User Albums Journey
Exploring beyond the book, one album at a time
View 1001 Albums Summary188
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2020
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
4
5-Star Albums
2
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lemonade
Beyoncé
|
5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
|
The Shape Of Jazz To Come
Ornette Coleman
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Madvillainy
Madvillain
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
You & I
Rita Ora
|
4 | 2.39 | +1.61 |
|
Quadrophenia
The Who
|
5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
|
Out of the Blue
Debbie Gibson
|
4 | 2.61 | +1.39 |
|
Sunbather
Deafheaven
|
4 | 2.75 | +1.25 |
|
Diamonds & Gasoline
Turnpike Troubadours
|
4 | 2.75 | +1.25 |
|
The Feeding of the 5000
Crass
|
4 | 2.76 | +1.24 |
|
Symbolic
Death
|
4 | 2.77 | +1.23 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha!
Gotcha!
|
1 | 2.49 | -1.49 |
|
Homogenic
Björk
|
2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
|
F♯ A♯ ∞
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
|
2 | 3.31 | -1.31 |
|
Canciones 1989-2013
Extremoduro
|
1 | 2.28 | -1.28 |
|
Hammersmith Odeon, London '75
Bruce Springsteen
|
2 | 3.14 | -1.14 |
|
Continuum
John Mayer
|
2 | 3.1 | -1.1 |
|
Fear Inoculum
TOOL
|
2 | 3.04 | -1.04 |
|
God Shuffled His Feet
Crash Test Dummies
|
2 | 3.01 | -1.01 |
5-Star Albums (4)
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Popular Reviews
Daft Punk · 3 likes
4/5
How do you make a live album sound this good? Some producers from the original list need to know. Maybe it's just that electronica is the best genre to play live. I don’t know. This was just about as good as a live album can get. Goodie. 4/5
Deafheaven · 2 likes
4/5
I listened to their latest album earlier this year. Got a lot of great reviews. I heard it, I understood the importance, I got why people enjoyed it, but I did not like it. I feel the same for this album of theirs. Once again, I respect the whole of it, but it just isn’t my thing. I wish I could enjoy this. Glad that so many do. 4/5
The Notwist · 2 likes
3/5
I found this to be a very pleasant listen. The production was excellent. I felt that the focus was a bit too much on making the production sound really cool and, because of that, the production did not end up mixing well with their overall style. Just my own opinion, it may work for some other people. I really did enjoy it and look forward to listening again. 3/5
The Who · 2 likes
5/5
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Fantastic inclusion. Better than any Who album on the original list because it’s their most fully realized project. I would say that it's only real competition is Tommy, but I prefer this. Production is incredible. I'm listening to it on vinyl (how pretentious!) and the John Entwistle's bass is coming through clear as day. Thank goodness too, because he's going off on this one. Keith Moon is perfection as always. Crazy lad. Pete’s writing is at it’s peak. Story is not the craziest, it’s fairly simple, but it presents a universal feeling about the struggle of belonging and what to believe in that everyone can relate to. Roger Daltrey’s vocals are cutting, precise, emotional, aggressive at some points, and soft when they need to be. I love this album a lot. So much range. Every song is a treasure. Fantastic. 5/5
Pink Floyd · 2 likes
3/5
While my instant reaction to live albums puts me in a state of fight or flight, I will say that this is one of the better ones. Pink Floyd has always been one of the better bands to see live. My main complaint with live albums, specifically for this list, is that it feels like cheating. The artist gets to choose their very best songs to include on the album. That can lead to the album feeling a tad disorganized, as it has tracks from multiple albums and, presumably, different eras of the artists life. This album just goes balls to the fucking wall with that idea and says, “Yeah, we’ll just put it all in”. The ENTIRETY of Dark Side? Sure, why not? So my main concern with live albums is put to rest on this occasion, however there is always the downside that the sound quality isn’t as good as the studio recording, but I’ll say this is certainly one of the better audio performances in terms of live outings. Not perfect, the crowd is a bit too prevalent. The instrumentation is great. The vocals are not as good as the original recording. Sorry, they just ain’t. Otherwise, all very nice. It’s a live album so I don’t mind the two and a half hour long runtime. Wish Roger were here. 3/5
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Fontaines D.C.
4/5
I enjoyed this. It was fun and original. Not particularly thrilled by any of it, but it was fresh. Good stuff. 4/5
Bon Iver
4/5
This is good, but not as urgent as his debut album. I'm not sure what the story is behind him releasing a second album, but it seems like it was sorta just to release another album. I don't necessarily see a problem with that, except that it shows in the finished project. I suppose, though, only when compared to his first album do I notice any detracting qualities. Everything else makes for a great album. It is just a tad more boring, though, and Bon doesn't have a voice that is all too exciting to begin with. I did enjoy it, however. Lovely to listen to this morning on my drive to work. 4/5
Dream Theater
3/5
Sounds like what I imagine Tool sounds like mixed with hair metal. An interesting combo that I don’t think I’m into. They seem a little late to the game. Instrumentation shouldn’t be stealing the show. Lyrics are fine, but the way this guy sings them makes me tune out. Also, there are five songs on here that are over seven minutes long. Fuck that shit. They didn’t need to be that long. It’s a fine album, but not for me. 3/5
Neutral Milk Hotel
4/5
This be the fuckin ‘go to’ album for folks who want to sound real damn cool when asked about what kind of music they like. I really like this album, I do enjoy it, but it ain’t the best thing music ever shat out. I mostly struggle with the lack of a central theme. The songwriting is consistent throughout and even the lyrics have the same endearingly nonsensical tone the whole way through, but I can’t really tell what’s driving this record. The mix of common and strange instruments is done beautifully. Vocals stand out as unique, though not annoying, at least, not after listening once through. Very good stuff. 4/5
Switchfoot
3/5
I come downstairs into the guest bedroom to make the bed. It’s a nice day and the windows are open. I’ve listened to the first song on this album already and paused halfway through the second. As I enter I say to my phone “Hey Siri, play” and that’s when I hear a noise outside the window. It’s my neighbor, Frank (or is it Fred?). He thinks I was saying something to him. I immediately flop on the bed, hopefully out of sight. I think I’m all clear, but that’s when I remember my previous instruction to Siri. She obeys my request and resumes playing “This Is Your Life”. Full blast, as that was where I had left the volume. Surely Fred heard the song start before I hastily grabbed up my phone to stop it from going further. I realized Frenk probably thinks that I’ve paused it because I’m embarrassed to be heard listening, so I resume playing but at a volume low enough where I don’t think Frad could discern what it is. I slip onto the floor into something akin to the fetal position and listen to the next two songs on the ground before I get up (during “Dare You to Move” ironically). Fredank is gone, along with my dignity. I make the bed. I listen to the rest of the album. What is a switchfoot, anyways? 3/5
CAKE
4/5
I believe, and always have, that Cake is one of those artists that stand apart from others with a sound that is impossible to imitate. This (arguably) being their best album, I don’t mind the inclusion. They’re good in small doses. This is the first time I’ve listened to one of their albums start to finish. The non-hits are so much more interesting than I would have thought. Of course they are. Why wouldn’t they be interesting. The horns are used masterfully. Just a downright delightful album. 4/5
The Breeders
4/5
I enjoyed this album. Great riffs, punching drums, iconic vocals. The lyrics are memorable. Melodies are original. Not the most range, but a good bit. Very nice. 4/5
Bloc Party
4/5
I’ve listened to this before and remember liking it so much I wanted to listen again someday. Here I am now, this is a good inclusion. Instrumentation is great, especially the guitar melodies and the production on the drums. Vocals are where this project is held back the most. They aren’t bad, but they sound like every other brit in an indie band at the time. If the album were any longer, his singing would have started to get on my nerves. As a whole, it was very enjoyable. 4/5
The Upsetters
4/5
There are some albums that are great because of how innovating they are. They're experimental and change the direction of the genre. That's nice, but then there's another type of album that exists so comfortably inside the genre that it's just a delight to listen to. Like, "Yeah, this is some fuckin reggae right here". It is. It is some fuckin reggae. It isn't changing the world, but it's a solid album. Strong foundation. They knew what they were doing and weren't trying to do anything more than have fun. I respect that. 4/5
Aesop Rock
4/5
To whoever picked this album, I respect the choice, but ‘None Shall Pass’ is a better album. I remember listening to Aesop the first time. Immediately shot to my top ten hip hop artists. I enjoy the production and beats. The lyrics can be are refined, almost to a fault and the flow is alright, but paired with the monotonous tone of his voice, becomes dull. Otherwise, I love his work. Great stuff, Kirby. 4/5
Gotcha!
