690
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
63%
Complete
399 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Post-punk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
79
5-Star Albums
11
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
|
Cut
The Slits
|
5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
|
Arise
Sepultura
|
5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
|
Da Capo
Love
|
5 | 2.81 | +2.19 |
|
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
|
5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
|
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
|
5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
|
1 | 3.52 | -2.52 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
|
1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
|
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
|
1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
|
Better Living Through Chemistry
Fatboy Slim
|
1 | 2.99 | -1.99 |
|
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
|
1 | 2.92 | -1.92 |
|
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
|
2 | 3.87 | -1.87 |
|
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
|
2 | 3.84 | -1.84 |
|
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
|
2 | 3.78 | -1.78 |
|
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
|
1 | 2.77 | -1.77 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Joy Division | 2 | 5 |
| Arcade Fire | 2 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 4 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.33 |
| Björk | 3 | 4.33 |
| David Bowie | 8 | 3.88 |
| Radiohead | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Sinatra | 3 | 1.33 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Van Morrison | 5, 2, 5 |
| Miles Davis | 5, 2, 4 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 4, 5, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (79)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Eminem
1/5
This sucks, it’s offensive for the sake of being offensive. I get it, you hate women, you hate gay people, you hate everything, you’re so tough. Shut up Marshall, you fuck, Interlude skits are lame fillers for dorks, no humour whatsoever, blow job skit with insane clown posse was gross. It’s so damn annoying, I guess he’s clever enough and Stan was actually the only redeemable track on this but fuck that nasally delivery. I forgot how ridiculous the early 2000’s were and this reminded about the worst bits of it. If you want to listen to aggressive, violent rap that doesn’t suck, listen to Clipping instead. I don’t know how I got thru it all. 1 star
10 likes
Orbital
2/5
I’m noticing a trend with 90’s Electronic albums. The album covers are terrible, the albums themselves are always too long, they’re boring. I listened to the entire thing and I don’t think I am any better for having done so. 2 stars
7 likes
Big Black
4/5
Was excited to listen to this one since I’m familiar with Albini as an Engineer/Producer. He has worked with a lot of my favourite bands, Ty Segall, METZ, Cloud Nothings so I wasn’t surprised to be impressed with this album. It’s crunchy, gritty and loud. Sounded like a band that would have been pretty cool to see live, big fan of this one. Definitely going to explore their other work. 4 stars!
7 likes
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Went into 16 Lovers Lane with absolutely no idea what was in store. I assumed it was going to be quite poppy but was pleasantly surprised to discover it was a jangle pop album, I always got time for good jangle pop and this was really good. There are moments where they sound a bit like U2 and there were other times that had me thinking they sounded like a more lively Smiths. A really enjoyable, easy and wonderful surprise this album was, beautifully crafted and excellent layers of music with smart tight songwriting. Great stuff 4 stars
3 likes
Hole
5/5
Well shit, I wish I had given this a chance earlier. Love is in possession of the perfect vocals for what Hole is doing here. Such a good blend of both snarl and harmony in her voice and the band is so strong behind Love, blistering thru the entire album. Despite the heavy themes, Love sings with a playfulness at times, giving this grunge album a fresh feel, there’s humour at times too, Rock Star specifically. Overall really strong songwriting and personality displayed. Not a bad track on this one, really just fucking great. Upon reading of the tragic loss of bassist, Kristen Pfaff I learned that her replacement, Melissa Auf see Maur only came to be the replacement bc her roommate got in a fight with Billy Corgan after tossing a bottle at him at a Punpkins show in Montreal. Auf der Maur apologized for her roommates behaviour and this was the start of their friendship, that roommate btw became the drummer of the great Godspeed Black Emperor. Anyway, thought that was all neat. 5 stars!
2 likes
4-Star Albums (255)
1-Star Albums (11)
All Ratings
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Good solid Southern rock
Pink Floyd
3/5
George Michael
4/5
Never realized how good a vocalist Michael was. This is a solid pop album that is really well mixed. Even the crooner track, Kissing a Fool was great.
Joy Division
5/5
Drums on this are so clean and so good. Classic post punk album. Standout songs Isolation and Twenty Four Hours. The start of Twenty Four Hours actually made me think of Deftones-White Pony. Never put much time into Joy Division but I’ll definitely return to this album.
The Smiths
3/5
Decent album, gave it a second listen bc friends have said it’s a classic. Aside from the first couple tracks the songs just seemed to bleed into one another a bit. I think it’s just Morrissey’s vocal delivery that I can’t get into.
Supertramp
3/5
Sex Pistols
3/5
It was good, nothing jumped out at me. Pretty much what I expected from what I had already heard about them. Generic punk rock music made by posers.
Julian Cope
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Wouldn’t typically listen to this genre so I gave it two listens and it’s fun. Started out hot with The Kid From Red Bank which turned out to be my favourite track. This album is more than background noise.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
This is a solid album. I had listened to this one before and am a fan of Grizzly Bear before, there are people here being whiny, calling it hipster trash and a lawyer saying it flat out sucks, they’re wrong and dumb. This is an excellent sprawling album with amazing vocals that starts with back to back bangers in Southern Point and Two Weeks. There is a bit of a lull in the middle but it ends strong from Hold Still to Foreground. Excellent band, excellent album!
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
I liked this, seems like a good album to have on for a summer bbq or long bike ride, great summer chill album. Went on a bit long. Made me think of Khruangbin at times. Will definitely give a listen to Carboot Soul as that release seems to be held in high standards as well.
Genesis
3/5
This band is weird and this album is so fucking long! It was a bit of a slog to get thru but there is some cool stuff in the weirdness, it’s just not for me. Felt a bit like a fever dream at times. Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel are still cool
Pretenders
3/5
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would but mostly because I thought they were the Proclaimers. Good pop punk tempo throughout, Brass in Pocket was the only recognizable track. Favourite songs were Precious and Lovers of Today. 3/5
SZA
3/5
It was a pretty easy listen, nothing extraordinary really but enjoyable enough. Travis Scott can fuck off though. Favourite song would be Anything.
Talk Talk
4/5
This album hit the spot. Had no idea what to expect but the band was right the length was perfect at a tight 45mins and even the cover art was sweet. Was worried when I saw another Brit rock band from the 80’s but there was no needless drivel to drag this thing out. First track, Happiness is Easy along with Living in Another World were favourite tracks but there were no stinkers here in my opinion. 4.5/5
The Beach Boys
3/5
Pretty funny to hear grown ass men singing about their little sister’s dude and wanting to put aside the school books to dance in their room.
Roni Size
3/5
I think I liked the second part more than the first, I don’t know if it was part of the original album or not, these electronic artists seem really into themselves. 5 hour 20th anniversary release, who are you? Wilco!? There is some ok stuff here, I really want to hand out a 2 but as much as this album annoys me there is some decent music here.Morse Code was an assault on my ears and I hate the man for it. Fuck this prick, 3/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
This album rips. Had to check when Slow Ride was released bc the opening riff reminded me of that tune, seems Foghat ripped it off Sabbath. This album was fun, Iommi shreds, Ozzy wails, 5 stars
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
It’s fine. Not really into R&B and Soul so it’s no surprise to me that this album didn’t quite resonate with me. I didn’t love it but it also didn’t annoy me, easy enough listen, Yearnin’ Learnin’ stood out as my favourite with the funky vibes. Africano was pretty fun too with great percussion work. 3/5
Tricky
2/5
It actually started out pretty well with Martina Topley-Bird carrying the album with her strong vocals. Fell off a cliff in the last 2/3’s with Tricky taking over with his loud whispering? I don’t know, it just annoyed me. By the time Strugglin’ came on I thought, yea this sucks. If it was a 4 song ep with the first 4 tracks it’d be great. Ponderosa and Black Steel best tracks by far. 2 stars
The Rolling Stones
5/5
No misses on this one. Some good twang sprinkled in. This is fucking great, favourite tracks are Midnight Rambler and You Got the Silver. Easy 5
Van Halen
4/5
This is a fun rock album, the guitar work of Eddie Van Halen is unreal. Would have been something special to see live back in the early 80’s. Had never listened to this album start to finish but really enjoyed it. Fav tracks Eruption, I’m the One, Atomic Punk. 4.5/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I’m not American but I can appreciate some Americana rock every now and then. Bruce is clearly at his best singing about porches, streets I’ve never heard of, girls drinking’ warm beer and other American shit. Out of all the album covers of his featuring a picture of himself this is by far the best. Best tracks, Born to Run and Jungleland. Good album, solid 3.5/4 outta 5
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
Pretty easy listen, she has a strong voice. A twangy pop album and nothing annoyed me, probably won’t go back to it but I got nothing against it. Favourite song was probably High Horse, giddy’up! 3 Stars
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I loved the Pumpkins thru grade school/high school and I’m sure I have listened to this album in its entirety since I was a teen. I actually really enjoyed it, my memory of it was a bloated album with great songs peppered in and while it could be trimmed down a bit I was reintroduced to great tracks like An Ode to No One, X.Y.U. , We Only Come Out at Night. I think the Pumpkins greatness definitely gets overshadowed by Billy being an ass but they did write some great rock music. 4 stars
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This was really good psychedelic rock at times, I’d rank it higher if it weren’t for the slower lovey jams that interrupted the pace of this album. Favourite stretch of the album is likely from Song of the Viking to One More Day and the live jams to close it out had good energy. Crazy to see Rundgren has a new release coming out tomorrow 10/14/2022 with Rivers Cuomo making an appearance. Could have been a 4 but I’ll go 3.5
The War On Drugs
5/5
The tones! The toooooones!!!!
The Offspring
4/5
Listened to this a ton as a young paperboy on my Walkman so I definitely have a soft spot for this album. I can’t say I’m gonna regularly return to it but it was still a fun revisit, wiseass snark vocals, sharp riffs and clean drums. Probably a 3/3.5 but it gets a bump to 4 for the memories of slinging news and cutting across lawns of stupid dumb shit god damned mother fuckers.
The Cardigans
3/5
Britney Spears
3/5
Britney tackles some heavy topics on he debut and does it with grace and a positive attitude! Nothing terribly offensive here 3 stars!
Bon Jovi
4/5
I’m not wet but this album definitely fucks. Only song that truly sucks is Without Love. Probably a true 3.5 but fuck it 4 stars!
Herbie Hancock
3/5
The baseline on the opener Chameleon was at the forefront of the song for far too long and turned me off a bit but Watermelon Man pulled me back in with softer vibes. Sly was a frantic thrash of a song but it was excellent and Vein Melter chilled things out again to wrap things up. I liked how they kept it tight at 42 mins. 3.5/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
It was an appropriate album for the season, good moody, gothic punk. Nothing jumped out and grabbed me like I wanted it to so 3 stars. Listen to La Luz instead and fuck you
Big Black
4/5
Was excited to listen to this one since I’m familiar with Albini as an Engineer/Producer. He has worked with a lot of my favourite bands, Ty Segall, METZ, Cloud Nothings so I wasn’t surprised to be impressed with this album. It’s crunchy, gritty and loud. Sounded like a band that would have been pretty cool to see live, big fan of this one. Definitely going to explore their other work. 4 stars!
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
18 year old me would be so upset with adult me for hating this. Their music didn’t age well for me and I just find it annoying, sure it’s funky and the band itself is good at what they’re doing, they’re tight I give them credit for that but their music is so annoying. I guess it really boils down to me thinking Kiedis is a chud and his vocals are dumb. 2.5/5 but I refuse to round up mostly bc
Ray Charles
3/5
You know those dorks that write the reviews that only say, “Not my cup of tea . 1 Star” this is what I picture those dorks being super into, it’s not bad but, they’re good at what they’re doing but it’s just bland and boring to me. Ray’s voice is really smooth so I’ll be fair with my review but this is a yawner overall. 2.5 stars rounded up to 5
Miles Davis
5/5
Was not expecting to like this as much as I did. This was such a chill mood album. Only two songs deep but both are excellent, listened several times over. 5 stars!
XTC
3/5
Nothing really grabbed me but it wasn’t terrible either. I really have nothing to say about this one
Willie Nelson
3/5
I liked it. It was a weird story but Willie has an excellent voice and the music was decent. 3 stars
Fiona Apple
3/5
I thought this was good, I personally like when Fiona Apple gets into the warbly or crooner vocal deliveries. Criminal was the only track I was familiar with and I liked the first half more than the second as there were a couple later tracks that had me zoning out. Overall, strong songwriting and interesting tunes. 3.5 stars
3/5
I always thought PJ Harvey was cool, just based on the music videos I had see in the past. Never dove into her catalog and wasn’t too into this release until track 6 The Whores. From that track on I really enjoyed the album so I’ll give this release a 3 and will check out her earlier releases
Elbow
2/5
This was a bit of a slog. I’m not going to say it was a terrible album, I just didn’t find any of it interesting. Another example of the UK bias this list seems to show. If I’m going to listen to something in this genre; I’d rather listen to Gang of Youths. Hell, as pretentious as they are at least 1975 can be interesting at times. I will say tracks 8-10 were ok but overall this was a yawner and I’m now listening to the new Foals album as I write this and it’s awesome but for Elbow 2 stars
Marvin Gaye
2/5
I don’t know man, like when are people gonna put this on? Do people bang to this anymore? Just seems weird, it’s too on the nose. Like if I put this on with my partner, she’s more likely to laugh than anything. I thought it was wild he has released like 15 fucking albums, I laugh thinking he had super-fans buying each record, I’m not gonna listen to another Marvin Gaye album but I really do hope this guy slipped in a metal album in to mix it up a bit. Pretty sure he moaned, “Suck off my soul” at one point during this album, that made me laugh. Overall this sucked, fuck this Scientologist ass. Let’s get it on is fine so 2 stars for this. I’m gonna fuck to something more fun than this shit.! :)
Finley Quaye
3/5
Listened to this on a cold, dark November Monday morning so it wasn’t exactly the best setting for a reggae album. Nothing too memorable but nothing bad either, chill enough, good voice, good vibes. 3 stars
R.E.M.
3/5
I really enjoyed most of it but the tracks that didn’t hit, dragged things down a bit. Opened really strong with Drive. Moody album, Stripe is a good frontman. 3.5 stars
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
I am happy to be done with this one, I hated it. I have no problem with pop or synth, they actually had some full instrumentals at times but man oh man this just didn’t click with me. I’m sure I’ve heard songs by the Pet Shop Boys before but I didn’t recognize any of these songs and the vocal delivery just bothered me. The lyrics were just as lame as the vocals. The only song I liked was Yesterday When I Was Mad, it sounds like an MGMT track so I don’t know maybe some of their other work is better than this album but this album get a 2 from me
The Replacements
4/5
This was fun, snotty pop punk. Good variety throughout too keep things interesting, guitar was on point and vocals were great. This album was dumb in a good way, super creative and witty. Excited to listen to more of their work. 4 stars!
Parliament
4/5
There’s a lot of funk content here, how much they love funk, how they gotta get it that funk, how funk fares in space, basic funkenomics etc. Things got weird with the Funk fart song, not sure what that was about but I liked this overall 3.5 rounded up to 4 bc it was funky fun.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
It was abrasive and weird but I did find it interesting. Noise punk isn’t the most accessible music, my partner is listening along with me and she hated it. I read up on the Butthole Surfers, their live shows were accompanied with nudity, fires, and megaphone rants. Not sure I’ll revisit this one but I’ll check out some of their other stuff. 3.5 stars
Queen
4/5
I don’t know if I’ve ever listened to a Queen album start to finish, pretty sure I’ve only listened to greatest hits so aside from, You’re my Best Friend and Bohemian Rhapsody, everything was new to me. I really enjoyed the stripped down sound of ‘39 and Love of My Life. Queen is great, aside from the car song, this album is amazing. 4 stars
John Martyn
3/5
This dude loves jelly rolls, I respect that. Respect his smooth vocals too, 3.5 stars
Stevie Wonder
2/5
I’m going to use this review to ask all you lame dorks who say, “Not my cup of tea” shit the fuck up! Such a lame review, if you do this, please stop. If you plan to keep doing this, maybe don’t instead. This album was fine 2.5 stars I guess
Arcade Fire
5/5
This is an easy 5 for me. Not a bad song on this one, packed with full sound and great energy. It’s just such a well crafted album and they do such a great job building a song towards that burst. I’ll never stop returning to this one. 5 stars
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This album was pretty weird. I can’t say I loved every track, the backup vocals and synth was a bit too much at times but even the ones I didn’t really like at least kept me entertained or interested. Listened to this one twice today, didn’t expect such heavy 80’s vibes. Kinda had me thinking of Dan Bejar/Destroyer with the witty odd lyrics. Everybody Knows was my favourite song and Jazz Police was the weirdest but fun. The cover is also hilarious. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Sam Cooke
2/5
I did not enjoy this at all. I know it’s old but, that’s no excuse for how lame this is, the live aspect didn’t help at all. Smooth voice but the backing band wasn’t exciting enough to carry these lame singalong lyrics about shaking your wife awake for some reason. This sucked 2 stars
Common
4/5
It was a strong hip hop album. Don’t think I’d return to it but I respect the talent and delivery. It did flow into R&B territory a bit too much for my liking at times. It was good to hear young Kanye before his mind turned to mush as well. 4 stars
Nirvana
5/5
This is prime grunge. More polished than Beach but still loud, crunchy and awesome. Another excellent album produced by Albini. This is an easy 5 from me
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Pretty good listen. It was hot and cold for me as I’m admittedly not and R&B fan but they definitely shifted into funk and blues enough to keep things interesting. It grew on me as the album carried on and won me over with the excellent delivery and clean production. 4 stars
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I really like LCD Soundsystem, this release is not my favourite of theirs. There’s some great stuff here but at 2 hours this feels bloated. I guess This is Happening is also 2 hours long but I never had the same feelings towards that one. Black Screen especially felt unnecessary. Overall I could cut a few songs and would love this but I’m gonna have to score it a 3.5 based on the bloat rounded up to 4 bc the good stuff here is great
Pantera
4/5
I like loud, I liked this. Dimebag’s work on the guitar is fucking great, the drums are so tight. I appreciate what they’ve done here, aside from the ballad, I doubt I’ll return to it but the music deserves 4 stars
The Slits
5/5
This was awesome. Raw, frantic energy that kept me drawn in the entire way thru. This is the first album out of 60 where I was completely unaware of the artist and scored a 5. It made me think of Entertainment by Gang of Four so I was curious and looked up the release dates, Wild to see Cut came out Sept. 7 1979 only a few weeks before Entertainment Sept. 25 1979. This had an almost primal feeling to it, I peeked up from the first song and was in for the ride all the way thru. Albums like these re-energize me for this 1001 journey. 5 stars
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This was good but nothing totally grabbed me, nothing seemed too special about this overall. The vocal delivery reminded me of Lou Reed at times. It just seems that this is another album that was added just bc we need yet another British artist on this list. This is 3 stars
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
So moody and gloomy. Really enjoyed this, they took what they accomplished on The Scream and came back even better. Awesome stuff, 4 stars
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Great stuff, fuzzy, shoegazy with some pop aspects peppered in. I really enjoyed this. Listened to this one two times over in succession. It just sounds cool, simple as that. Will listen again! 4 stars
The Hives
3/5
Listened to them a bunch when they were in their prime and I was in college. Hadn’t listened in quite some time but still like the sound, it’s frantic with some pop punk vibes. Nothing too deep here but fun stuff. 3 stars
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
It sounded like mediocre 90’s alt grunge. There were a few moments that piqued my interest but those moments never lasted very long. It was exhausting to get thru, I won’t return to this one. 2 stars
Jane Weaver
4/5
This was a well crafted pop album, really enjoyed it. Creative with a great pace start to finish. 4 stars
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Her voice is silky smooth. I don’t like big band style music, I won’t be ver return to this but I will say I didn’t dislike it as much as I thought I would. I’ll give a 3 to this, she has a 5 star voice but this music ain’t it. 3 stars
Eminem
1/5
This sucks, it’s offensive for the sake of being offensive. I get it, you hate women, you hate gay people, you hate everything, you’re so tough. Shut up Marshall, you fuck, Interlude skits are lame fillers for dorks, no humour whatsoever, blow job skit with insane clown posse was gross. It’s so damn annoying, I guess he’s clever enough and Stan was actually the only redeemable track on this but fuck that nasally delivery. I forgot how ridiculous the early 2000’s were and this reminded about the worst bits of it. If you want to listen to aggressive, violent rap that doesn’t suck, listen to Clipping instead. I don’t know how I got thru it all. 1 star
The Verve
2/5
This was about what I expected based on my limited exposure to the Verve, boring, so very boring. Further proof the curators of this list overdid it with their precious British acts. Oh well, on to the next. Hope it’s something interesting! 2 stars
TV On The Radio
4/5
I’m a big fan of TVOTR. It had been awhile since I had played this one, I usually go back to Cookie Mountain and I had forgotten how great this one is. I’ll be putting Dear Science back in the listening orations moving forward. 4 stars
The Incredible String Band
3/5
It was a weird ride for sure but sounded pretty much how I expected based on the cover. The Minotaur’s Song had a real sea shanty vibe to it. A Very Cellular Song was a bizarre jam session peppered with strange lyrics, Slithering and Squelching, eating misbehaving kids, etc. I’m not even sure the flautist was aware what they were doing. The vocals were breezy and and cluster of instruments did sound quite good, they did an excellent job sounding structured in the chaos. Mercy I Cry City was my favourite track. Thought this was cool. 3 stars
Iron Maiden
4/5
I went into this expecting to enjoy it and it exceeded my expectations. This was a fast whirlwind of screeching guitars, shrill vocals and unreal drumming, even some fun bass moments most notably on the closer. This was fucking great. The ballads Remember Tomorrow and Strange World are the only two holding me back from a 5, strong 4.5 stars!
Killing Joke
4/5
This was a cool blend of Industrial and 80’s sounds. Bloodsport was a cool instrumental tune, that oddly sounded like a gritty rendition of the Ferris Bueller, Oh Yeah song. I can definitely hear the influence Killing a joke would have had in NIN, Nirvana and others. First time listening to one of these albums during a workout and it was absolutely a great workout album, I’d return to it for sure. 4 stars!
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Yea, the delivery can be a bit repetitive throughout a full album but they’re clever and this is fun. There is some good variety with the beats to keep things fresh. I liked this a lot 4 stars
Alanis Morissette
3/5
It’s funny I guess my 10 year old memories only hung onto the few hits and tricked me into thinking this whole album was great, it’s not. It’s not terrible, the warbling vocal delivery grows a bit thin as this nearly 1 hour album chugs along. The hits are still hits and you gotta respect Alanis for the amount of albums she moved in the 90’s so I’ll give it 3 stars
The Fall
4/5
This was my introduction to The Fall and I’m a fan. This is an excellent post punk album, I carried on listening to the extended version and live tracks as well. I liked the classic punk snarl delivery and sharp guitars. Didn’t find any of the tracks to be filler really, standouts for me were Rebellious Jukebox, Two Steps Back and Music Scene. Great stuff 4 stars
Sade
2/5
I went into this with an open mind, I really tried but fuck is this boring. This is barely a step above elevator or hold music. Cherry pie isn’t even that sweet, it’s more tart that anything. I read that Drake had Sade tattooed on his torso which is odd but I can hear the influence bc he’s just as dull. I can appreciate that she has had a long career but I can’t give this more than 1.5 rounded up to 2 stars
Everything But The Girl
3/5
This was inoffensive, pleasant at times. More horn than I wanted to hear, the strings were enjoyable though. Nothing overly exciting here, it’s not a 2 though so I’ll give it 3 stars
4/5
First Beatles album I’ve heard start to finish and thought this was good. First few tracks are great, Lucy in the Sky is far and away my favourite on here. After the song start I thought it fell into a lull of lames tracks, that wasn’t snapped until Mr.Kite but then When I’m 64 comes on and that was kinda lame too. From there on out they finish strong. It’s good, I liked it best when they were leaning heavy on the psychedelic sounds. Strong album 4 stars
Tito Puente
3/5
I’m not typically into big band music, won’t likely listen to this again but it was fun. The Latin sounds gave it a summery vibes. You know that instrument that sounds kinda like a zipper going up and down? I had to look it up, it’s called a Guiro and I think it should be worked into more songs, it’s great. 3 stars
OutKast
3/5
It actually aged better than I had thought it would but this was a much longer album than I wanted to hear based. It was fine, they’ve got talent and high energy. Humble Mumble stuck out as the track I wasn’t familiar with prior to this listen that I really enjoyed. B.O.B. still holds up an an absolute banger. Thought it was cool to see Killer Mike from Run The Jewels made an appearance on here. The interludes are terrible, waste of time, not funny at all, I almost want to give a 2 based on those alone but I think there’s more than enough here to justify a strong 3 stars
The Pretty Things
3/5
This was my first introduction to The Pretty Things, I thought it was pretty good. The instrumentation was my favourite aspect of this album, I can be a sucker for psychedelic music. There’s nothing offensively bad about the vocals, I just find this style of delivery a bit annoying, same issue I have with The Beatles so I can’t fully get into this one. Really great music here nonetheless, 3.5 stars.
Aerosmith
3/5
This was decent, I guess early Aerosmith is better than the later stuff where Tyler’s voice sounds like a wailing cat. Joe Perry was great on this and my favourite moments may have been Tyler’s harmonica bits. Sick as a Dog was a creepy weird tune, maybe I misread what it was about but I doubt it. The closing track Home Tonight is one of the few rock ballads I enjoyed. Decent album, 3 stars
Prince
5/5
This was bookended with two absolutely unreal tracks. The guitar to close out Let’s Go Crazy was fantastic. The Beautiful Ones Opened Slow and built up to the shrieking vocals which was awesome. It had a good amount of weirdness throughout to keep things interesting, Darling Nikki in particular. This was fantastic, 5 stars
Small Faces
3/5
The music was good, I liked the psychedelic pop style. Had a bit of a folksy twinge to it which I appreciated as well. First track pulled me in, had a hazy vibe going on. I may rate it higher but the Happiness Stan fairytale on the second half didn’t do it for me, too much storytelling on an album for me, just give me tunes. 3 stars
The Blue Nile
3/5
It never quite pulled me in. Sounded pretty and breezy enough but never fully won me over. Picked up the pace at times, I thought Tinseltown was an interesting track. Overall thought it was a nice album, I guess I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for a dreamy album. 3 stars
T. Rex
5/5
Start to finish, this is awesome. Great variety on this one to keep things interesting. It’s pop, it’s psychedelic, it’s rock, it’s bluesy, it’s fucking great. Marc Bolan is a top tier front man, there’s nothing here I don’t love. It’s an easy 5 from me.
New York Dolls
4/5
This was a treat, had more depth to it than I had anticipated. Lead singer David Johansen sounds like a punk brand of Mick Jagger and it’s fantastic. The band mostly keeps a frantic pace going throughout with swirling guitars, fast drums and a true New York grimy sound. I found it interesting that Todd Rundgren produced this one, there’s definitely pop punk aspects on this, he clearly did an excellent job. There aren’t any songs that missed the mark for me, favourites were Vietnamese Baby and Trash. 4 stars
Supergrass
3/5
Pretty decent upbeat, pop rock. Could have fit right in with the early 2000’s indie rock surge. Alright is a bop and a half. 3 stars
Cypress Hill
2/5
Yea, they’re good at what they do, I just don’t really like what they do. 2 stars
Neneh Cherry
2/5
This sounded like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles album if the turtles were angsty teenage girls. if I were a teenage turtle or teenage girl I’d probably give this 4 but I’m neither so 2.5 stars from me
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I enjoyed this, Aretha and her band were crisp and all tracks hit. This was bluesier than I thought it would be which was a nice surprise. Great pipes, great band, great album. 4 stars
The Cure
4/5
Excellent moody post punk emo. Really interesting drumming with excellent vocals. Had never heard any of these tunes before but really liked the entire album, tough to pick a favourite track but I really enjoyed how they closed it out with the title track. 4 stars
Bob Dylan
4/5
Faith No More
3/5
Didn’t really know what to expect here, I had only listened to Epic previously. Tough one to rate, it’s definitely genre bending for it’s time so you gotta respect that, I did like a few tracks quite a bit, primarily Woodpecker From Mars and From out of Nowhere. The cover of War Pigs was pretty good but pretty safe. Found Pattons vocals a little grating at times but not all the time. On The Morning After you can really hear his influence on Brandon Boyd from Incubus. Really interesting listen, gonna give it a 3
Mercury Rev
5/5
This album pulled me in immediately with Holes and it didn’t disappoint from there. This is a beautifully intricate album, it sounds meticulous and messy at the same time. The vocals accompanied the breezy notes perfectly. I really enjoyed their use of what I thought was a Theremin or straight up saw but apparently they patented their own instrument called a Tettis Wave Accumulator, so that’s pretty neat. I didn’t expect to be handing out a 5 to this one but here we are, this was great. 5 stars
Neu!
