs, so I was interested in listening to more of the OG. I’m completely and totally whelmed by this album. It sounds like another band that I couldn’t quite put my finger on (The Clash maybe?) . Anyway it doesn’t sound anything like I expected based on the Ghost song. But not in a great way. It was fine. Some really cool bass licks here and there, some pretty broody lyrics that I kind of liked but I just can’t imagine this leaving much of a lasting impression. Idk. Whelmed.

I dropped the ball on the last two albums. Sorry, guys. Anyways, 4.5 I admit I’d never heard this album all the way through either, and like with Hunky Dory I loved almost everything off of this. It had a lot of the rock and roll shit that I love The Who for but with a light psych twist. I’ll be listening again and probably buying on vinyl

2 Man, this one was kinda boring. It’s indie pop alternative and it all sounds the same to me. Occasionally they flirt with doing some cool stuff but they ultimately devolve back into the “one-and-two-and” rhythms that get old sooo fast. Favorites: War on War, Jesus. etc

4.5 Lush, luxurious and flashy. This is the epitome of 80’s rich people pop. You can almost imagine fashion shows using this music. I’m a big fan of the song West End Girls since it was in GTA V and these guys always sold at Green Light so I’m not surprised I enjoyed most of this. By the end of the first song I found myself singing along. Aside from some boring bits in the middle, I think this is a super cool 80’s timepiece. Favorites: One More Chance, What Have I Done To Deserve This?, Rent, It’s a Sin, I Want to Wake Up, King’s Cross

2.5 This is more my style of indie pop alternative. Catchy melodies and clear vocals. Sadly it doesn’t last. It gets too samey and for me by the end. The vibe is very Radiohead and the vocals remind of Civil Twilight but with little punch behind the music. I feel like I’m missing something with this kind of genre. I can’t seem to engage.

1 I really don’t get this. While it isn’t as folky as I was afraid it would be, there still isn’t much for me here. I was so bored. I haven’t got much else to say.

4.5 Here is another album that separates the boys from the men. This album is easy to credit a big part of my punk/new wave love as it was influential to both genres. This is The Clash at their most well tuned. It’s not as experimental as Sandinista and it’s not as shitty as Cut the Crap. It edges on just a bit too long for me but that’s by maybe one song. I absolutely do own this on vinyl. Love it.

3 EJ has a lot of albums and only some of them are all-time greats. This is the worst of those (that I’ve heard). Tiny Dancer is still a great song and deserves all of the love it gets and Levon is a great title track but the rest is fine. Nothing remarkable for EJ but it’s the album with Tiny Dancer so it makes the list.

2 Never heard of Suede before this so I was curious but cautious. Pretty much right off the bat I knew this was going to be interesting. Soaring and catchy I can hear their influence immediately. They reminded me a lot of REM (though I know they were contemporaries). The album does go through a bit of a lull after Heroine though, which isn’t really picked up again until New Generation. Too much of nothing to be something. I can really only see myself listening to the first few songs again. Favorites: Introducing the Band, We Are the Pigs, Heroine

3 It’s a lot better than I thought it would be but it’s still not something I would listen to often. I like a lot of the lyrics here but I feel like if I wasn’t reading along with them I really would t find much here to like. It sounds like Bob Dylan through and through, for better or worse. Favorites: Like a Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues, Ballad of a Thin Man, Highway 61 Revisited

4.5 I was already a pretty big fan of the hits on this album, but I’d never heard much outside of those. I’m very happy with what I heard by the end. Classic southern rock and fuckin’ roll! It has a nostalgic sound that I think has aided it in aging as well as it has. Nice and moving pace that is mostly consistent outside of one or two tracks. I definitely like this enough to buy on vinyl if I find it.

4.5 Short, sweet and to the point. Exactly how I like my punk. It’s astonishing how influential this album (and LC, of course) has been on punk rock and music in general. Punk can be catchy and fun but still be punk. If I hadn’t heard London Calling first this would be an easy contender for #1 favorite Clash album. This album deserves all of the praise it gets. Will probably buy on vinyl.

2.5 I’m usually down with soul music but there was something disappointingly boring about this. Maybe it’s an attempt at being more tender, but other times it’s very political. I’m not sure what my mood is supposed to be by the end. Occasionally a song might have more of a groove than others and the talent is undeniable but I just can’t imagine when I would listen to anything off this. Rating it higher because I really want to like it more than I do, sadly. Favorites: Run, Charlie, Run; Mother Nature, Do Your Thing was okay.