1/5
For the user entries, I try to be more understanding of the choices. These albums, as opposed to the regular list, have been selected by users who have completed the list, that is to say, people who really enjoy music. So, these albums have an extra layer of meaning to me, as they are some of the favorites of some people. Therefore, I want to respect the opinions and choices and style that fellow listeners have. That being said, this album is a firm. 1/5
Deafheaven
4/5
I listened to their latest album earlier this year. Got a lot of great reviews. I heard it, I understood the importance, I got why people enjoyed it, but I did not like it. I feel the same for this album of theirs. Once again, I respect the whole of it, but it just isn’t my thing. I wish I could enjoy this. Glad that so many do. 4/5
Manchester Orchestra
4/5
I’ll admit that it was a little difficult for me to stay invested or the whole album. Each song was good, but the lack of range got to me. I enjoyed it, though. Good lyrics, singing, production, instrumentation. Nice pick. 4/5
First Aid Kit
4/5
Didn’t make the biggest impact on me, but I enjoyed listening. I especially enjoy “Emmylou”. Just a fun and carefree album. A joy to listen to. 4/5
The Groundhogs
3/5
Sounded a little messy. I’m not sure if the intention was for something a little dirty, but the mixing on the opening track made it so difficult to understand the vocals. I remember there being long solos that were pretty cool, the lyrics were thoughtful, and the instrumentation slaps. The vocals aren’t the most unique out there, but they do the job. Production and mixing is mainly where my critiques lie. That and the whole album feels a little stale. Otherwise, enjoyed it very much. 3/5
Yo La Tengo
4/5
Production is very nice, but whoever mixed this made the instrumentation, which is very good, way too loud so it drowns out the vocals. Lyrics are great when they can be heard and understood. The overall vibes are strong, but the nitty gritty is rough. ¿Comprende? 4/5
The Sound
3/5
I thought it was alright, not my cup of tea. I was enjoying that last song, but then it had a hidden track. Can't do that. Can't do it. 3/5
4/5
This was nice. Felt like they were doing their own thing. I enjoyed the melodies, though it seemed the best ones faded with the second half of the album. I’ll enjoy re listening. 4/5
Courteeners
3/5
Well this was interesting. A couple of thoughts right off the bat; sounded a lot like Arctic Monkeys and came out two years after they started, a lot of hatred towards young women, and the final song is a banger. The whole album is actually kind of bangin. Great melodies and instrumentation throughout. Production was good. Vocals were eerily similar to that of Alex Turners, but not necessarily derivative. The writing and song structure could lead to the derivative comments, though. The discontent with the girls in these songs is odd. It isn’t played for laughs, so we’re supposed to seriously accept that all of the women in this country are floozies. There isn’t a bit of self awareness until the final song when the singer admits that he’s not open for a lasting relationship, which makes it the best track on the record. Otherwise, very enjoyable, just don’t read into the lyrics too deep. 3/5
Tame Impala
4/5
He's improved from the previous album, which was an improvement from his debut. The production is both better and more experimental. His vocals sound less like John Lennon. I'm not sure that I like it better than 'Lonerism', but it's a damn close race. He has still yet to effectively establish range on this record. Not quite the idea that if you've heard one, you've heard them all, but more that it becomes predictable. A delight start to finish. Well done, there Kev! 4/5
TOOL
2/5
Obnoxiously long and pretentiously self indulgent. Disturbed wants to be Tool, yet fails and creates mediocre music (at best) and still manages to entertain more than this. I don’t mean to go so hard, but I don’t like Maynard. 2/5
Depeche Mode
3/5
I really enjoyed the second song and the second to last, but Depeche Mode was never my scene. This album doesn’t bother me as much as Violator, but it won’t be going in my library (except for those two aforementioned songs). Good album, though. Well done. 3/5
Psyche Origami
3/5
Honestly very middle of the road. Nothing was bad, nothing was great. It was all, mostly, good. Flow, samples, lyrics, production. Nothing to really write home about. A little dated by 2003 standards and the skits were a bit much, but otherwise, just a solid album. 3/5
Paramore
4/5
This album has one of my favorite songs, a number of other bops, and the rest are still good at their worst. Hayley’s iconic vocals paired with the boys’ quick drum fills and snappy guitar riffs are always a fun time. Possibly their best record. I always enjoy listening. 4/5
The Mountain Goats
4/5
I enjoyed the shitty production. It fit perfect. I’m not calling the album shitty, I really enjoyed it. Wasn’t as much range as I was hoping for, but the lyrics, songwriting, and the overall energy were great. Top stuff. 4/5
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
4/5
This album fucks! Production is immaculate. These guys don’t sound like anyone else and it’s always very refreshing. If anything, they sound too much like themselves, which I would say is their biggest crutch. Their success in sounding different from any other band leads them to relax into their own sound and not risk evolving. That’s not entirely true for every album, but the three albums of theirs I’ve listened to all sounded fairly similar. All very enjoyable, but they certainly have a formula. I like the formula, though. 4/5
Jeff Rosenstock
4/5
I really wish that he explored some of these songs further. 17 songs over 34 minutes averages to two minutes a song. I believe Jeff can provide us with some more thoughtful songwriting if he held himself down and made an epic. Seven minute long Jeff Rosenstock song would slap so fucking hard. Anyway, that’s my only complaint. I otherwise, really really like this album. Great energy, lyrics, production, etc. Solid time. 4/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
While my instant reaction to live albums puts me in a state of fight or flight, I will say that this is one of the better ones. Pink Floyd has always been one of the better bands to see live. My main complaint with live albums, specifically for this list, is that it feels like cheating. The artist gets to choose their very best songs to include on the album. That can lead to the album feeling a tad disorganized, as it has tracks from multiple albums and, presumably, different eras of the artists life. This album just goes balls to the fucking wall with that idea and says, “Yeah, we’ll just put it all in”. The ENTIRETY of Dark Side? Sure, why not? So my main concern with live albums is put to rest on this occasion, however there is always the downside that the sound quality isn’t as good as the studio recording, but I’ll say this is certainly one of the better audio performances in terms of live outings. Not perfect, the crowd is a bit too prevalent. The instrumentation is great. The vocals are not as good as the original recording. Sorry, they just ain’t. Otherwise, all very nice. It’s a live album so I don’t mind the two and a half hour long runtime. Wish Roger were here. 3/5
Daft Punk
4/5
How do you make a live album sound this good? Some producers from the original list need to know. Maybe it's just that electronica is the best genre to play live. I don’t know. This was just about as good as a live album can get. Goodie. 4/5
The Who
5/5
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Fantastic inclusion. Better than any Who album on the original list because it’s their most fully realized project. I would say that it's only real competition is Tommy, but I prefer this. Production is incredible. I'm listening to it on vinyl (how pretentious!) and the John Entwistle's bass is coming through clear as day. Thank goodness too, because he's going off on this one. Keith Moon is perfection as always. Crazy lad. Pete’s writing is at it’s peak. Story is not the craziest, it’s fairly simple, but it presents a universal feeling about the struggle of belonging and what to believe in that everyone can relate to. Roger Daltrey’s vocals are cutting, precise, emotional, aggressive at some points, and soft when they need to be. I love this album a lot. So much range. Every song is a treasure. Fantastic. 5/5
Pedro The Lion
4/5
A beautifully cynical look at American life or just the world in general. I like the lyrics, instrumentation, production, and songwriting. I wish there was more range, though the album never became dull. If you can really listen in on what they’re saying, it makes the album a lot more enjoyable. 4/5
The Decemberists
4/5
This album is so cool. Absolutely banger. Really listen to the lyrics so you don’t miss out on the sick plot that happens, or read a summary as you listen. Just make sure you know what’s going on because it’s bonkers start to finish and I love it all. I love the writing, lyrics, production, instrumentation, energy, range, and all the choices that went into making this. I love the ghostly “oohs” on both versions of “The Wanting Comes In Waves”. I wish this was more well known and could be adapted for theater or something of the like. I look forward to listening again. I hesitate to give this a five only because it’s my first time hearing any of these songs, let alone the album as a whole, but maybe one day I’ll feel comfortable giving it a five out of five. For now, I will just enjoy it immensely. 4/5
Childish Gambino
4/5
Funky shit, Donny! Mr. Gambino has submitted this project after two previous rap albums. While this is a shitty hip-hop album, it’s actually very enjoyable if you think of it like a George Clinton type record. Childish has a number of hits, and some otherwise very supportive deep tracks. I’m not a phan of three songs. “Riot” ends too quick. “California” sucks and should have been omitted entirely. Like, seriously? We needed another song about that state. Also, shout out my boi D.C. Young Fly. “The Night Me and Your Mama Met” is an instrumental that didn’t feel completely out of place, but certainly could have used something more. Everything else was stellar. 4/5