4/5
The first half was chill and the second half finished with a more frantic energy. I liked the buildup of this one, definitely ahead of its time. E-Music was my favourite but I really enjoyed this whole album. Can see myself returning to this one, another great new discovery from this project. 4 stars
David Bowie
4/5
It’s good, not perfect. Young Americans is great, Fame is an awesome tune, Across the Universe as well. Right is definitely about butt stuff though right? 3.5 stars
Nanci Griffith
3/5
I remember growing up my parents had a close friend who raved about Nanci Griffith, I never did check her out so I was looking forward to hearing this one. She had a pleasant voice and could sing a good story, this was a nice listen. 3 stars
Van Morrison
5/5
This is a beautiful album. You really gotta dive into this one to appreciate it, it’s complex with well crafted instrumental arrangements to accompany Morrison’s steady stream of lyrics. The lyrics sound nonsensical and mythical for sure but it’s awesome nonetheless. Not one track on here I don’t enjoy, 5 stars
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This is a good Zeppelin album, not their best but still good. Immigrant Song and Since I’ve Been Loving You are the two obvious standouts. Gallows Pole, Tangerine and Bron-Y-Aur stomp all great but there’s also a couple lacklustre fillers on here so I can’t quite give it a 5. Still great overall 4 stars
Joan Armatrading
3/5
This was a nice surprise. Chill blend of folk and acoustic blues. Finished very strong with the last two tracks, made me wish the entire album had more of the same energy. Still great overall. 3.5 stars
Radiohead
4/5
I like Radiohead, I really do but it really is hard to understand what Yorke is singing at times. This album is loud spacey music, it’s gorgeous and confusing. Favourite tracks, Paranoid Android, Exit Music, Electioneering and No Surprises. 4 stars
Turbonegro
3/5
I liked this enough, the wailing guitars were fun. I’m into the sleazy punk rock genre, I just think if you’re gonna do it you need to be a bit more clever with the delivery or have something different going on (See Black Lips, Jay Reatard, The Viagara Boys) Turbonegro did enough to hold my interest I just found the delivery a little lazy but again the musical deliver was fast and furious and I’m always down for that so the I’m still gonna score this a 3 even though I was left a little dissatisfied
Tina Turner
3/5
This was very 80’s and I don’t think this sound aged super well but Tina has pipes and I respect that. 3 stars
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I don’t know man, I get you’re proud of your words and all but ya gotta give me a bit more music. I’m not down to listen to ya talk. 2.5 stars
The Prodigy
2/5
This is music made for 90’s youth who liked to get super high and flail around. I don’t think it has a purpose today, I do like Electronic but prefer it to be chill not abrasive. There were some instances of good music on this album but they’d fuck it up with some annoying effect, most notably on Full Throttle when they tossed in the annoying duck sounds. Admittedly, I was not excited about this one, I thought it’d be ok for a morning run at least and I guess that made it a bit more tolerable but it was still grating and annoying for the most part. The only track I can say I enjoyed would be 3 Kilos. 2 Stars
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Lou Reed
4/5
This is a depressing concept album but it was brilliantly presented. The variety of sounds on this one kept things interesting thru the heavy content. The strings, horns, organ transition from electric to acoustic on the same song at one point are all very well balanced, it’s great. Obviously the re-listenability of this one is hindered by the story of a couple in an abusive, drug riddled relationship oh and they have kids too! Fuck this is dark but I believe they hit the mark on what they were going for. I’m gonna go watch some puppy videos now. 4 stars
Animal Collective
5/5
It’s hazy, layered, droney, pop and it’s fantastic. Animal Collective does a great job filling every song with all the sounds without giving me anxiety, this is a good one to have an edible and throw some good headphones on for. My Girls still holds up as an indie classic but it’s not the only jam here, Summertime Clothes, Brother Sport are both excellent as well. This whole album is awesome, even the cover is trippy. great summer vibe tunes here. 5 stars
Lorde
3/5
It’s a good Pop album. Lorde is dark but also has her witty moments on this as well. The singles bang but I also enjoyed Liability and Supercut. What I really like about Lorde is her delivery, kinda slacker like, with vocal quirks, it just makes her standout. Good stuff 3.5 stars
Laura Nyro
3/5
It was a little meandering at times for me. Definitely had its moments, I enjoyed Woman’s Blues when it got into it, she has a great voice. It’s soulful and even a bit funky at times with the brass. I could see myself returning to a few tracks but definitely won’t be running thru the entire thing again. 3 stars
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
The opening chords of this had me smiling like a dummy, I just knew right away I was gonna be a fan. I had never actually listened to an entire CCR album but Bluesy jame Rick is right in my wheelhouse and therefore, this one is great. This band was built for summer festivals, I can only imagine the good vibes they brought on a sunny summer day to a big crowd in a field high off their tits. My only complaint would be that Grapevine should have closed this one out. Long As I Can See the Light, is a great tune but Grapevine just had the feel of an all time closer, oh well. 5 stars!
Kate Bush
4/5
This is gonna be a weird review. Kate Bush is awesome, dudes probably hate here, fuck those dudes, she’s great. Tonight we won our first playoff game, on the way home we found a dog, he was scared, almost got him by a car. We found the
owner, he was drunk and sucked at at being a dog owner. Kate would raise a dog right, Fuck that guy though. Go Spartans! 4.5 stars
N.W.A.
3/5
This one is tough to rate bc the beats and delivery on Straight Outta Compton are excellent. I’m just not a huge fan of the content gangster rap, the gang violence and sexism make this tough to listen to. Also based on a bit of research on the members, it sounds like they’ve very much exaggerated on how hard they actually are, aside from Eazy E it doesn’t sound like any of the others were true criminals and I highly doubt any of them actually shot anyone, so they’re kinda posers? Either way, this is a classic and is historically important. 3 stars
Gene Clark
3/5
It was good, I kept getting pulled in at moments but the lulls would come and I found myself zoning out. Silver Raven and Strengths of Strings were the two standouts for me. May need to give it another chance. 3 stars
Beastie Boys
5/5
This one is fantastic, Beastie Boys were the best at utilizing samples. The way they married the samples with their wordplay was masterful. Yea, I guess their lyrics could be juvenile but it’s still witty as fuck. The variety of the sampling keeps this fresh all the way thru, you have rock, fuck, soul. They really didn’t miss anywhere on Paul’s Boutique, Shadrach could be the best track in their entire catalogue, Egg Man is silly but I’ve always liked the beat on that one. Everything including the cover itself is classic hip hop, easy 5 stars!
Blondie
3/5
Bloodies vocals carry this one in front of a fairly bland band. It’s inoffensive Pop Rock and it’s good but aside from the two obvious standouts and maybe I know but I Don’t know, there’s nothing that really grabbed me here. Blonde and the Blandies get 3 stars
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
It was quite good, the standouts being Somebody to Love, 3/5 of a Mile and White Rabit. Classic psychedelic rock album. They almost lost me at time in the first half but from White Rabit on they really closed this album out strong. Could have benefited from dropping a few tracks and trimming this up a bit but it’s still great. 4 stars
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I didn’t know Bruce had this in him, I love this stripped down version of him. I get that the E Street Band is good but this album just works so well without all the horns. The content moodier and darker than what I’ve grown familiar associating with Springsteen. I’ve listened to all his other essentials but somehow missed this one and it seems to be my favourite. 5 stars
2/5
I recall parts of this from my Childhood as my parents played it a bunch. I honestly thought this was better but nope, this is dull generic rock with annoying vocals. Not necessarily bad but aside from Champagne Supernova and maybe Don’t Look Back in Anger, this album is mostly filler. The Swamp tracks actually showed promise but I guess they were too scared to have a full track to go against the grain and they cut them both short. This has to be one of the most overrated albums of all time. Wonderwall is just lame, their name is lame and the album cover is lame. Even the Gallagher feud is overrated and lame, get over it or fuck off ffs. I wanna give this a 2, it’s probably too low but fuck it 2 stars
Django Django
3/5
It was good, I think I would have enjoyed it if they amped up the psychedelia on this. It was solid I just feel like maybe they kept it a bit safe at times. It’s playful and I liked it, Default was great, Wor may be my favourite though with that siren followed by a garage rock style rollicking lick to follow. Overall really good stuff. 3.5 stars
Sonic Youth
4/5
I had to listen again to be sure, I was thinking “Did I really like that?” I did. 4 stars
Elton John
4/5
Fantastic album. It was dense and I really enjoyed this more that I had anticipated. Good amount of variety to this one, Indian Sunset and Rotten Peaches both had a bit of a Country shine to them and Holiday Inn had a Gaelic/Sea Shanty shimmer to it. Tiny Dancer is obviously great but the title track was awesome as well. This was a nice surprise for me. 4 stars
Orbital
3/5
It sounded like it could have been a soundtrack to a shitty 90’s movie with computer hackers and hoverboards. It was weird and I thought I was gonna hate it but I actually enjoyed it for the most part. 3 stars
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Chaotic and wild! Even when Eno chilled things out on Driving me Backwards and Some of Them Are Old, the music still had an anxious energy to it. Baby’s on Fire is fantastic and Blank Frank was a ton of fun, I really enjoyed this, Eno seemed to have the energy of an untethered toddler, just making noises and going with it. 4.5 stars
David Holmes
3/5
I was confused as to why Holmes, an Irish musician was peppering in samples from New York residents. The fact that he used recordings from a trip he made to the Bronx 10 years earlier when he was 17, made me appreciate this album a bit more. A few tracks in and I really didn’t think I was going to enjoy this but it pulled me back in. Radio 7” far and away stood out as my favourite. I’ll give this 3 stars
George Harrison
4/5
Was a little worried heading into this one with the overall length. I’m not a big Beatles fan but George may be my favourite of the bunch after this release. Specifically the third act of this album “Apple Jam” may have been what truly won me over. It just sounded like they were having fun. The first two sections of this album were great too but I’m more likely to return to the final bit of this one be. Nicely done George! 4 stars
Ravi Shankar
3/5
It’s cool he tried to teach me about the sounds of India but I’m afraid I didn’t retain much. Shankar is quite good at what he does, that I know. 3 stars
Fairport Convention
4/5
I was scared but this was the best folk band album I’ve heard. Matty Groves, Medley, they folking rocked! 4 stars
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Great flow, great beats, great hip hop. 4 stars
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
It was blues with some snarl, I liked a good amount of this one. It was noisy, would probably come across better live. Chicken Dog was fucking weird though. 3 stars
Tom Waits
4/5
Waits doesn’t necessarily make it easy to get into his stuff. I had to give this one a couple runs thru to really appreciate it. He really is a great songwriter with a unique delivery, I especially liked the title track, Downtown and on the Nickel. The cover of Springsteen’s Jersey Girl was also great. 4 stars
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Pretty convenient album to land on April, 20th. I didn’t get high for this listen but it’s good high or not. Absolute classic, plays like a greatest hits, there’s not a miss on this one. Jimi rips start to finish, it’s really hard to pick a favourite, the obvious standouts are excellent, I’ve always loved the closer Red House. This album is an hour of perfection, just awesome. 5 stars
Baaba Maal
3/5
The band was so good, this was so beautiful at times. Very chill, would definitely work as a bbq background album. Vocals were good, it did drone on at times but this was a good vibe. 3.5 stars
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
I had already listened to The Holy Bible and didn’t care for it but I came into this one with an open mind. First track had me optimistic, something different with good energy, great. Then they fell back into their formula of mediocre alt-rock. This sucks, it’s boring and uninspired. Hope this is the last Manic Street Preacher album on this project. 2 stars
Miriam Makeba
1/5
I’m typically a little more forgiving of more worldly music but this fucking sucks. I don’t care what year, what country, this was lame as fuck and gimmicky bullshit is the worst. One More Dance is the most gimmicky dumb assed song I’ve heard in awhile, I hate his laugh, I hate his voice. I was gonna give this 2 but you know what, this sucked, it actually made me so annoyed it’s getting a two to join that loser Eminem
The Cure
5/5
This was excellent. I was familiar with a few tracks but this album is stacked, such a full sound on this one, the attention to detail in the musical arrangement is so impressive. It’s sprawling and beautiful, think I’ll add this to my rainy day listens. 5 stars
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This might be the most gripping folk album I’ve listened to. The instrumentation is quite simple with just the piano and guitar but it’s so clean and crisp. Great imagery and songwriting carried by such a beautiful strong voice. Listened to this one 3 times over, so good. 5 stars
3/5
They are kinda lame for sure but I respect how good they are at arena rock. This sounded kinda spacey at times too which was cool. Vocals got a little tiresome at time but fuck it, this is decent. 3.5 stars
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
Another good example of not judging by the cover. I really did expect to hate this but Piazzolla and Burton won me over. There’s good moments of frantic anxious energy on this and others of calming
The Young Gods
2/5
Was expecting something better here, I like loud and noisy. I’m not even gonna blame low score on the French, that didn’t bother me, I found the majority of this to be bland. There were sparks of shine here just nothing really drew me in. Wasn’t necessarily awful just meh 2.5 stars
Nas
5/5
Listened to this once on a long drive and again on a run and I definitely appreciated it more on the headphone listen. Nas is to hip hop what Rodney Mullen is to skateboarding, an innovator with buttery smooth delivery and creativity. 5 stars
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
The dude on the right of the album cover accurately portrays how I felt about this one. 2 snores
Marty Robbins
3/5
I’m not sure if Marty Robbins had lived the life of a cowboy or not but he sure knows how to sing a good tune about trials and tribulations of the Wild West. Where’s my horse at? 3 stars
The Adverts
2/5
Very much on brand with Sex Pistols. Very bland punk here, no urgency or really energy resonating from the band. It’s fine but there’s nothing here I haven’t heard before, uninspired generic punk record. 2.5 stars
Goldie
2/5
It feels like I’ve already listened to this one twice over before thru this project alone. This style of electronic is definitely more easily digestible than say Prodigy but it lacks the energy I really want from this genre, it should make me at least want to dance a bit? I guess it’s chill wave electronic? I made it; it’s done. 2 stars
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni Mitchell’s music is just so light and breezy. Honest lyrics with with some wit peppered in. Clean, crisp album. 4 stars
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Queen Latifah
2/5
This woman spent 45 minutes telling us a) She’s a Queen (but sometimes a Princess of the Posse?) and B) Her name be Latifah! 2 stars
Radiohead
5/5
In Rainbows is Radioheads best album. It’s so crisp, the drums are scattered and clean. It opens with such a great track in 15 steps and does not miss from there on out. It is 43 minutes and flies by. This may be one of my top 10 favourite albums of all time. 5 stars
Michael Jackson
3/5
Opening and closing tracks were the only two I really cared for. Everything in between felt like filler so I guess I’d just cal this MJ’s double stuffed Oreo album. 2.5 stars
Rod Stewart
4/5
Anytime I hear a Rod Stewart song, I think he could use a throat lozenge. That being said this is a strong album, I suppose I had to listen to it over a full album. I really enjoyed the blend of folk, blues and rock. I had no idea that Ronnie Wood played with Rod Stewart until now, he was solid on the steel guitar. Great stuff! 4 stars
Michael Jackson
3/5
Bad is great, Man in the Mirror is kinda lame but still good, Smooth Criminal is awesome, the only track I wasn’t already familiar with that struck me was Dirty Diana, which was also kinda lame but at least it was interesting. Everything else here is kinda just meh or just straight up bad. Liberian Girl was awful, Just Can’t Stop Loving you was boring trash. This is the second MJ album I’ve been served up in the last week and I’m starting to think it was more about the live acts than the albums, though I haven’t got to Thriller yet. This was whatever 2.5 rounded to a generous 3 stars
Bob Dylan
4/5
Musically, I would say this one is lacking a bit but the strength of these songs is in the storytelling and that’s enough to carry this album to 4 stars
Public Enemy
4/5
What a trio, Chuck D bringing the wisdom, Flavor Flav bringing the energy and DJ Terminator X bringing the amazing beats. Excellent fun here, the DJ work on Night of the Living Baseheads was so great. 4 stars
Radiohead
4/5
I forgot how good Hunting Bears is. This album in general is better than I recall but that song in particular is great. I’m not sure Radiohead has a bad album. This is a 4 star
Paul Simon
3/5
I don’t know man, this was weird… was it supposed to be funny? I don’t think I really get it, I didn’t hate it, I actually liked some of it but I’m not gonna try again. I don’t know man… 3 stars
Elliott Smith
5/5
This is likely the album I have re-listened to the most in a day as part of this project. For whatever reason I had never dove into Elliot Smith’s work but I really enjoyed this and ran thru it 5 times today. His delivery is so nice and effortless, excellent songwriting here and simple awesomely crafted tunes here. Love it, 5 stars
Dr. Dre
3/5
I’m not a fan of gangsta rap but I’m this case at least it’s done pretty well. Snoop and Dre work really well together, Rat-tat-tat-tat was excellent, Little Ghetto Boy won me over. The Chronic could be a 4 from me but again the skits on these 90’s rap albums ruin the flow. Gotta drop it to 3 stars
Arcade Fire
5/5
170 albums in, this is the one I’ve heard the most. This is imo Arcade Fires best album. It’s the gothic undertones that really wins me over on this one. There really isn’t a miss on Neon Bible, it starts strong with Black Mirror and never lets up, they really are masters of the anthems. There are the obvious hits but Antichrist Television Blues is an underrated jam. Fuck you, this is gray 5 stars
Napalm Death
3/5
This was loud, fast and a bit aggressive for me but man are these guys tight. I respect what they’re doing here 3.5 stars
Elvis Costello
2/5
There’s something about Costello’s music that lacks depth and real sincerity and substance to it. Something about the vocal delivery makes him sound like a gimmick band and songs like My Science Fiction Twin don’t help. This is the third Costello album I’ve listened to now and it sounds harsh but I’m beginning to dislike him as a person. He may be perfectly fine, I know nothing about him but I can tell you I will let out an audible groan of annoyance the next time he pops up on this generator. He’s not bad I suppose just lame and annoying. 2 stars
David Crosby
3/5
This is a tough one, I really enjoyed most of it, specially Cowboy Movie, Tamlpais High and Song With No Words. The music was great, I find Crosby’s vocals to be a bit meh so I guess that’s why I enjoyed the one with no words so much. 3.5 stars I guess
The Divine Comedy
2/5
I did not care for this. I understand Neil Hannon is leaning on his humour but I didn’t find it funny so it just sounded like a shitty musical where the lead is a rapist. 2 stars
AC/DC
4/5
There’s something so comfortable about AC/DC. They’re just so damn good at what they’re doing and what they’re doing is damn good. Love Hungry Man was the only miss for me but it wasn’t even that bad. Sharp, fun rock here 4 stars
Orbital
2/5
I’m noticing a trend with 90’s Electronic albums. The album covers are terrible, the albums themselves are always too long, they’re boring. I listened to the entire thing and I don’t think I am any better for having done so. 2 stars
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Karen O is just so cool. She checks off all the characteristics one would look for in a lead singer. The YYY’s and this album played a big role in the early 2000’s indie rock movement. Fever to Tell rips at a frenzied pace, with Zinner perfectly accompanying Karen O’s chaotic vocals with his quick sharp guitars. This album was fun to listen to in college and nothing has changed, the energy is so strong, so good, so cool. 5 stars
Morrissey
3/5
It was decent, Glamorous Glue and Certain People I Know were the only two standouts for me. I did enjoy it more than I anticipated considering my apathy for Morrissey. 3 stars
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
Safe As Milk is probably the most accessible Captain Beefheart I’ve listened to but that doesn’t mean it lacks weird. I’ve always enjoyed this album, bluesy, Jammy, quirky. Beefheart even slows it down and gets romantic on I’m so Glad. This is a 5 star
Korn
4/5
I was admittedly a huge Korn fan in my early teens so it was kinda fun to go back and listen to this for the first time in 20 years. I didn’t expect it to age especially well but upon listening I’d argue it’s the guest tracks that aged the worst. It starts strong with the first 3 tracks with the classic growls and whines of Davis coming out, Freak on a Leash is simply awesome. All in the Family was so bad it was almost funny, could have done without Cameltosis too. It ran a bit long but Korn is their own sound and I get this isn’t for everyone but Davis and crew earned 4 stars from me
Kate Bush
5/5
This is so weird, I love it. Kate Bush is doing something exciting with her vocals all the way thru, theatrical vocal delivery annoys me sometimes but Bush is just so good at it. The band is doing so much and keeping things tight, especially on the title track which feels like a fever dream. Really enjoyed this, 5 stars
3/5
This was a well produced fun album with a variety of genres, the most obvious being funk but there was also some reggae, jazz and even some psychedelia peppered in. I did really enjoy it, especially The Cisco Kid and Beetles in the Bog. I just found it never fully kicked into another gear that I was expecting it to and I suppose that’s fine, they just left me wanting more. Excellent album art. 3.5 stars
Burning Spear
3/5
Listening to reggae is kinda like riding a jet ski, it’s hard to be in a bad mood listening to reggae. That being said, this album has some heavy themes but the tunes themselves put me in a chill place. Burning Spear was good. 3 stars
David Bowie
3/5
The first half was solid, Speed of Life, Sound and Vision, Be My Wife are all excellent. I like the psychedelia tones of this but the second half just sounds a bit too much like an 80’s sci-fi movie soundtrack. 3 stars
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I was familiar with Relax and War but it was the title track at 13mins that won me over. What an amazing pop track. Just the right amount of weird on this one to make for an excellent pop album. 4 stars
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Elvis Costello albums are like pizza, even the good ones… no wait that’s not it. This album was fine I guess but it’s Costello and it annoyed me 2.5 stars
Joy Division
5/5
I don’t know which I like more, this or Closer. Both are classic post-punk albums, I got nothing critical to say about either. Listening to Joy Division, I’m always so impressed with how tight they are, the drums are so clean. The whole record is great, Interzone is an under appreciated track of theirs. This is another easy 5 for me
Wilco
5/5
This album is the utility belt of albums, it works in any setting. Dinner party, park hangs, rainy day, sunny day, bbq. There’s not a miss on this one, it’s airy and moody with the whole band at the top of their game. 5 stars
Metallica
3/5
This was quite good, the orchestra worked really well with Metallica songs. I like Metallica enough but 2+ hours is a lot of Metallica and I’ve never been big on their ballad tunes though One was awesome here. I could pair this down to an awesome 45 but I’m rating the full two hours so it’s 3.5 stars from me
Tim Buckley
3/5
Tim Buckley is that hyperactive kid who annoyed everyone making dumb noises and faces. This was actually decent aside from Get on Top. Hong along Bar was the standout for me. 3 stars
Metallica
4/5
Apparently this album has no bass, sounded pretty good without it. I’m not a huge fan of Hetfield’s vocals but One is a classic. It’s the guitars that carry this album. 4 stars
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
I had to give this a second listen on headphones and I did appreciate it more. This is definitely more interesting than the Sex Pistols. This was cool, Theme was an excellent opener that sneered and rambled on, Religion II was excellent with some great jabs at institutions, specifically the church, Fodderstompf was weird but it was dancey and fun. This kinda surprised me. I’m going 4 stars
Thundercat
3/5
It was super chill and enjoyable, I just wish it was a bit more fun and danceable. Just Friends was my favourite track, there were clever quips throughput I just wanted it to take off a bit more. Good background tunes for sure. 3.5 stars
Jamiroquai
3/5
There’s a didgeridoo song on this called “Didgin’ Out” that alone is great. This surprised me, it was fun, jazzy and funky. Jamiroquai is what Anthony Kiedis would be if he would stop being so pervy and annoying . This was fun 3 stars
David Bowie
4/5
Just a really tight, clean Bowie album. Cohesive, perfect length. Stay slays. 4 stars
Kraftwerk
2/5
Oh cool, German Electronic music! This should be energetic and interesting. Nope! Gloomy and repetitive. 2 stars
Public Enemy
3/5
I was really enjoying this, I’m not typically a fan of interludes but Public Enemy seems to do the well. Really seemed to lean on DJ Terminator X on this one and he can really carry them. 40 mins and this is 4 stars there’s just too much fat here. 3 stars
3/5
Yea, it was good. Nothing crazy, good right band. Yea, fine. 3 stars
Heaven 17
3/5
The album art had me confused and a little worried. This was actually pretty awesome, it’s pop with some gloom to it. The synth work on it is great, disjointed almost panicky vocals. Surprisingly trippy and interesting album here. 3.5 stars
Nirvana
4/5
I prefer Nirvana to be plugged but this is still great. The cover choices were good and their own songs played well, specially On a Plain and Something in the Way. Cobain’s dry humour was present here too and that was fun. This is a classic live album. 4 stars
Screaming Trees
2/5
Have you listened to Tea Party? These guys are a shitty version of them. 2 stars
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Well, this was a welcome surprise. Great energy for a summer Monday. Put me in a better mood immediately for a drive to work. Listened a second time thru the funk, good vibes and clean instrumentals all came together to create such an awesome album. 4 stars!
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Definitely weird but the melding of doo-wop and bluesy rock was interesting. There’s a lot to like here. 3 stars
Neil Young
5/5
This is Neil’s best album in my opinion. Ambulance Blues is one of the best songs ever done. Pretty somber beach album overall…
5 stars!
Frank Sinatra
1/5
I unapologetically despise big band crooner music. Frank Sinatra is uninspiring, lame and looked 40 as a teenager. This is awful, anyone who willfully listens to this is either super old or super lame. 1 star
Bob Dylan
4/5
Classic jangley, rollicking, light hearted tunes about loveable tramps. Great harmonica, great stuff. 4 stars
The Prodigy
2/5
Second Prodigy album and I’m certain that they aren’t for me. Their music is jarring, I don’t like this. 2 stars
Tortoise
4/5
Very good post rock album. A very chill adventure, calmed me down after a stressful day at work. Wonderfully crafted, beautiful tones and slow builds throughout. There’s a certain warmth to this that I really appreciated. Will definitely return to this album. 4 stars
Elvis Presley
3/5
When it comes to Elvis I heavily prefer the energetic, rockabilly work over his crooner tunes. His debut has a bit of all his styles, peppering in some doo-wop, R&B and a pinch of Country as well. Pretty funny the Clash were able to basically copy the cover art style and everything was cool. Decent quick hitter here. 3 stars
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
I actually thought I’d be into this, I enjoy the odd abrasive industrial album but this just didn’t hit. There were slivers of hope here, AB/7A and Dead on Arrival specifically. I get that they were ultimately aiming for a certain “anti-sound” but nah, not for me. 2 stars
Pulp
4/5
First time running thru this and it was enjoyable. It’s a girthy album but didn’t feel weighed down with too much fat. Aside from A Little Soul, there aren’t any stinkers. Pulp’s strength is their ability to architect epic pop rock tracks, they build and burst with excellent strings, piano’s, horns, just a great full sound with some moodiness. Seems to be a strong Bowie/The Cure influence and I’d guess the Artic Monekey’s were influenced by Pulp. Really enjoyed this, standout tracks The Fear, This is Hardcore, The Day After the Revolution and Like a Friend. 4 stars
Aerosmith
3/5
This wasn’t very special. Sweet Emotion is an all time classic of a jam and Walk This Way is a rollicking good track but the rest is just ok at best, there’s some peaks but overall it’s unmemorable and Bog Ten Inch is fucking dumb as shit. 3 stars I guess
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Gave this a run on a Monday morning and it didn’t really click for me. It was a groggy morning, so I gave it a fair shake with another listen later in the day and it’s fine but still no connection here for me. It’s definitely a distinct sound, Kevin Rowland’s vocals are energetic but also wear on me at times. There are some jams here, 3 stars
Dire Straits
5/5
Excellent, Sultans of Swing is great but so is everything else. Knopfler’s guitar style is so skilled and interesting. There’s such a great blend of country, blues and folk. Dire Straits are what the Eagles would be if the Eagles weren’t so lame. 5 stars
Ash
3/5
It was good, was like a grungier Weezer. The kind of 90’s music that aged quite well. 3.5 stars
Kanye West
4/5
The production of this album is excellent. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy feels big and full, it’s clear the attention to detail and thought that went into it and that’s what makes this album so strong. The featured guests had a strong impact as well, Nicki Minaj’s appearance on Monster was especially impressive. The only guest track that I didn’t necessarily appreciate was John Legend’s. Some clever lyricism on this as well, “Too many Urkels on Your Team, that’s why your wins low” is a favourite of mine. I did appreciate Kanye’s annoyance on Gorgeous when he sang, “Choke a South Park writer with a fishstick” made me think he truly doesn’t get the joke. This is a really well done album a couple tracks that didn’t do it for me. 4.5 stars
Thin Lizzy
3/5
It’s cock rock and live so of course they cock it up a bit more. It’s fine, whatever. They’re kinda lame as fuck though, like an Irish Kiss, kinda cool but I hate that I like bits of it. 3 stars I guess
Digital Underground
3/5
Hilariously dumb but also admittedly fun from Humpty Dance to Underwater Rimes to Doowutchyalike, Shock G and crew bring their carefree, hip hop funky jams. It all wraps up with about 12 mins of rapping about the ridiculous premise of lucid dream sex… initiated by sex packets sold on the streets… Again so dumb but it worked for me. 3.5 stars
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Obviously so dark undertones to the music but it’s hard not to vibe along to this. Marley and the Wailers are simply good at what they do, they are damn good at reggae. Everything, the smooth vocals, sharp guitars, snappy drums, perfectly placed backing vocals, everything just ties together really well. Great stuff 4 stars
ZZ Top
2/5
I like bluesy rock tunes so I expected to enjoy this a bit more. It just fell a bit flat for me, the guitars were impressive enough, there just didn’t seem to be any passion, on the vocals especially. I suppose they’re going for a bit of a slacker delivery which can definitely work but this album was straight up dull. The ballad like tracks sucked what little energy there was. Never so much cared for La Grange either, the riff is awesome but the song itself is meh. Huh I guess I just don’t like ZZ Top. 2.5 stars
Primal Scream
4/5
Primal Scream tossed a bunch of genres in a blender and poured out Vanishing Point. The base is Electronic but there’s also some Industrial, Alt-rock, dance and even some country is evident on the opening riff of Medication. First 3 tracks drew me in, If They Move, Kill ‘Em and Stuka both had good energy and and I really enjoyed the slow burn or Trainspotting. Only negatives on this are Star and the Album art is terrible. Nice surprise overall though. 4 stars
4/5
Admittedly, I’ve always kinda scoffed at U2 and will likely continue to do so. That being said, I’d never give t The Joshua Tree a fair shake. It’s a solid album, there’s a cool atmospheric vibe to it. The Edge has a cool approach to guitar on this one, the way he’s playing on some tracks almost sounds splashy, if that makes any sense. Wish they put a pit more focus on the grunge sound that they showed on Bullett the Blue Sky. Trip Through Your Wires was another one I hadn’t heard before that I enjoyed, nice harmonica and frantic guitar, it was good. One Tree Hill was pretty lame but this is a good album. 4 stars
Calexico
4/5
Saw their sound described as “Desert Noir” and I can’t think of a much better description than that. Calexico is a big band with lots going on and I’m a fan of all of it. Really great driving record here, there’s a lot of instrumentals and the break in vocals is fine by me bc the band brings it, great strings, horns, drawing Mexican band influences into their indie rock sound and it all works so well. This was a fun journey. 4 stars
The Kinks
3/5
I find the Kinks difficult to review. They’re not bad, I just can’t get into them. I enjoy the odd song and they’re strong musicians I just find most of it very meh. 3 stars
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It’s a good Stones album, not at the top of my list (Let it Bleed) but still quite good. This is a hornier Stones album, there’s not only a good view of a dick on the cover but lots of brass on this one, really well utilized on Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. Sister Morphine is a track I forgot about and really enjoyed. Wild Horses is a classic and it’s a good tight Stones release. 4 stars
Leonard Cohen
3/5
It’s neat that Cohen was able to release this in anticipation to his death. It’s a cool story and a nice way to shut the door on a legendary career. His dry witty humour shines thru on this one even thru the somber theme of death. I just want more music, it was nice but I can’t give it more than 3 stars
R.E.M.