4.5 I gotta be honest, when I saw Tracy Chapman pop up I dreaded listening to it. I always assumed she was in the same category as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and other singer-songwriters. My mistake was confusing singer-songwriter with folk music. This album rocked. The subject matter immediately caught my attention with themes of revolution, poverty and yearning. All things which are still prominent today. The whole experience is wrapped in catchy hooks. I really liked this, I’ll listen again and buy on vinyl if I find it.

5 Buzzcocks are definitely one of my favorite English punk bands. There’s something about the pace and production of this music that is almost addictive to listen to. This album has almost all of my favorites by Buzzcocks, too. This is the kind of album that reminds me of exactly why I love punk music.

4.5 I’m very nostalgic for a lot of blues music because it’s what my dad would always play when I was growing up. It’s safe to say that my musical foundations are built on the blues. Though I’ve never heard any of John Mayall’s music it reminds me of the blues that I grew up on. I can almost imagine myself with my parents back at Blues Fest or 411 Club watching master blues men practicing their craft again. Less anecdotally but no less subjectively this is a really fun album. It’s improvisational but not to the point where it sounds jazzy. There are songs here that sound like what I imagine the Beatles would sound like if they were more talented musicians. Other times I hear the same building blocks that built The Who. This is exactly the kind of blues rock that originally got me interested in music and I really loved it.

5 I realized while listening to this that I don’t have any Ram Ones on vinyl. I feel so nostalgic about Ramones. They are the second punk band that I ever loved (more on that later) thanks primarily to the Anthology CD that I borrowed from y’all. That is truly one of the best career summaries I’ve ever heard and I still listen to the (now digital) version of it quite often. This album was the backdrop for many gaming experiences, namely of course Halo on legendary with Luke. I could talk about this shit all day so I’ll end with this: while writing this review I called Green Light and put it on order. It’s 100% worth buying on vinyl and I cannot wait for it to come in.

2 Last time we had a Paul Simon album I wasn’t particularly impressed. I liked the poppy African styles but it didn’t do much to set itself apart. This album is no different. There is just nothing here for me to grasp on to. Basic lyrics, basic guitar and instrumentation in general really make this feel like a slog. There seem to be halfhearted attempts to branch out to different genres but they all feel so shallow and in distinct. As with Graceland I feel like the lyrics were written before the music and there was no attempt to match Rhythm or pace. I really only liked the bluesy songs. I can take or leave all others. Favorites: Peace Like a River, Paranoia Blues

2.5 I’m generally pretty hit or miss when it comes to the Beatles. Lately I’ve been leaning more towards hit as I’ve enjoyed the last few albums we’ve listened to (short of most of the white album). ‘With The Beatles’, however, despite having a few of my favorite Beatles singles, is mostly a miss for me. This is the first time that the bubble gum love songs sounded really phoned in and formulaic. Maybe I’d feel differently if I was a teenage girl in the 60s, sadly though, I’m not. I never felt like I was the target audience. Also, most of the time no one sounded like they were quite on the same page, nor were they performing very well in general. The cover of ‘Please Mr. Postman’ is iconic, but ELO did roll over Beethoven waaay better. The back half is a cool break in the formula, depicting internal conflicts of new and old loves, which is when I felt like the album made any real attempt to branch out and relate to its audience. By the time it was over, I feel like it ended right when it was getting started, leaving me mostly disappointed. Favorites: It Won’t Be Long, All My Loving, Please, Mr. Postman, Hold Me Tight, Devil in Her Heart

3.5 It’s hard to be a music junkie and not know of Janis Joplin. She’s often cited as being one of the most important and influential figures in music and is famously part of the 27 club, leaving many to wonder what could have been. I guess I’d never actually (knowingly) heard a Janis Joplin song because this is way more rocking than I thought it would be. As usual I figured it would be the slow folksy side of the 60s but to my surprise it’s way closer to the rock n roll blues side of the 60s. Musically I’m reminded so much of Led Zeppelin. Despite showing its age a little and ultimately being nothing I’ve never heard before, I really enjoyed this. It’s well done classic rock and roll and I would probably buy on vinyl if I find it cheap enough.

