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Wed Aug 24 2022
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
I don’t think I realized how many of Fleetwood Mac’s big hits that I’d heard before came from this one album! Lots of songs I recognize but didn’t know their name either. Good ratio of good to meh songs
4
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Thu Aug 25 2022
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
The album is what I imagine Lucky Charms would sound like if it was a band. There is a lot more accordions than I’m used to, but it makes for a fairly upbeat album on average. It would probably be great to listen to in a Boston pub, but a little too frantic for a work day listen. Overall, the album is a little too “sea shanty” for my liking, and I stopped at “Worms” as per the original album…didn’t go into the “expanded version” stuff.
2
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Fri Aug 26 2022
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
51 minutes is far too long when it comes to Bob Dylan. Tangled up in Blue was okay, but even this was two minutes too long. The struggle is that Bob Dylan is a strong lyricist, but lacking in vocal prowess. I know he’s seen as a folk hero for so many, so this review might rub some the wrong way. But I just don’t get his music unfortunately.
1
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Mon Aug 29 2022
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Oh man, what a great blast from the past. The album as a whole is a banger, and a fun upbeat listen. Outside of “Take Me Out”, the songs are all worth a listen, even if they sometimes weren’t as memorable as I remembered. Definitely worth a listen, despite any negativity that my review might put across. No regrets spending almost 40 mins listening to this this morning to up the energy at work.
3
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Tue Aug 30 2022
B-52's
The B-52's
Right out of the gates, Spotify is missing “Lava” and “Hero Worship”, so I feel cheated in this review. What is left had the bounce and camp I expected to get out of this cult favourite band. “Rock Lobster” alone makes this zany album worth listening to, but by no means saves it. Especially since it’s way longer and more nonsensical than I remember.
Hearing songs outside of Lobster or “Love Shack” make me realize I wasn’t missing out on too much by not hearing this album. It’s maybe a little too experimental or avant-garde for my taste. The lyrical stylings of Fred Scnheider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson combine to make an interesting offering. I appreciate the risks being taken to some extent, but on the whole, don’t find their talent to fit what my ears would like to drink in. Are they better singers than me? Most likely, yes. But on the larger scale, this offering strikes me as being something that wouldn’t make it out of the first round of American Idol. But at least we still have the rock lobster!
1
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Wed Aug 31 2022
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
So much bluesy goodness. Some songs seem to go on a little long and can be lost in a background listen. but there are some songs that can catch your attention with the lyrics or guitars solos; Is it really blues if you don’t get some gritty guitar solos? “Thorn Tree in the Garden” at the end throws off expectations though. Overall, this album was a decent way to get into the blues and the iconic Eric Clapton (if you look beyond all of his controversy). No regrets in listening to this album.
3
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Thu Sep 01 2022
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Not an album that would be in my usual listening arsenal…but I’ve enjoyed an occasional foray into rap from time to time, so I was looking forward to this.
In the first half of the album, it seemed a little scattered and had such a spread of eclectic voices that weren’t so melodious, I struggled to get into the album. I didn’t think I was too much of a prude or such a white guy, but I found times where I couldn’t quite enjoy the album as I’m sure it was intended. I struggled to understand the need to pepper in a slew of N-bombs.
That said, “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” and the “Blacker the Berry” stood out as a deeper songs that stand to be repeated. “i” was upbeat and dancy, then took a sharp serious turn, again catching my attention and making me think a bit more. “Mortal Man” was another soul searcher of a song, worth the almost 10 minutes of listening.
Overall, I enjoyed trying to expand my musical pallet with this album. There are some catchy songs that could find their way onto a party or wedding playlist to get the party rolling and others that made me think about the world and the racism that sadly exists even in 2022.
2
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Fri Sep 02 2022
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
To be honest, I didn’t hear anything on this album that knocked my socks off and made me realize I’ve been missing out on The Doors all my life. The album isn’t the worst though and it could make for good filler sound for any generic early 70s soundtrack. I wish I liked this more, since it seems that Jim Morrison and The Doors are iconic “must listens”. I just didn’t get that with this offering.
