Notes - Experimental synth-pop album - Band famous for their songs “enola gay” and “if you leave” - Increased use of mellotron and choir samples - A lot of the time, the synths on here sound like they’re struggling to produce the notes - Which is really effective and adds to the melancholy of this whole album - Moments of atonality over top of more pop elements, almost some aspects of post-rock - Delicate, sparse, deliberate, cold, personal - What a strong mood…. Holy shit Fav - She’s leaving - Love the way the vocals are treated and the chime-y synth lines Least fav - I mean…. There really isn’t one - Just listen to this album! 5/5

Notes - Debut album by Kanye west - a collection of some older beats that he had saved for himself over the years of being a producer, as well as some new ones - featuring jay z, common, jamie foxx, ludacris - whole album themed around college, the transition to adulthood, money, drugs - some skits sprinkled throughout - i didnt enjoy it as much as mbdtf - its good, but you can tell kanye still needed some more trial and error to fully land in his style Fav - Through the wire - i love the beat in this song and how specific the lyrics are Least fav - Get em high - Found the beat a bit annoying and the verses didn’t blow me away 4/5

Notes - Joni mitchell’s 7th album - Jazz-rock folk album - Ive never really listened to Joni mitchell other than her big hits - Definitely someone that I’ve missed in my musical education - Her lyrics and singing just feel effortless - Totally relaxed and natural, like she’s telling you a story and just so happens to be singing really incredibly at the same time - This album sounds and feels like nostalgia for a time I wasn’t alive in - Its “jazz” but only enough to add an extra dimension to the instrumentals Fav - Edith and the kingpin - Love the story of this song Least fav - Sweet bird - Good song, goes on a bit long 5/5 - I NEED to listen to more joni mitchell

Notes - Country americana album - Notable for her writing her own songs, instead of her usual covers - Her songs are really good at using space, letting things breathe - The production is a little…. Questionable - There’s some early 2000s choices that I don’t think have aged super well - Was really hoping to enjoy this more but I didn’t find it super compelling Fav - Boy from tupelo - Like the piano playing and lyrics Least fav - I don’t wanna talk about it now - Has the dated effects I talked about 3/5 - enjoyable but a bit one-note

was okay but wouldnt go back to it

classic

slightly showing its age in the lyrics and chord progressions, but still a great pick me up listen fav song: ricky (all time banger) least fav: east st louis (sounds like the family guy theme song halfway through)

- the drums sound INCREDIBLE, super punchy without taking over the whole mix - every time i was iffy on a song, they won me over by the end - the riff at the beginning of 4th of july sounds like a hardcore band riff in a good way - feel like the album couldve been cut down to like 10/11 songs fav song - black hole sun - 4th of july least fav - mailman

Fav song - Solar - super cool dissonant repeating piano chords - Wild bass solo in the middle - You can tell this is the drummers favourite - Jade visions is a fantastic song as well Least Fav Song - All of you, didn’t stick with me as much as the other songs

fav song - warning sign - cool warped echo on the drums and vocals - super interesting guitar parts - spooky and groovy least fav - the girl wants to be with the girls - annoying synth & guitar lead, strange mixing choices

fav song - horseleg swastikas - reminds me of elliott smith - great lyrics about being lost in life and feeling like you always do the wrong thing least fav - tennessee - the only song that went too far into the silly side without the emotional side to balance

fav song - beautiful thing - thom yorke :) and the guitar sounds good on this one least fav - you said something - guitar is especially annoying and sloppy on this one

Fav song - Liar - Punchy, simple, effective, fun - the best things about this album all in one song Least fav - Seventeen, feels the least polished or compelling of any song on the album

Music to ride your motorcycle to Fav song - TV dinners???? - Hilarious, reminded me of superfast jellyfish by gorillaz - Also liked the guitar breaks as a change of pace Least Fav - I need you tonight - Too long, too many rambly solos - I feel bad for their bass player

fav - shadowplay - great blend of energy and dissonance least fav - insight - felt like it didnt have the same emotional drive as most of the other songs

Fav song - Daande lenol (dahndey lenyol) - Super cool instrument called the “Kora” Least Fav - Olel - Basically did the same groove for 7 minutes

- the songs are all quite layered and dense with horns, percussion, keys, acoustic guitars - be interesting to see how they translated to a live setting - each song has a tongue in cheek element of other genres (shuffle, reggae, blues, etc) - joe strummer goes hard on pretty much every song fav song - I’m not down - Good energy, simple but effective lyrics, cool guitar stuff least fav - rudie cant fail - ska vibes - an experiment that i dont think paid off

notes - i cant stand axl rose’s voice - everything about this album is “shrill” - this album is basically the opposite of what i enjoy - fav song - think about you - i liked the acoustic guitar touch in the chorus - the lyrics were not as cringe inducing as most of the other songs least fav - nightrain - awful chorus - some of axl’s most annoying vocals - BONUS: anything goes counting down the seconds till the album ended, 1/5

notes - cool instrumentals, creative instrumentation - really dated flows and rhymes - sounds like skateboarding on a boardwalk fav - the grave and the constant - good vibe, not distractingly bad lyrics, i like the trumpets that come in at the chorus least fav - bombin the l - cheesy repetitive samples that made the song feel longer than it really was methadonia is a super cool closing track! 2.5/5

notes - absolutely captivating album - his voice and guitar are both fantastic and the focus of every song, with accents added sparingly - beautiful lyrics dealing with religion, love, addiction, fantasy - DEBUT ALBUM fav song - the stranger song - really beautiful guitar playing and a complex compelling story - his voice sounds fantastic least fav - sisters of mercy - didnt have the same impact of some of the other songs but i did like the panning bells/atmosphere

notes - cool delivery and style from the singer - most songs are under 3 mins, get in and get out - i like the cover art - i had head “my perfect cousin” at a store and it made me laugh, didnt know who it was until now fav song - hypnotised - cool guitar part, catchy chorus, lots of energy in the vocals least fav - whizz kids - felt like a bit of a by-the-numbers punk song album won me over more as it went on 4/5

notes - half secret agent, half alien vibes - big influence on bands like radiohead - used to have this in my library years ago but unliked it bc i wasnt going back to it - definitely “mood music” fav - sour times - cool hammered instrument, great chorus melody - least fav - strangers - repeating dial-tone type sound that got grating by the end, less harmonically interesting than other songs 3.5/5

manic street preachers - the holy bible (1994) notes - reminds me of at the drive in, dismemberment plan, against me - nihilistic songs about politics, race, mental health fav song - die in the summertime - really interesting guitar stuff throughout this song, catchy chorus, cool lyrics least fav - she is suffering - not a big fan of the chorus or the verse melody

Notes - I thought this was picked randomly but it looks like the website’s dev picked it - I have mixed feelings about the smiths but I enjoy this album - Interesting use of pitch shifting and modulation throughout Fav song - Bigmouth strikes again - great bassline and high energy guitar - morissey is not too annoying on this one - Least fav - I know its over - Felt too long, and morissey’s wailing in the second half of the song is not enjoyable 3.5/5

sister sledge - we are family 1979 - disco r&b album that you’ll definitely recognize some songs from even if you dont think you know them fav - somebody loves me - super vulnerable and delicate vocal performance that sells the emotion of the song - great string part halfway through - 10/10 song least fav - we are family - by far the cheesiest and most dated song on here - also doesnt have the same fantastic lead vocals as most other songs on here

muse - black holes and revelations (2006) notes - stadium rock, space opera - some really great, creative and memorable guitar and drums across the whole album fav song - starlight - one of those undeniably good songs - catchy without being predictable, lots of little details for the ear least fav - exo politics - less interesting, weaker version of the same formula as some other songs 4/5 - probably a full point just for nostalgia

yes - fragile (1971) notes - prog rock, quite theatrical - bill bruford of king crimson on drums :D - mix of 8 minute songs and 1-2minute interludes - THE BASS ON THIS ALBUM fav song - roundabout - i mean, how could it not be - 10/10 song least fav - cans and brahms - would have been better later in the album - killed the momentum of runaround 3/5