3/5
It’s a strong debut album, I just found it hard to get really into. The guitars are interesting, Shaking Through was was favourite track on it, Radio Free Europe was strong as well. It just never fully drew me in, just kinda consistent all the way thru but nothing blew me away. Edit: gave it another listen and it may be a grower, for now 3 stars
Mudhoney
4/5
The pioneers of grunge. This album is fast, noisy, fuzzy and excellent. Mudhoney has a bit of snarl but it’s clear they didn’t take themselves overly serious, it works pretty well here. It’s messy but all ties together so well, it’s really impressive how it sounds so messy and clean at the same time, Broken Hands is a track that perfectly captures this. Thought it was pretty cool that Mudhoney basically saved Sun Pop from sinking, so they not only pioneered grunge but also kept the doors open for other great acts who may not have been given opportunity elsewhere. 4 stars
The Zombies
3/5
It’s poppy and psychodelic and really well mixed. Enjoyable listen and I understand the accolades it has received. It’s a tad too syrupy and gooey at times for my own personal liking but still really good. 3 stars
Bee Gees
3/5
Caught me off guard, not what I was expecting at all. The pop folk worked well, I enjoyed it. Had never heard the song Marley Purt Drive, Bee Gees even thru some twang down on this track, I added this one to a playlist immediately. The Royal symphony type tracks weighed Odessa down like an anchor a bit. 3.5 stars
The Band
3/5
Some really strong tracks, from Caledonia Misssion thru London Suzie it’s a strong album. I enjoyed the mix in lead on this one bc it seems all members took a strong lead. Good album not top tier 3.5 stars
5/5
Ziggy Stardust is Bowie at his best, there’s not a miss on this album. Moonage Daydream and the wailing guitar, what a track. This is a classic and an easy 5 stars
Doves
3/5
Having never heard them before, I had a good idea what this would sound like when I saw they were a British Indie Band from 2000. I wasn’t far off but I definitely did underestimate them, this is a strong debut. At just shy of an hour this is an ambitious album, atmospheric and droning at times. It did tend to sag at times for me but I really did enjoy the peaks. Favourite tracks, Firesuite, Sea Song, Catch the Sun. 3.5 stars
The Cramps
4/5
I’m a sucker for surf rock/punk so I’m down for this one. Fun dumb themes on here, zombies, teenage werewolves, mystery planes. Several tracks would fit right in on a Halloween playlist and I’m a sucker for Halloween too. 4 stars
Neil Young
4/5
It’s Neil and I like Neil and his choppy guitar style so I like this. Has a bit of a bluesy approach. Tonight’s the Night is an obvious standout but I really enjoyed Roll Another Number. 4 stars
Duke Ellington
4/5
Gotta imagine this was a pretty cool show to be at. I can picture everyone dressed to the nines, bopping their heads and tapping their feet as the cigarette smoked wafted thru the venue. Sounded like all the notes were hit perfectly, Dimuendo was a really cool build, Newport Up was my favourite track overall. 4 stars
The Zutons
3/5
Started really strong and I thought I had Zuton fever but by track four I realized it was a false alarm. Overall a decent enough 2000’s indie album but I don’t see how it’s a necessary listen, there’s nothing exceptional going on here but it’s a fun enough listen. 3 stars
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Just felt like a good day for this one, I was in the mood for some chill steady jazz so I was happy with it. A bit different vibe than other live albums, felt like I was pulled into the crowd. It was kinda neat hearing the clinks of glassware, chatter of the audience in the background. The Trio powered thru the hour long set not missing a note, strong set, chill vibes. 4 stars
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Fantastic synth pop album. There were 6 singles on this one and thought they were all great, one of my favourite tracks wasn’t one of them. I had never heard I’ll Kiss You before but it caught my attention. Only track that fell a bit flat for me was witness. Lauper’s energy and playfulness really shines thru on She’s So Unusual, this is awesome. 4 stars
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Pretty quick hitter but it hits just right. They come in hot with Green River with such a cool guitar riff, picking up the pace a bit on Commotion and simply putting together a really tight album from there. CCR is comforting, they just do jangly fun rock so well. 4 stars
David Bowie
4/5
Starts strong, has a dip at Cracked Star and Time but finishes so strong from there. This is another great Bowie release. Aladdin Sane the track is a beautiful mess, Let’s Spend the Night Together is an underrated Bowie track. Aladdin Sane is a bit of a boozy dreamy sounding album and I love it for that. 4 stars
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
I enjoyed it enough, lots going on throughout and I thought it was ambitious but they seemed to come out with a good album. Georgia is one of the standouts for me, a lot of spacey vibes and tones on here, you kinda have to be in a certain mood for synth pop like this, I will likely give it another listen but for now it’s a 3.5
Black Sabbath
5/5
Not as polished as some releases that would follow but that only adds to the charm of the debut release. They hammered this out in studio playing live as a group in a 12 hour session and the energy on it is palpable. Though it’s seen as metals first release, there’s some bluesy undertones to it, The Wizard has some epic haunting harmonica on it, this track is the standout of the 5. Sabbath simply works so well together, there’s a looseness to their debut as they comfortably maneuver their way thru these lengthy songs. I fucking love this. 5 stars
Richard Thompson
4/5
Took a second listen to fully appreciate. I’ll tell you one thing though, I appreciated the fuck out of When I Get to the Border. Richard and Linda brought Celtic folk and psych rock together almost battling each other, so cool. Withered and Died is a strong country tune and the horns add life to I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight as Linda sings about work sucking ass and weekends being awesome. Again, it took a couple of listen to settle in so if your weren’t feeling this first time round I think you should. This is folking good. 4 stars
3/5
Saw the cover and thought I’d get it, i didn’t. Very theatrical and fun. Had some humour worked in. Got me boppin’ around a bit, can’t guarantee I’ll return to this but i liked it. 3.5 stars
Paul Simon
2/5
Did not care for this. I didn’t really understand what he was going on about and I really don’t like the musical arrangements overall, it just annoyed me in general. Not for me at all 2 stars
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
There was a lot going on here and I found most of it to be a bit much. I suppose it was interesting at times but they really did toss a bunch into the blender here including the cutlery. This was a bit of a mess, didn’t go down smooth for me. 2 stars
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Just an excellent storytelling type album. This is Cohen’s best work, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne, Teachers! Such visual music in the sense you can see the tales he sings about at times. This is fucking great. 5 stars
White Denim
4/5
This fits right in my wheelhouse, free flowing guitars, psychedelic vibes with a touch of southern/Latin influence. D was a refreshingly fun album, White Denim keeps their pickets tight here. Back at the Farm, my clear favourite really leaned on the psychedelic rock skills and jammed. Is and Is and Is shows off James Petralli’s vocal range as he shows just how good he is at classic rock choruses. I was excited going into it bc I confused them with White Fence but was pleasantly surprised. I’m down for the D… heh. 4 stars
David Bowie
3/5
Heroe’s is that song that gets overplayed during NHL playoff broadcasts every year so maybe I’m just sick of that song. As for the rest of the album, not his best… Beauty and the Beast sucks, Miss Garden and Neukoln and weird and droning but I actually kinda like it and the Secret Life of Arabia is actually pretty rad. This is a weird one from Bowie and not all good but not bad either 3 stars
Don McLean
3/5
Hadn’t heard anything aside from American Pie up to this point. Pretty much what I had expected overall. East listening, folk, gentle vocals and guitar. Everybody Loves me breathes some needed life back into it on the later half, enjoyed Winterwood and the Grave as well. Decent listen 3 stars
Hole
5/5
Well shit, I wish I had given this a chance earlier. Love is in possession of the perfect vocals for what Hole is doing here. Such a good blend of both snarl and harmony in her voice and the band is so strong behind Love, blistering thru the entire album. Despite the heavy themes, Love sings with a playfulness at times, giving this grunge album a fresh feel, there’s humour at times too, Rock Star specifically. Overall really strong songwriting and personality displayed. Not a bad track on this one, really just fucking great. Upon reading of the tragic loss of bassist, Kristen Pfaff I learned that her replacement, Melissa Auf see Maur only came to be the replacement bc her roommate got in a fight with Billy Corgan after tossing a bottle at him at a Punpkins show in Montreal. Auf der Maur apologized for her roommates behaviour and this was the start of their friendship, that roommate btw became the drummer of the great Godspeed Black Emperor. Anyway, thought that was all neat. 5 stars!
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
At times it sounds like there’s a loose cord, MBV really lives in the sludge but they’re comfortable there and they’re good at it. They make music best appreciated by headphone listening, the sparse guitars and beautiful vocals blend so well with the whirls and distortion. I know that the “not my cup of tea” dorks are gonna dork it up in the reviews but MBV really does an open mind to let both the sludge and beauty in. 4 stars
Gram Parsons
4/5
Classic country, Gram Parsons even has the authentic real life experience which makes the album that much more genuine. Country music at its core can be an excellent story told thru song of real experiences both hard or joyful. Somewhere along the timeline soft southern boys grabbed hold of it and ruined the genre and made a mockery of it. It’s coming back around but what Parsons and Emmylou Harris did here was genuine country music, boisterous Cash on the Barrelhead was a riot and the toned down twang of Hearts on Fire was beautiful. The story of Parsons death and following theft of his body only add to the lore. Great twang! 4 stars
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Jimi puts on an absolute clinic here, there’s nobody in the history of guitar who can do did what Jimi displayed on Electric Ladyland. This album stands above the other two Hendrix releases bc of the full band at play, Voodoo Chile itself earns this 5 stars
Madonna
2/5
Started out as I had expected, Like a Prayer and Express Yourself are both pop classics. From there on out Like a Prayer really loses steam. Cherish is fine and then it drops right off, what the in the Disney fuck is Dear Jessie? That was awful and then just as we are about to escape this fever dream, we have to get thru the mess that is Act of Contrition. This was brutal, album art was awful too, aside from a few tracks this is a train wreck. 2 stars
a-ha
4/5
First listen was a little underwhelming but I did give it another listen on headphones which did give me a greater appreciation for the production. There’s a lot going here, the synth is working overtime and beyond the layered vocals there’s some vibrant sounds reverberating throughout. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. stood out to me as an amazing song that magnifies their strengths, so many layers with the sounds all blending together so well. I was expecting just another 80’s release with the he standard tinny boring tunes but there’s more here than that. Top tier album cover as well. 4 stars
Ray Price
3/5
A true dark country album, soaked in booze, blues and sadness. Great backing band supporting the somber Ray Price on Night Life as he sings about how things aren’t always so great under the bright city lights. 3 stars
Bee Gees
3/5
Similar to Odessa, some really strong tracks with passion with a few listless ones in between. More good than bad though, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Trafalgar, Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself and Lion in Winter are the standouts for me. 3 stars
Elton John
3/5
Elton is a remarkable singer with flair and there’s some entertaining tracks on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I have no idea what the fuck Benny and the Jets is even about. Saturday Night’s Alright is a banger, Jamaica Jerk-Off is weird but I’m ok with it, same with Your Sister Can’t Twist. There’s something about Elton that just keeps me from getting too into the music though and this album is too stretched out. 3 stars
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Layla is a 10 outta 10 classic in its own right. Clapton is an impressive guitarist and the cover of Little Wing was great and there’s some really thick blues on here, Have You Ever Loved a Woman is awesome and Key to the Highway is a journey I enjoyed but I did find a chunk of the other assorted songs to be somewhat forgettable. Still, very strong release 3.5 stars
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Yea, R&B needs to be really good for me to really like it and I just didn’t think this was really good. Lyrics were subpar, the music was funky enough but overall this was forgettable. 2 stars
The Beach Boys
5/5
It’s just so syrupy and clean. The arrangements are so smooth and the production is spectacular. I forgot how good this is and it’s such a remarkable climb from the lame ass junk they released early. This album is beautiful. 5 stars
2Pac
3/5
Listening to this album led me to the conclusion that 2Pac is overrated. This album is just ok and Hip Hop should have more energy than this. Old School was cool, I don’t know I wanted more. 3 stars
Rush
3/5
I totally get why big prog rock fans would love this album and I respect that Rush is really good at the Proggy, spacey tunes. This is actually super great at times but Rush in a big serving for me is too rich, too much and I know this is unfair but 3 stars
Erykah Badu
2/5
Started out as a decent listen and then AD 2000 hit and things went off the rails, Badu lost me, the album became a bore and downright bad. R&B continues to be the worst genre as far as I’m concerned. This was exhausting. 2 stars
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Great energy, beautiful arrangements and really fun and refreshing listen. Once the second track, Dance or Die kicked in I had a good feeling about the ArchAndroid. The R&B tag had me worried, this has more to it with some Pop and even rock influences at times. Nice appearance by Kevin Barnes and of Montreal too, didn’t see that coming. Again, loved the energy here, a few tracks could have been trimmed but this was great 4 stars
Coldplay
2/5
In what beige ass world is this essential listening? 🥱 That being said I did sing along to Yellow a bit bc I’m a lame wad. Not terrible, not great, just a bunch of lukewarm tunes here. 2.5 stars
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
I played Mrs. Vandebilt a good 10 times today, never heard it, loved it then it rolled into Let Me Roll With It which has a great little guitar riff. They weren’t all hits though, Jet was bad, Bluebird was ok I guess but were they really just going on about being birds that were blue, I didn’t sense anything deeper. Finished really strong with Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five. This impressed me more than expected 3.5 stars
Frank Sinatra
1/5
There’s something so incredibly insincere about Sinatra’s songs. Everyone seems to find him so charming with his crooning but I see thru your act Frank, you swarmy pompous fuck. The only decent song on this album isn’t even his, he just took a good song in Girl From Impanema and made it worse. I truly hope this is the last album of Sinatra’s I have to listen to, Frank is a creep, he is not essential, overhyped trash from a period people enjoyed creepy crooners. Fuck you Frank 1 star
David Bowie
3/5
This was fine, the title track was great and I really enjoyed I’d Rather be High. With all the great Bowie albums, I’m not sure this one really needed to be included but it was and I listened and it was fine. 3 stars
2/5
Hey, can you sound more British? Blur? More like Blah. 2 stars
Steve Winwood
2/5
This sounded like Phil Collins singing bad songs. Spanish Dancer was kinda enjoyable and the cover art is great but overall this was a stinker. Winwood more like Losewood 2 stars
The White Stripes
4/5
Such a raw fun energy on this. Starts strong right away with Dead Leaves and my personal Favourite Hotel Yorba. This isn’t a perfect album but it’s still awesome and alongside other 2001 great releases , The Strokes-Is This It and Andrew W.K.’s-I Get Wet, helped breathe fresh life into a floundering rock genre. This will forever have a special spot in my memory and I’ll continue coming back to it. 4 stars
Frank Black
4/5
Had only listened to the Black’s work with the Pixie’s prior to this listen. Thought this was really good, a bit long at 22 tracks but a strong lighter grunge album. Abstract Plain and Headache were both solid, there’s some decent humour on it too. Ole Mulholland came on and it was such a strong reminder how big and influence had on Isaac Brock which gave me a whole other reason to appreciate this. Yea, a bit long but fuck ya Frank! 4 stars
3/5
Had some nice ambient tones, overall really chill and enjoyable. Nothing overly memorable though but it was a decent listen. 3 stars
The Smiths
5/5
Wow, this caught me off guard with how much I actually enjoyed this. It’s a really tight, strong album. At only 36 mins, I managed to run thru it 4 times today, it’s really good. Death of a Disco Dancer is such a great tune, nervous, frantic energy, Johnny Marr does such a good job letting the song breathe and building the guitar throughout. This is the most entertaining I’ve found Morrissey, he’s got growls, yelps, whines, jokes. Ultimately, there’s so much more variety here than I would expect from a Smiths album, it still has their classic moodiness that you expect but filled out with more than just that. On Unhappy Birthday, I find the line “and if you should die, I may feel slightly sad but I won’t cry” just so funny and makes Morrissey endearing almost. Having never heard this release before it really did give me a new appreciation for The Smiths. Seeing as this was their final release, I’d say they finished strong. 5 stars
Bauhaus
4/5
Such an interesting mix of goth and dance. They’d be a perfect act for a Halloween show, the haunting tones vocals even sound as if they’re singing from within a cave. The Passion of Lovers, Dancing, Kick in the Eye, X-Ray Eyes, really great tracks. The only song I didn’t really get into was the talking track of Lillies and Remains, too much chatter. Listened to the bonus album and there were some gems on there as well, Fish Cakes is so dumb but works. This was great gothy fun. 4 stars
Public Enemy
3/5
I can say for certain as a 39yr old white dude driving my Yaris to work on a Monday morning, track 5 didn’t feel right. Didn’t stick the landing like Fear of a Black Planet did. 3 stars
Slipknot
4/5
The drums sound like they’re being played by a machine, it sounds mechanical with how fast and loud the percussion is. Gehenna caught me off guard, could have sworn it was Jonathan Davis from KoRn doing the vocals with the whispered tones but it was a solid song. Psychosocial was furious and fun. Vocals overall are a bit of a sticking point for me, not necessarily bad I don’t know just something that is kinda lame about it but the band itself is so tight on this album I can’t go lower than 4 stars
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Super Furry Animals sound like what an Oasis album would sound like if Oasis decided to be quirky. This was fucking annoying and another classic example of Britpop being hoisted up by British twat media when in actuality it is super obnoxious annoying shit. It’s was both generic and eclectic if that makes any sense, like at it’s core it was just a constant generic alt garage rock sound and then they added unnecessary vocal quirks and additional unnecessary musical elements that were more noise than anything. I think they thought they’re cute and funny and but I didn’t find them to be anything but shit. 2 stars
The Jam
3/5
It was fine. I’m gonna out as much effort into this review as British people put into their music. Oh so mid and boring but not necessarily bad just so boring bc that’s how Brits do it bc they love that Queen for some fucking reason… ugh fuck the Brits 3 stars
Deep Purple
4/5
Simply a good bluesy, jammy, psychedelic album. Machine Head hit the spot for me, cool guitar riffs including one of the most iconic of all time on Smoke on the Water. Highway Star is a great track and Lazy hits hard too. Only miss was Maybe I’m a Leo. 4 stars
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Though I’ve always respected Jello Biafra and Dead Kennedys they’re not a band I have listened to a ton. Solid punk album with their blend of cheeky satire and politically charged aggression. Standouts are Kill the Poor, Lynch the Landlord and Holiday in Cambodia. It’s good and belongs on the list I just won’t return to it often. 3.5 stars
Ozomatli
2/5
Dip, dive, socialize. Are You Ready for the Saturday night? Just one example of how fucking lame this pile of crap was. Yea, they sound musically talented enough, it’s like a high school band got together and started a group but none of them had any cool lyrics to write. Maybe the Spanish lyrics were cool, but based on what I heard of the English lyrics, I’m gonna assume they were equally lame. Album artwork is bad, they rap was bad, the band name is bad, band name is bad. Glad it’s over 2 stars
Cream
4/5
Just a really good psychedelic bluesy album. Blue Condition and Mother’s Lament were both bad but the rest of the album was a warm gooey jam. 4 stars
Sepultura
5/5
I knew I was in for a loud Monday listen but I wasn’t fully prepared for how relentless it would be. Mechanical, thundering drums accompanied by wailing guitars all the way thru. This was a blast, great energy and a welcomed surprise hit. So fucking good 5 stars
The Strokes
5/5
Is This It is the perfect album. The Strokes came along in the early 2000’s and helped pave a new road away from all the weirdness that arose in the late 90’s. They didn’t over complicate it, they made a perfect album with jangly guitars, clean drums and Casablancas with his seemingly effortless delivery singing about sex, youth and drugs with wit. Everything about this band was cool, the album art is iconic, the band logo was awesome, they were here to save rock and they did. This is the most defining album of my high school experience and unlike other favourites from my teenage years, aged beautifully. This remains my favourite album of all time, I will be singing along to this til I die. 10 stars
Fred Neil
5/5
Oh man, this one hit the spot. I’m a big fan of Bill Callahan and Fred Neil carried that same dry wit delivery that draws me to his music. From the first track, The Dolphins caught my attention immediately, a truly beautiful tune. That’s the Bag I’m In is a top tier blues track, lyrics are just so clever. Excellent rock and twang album here, Neil’s relaxed vocals blend so well well with the skillful harmonica and guitar. This is an exactly the type of album discovery that keeps me excited to carry on with this experiment. 5 stars
The Undertones
2/5
This may be one of those situations where since this has been released, there’s been so many albums of the same genre released since that are much better. I found this to be generic, boring and uninspired. The humour they were going for, well I just didn’t find it funny. They didn’t lean into the punk or the pop enough and seemed to just play it safe and boring. I’m gonna listen to a Jeff Rosenstock album to wash taste of the Undertones away. 2 stars
GZA
4/5
Ran thru it twice and really liked it. Smooth delivery with well used samples and good beats. Sometimes the skits on hip hop albums are overdone or out of place but that wasn’t the case on Liquid Swords, adding to the album instead of taking away from it. Strong appearance by Method Man on Shadowboxing which was my favourite track on this one. Strong album 4 stars
Brian Eno
3/5
I liked it, I am not overly familiar with Eno’s catalogue but I had heard enough about him that I was looking forward to the listen. Started strong with good energy and the second half slowed the pace quite a bit, not bad but I guess I expected a bit more punch. 3 stars
Fun Lovin' Criminals
1/5
There was nothing fun or lovin’ about this, though they did steal 50 mins of my attention so they were right about the criminal part. 1 star
Ray Charles
3/5
It was a fine enough album, Ray has a good voice and the songs are crafted well enough but there’s not a whole lotta country going on here so the title is a bit misleading. For the lack of variety here it’s way too long at an hour and fifteen. Pleasant enough to listen to I suppose but I won’t be returning 2.5 stars
James Taylor
3/5
A good singer songwriter album, Country Road is a great tune. Overall it’s a fine album, Taylor sings well and the music is played well. Nothing really mover me much here. 3 stars
Cocteau Twins
4/5
This was great, I had no idea what they were singing about. I actually thought they were French until I looked it up halfway thru. I really did enjoy the synth ambient sounds. Gave their 84 release a listen afterwards, just as chill. 4 stars
Paul Simon
3/5
Decent enough album, some tunes better than others but nothing terrible here. There were some interesting sounds worked in that kept things interesting. Hobo’s Blues definitely stood out as a great track. I don’t see myself returning to the album. It was fine, 3 stars
Motörhead
3/5
I expected to like this more, I think it’s just the fact that this is a live album that took the enjoyment out of this. Live albums are tough, I wasn’t there, I’d rather just listen to the studio album. This just sounded too muddy overall to get too into, still great energy overall though. 3 stars
Jane's Addiction
3/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I thought I was going to. Jane Says is the obvious classic, an upbeat tune about a sad story but there are plenty of other strong tracks to fill this out. Oceanside was great Ted Just Admit it…. just so weird, druggy and great, covers lots of ground over the 7 minutes.
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
This was rad, San Fran band who sounded a bit like the Stones with a bit of a snotty punk rock tinge to ‘em. I really enjoyed how well
they incorporated the bluesy twang into their punk garage sound, the Groovies sounded like they were genuinely having a good time and that made for a fun listen. 4 stars
Kings of Leon
4/5
Youth and Young Manhood caught me off guard with how much I enjoyed it. I was familiar with Kings of Leon’s more prominent radio songs off their Only by Light release and wasn’t too into it. This release still has the polished sound Only by Light has but seems to carry more raw energy and fun jangles that would fit right into a venue with sawdust on the dance floor. Lead singer Caleb Followill really won me over on this release, he has the swagger of a true rock frontman and this release is not lacking jams, the band is tight all way thru and the energy doesn’t dip. Great rock album 4 stars
Portishead
3/5
Mysterons grabbed my attention immediately with the haunted beats and vocals, and I immediately recognized Sour Times and really enjoyed it. Their sound is different and works for extremely well when they’re at their best. I didn’t find Dummy to be consistent all the way thru, there were lulls, at some points was straight up annoying like on It Could be Sweet but overall it was an interesting listen with some really creative tracks with chill vibes. 3 stars
The Fall
4/5
I’m a sucker for mess, that’s why I watch Vanderpump with my girl. This is messy and I’m here for it, Mark Smith’s vocal delivery is all over the board, at times he sounds drunk, difficult to really understand, other times poppy and energetic. The band follows suit with their poppy energy shifting to gloom,
oftentimes in the same track like on Barmy. It ran a little long but there is a lot to like on Nation’s Saving Grace though I do think it needs a proper listen, I had to run thru it again bc the first listen didn’t truly sink in, a second listen at home with a pint hit much better than the drive to work listen. Great post punk release here. 4 stars
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Really strong folk pop album. The harmonies are so clean and chill, the songs are great. I found that I enjoyed this more on a headphone listen, there are a lot of intricate details in the music that I didn’t pick up prior. Didn’t love the entire album, I feel like Simon just had to slip in a weird one with Keep the Customer Satisfied, I didn’t care for that track. They’re a great duo though and this is a great album. 4 stars
Megadeth
4/5
This album kicks you in the dick from the get go and doesn’t really let up until the ballad like tune Good Mourning. I fucking loved this, it’s theatrical, it’s fast and hilarious without swaying too far into cornfield. This starts so strong too with Wake Up Dead, The Conjuring and Peace Sells which has such a rad fat bass to open it up. The only lame track on this is Superstitious but aside from that, this rips. 4.5 stars
Silver Jews
4/5
David Berman was a more cynical, sorrowful Stephen Malkmus and he was great. Bright Flight is an excellent alt-country album. There’s so much humour, poetry and vivid storytelling by Berman on this album, it’s fantastic. He takes a break from the words on Transylvania Blues and it kicks ass. The duo and wordplay on Tennessee was fantastic. There was a ton of dark humour on this too, great album 4.5 stars
CHVRCHES
3/5
It’s got good energy, the Mother We Share is such a great track and the album itself is electro pop goodness. The highs are highs but there are some lulls. Mayberry’s vocals are crisp and meld with the electronic tones well. It starts really strong and ends up feeling long and isn’t as consistent as I recall from when I fist listened. The good songs are very strong though and there’s enough strength in those tunes to make this a good album overall. 3.5 stars
David Bowie
5/5
I was curious if I’d enjoy this as much as I used to, it had probably been 5 years since my last full listen and it’s still great. It’s random and great, Changes and Pretty Things gets things started hot. Queen Bitch and Life on Mars are a couple of my Bowie favourites. Hunky Dory is a slight step behind Ziggy Stardust when it comes to my personal rank of Bowies work mostly bc it feels more like an album and less like a best of collection but this is still a 5 from me. 300 albums in and this is the 8th Bowie album I’ve received, I have to imagine this is the last one right? There’s no way Last Dance makes the cut right? Hunky Dory 5 stars!
