Sep 03 2025
Fine Line
Harry Styles
My first album on the user submitted list is a admittedly a dud. Sure this is super polished modern pop music, and I can say that it is that. But beyond that I can't say much, there is nothing here that catches me the way pop music should. I think Harry is obviously very talented but I have always felt like he plays it safe and holds back when it comes to his songs. This is all pretty forgettable.
2
Sep 04 2025
Grand Prix
Teenage Fanclub
I am only familiar with earlier Teenage Fanclub and this had an unexpected different feel to it. Not as noisy and rough around the edges as the earlier stuff, but a much brighter and janglier power pop. Not to say one is better than the other as Teenage Fanclub just crafts excellent songs. Really enjoyed hearing a different side of them, and really enjoyed this record.
4
Sep 05 2025
Cor-Crane Secret
Polvo
Firmly in the guitar driven indie rock of the early 90s. I have always heard Polvo was worth listening to so was intrigued to see this pop up. Sounds exactly out of the time and place it came from. Inventive and interesting, but also a bit more brittle and artful than the heavy hitting guitar driven indie rock bands from the same time. Regardless, I enjoyed this enough, Polvo seems cool.
4
Sep 06 2025
Fuzz
Chucklehead
I had never heard of this band which is not surprising given that they seem like a pretty niche regional 90s funk band. I am not a good judge of what is good and what isn't when it comes to funk, as it's never really spoke to me. I'm sure this is good as far as 90s funk, but it's not for me.
2
Sep 07 2025
Silence Yourself
Savages
I think in the 2010 post punk genre, this stands out as super solid. A great representation of that time and style for sure. Really enjoyed this.
4
Sep 08 2025
King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
King Tubby
Probably one of the quintessential dub albums out there. Feels like it's just cooked in to everything that's come since. Excellent record.
5
Sep 09 2025
1, 2, Kung Fu!
Boy Azooga
Had never heard of this artist at all. More fun and moved a bit more than I was expecting when I saw the "Dream Pop" genre affixed with it. I enjoyed this for sure.
4
Sep 10 2025
Oncle Jazz
Men I Trust
This album is pure dreamy bedroom indie pop, and it's also super long. It's good for sure, but not really my thing, and it drags on a bit too long.
3
Sep 11 2025
Don't Say No
Billy Squier
I saw Billy Squier open for Styx and Bad Company when I was in high school probably 25 years ago now. Styx was incredible and at this point I don't remember much else from that show. This album at the same time seems to be entirely familiar and entirely ordinary. I feel like I have heard of all of these songs so many times, but they all sound kind of the same, and just kind of sound like ubiquitous inoffensive rock music from the late 70s/early 80s.
2
Sep 12 2025
A Deeper Understanding
The War On Drugs
I first heard this band on the original list, and this album did nothing to change my understanding of them, but just further enhanced it. I liked this album even less because of that. I get why people love this stuff, it sounds like an amalgamation of Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen to me, with some Paul Simon thrown in there. Just straight boring heartland rock tropes. Not for me at all, but it's pleasant and very safe and non-confrontational.
1
Sep 13 2025
Romance
Fontaines D.C.
Definitely have been aware of Fontaines D.C. for a bit but hadn't checked them out yet. Decent and fun enough. Kind of some more poppy shoegaze. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
3
Sep 14 2025
What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?
The Vaccines
This felt like a pretty middle of the road forgettable catchy indie album from the 2010s. A dime a dozen for sure.
2
Sep 15 2025
Blink-182
blink-182
With this shitty art work I assumed this was the debut album from blink-182. Was surprised to learn that wasn't the case. This is definitely a bit different than what I know them for, but different does not equate to better. This was a slog and entirely forgettable.
1
Sep 16 2025
Recipe for Hate
Bad Religion
I used to be very in to Bad Religion when I was teenager, and it's been forever since I've listened to them. That melodic 90s punk hits so right. Really enjoyed this. A classic album for sure.
4
Sep 17 2025
Shack-man
Medeski, Martin & Wood
I always assumed this group was like a bluegrass jam band. I don't know why, maybe just a generalization based on the type of people that I thought were in to them. This is definitely some crunchy fusion jazz though. Not my cup of tea by any means, but they are obviously talented and great at what they do.
3
Sep 18 2025
For Emma, Forever Ago
Bon Iver
I have never listened to Bon Iver before and this is more or less what I expected, but man is it so much worse than I would expected. This type of music just brings up so many negative connotations with that time and scene. Even trying to contextualize it is difficult, I understand he may have been early on with this before it became more ubiquitous, but it just feels so pretentious and empty to me. I just can't.