Notes - Live album from hard rock band MC5 - Often credited as a precursor of punk - You can really get an idea of what it would’ve been like to watch them play live - Definitely crank the volume Fav song - Borderline - I love how messy this song is, sounds like they’re just going off of each other so the whole thing feels like it can fall apart at any second - Really cool chord change about halfway through Least fav - Motor city is burning - Blues jam that felt like it went on a bit too long Closing song starship - lots of super cool sounds and ideas! 4/5

david bowie - station to station (1976) notes - had only heard golden years from this album (listen to the car seat headrest cover) fav song - stay - the groove is so good - great guitar solo - im dancing but im scared least fav - station to station - like 3 songs put together, second half of the song felt like it went on too long 3/5

david crosby - if i could only remember my name (1971) notes - debut solo album from david crosby - CSNY - theres an improv-quality to some of the songs on here that makes me think they had a general idea of the songs going in and then just went for it fav song - laughing - love the 12-string guitar and pedal steel - beautiful lyrics Least fav - Music is love - I have this weird thing with “songs about music” or “songs about writing music”

The white stripes - Elephant Notes - Only really heard seven nation army from this album - Im pretty meh on jack whites solo stuff - I like the guitar tones he uses but I get a bit tired of them after a while Fav - I just don’t know what to do with myself Least fav - Ball and biscuit - Solo was cool but the rest of the song didn’t do it for me

x - wild gift (1981) notes: - post punk band with shared lead vocals - really like the artwork! - i like the album “los angeles” by x but i’d never gone deeper in their discography fav - were desperate - i like the energy and dissonant guitar in the chorus least fav - year 1 - i like the vocals but the rest of the song didn’t match to me to me los angeles does everything this album does but better

pink floyd - wish you were here (1975) notes - pink floyd is another band who will have multiple spots on this list - an iconic album - the songs on here really take their time to build and make sure that they hit extra hard fav song - wish you were here - this song is up there with roundabout in the 10/10 songs category - really the only song here that i think works just as well without the context of the album lest fav - shine on you crazy diamond pt 1-5 - felt like it went on too long, not as interesting as pt 6-9 - but it works as the opener for this album, sets the tone not my favourite album from pink floyd but still very good 4/5

Notes: - Classic R&B/Funk band - Most of the songs on here are 6+ minute long jams - Do some of them go on too long? Maybe, but its great music to just zone out and bob your head to - Second half of this album definitely hits better than the first Fav - Maggot Brain - The guitar solo on here is super emotional and expressive - Funny enough, sounds like it could be a pink Floyd song Least Fav - Who says a funk band can’t play rock? - I wish they leaned into the rock element more and it would have helped sell the song 3/5

Queen - a night at the opera (1975) Notes: - What a crazy layered and complex album - Not just bohemian rhapsody but the whole album is so dense - Similar to fragile by yes bc each band member contributes songs and sections of songs, so you can really hear how the different styles come together - the song 39 was a really interesting change of pace - The acapella layered delay section in the middle of the prophets song was wild Fav: - Bohemian rhapsody - This is another one to add to the list of 10/10 iconic songs - Even though its massively overplayed its still great Least fav: - Seaside rendezvous - Funny interlude-y song but I can’t see myself going back to listen to it 3.5/5

neil young - on the beach notes - written in the aftermath of his album harvest being a massive hit - the lyrics across this album are about isolation, the pressure of fame, and the reality of your dreams being nothing like what you imagined they would be - neil young is not on spotify so this won’t be on the playlist fav song - motion pictures - really stripped back song where neil young sounds so defeated and honest least fav - vampire blues - if it was spookier or had more going on lyrically it would have been more effective 4.5/5

Fugazi - Repeater Notes: - I used to own this on vinyl back when I was buying vinyl - Vocals by Ian Mackay of minor threat and embrace, and guy picchotto of rites of spring - Fav song - Shut the door - Great bass, atonal guitar, punchy drums, fantastic vocal delivery - Everything a good Fugazi song should be! Least fav - Merchandise - Guitar was less creative on this song than on other ones - Chorus was good but the whole song is a bit repetitive 3.5? 4? depends on my mood

wu tang clan - enter the wu tang (36 chambers) (1993) notes - ghostface bbng album is a 5/5 - this album started and i couldnt help but smile bc it sounds like theyre having a great time - the fun is balanced out with some more emotional tracks - the use of samples is absolutely fantastic - Hear a bit of public enemy influence fav song: - bring da ruckus - super fun and creative opening track that gives you a glimpse into each of the members styles and personalities least fav: - clan in da front - cool verses and vibe but it wasnt as hype as the previous songs 5/5!!!

bjork - medulla (2004) notes: - follow up to vespertine (my fav) - didnt know going in that this was capella - thought it was just an interesting gimmick for the first song but it just kept going - never really worked for me, theyre good songs that would have been much better with instruments imo fav - oceania - the acapella stuff didn’t distract from this one - when she hits that high gritty note you can feeeeel it least favourite - grunting moaning breathing and animal noises for like 4 minutes - theres a bit in the middle that sounds like using a pump to blow up an air mattress - also kinda sounds like that korn song 3/5

willie nelson - red headed stranger (1975) notes - i knew who willie nelson was but id never actually listened to his music - the first half of the album is the story of the red headed stranger split up across 5 or 6 songs - the whole album is sort of in the same vocal and guitar range, so everything kinda blends together fav - blue eyes crying in the rain - great emotional ballad with some fantastic imagery least fav - remember me when the candle lights are gleaming - cool guitar solo but the lyrics and chord progression were sort of unremarkable 2.5/5

Brian eno - here come the warm jets (1973)
 Notes - Legendary producer & musician - Worked with David bowie, u2, talking heads, Devo - he definitely had a hand in a lot of the albums on this list - This album is sort of a jangly art-rock album with elements of bowie and talking heads - Debut solo album after his time with Roxy music - This album is all over the place in a cool way Fav - Some of them are old - Really cool harmonization in the opening and interesting guitar effects Least fav - Blank frank - I like the pieces of this song individually but all together it was a bit much 4/5

Marianne faithfull - broken English (1979) Notes - First album after a period of drug addiction and homelessness, losing custody of her son and ending her relationship with Mick Jagger - She has a very distinct, raspy, broken voice that takes a minute to adapt to - Second half of this album is waaaay better than the first half - There’s a pretty interesting cover of working class hero on here as well - Why’d you do it sounded like it could’ve come from the clash Fav - What’s the Hurry - Good energy, cool guitar parts, probably Marianne’s strongest vocal on the album Least fav - Witches’ song - repetitive, not as interesting as the other songs 2.5/5

notes - chat pile cover - brazilian band that blends traditional brazilian rhythms and percussion into metal music - metalcore, nu metal elements - a great blend between control and just raw energy - the vocals in particular still sound fantastic fav - roots bloody roots - Classic song - Catchy riffs and vocals while still being super heavy when it needs to be least fav - Endangered species - Some of the weaker lyrics on the album, and the instrumental sounded like a rerun of some stronger songs on the album album definitely couldve been cut down by a couple songs, but still a 4/5

stone roses - self titled (1989) notes - Early British dreampop band - blend of catchy pop structures and conventions with fuzzy reverbed guitars and drums - helped to solodify some of the things that would become dreampop genre staples fav - she bangs the drums - high energy and catchy while still full of crunchy guitars and interesting effects usage - kinda sounds like the friends theme song a bit least fav - bye bye bad man - sounds like they had about 25% of a song that they stretched out 4/5 - had never listened before this but i could see myself checking out other albums from them

john lennon - imagine (1971) - the first beatles or beatles-adjacent thing ive gotten so far - john lennons second solo album - the song “imagine” is obviously a massive hit - paul mccartney diss track - phil spector production Fav - How? - fantastic downtempo tune with great piano and strings - reminds me of playground love by air - least fav - i dont wanna be a soldier mama - cool production and horn break in the middle - but john couldve done a bit more lyrics and vocal-wise 4/5

elvis costello - this years model (1978) notes - this albums production has held up super well, sounds great - everything is very clear, direct, punchy - elvis costello has a very specific vocal delivery that i actually enjoyed - short and sweet songs! fav - the beat - i really like the organ in the verses - and the distorted vocals sound really good over this song least fav - little triggers - not a fan of the repeating lyrics or instrumental 4.5/5

hookworms - microshift (2018) notes - indie rock with psych and kraut rock influences - shades of phoenix, arcade fire, mgmt - never heard of this band, wonder why this album made the list - band broke up in 2019 after allegations of abuse by frontman MJ fav - ullswater - upbeat instrumental with lyrics about a breakup - cool synth lines throughout least fav - each time we pass - nice spacey song but didn’t feel like it really went anywhere 3.5/5