2
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Mon Sep 05 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
When you see Robin Daggers in “How I Met Your Mother”, you think she’s an exaggerated version of Alanis Morissette and her angsty version of herself from this album.
Then I heard this album and realized maybe it’s not that exaggerated. The pill here is serrated and likely venom filled, intended for all those who’ve wronged her. And it’s clear to see how this became such an iconic album.
It’s filled with so many of her iconic songs, that represent such a clear time in Canada…at least for those who were struggling to cope with a broken heart.
Does every song hit? No…but overall, this is worth a listen, if only to pump up some feelings and relive a slice of life in the Canadian mid 90s.
3
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Tue Sep 06 2022
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
Came for “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City”, and “Sweet Child O’ Mine”…stayed because I had to hear the rest of the album.
While this wasn’t a usual listen for me, I could see the appeal throughout the rest of the songs found here. It’s hair metal at its best, and it’s fun to hear Axl shred lyrics, while Slash equally shreds on the guitar. Though outside of the three big hits, the other songs are more on the “meh” side of things.
Fun fact, this takes me back to working at Walmart almost 20 years ago, where a coworker who worked electronics would play a greatest hits daily on loop. I hated Guns N’ Roses hard after a week or so of this. Years later, I almost understand what drew him to this tour de force of a band.
3
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Wed Sep 07 2022
Queen II
Queen
I love Queen, but Queen II is definitely not a top album for me. Outside of “Seven Seas of Rhye”, the songs all sounded fairly experimental, which of course I’m fairly thankful for. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the “classic rock” vibe you get throughout the album. There’s just not much that I hear here that was a deep cut/hidden gem. Nothing jumped out from the album that I need to hear again anytime soon. But that said, definitely not the worst album I’ve been gifted with in my reviews so far.
3
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Thu Sep 08 2022
Nevermind
Nirvana
Going three for three right out of the gate, plus adding in two more solid songs, and rounding out the whole disc with decent songs to hang out with make this offering a must listen.
I knew Nevermind was an iconic album, but I don’t think I’d ever listened to it in full or realized just how many amazing Nirvana songs came from just one album.
It was a pleasant surprise to find out this is one of those albums you really can listen to from start to finish and not really complain about a single song, well except maybe “Endless, Nameless”. This one seems like an experiment in sound that might have been better skipped. But I also don’t know the story behind it and imagine there being a wild story associated to the song.
5
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Fri Sep 09 2022
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
I really feel like I’m being punked here. How is an album of bri’ish guys talking over music tracks an album I needed to hear?
I clearly have missed something I guess? All I know is that this was a painful listen that I wanted to give up on three “songs” in. I would rather listen to the Bob Dylan complete collection than anymore of “The Streets”. At least this has cemented what a solid 1 start looks like.
1
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Mon Sep 12 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Wow, this was a little on the nose for my listening list for September 9, 2022!
Overall, this was a decent enough album. Outside of “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”, the songs here have an emo-like blasé about them that maybe I can’t identify with nearly 40 years later.
For whatever reason, I didn’t love this Smiths offering as much as I really wanted to. That said, I’m happy to have heard this album and would welcome another chance to try more Smiths albums if they popped up.
2
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Tue Sep 13 2022
I Should Coco
Supergrass
Overall, there’s a great energy, and this is a fun pop rock album that could be thrown on for some background vibe energy.
There are times the album sounds like something offered up by a band like Madness or Oasis, and maybe been something that could have popped up 10 years later in the 2000s.
Finding “Alright” answered a question I didn’t know I had, as I know I’ve heard it in a million commercials (might be the same one commercial played over and over). Until now, I’ve never known who performed it, so this was fun to learn today.
Overall, this was a fun listen and maybe after a few extra listens, a few more gems could emerge for you.