The 1975
3/5
The is album was neither funny, nor in a foreign language. I do wish it was a little more interesting. It drifts into the background really well. The lyrics were interesting in both good and bad ways. Instrumentation was there. Not great, not terrible. Vocals weren’t unique or notable, but fine. Songwriting was uninspiring, yet inoffensive. This is an album and that is a fact. I wonder if AI could churn out something this forgettable. 3/5
Ween
4/5
Range certainly wasn’t an issue with this one. At least, lack of range wasn’t. There may be too much going on here to be a cohesive album. What does Lemmy Kilmister style vocals have to do with sweet soft ballads? Perhaps I need to listen again to get it. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the album. All the songs were great. “Fucked Jam” is a masterpiece. Best song ever written. I think the second half is better. Just my own personal opinion. Love it. 4/5
Ian McDonald
3/5
I loved the drums and the songwriting was epic, but there was little else to keep me engaged. Vocals, production, and lyrics weren't bad, but they certainly weren't very exciting. It's an interesting album and I liked all the songs, there was just something missing. 3/5
Scraping Foetus off the Wheel
2/5
Oh what a lovely album. I’m thinking of playing this at my wedding someday, as long as my wife to be approves, but, with beauty like this, who could say no. The vocals are angelic, so soulful. The songwriting is next to none. “Eatin' up the wallpaper, crawlin' the walls
Sick on the ceiling, dead in the head”. Such poetry. I fear man may never create anything this good ever again. What a blessing to live in a world where Scraping Foetus of the Wall has created ‘Nail’! An instant classic!!! I didn’t fuckin enjoy it. 2/5
The Notwist
3/5
I found this to be a very pleasant listen. The production was excellent. I felt that the focus was a bit too much on making the production sound really cool and, because of that, the production did not end up mixing well with their overall style. Just my own opinion, it may work for some other people. I really did enjoy it and look forward to listening again. 3/5
Rita Ora
4/5
I’ve always wanted to listen to a Rita Ora album. It was a wonderful way to start off my Saturday morning. Great vocals, songwriting, lyrics, production, etc. It was all very good. I’m surprised she isn’t talked about more. Good stuff! 4/5
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Honestly not thrilled by this live performance. Was putting me to sleep. The instrumentation and vocals and production were just not there. Everybody was half there. Love Bruce and these songs, but this isn’t a great showing of them. Another example, to me, of live albums being poor. 2/5
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
3/5
This just felt a little strange to me. Going around and playing with blues legends is fine and all, but the main artist doesn’t really make an impression. It’s sort of just a compilation of blues musicians playing some of their best songs live. I enjoyed it. I think it’s an odd pick. 3/5
Graham Parker
3/5
Holy shit, those Elvis comparisons were not exaggerated. If someone told me this was his alter ego with even a semi-convincing argument, I’d have no trouble believing them. The album is fine, but it doesn’t “transcend the genre” as Graham is quoted as saying. He would have needed to release the album a good number of years prior to do that. Instrumentation is fine. Production is sloppy. I didn’t not enjoy it, I just don’t think it’s technically great. I enjoyed the songs, they were fun, however, this is not a masterpiece or anything of that nature. 3/5
blink-182
4/5
This may be one of the most experimental pop-punk bands to ever exist. It’s hard for albums in that genre to try something different while staying pop-punk instead of becoming a different genre altogether. Blink-182 is a very talented group of blokes who knew how to write an album. Numerous hits and mostly bops. This is their best album and I’m glad that it was added to the list. “Don’t waste your time on me / You’re already the voice inside my yed!” 4/5
Tally Hall
4/5
This is all over the place in the best way possible. You never know what the fuck is coming next. Ranging from genre to genre to genre so effortlessly. I know a guy who swears that Tally Hall is the best band to ever exist. I don’t doubt for a second that he believes that with his whole heart. They’re certainly very unique. The songwriting is great, if a little scattered, but the production, instrumentation, and lyrics are all fairly solid. I enjoy them. 4/5
Björk
2/5
Björk is so talented!!!!! 2/5
Sports Team
3/5
These guys are phun. A little late to the game, though. This sounds like it was made in the early 2000s. No shade or nothing, at least, not too much. I enjoyed it, but there isn’t quite enough to have it feel original or unique. 3/5
Wishbone Ash
4/5
This album is so much more influential than I would think, being that I’ve never even heard of them. Affecting decisions about Led Zeppelin and Darth Vader. Crazy. I love the instrumentation. Spot on perfection without getting too tight. Vocals weren’t anything special, but they got the job done. Maybe I just have a soft spot for this type of rock, but I really enjoyed it. 4/5
Joe Jackson
4/5
I’d have given this a perfect score if the singer sounded a bit less like Elvis Costello. The songwriting was fantastic. Instrumentation and production were both spot on and worked effortlessly together. Lyrics were thoughtful. I really liked this. I’ll enjoy listening again. 4/5
Procol Harum
4/5
This is pretty sweet. There are a couple tweaks I’d have suggested here and there, but ultimately a solid and very enjoyable album. The production isn’t the best. Maybe they’re going for a rougher quality, which can work very well, and indeed would have complemented their sound nicely on this album, but it ends up sounding a tad unfinished. A little muddled if I do say. While the songwriting is pretty unique and strong, there are a few parts where I wish some more thought had been given. Some songs stop short where it would be clearly beneficial to extend and some do the opposite. Those are my only tweaks and they’re fairly minor to my overall experience. The vocals are iconic, the instrumentation too. Lyrics are just de-lovely. Stellar album cover. Great stuff. 4/5
Agalloch
3/5
Not my type, but I understand why people love it so much. Pretty good album all in all, if not a bit boring if I do say. Otherwise, lovely, but I doubt I’ll be listening again soon. 3/5
The Angelic Process
3/5
Alrighty, this is definitely not my thing. I see the appeal, but it was just too long with “nothing” going on. Obviously there wasn’t actually nothing, but I couldn’t find anything to latch onto. Maybe that’s reflective of poor writing, or maybe I, as a listener, should have tried harder. Nevertheless (whatever that means), this album was consistent, had range, and I can’t complain too much besides its seemingly unearned length. 3/5
Nightwish
3/5
This is, I shit you not, the third mid 2000s experimental hard rock/metal album I’ve gotten in a row and it’s starting to get to me. So let’s do this again. While it isn’t my thing, I won’t hate on it, nor will I hate on people who enjoy it. It’s too long and not quite interesting enough for me. Please send another genre. 3/5
3/5
While the production was stellar, the songwriting was underwhelming, especially when combined with the vocals, and it led to a very boring album overall. Goodnight. 3/5
Garmarna
3/5
Translation: “BUY FURNITURE BUY FURNITURE BUY FURNITURE!!!”. No thanks. Your ethereal subliminal marketing won’t work on me! The Poäng is pretty nice though. 3/5
Ornette Coleman
5/5
One of the best jazz albums of all time. Unique and original quality from start to finish. I’ll never be smart enough to understand what’s going on here, but I can certainly enjoy it. Love it a lot. 5/5
STARSET
2/5
This sounds too much like the soundtrack to a Michael Bay film. Nothing against soundtracks, but they’re created to complement the film. There’s no film here so those grand instrumental bits feel saccharine. The vocals are overly dramatic. Lyrics are cliche after cliche. Production is falteringly derivative. Instrumentation is solid, but ends up feeling off balance with nothing else to latch onto. 2/5
Beyoncé
5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Easily her best. She’s never really had a reason to write like she did for this album. For that reason, every song slaps. I honestly couldn’t say which half is better. Obviously the vocals are stellar, it’s Beyoncé. The production is absolutely stellar, the features complement lovely, songwriting is perfect, plenty of range. Furthermore, this album is just downright important. Fuck it. 5/5
The Tragically Hip
4/5
This isn’t the most original album, but it gives off a warm cozy feeling. It’s very comfortable in what it’s doing and that comfort is infectious. You don’t always need to be doing Björk levels of experimentation. Sometimes what works - get this - works. 4/5
Crystal Castles
3/5
I appreciate the inclusion on the list, but at no point did this album have enough going on to be able to keep me from tuning out. Neither, at any point, was this album offensive in any way. It was nice, just nice. 3/5
Status Quo
2/5
They shouldn’t have ended with the shittiest Doors cover known to man. Seriously, they played that song fucking verbatim with no interesting changes whatsoever. The rest of the album had shitty production, uneventful instrumentation, lackluster lyrics, and vocals that would be pretty alright for a high school talent show. Call me a hater. Say I’m drinking the hatorade. I don’t care. I’m not the one who has to listen to this again. 2/5
Cluster
2/5
Absolutely stellar and fantastic production. Boring as shit. 2/5
Mary Chapin Carpenter
3/5
A lot of the instrumentation sounded like karaoke backing track but was solid in some other parts. Production wasn’t the greatest. Vocals were there, but didn’t particularly excite. Lyrics were good. Some songs on here were pretty fun. The whole thing was fine, maybe even nice. 3/5
Adam Green
3/5