Pixies - surfer rosa Notes - Debut album by pixies - CLASSIC Steve albini drum sound & production - Great raw, direct songs with often surreal lyrics - The vocal interplay between black francis and Kim deal Fav - Where is my mind - Another absolutely undeniably good song - Suuuuuper overplayed but its still great - Equal parts relatable and unsettling, simple and nuanced Least fav - Cactus - I like the vocal performance but the instrumental simplicity doesn’t do it for me Fantastic album, not my #1 pixies album though! 4.5/5

Crowded house - woodface (1991) Notes - Pop rock album from the band crowded house - their song don’t dream its over - The singer’s brother joined the band in order to bring some new creative energy, which ended up pushing this album in a more upbeat direction Fav - Tall trees - Cool melody and guitar parts, kind of smiths-y Least fav - Chocolate cake - A bit too goofy for me, also doesn’t really set the tone of the album Nothing from this album really stuck for me, not mad at it but I didn’t love it - 2/5

green day - american idiot (2004) notes - i dont even need to listen to this, i could recite the whole album from memory because of how much i listened to this album between the ages of 10 and 14 - i saw the musical and i had green day rockband for the wii - so its pretty much impossible to separate nostalgia from this album - i’m realizing relistening to the album now how much of the lyrics i didnt fully understand - this album does such a great job of flowing from one song to the next as a complete project Fav - Extraordinary girl / letterbomb - This was my favourite as a young lad and it remains least fav - give me novacaine / shes a rebel - the weakest of the 2 song pairings on this album 4.5/5

the talking heads - fear of music (1979) notes - second talking heads album that i’ve reviewed - this one accentuates the things that i liked about the first and tones down the stuff i didn’t enjoy - released 1 year after the other one - the guitar interplay on this is great! - david byrnes delivery seems a but more measured and intentional on this one - produced by brian eno fav song - cities - like the warped piano, lyrics and vocal performance - Bonus shout out to the song animals least fav - Electric guitar - I liked the bass and some of the weird sounds but the song itself was meh 4/5

ABBA - the visitors (1981) notes - ive heard abba’s big hits but never really listened any deeper than that - theres some really great synth sounds throughout - lots of the songs here are very minor key, sort of an undercurrent of sadness to the whole thing - contrasted by the very upbeat and clear vocal delivery fav - head over heels - the little plinky synths and strings in the verse are super cool - then when it picks up in the chorus its like “yeeeeee” least fav - should i laugh or cry - just a bit boring and melodramatic, but not a bad song 3.5/5

chic - cest chic (1978) notes - legendary disco/funk/r&b band - the song le freak is a massive hit - most of these songs are 5+ minutes long and dont really do much which is good if youre dancing but not so much for just listening - there are songs here that i really liked at first but got tired of by halfway through - enjoy the second half more than the first, more interesting fav - i want your love - one of the catchiest choruses of all time - like the strings and horns in the second half least fav - chic cheer - goes on a long time and is quite repetitive 2.5/5

circle jerks - group sex (1980) notes - punk band from la - 14 songs, 15 minutes - vocals and guitar are really intense and passionate - drums are the weak link - lyrics about corporate greed, LA fame culture, general punk activities fav - operation - high energy and catchy - great vocal performance least fav - back against the wall - the broken glass sample is super distracting 3.5/5

the who - live at leeds notes - live album from the who - emphasis on the hard rock aspects of their sound, power chords, loud cymbal heavy drums - Came after their album Tommy - i listened to the original 1970 release tracklist fav - substitute - the bass sounds SO GOOD least fav - magic bus - felt messy but not in the way i would want 3.5/5

Kacey musgraves - golden hour (2018) Notes - Country with pop & psychedelic elements - I went through a huuuuuge Kacey musgraves phase in 2020 - There’s something about this album…. The production? The mixing? - It’s the little touches of synth, slide guitar, percussion, atmosphere that makes this album stand out - Kacey isn’t doing anything revolutionary but it still feels great - She sings very delicately for the majority of the album which helps to establish an ethereal atmosphere Fav - Happy & sad - something about the chorus on this song gets me every time Least fav - Wonder Woman - i like the concept of the song but i feel like the instrumental doesnt do it justice 4/5, 2 years ago i wouldve said 5/5

notes - ive never actually listened to this whole album, just songs - kanye is all over the news lately so its cool to rewind to 2010 - great samples and verses all over the whole album - described by kanye as a kind of apology for 808s and heartbreak - theres a good amount of humour and jokes on here to balance the indulgence and ego - something i really like in this album is his use of super compressed overdriven drums, they have this great way of filling out the songs fav - devil in a new dress - i really like the samples on this song - kanye’s energy is great, and rick ross has a really creative verse least fav - so appalled - some good verses on here but the song doesn’t really change up in any interesting ways 4.5/5

Notes - First solo album after his departure from genesis - Features Robert fripp and Tony levin of king crimson - This whole album is very all over the place - It works at times but it kind of made me feel like there was no central idea tying the songs together Fav - Solsbury hill - theres a good reason its the most played song on here - dense but catchy, pulls you in and keeps your attention Least fav - Down the dolce vita - cool use of orchestral elements but the song at the core feels less interesting than others on the album some cool ideas but don’t know if i see myself returning to this one, 2.5/5

Notes - Sample heavy indie rock - You may know eels for their song on the Shrek soundtrack - Very blunt lyrics and smoky raspy vocal delivery - Lots of lyrical content about life in America in the 90s - Some Elliott smith-y, sparklehorse vibes at times - fav - spunky - i like the stripped back style and string parts least fav - my beloved monster - i really like the sound of this song but the lyrics and melody are just a bit too predictable 3/5

notes - oooooo ive been WAITING for radiohead - if not my #1 band theyre absolutely top 3 - this album is the other half of kid a - part of radiohead’s switch from rock to electronic influenced more experimental music - i could listen to this album any day at any time and enjoy it - pyramid song even brings in some jazz influence that becomes stronger on future releases fav - knives out - the descending guitar melody that wraps around itself with thoms desperate sounding vocals is such a perfect match least fav - life in a glasshouse - still a really good song but the weakest on here

- Recorded 4 months after the release of their debut album - Everyone is playing so intensely you can tell they’re giving their all - Some spots are. Bit rough around the edges but it adds to the emotion and heaviness of the whole thing - This album has so many classics, war pigs, paranoid, iron man - Ozzy’s vocals are super strong here, interesting use of tremolo and vocal effects throughout Fav - War pigs - Classic heavy riffs, ozzy sounds great - Big boomy drums least fav - hand of doom - I like the bassline and quiet loud contrast, great guitar work but the song as a whole doesn’t excite me 4/5

Notes - This album has a special place for me, something about it makes me happy every time even though the lyrical content is so sad - Came after a period of personal and professional failures for Paul simon - He travelled with a producer to South Africa and learned about music from that area - This happened during the peak of apartheid - was playing at the grocery store when i went lol Fav - Diamonds on the soles of her shoes - Love the acapella opening - The drums and bass are so bouncy its impossible not to move to the beat Least fav - That was your mother - Song is fun, Zydeco style, but the song gets a bit annoying 4.5/5

