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Wed Sep 14 2022
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
My first album from the list. Bombastic, silly, pretentious. Not worth a repeat listen.
1
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Thu Sep 15 2022
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
David Watts to Waterloo Sunset. Golden age Kinks.
5
View Album
Fri Sep 16 2022
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Just great.
5
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Mon Sep 19 2022
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
Pharaoh’s Dance, Spanish Key, John McLaughlin are jams. The others were a bit too discordant for me.
3
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Tue Sep 20 2022
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
Great musicianship, but not something I'd ever listen to again. This whole record is just too self-satisfied. It would almost be better without the vocals.
2
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Wed Sep 21 2022
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
So much fun! I had never heard many of these, which made it feel surprisingly fresh. Just judging this as an album of music, it's beside the point whether these records are as good as the sources. The blend of musical traditions gave them a special flavor that's worth experiencing. It all feels very human, and even the flaws made me smile.
3
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Thu Sep 22 2022
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
This was all new to me. It feels like they left these songs sparse to let people fill in with their fears and hopes about everything that lay ahead. The theme I got was that we could choose to disconnect from our past and turn it and ourselves into something new. Must have been a revelation at the time. Even though it was years ahead, this album gives me a powerful nostalgia for '80s futurism. I don't think I'd ever just listen again on a random Wednesday. But if I ever need to jolt myself into that headspace, this would definitely do the trick.
2
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Fri Sep 23 2022
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
Struggling to get through this one. Every time one of these songs starts to develop into something good, he introduces something cheesy and it all comes crashing down. If the idea is to be the soundtrack to an imaginary film, I keep thinking it's a disappointing sequel to The Saint (which to be clear is already a pale imitation). The strongest feeling I get from this is that I'd much rather listen its influences (blaxploitation soundtracks, Madchester/electronica). Calling it a 2, but that's generous.
2
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Sat Sep 24 2022
Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
I got really excited for a new discovery from the opening track, but my opinion of this record kept drifting down as I listened to it. The style, instrumentation, and feel should be right in my personal wheelhouse. The drumming in particular is pretty great in spots, and that goes a long way for me. Unfortunately, I just felt that the record never rose above that promise. If it only had a little better dynamics within the songs, development over the course of the album, lyrical substance or style, or vocal performance, I could have been hooked. That's not to say it's a bad record, just that I needed it to have one of those things to give it enough shine to be special. I listened twice, but I don't think I'd ever listen again.
I'm sure others could describe it better, and I don't know the context of this artist or album at all, but it's a kind of mellow modern psych/indie rock with female vocals. The lyrical content, as the title suggests, is borderline metaphysical. It seems to be about tapping into a oneness with other people and the universe, finding a hidden truth, ignoring noise. It was fine, but just a little hollow--kind of like a boring person describing a dream or an acid trip that was life-changing for them.
Hard to figure how this album could be seen as essential. There are plenty of albums on this list that I absolutely hate, but I have to admit are important in one way or another. This kind of feels like those albums that end up on a bunch of year end lists, and then 3 years later they're utterly forgotten.
2
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Sun Sep 25 2022
21
Adele
My favorite Adele album. She was absolutely peerless and put out a record that showcased everything she does to perfection. So many high points.
5
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Mon Sep 26 2022
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Sparse, understated. Showcases his expert songwriting and sensitive singing. He manages to say so much, with so few words, about what people need and what they’ll do if they can’t get it.
Above was my reaction without knowing that many of these songs are covers. It’s amazing that his interpretations and the material he added joined these pieces together so well.
4
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Tue Sep 27 2022
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Somehow I’d never heard this whole album. Growing up on classic rock radio I’d heard the singles. But they make a lot more sense together. This record feels ahead of it’s time. From the opening notes it’s hard to believe Cinnamon girl was released in 1969. Listening to it today, the extended meaningless solos on Down By the River are a real test of patience. DBTR almost ruins this record for me, but Cowgirl in the Sand saves it. That initial punch after the intro blew me away, and then the first solo is so much more purposeful than DBTR, and the band grooves so hard off it. By the time the second solo comes around I’m ready for something off-kilter, and now the manic energy of it makes sense and lasts just long enough. When the lead blends back into the verse playing a sweet distorted melody, it’s pretty much perfect. As it fades out, I’m ready to play it again.
5
View Album
Wed Sep 28 2022
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
I guess this is better than their later nonsense. I had a little goodwill for them because when I was a kid learning to play their riffs were really fun. Actually listening to the record is not worth the effort though—no hidden gems. I feel like I’m now absolved from having to keep an open mind about this band, so at least I got that out of it.
1
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Thu Sep 29 2022
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
4
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Fri Sep 30 2022
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Not quite as great as some of what came after, but what a great start. He already knew how to construct a dynamic song and how to write simple but effective lyrics. Not a bad song really but I especially liked the final three of a Mystery Man, Luna and the all time classic American Girl.
4
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Sat Oct 01 2022
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Something about these totally overdone arrangements and her generally super straightforward phrasing just bores me to death. To me this is pop not jazz and utterly missing any of the spark that makes jazz worth listening to.
2
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Sun Oct 02 2022
Stankonia
OutKast
5
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Mon Oct 03 2022
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
Has a few moments of substance that go beyond gangster fantasy, especially in the second half. I don’t think a lot of rappers then or now were urging listeners to do something about child abuse. Or being so straightforward when it comes to the impacts of systemic racism. He’s saying some important things in 1991 that Americans are just starting to acknowledge in the third decade of the 21st century. Lifestyles of the rich and infamous is a highlight, also escape from the killing fields. I got more out of it than I expected but it’s not something I’m going to be listening to too often. The production let him down somewhat I think—I know this is classic west coast style (heavy on the James brown samples) but a lot of these beats are just kind of flat. If it were a little more focused (like 45 minutes instead of 75) and the beats were a little stronger, this would have gone to the next level for me.