This is that guy at camp that says really edgy things in hopes of sounding cool, but it ends up making everyone cringe. The songwriting wasn't bad actually, but the lyrics tanked the whole thing. I think, maybe, he achieved what he was going for, so that's something at least, I guess. 3/5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
This is certainly more interesting than the other album by these guys that was on the main list. More experimental and, in my mind, pays off way more. Lyrics are a little strange, but not necessarily bad. Instrumentation, songwriting, and production are great. I wish there was more of a unified approach between the songs while still maintaining the range they’ve created. Just a tad all over the place. Just a bit. Otherwise, wonderful listen. 4/5
Guy Clark
4/5
I love this album. So heartfelt and genuine. Lyrics, production, instrumentation, and arrangement are all fantastic. I wish there was a tad more range on the front end, but ultimately it all works out. Great album. Thanks for the submission. 4/5
of Montreal
3/5
They sound too much like Sparks later stuff. I don’t appreciate Sparks later stuff. I don’t disagree with anything going on with this album. To me, though, it doesn’t thrill, chill, or spill. It ain’t bad. It ain’t for me. Great production. 3/5
LaBelle
4/5
With Patti LaBelle and Allen Toussaint on this album, you can’t complain too much. I wish the songs had a little bit more of a tangible structure, something to hold onto rather than the flowy and effervescent style that occupies almost all of this project. Other than that pretentious note, I really enjoyed listening. Well done, folks. 4/5
4/5
Ethereal as shit, bro. I can get down. Not even really mad at the length. Just not quite enough range for it. 4/5
Bruce Hornsby
3/5
Given that Genesis had formed, released 14 out of their 15 albums, and had damn near disbanded by the time Bruce released his debut album, I feel secure in my claim that this project is derivative. While I understand that Phil makes several appearances on this record, it’s still no excuse for him to copy his own style and pass it off so blatantly as someone else’s. I knew that the was album was going to have that gimmicky production just by looking at the cover. This thing didn’t need to be this long and just drags. I will give it that the instrumentation is superb. 3/5
100 gecs
4/5
The production is just wonderful. The songwriting is original and unique. There is a lot of range instrumentally, but not so much emotionally. It’s all
upbeat and rarely delves into anything slower. Otherwise, I had a real good time listening. 4/5
Songs: Ohia
3/5
While I’m not of the opinion that every album needs a full orchestra to create intrigue, the production and instrumentation on this project are too sparse to inspire any excitement. There’s nothing wrong with it, just kind of boring. 3/5
Os Mundi
3/5
At first I thought this was the same band that did “A Minha Menina”, but that’s Os Mutantes not Os Mundi. Then I went through roughly half the album believing that this was another Brazilian band with a similar band and thought, “I usually like Brazilian experimental psychedelic rock, why is this falling so flat and coming out boring?”. This is when I realized that they were fucking Germans. Ugh! And they’re blatantly ripping off the flute stylings of Hermeto Pascoal. There was an interesting bit at the start of “Agnus Dei” in the first ten seconds that almost sounded Arcade Fire-ish, but then shifted to boring again for the rest of the song. I’m not impressed. I would not write home. I was fully in my seat and did not once even start to approach the edge of it. Sorry, kids. It was good instrumentation and solid production. I guess it just ain’t my thang. 3/5
Jóhann Jóhannsson
3/5
Apple Music is trying to tell me this album came out in 2018 for some reason, which is ridiculous, this sounds like something 50 years older. Oh, it's only 15 years older, that's a shame. This was a fun listen for the first song, but quickly got boring. I get. I appreciate the contribution because it is certainly unlike anything I've ever heard and definitely unlike anything else on this list, but it just ain't that good in my opinion. Songs seem unrealized and unfinished. The instrumentation is mostly fine, but occasionally sloppy. Seems like the inspiration that had for making the album was really all they had going for them. 3/5
Bohren & Der Club Of Gore
4/5
Listen to this while reading Dashiell Hammett’s “The Maltese Falcon”. Big mood shit. Big vibes. Not too much going on, but it also is a very rich album. I enjoyed a lot. 4/5
Ween
4/5
This is more of a collection of great songs rather than a great album. “Candi” is kind of a stinker, but the rest is very enjoyable. I just wish something that was a more cohesive. This is all over the place, which can be fun, but it doesn’t work for an album. At least, not this time. Love Ween, though. Loved the collection of songs. There’s so much range and they’re really good at songwriting in that way. It’s really very impressive. 4/5
Nic Jones
4/5
Yay! Love this. I want to interlock arms with a fair maiden and skip in opposite directions when I listen to this. Good production, instrumentation, vocals, songwriting, and lyrics. This isn’t going to shatter the world, but it is very fun. 4/5
HELLYEAH
3/5
Instrumentation is solid, vocals are solid, production is solid, songwriting isn’t the most innovative, but it ain’t offensive, and the lyrics are alright too. I just can’t figure out why I have no desire to listen to it. I find the whole thing bemusing. I’d keep it on if I found it on the radio. If no one else was in the car, that is. I think this isn’t that bad, but I really don’t want to listen to it. The duality of man. 3/5
blink-182
4/5
My age is 23. Nobody likes me. 4/5
Metric
4/5
I liked this a lot. Made me think of something that would be in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Probably because they have a song in the movie. I wish they were more popular. They have a great energy and songwriting. The lyrics are solid, instrumentation matches, and the vocals are unique and recognizable. Not
much to note against them, except that there could have been more range. Very nice stuff. Appreciate the submission. 4/5
Roger Waters
4/5
Pink Floyd chose to work on “The Wall” rather than this. I can’t say they were wrong. Without the rest of the group, this feels a little less urgent. No driving force to push the narrative. The thread is lost and all that’s left is a middle aged man screaming into the void. Now, I will say, that isn’t NOT what they were going for, but it feels more like a schizophrenic you’d walk by without stopping, whereas “The Wall” was a schizo you’d stop and intently listen to. Anyway, my uncle Kevin plays the sax on some of these tracks so he did great. Roger could have done better, but there was too much on his plate. He needed to delegate better. I enjoyed myself. 4/5
Swans
2/5
This is boring, sometimes annoying, and always too long. I listened to two hours of this nonsense and can’t recall a single bit. Just nonsensical screaming. The production and instrumentation were good. Vocals and lyrics did not stand out. Songwriting seemed experimental with no real purpose. I lost to much time to this one. 2/5
Kashmir
4/5
Fitting for its time. I enjoyed the intro into the last song. That was the most exciting point on the album. The rest was nice and I enjoyed listening. Good songs, nothing incredible really, but very good stuff. 4/5
Garbage
4/5
This is a great album. Strong and unwavering style throughout. Length just isn’t justified. It’s close, though. One of these songs, not sure which one, could have been cut. Iconic vocals, great production, great instrumentation, original songwriting. Very nice, Garbage. 4/5
Madvillain
5/5
This is one of the best rappers of all time operating at his creative peak. Paired with a producer who is able to seamlessly enhance his iconic style, you get one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. Lyrics, production, flow, songwriting. All perfection. There ain't a damn thing wrong with this album. Fantastic shit start to finish. Love this. 5/5
Great Big Sea
4/5
I understand that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this is exactly what I needed right now. An absolutely refreshing breath of fresh air. Not an incredibly original outing for the mid nineties, but it’s firmly comfortable in its genre and undeniably fun. Love it. 4/5
Vampire Weekend
4/5
This was fun. Some good range. Not a bad listen at all. Not the most exciting album, but it’s very nice. Well done, lads. 4/5
Boards of Canada
2/5
If I hadn’t listened to that new Alex Warren album, this would have been the worst thing I’ve heard all week. Over an hour just waiting for something at all to happen. Alas, nothing came. Nothing, against Canada, though. 2/5
Charly García
4/5
This was interesting never heard such western sounding music in a language other than english. No clue what he was talking about, but the vibes were there. Nice addition. 4/5
Olivia Rodrigo
4/5
After the success of her first album, I thought there was no way she could top it, yet she released something even better. I was amazed when it came out. She is one of the best singer-songwriters of her age. There may be a bit too many ballads on here than necessary. Why not swap “making the bed” and “the grudge” with the bonus tracks like “obsessed” or “so american”? Would have made it feel a tad more urgent and memorable. Otherwise, I love every song on this. Great stuff and can’t wait for what she does next. 4/5
Cindy Lee
4/5
Is this too long? Maybe. It doesn’t feel that way, though. I loved every minute of this and it was my first time listening. There’s a perfect blending of genres, and fantastic experimentation with both production and instrumentation. The vocals are angelic and both serve as another instrument while also providing the final bit of emotion required to get these songs to where Cindy wants them to be. I couldn’t find this on the usual go to apps for listening so I heard it from a guy on youtube that posted the whole album. I’m not sure if a lot of the songs are intentionally meant to end abruptly of if that’s a product of listening in the wrong place. Great album either way. Glad to have heard it. Great inclusion. 4/5