MC Solaar
3/5
The beats are decent and Solar’s delivery is smooth. My French is poor so I’m not sure if he’s singing about how much he loves littering and cookies with raisins, if that’s the case this is 1 star; I’ll assume that’s not the case so 3 stars
Prince
3/5
There wasn’t enough consistently here to get me on board with all of the praise 1999 receives. Prince is pretty horny on this one, at times it worked and at other points it was just a bit much, Lady Cab Driver in particular. All that being said, there is some exceptional dance pop here starting with the title track. D.M.S.R and All the Critics Love U in NY were a couple other of my favourites. Overall, interesting listen but I think I’ll stick to Purple Rain. 3 stars
Gary Numan
3/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit more than expected, it was easy to conclude the importance of this album. The final 4 tracks after Cars is where the album really impressed me, stripping away the vocals and allowing the listener to fully appreciate the synth. Asylum had a real Jon Carpenter feel to it. The first half was interesting but not as much with a few songs falling flat. 3.5 stars
PJ Harvey
4/5
This has some grit, fuzz and blood. It’s impossible to get too deep into Rid of Me without taking note of how cool she really is, her honest approach to songwriting is admirable. The quiet to loud builds in the title track are great, Rub til it Bleeds is gross and simply a top notch grunge song with a remarkable build to it. This was excellent, I’ll come back to it for sure l. 4 stars
The United States Of America
3/5
I listened to this while working out. This is not a working out album, this is a getting high album. The Garden of Earthly Delights was wild and Coming Down was fun. It really was a decent psych folk album, I just wish I could have been high today. 3.5 stars but probably 4 if I were high
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Far from the best Stones album but also very far from their worst. An important adjustment in their approach, expanding their sound with some psychedelia and veering from straight pop rock. Mothers Helper immediately lets everyone know The Stones are dipping into the psych. Under My Thumb is a classic, such a standout opening. Going Home wasn’t particularly great but it was neat to see the Stones experiment with a wandering bluesy 11 minute jam. Stupid Girl is a bit rough but I suppose this was 1966, released before the last Leafs cup win, so I guess that can be forgiven. Really easy listen overall,
Strong album but not their best, just the beginning. 3.5 stars
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Dusty was horny and I respect that. 3 stars
Skunk Anansie
2/5
Oh man, this is pretty 90’s. I gave is a chance, lead singer Skin? Her voice is strong and if they leaned more into the Nu-Metal direction I thought this was originally going, it may have been ok, like an Evanescence album. Just seemed they couldn’t pick a lane and the album ends up being a bit of a mess overall. The sappy ballad like tunes didn’t do them any favours either. I came out of this pretty confused. 2 stars
The Modern Lovers
5/5
Some may find Jonathan Richman’s vocal delivery grating but I find it endearing. They’re having fun and it’s infectious, the slow vocal drawl works really well with the quick sharp guitars, drums and keys with a surf punk vibe. It’s a well orchestrated mess altogether and am I crazy to think they had a big influence on the Strokes? From the aesthetic of their band logo to their sound. Reading up on Richman, I found it interesting he accompanied his good friend Gram Parsons on a mini golf outing one day before Parsons death. On first listen this was a 4 but on second I was hooked, 5 stars
John Cale
3/5
Expected to enjoy this a lot more considering that I’ve always enjoyed Velvet Underground and he worked with Modern Lovers who I also really like. It was fine, just a bit dry overall. Title track was really good though. 3 stars
MGMT
4/5
Such a great debut album from MGMT. So much energy and psychedelia here. I listened to the crap out of this when it came out and probably overdid it but the whimsical tunes still hold strong. The first half really packs a punch, Time to Pretend is a great open, Weekend Wars sounds like an excellent Bowie track and the Youth is a druggy jam. Even the less played songs in the second half have their importance and seem to hint at the direction MGMT will head in the future. Awesome album 4.5 stars
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I really don’t care for Rehab but the album itself is fine, just not really my taste. Winehouse had the voice and humour and that makes this album listenable. 3 stars
Stevie Wonder
3/5
This album has one song that needs to be heard and that song is Superstition. Maybe Your Baby is actually pretty funky and shows potential but then Stevie had to fuck it up with another boring love song You and I. This could be a cool funk album but there’s far too much cheese for it to be fun. 3 stars
3/5
This was the chocolate milk of punk. Familiar, comfortable and enjoyable.
Metallica
4/5
Opens pretty strong with Enter Sandman, can’t go wrong there. Doesn’t really let up from there, Sad but True, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam all excellent. The drop in a ballad with Nothing Else Matters and this is a really good album. Yea, there is some cheese for sure but Metallica sticks it with their self-titled. I’d argue the only stinkers on this release are Don’t Tread on Me and The God That Failed. Overall though, no issues. 4 stars
Tim Buckley
3/5
Some of these 60’s pysch-pop/folk blend albums are starting to meld in my mind as one. They aren’t bad albums they just all kinda sound so similar. Tim Buckley’s Goodbye and Hello didn’t do anything to stand above the others for me. Pleasant Street is likely my favourite. 3 stars
Aerosmith
2/5
Steven Tyler is annoying, he is the real life Quagmire, I’m pretty sure he even sings some giggity’s. At one point he’s singing about fucking s woman in a department store elevator and later is moaning about What it Takes to get over another woman. Shit the fuck yo Steven, you fuck. Pump is pervy and skeezy but it actually picks up in the second half. Aerosmith thrives when they just let Perry rock out and have Tyler chill the fuck out a bit, sadly that doesn’t happen nearly enough. 2.5 stars
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
Musically I thought it was fine but N’Dours vocals were grating and I didn’t care for it. It’s a 3 if it’s an instrumental but the vocals drag this to a 2
Sebadoh
4/5
Bubble and Scrape is a bit of a sloppy mess at times but there’s beauty in the slop and I really enjoyed it. 4 stars
Nirvana
5/5
Between Nevermind and In Utero it’s tough to really pick a favourite. They’re both excellent, Nevermind tends to be the more polished of the two and that seems to draw unnecessary ire at times. I’m not sure there is a more iconic guitar riff than what we hear the album open with and they just keep piling on the hits from there. The second half isn’t as hit heavy but the deeper cuts are still great. They close it out really well with one last pop jam On a Plain before the gloomy goodness of Something in the Way and finishing with the fun mess of Endless, Nameless. Ultimately, I think In Utero edges out Nevermind as my favourite Nirvana album but there’s always time for the poppier Nevermind. This is a 5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Well the Penguin Cafe Orchestra have waddled their way onto my list of acts I have been gladly impressed by from the generator. What a whimsically fun listen it was, starting with the joyful tones of the Penguin Cafe Single. They got weird too and I am not against that, Milk was excellent. The Sound of Someone You Love was gorgeous. I really enjoyed this experience, it was actually a really good album to work to as well. 10/10 album art too. I’ll absolutely waddle back the the Penguin Cafe. 4 stars
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
I thought this was kinda ok. Somber country tunes with strong instrumentals, didn’t pick up on the fact that it was Gram Parsons singing until reading up on the album. It was good country, clever songwriting and imagery. My Uncle was janky and fun, Hot Burrito 1 and 2 were the standouts for me. 3 stars
Mike Oldfield
3/5
It’s eerie. It actually sounds like John Carpenter dabbled in prog rock. Decent listen, the second track got a little phlegmy which was a tad uncomfortable but this was interesting. 3 stars
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
I really do feel like such a terrible singer when trying to sing along to Nothing Compares 2 U. O’Connor’s voice is both haunting and smooth as glass and this album is more than just the standout. 4 stars
Blur
3/5
He got his head checked by a jumbo jet, I honestly never knew what Damon Albarn was saying there and finally looked it up. It always sounded like jumochet, I just thought it was a doctor of some sort, guess I’m dumb. This is much better than most Brit Pop, could have been a 4 but ran a bit long 3.5 stars
Queen
3/5
It starts reasonably well with Brighton Rock and Killer Queen is a classic. From there on out… it’s good but felt a little flat for me. When I think Queen, I think umpf and this lacked umpf. 3 stars
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
I’ve run thru several QOTSA albums but have never listened to their debut. What an excellent debut this turned out to be, it’s evident they had their signature sound from the start. It’s weird, they manage to swiftly transition from sludgy drones to crisp sharp output, toss in a dash of sleaze to it and it’s a unique yet impressive recipe. Although Homme’s vocals do sound great, it sounds as though he’s holding back a touch, the snarl never does fully come out. Standouts include Regular John, If Only, How To Handle a Rope and Give the Mule What He Wants. Fucking slick debut 4 stars
Elvis Costello
3/5
Who the fuck writes a song welcoming me to the working week? Ugh Costello, you’re just so annoying, your insecurities are shining thru on Miracle Man, you’re fine dude you dude stop being an insufferable bitch. That being said, this is probably the best of his work I’ve listened to. Musically, it’s pretty clean pop rock, I just can’t get into Costello. 2.5 star bumped up for the band performance 3 stars
The Clash
4/5
I’ve never run thru this one before. It’s The Clash, I like The Clash and it was a quick hitter with no duds. Police and Thieves is fantastic, not sure how I missed that one. 4 stars
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Tom Petty was always cool, this was a solid album aside from Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll, that song sucked. Mystery Man, kinda caught me off guard, I liked it but it sounded like Petty was doing a Van Morrison impression. Breakdown has always been a favourite of mine, American Girl is another classic. This album has some cheese to it for sure, starting with the cover art but it’s fun to hear a vocalist switch things up several times within. This is great, 4 stars
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
The contrast between the crisp opener if My My, Hey Hey and the sludgy closer Hey Hey, My My is pretty rad. Pocahontas is a beautiful yet mournful song, I never fully understood the Marlon Brando reference so I checked it out. He refused to take the stage to accept his Oscar award for the Godfather, in protest of Hollywood’s racist portrayal of Natives in film. Powderfinger not only includes the best guitar riff on the album but is another excellent example of Neil’s vivid storytelling, this track is so good. Only song that falls flat for me is Welfare Mothers, I don’t think I got what it’s about and I found the looping beat a bit bland. Aside from that, solid album. 4 stars
Alice In Chains
3/5
I just wish the WEF introduced a wrestler named The Rooster, dressed as a rooster and used The Rooster as they’re into. Aside from that, I think Alice Im Chains is fine, they claim they were metal, they were far too slow to be metal. There are some good, sludgy grunge tunes here. Your drummer is not a metal drummer dudes, you’re playing metal in quick sand, you are too slow and that’s fine. 3.5 stars
Ministry
3/5
This was a dumb fun metal album. I assume they were one of the earlier bands to meld industrial sounds with metal so that was kind of interesting. Like NIN if Reznor didn’t take himself so seriously and I really like NIN but this was surprisingly refreshing. The production was quite impressive. They definitely deserve credit for doing something innovative here. 3 stars
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I won’t ever just put Marley on but anytime it comes on, I’m into it. Lively up Yourself is a tune I hadn’t ever heard and it has the standard Marley chill vibes with some fuck to it, great track. Really enjoy this version of No Woman, No Cry just sounds a bit more vocal forward. So Jah Seh was another standout, just a really strong album overall. No complaints, 4 stars
Foo Fighters
3/5
They kinda float between the poppy mellow sound of Big Me and the more aggressive punch of Weenie Beenie. On some tracks they go both mellow and hard like on For All
the Cows. Foo Fighters end up constructing a pretty solid debut and Grohl makes it clear from the start that he’s not looking to be Nirvana part 2. Strong album 3.5 stars
Stan Getz
4/5
This is the shit you play at fancy dinner parties you host. I’m talking cotton napkin fancy. It’s chill, I’d play again. 4 stars
Fela Kuti
3/5
It had good energy and I really enjoyed it. Let’s start is an absolute banger, great track that I could see myself returning to. The banter for a live set was brutal. Also, the last track being titled a drum solo kinda annoyed me. It wasn’t a solo, there’s more than on drummer, you named them both in the song title… Good listen overall 3 stars
Ryan Adams
3/5
I don’t as somewhat familiar with Ryan Adams, I like Americana, Country Singer-songwriter music so I honestly expected to enjoy this more than I did. It felt a bit too overproduced and polished, he’s a good songwriter with a good voice but everything about this felt too clean and got boring bc of that. 3 stars
Ice T
4/5
I have had a hard time with gangster rap, I like rap but I’m not very gangster so I find it hard to relate. I did however appreciate Ice T’s humility, at one point it seems he actually admits he’s not the hardest but he’s still portraying himself to be quite hard and I kinda believe it. I ended up enjoying this quite a bit actually, Ice T knows his strengths and leans on it and it works really well, his writing is top
tier, and the beats balance it well. I’m typically not too into the interludes as I find they take away from the album but I’m this one they provide context and depth so I’m for it in this case. I listened to this during a run and it kept me entertained throughout, really skilled rap album and I appreciate it. One gripe I have is that John Carpenter didn’t get a sample credit on The Tower, who knew the Halloween track would blend so well with hip hop. 4 stars
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I another great Marley album, ran thru it a couple times and I really enjoyed it. A few of my favourite Marley tracks are on this one. Three Little Birds, Jamming and One Love though Natural Mystic and So Much Things to Say are also awesome. Honestly, the only track I don’t really care for is Turn Your Lights Down Low, there’s something about a Marley sex track that just doesn’t work. I don’t know, great stuff otherwise. 4 stars
4/5
I no longer want to be a man, I want to be a horse. I get it dude, I get it. Yea, some may write this off as noisy nonsense but not this fucking guy, I eat this shit up. Yea, you may not toss it on for a party but there’s something really interesting about the sludgy industrial songs they’re putting out here. Pulling from the past with their own indie dance post punk sound to it. I’m not gonna claim that I fully get it but confusion can be fun. 4 stars
Rod Stewart
4/5
Raspy Rod impressed me on this one. Starting strong on the title track, Country Comfort took us on a feel good journey. Excellent release, simply a great, warm listen. 4 stars
The Cult
3/5
Pretty standard cock rock on this one. There were several impressive moments of wailing guitars. Overall decent, 3 stars
Willie Nelson
3/5
Stardust is a pleasant listen, soft songs with Willie singing about weather and being glad overall. Simple and effective approach here. 3 stars
The Cars
3/5
The Cars took us on a ride here and while it wasn’t a fast ride, it was scenic with windy roads and I had a good time. Synth pop done well with some crunchy guitar riffs tossed in. The guitar work is what surprised me, thought it was especially good on You’re all I’ve Got Tonight. Moving in Stereo was an impressive track that caught me off guard as well. Good fun 3.5 stars
Deee-Lite
3/5
What a strange album, very 90’s and not really that bad at all. Groove is a jam and Try Me on is the only true dud on this. 3 stars
Snoop Dogg
3/5
So back up bitch because I’m struggling. Just get on your knees and start juggling, the motherfucking nuts in your mouth… This whole album is dumb, it was dumb fun sure but still soooo fucking dumb. Snoop wouldn’t know what to rap about if it weren’t for his name. Holy fuck was this stupid. 3 stars
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
It wasn’t hard jazz, it was soft. Ah fuck, I really don’t know what to say about soft jazz. It was… ok 3 stars
Portishead
4/5
A bit of a grower, ran thru it a couple times and my appreciation grew. It’s moody and sludgy at times and Beth Gibbons vocals tie everything together so well. Really cool album starting with the opening track and the sharp snap of the drums. The Rip, We Carry On, Machine Gun were other standouts. Super rad stuff 4 stars
Queen
4/5
Queen is just so good at making a big sound and they did it on Queen II. Not all tracks hit for me but most did. It may be a true 3.5 but I’ll round up bc of how much I liked Ogre Battle, just an excellent sonic pummelling track. 4 stars
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
4/5
On Oar it sounds as if someone woke Skip Spence up out of a deep sleep and had him record the album on the spot. That being said, Skip’s drowsy delivery was endearing in a way, it was an oddly pleasant listen despite the underlying darkness of Oar. Sudden War hits at the midway point and I was all, “oh shit, Skip can rip a bit” I really enjoyed that track. Finishes super weird with the droney Grey/Afro but it was awesome. This was rad 4 stars!
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Gave it a couple listens bc it sounds like she was saying a lot and I may have missed something. I just kept zoning out even on the second listen, I really liked Blue but Herija just didn’t click for me, maybe I’m dumb, maybe Joni’s flighty deliver flew right over my head today. 3 stars
Elis Regina
3/5
Enjoyable listen, great voice. I found myself vining with the more upbeat tracks. Favourite track, O Mendo de Amar was my favourite track, seemed to have the most as far as musically going on. 3.5 stars
John Coltrane
3/5
I’m pretty picky with my jazz and it’s probably bc I’m a dumb person in general. It sounded fine but I couldn’t imagine going to a live set and just being all stoked to be there bc they’re just kinda playing notes and I’m not gonna just stand around watching that. Pretty decent stuff though. 3.5 stars
Green Day
4/5
Dookie was a huge part of my childhood, this cassette was on heavy rotation for my paper route and I will always have fond memories. Pioneers of snarky pop punk with rockabilly tinge mixed in. It’s fun, humorous and comes thru musically as well. When I Come Around or Basket Case may be what most people first turn to but Longview is a fucking jam and clever as it gets. On top of being awesome front to back this is also an iconic album cover too. 4 stars
Eels
3/5
A better headphone listen than a car listen, so I definitely enjoyed it more on my second listen. The writing is strong, it’s got some heaviness, it’s emotional and clever. My hangup with Beautiful Freak is with the vocals, the delivery is a bit too talky at times. I found Susan’s House to be particularly annoying. There are some strong tracks and the delivery can work at times, I thought Flower was a good song. Kinda reminded me of Beck in the sense that it’s both good and annoying. Ah I don’t know I’m giving a cowardly 3.5 stars
Dire Straits
3/5
First three tracks are excellent, Money For Nothing makes no sense but the guitar is instantly recognizable and awesome. The album takes a bit of a dive after Walk of Life, there are some snoozers and I lost interest until The Man’s Too Strong. Great band with some great tunes but this isn’t as strong as they’re self titled. 3.5 stars
R.E.M.
4/5
R.E.M. has always been one of those bands I’m totally fine with but not ever eager to toss on. That being said, something about Green, pulled me in moreso than Automatic or Murmur. There seems to be a tad more variety mixed in on Green, some pop and they still have their brooding which is totally fine too. I really enjoyed this release even though I still have no fucking clue what is going on in Orange Crush. 4 stars
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
So I recall being into this album when it came out. First few tracks I’m thinking, fuck yea this still hits but after Take Me Out, this album became the listening variant of eating too many skittles, my ears puked a bit. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good at the jangle pop rock, they have some solid tracks but I they don’t change things up enough over the course of an album for me to digest a full 40 minutes of it. I happened to listen to The Strokes-Room on Fire just yesterday which I feel is the epitome of jangle rock so it’s clear to me that Franz Ferdinand are simply in a much lesser league than that. 3 stars
Van Morrison
2/5
Live albums man… I really need to like an artist to truly appreciate their live album. I really enjoy Astral Weeks, I really do but I don’t need to hear an hour and a fucking half of Van Morrison doing what Van does in front of VanFans. This album got weird right? Did you all hear how he sang “Shirt” a thousand times on Help Me? That was fucking weird and I did not care for it. I apprehensive good the horn section is even though I don’t care to hear much horn unless I’m listening to ska which is pretty rare but ska can be cool. I wonder what a Van ska album would sound like… Probably weird. Did you all hear when he was teasing the audience acting like his tongue was literally tied? What a jokester Van was, twat. Holy fuck, Gloria? What a dumb song. I’m not ok, this was hard. Did you all see he released a follow up? Volumes 2, 3 AND 4!!!? What the fuck Van. This was something I did not care for. 2 stars
Led Zeppelin
4/5
When I saw the length of Physical Graffiti, I was a bit concerned. You know what? There really isn’t a ton of filler on it, I do respect that Led Zeppelin didn’t trim their songs down just for radio play. In My Time of Dying is one of my favourites of theirs, such a hazy trip of a tune, remarkable sound. There is value to the girth of this record. Awesome stuff! 4 stars
The Associates
3/5
Seems like the Associates couldn’t figure out what to cut loose from sulk and the final product suffered as a result. I really enjoyed what they’re going for here. It is odd looking at their North American and European releases that the NA had Nude Spoons and left Love Hangover out and the European release went vice versa. I thought both tracks were standouts. This was a unique, interesting listen with stellar cover art. 3.5 stars
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
So I got cut off in traffic while listening to Rhythm and barely got annoyed. A Tribe Called Quest bring enthusiasm to their music and it resonates with the listener, I really appreciate the passion and joy they put in and get out of their art. I also really liked that the entire band was introduced during the first song. Bring sampling back for fucks sakes 4 stars
Roxy Music
4/5
Innovative and exciting, was not familiar with Roxy Music’s work and they piqued my interest immediately with Re-Make/are-Model, what a cool song. I judged this one by its lame cover, I admit it, had I known beforehand that Brian Eno was involved I would have expected this. So many layers to this, the drummer was solid, the synth work obviously great, so creative so immersive. 4 stars
The Avalanches
4/5
It’s really good! The atmosphere, the vibes, if I’m not high and I’m listening, I kinda wanna be high and if I am high and listening well, turn on the Sega PlayStation dude bc I Found the World So New. 4 stars
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Mott felt so very uninspired, I usually give albums a second listen to re-assess but the thought of listening to this one again has me yawning. I’m a Cadillac had a cool moment but it was too little too late. This is a case where the vocalist just didn’t click with me. Not enough glam, dime a dozen act. 2 stars
Billy Bragg
3/5
Working class folk punk poetry. Took me a few songs to get into it as I really didn’t care for the first track. Clever songwriting with a very British delivery. 3 stars
Miles Davis
2/5
Miles Davis is cool but this one ain’t it. Sure, it was 1958 I’m sure this was fucking great because what else was there. Big band is nothing but a big bunch of skilled musicians playing bland, boring music. More doesn’t mean better. This is boring. 2.5 stars
Muddy Waters
4/5
We can all agree blues is kinda silly right? The singer is always like, Yeah, I’m goin’ here or I’m gonna leave this lady alone or Florida or some dumb shit. 4 stars
Nina Simone
3/5
Nina Simone has character and a great voice. There’s definitely some quirkiness to the music and that keeps things interesting for sure. The second half slows things down a bit and that’s where it lost my full attention. Still appreciate this for what is still an interesting jazz album. 3 stars
Baaba Maal
2/5
This just felt like a dude doing pretty standard African style music and there was nothing exciting about it, like at all. 2 stars
Daft Punk
4/5
Is it repetitive? Well yea, that’s kinda what this genre is but these two do it pretty well. I listened to half on a run and half on a dog walk. This album isn’t for any occasion, that’s for sure. I absolutely preferred my listen during the run. The album could be trimmed down but overall it’s a strong release of techno-electronic. 3.5 stars
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Such a frustrating listen for me because the delivery can be so strong at times and Biggie demonstrates several times over that he give us a strong track. Over and over again my enjoyment would be detailed by a weak song, or a dumb skit (the bj skit is almost as bad as Eminem’s bj skit). This listen did encourage me to see if it was Biggie who rapped the line, “Check Yo’self, before you wreck Yo’self”. Turns out Ice T was the originator there, so that was neat. Maybe Notorious would have matured and eventually released a 10/10 album if he survived but this ain’t it. 3 stars
Todd Rundgren
3/5
I read that Rundgren was experimenting with psychedelics while writing this album. Yea, no shit. It’s a really impressive piece of work and I respect Rundgren for what he did here. Perhaps I would have enjoyed more had I been on psychedelics but I really did enjoy a good amount of it, particularly the second half. I don’t know if I’ll return but this was impressive. 3.5 stars
B.B. King
3/5
On How Blue Can You Get? The crowd reactions to each of B.B.’s. lines had me thinking of the Vince McMahon meme. It was hilarious how the became more and more enthusiastic and then he drops the line about how his lady wants to give him all 7 kids back, I’m pretty certain I heard some women’s head explode in exuberance. The hilarity of the over the top crowds reactions is not enough to bring me back to this live album. There was some skilled blues for sure but it was too much of the same throughout. 3 stars
Beastie Boys
4/5
Ill Communication lacked the samples that Paul’s Boutique had but it brought more grittiness and even some Gregorian chants in the later stages of the album. Great album, Beastie Boys were pioneers and Ill Communication is an excellent capsule of the 90’s. 4 stars
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
They’re clearly quite good at their folk pop, it’s just that I can never get into a full album. Simon and Garfunkel are a band that I can handle in small doses, I can appreciate what they do though. Patterns and 59th Street Bridge are a couple of standouts for me. 3 stars
k.d. lang
4/5
Well shit k.d. Lang, I’m sorry I didn’t give you a proper listen earlier. What a voice! Excellent songwriting accompanied by fantastic country twang. She even peppered in some Hawaiian Luao sounds on Sugar Moon. Great stuff, 4 stars!
Pixies
4/5
While I completely respect Steve Albini, who produced Surfer Rosa. I don’t agree with his take on the Pixies, “a patchwork pinch loaf from a band who at their top dollar best are blandly entertaining college rock,”. Yea, I suppose their messy, yelpy style can be described as college rock?l, they are hardly bland. Surfer Rosa, is an energetic frenzy of grunge, pop punk and surf and it all comes together with Black and Deal at the helm of this wild ship. Sorry Steve but this college rock is fucking great. 4 stars
The Who
2/5
Maybe I had to be there, maybe this is painfully too British for me, perhaps The Who just aren’t for me. 2 stars
ABBA
3/5
When it comes to Abba, I am of the belief that all you really need is, Abba Gold-Greatest Hits. Even that could be trimmed down, they do have some bangers, absolutely they do, they do dance pop really well. Arrival bizarrely starts off with, When I Kissed the Teacher so that’s a weird note to kick off on. Money, Money, Money and Happy Hawaii are a couple fun tracks I hadn’t previously heard. This is a mix of bangers and trash. 2.5 stars
Beach House
5/5
Beach House knows how to make gorgeous music and Teen Dream is peak beauty the Baltimore grown band. It doesn’t get much better than Legrand’s vocals, she delivers such a strong performance on Teen Dream. Between this and Bloom, it’s difficult to choose but either could easily stand as the best dream pop album of the the past 30yrs. So good 5 stars
M.I.A.