Notes - Instrumental sample-based hiphop album - Found sounds, vocal manipulation, unconventional drum sampling - Unique sound and mood - Samples pulled from albums found in used record bins - A lot of the songs use a sort of contrast of samples and sounds that shouldn’t go together but work in the context of the album - Kinda feels like this was the jumping off point of the whole lo-fi hip hop genre - Kinda reminds me of j dilla and nujabes Fav - Mutual slump - Really cool vibe with the super resonant drums and muted keyboard sample & noisy elements Least fav - Organ donor - I like the idea of using the organ but I think it sort of falls apart in the second half 4/5

elton john - goodbye yellow brick road (1973) notes - classic alert!!! - what a big boy - 14 song double album - first half is just banger after banger - loses it in the middle a bit - but ends off strong with the song harmony - love the little synth accents sprinkled throughout the album and how they pair with his piano playing fav - goodbye yellow brick road - one of the greatest chord and melody combos ever - dissillusionment of fame least fav - your sister cant twist - jamaica jerk off ALMOST a 5, but a few songs i felt werent on the same level as others 4.5/5

notes - again! - referred to as the first heavy metal album - pretty much entirely recorded live - i love the quote from drummer bill ward “we werent old enough to be clever” - the whole album feels very honest because of it - much more bluesy than paranoid other than the first song - i prefer paranoid between the 2 fav - the wizard - i like the harmonica and drums a lot on this least fav - not sure…. theyre all pretty much on the same level 4/5

notes - so many huge songs here - very 80s production and songwriting but undeniably enjoyable - 5 years after massive hit “thriller” - best selling album of all time worldwide - how do you follow something like that?? - michael went for an edgier approach to his look and vibe - also spent some time out of the public eye before going back to record bad fav - the way you make me feel - the sort of “shuffle” feel is really enjoyable, and a really great melody in the verses least fav - dirty diana - didnt love the lyrics or vibe of this undeniably good tunes on here, a bit dated but they still hit 4/5

notes - ccr’s second album, first of 3 albums they released that year - “swamp rock “ , id say thats accurate - produced by ccr singer songwriter guitarist john fogerty - trying to follow up their first charting single - john fogerty has this super gritty and soulful sound that pairs really well with the “swamp” vibe fav - bootleg - cool acoustic guitar and repeating lead part least fav - keep on chooglin - just sits on the same chord for pretty much the whole song enjoyable songs in the background but not my fav, 2.5/5

notes - boy oh boy - this album really starts in a way thats like “if you dont like this, you wont like the rest of it” - i have a soft spot for nu metal - the riffs on this album are SO GOOD - but fred durst just comes in to be a goof on it which works some of the time - and if you listen to ben stiller laugh for 5 minutes you get to hear a hidden track wooooow fav - my way - good blend of funny and hard hitting, chord progression in the chorus is so good least fav - the one - chiller vibe was cool but out of the quiter songs it was my least favourite enjoyed this more than i expected, if freds vocals were more serious i could see myself returning to it 3/5

notes - Name stands for Symphony & Metallica - Some songs work far better with orchestra than others - The songs where the orchestra is doubling and beefing up the existing melody works best - When they do too much and add random bits it makes the songs messy and bloated - could be wrong but james sounds super autotuned - whoever mixed this did such a great job of balancing the band and the orchestra Fav - No leaf clover Least fav - Bleeding Me - Quite long and overindulgent, if it was half as long it wouldnt be in my bottom spot really cool listen, cant see myself listening to the whole thing front to back again 3.5/5

notes - the mixing on this is really strange - vocals are SO LOUD - drums are really distant and too quiet - guitars are super shrill - what happened?? album was recorded at “stage volume” using the bands live gear - last album elvis costello did with the attractions for 8 years - Prefer next years model for sure Fav - Tokyo storm warning - Really cool guitar parts and post-punk style Least fav - Honey are you straight - Short little goofy song that followed the emotional heaviness of I want you 2.5/5

Notes - Experimental synth-pop album - Band famous for their songs “enola gay” and “if you leave” - Increased use of mellotron and choir samples - A lot of the time, the synths on here sound like they’re struggling to produce the notes - Which is really effective and adds to the melancholy of this whole album - Moments of atonality over top of more pop elements, almost some aspects of post-rock - Delicate, sparse, deliberate, cold, personal - What a strong mood…. Holy shit Fav - She’s leaving - Love the way the vocals are treated and the chime-y synth lines Least fav - I mean…. There really isn’t one - Just listen to this album! 5/5

notes - indian/british tabla player and producer - collaborated with musicians from around the world, blending traditional indian music, japanese flute music, and idm/drum n bass elements - The string & flute arrangement at the end of the first song is beautiful! - This album has a very 90s sound palette, the long reverb and delay, wet sounding ps1 synth patches, chopped glitchy drums - Like a musical time machine, could imagine listening to this on a walkman while rollerskating fav - sutrix - made me feel like the protagonist in a cyberpunk movie least fav - eclipse - least effective use of the glitch sounds, kinda gave the vibe that he was just trying to cram a vunch in 3/5 interesting vibe and cool way to hear what was going on in electronic music at the time

notes - groovy indie rock album, psychedelic elements - produced by danger mouse - big fan of a lot of the production choices on here - especially the way that backing vocals are handled - lyrical themes of violence, race, self reflection - some of the lyrics on here are really good, but he often goes for the most obvious rhymes and choices - friend, end, see, me etc - the simplicity works in some moments but in others it breaks the mystique of the songs - The last 4/5 songs on here are great! Fav - Final days - The drums and vocals on this are so good least fav - hero - compelling lyrical content but the music didnt do anything for me 3/5

notes - gza is a member of wu tang clan and this album has a bunch of people youll recognize - produced by rza, features ghostface killah, inspectah deck, method man - after wu tang’s inital success, a couple of the members went on to do sole albums and this was gza’s second - the beats on this are so great, rza really created a vibe that matches gza’s calm lyrical delivery - i would definitely need to listen to this a couple more times to get the full meaning of a lot of the lyrics on here - he throws a LOT at you fav - 4th chamber - love the fuzzy and noisy samples here, and ghostface :) least fav - labels - didnt really stick with me after hearing it 4/5

notes - alt country / punk album - never heard of this band before - in theory this should be up my alley, i like punk and i like country influences - it just didnt come together for me - the fiddle was annoying - the songs werent compelling enough to ignore it - the first couple songs were really rough, got a bit better after that fav - hard to be human again - where all the elements came together in a way that made sense least fav - darkness and doubt - intentionally wonky but it goes on way too long 2/5 interesting in theory but annoying in execution

notes - third album by led zeppelin (duh) - performed and produced by the band, sent off to engineers for mix and master - the band wanted a big change, used more acoustic guitars, open tunings - love that you can hear little elements like the squeaking kick pedal, guitar pick noise, and amp buzzing - adds to the vibe - the acoustic direction is great, and they do a really good job of translating what works in their louder songs to that type of arrangement - john bonham takes a back seat on this album for the most part, which is a shame but hes great at knowing when and when not to play fav - since ive been loving you - those last couple minutes… chills Least fav - Out on the tiles - sounded like the band was going back to what they knew would work 4.5/5

Notes - Debut solo album from Ian dury - Really interesting blend of disco, British pop, dance music - The lyrics are super goofy and delivered in this nonchalant style that is inherently funny - He’s got a bowie quality to his vocals - I LOVE the bass playing on here, super creative note choices Fav - My old man - Great bass part and lyrics - BONUS: blackmail man, great noisy punk song with really creative guitars Least fav - Im partial to your abracadabra - Wasn’t as inventive as the other songs Enjoyed this album a lot! 4.5/5

Notes - Southern rock band’s debut album - You’ll recognize simple man and free bird, 2 huuuuge songs - I can see why this album shot them into the public eye, catchy, interesting, well performed songs - The production of this seems like they were like “everything as loud as it can physically go” - Bet it would sound great in car speakers - Elements of blues and country to spice up the standard rock formula Fav song - Poison whiskey - This song has some stank to it, love the organ stabs Least fav - Gimme 3 steps - Sounds blown out, stopped me from really enjoying the song 3.5/5 pretty good not great