BABYMETAL
2/5
I thought these girls were pretty sick to be playing music this hard. Then I looked up the first track live because I wanted to see if the drums still sounded like a machine gun if played out of the studio and guess what I found out! They don’t play the instruments. How disappointing. Furthermore the drums and guitar are all programmed. And on top of all of that, they don’t even write the music! So why am I listening? What am I listening to? Other people sing someone else’s words. It’s like Elvis, that talentless bastard. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t enjoy this. As for the actual album, the instrumentation is obviously spot on (because it’s a fucking computer) and the vocals are alright. They sort of get drowned out in the production which is way over the top. I understand why people like this. It just feels like a cardboard cutout of a band rather than something tangible. 2/5
That Handsome Devil
3/5
Remind me of Dr. John’s voice, Tom Waits’ style, and Aesop Rock’s enunciation. I love when there’s an album on this list that defies genre. What the hell category would you put this in? I have a difficult time telling if I’m enjoying this or not. I’m glad I listened, but I don’t think I’d want to listen again unless someone else has it on. Very unique, though. 3/5
Snarky Puppy
3/5
This was a phun time. Great playing. Lots of energy complemented by the crisp and lively production. Good background music, but not very interesting if listening to it is the task at hand. 3/5
Comus
3/5
Split some of these longer songs in two. They don’t sound like they go together. There was an obsession with making long songs in this genre at this time. It didn’t need to happen. Was there a point to it? Why make the songs long just to make them long? I need serious help. Please help me. Am I worth saving? Are any of us? Why do we keep going? I liked this album a little. Just a little boring, nothing much going on. Respect the vision, though. 3/5
Martha
3/5
This was the first album of theirs I’ve listened to. I suspect, though, that maybe their earlier stuff leaned a little bit more heavily on the indie rather than on the pop. The vocals were messy in that low budget indie sense, which isn’t a bad thing, but the instrumentation was a little more crisp and production even more so. All of that results in an album with varying levels of finish. Made the whole thing feel off kilter. I did enjoy it, though. It wasn’t unlistenable by any means. Lyrics were thoughtful for the most part. A few odd choices here and there. Mostly alright. This is a fine album, not great, not bad, just fine. 3/5
Alex Cameron
3/5
This was nice, but kind of boring and ultimately unexciting. This guy’s got style for sure and he appears to be unapologetically himself, but himself does not really interest me that much, I guess. The lyrics are inoffensive and could inspire some emotion. Some people probably love this a lot. To me, it’s just another fine album that came out in the late 2010s. 3/5
Calibro 35
4/5
This was very enjoyable. I wish there were more lyrics. Everything was really good. It occasionally piqued my interest in a way that was more than just recognizing that there’s music playing. Felt original at times, but mundane at others. Never got close to being unlistenable or even annoying. Quite a delight actually. 4/5
Hombres G
4/5
This is fun. I wish I knew what they were singing about, but I enjoyed it all nevertheless. Well done. 4/5
John Coltrane
4/5
This is one of them slow Friday nights when cuddle up close next to your sweetheart and make whoopee, ain’t it? Well, it sure sounds lovely to me, y’all! 4/5
Sunny Day Real Estate
4/5
The vocals struck me more as just another instrument rather than actually working to convey the words of the lyrics. The applied meaning and communicated a general emotion, but it was hard to understand what exactly they were saying. This may have been an intentional production decision. For me, it made it a little more difficult to discern songs from one another. Otherwise, I had a great time. Great instrumentation and song writing. Not really any other complaints. 4/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
So fucking groovy, so fucking groovy, so fucking groovy. Not much range, but this is so fun and so fucking groovy. 4/5
Bon Iver
4/5
What a beautiful album. So personal and heartfelt. Except for the title track, he doesn’t venture too far from his comfort zone on this album as much as he will later. Although, I suppose, that may be a theme of the album. I don’t have much to complain about. This is a really powerful album that I’m lucky to have heard. Great stuff, Bon. 4/5
Jellyfish
4/5
I enjoyed this. Very unique, Tally Hall is the closest thing to it and these guys came first. Love the songwriting, lyrics were good, vocals and instrumentation were fine, production was great. It’s silly, but they take their silliness very seriously. Good for them. 4/5
Hikaru Utada
3/5
Not bad, but not for me. I enjoyed a couple parts, although, on the whole, was left feeling underwhelmed. Didn’t excite me. Didn’t get me going. Didn’t get me there. I hope you like it more than I did. 3/5
3/5
The production is impeccable and original. The vocals, though not technically incredible, are iconic. The songwriting doesn't wow me at all and neither do the lyrics. I found the whole thing to be annoying and repetitively unnecessary. Not a big phan of SOPHIE's work so maybe it's a me thing. I find this to be pretentious. I wonder sometimes if they'd be as popular if they hadn't died young. 3/5
Mogwai
4/5
No lyrics :( Could have been so great if they were screaming unintelligibly. Instead it’s over an hour of really good songwriting, production, and instrumentation. 4/5
The Jesus Lizard
4/5
While the lyrics are almost intentionally unintelligible, they’re still solid. The vocals are essentially used as an another instrument and in that sense they accomplish the task. Instrumentation is rock solid. Production is great. No big complaints. They achieved what they set out to I believe. 4/5
Al Stewart
4/5
He’s got a voice that would fit right in with the post punk era, though it isn’t annoying like most of those other twats. The production of Mr. Parsons is fabulous and, combined with the vocals, makes for a unique sound. Lyrically, it tells its story with both effectiveness and beauty. Not always an easy combo to manage. Songwriting and instrumentation are equally brilliant. I’d never heard of this or Mr. Stewart so I’m pleased with the submission. Great stuff. Fantastic outro. 4/5
The Posies
4/5
Very nineties. Had a good amount of range and was interesting to a point. I enjoyed listening and think I’d like to do so again. Great work. 4/5
Primus
3/5
The only song on here that I didn’t find annoying was “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” and that’s becase it was on the radio when I was growing up. Nostalgia and all that. Annoying in the sense where it’s unpleasant, but not unlistenable. Sort of like your best friend trying to get on your nerves. I’ll give it that it has personality. No doubt about that. These guys are unique and original and there ain’t no one like them. There’s a good amount of range. The songwriting is intriguing. Vocally, instrumentally, and productionally very adequate and nicely donely. I just have no desire to really listen to them. Good work, though. 3/5
Johnny Winter
2/5
The kid’s not doing anything special here. All these songs are by the book and fail to provoke any excitement. The soul of the genre is blatantly missing. His voice a little unique, but not great to listen to for forty minutes. The last song was an active problem. Who the fuck was that for. This is a jam session of a blues-rocker wannabe. I apologize for my negativity, but I love blues and I love rock, and Johnny misses the mark for me. It wasn’t a chore to get through and he is, undoubtedly an excellent guitarist. I’ll give him that much. 2/5
Fall Out Boy
2/5
Bigger piece of dog shit than I remember it being. Had to delete it from my library. Was just cringe as fuck from start to finish. The vocals were way over produced (don’t get me started on what they did to poor Elton), the lyrics were nonsensical, the instrumentation felt like it was just trying way too damn hard. Did not like, apologies. 2/5
Richard Dawson
3/5
I respect this, but I have a lot of trouble appreciating it. Certainly a unique sound. Don’t know anything quite like it. He’s good at what he’s doing and he’s accomplished what he set out to. The songs feel original. The vocals certainly are recognizable, but that doesn’t make it good or fun to listen to. That’s sort of the way I feel about the whole album. Yeah, it’s different, but it’s rarely or never fun. There’s something here, though and I don’t hate it. Didn’t care for the length. Won’t listen again, I think. 3/5
Powderfinger
4/5
This is nice songwriting. Vocals, instrumentation, and production are all fine. That’s not really where their focus was, though. Lyrics and chord progressions and things of that nature are where this thing really shines. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t the most exciting record. Not quite by the book, but they aren’t doing anything very experimental. Just good quality, inoffensive songs. 4/5
Boy Azooga
3/5
I think this has good production and lots of potential, but it was too repetitive. They could have done a lot more. Sounded good, but could get annoying. 3/5
Stars
4/5
I really enjoyed this. Surprised to have never heard of them. Instrumentation, production, and vocals are all good. Songwriting is lovely. Lyrics are great. Doesn’t get boring. Having two singers helps with that. I love their style and will enjoy listening again. 4/5
Glass Animals
3/5
I find this guy’s voice annoying. More the way he sings than his actual voice. The production complements it well, but it’s too saccharine for me. I feel as if they are under the impression that their lyrics are a lot cooler than they actually are. The concept is nice. I don’t enjoy it. 3/5
ISIS
3/5
He sounds just like Engelbert Humperdinck! So dreamy <3 <3 <3!!! Long and boring. I bet this sounds just like how they wanted it to. I’m not that interested, though. Good for them, I guess. 3/5
WHY?