4/5
This album had the energy of a hyperactive toddler. At one point, bridge is rhymed with didge (as in didgeridoo) and I fucking love that. This was a lot of fun. 4 stars
Kelela
3/5
I’ll preface by saying that R&B is most likely the genre I struggle with most. It’s not for me, the content of the lyrics is one thing but the vocal delivery is often the most grating element of R&B, fucking R&B. That being said the music and production on Take Me Apart is really good, Kelela has a strong voice but she’s and R&B artist so she has that annoying delivery but the beats and the music behind the vocals helped me thru this one. 3 stars
Violent Femmes
4/5
The lyrics on the Violent Femmes debut were written by a horned up 18yr old Gordon Gano. The lyrics are immature at times and that’s ok, the sound itself is pretty innovative for its time. Gano’s snotty vocal delivery is distinct, they’ve got the punk flavour with more of the jangle indie rock sound which would have absolutely had an influence on indie rock bands to come. Fun stuff 4 stars
Kate Bush
3/5
Sensual World is a bit of a slow burn and because I really do appreciate Kate Bush, I gave it a deeper listen on headphones. I did enjoy it quite a bit more on the second listen. It could be a grower that I need to spend more time on, there is some quirky shit going on, specifically her rolling tongue yelps on the closing track. Rocket’s Tail was my favourite track, great energy. Overall it felt a bit dry at times, I will give it more time but for now it’s 3 stars
Tangerine Dream
4/5
I was unfamiliar with Tangerine Dream but I saw they were electronic and thought that it may be a good album for a morning run. It wasn’t the best album for a run but there was enough that intrigued me to give it another listen and I’m glad I did. The title track especially is a peak ambient, minimalist song and the rest of the album was a shimmering trip. Definitely got Mike Oldfield vibes with this one but instead of the spooky vibes, I got spacey vibes. 4 stars
John Lennon
3/5
Enjoyed it more than I expected I would. Imagine, is a strong song though I find it hard to take seriously. I just don’t think it’s genuine. Jealous Guy is an excellent track with a great whistling section, Lennon admitting he’s insecure is kinda surprising. I’m not a Beatles stan so I absolutely found How do You Sleep to be hilariously entertaining, referring to Paul’s solo work as Muzak must’ve cut deep. Inconsistent overall but entertaining nonetheless. 3 stars
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Enjoyed it more than I expected I would. Imagine, is a strong song though I find it hard to take seriously. I just don’t think it’s genuine. Jealous Guy is an excellent track with a great whistling section, Lennon admitting he’s insecure is kinda surprising. I’m not a Beatles stan so I absolutely found How do You Sleep to be hilariously entertaining, referring to Paul’s solo work as Muzak must’ve cut deep. Inconsistent overall but entertaining nonetheless. 3 stars
John Lee Hooker
2/5
Ok maybe I don’t get blues. I get sad enough but fuck this made me sadder. This album has some great musicians involved and it still managed to feel uninspired and flaccid. Yea, it was fine but it just felt lazy as fuck. Terrible effort 2 stars
The Who
4/5
Tommy is a difficult one to score for me, I’m not likely to return to it but it’s a creative piece of dark theatre. The story of a deaf, blind kid who kicks ass at pinball but also gets tortured by his cousin oh and sexually abused by his uncle… what the fuck guys. Maybe I need to watch the production to get a better grasp of the story but I’m not likely going to do that. Tommy is an unsettling listen with some good music scattered in, I don’t really care for Daltreys vocals in general but they do work for this album. I really did enjoy the 10 minute trip of Underture. This may be the highest score I give an album I won’t return to, 4 stars for doing something weird and different
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Yea, he’s pretty good at piano. The moaning and grunting seemed unnecessary but I’m not sophisticated enough to understand this genre so maybe that’s part of it? I gave it a chance but an hour of noodling around on a piano isn’t for me. 3 stars
Janet Jackson
3/5
I can see how this would appeal to the pop heads of the late 80’s but in 2024 it kinda sounds like an after-school special. I don’t have anything against the message Janet is going for, it’s just a tad on the nose. As for the synth beats, I’m down for it. The album ran a bit long and the ballads could definitely be cut to clean this up. 3 stars
Scott Walker
2/5
Ok another crooner, I just don’t care for this theatrical fluff. Sure, Walker’s voice is smooth but this genre can eat a dick. So obnoxious, you can tell this dude had an inflated ego. He barely wrote any of these tunes himself too, just join show tunes man. This was tough to get thru. Scott 2 stars
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The classics are still classics and I’ll always be nostalgic for them but there is some drag to Appetite For Destruction. At 54 minutes, 2 or 3 filler tracks could be cut and the album would be miles better. Even still, the good tracks rip and I’m still here for them. 4 stars
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Interesting listen, as they incorporated a good amount of jazz into their bluesy rock. I was only previously familiar with Spinning Wheel which is great. There was a bit of drag but I did enjoy the lengthy Blues-Part II which sampled Cream. Good stuff 4 stars
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Jeru’s delivery throughout is smooth, the bests are a tad basic but enjoyable. Da Bichez is almost as awful as the album art. Great rhymes and smooth delivery, no phoney tough guy vibes. Good stuff 4 stars
The Soft Boys
3/5
Terrible band name, pretty ok album cover and some decent jangly snotty rock tunes here. 3 stars
Van Halen
4/5
It’s pretty dumb but dumb fun is what Van Halen excels at and they don’t overstay their welcome on 1984. They rip thru the keyboard hit Jump and Panama carried by Eddies signature crunchy riffs. The content of Panama is kinda confusing, is Roth racing cars for the rights of a woman, is he chasing her in his car? Top Jimmy, again musically it’s so good, lyrically… I mean just read the lyrics, they honestly read like a short story an 8yr old would write about a cool dude, so dumb. Hot For Teacher, again so dumb but you can’t deny how cool that drum opening is and another classic riff from Eddie. Roth’s so good at the smarmy delivery too, it’s a great dumb song. 4 dumb stars
Sigur Rós
4/5
It’s absolutely an album that requires your attention so that it doesn’t simply drift into the background. Even if the music does take a backseat, it’s still a beautiful background sound but if you do give Agaetis Byrjun your attention, you could be rewarded. Svefn-G-Englar is an all time masterpiece Staralfur, the following track isn’t far behind. I’m a fan of ambient, dreamy music and Sigur Ros does an excellent job here with great attention to details and textures. Beautiful! 4 stars
Gorillaz
2/5
I recall being fine with Clint Eastwood at the time it was released but didn’t like it enough to explore further. I never much cared for Blur and Alburns super British delivery. While Blur bores me, The Gorillaz managed to straight up annoy me. There were moments that I was on board for, some of the beats were enjoyable. Man Research was downright awful and the peak of my annoyance. Somehow they managed to fall shy of my low expectations. 2 stars
5/5
The Royal Albert Hall Concert is awesome as it is, such a strong live performance and set list. The split acoustic/electric had me taking note that I saw Dylan open for the Foo Fighters during their tour in support of their acoustic/electric split album, In Your Honor some 40yrs after this iconic set. 40 fucking years, that’s remarkable. Such a great performance by Dylan and the band. Excellent harmonica accompanied by great banter as Bob refused to back down from a somewhat stubborn British crowd, seemingly irked by amplified guitars… this is a classic live set. This is dedicated to the Taj Mahal 5 stars
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
All five band members picked up writing credits on Midnight Ride, which is neat. Revere and the Raiders present a psychedelic garage rock sound with a pop shine. It’s a good sound, I just prefer a bit more grime with my garage. Kicks, Stepping Stone, Get it On are all great. The closing track felt out of place and fell flat for me. Pretty decent though not quite a 4 though 3.5 stars
Björk
4/5
What a wonderful adventure. Vulnicura lures you in with the beautiful slow rolling strings accompanied by Bjorks standout vocals. As the album proceeds, the moments of haunting beats and underlying anxiety becomes more relevant. The production is great, the layers of sounds and classical composition mixed with electronic beats made for an interesting listen. Black Lake was my favourite. 4 stars
Quicksilver Messenger Service
4/5
Live albums seem to be real hit and miss on this project, Van Morrison’s live album was particularly dreadful and unnecessary. Happy Trails is a good example of a live album that showcases a band’s strengths. Yea, it’s Jammy and perhaps meanders but that’s the beauty of live music, it’s a time to give new life and length to the studio tracks. The hazy blues with psych undertones makes for an enjoyable listen. I understand it’s not going to be for everyone and that’s cool but I really liked this. 4 stars
Johnny Cash
4/5
The songs are good but what makes this a special and interesting listen is the interaction with the residents of San Quentin. 4 stars
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
I don't see what's so special about this sauce. Half baked raps over mediocre blues. It's really not good at all, nobody needs to hear this. What's worse is the other acts this likely influenced. What in the Uncle Kraker was this? 2 stars
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
A bit chatty are we lads? I actually really enjoyed the looseness of the songs, there was just a bit too much chatter and that took me out of it. Can definitely see how this music would have a place in lively pubs. 3.5 stars
Black Flag
4/5
At 35 minutes, Black Flag blows thru 15 tracks at a furious pace. As frantic and fast as the guitars and drums can be, they are clean as Black Flag lets us know they rebel against the man and love their booze. Great fun, 4 stars!
The Gun Club
4/5
A rollicking good time this is. Clever lyrics accompanied by some bluesy, rockabilly punk. I’ve listened to this but it’s been well over a decade. Still just as good as it was, great energy on Fire of Love. 4 stars
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Such a beautiful whimsical piece of music. It’s a sprawling, epic whirlwind of full sounds and it’s all wonderfully produced. Emotional and weird at times and Stevens vocals are perfect, the backing vocals really fill things out. They really went all out with the composition, Illinoise is filled to the brim with horns, keys, bells, it’s clear that so much thought and care went into this and that makes it all that more special. What a piece of art. 5 stars
The Yardbirds
3/5
The songs feel a little loose and uninspired. There’s some interesting riffs at times, good harmonica. The psychedelic guitar on Over Under Sideways is really interesting and probably one of the better songs, sounds like Jim Morrison singing at times on it. Nazz are Blue is actually a really good blues song, again leaning heavily on Beck’s guitar. So overall, it’s a pretty ok album I guess I just expected more. 3 stars
Donovan
4/5
Psychedelic, folky goodness with served up by Donovan on Sunshine Superman. The title track and Season of the Witch carry this album for sure but everything else was hazy and hit the spot. Guinevere was a little medieval for me but otherwise this was excellent. 4 stars
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
I remember being so blown away the first time I heard RATM as a teenager. Morello’s signature wailing guitars paired with the charisma of de la Rocha’s energetic funky, hip hop vocal delivery sounded so fresh at the time. Time hasn’t changed my opinion of their debut release, it still rips, the energy is unparalleled, it’s so good. 5 stars
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Well I got thru it, I really did expect at least something here to grab me considering the love and adoration Bonnie seems to have… This is such generic, commercial trash. If she had something special to overcome the stale lyrics, that’d be something but no there’s really nothing exciting or fresh at all here. I get it, you’re independent and people get old, whatever Bonnie. Also, what the fuck is that weird ass belt you’re fingering on the cover? This sucks 2 stars
Coldplay
3/5
A Rush of Blood to the Head, is a perfectly fine, non-offensive contemporary rock album. There are fleeting moments I felt that they were going to push their boundaries even just a little but they never really did and I suppose that’s fine. I’ve always really enjoyed The Scientist, Daylight it a decent tracks as well. It’s all fine, there’s nothing necessarily bad here. 3 stars
Stephen Stills
4/5
What a tight band Stephen Stills has on his side on Manassas. I was concerned when I saw the runtime at well over an hour but this turned out to be an excellent listen. The entire band is made up of pros, specifically the slide guitarist Al Perkins, shit is slick. The Jesus song was pretty lame but I’ll let that one slide. Good blues, good twang, good album. 4 stars
The Darkness
3/5
Yea, it’s fine, there are a few jams for sure but the formula runs stale. 3 stars
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Such a great debut, Run D.M.C. Knows how to make fun hip hop and the demonstrate that on their first release. They start strong on the opener, I really liked the breathy loop they had going on in the background. Rock Box lets everyone know that they’re willing to mix in some rock, they formally introduce Jam Master Jay on track three, It’s Like That is the hit that pulled everyone in. The beat on Wake Up may be my favourite that they made on the album. I had fun all the way thru, not quite as strong as Raising Hell but still awesome. 4 stars
Everything But The Girl
3/5
I really enjoyed the dreamy synth pop and thought early on that I’d be in for a treat. I was expecting this to be more of a Beach House type album but as strong as the smooth synth beats were, the consistency wasn’t quite there for me and the lyrical content wasn’t clicking for me. The first couple tracks had my interest piqued, and this is really good synth pop, just not a great album overall. 3 stars
Robert Wyatt
4/5
Well shit, this was weird as fuck and what a delight it was! Not nit not, nit no not, nit nit folly bololy! 4 stars
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I was aware that Grace had been lauded as an exceptional album so I was excited to dig into it. The first track Mojo Pin initially validated my excitement but that excitement waned as the album carried on. Great voice and moments of brilliance. I considered I missed something and gave it a closer second listen but ultimately found it to me a fairly inconsistent album. Wish I liked it more but I just found it to be a half and half. 3 stars
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Went into 16 Lovers Lane with absolutely no idea what was in store. I assumed it was going to be quite poppy but was pleasantly surprised to discover it was a jangle pop album, I always got time for good jangle pop and this was really good. There are moments where they sound a bit like U2 and there were other times that had me thinking they sounded like a more lively Smiths. A really enjoyable, easy and wonderful surprise this album was, beautifully crafted and excellent layers of music with smart tight songwriting. Great stuff 4 stars
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Fantastic arrangements and variety on Clube Da Esquina. Wasn't previously familiar with Milton Nascimento and his skilled band so this was another welcomed surprise on my 1001 journey. Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo was a favourite of mine, I really enjoyed the slow build to the midpoint where the organ creeps in before the frantic piano starts off and the dance party begins. Such a cool pop to that song. Again, the variety and skilled band kept me interested all the way thru and Milton's vocals were great too. Such an impressive arrangement of music, really good album. 4 stars
Living Colour
2/5
Oh man, funky metal, I very well may have enjoyed this more had it been released in my early teens and I was already familiar with it. Gave it a second listen to give them a fair shake but nah there’s not a ton of substance here. I see what they’re trying to do and respect it but when the lyrical content is a bit thick, Open Letter could easily be the track played over a pg13 movie montage where the kids are saving a senior home from a condo builder or some shit. I tried man, I liked parts of it bc there’s still a 13 year old in there somewhere but fuck this was kinda lame. 2 stars
Waylon Jennings
4/5
A solid country album needs strong imagery and clever lyrics to be a solid country album and this one had both. One of my favourite lines, from what I thought was one of the better tracks musically, “If I'd never felt the sunshine, hell, I would not curse the rain”. Another line that had me smirk from the chorus on Black Rose, “ Well, the devil made me do it the first time
The second time I done it on my own”. A couple tracks fell a bit flat for me but still a very good country album. 3.5 rounded up 4 stars
50 Cent
3/5
Yea, this shit isn’t for me but it actually had more clever lines than I expected so it kept me entertained enough. Could you love me on a bus?
I'll ask twenty-one questions and they all about us. This line had me cracking up, could you imagine sitting next to a couple doing this shit, volume up on my headphones, possibly taking the next bus. 3 stars
The Beta Band
3/5
I’d buy the EP in High Fidelity but I ain’t buying this. Hot Shots II is very mellow and isn’t necessarily bad it just never really does much like at all. It’s like if Damon Alburn took over LCD Soundystem and make them kinda boring. 3 stars
Blue Cheer
4/5
Really good fuzzy, bluesy, psych-rock on display here. Very strong open with Summertime Blues, best track on the album but the remaining tracks are also solid. Made in ‘68 I gotta imagine this had a huge influence on the fuzz rock scene. 4 stars
Death In Vegas
3/5
A little bit of an industrial wrinkle in this electronica album. Some chill vibes as well, nothing really grabbed me but it was decent. I do think they could have benefited by leaning more into the psych element they worked in, I did enjoy Flying quite a bit when they leaned into it a bit. 3 stars
Slipknot
2/5
Angsty teenage me enjoyed this but my taste in metal has matured and though there are some decent riffs and relentless drums, overall this is a mess. It’s comical at times, with the bizarre lyrics and psychotic sound effects peppered in. I do think it’s worth listening to just to understand how wild the early 2000’s metal scene was and how truly tacky that time was. Wait and Bleed still kinda rocks, I’ll give them that but overall I found this to be a tough listen. 2 stars
Neil Young
4/5
This is a really good Neil Young album that is temporarily derailed by There’s a World. Aside from that theatrical mess, Harvest is a solid Country Folk album. Great twang, from the opening track about a woman wearing Neil Young out to the classics, Heart of Gold and Old Man, Needle and the Damage Done. 4 stars despite There’s a World
Beatles
3/5
It was fine, A Hard Day’s Night is not only a great song but also such a good song title and Can’t Buy Me Love is a decent track. They’re obviously great at the melodies but fuck does the lyrical content get a bit stale for me. 3 stars
Kanye West
2/5
Kanye has albums that deserve a spot on this list but I Yeezus ain’t one of them. What a sloppy mess this is. Black Skinhead is ridiculous but also great but every other track is a mess. So much random patois peppered in here with shit lines, this sucks. 2 stars
Stephen Stills
2/5
Got Manassas recently and really enjoyed it so following that up with this release left me disappointed. Nothing too memorable here and it just left me bored overall. 2 stars
Adele
2/5
Adult Contemporary is not for me, this is not for me but it's on the list so I listened to it. Her biggest hit Hello is annoying, she doesn't even say Hello correctly, why are you saying Hallo Adelle? You're 25 and already having a fit about being old, "Oh I'm so mad I'm getting old
It makes me reckless" Ok Adele, chill. "Life was a party to be thrown
But that was a million years ago
A million years ago" This album seems to be lasting a million years and I'm not being as dramatic Adele, get over yourself, you have a good voice and you choose to whine about being old. I understand this is geared towards those who drink wine with ice and tut-tut at weeds sprouting on their neighbours lawn but I did listen to the entire thing so I get to go off. Hello? Goodbye Adele... 2 stars
Guided By Voices
4/5
Well this was fun. Likely the only cool thing to come out of Ohio aside from the Drew Carey Show and the Major League movie based on the Cleveland Indians. I love the fuzzy quick hitters they put out here, most of them were great poetry, great jangle rock. Robert Pollard is a drunken genius and I respect what he has done and appreciate his ability to insert humour into music. I don’t look at reviews before writing but I have a strong sense this is rated below 3, I hope I’m wrong but I just listened to that boring drivel Adele puts out and all those dumb fucks that gave that a 5 can lick my taint. 4 stars
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Dynamites typically have some sizzle and pop, this album had none of that. Ms. Down Comforter would be a more apt name as this was a snooze. 2 stars
Q-Tip
3/5
Q-Tip’s flow is exceptional and made for a really chill listen on The Renaissance. Won’t Trade was a little cheesey but still entertaining. Decent beats to keep things interesting all the way thru, Norah Jones was a surprise. I liked this. Not quite 4… 3 stars
Pentangle
3/5
A very medieval vibe to this psychedelic folk album. Interesting sounds and good vocals. I particularly enjoyed their jammy sessions like on Once I Had a Seeetheart. I can see how this was something special and different at the time, I likely won’t return but I enjoyed it enough. 3 stars
Fairport Convention
4/5
It was fitting that I was served this up immediately following Pentangle. Basket of Light and Unhalfbricking were both released the same year both acts bring a similar approach to their sound, I just find Fairport’s sound to be much more relevant in the moment, less medieval like sounds and therefore much more accessible for me personally. They do rock out at times with great groves accompanying Sandy Denny’s beautiful vocals. Really chill vibes on this release, specifically Autopsy which was my personal fave. This was really nice stuff. 4 stars
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
Disco II Disco may be the most annoying song I’ve listened to. I didn’t have high hopes from the get-go, the album cover lets us know right away, this guy sucks. This was tough to get thru, I really don’t understand the need to include this basic electronic album. This whole album carried the energy of that bratty kid kicking your seat on a 6 hour flight. 1 star
Pavement
5/5
When I think quintessential Indie bands, Pavement along with Modest Mouse and Built to Spill are the bands that immediately come to mind. Stephen Malkmus earnestly guides us thru Crooked Rain, his distinct, slightly out of tune vocals work so well here. The music sounds murky and loose, I absolutely love the fun vibes on display here and I understand they're notably labelled a 'slacker' band but there is absolutely nothing slacking in Malkmus' guitar work, things can be floating along and suddenly he just rips into a frantic riff. This is awesome, Pavement is great. 5 stars
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Ok, this is the 3rd Pet Shop Boys album that has been generated and I’ve tried but it’s just not clicking for me. I like chill synth music and I did appreciate the sounds on Behaviour the most of their 3 albums that I’ve listened to, I just haven’t been able to get past the vocals. I was vibing pretty well to this album on the first track the vocals kick in at the 2min mark. There’s something flat and annoying about their voices and they can’t help that but I can’t help it either. Great dreamy synth sounds here though. 3 stars
John Martyn
4/5
It was weird and I really enjoyed it. The closing track, Small Hours was a really chill ambient tune to tie this weird album together. 4 stars
Syd Barrett
2/5
I like psych music and was under the impression Syd Barrett was cool so I thought I’d like this. I didn’t, in fact it bored me quite a bit. The girl referenced on the track, Here I Go was right to dislike Syd’s songs. 2 stars
Santana
4/5
I was familiar with Santana but had never listened to a full album. That’s the beauty of the project, it challenges you to dive into an artist. I always knew he was a great guitarist but was unaware of the range his music had. From the opener I was intrigued, hazy, psych jazzy vibes. Black Magic Woman is a fantastic track, putting Santana’s guitar chops on full display. Just a wonderful album all the way thru, I really appreciated the variety here. 4 stars
Taylor Swift
3/5
Totally decent album that would have greatly benefited from a fat trim. Some clever lines, I really liked Champagne Problems but there were a few absolute duds too. This could have been a tight 45min album. There were some good guests here too that helped raise the album up. 3 stars
The Libertines
3/5
It was fine, they have a decent jangle to ‘em. Pete Doherty is really good at the snarky, overly British delivery. He’s is or at least was a true wanker so you know he’s not just putting it on for a show. 3 stars
Elvis Presley
3/5
There were some decent tracks here, the opener had some clever quips, I’m Movin’ On had some groove. It was fine, not an album I’ll return to but it was fine. 3 stars
Marilyn Manson
3/5
Obvious NIN industrial rock influences here with Manson’s signature shock glossed over top. It’s interesting enough and I really do love when one rattles the cage of the Christian’s out there and boy did he do that. It’s a clever enough concept album that has its moments but runs long and I really don’t see myself coming back to this but it’s something. 3 stars
Air
4/5
Wow, what a fantastic score. I have never watched the movie, nor read the book but am aware of the heaviness. The score performed by Air does an amazing job matching the weight of the content. The ambient pop has strong undertones of haunting gloom and the end result is really cool. Listening to this leading up to Halloween, I’m feeling a good handful of tracks would seamlessly fit onto a Halloween playlist. 4 stars
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Christina has a really strong voice, there’s no denying that and I know there’s an audience for her but I’m not part of that audience. That being said, there is a decent album in here but man oh man we didn’t need a double album. There’s a whole lotta cringe in this and some of it is laughable. Makes Me Wanna Pray was pretty lame right off the hop. I especially liked the self-indulgent “Dedication to Fans” where we have to listen to all the clips from fans, praising her. One fan even stated her music saved their life… oh for fucks sake. There’s a 3 star in here maybe but an hour and 20 mins of the jazzy parlour shit has me kinda bitter. 2 stars
Talking Heads
5/5
Talking Heads are just so damn good at making music weird and fun. This album is entertaining from start to finish, David Byrne bringing such great weird energy and the band is right there backing him up with such tight brilliance. My favourite new discovery on this one was Artists Only, I just love the absurdity of it all and again, the band just rips. The energy here is remarkable and this is an easy 5
The Doors
4/5
I recently drove thru the Mojave Desert and in anticipation of that drive, I created a playlist. Riders on the Storm is such a great tune and was a perfect desert song. Morrison’s passion shines thru on L.A. Woman and the band hammers out some great blues rock. After the standout track, Love Her Madly, they his us with the excellent, Been Down So Long where Jim sings as a down and out prisoner. Jim Morrison is one of the all time great frontmen and his poetry and energy are at the forefront here. Great album 4 stars
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
What a debut this release is. Jesus & Mary Chain bring a pop sound with some fuzz and we get such a pleasant listen on Psychocandy. Along with their fellow Scots, Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie and The Banshees, Jesus & Mary Chain are a pioneer of the wonderful genre of shoegaze. Pop music at its core is glossy, which is totally great in its own right but what J&MC demonstrate here is that the fuzzy distortion can bring depth to the music and there’s emotion in the harshness of it. There’s beauty in the imperfections and this album is a beauty for sure. 5 stars
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Had good vibes, strong band, good tunes. I enjoyed it. 3 stars
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Smooth soul on display here with some good funk layered on top and I’m down for it. This was a fun listen with some great tracks. Starts really strong with the first 3 jams and dips slightly energy wise in the middle and finishes strong with the title track. Such a great beat on the closing track, now I know where Beastie Boys got their sample for Egg Man. 4 stars
Destiny's Child
2/5
The beginning of this album had me kinda into it, the first few tracks were pretty great. Things went off a cliff from there, Nasty Girl was hilariously bad and kinda surprising as they were just singing about building women up and being independent and now you’re chastising women for how they choose to dress? Then later there is the odd decision to do an Independent Women, Part 2 which wasn’t good and then there’s a few more canned tracks to extend the pain. Then the ugly bow to top it all off is the cringey Thank You Outro which was so dumb it was kinda funny. At least this album provided some chuckles. This sucked 2 stars
Eagles
2/5
It was as if Joe Walsh was like, “hey check out all the cool stuff I can do” but then Hotel California ended and they decided, let’s play Life in the Fast Last and a bunch of boring slow jams. 2 stars
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
It was a pleasant listen, maybe I need to give it another go to fully appreciate it. There’s some nice harmonies, cool guitar noodling just felt a little dull at times. Really enjoyed Wooden Ships. I will give it another go I think. 3 stars
U2
4/5
Just as Joshua Tree was a somewhat pleasant surprise for me, Actung Baby was as well. I'm no U2 fan but this is a pretty decent album. Right away you get the sense of a more industrial alternative sound on Zoo Station and it works really well. I've never so much cared for One and I really don't think it fits well on this album. Reading about the production team on this album, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, I found it interesting and pretty funny that Eno's role in production was to, "come in and erase anything that sounded too much like U2" The track Until the End of the World really gave me a National vibe to it and I really did enjoy it. There's a dark vibe to this whole album and I won't let U2 take full credit for it, I gotta give a nod to the production duo on this. That being said this is a really good album 4 stars
Barry Adamson
3/5
I listened to Moss Side Story on Halloween so the first track, On the Wrong Side of Relaxation had me excited with how fitting this album was. The remainder of the album had some spooky undertones but not quite like the opener. It was an interesting listen nonetheless, with some jazzy theatrical tunes. I understand this was written as a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist but if it did, it seems that movie would be a noir crime film. Decent stuff, something different. 3 stars
Pere Ubu
4/5
At 466 albums in I have a pretty good feeling what an album is gonna be rated by the generator crowd. Before looking, I’m fairly certain this will be averaged in the 2.5 range which is criminally low, maybe I’m wrong. I was not previously familiar with Pere Ubu from Ohio but they got my attention. They display some chaotic energy to create a truly interesting post-punk album here. It’s noisy, it’s messy and it’s so damn weird. Love the weird vocal tendencies going on throughout and all the odd musical messiness going on in the back. Title track, Modern Dance was my fave but I also loved the following track, Laughing, with its wild horns and rousing vocals and sharp guitar. You get a good sense that their live set would have been a sweaty good time in Cleveland in their prime. Good stuff 4 stars