Notes - trip hop instrumental beat tape from producer “nightmares on wax” - most of the tracks here are 4ish minute midtempo grooves with different samples and textures coming in and out - theyre all quite similar and blend together - the bass is nice and warm in all these tracks, sounds great on headphones - comparing to other albums i’ve gotten so far, not as moody or compelling as dj shadow, not as experimental or unique as talvin singh Fav - mission venice - this was the first one that felt like a change of pace Least Fav - Groove St - found the samples annoying 2/5

notes - concept album about fame, california, american culture - they decided to move away from their earlier country influences - hotel california, life in the fast lane both from this album - great vocal harmonies - the second half is definitely less enjoyable than the first - gets a bit cheesy in the last few songs - recorded the song victim of love live off the floor to show haters that they can do it fav - hotel california - great song, love the spooky undertones least fav - wasted time - melodramatic

notes - q-tip is a member of a tribe called quest - made this album after a couple of attempts that multiple labels shot down for not being commercially viable - produced almost all the songs on here - some songs featuring d’angelo, norah jones, robert glasper, j dilla - the way that drums and found sounds are used is really interesting! - i dont love q-tips nasal and lyrical delivery - my brain kinda tunes it out after a bit, which is a shame bc he clearly put a lot of thought into his lyrics - first couple songs really dont do it for me - album gets better as it goes along fav - shaka - nice laid back vibe to end the album on least fav - man/womanboogie - doesnt fit with the rest of the songs 3/5

notes - im a big fan of trouble will find me and sleep well beast - never gotten into their older stuff - the national has a way of taking really simple songs and making them hit harder than they have any right to - matt doesnt sound as confident or developed in his voice here as he does on later albums - love their drummers style of moving 16ths around the whole kit and avoiding the snare - the piano playing shines fav - little faith - love the bass and drums least fav - runaway - beautiful instrumental with a miss on vocals and lyrics 3.5/5 if this was the first album i heard from them i probably wouldve liked it more, but i know how good they can get

notes - classic reggae album - has the song “no woman no cry” - bob marley is an iconic figure for his music and the message that he put into it - songs about poverty, the rasta movement, political imbalance - all over top of laid back easy to get into grooves - ive never been a huge reggae fan BUT i think this album had strong enough songs and performances that i was able to get over the elements of reggae that im not huge on - ESPECIALLY the guitar playing, really interesting rhythm and note choices fav - them belly full - big fan of the guitar intro and the vibe of the song least fav - bend down low - felt a little nursery rhyme-y to me as a non reggae fan this was still an enjoyable listen, 4/5

Notes - Second Brian eno album on here - Featuring Robert frappe, Phil collins, John cale - Much more stripped back and ambient focussed than here come the warm jets - More emphasis on piano and synth pads - Eno’s vocals are very reserved and used more as texture than anything else - I started this album definitely not in the right headspace but it really just sucks you in Fav - Golden hours - Synths feel like an ear massage, and I love the little plinky touches and guitar Least fav - Over fire island - Feel like it was missing something 4.5/5

Notes - Debut album from rock n roll artist little Richard - Seen as an important record for the development of rock n roll as a genre - One part of this was richard’s use of “even 8ths” on the piano rather than swung 8ths - And his loud, brash vocal delivery - All the songs here are like 2, 2.5 minutes long and kind of blend together except for a couple standouts - Chorus Verse chorus verse chorus - This album has a ton of distortion caused by the louder elements of the recording but it adds and fills in the sound - I bet the artwork was very exciting against the other releases of the time Fav - Can’t believe you wanna leave - Great vocal performance! Least fav - Slippin and slidin - Kinda by-the-numbers rock n roll song 3.5/5

Notes - Live album by bob Dylan - Disc 1 is all solo acoustic & harmonica performances - Disc 2 is electric, performed with The Band - Im not a huge fan of bob dylan’s voice, so I actually really enjoyed disc 2 where it was a bit more obscured - In disc 1 you can really focus on the songwriting and lyric aspect of his music but his vocals get quite nasally and abrasive at times, especially on the first song - Disc 2 also has a bit of a blues undertone that works really well with his delivery Fav - One too many mornings - Least fav - She belongs to me 3/5

Notes - Debut album by Kanye west - a collection of some older beats that he had saved for himself over the years of being a producer, as well as some new ones - featuring jay z, common, jamie foxx, ludacris - whole album themed around college, the transition to adulthood, money, drugs - some skits sprinkled throughout - i didnt enjoy it as much as mbdtf - its good, but you can tell kanye still needed some more trial and error to fully land in his style Fav - Through the wire - i love the beat in this song and how specific the lyrics are Least fav - Get em high - Found the beat a bit annoying and the verses didn’t blow me away 4/5

notes - father of jeff buckley - jazz influenced singer songwriter - vibraphone, cello, improv guitar licks - tims warbly, throaty vocal delivery - the songs are often rambling, dreamlike - some good moments on these songs but none of them blew me away fav sing a song for you least fav gypsy woman 3/5

notes - electronic/idm producer aphex twin’s debut album - recorded from the time he was like 14 to 21 - ranges from techbo music to industrial to acid house - instrumental except for a couple vocal samples - really organic sounding for electronic music - recorded onto casette which adds some warmth and human element - lots of reverb, underwater level - he has a great handle on melody specifically fav - schottkey 7th path - silent hill 2 soundtrack vibes least fav - pulsewidth - nice change of pace but not as compelling as the other songs 4/5

Notes - Industrial rock/electronic music with metal elements - its a concept album about a man’s downward spiral - Lots of recurring lyrical and musical motifs across the album - Lots of references to pigs on here - Recorded in the house where some of the Manson murders took place - Features guitarist Adrian belew! Love him! - Wasn’t expecting to enjoy it this much based on the other times I’ve listened to them, but it really hit! Fav - Ruiner - Love the big synths at the chorus and the drum sound - Bonus shoutout to eraser, really cool song\ Least Fav - The becoming - I like the vibe a lot but it didn’t hit me quite as hard as the other songs 5/5

Notes - New wave post-punk - Produced by Brian Eno! He’s EVERYWHERE - I used to listen to this album in high school a BUNCH - Love how crisp and punchy this album is - Every part of it just worms into your brain - Jangly, percussive guitar parts - Yelped vocals - Very distinct sound aesthetic - Talking heads-y (Eno connection) Fav - Too much paranoias - Love the energy and guitar part Least fav - Come back jonee - Sounded unfinished 4/5

Notes - Ive tried to listen to this album before and it didn’t hit for me - British post punk band’s debut album - Reminds me a bit of pixies at times - Out of 21 songs, there’s about 7 or 8 that really worked for me and the rest kinda blurred together - The guitar tones are cool, the vocals are really compelling, the bass is mostly inaudible, and the drumming is weak - None of it was bad enough to be offensive but I also wasn’t huge on it Fav - Lowdown Least fav - Start to move 3/5

notes - canadian prog rock band - 8th album, most critical and commercial success - tom sawyer, limelight, vital signs - legendary drumming, great understated guitar playing, bass holds it together - im not a massive fan of geddy lee’s vocal register but you get used to it quickly in context - the production is absolutely fantastic, held up really well other than some cheesy synths - prog techniques packaged in a mainstream way fav song - tom sawyer - perfect blend of all the best things about this album least fav - the cameras eye - liked certain sections but not the song as a whole 4/5

notes - listened to this album for the first time not too long ago - kinda oasis, kinda weezer - power pop/noisy/jangly - on creation records, a pivotal britpop/shoegaze label - kurt cobain, liam gallagher, and ben gibbard are all big fans - enjoyable listen but nothing really jumped out at me other than 2 or 3 songs fav alcoholiday least fav pet rock 3.5/5

notes - 60s pop band the monkees’ third album - reminds me a lot of early beatles stuff and a bit of beach boys - first album where the members of the monkees got to have creative input in the music that they made - after kicking out their former music director/producer - some interesting experiments with tape effects, multitrack recording - you can tell they were having fun in the studio and just seeing what happened fav - forget that girl - i like the laid back vibe and falsetto vocals least fav - i cant get her off of my mind - goofy little tune but i wasnt a huge fan 4.5/5, fun listen and more enjoyable than i expected

Notes - Hard rock/heavy metal band - Lots of chuggy guitar, driving drums and bass, gritty kinda operatic vocals - Similar to zz top and guns n roses, motorcycle music - Used to see the tab book for this album at the place where I took guitar lessons as a kid, the art stuck with me - Vocals remind me of iron maiden a bit - Started listening to it, immediately was like “I’m not in the right mood to enjoy this” and went back later and it was muuuuuch more enjoyable - Recorded at ringo Starr’s house? Lol Fav - The rage - Love the opening and the guitar solo! Least fav - Red white and blue - Super cheesy, was included as a bonus track but not necessary Fun time! Not for me though 3/5

Notes - Folk rock/psychedelic - David Crosby - Some elements of noise in here as well that I didn’t expect lol - Short and sweet songs - The bass playing here is great - Apparently for this album their bass player stepped forward as a more prominent singer and writer - All of the songs are super distinct and memorable but still all work together - very cool! - Fantastic vocal harmonies and performances throughout Fav - Renaissance fair - Really cool chord progression and imagery Least fav - CTA 102 - Cool but don’t think it adds too much 5/5!

