The album opens extremely strong with great giutar riffs in the opener and a real momentum is created over the first two tracks.
Unfortunately this momentum is killed by some of the most criminal track sequencing I've ever heard. The one two punch of Changes and FX drags on and kills the energy of the album just as it is getting started. I actually think changes is a nice, introspective track but it's a bit too long and seriously should be a closer or a mid-album break and not the third track.
Snowblind is a very epic midpoint with a great guitar solo. It's well placed as this grand ceterpoint of the album with more excellent guitar work.
The back half of the album drags a little with a slight lack of energy although I did like the way Cornocopia evolved over the course of the song. I thought the instrumental outro at the end of the closing song was a good way to end the album.
The 2nd Black Sabbath album I've listened to and it was another pretty good one. Some great tracks like Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener and Snowblind but the track sequencing was unforgivable and really hurt the album experience for me.
3.5
Very glad I got this. Really need to familiarise myself with jazz more and this was the next album on my list.
Shh/Peaceful is a track with real purpose and groove that builds and holds the listeners attention even over its runtime. What I find very clever is how minimal each instrument is but they are all played with a lot of purpose and they work really well together. No one instrument is ever played in a way that crowds out the others or played in a strained way which gives the track a really relaxed feel. The drumming is a real highlight for me.
In a silent way is another very chilled track which once again utilises simplicity and repetition to give the song purpose and momentum.
It builds to these grand moments where all of the instruments come together over a catchy keboard section. Davis builds the tenion excellently with the trumpet between these moments which are used sparingly to keep to listener wanting more.
I also like the way the track begins with this quiet section and then returns to it at the end. It gives the feeling that this buzz of the main part of the track comes and goes but the listener is left with the peace of their own mind. That said I'm not as in love with the beginning/end section as the rest of the song as it is verging on aimlessness but I think it serves enough of a purpose that I'll forgive it.
I'm really not a jazz person but this gripped me in a way I've never had in the genre before so much so I had go listen to it again straight away. A perfect album for a lazy morning or a quiet evening, it has a real aura of tranquility and mindfulness. Every note seems intentional and in harmony with eachother and I can see the real development into Jazz fusion with the rest of the band being just as crucial as Davis himself. Will definitely be coming back to this and seeing how it grows on me.
4.5
Modern life is Rubbish, is rubbish. I'd take any Oasis album over this.
I cannot stand Damon Albarn's voice throught his entire blur career. His vocals improved massively in Gorillaz where he is more chilled out.
If I had to pick any highlights it would be Advert and Chemical World as tolerable tracks.
1.5
A pretty enjoyable listen. Drumming surprisingly good and its mixed very well for its time and of course the synths can be excellent at time as you would expect for a synthpop album.
For me the issue is that the songs are all very similar so it drags a lot on the back half. Cars is a legendary single but it doesn't really come together as an album as most of the tracks are forgettable.
Highlights: Airlane, Tracks, Cars
3.5
What a fun little album. Bobby really knows how to have a party and he doesn't overstay his welcome at all.
Womack has an unusally charming voice that he uses to great effect and he really sounds like he's enjoying himself. He's supported by a strong cast of backing musicians as well, I particularly enjoyed the groovy bass lines and the great backing vocals as is so often a staple of the genre.
I will say It does feel like an album you put on when you're in the mood to dance but I don't feel it has the memorability to make it a truely great album.
Standout tracks: So Many Sides Of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now
3.5
Not an album I was expecting to see on this list. As someone who grew up listening almost exlusively to bands like the Arctic Monkeys and a lot of random noughties landfill indie I'm very familiar with this already.
As I think was common with a lot of the indie rock of the time, this album is a few strong singles and a lot of filler, although maybe I'm being a bit harsh as there's nothing really terrible on here.
The musicianship is solid and Turner and Kane write relateable songs full of their classic northern charm. I do also think this album is trying to be cool and it pulls it off well which is quite hard to do intentionally.
That said I struggle to give this a high score. It was better than I remembered but I can name at least 5 Alex Turner projects I like more than this. I don't think the hooks are strong enough to be memorable and a few of the songs are underbaked especially in the back half with songs like In My Room and Time Has Come Again sounding like the duo are just going through the motions and hoping something sticks.
Highlights: The Age of The Understatement, Standing Next To Me, Seperate And Ever Deadly.
I'm not too sure what to say about this album. I've never been a big fan of this grungy alt rock that was popular in the 90's.
Musically it sounds fine if a bit derivative. Maybe I've just listened to too much modern music to apprieciate that this was quite fresh for the 90's but I don't think the production has held up particularly well.