Ride
4/5
First introduction to Ride and I really did enjoy it, muddy shoegaze sound with some shimmery dream pop. Made for an enjoyable listen, thought the drumming was great. Maybe I’m way off but kinda sounded like Stephen Morris from Joy Division at times, on Polar Bear especially, maybe that was why I enjoyed that track the most. The vocals aren’t great and that would be my only gripe, Drums Burn Down with Robert Smith singing would actually be a fantastic Cure song, the minute long sprawling opening sounded so great and then the vocals are just meh. Still a really good album. 4 stars
Bob Dylan
4/5
Really good stripped down Dylan album with great acoustic guitar strumming and excellent harmonica. I listened to this a day after 2024 American elections and the lyrics, “All the money you made will never buy back your soul. And I hope that you die and that your death with come soon” made me think of Trump. I really do hope he dies soon. 4 stars
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Henry’s Dream had its moments, I preferred the energetic tracks where Cave really let loose. Brother, My Cup Is Empty was great, definitely the standout song. I’ve never been fully able to get into Nick Cave, this was a good enough album but aside from a few tracks it’s not doing enough to bring me back. 3 stars
Joanna Newsom
4/5
I had no idea what I was getting into here. I had heard the name before and knew she was highly acclaimed but I wasn’t expecting such a whimsical, theatrical performance. The orchestra backs Newsom’s unique vocals wonderfully, I’ve never really heard anything quite like this. On Only Skin a familiar voice shows up, oh shit that’s Bill Callahan, love that guys work. Callahan’s deep dry delivery compliments Newsom’s quirkyness well, makes for a solid track. I wasn’t convinced right away but Ys won me over in the end. 4 stars
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
As far as concept albums, the concept of Histoire De Melody Nelson is pretty creepy. The dark brooding build of this album is fantastic, the pace is really exciting stuff. The guitar work is really interesting stuff, switching between frenzied and slow strumming. It’s an odd album for sure but the music is gripping. 4 stars
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni Mitchell isn’t someone I will put on typically but oh man, that voice and her ability to crate such great imagery with the lyrics, it’s so cool. Joni is such a great songwriter and I really respect what she does, this is close to Blue as far as her work goes. Title track is great and Jungle Line was really interesting, with the interpretation of the African drums to add another wrinkle to the music. Really cool to hear a shoutout to Highway 115 as well having driven that a ton. I’m a Joni fan, Canadian icon. 4 stars
Having zero prior knowledge of Faces, after few tracks, I was like, “Wow, this singer is really going for a Rod Stewart thing” I’m dumb. Decent enough album, Miss Judy’s farm had some good jam to it, though I didn’t appreciate that Rod wanted to kick that poor dog. Stay With Me riff was instantly recognizable. Yea, it was a decent album, nothing terribly remarkable but good. 3 stars
The Streets
1/5
Ok if you’re gonna make a story album, the story has to be a a lot more interesting than some burnout chud losing cash and later finding it to deal with how lame and annoying this whole shitty album was. British music with yet another blemish. 1 star
Jacques Brel
3/5
It was a pretty passionate performance, I’ll give Jacques credit for that. It’s a strong set with lots of character on display especially on Tango, that one got the crowd right riled up. He definitely lays it on pretty thick and it’s not for me but it’s evident he’s a great entertainer. 3 st.. Ahem, Trois etoile
The Stone Roses
3/5
I really enjoyed what The Stone Roses were doing musically here and after a listen, I found myself leaning 3 stars and found myself listening again trying to convince myself it’s better than a 3. I ran through this album 3 times today and the bad is fantastic at delivering dreamy, jangle pop. In the end, it’s the vocals that tend to take me out of it, Ian Brown’s vocals just feel too fluffy to me if that makes any sense, he has an arrogance which is fine but his vocals just aren’t good enough to get me to really be into this. It’s a great album as far as the band goes, I Wanna Be Adored and She Bangs the Drums are two solid tracks to kick it off. Bye Bye Bad Man kinda stunk, I perked up again at Made of Stone which was fantastic and the closing track was really great too. Ian Brown isn’t the worst but he’s not for me. Really strong album despite him. 3.5 rounded down 3 stars
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Was all the energy snip snipped away from this recording? The first track was encouraging but from there out there were songs that I could envision being into but there was something just so flat and uninspiring about the delivery of them. Lovers in the Backseat for example, I really do think there is a great pop song there but there’s no excitement in the delivery. I don’t know if this a production problem, lead singer problem but it felt like there was a wet blanket thrown over this one in the studio. Go listen to of Montreal if you want a true disco resurgence project with some inspiration and energy. 2 stars
Joe Ely
4/5
I was expecting a pretty standard country album, which would have been totally fine but what we get here is a very innovative country album especially for 70’s standards. The implementation of the accordion and synth really add a whole other level to this record. Starts with a banger with Cornbread Moon and they let you know the dude on slide means business right away. Joe Ely leads a great band with full confidence in his vocals on this honky tonk jam. Boxcars is the standout for me as it puts the whole outfits strengths on full display, this song held the most depth and I’ll be returning to this many times moving forward. Just a solid country album, this was great. 4 stars
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
I fully expected to hate this. It was poppy, doo-wop rock and it was fine. I didn’t hate it at all really. This was so much better than early Beach Boys, it was still kinda cheese but nowhere near as cheese as early Beach Boys. 3 stars
Bob Dylan
3/5
I hadn’t ever listened to a full Dylan album beyond the 70’s before and this was better than I had expected. There was a real Tom Waits vibe to it. Dylan is obviously battling with growing old, it’s an honest album. I gave it an honest try, I respect it, I just don’t see myself coming back. 3 stars
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
After the first listen I kinda hated it, thought it was generic and found the lyrics to be repetitive. I want to be clear that repetition in song can be awesome but I’m not sure the delivery really worked on Bandwagonesque. I did end up listening thru a second time and what did hook me was the opening track, which is a solid slacker rock jam. So anyway, I went thru it again and this is far from awful, reminds of Sloan a bit if Sloan was lazy as fuck, ok maybe i should ease up. There were some decent tracks here for sure. 3 stars
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Wowwww this is as a weird ride. I think I need to eat some gummies and truly settle in but I did enjoy it enough. Kept me entertained, good humour with some good music. It’s a 3.5 rounded up to 4 to balance out the dorks who surely will give this a 1. 4 stars for weird
Travis
3/5
I expected to hate this solely based on the band name Travis alone. Like, if I’m naming a band just a generic name I’m not going Travis, I’m probably going Bruce but only before Springsteen bc I wouldn’t want confusion. I suppose Hank works ok too. The more I think about it, if I could name a band, I probably wouldn’t give it a generic dumb name to begin with. Travis is such a dumb name to give your band. This album was fine I suppose. 3 Hanks
Metallica
5/5
When I was 12 bought the new Metallica cassette bc my older cousin raved about how awesome they were. Fuel was pretty great but the rest of the album was kinda bad. I wish he just made me tapes of all their 80’s albums so I would have figured it out sooner. Master of Puppets is an all timer, it’s relentless from the get go and I got no issues with it. 5 stars
Brian Eno
4/5
It’s a very difficult album to explain really. Green World works in some funk into the ambience, there’s not a ton of vocals overall. I really do enjoy all of Eno’s work, I truly believe he’s a genius and this album is another great addition to his work. You also have Phil Collins and John Cale in on the act here as well which doesn’t hurt. I went thru this 3 times today without trouble, works great as a background album but you find the true genius of it if you pay attention. The Big Ship was my favourite. 4 stars
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Simply a solid folk rock album that is elevated by Neil Young’s fantastic guitar. Helpless is always a welcomed listen but really the opening 5 tracks are all excellent, the whole group is demonstrating they got harmonies down as well. It’s funny, I always thought Our House was a Beatles or Beatles adjacent track but I was wrong, still don’t really care for it all that much but the sentiment is nice I suppose. 4 stars
SAULT
3/5
I understand it’s a statement piece and that’s totally cool but I’m rating this as a piece of music. When they did the music, it was often great, the beat on Bow with Michael Kiwanuka was brilliant. Far too often the talking bits just took me out of it, let the music do it, don’t force it. 3 stars
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Little Wing is such a fantastic song, it’s almost a tease running at only 2 and a half minutes long. It got me thinking, this has to be up there as one of the best tracks at under 2 and a half minutes. White Stripes- Fell in Love With a Girl, The Smiths-Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Van Halen-Eruption. Anyways, this album is fantastic. The production of this album is excellent. Jimi is obviously magnificent, serving us up fuzzy, hazy riffs throughout. The band tight throughout. Castles Made of Sand is another classic and they finish strong with such a great closer with the title track. Great stuff 5 stars
The Coral
2/5
It was fine I suppose but like a lot of British acts, it lacked any real enthusiasm and felt forced. I’m projecting my annoyance at the 1001’s never ending favouritism to British acts, at least a little but that doesn’t change the fact that this album was mediocre. It had pops of cool gypsy rock sounds, the single Dreaming of You had something to it. Sketon Key was a bizarre mess of a song, I guess they were going for a pirate thing, Bad Man and Calendars were both annoying and then it was over. Even the album art is a mess, The Coral, how about the Bore-al Yea, I didn’t care for this. 2 stars
Randy Newman
4/5
Well shit Randy, I didn’t expect such cynical humour from the dude who did the Toy Story soundtrack. Forgive me, for I was not familiar with your snark. Randy crafted a hilarious album that holds a mirror up
to religious Americans that gives them the opportunity to see how dumb they actually are, sadly most are too dumb to realize they are the joke. This was great fun, I really didn’t expect a tune like, Last Night I had a Dream from Randy Newman. 4 stars
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Planet Rock is fairly dated hip hop and it was a totally fine listen, I enjoy what it gives enough. It was interesting to finally hear the original Renegades of Funk, I was previously only familiar with the Rage cover. If I’m going to put on 80’s Hip Hop of the ilk, I would likely lean Public Enemy or Run DMC. 3 stars
Pink Floyd
4/5
This was a spacey trip, some really cool stuff here. It’s obvious they took themselves less seriously in the early going and that’s evidently Syd Barrett’s influence. I really do enjoy the weirdness they brought to the table on this release. POW R. Toc H was really interesting, Interstellar Overdrive was a fantastic psychedelic journey, Bike was pretty fun and made me realize just how much of Montreal was influenced by 60’s psych. It’s weird stuff and I really enjoyed it. 4 stars
Boston
3/5
Was only familiar with More Than a Feeling, which I’ve never loved but it’s a good song for sure. I was more into this album than I thought I would be, Smokin’ and the intro to Foreplay are actually pretty great. I don’t see myself returning to this, it’s prog but hair metal prog which is kinda fun but I don’t need it in my life as a constant. 3 stars
The Human League
3/5
Decent enough synth, just fell a bit flat overall. It almost too glossy, on Darkness they did add the reverberating bass and that added a nice wrinkle. I understand they likely wanted a shiny synth pop album and they accomplished that. Don’t You Want Me is quite a banger, I’ll give them that. 3 stars
Solomon Burke
2/5
R&B Soul, don’t care for it. Don’t care for it at all. They just find multiple ways to tell us about love and what’s not good about love and how their lover has done them right and or wrong. Someone to Love Me had some cool music happening but R&B just ain’t for me. 2 stars
Jethro Tull
5/5
What a cool album. It’s described as folk rock but it’s so much more interesting than that. Black Sabbath released their debut a year prior to this and I can definitely hear some Sabbath influence here, especially on the title track and My God. There’s a dash of prog worked into the mix too to keep things weird too. Who knew heavy riffs and flute solos work so well together. My God is such a fascinating track, how had I not ventured upon this one before, straight shredding and heaviness. Jethro Tull had already won me well over by this point and then they follow up with Hymn 43. I’m always down for a well done jab on religion and man, this jab is delivered with precision and wit; "Oh father high in heaven -- smile down upon your son whose busy with his money games -- his women and his gun." Locomotive slows things down a bit and demonstrates their ability on keys before finishing strong with Wind-Up. I’ll definitely be returning to this. My bad Jethro for letting you slip under my radar this long. 5 stars
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Fun listen that ran a little long and sounded a bit dated at times. Some of the beats were great, specifically on Tribe Vibes. Would have benefited from some trimming but still good fun. 3 stars
Miles Davis
4/5
This was a pleasant listen and, it’s smooth, it’s very easy to listen to. I thought I’d enjoy it a bit more as I recalled absolutely loving his 1969 release, In a Silent Way so after running thru Kind of Blue a couple times I went back and gave Silent Way another go. My realization is that while jazz can be enjoyable, I prefer the diversity of jazz fusion, In a Silent Way gives us the organ and an electronic guitar that provides a bit more depth to the album. I’m no jazz expert, it’s just my personal preference. That being said Kind of Blue is a very pleasant easy listen. 4 stars
Buck Owens
4/5
Bakersfield, CA. an absolute magnet for turned up chins and deserved criticism. Home to KoRn and Buck Owens! What an odd couple that is. This release from Buck Owens and his Buckaroos deserves no criticism for their efforts here. Upbeat country tunes, tales of heartbreak with some top notch vocals and sublime pedal steel guitar. It’s a quick hitter of an album at just over 30 minutes so you may as well twang on, Let the Good Times Roll and give it another spin. 4 stars
Anita Baker
3/5
I find it kind of funny how Anita Baker is from Ohio. I just would not expect sensual R&B to come out of… fucking Ohio. Anita, you’ve got a stellar voice, it’s just too bad you chose R&B. At least for me it is, i just can’t do this genre. It always sounds like a bit of a joke or something, like a skit? Maybe it’s the saxophone? I don’t know Anita, I am sorry you grew up in Ohio. No One in The World was pretty decent synth pop, that’s probably the best track bc you dropped sax McGee. It’s probably better than most R&B I suppose but this is overrated as fuck. 3 stars
Peter Gabriel
4/5
After the first two tracks this album has the feel of a concept album of an unstable man, hell, maybe it was. Peter Gabriel isn’t shy on Melt, letting his weird ambitions shine thru and it works wonders for him. Post punk, artsy, Phil Collins on drums and Kate Bush even shows up for a couple tracks. I could have sworn Brian Eno was floating around in the background letting off some weird yelps but I suppose that was wishful thinking. This is an interesting extremely cool album. 4 stars
Germs
4/5
Frantic, abrasive and given the band name, fittingly snotty. Just a really good punk album. 4 stars
Radiohead
4/5
In retrospect a lot of those critics who tore this album to shreds look pretty silly eh? Bands are allowed to change their sound, it doesn’t always work out but I always respect when bands do decide to adjust their approach. Music needs to grow and I personally really enjoy Radioheads electronic, ambient sound. I’ve always loved the bass into to National Anthem and Everything in its Right Place, How to Completely Disappear and Idioteque will always be classics for me. On Morning Bell, I always found it funny how Thom York sounded like he is from Massachusetts when he despairingly moans, “Where’d You Park the Car” Being aware someone else had likely thought this as well I google it and found this gem; https://www.tiktok.com/@show_bits/video/7226833261878611242 Anyways this album is great. 4 stars
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
They dabbled in plenty of genres here, from Caribbean to both South African and America and while I did enjoy the majority of it, things did feel a little messy at times. The concept of the radio station sorta helped with the mix of genres I suppose. Oddly enough, the chill vibes of the opening instrumental track turned out to be my favourite. 3 stars
Christine and the Queens
4/5
Ok, I was a little intimidated seeing the hour and a half album length. At the turning point I clued in that the album was recorded in both French and English, which is kinda neat. I was somewhat familiar with Christine and the Queens from their wonderful contribution to the 2024 MGMT album. Chris is a really well produced synth pop album. There is a good variety to it though I wish they had a few livelier tracks, the moodiness was great though. Good stuff, great voice, excellent talent. 3.5 rounded up stars
The Verve
3/5
Urban Hymns overcame my concerns stemming from my utter disappointment in Northern Foul, sorry Soul. There was more life in this release for sure and while I won’t return to it, I certainly enjoyed parts of it. Clocking in at an hour and 16 minutes, The Verve could have flushed a good 20 minutes of this down the pipe. Did we really need the 6 minutes of silence before finally closing out your final track boys? That being said, I actually did really like the swirling rock the brough in on Come On, wish they worked some more of that into the rest of the album. 3 stars
Stan Getz
3/5
This sounds like a very good summer album to put on in the background of a patio bbq hangout. Today was a wintry blustery day so I listened once while driving in that and again while I was having a rough day at work, it did calm me a bit so it definitely enhanced my mood overall. Super chill sounds that I may enjoy more in the right setting. 3 stars
Cee Lo Green
2/5
The opening skit with his weird kid didn’t give me high hopes for this album. It actually wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be, there were some decent beats and clever lyrics. This album is another example of less is more, especially when your voice is uh Cee-Lo’s voice. It’s fine for a couple tracks but an hour of it is way too much for me, far too pitchy for the soulful sound he was looking for. I don’t know man, not for me. Also, terrible cover art. Is that supposed to be Biggie in his glasses? 2 stars
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Pleasant and enjoyable enough listen. Maseru picked up the energy a bit but otherwise it all sorta blended together. Enjoyable enough but I likely won’t return to it. Not my cup of jizz. 3 stars
The Lemonheads
4/5
First listen thru, I thought it was good but as it often happens the songs grew on me a bit more on the second listen. The Lemonheads glazed up the grunge on this release. The whole album plays like a soundtrack to a 90’s romcom and that isn’t meant as a dig, it’d be the soundtrack to a good 90’s romcom. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Goth with some flair! Some Joy Division sounds going on here with super crisp production. Thought it was great. All the nerds pulling this rating down need to stop being dumb nerds. 4 stars
Oasis
3/5
As a kid I was totally fine with plain white bread but that was primarily due to the fact that I hadn’t explored other breads, more interesting bread. Bread with grains and texture to it, more flavour. Now, I’ll eat plain white bread if that’s all ya got to offer but I’m not necessarily stoked about it. It’s fine. 3 stars
Scritti Politti
3/5
Having never heard of this artist prior, I wasn’t quite prepared for how heavily produced and poppy this was. First run thru did irritate me a tad. I gave it some time and jumped back into it after my sugar high subsided. On second listen I was prepared to listen to it for what it is and what this is, is a well crafted, synth overproduced pop album with impressive vocals that had me thinking of Michael Jackson at times. Decent 80’s release here. 3 stars
Laibach
4/5
I’d be lying if I told you I said I knew what I was getting into. They grabbed my attention right off the hope with Leben LeiBt Leben, which was both had a victorious yet gloomy vibe to it. It also had a super sweet guitar solo. Then to kick off the second track we get an eagle screech followed up by industrial drums, fuck yea! I even found a sick track to add to my Halloween playlist with Jagerspiel which has a looping breathy chant and a looping drum beat and what sounds to be Dracula speaking over top, it is so great. This whole album is super bizarre and exactly the type of obscure shit I wanted to find with this project. 4 stars
Goldfrapp
3/5
Seventh Tree just felt so flat for me. I really enjoyed the psych-pop sound they brought on the second half of Little Bird but otherwise it was just a meh album. I’m more frustrated because I can hear what they are capable of and they just bored me for the most part. 3 stars
The White Stripes
5/5
If you don’t like this album, you don’t like rock and roll and I don’t like you. 5 stars
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
This is Bruce Springsteen’s best album as far as I’m concerned. Bruce is at his best when his classic Americana rock keeps the corniness at a minimum, a couple moments on Darkness on the Edge of Town but Bruce and The E Street Band rock so hard on this release. I’m totally fine with the odd sax solo, I just believe it should be used sparingly over the course of an album and they found a good balance on Darkness where they favour the guitar more and that decision pays off huge here. Adam Raised a Cain, Streets of Fire and Prove it All Night show off Bruce at his shreddiest and it’s great. 5 stars
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit more than their debut album, Fuzzy Logic. The vocals were simplified. The psych-folk sound is fairly chill overall but after a couple listens, nothing really stuck for me. I just don’t think Super Furry Animals is for me. My favourite track on this one is actually the one track with no lyrics at all, Run! Christian, Run! I just really enjoyed that they leaned into the Psych sound on that one. It was fine overall. 3 stars
Radiohead
3/5
My younger self really enjoyed this release and now years later I still enjoy it, perhaps mostly for nostalgia. Maybe I overplayed it in my youth and the songs lost their lustre, maybe I just realize they’re capable of more interesting music. It’s good and I still appreciate it, I don’t know. 3 stars
Ute Lemper
2/5
I’m not a fan of Scott Walker, Divine Comedy and now Ute Lemper, as strong as her voice is. It’s over the top theatrical and I’m not looking for a broadway show when listening to music. If I want some theatrics, some dramatic flair, I’ll put some Bowie, Kate Bush, Bjork, Destroyer, some of Montreal on. This was theatrical snore and it’s not for me at all. It’s not a 1 but I hated this. It was punishing for sure, Punishing Miss 2 stars
Fever Ray
4/5
Ok this was cool, it was brooding ( I may actually add the opening track, If I had a Heart to my Halloween playlist because it’s just so creepy and haunting. I was aware of Fever Ray and she is definitely more talented and interesting than her So-Cal Brother Sugar Ray. 4 stars
Boards of Canada
5/5
This was fucking great. Great vibes all around, chill ambient electronic music. Orange 3 Orange 4 Orange 5 stars
Liz Phair
4/5
Very 90’s, very horny, very edgy with a dash of snarl. Good stuff 4 stars
Moby
4/5
I guess I like Moby. I was familiar with the singles but never gave the full album a proper play thru. Doubt I would have appreciated it when it was released in 1998 but I enjoyed it today. Good vibes from start to finish and an excellent album to work to. The opener, Honey was a great track I hadn’t previously listened to. Ended up listening to the extended b side release and that was great too. 4 stars
Suede
3/5
Heard some Bowie and Morrissey influences on this one. Upon first listen the only tracks that really stood out for me were Daddy’s Speeding and Still Life. I gave it another run and tried to pay closer attention and yea, I just found it to be a tad meandering without enough hooks beyond the mopey vocals to fully draw me in. It was fine but I won’t return. 3 stars
Peter Frampton
2/5
I dunno man, the talking guitar is cool enough I guess but otherwise this dude is a creepy horn dog with like 3 decent songs. I’m gonna turn to my talking shoes for this rating. Shoes say, 2 stars
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Simply a crisp, light, nice album. It’s pop with a tinge of psychedelic and they’re all great singers who wrote great tracks. California Dreamin’ is a classic 60’s jam that still sounds fresh 50+ years later, what a song. 4 stars
The National
4/5
Yea, it’s sad Dad music for sure but it’s really good. Terrible Love is a really good opener. Afraid of Everyone starts off with a haunting vibe and then builds with the sharp guitar riff, always liked that track a lot. Vanerlyle Crybaby Geeks is a great choice to tie this whole thing together. 4 stars
The Killers
4/5
Impressive stretch of songs to open Hot Fuss, first 5 tracks are bangers with Mr. Brightside being the biggest hit of them all, Gen Z’s Wonderwall. The album falls off a bit from there but is still mostly pretty good with the exception of the closing track, Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll which was kinda lame. I hadn’t listened to a ton of Killers but I had listened to a ton of the Canadian Indie band, Hot Hot Heat in my teens and this was the first time I noticed how much Brandon Flowers sounded like Steve Bays from shot Hot Heat. Turns out Flower’s is quoted saying they were an early inspiration of his, so I thought that was kinda cool and a nice feather in the cap for Bays and company. So if you like this album go give Make up the Breakdown a listen, it’s a gem of an early 2000’s indie album. 4 stars
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Ok so I think punk Nick Cave is the best Nick Cave. He brings the passion and energy right out of the gate with, Get Ready For Love and the Bad Seeds absolutely match the energy. Elevated by There She Goes and Abbatoir Blues, I think the first half is the stronger of the two but the second half had its moments. Double albums are tough for me though and an 1hr 20 is alot but this is the best I’ve heard of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. 4 stars
Bobby Womack
3/5
Funky, jazzy and kinda sensual at times. It was fine, never got too adventurous from an instrumental standpoint but it was enjoyable for sure. 3 stars
Stereolab
5/5
First listen was in my car, which I have to say is absolutely the worst way to experience an album on first listen. Especially if that car ride is on the way to work, road trip listen on the open road, sure that’s fine but drive to work… fuck that, you’re setting yourself up for a disappointment. Sorry about that. Anyways, I gave it another proper listen on headphones and well shit, it’s weird and has some really neat vocal quirks with some great depth and the cool bits of electronic and even some elements of psych. Gave it a third listen later over a beer and I’m fully sold, no previous exposure to this release so this was another exciting discovery. Went in with low expectations based on the dogshit cover art but this album was far from dogshit. Groovy and weird vibes with a touch of J’adore Musique or shit. 5 stars
R.E.M.
3/5
I liked it enough. The hits were the hits and everything else aside from the closer, Oddfellows didn’t do a whole lot to really pull me in. They’re very consistent with their output though, I rarely hear a song that I think is bad. 3 stars
Eminem
2/5
It’s a better listen that the following-up Marshall Mathers LP but it’s still a slog to get thru. As trashy as it is, it still provides entertainment at times but the beats are so bad that any re-listen value is shot. The skits are still bad and I just end up annoyed more often than not. 2 stars
Kings of Leon
3/5
Aha Shake Heartbreak had a few strong tracks but lacked the consistency of their debut. There were some truly bad lyrics on this album that took me right out of it. I’m totally down for some dumb lyrics but sometimes it just doesn’t stick for me and that’s fine but this line got me, “She saw my comb over, her hourglass body
She has problems with drinking milk
And being school tardy
She'll loan you her toothbrush
She'll bar tend your party
Kill me, kill me” Not a terrible album. 3 stars
Crowded House
3/5
Had to give Woodface a second run thru because on first listen I had myself second guessing my harsh feelings about it. I really liked when they leaned into the jangle like on Tall Trees. They’re also really good at harmonic folk like on Weather with You, which had me thinking of a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young track. I couldn’t help but feel there was something lacking here and believe the album could have benefited from a touch more passion and punch to their sound to bring more life to the often flat sound. Chocolate Cake really put this album firmly behind the 8 ball for me personally as I hated that song so much so though they did kinda win me over, it was an uphill battle after that awful song. 3 stars
The Psychedelic Furs
5/5
This is a really, really good pop, post punk, new wave, call it whatever you like, this is a good album. The nerds in here will tell you otherwise, fuck you nerds but this is such a well crafted, interesting album that somehow tip toes pop and punk do elegantly. 5 stars nerds
Venom
4/5
Black Metal was fast and fun. Talented group who seemingly didn’t take themselves too seriously and that works really well here. Reminded me a lot of Motörhead but I really like Motörhead so I liked this too. 4 stars
Gotan Project
3/5
Pleasant electronic music album with a European tango twist to it. Different than any other electronic album I’ve heard so it was pretty interesting overall. Can imagine this was on in the background of the odd hip dinner party hang. Doubtful I’ll return to it but I did enjoy it enough for sure. 3 stars
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Put this on and started thinking they sounded like some early Cure and then I started thinking, the female lead sounded a lot like Bjork. Well it was Bjork and I had no idea she had this band. It was kinda cool to hear her in such a seemingly light project with some humour. It was an interesting fun listen for sure. 3 stars
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
The Brits who run this project definitely don’t give enough respect to the ladies but I’m glad they included Sleater-Kinney. Such a great 90’s rock record here that holds up with great energy all the way thru. Dig Me Out is a great opener and Words and Guitar is an excellent display of vocal strength. This rips. 4 stars
William Orbit
2/5
Kind of a nothing burger of an album. Didn’t bring me joy, didn’t evoke any hate, even though it was pretty chill it didn’t necessarily bring any calm. I don’t know if this had to be included. It was fine I guess. 2.5 stars?