Notes - THE shoegaze album/band - Established and solidified a lot of genre conventions - Released on creation records - the recording contributed to the label’s bankruptcy - This album has never hit the spot for me - I appreciate the work that went in production-wise, but I’ve never found the songs themselves to be super compelling Fav - When you sleep - There’s a reason its the most popular - Good tune and memorable melodies Least fav - I only said - not a fan of the melody lead and the rest of the song doesnt do anything for me 3.5/5

notes - psychedelic folk rock - last album with the bands original lineup - leaning more into a folk sound - the drumming on this album is fantastic - some songs are stronger vocally than others - the opening track is so incredible and nothing else reaches the same level - Consistent mood and tone to the whole thing that really sucks you in, recorded really well Fav - Alone again or - What a song to start the album on least fav - Bummer in the summer - Fun little song but def not my fav 4/5

Notes - Debut album by Stephen stills’ band manassas - Split into 4 sections, each with their own genre and style - Rock, bluegrass, folk, blues - Sections 2 and 4 less effective - The folk-rock sections are best - Featuring Chris hillman of the Byrds! - Part of the Crosby stills Nash and young cinematic universe - This album is so long, 21 songs - Could’ve been 12/13 fav - it doesn’t matter - great harmonies and phaser-y guitars Least fav - dont look at my shadow - biy too yeehaw 3/5 - pretty good but needed more focus and finesse

Notes - folk punk, alt punk record - debut album - most of the songs written while the singer was in high school - awkward nerdy edge, but self aware - super stripped back instrumentation lets the song stand on its own - sounds like sitting around listening to some guys you know playing songs - i listen to this album pretty regularly - lotta great earworm melodies and choruses Fav - Kiss off - iconic Least fav - To the kill - sounded like a worse version of songs already on the album 4/5

notes - rock album dealing with some controversial themes - “shock rock” - discussing the realities of sudden fame - self referrential - super elaborate and theatrical tour - solid performances all around - technically well done - none of the songs really grabbed me fav - mary ann - nice little tune and very different from the rest of the album least fav - elected - the vocals are reeeally somethin 2.5/5

Notes - Bluesy rock album with folk elements - Includes no 1 hit Maggie may - First Half of the album? Not a fan - Second half is way stronger - The songs all blur together quite a bit other than Maggie may and mandolin wind - Lots of raw live energy - Wasn’t a huge fan of this album, found it a bit shrill and grating, distracted me from enjoying the songwriting Fav - Maggie may - Absolute classic least fav - thats all right - Its an Elvis cover that feels like goes on for quite a while 2.5/5

Notes - Jazzy singer songwriter & pianist’s debut album - Released on jazz label blue note - Number 1 on billboard and a bunch of Grammys and awards - Drumming by Brian blade! - Music for a rainy day with a cup of coffee and a blanket - the whole album lives in the same general sound and vibe so the songs get a bit samey Fav - Feeling the same way - love the acoustic guitar playing on this, really good chord choices least fav - nightingale - lyrics were a bit obvious and the music was forgettable 3.5/5

Notes - third album by simon and garfunkel - released following an album they werent super proud of - spent a long time in the studio to make something they actually liked - you can hear how much time was spent on guitar lines and harmony - intertwining and layering fantastically - lyrical themes of social issues, fame, love least fav - patterns - cool tune but didnt love it Fav - Flowers never bend with the rainfall - Great guitar work and lyrics 4.5/5

Notes - Smoky voiced soul & R&B singer’s debut album - Themes of love, life as an artist - Some latin influences especially in the percussion - Just a great sounding album front to back - The band knows when to keep it reserved and low key and when to kick in - The keys are so good on this album, perfect compliment to her voice - Listened to this album for the first time a couple months ago and enjoyed it, still enjoyed it this time too! Fav - Cherry pie - Cool bass line and chorus Least fav - Sally - Cool lyrically but a bit of a let down instrumentally 4/5

Notes - Spoiler alert: this album is a 5/5 - My favourite bowie album - The blend of jazz, some punk elements, some classic bowie - I wish we could’ve had more of this before he died - You can hear his age and weakness at points but it seems like he uses it to his advantage - Only 7 songs but each of them knows what its doing start to finish - Some unconventional choices that work super well in context Fav - Tis a pity - Love the groove, sax solo, lyrics, vocals - Everything Least fav - Dollar days - Maybe the most “Bowie” song on here, but the acoustic guitar is weirdly mixed and kinda out of tune to my ears 5/5 incredible

Notes - Third album from reggae artist burning spear - Named after Rastafari prophet Marcus Garvey - singer has a great sorrowful gritty voice - cool use of keys and synths - definitely vibe music - put it on and chill - scratches a different itch than the bob marley album from a couple weeks back fav - the invasion - Least fav - Give me - Horns sounded out of tune? Bit of an odd song 3/5, its good but i wouldnt listen again

notes - indie rock with some psych and pop elements - according to singer bradford cox supposed to sound like a series of dispatches from a fantasy land - theres definitely a fantasy element to it, surreal - has a bit of a self-produced edge which keeps it from sounding polished in a good way - similar to contemporaries like grizzly bear - good length, good track list fav - helicopter - like the harp omnichord thing and the chorus least fav - earthquake - very different from the rest of the album and doesnt really set the tone didnt love it but i enjoyed it 4/5

notes - debut album - i reviewed loveless a little while back - this album is like the younger, rockier version - lots of good ideas and concepts not executed to the same level - i think the strong songs on here are actually stronger than those on loveless - but the low points are lower - i really like kevins lower register vocals, shame they stopped doing them fav - when you wake youre still in a dream - love the chords and energy least fav - soft as snow but warm inside - take this song out and the album is muuuuch stronger 4/5

notes - simon and garfunkel back again - this album is similar to their other releases in style - leans a little more into the experimental aspects - just like the other album, great melodies and chord progressions - pretty equal in terms of quality with the last one - i wish it was longer! but maybe thats a good thing, left me wanting more - loved that we heard more garfunkel too fav - fakin it - really cool song, great chorus least fav - a hazy shade of winter - i liked the song but had some mixing/recording issues imo 4.5/5

notes - classic sugary sweet pop rockabilly from the 60s - guys and gals, love songs - quite cookie cutter sounding to modern ears but the vocals have a quality to them that feels a bit more genuine (but not a ton) - they actually wrote most of their own music which was unusual for the time fav that’s just too much - love the tremolo guitar and chorus melody least fav - sigh cry almost die - seems like the whole song is filling time to get to the part where they say the name pf the song 2.5/5

notes - experimental rock semi concept album - tom waits 9th album - features keith richards - ive never really been able to get into tom waits but i feel like maybe i’m just missing something - characteristic smoky baritone voice - some songs on here have what i would vcall a circus sound but twisted fav - jockey full of bourbon - Loooove the groove and performance on this song least fav - singapore - One of the noisier tracks, doesn’t do it as well as others later on - Bit of a litmus test for how you’ll feel about the rest of the album 3/5 - I can appreciate the artistry behind it but its not something I would choose to listen to

Notes - Second album - Neo soul with some funk elements - She’s an artist that I’ve heard a bunch about but never actually listened to - Suffered from second album syndrome, with a lot of critics saying her debut was a better example of her talents as a singer and writer - the best part of this album is when the band settles into a groove and erykah kind of plays around on top of it - when the songs get too showy it takes away from the honesty and talent that she brings imo Fav - Didn’t cha know - great groove and melodies least fav - penitentiary philosophy - way too showy and over the top compared to the rest of the album 4/5 - some aspects are a little dated but the songwriting and performances make up for it

Notes - Debut album by arctic monkeys - Indie rock/garage rock - Lots of energy, fuzz, and driving rhythm sections - Im so upset that arctic monkeys have strayed so far from this sound - I love the rawness and the anger behind it that’s missing in their newer releases - Listening to this makes me nostalgic and a bit sad even though the music doesn’t focus on that Fav - perhaps vampires is a bit strong - love the change up halfway through Least fav - you probably coukdnt see - feels like it runs out of steam halfway 4.5/5 like it more than i expected based on how i feel about modern arctic monkeys stuff

notes 4th album by metal band sepultura way more thrashy than the album roots i reviewed a while back im not a big thrash fan, and most of these songs blurred together for me some memorable solos and moments but not super compelling to me my fav part of roots was the groovy sections and this had like none of them fav arise most memorable of the thrashy songs cool guitar solo least fav under siege had this as my fav bc of how it opened but hated the direction it took 2/5 disappointing, relistening to roots confirmed it

notes - Debut album by the stranglers - Post punk with some psych elements - Sounds like the doors taking themselves less seriously - Deals with some heavy lyrical themes - The vocals have a low, crooner quality to them that adds to the unsettling spookiness of their sound - I really like the way the keys add - I don’t like the lead guitar in most songs - multiple times its just a scale melody going up and down note by note - fav - hangin around - Love the bass in this song, and the chorus call and response least fav - princess of the streets - Doesn’t really go anywhere, the solo does the scale thing that I mentioned - 3.5/5