Where it really loses me is the vocals. Lyrically very wishy-washy and I find her vocals very annoying. In way she gives the the impression she's the sort of person to complain about literally everything and it rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's an unfair comparison but if you put PJ Harvey over the same instrumentation I'd probably enjoy this a lot more.
I get this album but it just wasn't for me.
2.5
Even though I'm a modern pop apologist, this album is still very mediocre.
It's a very clean album but probably to a fault.
Highlights: Butterflies, Happy and Sad, Rainbow.
2.5
Enjoyed this more than I expected. Didn't have anything that blew me away but was just solidly fun throughout.
Lost a bit of steam in the 2nd half but it does seem like this may have been intentional. Either way it meant the last few tracks were a bit of a slog.
3.5
Jay-Z has never been my favourite rapper and I don't think this album has aged particularly well but it's a perfect example of the exactly what hip-hop wanted to be at the start of the decade.
Lyrically HOV is on the top of his game and he has a presence. This album is him declaring he's on top and I find it hard to argue against that.
The beats are not particularly but they do suit the grand ambitions and the NYC identity of the album.
Overall just a great listen. He's still not personally one of my favourite rappers as I don't find his music particularly exciting or suprising but he is incredibly dependable and I have to give him credit for that.
A massive slog to listen to. Nothing really grabbed me at all.
2
What?
This was a snoozefest
As I expected a very groovy release. Definitely worth a listen but didn't quite grab me as I would have wanted.
I really feel the people who make these lists are really out of touch with what is relevant past the mid 00's.
Listened to this before and as I remembered it's pleasant but forgettable.
Never got into this one. Bowie has a lot better in him before and after this.
This was a great listen. I've been meaning to give The Roots a proper chance for a while.
The rapping was excellent and I really loved how well they incorporated rock into their sound. The seed is a clear standout track, heard it in passing before but it really blew me away.
Sadly the album drags a bit on the back end and loses focus, could definitely do with cutting a few tracks.
Will definitely be digging further into their discography after this.
I like trains
Never been able to get into this. Obviously very influential but don't think it has aged well at all.
Compared to the yesterdays listen of Trans-Europa Express by Kraftwerk, this album is lacking any direction and just feels like they got way too excited on the synths but had no real interesting ideas. Kraftwerk meanwhile created an exciting world with a lot of purpose that has aged excellently and came out 12 years earlier.
In reality I probably enjoyed this a 2 but I'll give it a 3 out of respect for it's influence and for Personal Jesus which is head and shoulders above anything else on here.
Really solid album. Love the dark atmosphere and you can hear Bowie all over it.
Not very interesting
The synths are so out of place here it is really strange
Having listened to the Idiot earlier this week, this is a big step down from that. It doesn't have much atmosphere and the production is a lot less interesting.
Really solid political jazz album
A really strong release. He really makes the covers his own.
What a fun album. So much energy and each track flows with a purpose.
I've found it really hard to decide between giving this a 4 or a 5 but I think it has to be the 5. There's no real weak spots on here and it sounds miles ahead of his time. I'm really excited to give this a bunch more listens.
Smooth and charming. A lovely album.
Really close to giving it a 5 but it just needed something extra to blow me away to get there.
Very chill but not quite interesting enough
Not quite as good as the other Kraftwerk I've listened to (Trans-Europa Express) but it's still Kraftwerk and it's still great.
I honestly dismissed this album too quickly when it's actually really solid with some of their best tunes like High and Dry and Just.
The album gives off real frustrated teenager energy which sounds like it could be a bad thing but it balances it perfectly with the more introspective moments of the records. It really feels like an album of maturing in multiple ways.
Of course radiohead would go on to change up their sound again multiple times after this and pushing the boundaries of music but this is the album where radiohead nailed the alternative rock sound of the time and it's definitely a great listen.
This is such a great record and easily my favourite from Arcade Fire.
It's lyrically very tight and works great as a front to back album. It potrays the feeling of being stuck in the suburban sprawl and yearning to escape and be something greater but still loving home anyway because it's what you know.
Musically it's energetic and danceable and the production is very clear. They really nail the Arcade Fire formula here with great tension building and larger than life moments.
Easy 5 for me.
Wow, what an album. Hayes makes these 4 tracks his own in this proggy soul album.
His version of walk on by has to be one of the best songs I've ever heard. It sprawls over the 12 minute runtime perfectly, creating this grand masterpiece.
The other 3 tracks are excellent as well. Hayes has such a strong presence and a great voice. The album cover is very charming as well.
A true gem and an easy 5.