3
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Wed Sep 14 2022
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
Interesting to say the least. Perry Ferrell’s voice wasn’t exactly what I would listen to for 40ish minutes as a rule. But I plugged away at this album for the project. Unfortunately, outside of “Jane Says”, everything else blurred into each other.
Everything was ADHD come to life, scattered noise, nothing really forming together to produce anything harmonious that I would have enjoyed listening to on my own accord. Kind of like this scattershot review
1
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Thu Sep 15 2022
Stankonia
OutKast
Quick notes…there’s so much variety to this album, which serves to get a rap outsider into the genre. There are several unreal songs from the duo on this album, and even non-hits are a decent listen. On first listen, OutKast is different from the 90s rap that I knew of growing up in the best way possible. Listening to the album in full made me see that I might have missed out on this when it first came out.
4
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Fri Sep 16 2022
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
it seems like Brian Eno was one of those people who in the right place at the right time, making an album that has a very experimental sound to it across the whole album.
Reading the Wiki article and how Eno got people together who he thought wouldn’t be compatible, it explains why I find so much of the music here jarring and hard to really get into.
2
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Mon Sep 19 2022
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Sounds like something found in a “Garden State” soundtrack, not the era where hair metal, east coast/west coast, and grunge all met in a musical melting pot.
Has vibes of ABBA and the softer songs from the Cranberries, all while having strong French overtones. It’s a chill album that could be thrown on in the background of a slow evening and not be at all distracting.
3
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Tue Sep 20 2022
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
There’s a classy eloquence to this album, a reminder of how things used to be (musically).
But that said, Billie Holiday’s voice reminded me of Lady Elaine Fairchild, and her voice and “grittiness” didn’t translate to a sound that I wanted to hear over the course of this album.
But I appreciated the opportunity to relax a little and have a jazzy evening for a change of pace.
2
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Wed Sep 21 2022
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
Wait a minute, Sinead O’Connor did more outside of “Nothing Compares 2 U”??
Apparently she did, and it’s a haunting album. Her voice is enchanting with its Irish charm and Enya vibes, and the collection of songs on the album is as eclectic as the charms found in a particular breakfast cereal.
It’s easy listening, though by the end it feels as though the wheels are falling off and there’s no musical connectivity between tracks. There’s so many stylings, it’s hard to get used to what’s going on, which is too bad.
3
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Thu Sep 22 2022
Vento De Maio
Elis Regina
It’s a shame I don’t understand French, because I found the music charming and the vocals enticing. Any of these songs could be peppered into an indie film like a “(500) Days of Summer” to give it a bit of exotic flair.
I think in English, my score would of been higher.
3
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Fri Sep 23 2022
Back In Black
AC/DC
This album is an iconic rock offering, one of the best albums to emerge from the genre. One can’t help but feel energized listening to the offerings here from start to finish.
It’s hard to believe this is a debut album of sorts, as it was their first following the demise of Bon Scott. Everything comes together here like a well made set of LEGO.
Definitely an essential party listen when hangin out with the boys (or girls, or whatever you want to be!)
5
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Mon Sep 26 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
An album that sounds like it came out a few years too late to be included on the “Good Will Hunting” soundtrack. It’s a decent chill listen, with some variety in song energy and vibe.
Worth a listen if you’re living an early 2000s dramedy life or looking for a nice way to chill out any given evening.
3
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Tue Sep 27 2022
Debut
Björk
An excuse to listen to an entire Björk album?! Count me in…
Wild to think this album is almost 30 years old as I review it in 2022! Björk‘a sound is so eclectic, like musical potpourri or a jar of spilled confetti. It has upbeat positivity and her voice is totally her own.
While it’s not an album I’d have ever thought to listen to, it’s been one that was fun to take in all the same.
3
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Wed Sep 28 2022
Play
Moby
The first two tracks sounded like Moby was lifting songs, throwing an extra beat or two into the track, and calling it done.