The Young Rascals
3/5
The title track is a psych-pop masterpiece. I enjoyed this album most when they leaned into the psychedelic
vibes. Overall, it was a decent listen, enjoyed it enough. Quick hitter with breezy pop. 3 stars
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Emerson does some pretty crazy stuff on the Organ and Synth. The band does work fairly well together here to make put on a funky, prog set. I’ll have to check out more of their stuff. The live aspect of the album took me out of it a bit. 3 stars
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Perfect album for a nice dinner party. Dude murdered 75 people and 1 dog on the track, O’Malley’s Bar. Fuck, I may play this one more time for a buddy a some point because it is really good interesting but fuck Nick, you’re fucked and I respect that. 4 stars
Raekwon
4/5
Raekwon, with the help of Ghostface Killer, put out a great hip hop record here. Absolutely excellent flow and beats on display here, clever lines and unfortunate interlude skits that put a slight drag on this record. 4 stars
Tom Waits
4/5
Waits doesn’t lay it out on a fancy platter for you as much as he kicks down the door and tosses it on the same table he plops his scuffed boots on. This album was recorded in a room with a cement floor and nothing but a water heater, Waits reportedly liked how the room provided the stripped down sound. There definitely is a starkness to the sound on this record and I for one think it benefits from it. There’s also a subtle country twang to it and accompanied by the gothic tones made it really interesting. Really enjoyed this Waits release, with Who Are You coming out on top as my favourite track. 4 stars
Big Star
4/5
Such a warm album here, The Ballad of El Goodo would be a wonderful song to listen to sprawled out on the grass on a Summer day with a soft breeze rustling the leaves above. Thirteen is an under appreciated gem from the 70’s such a beautiful track. They keep things interesting on #1 Record with the shifts in genre along the way. Simply a chill, breezy listen. 4 stars
Nick Drake
5/5
Gorgeous plucking on Pink Moon. It’s stripped down to all you really need and that’s Nick Drake, his thoughtful lyrics and his acoustic guitar. Beautiful album 5 stars
Brian Wilson
4/5
Didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as Pet Sounds and I suppose I didn’t but it was still really great. Really weird journey with a story behind it that only makes it more interesting. 4 stars
Johnny Cash
4/5
Such a raw emotional album. It’s one thing to take a song and cover it but a whole other thing to make it your own. I knew this album had a good amount of covers on it but the one that surprised me the most was, I Hung My Head, great track and Cash covers it flawlessly. Who knew Sting was such a Western buff. Up until Sam Hall, this is a 5 but I found it lost steam from there. Great piece to Cash’s later discography. 4 stars
Donald Fagen
2/5
Ruby doesn’t like you Don, just let it go man. I’m not convinced, Maxine likes you either, she’s not holding out til grad, she’s just doesn’t want you bc you make weird Muzak. Green Flower Street was good everything else gear was a tough listen. 2 stars
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
I was always aware of Echo and the Bunnymen but had never delved into their catalogue. I wasn’t aware how cool their sound was, this album had a lot of really cool ideas going on, they mix gloom with punchy sharp guitars all with excellent passionate vocals. Definitely hear a mix of Cure and Joy Division, the song structure is complex and quite pretty overall. Sounds fresh 40 years later, just really great music here. 5 stars
The Stooges
5/5
Raw Power is a top tier garage rock album. What makes this release so special is how effortless the songs seem to come together. There’s a messiness to them and what really makes it work is how cool Iggy is, the attitude, the snottiness it doesn’t work if the lead singer isn’t legitimately cool. In the case of Iggy and the Stooges, Iggy IS that cool. Fucking great, 5 stars
Jack White
3/5
As a huge White Stripes and Jack White fan, I recall being intrigued by his debut solo album. I also recall being a little let down by Blunderbuss. It’s not necessarily bad, there are good tracks, it starts fairly strong but after listening again years later it just feels like an album with a bunch of ideas Jack wanted to dump into an album without a ton of cohesion, maybe with the band, maybe he neglected the guitar too much? I don’t know there’s something missing. Years later Jack has come full circle with his most recent release, No Name which is excellent. This was fine. 3 stars
The The
4/5
This is another album that took a couple listens to appreciate. Out of the Blue is a 10/10 synth pop track, really well produced, maybe overproduced but it’s the 80’s so whatever. The following track, Heartlands lyrics of the 51st state had me perk up as I write this 100 days into president Dumps 2nd term as he speaks of making my Country his 51st state… the song still hits despite the jarring lyric. Always interesting to check out the personnel of some of these old albums, there always seems to
be some familiar names, Neneh Cherry another artist on the 1001 Generator shows up on Soul Train to Dawn, a punchy duo. This isn’t a perfect synth pop album but it’s different than plenty of others and I appreciate it. 4 stars
Bert Jansch
5/5
To truly stand out as a acoustic folk artist, you need a standout voice and top tier plucking skills. Bert displayed both o. His self-titled debut. Remarkable guitar strumming on this record. I enjoyed the lyrics Bert gave us here but I caught my arm hair rising to his beautiful instrumental tracks. Dude plucks hard and I’m here for it. 5 stars
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
I’d listened to the other two MBV releases and really enjoyed both. Their debut leans away from the mud a bit and embraces more of a pop sound. Still has some really good shoegaze vibes overall. Really enjoyed it 4 stars
David Ackles
1/5
This was a struggle. When artists get all theatrical, they tend to lose me. If I am going to listen to music I won’t be reaching for show tunes so when I hear albums that fit that genre I groan. To clarify, I’m totally on board with an artists displaying theatrics like Bjork, Kate Bush, Bowie does it but when your vocals revolve directly from it and the music accompanying it is the same, you lose me. Scott Walker, Divine Comedy and now David Ackles, they all do it. This album even made a song about a ship sound lame. Song about ships shouldn’t sound lame at all. This was obnoxiously grating and I hated it. 1 star
3/5
I really thought I enjoyed this more. Hadn’t listened in a long time and while I appreciate the messiness and passion, something just wasn’t clicking and it could be the live album aspect, live albums are tough for me. It’s good I just don’t have the same love that others do for it. 3 stars
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Excellent hip hop release. Has 90’s feel to it but that’s not to say it feels dated in anyways. The flow, beats and rhymes delivered by Ghostface and crew are impeccable. The production is excellent, there’s a fullness to the sound that is just so impressive. Thought it had an MF Doom vibe to it a times so I wasn’t surprised to learn he was one of several producers on this. Couple favourites on this are Shakey Dog and the energy on The Champ won me over. Great stuff and didn’t feel overly bloated for its length either. 4 stars
Mylo
4/5
Well, this brought the bop. I wouldn’t necessarily side with Mylo on his take about destroying Rock & Roll. They deliver a very Summery, breezy vibe on this. Skeptically cautious going into it, pleasantly surprised on after listening. Good, electronic album with vibes that make ya wanna move a bit. 4 stars
Brian Eno
4/5
There’s a lot of Eno on this project and I for one am totally cool with that. This collaboration of two icons is pretty impressive. It’s a journey for sure but one worth taking. There is an underlying haunting to it with some dark vibes and anxiety ridden pace at times, it’s weird too. The end result another piece for each of the geniuses to proudly add to their impressive discography. 4 stars
Dirty Projectors
2/5
At times I started to kinda like it but then the singer started to annoy me again. I was gonna give it a second d listen but decided against it. 2 stars
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Impressive vocals, impressive production on this release. No song really had the hook to be memorable for me so as far as a Pop album goes, it was kinda disappointing for me overall. Also, I really didn’t appreciate how wet he sounds on As Yet Untitled. 3 stars
Steely Dan
4/5
This album being served up by the generator was timely as I recently watched, Yacht Rock A Documentary. The documentary definitely gave me a new appreciation for the genre and Steely Dan by association. This album perfectly encapsulates what the documentary was trying to convey, it focussed heavily on what makes a Yacht Rock band great and that’s how absolutely professional the band is and how fucking tight they are. That is absolutely on display here on Aja. The vocals and vibes are great but the band is breathing as one and that was fantastic. Hilarious how much Fagan hates the term Yacht Rock considering how chill the genre is. 4 stars
Wilco
4/5
Weirdly enough, I’ve heard every Wilco album at least once but for whatever reason this one never got in my ears. After a couple runs thru it, I’d slot it right up there with their best, alongside Summerteeth, YHFT, Sky Blue Sky and A Ghost is Born. Tweedy’s songwriting abilities are on full display on this beefy release and he flexes hard off the hope on Misunderstood, which is such a jam. Forget the Flowers immediately becomes an alt-country classic for me. Yea; it could possibly be trimmed a bit but there’s not a bad tune on here. Great stuff. 4 stars
Slade
2/5
I cared little for this. I’m gonna type few words bc this slop of boring butt rock is worth few words. 2 stars
Björk
4/5
Hidden Place sets the tone for this album and sets it pretty strong. Vespertine is an album that needs your attention, the layers to this are wonderful and Bjork is a fantastic voice. Really interesting swim here. 4 stars
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Having no previous experience or knowledge of Prefab Sprout, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Pretty cool album cover, expected something rockier. They have some jangle rock sounds but lean to the pop genre. First track, Faron Young ended up being my favourite. Sounded almost like Mick Jagger and MGMT making a song, really enjoyed it. Bonny was also excellent, just a really nice breezey song so much so, they even had the faint sound of breeze hiding within the soft vocals and sharp chords in the first bit of the track. Not sure they ever reached the same level of the first two tracks but those first two were so strong. The remaining had some I didn’t care for, primarily Horsin’ Around but overall a really good jangle pop record. Rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars
Paul Weller
4/5
Is it weird that Sunflower had me thinking of Collective Soul? Well I listened to Gel and that song still kicks ass. Wild Wood didn’t hit me like the punchy riff on Gel, it was definitely a grower for me. There’s a lot of extra musicianship that elevates this album from a standard folk rock album to something a bit more with harp or a little organ, a subtle guitar riff. Aside from Sunflower and the title track I really enjoyed the lengthy Shadow of the Sun which truly showcases how well the band works together and it has the sickest guitar riffing. I thought this was great. 4 stars
Beastie Boys
5/5
The Beastie Boys debut may not be their best but what a fun debut it is. They made a huge impression with both Fight For Your Right and No Sleep and fill the rest of it out with some super clever and dumb lines. The storytelling on Paul Revere is so great, “He Said Howdy, He said, Hi” I don’t know why that dumb line cracks me up so much. These guys knew how to sample from the beginning, working in some Led Zeppelin and Sabbath. It’s such a great blend of snotty, clever, talent and dumb. Its fun. 5 stars
JAY Z
3/5
I tried to understand why this is as critically acclaimed as it is and admittedly the sampling and production is impressive. Jay-Z is a good rapper and some of his unique quirks with his delivery are neat enough but sometimes his odd grunts are annoying and I understand he’s just rapping his thoughts but a lot of the time I find his thoughts to be dumb. 3 stars
Hole
4/5
Glossier than Live Through This but it really works out well. Courtney Love’s vocals really shine on this and the band backs it with a tight performance. At a runtime of 50 mins it does feel just a little bloated. After what I think are 3 really great tracks of Malibu, Reasons to Be Beautiful and Dying, Use Once and Destroy Settles falls a bit flat. I think this album rips though it’s poppy, it’s grungy. It has a bit of a Pumpkins vibe at times and I’m a fan of the Pumpkins so I like that. Courtney Love deserves a bit more respect for what she did in music and I stand by that. 4 stars
Beatles
4/5
I’m not a Beatles fan, I don’t dislike The Beatles, I just don’t seek them out. Rubber Soul along with Revolver are the only two Beatles albums I’ve listened to that don’t have a track that annoys me. Then they came out with Sgt. Pepper’s and let Fixing a Hole and When I’m Sixty Four make the cut. Even the biggest Beatles fans have to admit these guys can be super annoying, I’ll give George Harrison a pass, he’s the coolest of the bunch and I got no qualms with him. I’m back to the album, they made it interesting, they opened with what Drive My Car, and this song could easily be written off as a lame song but the Beatles are so good harmonies and the guitar riff is so clean and the beep-beep’m beep-beep’m yeah won me over. Norwegian Wood, may be one of their favourite tracks of mine. George on the Sitar which works super well on this song about John being a sleazebag. The whole album is simply a really easy listen, great vocals and great music. A really nice light album. 4 stars
Prince
3/5
There’s some excellent songs on this album, Housequake especially, I really like what Prince does with funk. I completely understand why this album is beloved and potentially ranked over Purple Rain, it’s absolutely ambitious. I was questioning myself, I gave it another couple listens but just can’t bring myself to give it a 4 and that’s just personal preference. When Prince leans funk and rock I really like this album but when it sways to the R&B I just trail off a bit. Slow Love for example, I really don’t care for this, maybe I need to be in the literal moment but even then, I think I’d giggle because it’s too on the nose. Either way good album with a bit of bloat for me. I get why it’s loved, just not loved by me. 3 stars
The Beach Boys
4/5
The Beach Boys have a varied history and sometimes too much emphasis get put on Pet Sounds, which admittedly is their most impressive release but they do have other excellent work in their catalog. Surf’s Up is a very strong release, with writing credits and lead vocals spread out, yea Student Demonstration gets some hate but I don’t even think it’s that bad. Bookended by two really strong tracks in Don’t go Near the Water and Surf’s Up, I really enjoyed this. 4 stars
Patti Smith
5/5
There’s a lot of discourse about whether Patti Smith is punk or not and I’m here to give my vote to the fact that Patti Smith is certifiably punk. The attitude is there, the lyrical content is there and I don’t care that it lacks the noise. The stripped back production of Horses enhances it and allows her poetry to take front stage. The frantic energy on this is awesome and I am a big fan of this. 5 stars
Minor Threat
3/5
I really wanted to like this, I like punk, I like hardcore even but nothing really hooked me here and I gave a couple listens. Really, tight band overall. Sorry dudes , 3 stars
Dr. John
4/5
Dr. John is here to prescribe you an anxiety ridden fever dream and he is gonna play that shit on repeat until you agree it’s at least a 4 star. The more I listen, the more I understand the medicinal value of Gris-Gris. 4 stars
Blur
3/5
I’ve never been able to fully get into Blur or Gorrilaz. I appreciate the odd song here or there as they can release some good ones. I like when they focus on the jangle like they did on Clover Over Dover and hate when they focus on how freakin’ British they are like they did on the title track. 3 stars
Lana Del Rey
3/5
Pleasant enough songs with some clever songwriting. It’s just not really for me, there isn’t a ton of variation in sound throughout and ends up sounding like different strories with similar themes and the same tones. It’s a fine enough album just like toast with a little butter is a fine enough snack. 3 stars
Sister Sledge
3/5
When they were funky, I enjoyed it for the most part. We Are Family is fine, I guess. Does it need to be over 8 mins long? I don’t think it does. Overall it was too much slow ballad for me to enjoy all that much. I didn’t hate it but I certainly didn’t like it all that much either. I’ll round up from 2.5 to a favourable 3
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Bruce is great man, I really do respect this man but if I’m ever in the mood for Bruce, I’m certainly not turning to his 2002 release for a Bruce kick. Sure, there are some tunes here but there are some absolute trash songs here too. Right away, Into the Fire had me rolling my eyes, “May your faith give us faith. Strength give us strength, love give us love”… barf. Let’s Be Friends (skin to skin) was also hilariously bad. I don’t know man, maybe I’m being unfair but I don’t really think I am. This was a bit bloated and bad. 2 stars
Aimee Mann
2/5
Aimee has a strong voice. These are nice enough songs that my Mom would probably love but the lyrical content isn’t something I care about and the music itself isn’t exciting enough so it just feels dull for me like the soundtrack for a Christian television show or some shit. 2 stars
Le Tigre
5/5
Infectious energy from start to finish on this release. It’s got fun shouts, it’s got humour, fresh danceable beats, snark, it’s great. I was familiar with Kathleen Hanna’s 90’s act Bikini Kill which is also great, this just has more bounce. There’s still some political charge behind the songs but they’re delivered with some pep. My My Metrocard voices their displeasure of slime bag mayor Giuliani, basically a fuck you with a smile. Well this album sure made me smile. 5 stars
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Pleasant and dreamy pop rock songs. It's fine, it just kinda washed over me and that was that. I gave it a second listen and again nothing really struck me or moved me. Just not for me. 3 stars
The Waterboys
4/5
What banger the album opens up with, the title track really starts things off with a rollicking bang of Celtic folk rock. It almost starts off too hot since no other track really lives up to the same standard. Nonetheless, it’s still a very solid record with true to form Irish/Scottish traditional music. Now I’m not sure I’ll ever return to this, aside from the title track, I’m almost certain I won’t but for today, I enjoyed it for what it is. 4 stars
Love
5/5
Well this was a frenzied surprise. What a fucking firecracker or psych rock. This album had the feel of a band that loved to rock out and when they weren’t rocking out they were groovin’ out and they were pretty awesome at that too. Another example of what I love about this 1001 project. Certified album I absolutely had to hear before I died. 5 stars
Megadeth
4/5
Early Megadeath was fast good thrash gold. Peace Sells was a bit better but this has everything I want and it’s great. Listened to this on a ride to a camp out in the summer and I cranked it up and loved it. 4 stars
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Strong voice but musically it didn’t hook me. It’s somewhat telling that the interludes were more memorable than the actual songs after one listen. 3 stars
Garbage
4/5
A really good 90’s album that aged really well. A special debut from Garbage, with a very interesting blend, there’s some crunchy dark tones that sometimes dip into shoegaze territory and it plays so well with Shirley’s melodic vocals. I forgot how much I loved Queer, it’s arguably my favourite track, it’s such an awesome song, sultry, haunting, hooky, simply a great piece of music. Just learned that they promoted the debut opening for Smashing Pumpkins on tour, what a great bill that would have been in 1996. I really do like this album a lot, there are a couple tracks that fell a bit flat for me but even Stroke of Luck does give a change of pace and is still decent. Great stuff here 4 stars
New Order
4/5
I liked this. It’s synthier than what Joy Division delivered which is fine, though anytime I hear New Order I just think about how much I wish there was more Joy Division, that isn’t their fault obviously but it’s still sad that we don’t get more from Ian Curtis. This was awesome though, Love Vigilantes was a great jangly opener with a clever dark story. I think I may have liked the instrumental track Elegia most, it had some haunting notes to it that I really enjoyed. Really cool stuff that had a heavy influence on really cool shit to come. 4 stars
The Go-Go's
4/5
This albums is great! The Go-Go’s have the garage rock grime, they have the peppy pop, they’ve got the surf-rock vibes. Great energy from start to finish. Listening to this brought back good memories of a buddy I played hockey with. Anytime we won, he would insist on playing The Go-Go’s, Vaction in the locker room. Sadly, Kurtis passed away early this year so The Go-Go’s will always have a spot in my heart. RIP Kurty. 4 stars
Soundgarden
3/5
I don’t know man, am I off base to say that Cornell has a great voice but musically Soundgarden is sluggish and kinda boring? Maybe if this was tightened up and it was 40 mins, it would have been better, maybe if the production of it was better (it sounds shallow) This album lacks the punch it should have and I’m not even joking when I say that if this and Silverchair’s Frogstomp were to be pitted head to head, Frogstomp would get my vote for better 90’s grunge album. Fuck, this is so overrated that I want a I give it a 2 but it’s better than that but it’s still pretty fucking dry. Ah fuck, I’m gonna list to Israel’s Son as a pallet cleanser… 3 stars
Dion
3/5
I thought Dion’s vocals were good, liked a few songs enough with Only You Know being the standout for me. At times it reminded me a lot of Father John Misty without the humour. I read that Phil Spector produced this album and was drinking excessively in studio and Dion wasn’t pleased with how it turned out, I think I gotta agree. I’ll give his other work a shot but I didn’t much care for this. 3 stars
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Yea, the bongos are there and this is pretty fun overall but it was too much for a full serving. 3 stars
Adele
3/5
For what this is, it’s well done. Adele’s vocal range shines on this record and this is her standout album far and away. I listened to 25 when it was previously served up by this generator and after listening was surprised anything beyond 21 was included. This release absolutely deserves to be included, Adele showcases some personality and avoids delving too deep into adult contemporary sound that plagued 25. This is a good pop album, it just isn’t for me and that’s fine but I appreciate she’s good at what she’s doing here. 3 stars
Hookworms
4/5
Microshift by Hookworms is a fairly recent album and I had never heard of it. Wasn’t sure what was coming but they hooked me with their ear worm… yea that was bad but this album wasn’t. They bring an interesting blend of pysch and synth rock. Found myself reminded of Death Cab For Cutie at times and I’ve always enjoyed them so I liked this. Good stuff. 4 stars
Missy Elliott
4/5
Admittedly I was worried when I saw Missy pop up this Morning but that’s because I’m an idiot and confused her with Queen Latifa. Supa Dupa Fly was just that, it was Supa Fly. It was an odd album at times but Timbaland’s Production and Missy’s effortlessly cool vibes are what make this album so infectious. The Rain struck me as a really chill track, Pass Da Blunt was the only song I was previously familiar with and late in the album, Izzy Izzy Ahh was a song that stood out with quirky delivery and good energy. Missy Elliot deserves a ton of credit for being a pioneer to the female rap game. Fun album. 4 stars
Black Sabbath
5/5
I appreciate that the generator serves up albums based on the goings on in the real world. Yesterday Ozzy passed away and I decided to listen to my favourite Sabbath album and today I happened to get served up the same album so I listened again. What a fantastic gift this record is, a strong follow-up to their fantastic debut. Ozzy and Black Sabbath would forever change the course of music with their influence. I’ve thought a lot about it and I would personally argue that the first 5 Sabbath albums are the most impressive 5 album stretch of any band or artist in the history of recorded music. I know folks will say Beatles, possibly Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, Bowie and they may have a strong case but for me Sabbath’s 5 album run is the most impressive, especially to start a career. There are no skips on this album, opening with the iconic War Pigs and the awesome back and forth with Ozzy’s wailing vocals and the bands response, followed by Paranoid, followed by Planet Caravan which has always been one of my favourites of theirs. I’ve always appreciated their ability to cool it down a bit and still be absolutely fantastic at the change of pace, this song always makes me picture the desert and if you’re ever driving down a long desert road with little traffic, toss this song on, it’s perfect. Iron Man, awesome, every song is awesome. July 22, 2025 we lost an icon, a legend. We didn’t lose the masterpieces he was a part of, we need to be thankful for the unreal art he left behind and the influence he had on countless others who made amazing contributions to the music world. Thank you Ozzy! RIP. 5 stars
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
So you’re telling me that Abdullah Ibrahim has 58 fucking albums dating back to 1968 and I need to fucking hear this jazz album my Mother In Law would play at a lame ass dinner party with other 70yr olds. I imagine he made more interesting music than this and the Generator fucked him. This was dry as toast and not even worth a background listen. 2 stars
Barry Adamson
3/5
Interesting enough album. It had themes of horror at times that I really was intrigued by. It got a tad theatrical for my liking at times. I’m ok with dry vocal delivery but sometimes Barry’s just talking and I don’t think that makes for good music. I can definitely see how him and Nick Cave got along creatively. I found this release super interesting but I’m never gonna listen again bc I kinda hated it too. 3 stars
The Velvet Underground
4/5
An album that just sounds cool, the vibes are cool, the music is cool, the people who listen to it are cool. 4 stars
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Perfect Summer album serving with this one. Great vibes and energy from start to finish. The hits hit so hard too. That Lady, Listen to the Music and Summer Breeze are all great but that’s not to say the other tunes aren’t good, they just don’t reach the same level. The funk and soul blend on 3+3 is a mood enhancer and I really enjoyed this. 4 stars
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
This sounds like a hot day. The guitar work is great, there’s no real urgency on this record, they’re going at their own speed here and that’s just fine. 4 stars
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
As good as this Hip-Hop is, it’s depressing that we are facing the same fucking issues 35 years later. I appreciate the flow that Michael Franti and his DJ Roni Tse carry on throughout this album, it’s politically charged to say the least but it’s done well with strong delivery and weight behind the lines. Still, super discouraging that we are facing plenty of the same gross problems now in 2025 than they were when I was fucking 6. Fuck Donald Trump and if you support him, Fuck You too jabroni.