3/5
The production is good and the lyrics are thoughtful. There’s a good bit of range. I do respect all of this, but I don’t enjoy it. There’s just something about this that’s a touch too pretentious for me. Maybe it just doesn’t feel like they’re having enough fun. I don’t know. 3/5
Operation Ivy
4/5
Sick as fuck. Would have been cool of them to develop some of these songs a little more. The longest song on here is less than three minutes. The whole thing is just over a half an hour and there’s still a great deal of range on here without stepping a foot outside their comfort zone. What a great album. Fun from start to finish. Well done, boyos. 4/5
Vince Guaraldi Trio
4/5
This is the perfect Christmas album. You can put this on at the party and have no trouble with the music for thirty five minutes. If no one pays attention, it can be easily tuned out. If they do pay attention, you can comment on how lovely it all sounds. The immaculate production, the genius of how just a trio can make all those delightful noises, how it’s experimental, yet still an undeniable classic. This checks all the boxes for me. If it weren’t a Christmas album it’d get a ten out of ten. 4/5
Broken Social Scene
4/5
A tad long and could be just a bit of noise at some points, but always enjoyable and never annoying. Very pleasant listen. They’re a good band. I enjoyed it. 4/5
Songs: Ohia
4/5
I love this a lot. Refreshing production. The vocals feel untouched. Just raw and full of emotion. Instrumentation feels the same way. Lyrics too. Songwriting doesn’t contain the most range on this eight track album, but it’s overall different enough from most other things that it never gets boring for a second. At forty five minutes, this is a nice dive into a relatively unknown band and a great album. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. 4/5
Savages
4/5
This was a pleasant outing. My only wish is that they had a bit more range. The production was excellent, the instrumentation was experimental without going too far, vocals provided enough energy to make the lyrics convincing. I had a great time and I hope you do too. 4/5
Pop Will Eat Itself
2/5
Chock full of pop culture references, they’re so cool. I’d have to be a complete moron to not like this. Unga bunga boonga. 2/5
Quicksand
3/5
I didn’t mind this. I’d listen if it came on the radio, but probably won’t seek it out. Probably. This is a good album, but the vocals are just a tiny bit too inarticulate for my taste. Just past the threshold of noise for noise’s sake. 3/5
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Not as good as their previous album, but not as bad as their next. It’s just a shame how boring it is given what we know they can do. I appreciate they’re trying a new direction, but it feels like they don’t know what the goal is. Again, that’s more true on their next album, but it’s evident here as well. Genuinely hope they can pull out something exciting next time. 3/5
The B-52's
3/5
Something about the way Fred sings just makes me want to drive into oncoming traffic. I can stand the others, I suppose, but not him. I don’t care for the lyrics. The instrumentation is fantastic and I enjoyed that as well as the production, but I can’t get past the vocals. If I could, I would say this is a very lovely album with little to no faults. As it is, though, I feel very middle of the road. 3/5
Electric Callboy
3/5
Some people hate this, claiming that it’s completely and entirely unserious and just totally silly. Other people enjoy this immensely, saying that it’s completely and entirely unserious and just totally silly. I say they’re both right. 3/5
Crash Test Dummies
2/5
I can’t stand the sound of this guys voice. It’s like he’s trying to make his voice sound deeper than it actually is. That may really be how he sounds, but it ain’t something I’m interested in hearing. Didn’t really care for the lyrics either. Nor the production and instrumentation. If it wasn’t for his voice, which is impossible to ignore, I would say this was a snooze fest. Feel like I’m being a little harsh. Wish I had something better to say about it. 2/5
The Chats
4/5
This is fun. I like this. Late to the game and songs can start to blend, as there’s little range, but that wasn’t what they were going for. They seemed to just want to have a grand ol’ time. I think they achieved that. 4/5
Freddie Gibbs
4/5
The songs here are really good and can easily be enjoyed. I'll say that Freddie thinks he's cooler than he really is. I could have done without the skits and interlude bits. Those weren't fun. The actual music was fun. Freddie has a good voice and flow. His beats and production and experimental and interesting, but never show him up. I don't know that this album needed to be an hour long, but it wasn't a pain to get through, at least, not for me. This is a good listen. Freddie continues to be too self involved, but not enough to where his albums suffer. 4/5
Ozzy Osbourne
4/5
This was a lot better than I was expecting. "I Don't Know" starts the album off with high energy and immediately sets Ozzy apart from his days with his former band. "Crazy Train" is obviously a classic. It's one of the reasons I learned to play guitar. "Goodbye Romance" follows and is one of the best songs I've ever heard from Ozzy. It's a surprisingly heartfelt ballad. Definitely top three on this album. After that you get instrumental guitar interlude, "Dee". This wasn't a necessary inclusion. It doesn't hurt the record, but they could have found a more creative way to include it. "Suicide Solution" had a promising start, but didn't quite go as far as it could have. It's still a great song, but it had a lot more potential. Another classic with "Mr. Crowley". "No Bone Movies" is kind of a dud. "Revelation (Mother Earth)" is a little clunky, but Randy Rhoads delivers a fantastic solo at the end which almost makes the six minute wait worth it. Closing out the album is "Steal Away (The Night)". There are more interesting songs on this album, but there are also worse ones. I think he could have chosen a better song to end with, but it's alright. Call to action, maybe? All in all, I'd say this definitely worth listening to. Essential listening for any metal head and an absolute must for anyone who calls themselves a fan of the Prince of Darkness. Rest in peace, Ozzy. 4/5
Kayo Dot
3/5
This is more a thing you’d want to experience in a museum type setting rather than your daily music listening life. It’s a great work of art and it’ s good music, but the whole album is too self indulgent. The first three of fifteen minutes on the closing track sound like they’re warming up. Also, too long. Only five songs and it’s almost an hour. It ain’t bad whatsoever, but certainly an acquired taste. 3/5
Sam Fender
4/5
Feels fresh, but also like something that’s already out there. As in, this style has existed for a while now, but he’s doing something interesting with it to keep it engaging. I enjoyed listening when it came out and I enjoyed listening today. Big energy, which keeps things fun. Great lyrics and songwriting. The vocals aren’t the best, but they’re unique, which counts for more in my book. Wasn’t the most interesting album of the year, but it’s very solid. 4/5
Chucklehead
3/5
I’ve never heard of them, but that doesn’t surprise me. They’re unique, but not engaging. Not for me at least. They never annoyed me, though I can see how this could bother someone. There isn’t anything wrong with this except that it’s just really not that interesting. Not for me, I suppose. 3/5
Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
4/5
This is a lovely album. Doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Sonically interesting. Vocals, instrumentation, lyrics and production are all great. I look forward to listening again. 4/5
Karnivool
3/5
This is fine. Not very interesting in its lyrics or songwriting. Neither the vocals nor instrumentation stand out. That said, the album isn’t offensive either. I didn’t find it hard to get through. The production was pretty good. Just a big ‘meh’ of an album. 3/5
Deltron 3030
4/5
This is such an incredible album. A must listen of the genre. How many rap operas are there. How many are this good. Lyrically brilliant, production is phenomenal, story line entertaining. This could use a little more range, but I don’t really have any big complaints. Wasn’t a big phan of some of the skits, but I really enjoyed the whole album. It’s great. Hope you enjoy it. 4/5
Turnpike Troubadours
4/5
I enjoyed this a surprising bit. Great songwriting and structure. This was a thoughtfully crafted album. There are a lot of one liners on this that prevent you from tuning out. A very engaging album and I respect them for that. 4/5
Chet Baker
4/5
Fuckin’ love this shit. Sad trump all day, baby. I like his singing album better because of his weird thin voice and I also just enjoy these songs with their lyrics. He’s not really doing anything crazy here, he’s just doing it really well with a lot of feeling. I like this album a lot. 4/5
Slowdive
4/5
What do we call this? Shoegaze? This is good shoegaze. Great stuff. Better than those bloody Valentines, I’ll tell you that much. The album can lack range at times, but it’s always effective at achieving the desired style. Great songwriting, lyrics, and production. I enjoyed all of these songs. 4/5
Shudder To Think
3/5