Notes - 6th album by Dream pop band Cocteau twins - Vocalist Elizabeth fraser had her first child around the time this album was being made as well as dealing with some relationship issues with guitarist robin guthrie - Shimmery reverb and chorus heavy guitars - Signature nonsense word salad lyrics that add to the mesmerizing quality Fav - Title track heaven or Las Vegas - Great combination of all the things that make this album enjoyable - The addition of piano is nice too Least fav - I wear your ring - Cool sound palette but the song doesnt wow me Nothing else really sounds like it! 4.5/5

Notes - Debut album by synth pop band Frankie goes to Hollywood - Mostly re-recordings of previously released singles as well as covers - Drew additional criticism because a lot of the instruments on the album were re-recorded and performed by producer Trevor horn of the boggles & yes - feels extremely overproduced - no momentum on the album, every time theres a song with a bit more drive to it, the next song sucks all the energy - genuinely checked if i had it on shuffle by accident - technically proficient but nothing works for me, not even the big hits Fav - born to run - Just a cover of the Springsteen song but its a good one! least fav - san jose - nahhhh 1.5/5 - it was a big hit when it came out but not for me

Notes - Country rock album by the Byrds - They decided to do a big genre shift after seeing their popularity decline - Originally they got pushback but the album has gone on to be a big part of “outlaw country” and country rock in general - A mix of covers, traditional country songs, and originals - Seen as significant for just how big of a risk it was - But to me….. hugely disappointing after how much I liked younger than yesterday - Bit of a Snooze fest Fav - Dunno the songs all sound the same to me - You aint goin nowhere - I guess Least fav - Life in prison 1/5 - OOF what a disappointment

Notes - Krautrock legends Neu’s 3rd album - Split in half because the 2 members of the band wanted different things out of their sound - First half is more melodic and ambient, second half is more rock - Driving bass and drums with repetitive guitar/synth parts - Love the use of rain and wind sounds across the album - I like that its in 2 distinct moods - But there are enough common elements that it still sounds cohesive - Really good “getting shit done” music Fav - hero - Love the vocals on here, kinda sounds like the guy from the Jesus lizard Least fav - After eight - Sounds like hero but less good 5/5

Notes - Debut album Prog rock legends the mars Volta - Concept album written based on a short story by the band’s singer - Album released a month after the death of band member Jeremy ward - Flea on bass lol - Produced by rick Rubin - sounds great - Drumming is so good - I used to be a huge mars Volta and at the drive in fan but I barely ever listen to them nowadays - Complex and complicated while still sticking in your brain Fav - eriatarka - really like the sort of emo influence on this one least fav - this apparatus must be unearthed - good chorus but the verses weren’t for me 4.5/5 really good, need to be in the right mindset to fully enjoy

notes - debut album by blues rock dire straits - features hit single sultans of swing - guitarist mark knopfler’s signature style is all over this - gotta say, none of the songs on here other than sultans of swing really stood out to me in any way - the whole album sounds kinda unfinished - get really tired of the gravelly voice mark puts on for some songs fav - sultans of swing - theres a reason this was their big hit least fav - six blade knife or wild west end - gravelly voice on these 2/5 - only really enjoyed one song the rest were meh

notes - debut album from synth pop band the the - actually a solo album by the band’s singer matt johnson but has been credited to the the - partially a re-recording of songs from an earlier project for a different band - this album is super interesting, especially matt johnson’s vocal style which i really enjoy depending on the song - really great drum machine and bass throughout fav - ive been waiting for tomorrow all of my life - really like the looping bass and chorus least fav - the twilight hour - the only time where matt’s vocals seemed like a bit too much 4/5 - cool album but i think a couple songs hold it back from being really great

Notes - A concept album made of real and fake ads turned into and incorporated in songs - Lots of cool psychedelic elements here - Feels a bit like an infomercial fever dream - this album is super all over the place but its kinda cool - the who faced some legal ramifications for it but id say it was worth it Fav - Odorono - love the stacatto guitar parts and chorus Least fav - Tattoo - Funny lyrics but don’t love the melody and instrumental 4/5 a bit unfocussed musically but very cool

notes - radiohead’s sixth album - continuing their electronic experimentation - lots of political and societal themes - but more focus on raw live sounds - much more energetic and rough around the edges than their previous two albums - i would say very underrated album - some of my fav radiohead songs are on here fav - a wolf at the door - love this song every time and very unique in radioheads catalog least fav - we suck young blood - goes on a bit too long and the louder faster section in the middle is unnecessary imo 4.5/5 not in my top 3 radiohead but i love it

notes - soul funk album by stevie wonder - his SIXTEENTH ALBUM - stevie wonder played the majority of all instruments on here AND sang - not to mention writing everything - what an insanely impressive feat - the whole thing feels very connected even with some genre curveballs thrown in - love how different his voice behaves in different situations - loud and quiet etc etc - really really enjoyed MOST of the songs on here - opener too high is great fav - golden lady - love the groove least fav - Jesus children of America - bit over the top for me 4.5/5

- third album by indie pop / synth band the yeah yeah yeahs - most of it was written in the studio in a collaborative way - singer karen o’s signature vocal style - sort of disinterested, slurred, but can get impactful when it calls for it - this album is…. fine - theres some really good songs and then a bunch of forgettable melodramatic ones fav - zero - love the energy and vocal delivery, highlight of the album least fav - skeletons - melodramatic and kinda painful to listen to 2.5/5

notes - steely dan was my day 1! - debut album - couple of their biggest hits on here - great chord changes, guitar solos, harmonies - all steely dan staples - a bit more rock-oriented than the other album i reviewed - drums sound great! fav - reelin in the years - unforgettable chorus and great solos least fav - brooklyn - pretty meh, not super memorable 4/5 liked it more than pretzel logic

notes - adele’s third album - bunch of big hits on it - cant say ive ever sat down and listened to an adele album front to back until now - i always found her music just okay, if at times a bit grating - credits on here from basically every big name pop songwriter in the industry - the whole thing feels super… sanitized - like i feel like the emotion doesnt hit as well because of how its produced - shes an undeniably good vocalist but i wish there was less polish fav - i miss you - love the way the drums sound, maybe a tad too long least fav - remedy - FUCK ryan tedder 2.5/5 not my type

notes - classic country by singer songwriter marty robbins - similar to other artists of the time johnny cash, gene autry - dum chik guitar parts and plinky bass - this album has really intense reverb and harmonies that give it a spookiness that adds to the songs stories - marty has a fantastic voice - lyrics are consistently great - el paso is a classic of the genre - super simple but done really well fav - big iron - theres a reason this song spawned so many memes - fantastic least fav - billy the kid - sounded like a worse version of better songs on the album really good but not something i can see myself returning too super often 4/5

notes - rap/ conscious hip hop album by common - produced by kanye and j dilla - had a friend introduce me to this album a couple years ago, listened to it a few times - part of the “conscious hip hop” movement - hip hop focused on societal issues and political stances - theres a lot going on in the lyrics but the production makes it so theres more than just that going on - pretty laid back musically for the most part fav - chi city - great beat and hook least fav - testify - i wish the sample wasnt going the whole time, drowns out the rest of the song 4/5

notes - debut album by post punk alt rock band throwing muses - contemporaries of the pixies - strange angulr guitar parts that often loop small ideas over and over - vocals are sort of talk-sang, reminds me of sonic youth a bit - feel like interpol are fans - these songs always feel like theyre on the edge of emotional payoff but never quite get there fav - fear - best combination of her specific vocal style and instrumentation least fav - rabbits dying - wasnt a fan of the change up halfway through 3.5/5 super unconventional and interesting but not something i would listen to regularly