If there's one thing I'm not interested in it's generic pop albums from the past
I'll be honest I wasn't feeling like relistening to this album so I put on their new album that came out today instead. Probably a mistake as it was a huge waste of time.
Yeah I really just couldn't give two shits about Muse. Possibly the most uncool band on the planet.
A very pleasant listen. Had only heard Fast Car before so I was excited to listen to the whole thing and it did not dissapoint.
The songwriting is excellent and Chapman has a real way with words that allows her to get her message across.
Maybe a 5 is a little generous as it didn't blow me away but I can't really find anything to critisise.
It's fine but there's a lot that sounds like it out there
Sounds very good for its time but not my kinda thing
Not my usual kind of thing but this is clearly a top top quality album
Yawn
A lot of fun
I was being edgy and relistened to this yesterday for obvious reasons.
This has always been an absolute classic for me. The juxtaposition of Morrisey's grim, helpless lyricism against the jangley instrumentation is a perfect combination and this album stands head and shoulders above the rest of their discography as the one where they really nail the formula over the entire track list, which contains no duds.
The energetic title track opener is such a great way to kick the album off and really lets you know what to expect for the next 40 minutes. The lyrics are designed to shock and I really love the drumming here that gives the track the dramatic pace to kick the album into gear.
I have a real soft spot for Cemetry Gates with it's excellent wordplay around famous writing and poetry. Morrisey really delivers his message about plagiarism in a unique way. Marr's guitar work is brilliant here and throughout the entire album. There is something so charming about the tone that I just love.
I can't not also mention There is a light. The beautifully hopeless lyrics and the quirky but sombre instrumentation comes together to create something really special. One of the greatest songs ever written.
RIP Liz, fuck Morrisey.
Some of the best Ska I've ever heard, not that that means much. A thouroughly enjoyable experience and one I may come back to in the future. A message to you Rudy is a huge highlight.
As with most yeah yeah yeahs material, it's good but it doesn't blow you away.
I love Q-Tip in a tribe but this is just lacking a lot of the crisp beats and flow of his best work
Better than its contemporaries but something I have no interest in listening to more than once.
Yikes
I don't really care for Led Zep and this album is a bit too long
Not a single redeeming quality
I've come to hate britpop but this had a bit more punch than I expected. Probably better than Urban Hymns but both could do with cutting 1/3rd of the tracks and making a listenable album experience.
Very nice :)
If you wrote an album to be exactly what I didn't want to hear in music, it wouldn't be half as bad as this. The most uninspired garbage I've ever heard. Safe and unexciting.
Not really my kind of thing but it does what it sets out to do very well making it a fun and authentic listen. A few duds but Jane Says is a classic track. I think I'll be generous and give it a 4 for being influential and a great album cover, worth a listen for sure.
A very cohesive album, definitely worth a listen.
This album is a vibe with very danceable beats. That said M.I.A's rapping is a bit hit or miss as she sometimes gets drowned out and she can be a bit repetitive at times which doesn't really work for me.
A real moody and emotional affair, you can feel the teenage angst all throughout the tracklist, melodrama is a perfect title. The story telling here is very relatable whilst still remaining personal and interesting.
The real highlight for me is the the anthemic opener Green Light with its thumping drums and catchy piano melody. A fantastic pop song in so many ways.
The rest of the album is consistently great as well. The intrumentation is used intelligently throughout with tracks never sounding too busy but still interesting. I particularly love the horn section on sober and Lorde's hushed vocals work well throughout - a vocal style that has become very popular in recent years.
I'd go as far as to say Melodrama is probably the best mainstream pop album of the 2010's. While her debut arguably had a bigger cultral impact, this was her creative peak.
This was a fun one.
I've tried a few times but this band just does nothing for me.
Very solid and clearly influential. A lot has come out since that has expanded on this sound that makes it sound a bit dated nowadays.
Terrible music for terrible people
Music for 12 year olds. Sadly I couldn't finish it.
The instrumentation sounds incredibly good for its time.
Could have been a lot worse. Consistently fine but not a lot stood out.
I really need to be listening to more Spiritualized. They have such a unique sound.
Not the best Marley I've heard but it's Marley and it's great all the way through.
It took me a while to formulate my thoughts on this one as it's an album I find very hard to rate. On one hand this is very clearly a step down from her best but it's still a Kate Bush album and still a great one. It doesn't have the wild experimentation of The Dreaming or the grand pop tunes of Hounds of Love but it does have consistently great Kate bush songwriting throughout with excellent personal and touching lyrics. Not 5/5 in the context of her discography but in the wider world of music I think I'll just about give it a 5.