This doesn’t make the biggest impression, but it’s an easy listen and I enjoyed it. Some good bits of experimentation. Production, vocals, and instrumentation were all tight. No big complaints. 3/5
John Mayer
2/5
I knew a guy who worked with John before he was famous. One day my friend brings his girlfriend to work and at some point in the day John grabs her ass. On a personal level, I think John Mayer is an asshole and I really don’t like it when one of the numerous lists I proscribe to recommends him to me. On a talent level. This guy has a plastic, paint by numbers voice. Paired with his good guitar skills and his good looks, you get a guy who is overconfident in his abilities to deliver good songwriting and lyrics. The Shawn Mendes of the 2000s for those of you still reading that weren’t alive when the towers fell. I don’t get anything interesting from him. I don’t feel anything, maybe annoyance? He just is not able to pull off the swagger he’s attempting. Sorry to the submitter for this overly hateful review. I’m glad you can enjoy this dude. 2/5
Wet Leg
4/5
I really enjoy this album. They’re a fun and refreshing group. Love their style and songwriting. The lyrics are good, the production is good, the whole thing is good. Doesn’t quite get to the point of blowing me away, but it’s close. 4/5
Tosca
3/5
Not the worst electronica album I’ve ever heard, but I still think the genre is essentially background music. This was pretty good background music, but still not that interesting. 3/5
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
3/5
Honestly underwhelming compared to the other albums I’ve heard from them along with the hype around this one. It’s fairly straight forward with no big parts. I disliked how the last song ended. Why so abrupt? Am I missing something? Possibly. Instrumentation, vocals, and production are all good. Songwriting and lyrics could have been a little more interesting, but there was nothing wrong there. A tad disappointed in the lizard and the wizard. 3/5
Enter Shikari
3/5
They aren’t talentless, but they also aren’t for me. I’m glad there are people who enjoy their style. 3/5
Debbie Gibson
4/5
I enjoyed this. It was fun. Sorta Bangles. Sorta Go-Go’s. She allegedly wrote, produced, and executed this album at the sixteen. Very impressive. It sometimes feels like an album written by a sixteen year old, but never too much. Just the right amount of youthful fun and easy energy exuding from this. I’m a phan. 4/5
DARKSIDE
3/5
Electronica music is and has always been boring background music to me. This had its moments, but I ultimately forget every bit of it a minute after is passes. I’ll give it that it’s one of the better albums I’ve ever heard of the genre. 3/5
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
4/5
Why this wasn’t the Herb Alpert album chosen for the original list is beyond me. So many of his best songs are on this. Not all of the tracks are bops, but enough to where I’d call this a must listen. “Ladyfingers” at least should be a song everyone is familiar with. It can be beautiful, sad, uplifting, sometimes all in the same song. This is a really great album. 4/5
Lo Fidelity Allstars
2/5
Bullocks. Not a phan. Too long, too boring, too annoying. It was somehow both too much and too little at the same time. Little to like, for me. 2/5
Crass
4/5
These chaps make great music, but that’s no surprise. Course they fucking do. Great punk music. Good vibes throughout. Was a little nervous listening to the first song, but I recognized the second track and was immediately alleviated of my worries. The lyrics, vocals, instrumentation, and production are all punk as hell and Crass is just such an enjoyable band to listen to. 4/5
Stromae
2/5
I’m not necessarily against this, but I found it hard to enjoy. Admittedly, I don’t speak the language, so maybe there was something in the lyrics that would have made this a better listen. However, my main displeasure derives from the production, vocals, and songwriting. Too formulaic. Couldn’t get into it. I’d enjoy this more if I was coked up at a rave somewhere in central to western Europe. 2/5
Jimmy Buffett
3/5
This wasn't bad. Not particularly exciting, but not bad. Little bit of country, little bit of island. He's certainly got a style. He's original. Unique voice. Songwriting could be interesting at times. Lyrics never really were. Not quite to the point of offensive, but he could get some other talking points. All 1n all, not too shabby, Jimmy. 3/5
Faith No More
3/5
This album became overwhelming boring and annoying by the end of “Jizzlobber” and then they had the audacity to close this hour long album with a three minute instrumental. Absolutely mental. I enjoyed it up until “Jizzlobber”. I’d say that’s pretty accurate. 3/5
The Beautiful South
3/5
Ultimately kind of boring. Nothing much going on. Sounded a little like Tom Waits for a second, but that just made me want to turn this off and listen to actual Tom Waits. Not bad. Inoffensive. Just meh. 3/5
Anaïs Mitchell
4/5
I saw a high school production of the musical version a couple months ago. Not sure if it’s Mitchell’s dream fully realized, but it enhanced my experience of the music. Really great songwriting. The mixing of the genres, the chord changes, the ability to write songs for different vocal styles. Fantastic. The production and instrumentation were both good. Nothing blowing me away, but it was fine. Same with the vocals, though they could at times be annoying. Nothing they did wrong. Just don’t like this much of these voices at certain points. Lyrics are great. Story is great. Loved that tale as a kid. Liked to think about what it meant that he went all that way just to look back. Lack of faith that she’d follow? Lack of faith in Hades? Did he change his mind about wanting her? Did he fucking forget? I’ll always wonder. Some pretty classic tracks on here. May need to check out more of her stuff. 4/5
Gurrumul
4/5
This album is beautiful. Start to finish, it’s feels effortlessly magnificent. A lot going on, but you’re able to just fall into it and stay there for the whole album. Really great stuff. 4/5
Foxing
4/5
An enjoyable outing. Their latest album is better, so it’s nice that they are getting better with age. Production was good. Vocals were fine. They got the job done, but weren’t very unique or interesting. Songwriting was very of its time. Nice album, but not very out there. 4/5
Mustafa
3/5
This is a fine collection of ballads. A little short, but that’s ok. The songwriting is pretty good, but not great. Not a pain to listen to. Taking a point off for the heaven song. That sucked. Mostly pretty good, though. 3/5
Courtney Barnett
4/5
The feels original and fresh, in my opinion. Punky, sure, but not a style I’ve heard before. Her vocals are unique, not a great singer, but doesn’t need to be for what she’s trying to do. She never attempts to do anything too far outside her range. A good bit of experimentation. Instrumentation is solid. Lyrics are nonsensical in the best way. I enjoyed this a lot. 4/5
The Weakerthans
4/5
Good amount of range. Very enjoyable. Not quite exciting enough to get it to five stars, but darn close. Like them a lot. 4/5
Khruangbin
3/5
If this was the backing track to a tutorial on how to set up a website or something, I might stop and think, “Wow, this is a pretty good backing track for a tutorial video”, but then again, I may not even notice. This isn’t bad, just not exciting. Pleasant to listen to while I got ready in the morning, though. 3/5
Living Colour
4/5
This album is just a smidge longer than it needs to be. I really enjoyed it, though. Really great experimental instrumentation. His voice is genuinely good and has a lot of range. They have a unique sound and I found it very easy to maintain my interest. I’d just cut one or two songs. Very nice stuff. Glad to have listened. 4/5
Medeski, Martin & Wood
3/5
Good for dawdling around the house. Not much else. I don’t mind it, but it’s not great. Appreciate the listen, although I don’t believe I’ll indulge again. 3/5
Portishead
4/5
Currently reading Casino Royale and this album makes me wish Portishead had written a Bond song. Every song has tension and drama. Well written stuff, if only it lacks a little range. Vocals and instrumentation are iconic and instantly recognizable. I enjoyed this a lot. 4/5
Hamilton Leithauser
3/5
This is fine. Couldn’t quite get into it because of the singer sounded too much like the Vampire Weekend singer, but none of the rest of it was close enough, so the whole thing just ended up feeling off for me. Nothing too bad, just not for me. 3/5
Mansun
4/5
Unnecessarily long. There were seven songs on here that were over five minutes. Most of them didn't need that much time. This leads to my overall complaint with the album, which is that it's too self indulgent. Could have used some editing and some genuine thinking of whether or not choices were beneficial to the whole project. Otherwise, the vocals, production, instrumentation, lyrics, and songwriting were fairly good. I didn't mind any of it except when it seemed to drone. There was some range, but it could get boring. Again, cut the run time and you'll solve some problems. Not sure if it's one of the greatest of all times, but I'm glad to have listened. 4/5
Pearl Jam
4/5
This is a really great album. Overshadowed only by the one that preceded it. The songwriting, lyrics, instrumentation, and vocals are all fantastic. Lot of good hits on here. Not much to complain about. The energy we know they have isn’t as large, but it’s still there. The album is possibly more cohesive than Ten, but maybe that’s negated by the messier lyrics. Still great, just not sure it’s worth a five out of five. Real close, though. 4/5