“Porcelain” though was different and still has that iconic mellow sound, while I forgot that the catchy “South Side” was on this album too.
Overall there is an interesting medley of tracks here, but they sound more like they come from a “Much Dance” mix than a single influential artist. Moby’s spoken word songs were noticed due to their slow nature, but then kind of forgotten about.
If I was to hear almost any of these songs, I wouldn’t have a clue who made it (as it doesn’t seem Moby sings enough of them). Emphasizing this point, Spotify carried on after the album to a Röyksopp song, and I thought I was still listening to Moby here.
2
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Thu Sep 29 2022
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
Having heard “Back in Black” recently ahead of this album, I’d have to say I prefer BiB over H2H. The songs on H2H are overall nowhere as memorable as the ones on BiB. Beyond the title track, they have the familiar sound of singing and the band, but the songs don’t here hit the same as they do later with the tragic passing of Bon Scott. I think it’s more a lyrical situation as opposed to anything to do with Scott’s singing though.
That said, H2H does have great rock vibes and is still a decent listen overall. Rockin out in your friends’ Charger on the way to a party would be a better ride with this album.
3
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Fri Sep 30 2022
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
Pretty cool album, but no idea what’s being sung. Probably a good album to listen to before a sporting event.
It’s late so I’m not too inspired to write much about an album I didn’t hate but didn’t love all that much. In Pantera’s defence, I’m not much of a metal head, so maybe this album deserves a higher score🙃
2
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Mon Oct 03 2022
Maxinquaye
Tricky
The Streets meets Zero 7 meets classic milky liqueur commercials, all set in the mid 90s.
The album plays like a long commercial, quickly fading into the background. Like most commercials, I was left hoping we could get back to the show sooner than later.
2
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Tue Oct 04 2022
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
So. Many. Long. Songs.
Okay, there’s a only a few, so I might be exaggerating a bit. It’s a solid campfire album to rock out with and forget that it’s on. The tracks all have “classic rock” all over them, and “Free Bird” is still iconic, no matter how long it goes on for.
3
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Wed Oct 05 2022
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
A classic face melting album that would get you and your bros pumped at the gym or in the garage while you got your drink on. “Dawn Patrol” sounded kind of dorky though, for lack of better words.
For the right mood though, this album is legit. Maybe not ideal for studying or putting the baby to bed, but maybe you need a little melting to get you through your day.
3
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Thu Oct 06 2022
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Four songs were missing on the Spotify release of this album: “the winter of the long hot summer”, hypocrisy is the greatest luxury”, “California Uber allies”, and “water pistol man”. 🔫
(I hope I didn’t miss anything with those four tracks!)
…What was there was definitely interesting. There were some prophetic thoughts spoken rapped, mixed together with some hip hop meets jazzy Herbie Hancock tracks and news clipping sampling. It was something unlike anything I’d heard before in the rap genre (or does this count as hip hop?)
There were strong messages in the tracks I did get to hear, but I didn’t find myself loving the music as a whole. I respect the efforts presented here nonetheless and enjoyed the throwback early 90s sound.
2
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Fri Oct 07 2022
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Under 30 mins? Right of the gates, this album has my attention. But then it’s Frank Sinatra and I find him to be “meh” as a singer. Compared to modern singers, Sinatra doesn’t really hold a candle to their skills. Even compared to his contemporaries, Sinatra doesn’t really stand out.
The crossover with Jobim makes the album more charming, with a song like “The Girl From Ipanema” being refreshed, but the album as a whole seems like an intro class on how to be a lounge act 101.
The album ended out of nowhere (again, 28 minutes is so fast) and most of the songs had merged and felt like one track.
Not a bad album, not a great one…at least it was short!
2
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Mon Oct 10 2022
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Charming, short album. Takes the mind off of the now and takes you to a little place somewhere else in your mind.