4 stars
Rush
4/5
The opening title track is all you need, get on and strap the fuck in. There is no height limitation to get on this Rush ride but there is a bitch scale you need to pass. You gonna bitch about a 20 minute track? No? Ok good because this track rips, strap in and enjoy. 4 stars
CHIC
4/5
Le Freaking is the obvious standout with undeniable infectious groove. I know this is tagged as a disco album but that just doesn’t feel right to simply call this disco. The band is so very skilled when it comes to the instrumentation. Savour Faire is a wonderful trip that puts the bands talents on full display, it’s almost got a bit of a yacht rock sound to it. If you didn’t like this on first listen, I don’t think you paid close enough attention, this is a well crafted breezy, groovy, smooth album with chill vibes. 4 stars
Tom Waits
4/5
Rain Dogs is an absolute journey. There is a lot to take in here and you’re not going to take it all in on one listen. Tom Waits isn’t for everyone, he’ll I’m not gonna often throw Waits on myself but I always appreciate his grittiness and commitment to do what he does, he sings like a man who went mad at sea and that’s awesome. Is Rain Dogs his most accessible album? I haven’t listened to his whole catalog but I’m fairly certain he never went straight on contemporary. I really enjoyed Bone Machine as well but I’m confident this is my favourite release from Waits. This album is a box of whiskey soaked poems with some jazz, blues, rock and folk all tossed in and shaken up. Out came the rollicking tidy mess that is Rain Dogs and it’s fucking weird but fucking great too. 4 stars
Cat Stevens
5/5
Simply put, this is a lovely album. The opener is a strong start as Stevens passionately questions where the children play in our ever changing world. What a voice and songwriter. The range in his vocals carry this album but the instrumental arrangements and skill do so much to fill this album out. I really didn’t appreciate Cat Stevens as much as I should have, I ran thru this album several times after it popped up on the generator and I confidently give this classic 5 stars
Fatboy Slim
1/5
Fatboy Slim’s sophomore album is titled, “You’ve Come along Long Way Baby” I can only assume it’s in reference to the debut and how painfully boring it is. It’s unnecessarily long and the builds leave you unsatisfied, they really go nowhere. The beats are dull, I never felt the energy that should accompany an electronic/dance album. I really didn’t expect to hate this but I did. 1 star
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Emmylou Harris has pipes that demand your attention. That being said, this album disappointed me a bit. It’s a checkered album for me. I really enjoyed Wayfaring Stranger, Roses in the Snow, I’ll Go Stepping and the cover of The Boxer was well done but the rest was just ok. At times the songs were a bit too heavy on Jesus for my tastes. I get that country leans on the cross a bit and I’m fine with that if you weave him in with a clever line or so but it felt a bit ham fisted on Green Pastures and especially on Jordan and found it just took me out of it. Several great tunes and twang made this an overall enjoyable listening experience. 3 stars
Björk
5/5
As far as Björk goes, may be her most accessible albums of hers, that I’ve listened to at least. Debut still got a good dose of quirk to it and that is really what makes Björk great. This album changes the pace really well, flowing between dance jams like There’s Something More to Life to Like Someone in Love and it’s not jarring, it’s great. This album is trippy, it’s pretty, it’s a dance party, it’s really good. 5 stars
The Roots
4/5
The blend of styles and instrumentation that accompanies the smooth and poetic rap delivery. We even get a quick punch of punk on !!!!!!! It’s a great album that feels light and refreshing. A few well placed features help mix things up a bit too. The Seed has always stood out as one of their hits with its iconic beat and melodies but what stands out to me is what they bring on their 10 minute track, Water. It boasts its own terrific beats and lovely background vocal sounds. At about the 5 minute mark it delves into an almost ambient/jazz like track and it’s just super interesting. Great stuff. 4 stars
The Boo Radleys
3/5
The variety on this album is what makes this album really intriguing. It’s got the poppy indie rock sound, with an accompaniment of some scuzzy shoegaze flavour. The opening on Upon 9th and Fairchild was awesome, screeching guitars with a smooth bassline and then they randomly toss in an almost reggae like guitar riff and then it takes yet another turn with a jangly country like vibe all while the vocals and bassline hold steady. It’s by far my favourite track and is one I’ve added to my go to playlists because it’s just so interesting. There are several other captivating tunes on this release. It does run a little long but overall I really enjoyed this. Didn’t love it quite enough for a 4 but a strong 3.5 stars
Hawkwind
5/5
Not having any previous knowledge of Hawkwind, I was initially concerned with the hour and a half runtime. There was no need for concern because this was excellent. It’s a live album of a band that leans heavily into the psych, space sounds so yea, it carries on a tad but they put on a heck of a performance here. On second listen, driving to hockey I picked up a buddy on the way and he confirmed my first listen thoughts, when he quipped, “I thought this was Sabbath” For such a long album, I never felt that it dragged but I really do appreciate this style and they were so tight as a group. I gotta imagine, present day live performance masters, King Gizzard have heard this before bc there’s a lot of parallels I can draw here. Born to Go is a track I will return to plenty of times. Great live recording here. 5 stars
System Of A Down
4/5
I recall this blowing my mind as a young teen when it was first released. Seth’s wild, almost circus like vocal delivery impressed and entertained me so much. The band is equally impressive with their energy and speed. Listening back, now 25 years later, it doesn’t hit quit the same but it’s still impressive. As a teen, Suite-Pee and Sugar were my favourites, today Spiders is the obvious standout for me. What a great gloomy jam. 4 stars
Al Green
4/5
I mean, what is there really to say. Al Green has a velvety smooth voice made for soulful tunes and the band is tight as fuck. This is just so easy to listen to. 4 stars
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
What a carnival of an album, just pure joy. It’s performative in all the right ways. Yea it’s 71 minutes long but it didn’t really feel like that. I imagine they were an absolute spectacular live show at in their prime. It’s an interesting blend of other bands I’m hearing here as well. I hear Queen, I hear some Rush when they’re leaning into the Prog, I hear the Beatles and Beach Boys in the melodies and it all blends together for such a cool trip. Having been a fan of a good portion of the band of Montreal’s work, I gotta imagine frontman Kevin Barnes was heavily influenced by ELO’s theatrical
approach. Yea it’s 71 minutes long but I’d argue they made great use of all 71. I’m gonna get gummied up and return to this one some night for sure. 5 stars
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
They really do make it seem effortless eh? Just dropping perfect harmonies. The old people track weird but somehow endearing. The cornflake line was weird but nah it was just weird but what a smooth bass line on that track. 4 stars
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Yea, it’s fucking long but it’s consistently Nice! I personally only need a couple tracks at a time. 4 stars
Pulp
4/5
Sometimes I avoid writing reviews after a few beers because they turn out dumb or angry or both, but today I’m on a Toronto Streetcar on the way home from the LEGENDARY Horseshoe Tavern and I’m gonna say it, if this is Brit Pop and Oasis is Brit Pop, this blows Oasis the fuck outta the water. Pulp, in my mind is not only better at being Musicians but they’re better at being British. Suck my chode Gallagher’s. Pulp is charmingly smooth on Different Class, this is a great album. 4 stars
Beck
4/5
I wouldn’t consider myself a Beck fan necessarily. I have listened to most of his releases and enjoyed his output enough but don’t often return. This is a release that I have listened to multiple times, is it his best? I don’t really know but it’s bouncy and fun and won me over. 4 stars
4/5
This project has encouraged me to be more patient with music than I ever was and it has allowed me to truly appreciate Prog. A genre I once scoffed at, I won’t claim to have a full understanding of Prog yet. I’m not sure anyone truly understands what’s really going on with Prog. I gave this one a few plays through to sink my teeth into all that’s happening. They dip and dive with some great shifts in energy and pace. The 18+ minute opener does reward those who stick with it. The second track has a really cool string arrangement to open the track, such dramatic pauses and inquisitive tones, I think I was drawn to the play style because I’ve been really into a present day artist, Hayden Pedigo, who seems to demonstrate the same odd pace with his playing. Again, it’s an album that has a lot going on but the goings on are good. 4 stars
Simple Minds
3/5
Felt like an album I’ve heard before but not as interesting. It’s fine, nothing too striking about it. I understand they may have influenced other better synth wave bands. Seems the singer was influenced by Ian Curtis who is excellent. This album simply didn’t do much for me and I like Synth Wave. 3 stars
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
What a great album! Highly acclaimed, widely loved and for good reason. The Chain is one of my all time favourites, I can’t think of many builds in a song that hit quite like the build in The Chain, it gets my arm hair up and oh man what a fucking tune. Proof that disdain for one another can be a great ingredient to an awesome album. Buckingham’s guitars shine and Nicks’ powerful pipes, what a combo. Fleetwood’s drums and McVies bass deserve a nod as well. Only gripe is Daddy, I really don’t care for that tune but this is still 5 stars
AC/DC
5/5
Two of the most recognizable openings riffs on back to back tracks on this album with the title track followed up with You Shook Me All Night Long. Listening to this album today for the first time in a very long time, brought back joyous memories of seeing them perform at Sarstock way back in 2003. It was so hot with no shade in sight but that didn’t stop me and my friends for sucking back joint after joint, taking in all the great times that day. I was 18 at the time, which really is the sweet spot for AC/DC whose music really is dumb and fun, I was dumb and fun so of course I was into them. What a great day that was, so thankful for it. 5 stars
Tracy Chapman
3/5
I learned nothing new about Tracy Chapman by listening to this album. I knew she had a great voice and I knew Fast Car was a great track. All these songs kinda just washed over me and I didn’t dislike them, I just don’t think there is much there. Maybe it isn’t for me, I just didn’t get it. 3 stars
The Monkees
4/5
I thought I was gonna hate this. I asked my partner to throw it on during a nice country drive at the end of Summer, specifically saying, “I haven’t been looking forward to this, let’s get it over with” I was wrong. Yes,
there is a touch of bubblegum here but the psychedelic ooze to this balances things out nicely. I didn’t recognize the depth The Monkees actually had and I’m not gonna raise them up into the pinnacle of psych-pop representation but I will say this is miles better than some of The Beach Boys releases. Looking at you “Beach Boys Today” 4 stars
Girls Against Boys
4/5
It’s a sludgy mess but it’s a sludgy mess that works for me. It reminds me of Fugazi but sloppier. Yea, it’s loud and moody but there’s some melody beneath the sludge. I’m sure a bunch of the critics here hated it but I enjoyed it. Bullet Proof Cupid and Rockets are Red were the standouts. 4 stars
Justin Timberlake
2/5
What a whiny dork this guy comes across here. Another prime example of how so much from the early 2000’s should just stay in the early 2000’s. Yea, sure his voice is fine and some of the beats are ok but there is so much filler on this. People bending over backwards telling Justin just how great it all is and then we end up with an hour of mostly bullshit. Just Take it From Here is the steamiest pile of garbage I’ve ever heard. “I wanna be your Broadway show on review. “Why?” So I can act out how god was when he made you.” Almost had to pull over and barf on the side of the 401 when I heard that song. I get R&B isn’t for me, I mostly hate it but this is trash right? I want to give it a 1 but I’ll be fair bc the best on Dork Your Body is pretty good. 2 stars
Peter Gabriel
3/5
I enjoy Peter Gabriel but i like him more when he’s leaning into the weirdness like he did on Melt. This album is fine, it’s really well done for what it is but it’s all so… I don’t really want to say bland because it sounds nice enough but yea, it’s kinda bland. I am being unfair to Gabriel for sure and I don’t dislike it, I just dislike it for a Gabriel album I suppose. I will say that it is hilarious he wrote a song about his dick being a Sledgehammer. 3 stars
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Perhaps I need to spend more time with this one to appreciate it more. On first listen it was more a matter of enjoyable moments for me as opposed to songs. I did really find myself into the closer which was a long psych tune. It was good but kinda just washed over me. 3 stars
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
First song is one I recognized and enjoyed it and from track two onwards, well it just felt like a bunch of filler. No real punch to it, nothing too exciting, it was fine, it just felt very meh. I suppose it was 1962 but they sounded talented enough to take some risks. 3 stars
Morrissey
3/5
I enjoy The Smiths enough but have never been inclined to delve into Morrissey’s solo catelog. There is some clever enough songwriting here but just felt a bit flat musically. Also, this is awful album art, just brutal. Mentioned to a buddy that without Johnny Marr, I just can’t get into Morrissey and his response was, “Without Marr, it’s just more assey” 3 stars
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Pretty good debut album right here. I get that the Stones are wearing their influences on their sleeve and not venturing too far beyond but they’re showing enough personality here and they absolutely thrive in the horny bluesy, garage rock sound and I’m down with this album. Also, does anyone else think of Black Sabbath’s-Laguna Sunrise on the opening guitar on Tell Me? Both great songs. This was good simple fun. 4 stars
Fishbone
2/5
This one is tough, young me seems to be screaming at me, “We love Sublime, we love Ska, this is a 5 dude!” Yea, there was a time I’d love this but that time is way fucking gone. I did add Bonin’ in the Boneyard to my Hallowy playlist though bc that song is both hilarious and kinda awesome so I thank the generator for serving this up just before October. Otherwise this was annoying. 2 stars
Alice Cooper
4/5
I haven’t had a ton of exposure to Alice Cooper, so I expected a pretty standard middle of the road rock album here. I was ill informed, Cooper’s range is deeper than I had anticipated and it made for a fairly interesting album. There’s even a jazz track on here, some theatrical flair mixed in and we’ve got ourselves a pretty entertaining album here. 4 stars
Steely Dan
4/5
This is an excellent debut from the genre bending duo of Fagan and Becker here on Can’t Buy A Thrill. Opening said debut with such a jam with, Do it Again. It’s got the psychedelic sounds of The Doors but it’s something different and it’s awesome. They follow that with another great one with Dirty Work. It’s a really great album that rocks but stays within their chill limits. Midnite Cruiser kinda sounds like a Neil Young track right? The guitar on display here is excellent too, at times making me think of the Dire Straits. While all tracks aren’t 5’s there really isn’t a dud on this album. Even the album art, weird as it is, is kinda perfect for what this is. I really enjoyed this a lot. 4 stars
Robert Wyatt
4/5
Robert Wyatt and Brian Eno really are a great team. What a weird, whimsical ride Shleep takes us on. This is music that isn’t going to demand your attention but once you’re drawn in, it gently guides you on a pleasant sonic journey. The decisions made by the band with respect to pacing and sounds just works. The opening of September the Ninth had me thinking of Broken Social Scene, really didn’t expect that but in retrospect parallels can be drawn. This was nice. 4 stars
Fleet Foxes
4/5
I have listened to this album several times over the years since release. I really appreciate Pecknolds voice, I like what the band is doing and I like it in general but the album kinda just settles into a calm chill folky state and it’s a cozy album. Their follow-up may actually surpass what they did on this one, but both are worthwhile listens. Fleet Foxes won’t blow ya away but they’re great company for when you’re looking for warm tones. It’s a great album. 4 stars
Love
3/5
A bit of a tale of two albums for me at least. When they made their guitar the focal point of their songs, I really enjoyed it, when they meandered too far into whimsical theatrics, singing about snot crusting onto pants, they kinda lost me. Neil Young randomly given an “aranger” credit for one track, “The Daily Planet” To his credit, it has a good psychy folk rock mix to it and decent “arrangement”. I enjoyed this, but not all of it. 3 stars
Spiritualized
5/5
I excellent album, psychedelic, spacey with really patient well crafted builds to their songs. It’s droney but a very lively, danceable drone if that makes any sense at all. It’s a very dreamy, lovely album all the way thru. Shine a Light is one of the best songs I’ve heard in quite some time, I should have heard this sooner. 5 stars
Louis Prima
4/5
One would be hard pressed to listen to The Wildest! and be grumpy about it. It is a lively, playful album with some good jazz. They’re having fun, we’re having fun. 4 stars
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
The skits and god talk definitely take me out of it but if I cut all that fat out, it’s a really strong hip-hop album. 4 stars
Judas Priest
3/5
Really thought I’d be into this more than I was. I enjoyed it, there are some decent riffs from KK Downing and Glenn Tipton, Halfords voice is perfect for a metal rock album. Grinder stands out as my favourite on this record with what I thought was the best guitar on it and some pretty classic metal lines. I kept wanting a bit more though, felt a little too formulaic at times, where the sound is good but just very standard rock that dude working on his car would play in the garage whilst crushing a 6 pack of Budweiser. Which is totally fine, there’s a time and place for Judas Priest for sure. I listened to the song Painkiller after and first and foremost notice a bit more energy from their new drummer, Scott Travis, I know that song is a 10/10 so maybe it’s not a fair comparison but I’ll have to give that full album a listen. British Steel felt like a few great songs with quite a bit of filler but decent filler. Great cover art though. 3 stars
Simply Red
2/5
Saw that Simply Red was tagged as a Pop act so I figured I’d listen on my run today, thinking it would at the very least bring some good energy. Well, that was a miss assessment, this was dull, listless, uninteresting drivel. Synth Pop can be awesome when it’s done right, I don’t think this was done right. Also, Mick Hucknall looks like a bit of a douche. Apparently he was a punk rocker prior to this… poser. 2 stars
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Oh ok we got another Aguilera album. Between the two on this list (I’m optimistic that there isn’t a third) we could probably Frankenstein a solid album, perhaps a 4. It’s unfortunate this album doesn’t match Christina’s slim frame on the cover, I’m saying this album is as bloated as a drowned pig, it’s stuffed like a hoarders closet. It’s annoying because she can be entertaining but chooses to be kinda bland. There’s like 4 or 5 songs that peak interest, I’m not gonna say they’re necessarily good, they’re not for me but they’re entertaining but then they pile
on another 14 fucking songs on this? Fuck sakes, I don’t care how many teenage boys jacked off to the music video “Dirty” this is barely 2 stars, I’m so annoyed. 2 stars
The Charlatans
3/5
Admittedly, a bit of a wall goes up when a ‘Brit-Pop’ album starts playing. I’ve gotten better with being more open to the genre, I swear but there’s still a bit of a grumble that happens anytime a band reminds me of Oasis. I gave this a couple of runs and there’s enough going on musically that kept me interested, it has some fullness to it, some varied sounds as they tapped into what seemed to be several influences, at times they even had a swirly psych sound to them, especially on some of the instrumental tracks. Get On it was my favourite track here. I wouldn’t return to this but it was a decent listen for sure. That all being said, my grumble within needs to get a shot in, the band name is terrible as is the album art. 3 stars
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Veloso’s 1968 release surprised me, when I think South American music, I assume it is going to be fast paced and high energy. It was interesting to hear the relaxed, chill approach on this album. I really enjoyed it, it was a pleasant listen with good vibes and a touch of psychedelic undertones throughout. My only gripe is that Veloso ruined a great album cover with his menacing glare, kinda annoying actually. Whatever, this was pretty good despite his dumb face. 4 stars
Van Morrison
5/5
My Mom would play this album relentlessly during my Childhood so hearing this again today brought me back. I understand why it was her go to dinner party album, it’s such a warm soothing record. For as many times as I had heard Stoned Me, I still had no idea what the lyrics, “Stoned me just like Jelly Roll” meant, I always assumed it was just nonsense that sounded nice. Finally looked it up today and it’s in reference to Jazz musician, Jelly Roll Morton who Morrison listened to as a child and “Stoned Me” reflects on how he was deeply moved by him. So I’m glad I finally figured that one out. So yea, this is an album that brings me back to a comfortable part of my childhood and I’ll always appreciate this album for that. It’s not quite on par with Astral Weeks but it’s still pretty strong. I’m giving it 5 stars
Pearl Jam
4/5
It had been awhile since I had listened to this album. Listening to it now, I have come to the realization that I held it on a pedestal to the heights of which don’t align with my enjoyment of the album in current day. That’s not to say it’s not a great grunge album and I still think it’s absolutely an important album. The first half is strong, I do think it suffers a bit because of the length of it, it’s not an even a back half problem, it’s more the last few tracks really. Even they have some good moments but I just felt over it by the time Release comes on and that track definitely drags on. Still a great album though 4 stars
The Thrills
2/5
Did I miss something here? Thought it was pretty standard and mediocre on first run, enjoyed a couple tracks enough and I’m usually on board for an alt country record. On second listen I became agitated and decided I actually kinda hate this. Just fell
flat for me and now I’m confused what it’s even doing here on this list. I imagine it will be bumped for some MJ Lenderman in the years to come because this absolutely does not need to be heard but Boat Songs absolutely does, so give that a listen instead of this souless nothing-burger of an album. 2 stars
Tears For Fears
4/5
Classic 80’s synth album. They mix up the pace pretty well throughout and don’t serve up any duds. I really like the build of Broken and really enjoyed this overall. 4 stars
Dr. Octagon
4/5
The album cover had me very interested. The intro quickly had me concerned about what I was in for but then the great beats hit on 3000 and I was back in. Earth People was awesome, bringing more great flow and spooky beats and Real Raw put DJ-Q-Bert’s scratching skills on full display. This album has some fantastic stuff here, really entertaining and exciting beats. Fitting that I listened a week out from Halloween so that definitely added to the enjoyment. My gripe with the album would be the inclusion of the aggressive sexual skits, the gynaecologist skit was pretty gross but even that had some impressive scratching worked in. The character itself had me drawing comparisons to MF Doom’s work. Also, I really liked DJ Shadow’s appearance at the end. Frustrating, this could be a 5 but Girl Let Me Touch You felt so out of place the gross moments took me out of it. Just wish they leaned into the horror and remained focused on that even if it was hokey at times. Still super happy to be introduced to this. 4 stars
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
This one kinda just washed over me and made me feel nothing at all, no utter dislike, no enjoyment really, it just played through and then it was done. Seemed Wainwright was doing a bit of a Thom York thing with his vocals at times and his performance had a bit of a theatre kid vibe to it. Good voice but this wasn’t for me. 2 stars
Eurythmics
3/5
A pleasant synth pop album, the strength of the songs vary throughout. It starts really strong with Love is a Stranger, Annie Lennox’s vocals on full display and David Stewart, uh grunting encouragingly? Next track we lose some steam and on Wrap it Up we get some playful fun, it’s a fun dumb song about safe sex I assume? Sweet Dreams still holds up as a standout for sure. It’s a good album, just not consistently great. 3 stars
The Black Keys
4/5
The Black Keys were a band in the early 2000’s I was paying close attention to, a punchy guitar and drum duo pumping out some really good gritty bluesy jams. Brothers marks a point in their career where the duo shed the grit and presented us with a more polished bluesy rock sound. I think they balanced it out really well on Brothers, the first half gives us some catchy tunes in Tighten Up, and the sports anthem jam, Howlin’ For You. The Only One slows things down with a bit of a pysch tinge to it and it works pretty well. I’d argue this is their last good album, I wasn’t a fan of El Camino but Brothers still holds up pretty well. 4 stars
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Title track is exactly what I want in a great country song. Emmylou’s voice is on point, lyrics so strong you can visualize the story she’s singing and excellent music to accompany the vocals, such a great track. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is lifeless and downright boring. The music is sounds more churchy than country and I didn’t care for it at all. 2 stars
The Who
4/5
Sometimes this project is difficult, in the case of Who’s Next, the difficulty lies with how many times I have heard these songs. So coming in with a fresh perspective is tough because The Who have sold off these tunes to every which commercial or movie or shitty cop television program, that it’s kinda tainted these tunes. The Who are very much to blame, they watered down their great songs with overexposure and I think they’re an annoying band, an annoying band that really did make some great songs. It’s hard to dispute that Baba O’Riley and Behind Blue Eyes aren’t all time classics. Won’t Get Fooled Again really is an excellent closing track and the rest of the tracks are pretty decent too, though I don’t care too much for The Song is Over. I wanted to give this a 3 because I typically reserve 4’s for albums I will willingly return to and I don’t think I would ever return to this because, I’ve just heard these songs enough but had I heard this on release with no knowledge of how annoying the band is, I’d be into it. 4 stars
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
Well, I did it. I got thru this scrambled mess of annoying beats, lyrical quirks and dumb rhymes. Sure, he raps fast but is he really saying that much? Did anyone ask for Cockney rap? This listen further cements my dislike for UK rap, I really thought the Streets would be the most annoying UK Hip Hop I’d ever have to endure, I was way off. I understand it’s highly acclaimed and I don’t understand it at all. MF Doom remains to be the only UK Hip Hop artist whose albums I’ll turn to. This was a brutal listen. 1 star
Grateful Dead
3/5
I understand the cultural importance of the Grateful Dead and this album is decent but it’s just fine. Friend of the Devil is an awesome song and was the true standout. I wish there were a few more tracks that held my interest the same way. Truckin’ was also good bluesy closing track. Good folksy time all in all. 3 stars
The Velvet Underground
5/5
I’m really happy this album popped up today. I don’t know why I’ve taken so long
to return to this but today I did and I can confirm that’s it’s still fucking fantastic. It almost sounds as though they had a loose plan and just went for it, at least from a musical standpoint. It’s garage rock, it’s art and it’s absolutely experimental and the experiment is a huge success. It’s a beautiful mess that reminds of The Stooges masterpiece, Fun House. It’s the perfect amount of unhinged, it’s a trip, it’s a beautiful mess. Sister Ray, a sprawling 17 minute punk rock freakout that, is so distorted and so noisy, it will drown out whatever worries are bouncing around your skull. It will sweep you away in its rollicking complexity and take you to a better place. Settle in for this unsettling ride that is White Light/White Heat. 5 stars
Beatles
4/5
I really thought this would be the Beatles album I give a 5 to. Heard so much about how much LSD and Acid Lennon and Harrison did and how experimental they got on Revolver. They did pull a few tricks from their sleeves for sure and this is an excellent album and I realize I’m walking myself down from a 5 but I really just wish they did more of the cool shit they did on Tomorrow Never Knows, it sonically awesome and I love that track. There are plenty of exciting sparks on this album, I’m Only Sleeping is possibly my favourite Beatles track, it’s beautiful. The sitar on Love You Too is really cool. I almost walked myself back to a 5 but I just can’t. The thing that always annoys me about the Beatles, they’re doing here again, they could be so cool but they toss in this needless fluff when they could have leaned fully into the fuzzy psych but they didn’t and for me, the fluff, as light as it is, drags this down to a 4 stars
Cocteau Twins
4/5
I really like what the Cocteau Twins do. They make beautiful dream pop music and they do it consistently. Heaven or Las Veagas is their best but Treaure isn’t far behind and that’s saying a lot because Heaven or Las Vegas is a masterpiece. Scotland has a strong musical output and they owe a lot of thanks to Cocteau Twins . 4 stars
fIREHOSE
4/5
Had never heard of this group before so after enjoying my first listen, I did some reading up on them. Turns out Mike Watt and George Hurley formed the band after their bandmate D. Boon from Minutemen tragically passed away in a car crash. What a sad story that was. Anyways, this was an interesting listen. 80’s indie rock, a touch of funk here and there with their punk roots shining thru. It’s a genre bender of an album that does some really daring stuff here, we even get some jazz drumming, followed up by a folky Celtic track. It’s gritty but the musicianship on display is really tight with a wide range of flavours that works well as a cohesive album. It’s from 1989 but it still sounds fairly fresh to my ears in 2025. Really cool stuff. 4 stars
Steely Dan
2/5
I didn’t like this very much. The band is on point and the music sounds good I guess, it’s hard to explain, there is just something annoying about this record. Barrytown was super annoying, just complete nonsense. Title track is pretty solid, it’s not all bad by any means, it’s half bad and I’ll never return to this one. I’ll stick with Aja or Can’t Buy a Thrill. The album cover for Pretzel Logic is absolutely great though, so it’s a shame this isn’t better. I don’t know why this annoyed me so much but it did, it’s 2.5 stars but I’m rounding down. 2 stars
The Temptations
4/5
They come out strong on the opening tune and let you know this is absolutely a classic Fun, Soul, R&B classic. Track 3 alone, they’re putting their all into it and demonstrating that they’re absolute legends to the genre. What an epic track Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone is, it’s a pinnacle track to the genre. I wish they could have kept the energy a tad higher throughout, that’s always been my issue with the R&B genre. Still great overall 4 stars
Faust
4/5
Well these guys came out of the gate strong on Faust IV and told us this is Kraut from the get go . Spacey and fantastic stuff here that will surely go under appreciated by the 1001 crowd who yearn for more basic bullshit. 4 stars
Beyoncé
2/5
Another excellent example of a pop star having such an over-inflated self-worth that they cannot be bothered to trim their album down to a tight 45. We didn’t need all these songs. 2 stars
The Youngbloods
3/5
The Youngbloods are giving us some good folk-rock on Elephant Mountain. It opens very promisingly with Darkness, Darkness which takes a fun turn into some rambling jamming. Beautiful and Sham are a couple other standouts. It’s a perfectly pleasant album. I would have enjoyed it a bit more if they opened it up a touch more and really went for it because when they did, they were quite good at it. I understand the need for balance as well though. It was good, just didn’t blow me away. 3 stars
The Divine Comedy
1/5
This is absolutely not for me but I have a really hard time deducing who exactly this is for. I’m fairly confident that this music is made for dinner parties hosted by high end vest salespeople and horses. This was annoying and I hated it so much, hated it even more on the second listen. 1 star
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
They’re doing psych rock, I like psychedelic rock. The issue with psychedelic rock sometimes is that it can meander a bit here and there and that’s forgivable enough considering all the drugs they were dealing with. It’s really difficult with some of these 60’s acts because I’m confident that Country Joe and The Fish hit perfectly in a live setting outside in the sun but I listened to them on a dog walk on a cold day in November so it didn’t hit the way it should have. 3 stars
Steve Earle
3/5
Earle is really good at putting the listener where the stories took place. This is an Americana album about a young g man who grew up in a shitty small town and I felt like I was right there watching Steve Earle pumping gas on the side of a dusty interstate road. He’s a great story teller, there are some solid tracks here. Opens strong with the title track right off the hop and Hillbilly Highway is a great rollicking tune about his Dad leaving town for a better life. Good ‘ol Boy is kinda corny but I actually really liked it, it’s a well written dumb country song. I did think I’d like this more overall, while the songwriting and imagery is strong, I felt like it lacked musically. Just sounds a little Nashville studio and lacked punch. Decent listen though 3 stars
Traffic
2/5
These guys did Dear Mr. fantasy, that song rips. There’s nothing on this album that comes close to Mr. Fantasy, it just sorta farts along offering glimpses of interesting music before continuing to fart along and offer up middling boring songs. Another example of the overindulgent British curators begging us to listen to their overhyped music. Also, why are you naming your band Traffic? I hate that so much, was the name wet socks already taken? Fuck you Steve Winwood, you cunt. 2 stars
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Tonight I hung out with a really good friend who is moving away from Toronto to Halifax. I’m gonna miss him a lot. If he was Ragged Glory and I never saw Ragged Glory again, I probably wouldn’t care all that much. 3 stars
Bob Dylan
4/5
Another great Dylan album, not my favourite of his but I absolutely understand its inclusion. Rainy day Women was my go to Dylan track when I was a stoner back in my youth and I certainly still appreciate it. Visions of Johanna, Stuck Inside, Just Like a Woman, all excellent pieces of work. There are some skip-able songs that cause a touch of drag on. Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat wasn’t necessarily awful but what the shit is he going on about? 4 Blondes outta 5
Television
5/5
What an album Marquee Moon is. It's the type of music that hits my sweet spot breathes life into my body thru my ears. The energy is contagious on Marquee Moon, the jangly guitars, Tom Verlaine's sings with a bit of playful snarl that works so well with the rest of the band. There are moments that play like what you'd expect to hear at a haunted beach party. The back to back tracks of Friction and Marquee Moon is epic. Elevation follows that up well with a moodiness that works really well to provide some variety to the album, sounds like a Joy Division song actually. This album drips with cool. This is fantastic. 5 stars
Janis Joplin
4/5
Janis Joplins wonderful voice is accompanied on Pearl by the rambling soulful, bluesy funk sounds of the skilful band. The first two tracks hit hard and Bobby McGee is an all time classic. I do think the album loses focus at times but maybe they wanted to keep it loose. Majority of the record is fantastic 4 stars
The Doors
5/5
A very strong debut from The Doors, a band that I got very into as a 16 year old in 2001. The tracks that carry this album are obvious, Light My Fire has to be the best display of an organ solo of all time, I can’t think of any better, what a clinic Ray Manzarek puts on. Jim Morrison’s voice is fantastic, his attitude alongside his songwriting ability and lore make him one of the best rock frontmen of all time. The closer, The End, a wild 10 minute fever dream is a great song to cap this fantastic debut. 5 stars
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Adam and the Ants are doing a lot here. Drawing from several genres and the end result is an engaging album. I really enjoyed, Killer in the Home quite a bit, it feels a little more focused and the shimmering guitars play off of Adam’s yelps quite well. Antmusic has a good jangle to it and really nails what they’re doing. The Human Beings track is pretty dumb but dumb fun. I enjoyed this but they also lost and annoyed me at times. I can see how this band could have had an influence on Kevin Barnes from of Montreal, a fantastic art rock group. So while I appreciate what they did here, I won’t be returning aside from a few tracks. 3 stars
The Byrds
3/5
Pleasant listen here, the vocals nice, the music, nice. Everything was nice, breezy but did leave me wanting a bit more. An example of my frustration comes on what is admittedly a fantastic track, Wasn’t Born to Follow. At one point in the middle, The Byrds start to distort the music into a hazy psychedelic whirl and it abruptly ends. It felt like such a tease. I understand perhaps they didn’t want to overdo the psychedelic and chose to present a more standard folk rock record and that’s totally fine, it’s a very pretty album. I just think it could have been more interesting if things got a bit weirder. Good stuff nonetheless. The bickering between band members at the end on the extended version was hilarious as well. 3 stars
Suicide
4/5
Simply unsettling, the yelps on Frankie Teardrop are so visceral, so real and it’s deeply unsettling. This isn’t dinner party music, this is meant to make you feel, the minimalism of the music, the droney tones, it’s dark and it’s really well done. I am a firm believer in giving albums on this project a couple listens, especially the more challenging albums, and Suicide is a prime example of why that’s important. Music is meant to make you feel, it’s not always meant to make you feel good. 4 stars
Talvin Singh
3/5
Well shit, this was something. We have moody Indian/Asian Electronic Dub fusion and it really works. The arrangements here are very artfully crafted and make for both an exciting and interesting listen. It's frantic at times and demonstrates some similar traits to what you will find in a jazz album. The title track really brings the energy and is actually quite fun. Upon researching the album a little more, I found it interesting that Singh had previously appeared on a Siouxsie and the Banshees single, "Kiss Them For Me" and that led to guitarist Jon Klein to collaborate on OK. It kinda makes sense when you consider the haunting undertones of this album, though much different than Siouxsie and the Banshee's they have the similar vibes at times. I really did enjoy this quite a bit more that anticipated, it's an exciting discovery for sure though there were some annoying decisions peppered throughout that did take me out of it at times. Strong release though 3 stars
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
It’s a little frustrating that Drive-By Truckers weren’t a bigger deal in the Country demographic. They were too clever for the dumb-dumbs chugging Toby Keith’s dribble I suppose. Patterson Hood and Jason Isbell have yarn for days and some damn great music to accompany it. Women Without Whiskey is one of the greatest Country tunes ever written and I will spit on anyone’s shoe who happens to get upset with that claim. This is a bunch of great stories with some sick guitar and it rips. 4 stars
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I’m far from a Sinatra fan, the music is not for me, it’s boring, disingenuous slop and the only reason people were into it was because it was the 50’s and you listened to whatever was forced on the radio and then people kept saying this suave chode was something special and people kept listening and on and on it went. New Yorkers put him on a pedestal and he sadly neve got knocked down a peg. Well I’m sick of it, Sinatra is boring and sure he has a smooth voice but butter is smooth, doesn’t mean it need 50 minutes of butter. This could have been a 45 with two songs, I’d be fine with that. 2 stars
The Police
2/5
I’ve never understood the appeal of The Police, this was my first full album listen and I can confidently state that they’re not for me. The music is weird at times but not the good kinda weird because this is also absolutely boring. The music is dull, I find the lyrics confusing, there really isn’t anything happening that I find enjoyable about this album. Defund The Police. 2 stars
3/5
Some classic twang from Loretta Lynn and her band. I really appreciate that she really doesn't take any shit from her man at all, good for her. They really seemed to play it loose in the 60's so there's that. Loretta Lynn's voice is fantastic the band, despite never really opening things up, does their job in the back making for a very easy listening country album. Get What 'Cha Got and Go is my favourite followed closing by the title track, again I really just appreciate the snark that Loretta brings to the table on this album, I wasn't expecting that but I like it. 3 stars
Iggy Pop
5/5
The Idiot is Iggy Pop's first album away from his Stooges. Quite the stark contrast in terms of mood when compared to the fantastic, Raw Power album. The Idiot has a heaviness to it, a dark, damp depressing tone to it but it's fantastic in its own right. David Bowie teams up with Iggy Pop for The Idiot, not only the production but the songwriting, backing vocals, musical arrangements and the instruments themselves, his fingerprints are all over this and it’s got Iggy Pop’s name on the cover but Bowie’s could be tossed on there as well. This may not grab people the same way some of Iggy’s other work may but it’s a genius piece of work, his best album cover from his solo releases as well. 5 stars