Porter Robinson
4/5
It's got great production and original songwriting. I'm never disappointed with Porter Robinson. He feels fresh. This just isn't my cup of tea. Not really a tea phan, though. If I was, this would absolutely fuck. It would fuck hard. For now, I can appreciate it without wanting to listen again. 4/5
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
2/5
They played music every so often on this record. The other time is spent being pretentious. This album isn’t enjoyable unless you’re on the right mix of drugs. On the plus side, it has a perspective that doesn’t stray. A solid theme and style throughout the whole thing. It feels original and it’s certainly unique. I’m glad someone can enjoy this, but I will not be listening again if I can help it. 2/5
The Stooges
2/5
A good selection of songs, but it’s live. Aside from the expected poor recording quality, there’s the shitty vocals from Iggy. His ego was usually tempered during studio recordings, but came through just enough to be charismatic. His words are slurred on this recording more than they should. He’s not performing at his best. The rest of the band seems to be performing alright, but you can’t quite tell over the grainy recording and feedback from the amps. Interesting as a historical document in both bootlegging and punk, this recording is worth a listen for any historian of the genre, but I won’t be subjecting myself to this again, I hope. 2/5
Daniel Bélanger
4/5
A nice album to let wash over the day when you’ve got no clue what they’re saying. It was a pleasant listen this morning. Good production. Not too much to catch my attention, but I enjoyed listening. 4/5
The Alan Parsons Project
3/5
An interesting concept that isn’t long enough to get boring, but nearly gets there. Production was phantastic. I’ll listen to some of these songs again, but not thole album. 3/5
Death
4/5
The instrumentation here is so fucking good. It goes so hard. Love it. I wish the singer would turn down the screamo just a wee bit. That would make this album so much better, in my opinion. The inability to articulate a singer’s words because their chosen vocal style musses them has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves. Also the term pet peeve, don’t like that term. Idioms in general. Never really got them. Apple of my eye, what the fuck are you talking about? What the fuck is the singer talking about? Couldn’t tell ya because I couldn’t understand them. Otherwise, this is just wonderful. 4/5
Robyn Hitchcock
3/5
Not bad, I respect this even though it’s not for me. I like how weird it is. I wish there was some more excitement, but it’s a fine album. 3/5
Bright Eyes
4/5
Conor’s voice maybe isn’t to the level of being iconic, but it is certainly unique and, I would argue, pleasantly so. The instrumentation and production are intentionally fairly sparse, but I could have used just a bit more to keep me from tuning out. The whole album is lyrically wonderful. “First Day of My Life” is a must listen, but the last track is also quite good. “Another Travelin’ Song” is probably the ‘worst’ song on this record, but I stilled really enjoyed it. Not a lot to dislike with this. It’s just really solid. 4/5
Dead Boys
4/5
These boys are dead? Nope, just the singer at the time of this writing. I like early punk records a lot. Nothing in the genre ever feels as raw. Their style was instrumental in shaping the way future punk bands would operate. This album is easily the bands best (there aren't many to choose from). Vocals, production, songwriting, arrangement, instrumentation, and lyrics are all on the same level and in the same gritty feeling. None of those elements are even close to being technically incredible, but the fact that they're cohesive puts this album above a lot of others. Additionally, it simply is downright enjoyable and a fun time. This is great. Will listen again. 4/5
The Amazing Devil
2/5
I know exactly who these people are and can only imagine just how insufferably annoying they must be when they pretentiously insist upon themselves. They need their instruments taken away from them. They’ve lost musician privileges. “Gonna go home and dress my cat up like Batman ‘cause he’s awesome like me”. This is just cringe after cringe and would be, honestly, really great if they leaned into it and were just a little self aware. Unfortunately, they seem like they think they’re cool. You don’t have to be cool, but if y’ain’t, you need to know. Instrumentation is good, but boring. Production isn’t boring, but it’s not great. I wish I could enjoy this, but I’m not a fourteen year old D&D player who earnestly believes they aren’t like other kids, who is different and destined for greatness. I’m not. I’m destined for debt and a poor sleep schedule. At least I’m not destined to ever listen to this again. 2/5
Frank Zappa
4/5
Such interesting choices all across this thing. Every aspect of it is completely unique. Zappa's style is iconic. This is not the easiest album to listen to and I'm not quite sure what combination of drugs a certain audience might need to be on to enjoy it, but I believe that it is quality music. This album is one of the few instances where he doesn't go too far in the direction of weird to alienate his audience. Very strange, yes, but he takes us along for the ride instead of leaving us behind. Not my favorite album of his, but probably top five. 4/5
Dolly Parton
4/5
Great start, second half sort of drags, but the title track is fantastic. A slow burn, but that finale! Really just the last chord. Shame they chose to close on a shitty religious song. I really like Dolly. One of the all time greatest, in my opinion. This ain’t her best album, maybe not even her top ten, but it’s still really solid. She’s just that great. She brings her unique perspective, as always, but since it’s all covers, there ain’t too much to be done. I enjoyed it, though. I’d listen to Dolly any day. 4/5
Daft Punk
3/5
It’s a Daft Punk soundtrack, which is better than most soundtracks because Daft Punk, but it’s too much soundtrack and not enough Daft Punk. 3/5
Lady Gaga
4/5
The Fame by Lady Gaga. I’ve been trying to write this review all day. I keep getting interrupted and the review disappears because I forget to save it. If you’re reading this, I’ve finally succeeded. Anyways, pretty good for a debut album. Not the best, but it’s alright. There are a few songs on here that are really good and it just so happens that they are all in that classic Gaga style. They feel cohesive. Like they belong on an album together. The rest feel as though she is flailing through the air, grasping at genres and styles she may be able to pull off on her way down. That’s just me, though. The other songs weren’t bad, but they weren’t as fully realized as the aforementioned tracks. Adding some points just for the sheer force this album had when it came out. I don’t mind listening, but don’t put her on that often. It’s a high three for me. 4/5
Zach Bryan
4/5
I enjoy listening to Zach Bryan, but not so much a whole album. His albums are certainly cohesive and have a solid through line, but my god, get some range. Do something different. All the songs are good, but he’ll never be great unless he can hit a different emotion than melancholy. Still great stuff. One of the only poets I don’t mind. 4/5
MGMT
4/5
Great production and songwriting. There’s a lot going on here, so I’ll have to listen again to truly appreciate it, but it’s both fun to listen to and an album that has substance. Very well done, guys. 4/5
No Doubt
4/5
A little ska in here isn’t there, not bad. I do enjoy this style of ‘90s pop-rock. Vocals are iconic, production and instrumentation are both solid, and the songwriting is unique and a little refreshing, honestly. Not sure this needed to be an hour long, but I enjoyed it. 4/5
Extremoduro
1/5
Compilation albums are cheating. Even more so, in my opinion, than live albums. Both usually receive a one or two star rating from me. The maker of the album gets to pick and choose what songs do and don’t make it on the album, which is not unlike the making of other albums, admittedly, but in cases of live and compilation albums, they have knowledge of what their best and most popular songs are. Of course the album is going to be full of bops. These songs are fine and I probably would have given any of his albums a four star review as I enjoyed every song individually. Put all together, this 44 track 3.5+ hour album destroys any chance I had at enjoying the artist. These guys don’t have the range to sustain that length. I’d be willing to bet they don’t perform this long live. They were set up for failure and I can’t tell if the submitter was making a joke, getting revenge, or genuinely believed that this was an album worthy of the list. As if a compilation album could ever compare to the likes of Kid Rock, Throbbing Gristle, or Joh fucking Zorn. I’ll let you know, I plan on listening to this whole album. I’m currently four songs in. I believe that I’ll be able to accomplish this feat. If, however, I am unable. You will find a “DNF” tacked on to the end of this review. Good luck to anyone out there that is attempting the same. May luck be on your side. Finished. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t count. 1/5