notes - debut album by coldplay - sort of a soft rock/pop album - this album has banger after banger after banger - the songs are all fairly similar but also very memorable - also includes huge hit yellow - this album is super deicate, doesnt feel the need to be in your face - pretty obvious radiohead influence - i listen to this album and other early coldplay all the time and it makes me so upset how disappointing theyve become fav - trouble - love the way this song shifts between the chorus and verse least fav - everythings not lost - most forgettable song on here 4.5/5 - fantastic album that falls off near the end

notes - debut wlbum by janes addiction - there were a lot of internal tensions in the band during writing and recording - including arguments about the distributions of royalties - lots of critics called this the continuation of led zeppelin and classic rock - basslines are a big part of this album, often melodic and important to the songs - this album suffers from the same issues as guns n roses - its just too much and the vocas are quite shrill and grating fav - ocean size - good energy rock song without feeling overdone least fav - pigs in zen - feels very basic and uninspired 2/5 - definitely not for me

notes - second and last album by amy winehouse - soul/r&b album - amy was really into 60s music at the time so lots was done to recreate that sound for the album - lots of stuff recorded live off the floor to add to the vintage vibes - producer mark ronson even panned the drums all the way to one side but that was changed in the mix - beefy vinyl distortion added to the album that gives it a very specific character, kinda distracting though fav - love is a losing game - LOVE the little touches of string and vibraphone least fav - tears dry on their own - amy sounds kinda out of her element here - like shes struggling to keep up 4/5 - could see this being higher without the weird distortion

notes - sonic youth’s third album - post punk/alternative rock - detuned atonal guitars, talk-singing from both singers - unconventional song structures - i like a lot of other sonic youth stuff, never heard this album before but this album really did it for me - all the songs are super satisfying and unexpected - lots of noise and experimentation that i really enjoyed fav - shadow of a doubt - this song is really something special, wow least fav - bubblegum - it’s a cover, doesnt quite fit 5/5 - i knew going in that i would really like it but this really blew me away

Notes - Anti Nigerian government and military protest album - Afrobeat style that kuti is largely credited with creating - Groove based music - lots of accessory percussion, drums, rhythmic guitar parts - Political and direct lyrics about the actions of the military in Nigeria - Part of his signature style is 15-20 minute songs which caused his music to not gain too much popularity outside of Africa - He’s been described as a combination of che Guevara and bob Marley lol - Really fantastic saxophone playing all over this thing Fav - Zombie - I can definitely see why this song made an impact Least fav - There’s only 2 songs on here so by default its mr follow follow 4/5 - really interesting and significant

notes - live album by irish rock band thin lizzy - drums are SO GROOVY - really incredible instrumentalists - There’s some debates about whether or not the album was really “live” - a couple songs here are real standouts but none are awful - Very consistent if a bit long fav - still in love with you - pink floyd vibes a bit least fav - johnny the fox - funny but definitely not my fav song 3/5 - enjoyable but can only see myself going back to a couple songs

Notes - 4th album by electronic music band Kraftwerk - First half of the album is the 22 minute behemoth “autobahn” - Supposed to capture the feeling of driving on a long highway - Repeating melodies and baselines along with phaser-y synths to simulate cars driving by - Split into 4 or 5 sections - My personal favourite part starts at about 18 minutes in - This album was the first of theirs to incorporate vocals - Second half of the album is more atmospheric and textural Fav - Mitternacht - Really cool spooky sounds and noise Least fav - Kometenmelodie 1 - Really pretty but forgettable 4/5 - interesting! Could see myself listening to it again if the song autobahn wasn’t 22 minutes long

Notes - Joni mitchell’s 7th album - Jazz-rock folk album - Ive never really listened to Joni mitchell other than her big hits - Definitely someone that I’ve missed in my musical education - Her lyrics and singing just feel effortless - Totally relaxed and natural, like she’s telling you a story and just so happens to be singing really incredibly at the same time - This album sounds and feels like nostalgia for a time I wasn’t alive in - Its “jazz” but only enough to add an extra dimension to the instrumentals Fav - Edith and the kingpin - Love the story of this song Least fav - Sweet bird - Good song, goes on a bit long 5/5 - I NEED to listen to more joni mitchell

notes - Debut album by the beastie boys - Originally had a different title, which im very glad they didn’t end up going with - Produced by rick Ruben, repeat name on this list - Has been described as punk-rock rap - Hip hop production with punky vocals and attitude - I’ve never been the hugest beastie boys fan outside of a couple songs - Their style kinda wears on me after a while fav - Fight for your right - This is the easy choice but its the best one least fav - Paul revere - This song is annoying 2/5 - this band is better in short doses

notes - Third and final album by singer songwriter nick drake - I LOVE this album - especially in winter - Most songs on here are around the 2 minute mark, say what they need to say and get out - His unique vocal style and guitar playing are the focus - nothing to disctract - After finishing his previous album with a backing band and guests he wanted to do an album with just him - The result is an extremely personal and intimate album - His last release before his death 2 years later fav - Road - Love the dizzying guitar arpeggio style least fav - Know - Definitely the weakest song on here 5/5 - love this album, listen to it all the time

notes - Third album by electronic duo orbital - Techno / idm - I don’t have a huge knowledge of electronic music, as I said in my aphex twin review so bear with me - Released as a response to the British government passing laws that allowed them to break up raves - Disrupting the popular rave scene at the time - Knowing that this is rave music definitely helped with my expectations going in - Just sit back and vibe more than full active listening fav - I wish I had duck feet - I really like the samples and percussion least fav - Kein trink Wasser - Like the change of pace but its a bit much 2.5/5 - quite long, not really for me

notes - debut album by massive attack - attributed as the first trip hop album/bristol sound - blending elements of the british electronic music scene with a slower spookier aesthetic - the music definitely has a consistent mood - the vocals…. not so much - a lot of the vocals and lyrics i felt distracted from the songs with a couple exceptions - would have preferred this album instrumental which is not something i often think fav - be thankful for what youve got - vocals actually felt like they fit here least fav - one love - the keyboard throughout this song is quite annoying & i feel like the vocals dont fit the vibe 2.5/5 - not that mind-blowing but a taste of what’s to come

Notes - Country americana album - Notable for her writing her own songs, instead of her usual covers - Her songs are really good at using space, letting things breathe - The production is a little…. Questionable - There’s some early 2000s choices that I don’t think have aged super well - Was really hoping to enjoy this more but I didn’t find it super compelling Fav - Boy from tupelo - Like the piano playing and lyrics Least fav - I don’t wanna talk about it now - Has the dated effects I talked about 3/5 - enjoyable but a bit one-note

4.5/5

notes - fifth album by the charlatans - the bands keyboard player died in an accident before the completion of the album - reminds me of oasis but less good - which makes sense, they played together often - really great bass playing fav - tellin stories - Like the psychedelic opening least fav - how high - Just very noisy and forgettable 2.5/5 would rather listen to oasis

Notes - U2’s 5th album - Were aiming for something more “dark” and personal - I have some issues with the mixing and production of this album - The drums have no life to them - Surprising since Brian Eno is involved - The songs are okay, there’s a couple of classics but the rest are mostly forgettable - The songs are definitely creative, U2 using their usual formula but leaving room for experimentation and unconventional stuff Fav - Mysterious ways - Love the extra percussion and guitar sound on here Least fav - So cruel - Bit of a snooze, goes on for a while 3/5

Notes - Marvin gaye’s 15th album - A divorce album - Midtempo soul/funk - Marvin Gaye is another artist that I’ve heard the big hits of but never gone deeper - A lot of the writing of this album was done by improvising multiple takes until something stuck - Very personal and direct lyrics - There’s not a lot of room for subtlety here but that’s kind of a cool aspect - Performed really poorly critically and commercially compared to his other albums Fav - Anger - Fun groove and interesting melody choices OR - Is that enough - Love the vocal delivery and guitar parts, such a deep groove Least fav - When did you stop loving me (instrumental) - Less good version of the earlier instance of this song 3/5

Notes - A band im familiar with the name of but have never really listened to - Debut album by them - “Space rock” dream pop - Lots of atmosphere, texture, hushsed vocal delivery - Cool vibe but definitely easy to tune out fav - angel sigh - cool! i like how it transitions in and out of the loud section Least fav - I want you - Drums were distracting 3.5/5 - definitely interested in hearing more!