5 It’s tough to put my feelings about Oasis into words. Like Luke, I want to save most of my thoughts for when (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? eventually shows up on here so I guess I’ll be brief. I love this album. This one grew on me over the years but songs like “Supersonic” and “Live Forever” have been permanent staples of my in-head jukebox since I first heard them. I still remember driving home from school and thinking “damn, I really like ‘Married with Children” or how I had the CD from the library for over 3 months past it’s due date (I’m still paying that fine off). Point is this is an important band and album to me. There are others that are more so by Oasis but this stands proudly amongst my all time faves.

3 Bauhaus has been on my perpetual listen list for years. I think I first heard of them from the blink-182 song, so I figured it would be punky or at least influential to punk. I think there’s about half to 3/4 of a good album here, with the best parts sounding like Joy Division if they got the chance to continue with Ian Curtis, and without the impending doom of what we all know is to come. There’s some really interesting instrumentation going on with some equally interesting and dark lyrics, shown best during Hollow Hills, which paints an insanely grim and haunted picture. Kick In The Eye feels like the shot in the veins the album needed, but the energy felt short-lived. Everything past Man with the X-Ray Eyes I could take or leave. I can sort of see why people like this band so much but I doubt it’s their best work. The experimental song is neat, but I think I was just exhausted by the album’s length/complexity by the time the end came around. Where Joy Division feels like a funeral march, this feels like a party at the graveyard. Favorites: Hair of the Dog, The Passion of Lovers, Of Lillies and Rainbows, Hollow Hills

5 I absolutely did not expect this to be hip hop nor did I expect it to grab my attention right off the bat. The subject matter throughout reminds me of NWA and Eminem and subverts my expectations at seemingly every chance it gets. The beats and samples are so cool and distinct enough that I can easily tell the difference between songs but never so distinct as to betray the style of the album. Low-key and smooth, this has that pure 90s sound that would fit in perfectly on a Tony Hawk soundtrack (may have been on one, honestly). Front to back I loved this. This is exactly the type of album that made me want to do this challenge in the first place. My appreciation of hip hop is now a bit deeper.

2 Had to piece this one out into two sittings and I’m really glad I did because I very much enjoyed this album. It’s not top 10 material or anything but I had a nice time listening. I was especially entertained by “Intro” which is decidedly not the intro to anything and is pretty funny. This leads me to my primary complaint which is that I don’t know what I’m supposed to take seriously. Is it all of it? None of it? If it’s only some how do I know which ones? Also it’s length. I don’t remember much about the Todd Rundgren album we had but I’m pretty sure I like this one more probably?

2 Really sleek. Low key but addictive. Twinkly synths that reminds me a lot of Duran Duran and Pet Shop Boys. I always think of it as rich people music. High-fashion, runway kind of shit. Aside from that it’s a pretty standard 80’s sound that the aforementioned bands both did dramatically better. It was entertaining enough but it absolutely won’t leave a lasting impression. Further proof that all that glitters is not gold. Pretty boring by the end.

3 Growing up this has never been my favorite Eminem album but as I’ve aged I’ve come to appreciate a few more tracks on this one. It’s one of those “why don’t I listen to this more?” kind of album for me. “My Name Is” and “Guilty Conscience” are all time Shady classics but there are also songs like “As The World Turns” and “Bad Meets Evil” which are very nostalgic for me. I think this is the first Eminem album with Dr. Dre producing and you can feel his style all over the place here. Classic and aggressive, this is really only a taste of what’s to cum (get it? It’s on theme.)

4.5 This album really goes hard holy shit. You can really hear how this album influenced all metal going forward. Particularly Ian Gillan on wailing vocals, which had to inspire the likes of Bruce Dickinson and Ritchie Blackmore fucking shredding in a way that almost sounds like Avenged Sevenfold at times. An absolute blast with a really solid pace. I’ll be listening to this often and revisiting Machine Head as well. This also so much like the music from That 70’s Show that I can’t help but love it. Favorites: Speed King, Bloodsucker, Child In Time, Living Wreck, Hard Lovin’ Man

4 This isn’t really what I expected. This is a case where the solo work doesn’t sound much like the band they came from. Often times that can be to the artist’s detriment (Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, Adam Ant) but in this case I think it really adds to Iggy Pop’s sound. Low key and catchy. I can see myself putting this on to chill out after work. Apparently this is produced by David Bowie and I can really tell. It has a weird but razor focused sound that I hear in Bowie’s work. This album honestly is a must listen for Bowie fans as much as it is for Iggy Pop fans. It has his style all over it. Really good stuff here from a few master class musicians and it shows. Favorites: Sister Midnight, Nightclubbing, China Girl, Dum Dum Boys.