With three iconic Cat Stevens gems hidden among other interesting numbers, this little offering is worth a listen to, especially if you’re already looking for something to unwind with. Just be prepared to feel a little something by the end, as “Father and Son” always says a lot to me anyway.
4
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Tue Oct 11 2022
Station To Station
David Bowie
Station to Station review:
An album from the revered David Bowie, I’m pretty jazzed. First song is ten minutes?! Literally said “eff off”. Finish listening to it, and it’s no Frampton comes alive, I’ll tell you that.
Golden years was a catchy palate cleanser…but the next four songs just didn’t catch my attention, and overall this album seemed like a bit of a vanity project now that he was at his 10th studio album and into another persona along with a fun drug habit. I might be ADD because I didn’t notice the deep lyrics, and instead found the songs dragging on. I’m sure I missed something though, since I’m told Bowie is ahhh-mayyyy-ziiiingggg
2
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Wed Oct 12 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
No mistaking this is a Van Morrison album…but I don’t know if this is one that I was missing out on or should listen to per se.
It has a lot of his signature wailing cries which is great of him to lay down here, but the songs kind of all sound the same in the sense they’re hard to make out the lyrics and don’t stand out from one another.
One listen and it’s easy to see why it wasn’t loved on its release, and why I couldn’t find a reason to rank this any higher. It didn’t need to have “Brown Eyed Girl”, but even one song with more pull would have been nice. On the upside, this album is a must listen for anyone who loves Morrison and is looking to really immerse themselves in his music.
2
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Thu Oct 13 2022
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
There’s a charm to the overall album, both instrumentally and vocally…though in that same breath, Coyne’s voice seems to go higher than maybe my ears can handle.
Aside from this, I’d say The Flaming Lips succeeded in creating something with a general appeal and easy listen.
There’s a vibe of something soft rock from the 1970s, a la Seals and Croft meets Death Cab for Cutie, with quirky lyrics and charm. Easy to gap out on, and not be annoyed by the music in the background, which could be good or bad news. The Mokran Mixes at the end didn’t really hurt or help things, aside from making me think “I’ve heard these songs somewhere before”.
3
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Fri Oct 14 2022
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Feels like something that would be played as part of a Chappelle Show episode. There’s great beat, message, and voice. Not an album I’d have actively sought out, it’s a spirited album that was a decent listen for a work day afternoon. Wild to think nothing has followed since this release, making this album really an instance of lightning in a bottle.
3
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Mon Oct 17 2022
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
An album that shifts between sleeping and sleepwalking. It’s not an offensive album to the ears, but lacks oomph. There are some songs with a bit more life at least, that help bring you back from the brink of total snoozing. That said, it could be a perfect after party album to wind down on or something you have a trip to.
2
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Tue Oct 18 2022
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
A fun, bouncy album that I couldn’t begin to understand due to language barriers. But that said, it was a very uptempo album that would provide fun dancey vibes to any party and make the day a little brighter.
3
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Wed Oct 19 2022
Boston
Boston
Quick fun album with several iconic songs? If you like your classic rock and want it in a short burst, you’re sure to enjoy this offering by Boston!
4
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Thu Oct 20 2022
Hms Fable
Shack
Another album that sounds like a missed opportunity for a “Garden State” or “Good Will Hunting” soundtrack. Another wispy voiced guy faintly singing his songs, in an Elliott Smith vein that didn’t really elicit much enjoyment for me over the course of the album. It was by no means a terrible album, it just sounded like an acoustic singer sometimes singing over electronic instruments. If you like this sort of music, you won’t be disappointed!
2
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Fri Oct 21 2022
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Well Spotify has 5/11 songs, so this will be a truncated review…
The songs remaining include the iconic “The Message”, so not all is lost.
I appreciate this offering as being an early foray into the rap genre, while also enjoying that the rhymes they’re singing can be heard clearly. With some rappers now either mumbling or rapping far too fast for me to interpret, this album’s messages are clear to hear. It’s crazy to think ideas being shared back then are still prevalent now!
3