The thing that impresses me most about London Calling is how there is 19 tracks and none of them are bad. A little bit overrated but it's definitely a classic and worthy of 5/5 on the strength of a track like London Calling alone.
Clearly the talent runs in the family. A fantastic album.
This is a vibe.
Wow. A masterclass in quality sampling and beats that go hard. A lot of the boom bap of the time that I love (A tribe / Wu-tang etc) clearly draws on this a lot, not sure why I hadn't given them a listen before as this is just as good as their contemporaries. I'm looking forwards to hearing the rest of their discography now.
A truely great psych pop album
Goes hard but the vocalist is so bad...
A fantastic album. Didn't get a chance to relisten to it but I've listened to it recently and loved it.
I find that the wave of Indie Folk that this was part of can either work really well or fall completely flat for me and not much in between. Fortunately the phsycadelic vocal harmonies and the grand moments on this album really work for me and make it stand far above not only the rest of Grizzly Bears discography but one of my favourite albums of that era.
What I love about this album is how well it injects pop melodies into the Grizzly Bear sound while keeping interesting sonic textures and unpredictability. Do I think this album has/will age particularly well? Possibly not, but I still think it's a standout example of the sound of the time and one I'll keep coming back to.
Very classic jangly post-punk sound
Pretty good but not their best
This was really strange and uninteresting
I'm not sure I can think of any album as universally enjoyable as Pet Sounds. If you told me you didn't at least appreciate this album I'd be a bit concerned. The influence of the Beach Boys is also undeniable, there is a reason the term "Beach Boys Harmonies" is so frequently heard.
God only knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice are absolutely huge singles and you'd be forgiven for describing this as a singles album but then you relisten and remember the rest of the tracks are pretty great too.
Not my favourite album but on balance deserving of the classic status.
I'm glad this was less than 30 minutes as if it was any longer it would have been a tough listen.
I had to consider it for a bit but this is definitely a 5. Such a charming and comforting album and King has a beatiful voice. Consistent throughout with a sound that really went on to define the soft rock / folk pop genre and make large waves in the mainstream.
I love the tracks I Feel The Earth Move and Its Too Late but I have to admit I favour the James Taylor version of You've Got A Friend a little bit more.
Overly long with way too many songs and some that go on for too long without really getting anywhere. At least what is here is pleasant but it could be a much better record at 1/3rd of the runtime.
This is a great listen. Could definitely do with trimming down a bit but it has some undeniable bangers.
A thrash classic but not one I particularly enjoy and weaker than the other meticallica I've heard. Very hot take but for me metal is a genre improved by modern production and a lot (but definitely not all) of modern metal is a lot more creative than this, although I respect its massive influence in providing a gateway and bringing metal to the mainstream.
Guided by Voices are a band that favour the quantity over quality approach which usually makes their albums a bit hard to listen to in full but this is a great album and somehow manages to stay cohesive despite having many short songs. The songs are catchy and fun while never overstaying their welcome.
Curtis Mayfield is a true legend and just consistently great. Usually being a soundtrack will detract from the strength of an album but that's not the case at all here. Huge credit to the production here as well, the drums really stand out. I was going to give this a 4 for a while but I'm just struggling to see how this isn't a 5.
Very chill but I don't really care for it all that much.
Solid, dependable music but not as great as some will make out.
Coldplay when they were just ok rather than offensively bad. I think this very slightly worse than their debut as well.
The classic sabbath record. A classic that has become a boilerplate for a lot of metal but it's starting to sound a bit dated to me and I find it a bit predictable which is a shame because it's good music.
Truely iconic. Does an excellent job of capturing life for a lot of brits.
Can I say Simz is the greatest female rapper of all time yet? Maybe not but I think she will be by the time her career is over. On the technical side she is a great rappper but where she really shines is her personal lyricism and ability to deliver a message. I don't think this is her best project, mainly down to the beats not being as ambitious as her later projects.
If I got SIMBI or NO THANK YOU (and there will likely be more in the future) here this would be an easy 5 but I don't think this is the project where she nails it. If you haven't listened to the rest of her catalogue yet though you need to fix that immediately.
The iconic Christmas album. It's a 5/5 when it comes to Christmas music (The Low Christmas Album is the only one I've heard that betters it) but can I give a 5 to something I put on once a year at most? Seems wrong but I'll do it anyway.
A great album. The title track is a classic.
Probably my favourite Floyd album. Love how focused and cohesive the album is to give a complete experience.
Nivrana doing nirvana things for an hour.
Undeniably fun throughout
Not quite loveless
Phenominal album, I love how personal and touching her storytelling is throughout. You won't find many songs better than Silent all these years.