1
Sep 19 2025
In Between Dreams
Jack Johnson
Everything about this just evokes such a specific time and place that I want nothing to do with. This whole vibe is just so empty and vapid. I can't take this seriously.
1
Sep 20 2025
I And Love And You
The Avett Brothers
I had always assumed I would not like The Avett Brothers, no real reason why. Figured this would come up on this user list, since people seem to like them. I see this was produced with the guiding hand of Rick Rubin which already makes me skeptical. This was fine I guess, felt pretty hallow and empty and forgettable, but pleasant.
2
Sep 21 2025
Take to the Skies
Enter Shikari
This has been in my backlog for a bit, and I had been holding out since it seems very much not for me and I figured it'd be a slog. All of that proved to be true. This was rough, long, and a slog to get through. Not great at all.
1
Sep 22 2025
Moffou
Salif Keita
This was a hard album to find, but it was truly a gem. Beautiful music and a beautiful voice. Thanks for the introduction.
4
Sep 23 2025
Hall of the Mountain King
Savatage
Very ridiculous and over the top Heavy Metal. Did not know anything about this group. Funny they are connected with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This was about what I expected, fun and inconsequential.
1
Sep 24 2025
Nia
Blackalicious
I was a college kid in the early 2000s, so obviously I have a lot of experience with Blackalicious just being played in the background a lot. It seems fairly ubiquitous in that time and place. That being said, Blackalicious has always been sweet and always been something I enjoyed. It was nice listening to an album separate from that context. Good stuff for sure.
3
Sep 25 2025
Lemonade
Beyoncé
It's obvious immediately that this is a concept album. It's has an ambition and maturity that extends beyond being great pop music. A great listen for listen, if I was going to like a Beyoncé album it would probably be this one.
3
Sep 26 2025
Chocolate Synthesizer
Boredoms
I had it set in my head that my submission to this list would be Super æ. The day I finished this was among the 5 most recently added albums to the user list, so I abandoned that.
I definitely prefer more the spacey trance vibe of Super æ and Vision Creation Newsun, but this album rules so much. Stoked Boredoms are on this list regardless.
5
Sep 27 2025
Witness
Modern Life Is War
Midwest hardcore from the 2000s. This was about what I was expecting it would be. It was fine.
2
Sep 28 2025
Weezer
Weezer
An easy 5 stars. Probably the most universally agreed upon omission from the original list. Egregious to say the least.
This album is nearly perfect, it was huge, had a massive effect on a generation of music afterwards. It's kind of impossible to overstate how important this album. And on top of that it's long been one of my favorite albums. There were so many second and third albums from artists that were questionable to be on the list to begin with. This album's omission kind of undermines any legitimacy of the original list to begin with.
Anyway, I listened to this on vinyl and listened to it loud, like I have done countless times in the last 30 years.
5
Sep 29 2025
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
Brand New
Emo isn't really my thing. It wears on me a bit. This was fine, definitely not my jam, but it was okay to listen to.
2
Sep 30 2025
You & I
Rita Ora
This is certainly a modern dance pop album, which means it certainly did not hit for me.
1
Oct 01 2025
Loss
Mull Historical Society
Scottish indie pop band from the early 2000s I have never heard. This was enjoyable enough, felt like they so many songs were on the verge of being great, but not quite there. Overly long record as well.
3
Oct 02 2025
Maestro
Kaizers Orchestra
Definitely not what I was expecting. Much more eclectic and interesting than I assumed it would be.
3
Oct 03 2025
Souvlaki
Slowdive
A very chill and dreamy shoegaze record from the 90s. Good enough for sure.
3
Oct 04 2025
Home Sweet Home
Kano
British hip hop. Surprised this wasn't on the original list since seemingly getting shortlisted for the Mercury Prize seems to guarantee inclusion. This was fine.
3
Oct 05 2025
Boxer
The National
Never cared to try to get in to this band. I enjoyed this more than the album of theirs that is on the list proper, but this type of indie folk rock revival is not for me.
3
Oct 06 2025
The Evil One
Roky Erickson
Surprised that this wasn't on the original list. A classic album anyway you slice it. Roky was the best.
5
Oct 07 2025
I Had a Dream That You Were Mine
Hamilton Leithauser
This seems like it's maybe a decade too late. Some chamber sounding indie pop for sure. Not really my thing, but interesting enough I guess.
3
Oct 08 2025
Is Ellipsis
Psyche Origami
Had never heard of this, and both this artist and album do not have Wikipedia pages, so I wasn't expecting much. But this was excellent. Great flow, sounded like something from early 1990s rather than early 2000s. Really enjoyed this. Great selection!
4