3
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Tue Oct 04 2022
Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Just couldn’t connect with this. Pleasant, super competent music. It just doesn’t mean anything to me unfortunately. It’s dance music and demands too much attention to be background.
2
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Wed Oct 05 2022
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
This sounds like a missing link between 80’s pop styles and 90’s alternative pop. “So Here I Come” is a standout and a great example. Dense samples you couldn’t get away with anymore, like De La Soul’s classic lost albums. It’s smart and fun and has things to say. I remember Buffalo Stance and Kisses on the Wind, but there’s a lot more here.
3
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Thu Oct 06 2022
Pelican West
Haircut 100
Sunny early 80s new wave. The musicianship and arrangements are really strong. Reminds me at times of XTC, Talking Heads, and The Beat. Pretty fun but somehow a little slight.
3
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Fri Oct 07 2022
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
Too old for this.
2
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Sat Oct 08 2022
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Clayton’s playing is just unimpeachable here. Technically brilliant and full of soul. John Mayall’s vocals/piano/harmonica are to my mind just about adequate, if not especially convincing. He’s at least earnest; and even if it’s influenced by Otis Rush or Buddy Guy, it’s not a cringeworthy imitation like some others of the time. John McVie is doing his thing on bass. Drums are a little all over the place—WTF is happening on that extended solo on “What’d I Say”! Pretty good horns. “Steppin’ Out” absolutely rips. Clapton’s guitar is a 5 and worth coming back to, while everything else is a solid 3, so I’m calling this a 4. Will definitely listen to this again.
4
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Sun Oct 09 2022
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
A little disappointing. Two great classics but no hidden gems for me. I think I’m good with their greatest hits.
3
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Mon Oct 10 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
What more can you say about this. Beautiful, devastating, a masterpiece. I’ve listened to this record hundreds of times yet I’m overjoyed to have it pop up here so I can listen again.
5
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Tue Oct 11 2022
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
This seems like music that’s really of a time and place that is not mine and I have no interest in visiting. It’s dance music that to me doesn’t hold a lot of interest as something to listen to in normal life.
The repetition really got to me, filling me with a sense of dread. You mean I have to hear this same meaningless thing at least four times in a row and there’s nothing I can do about it? I can appreciate the skill it took to put this together, and they were certainly successful in creating a certain atmosphere, but I’m glad I’ll never have to experience it again.
Also what was up with copying multiple elements from the Beastie Boys “The Maestro”? I wondered if it was based on the name dispute with the original Dust Brothers who produced Paul’s Boutique, but that’s not one of their songs. It was off-putting either way.
2
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Wed Oct 12 2022
Among The Living
Anthrax
Definitely agree this is an album you should hear before you die. I had no idea these guys were talking about all kinds of social issues, while simultaneously blazing past all reasonable limits on shredding. They seem to take the music/technique seriously but themselves not too seriously. I don’t think I’ll ever take the trip again but it was quite a ride.
3
View Album
Thu Oct 13 2022
American Idiot
Green Day
Couldn’t get into it. It just felt very phony to me. I don’t need Billie Joe to tell me how to feel about George Bush, or anything else that actually matters. What on earth is the point of slick, serious Green Day?
Don’t get me wrong, I also dislike the rest of their music. But my sense of it is that it at least has a certain integrity in being the anthem for a kind of kid who actually comes from a totally safe suburban home, but chooses to be a dirtbag because everything else is too much effort. Or maybe it’s just that one song.
1
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Fri Oct 14 2022
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
I could listen to this album every day. And every day would be better for it.
5
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Sat Oct 15 2022
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
What an insane debut. She goes from the unstoppable cosmic blast of joy in Girls Just Want to Have Fun, to the tenderness of Time After Time, slays a Prince cover, turns out an anthem about masturbation in 1984, and drops one of the best sing along songs of all time (All Through the Night). And that’s just in the first 6 songs.
I’ll admit I haven’t listened to the back half too often. She threw a decent ska track in there (Witness)—OK I can go with her on that one. “I’ll Kiss You” is a little iffy but I can’t fault the techno funk intro at least. The Betty Boop interlude “He’s so Unusual” is harmless fun I guess. “Yeah Yeah” almost sounds like Oingo Boingo in a good way, but the vocal overdubs are a little too distracting.
OK now I get why this might be a little overlooked. The huge drop off of the last three leaves you with some doubt about where the record stands in music history. But I don’t care. She did 5 stars worth in the first 20 minutes, so she gets to flex on the world with a weird victory lap after that.
5
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Sun Oct 16 2022
The Man Who
Travis
A wet paper bag of an album. Pointlessly joyless.
2
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Mon Oct 17 2022
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
More melodic than I expected, but the industrial noises did get annoying in places. If ambient means inoffensive background music then this mostly does the trick. This would be a good soundtrack for a video you’re trying to make look cooler than the subject matter really is. Like a retrospective of a late-90s visit to E3.
2
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Tue Oct 18 2022
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Half of these are all time greats. I’d say it’s similar to Elvis’ first album or a the Beatles’ in terms of quality and consistency—maybe even a little better than both. But even the oddities are cool. It’s kind of fun to hear him lament his bad luck in love with a reference to his empty Coke. Listen to this record if you need to be in a better mood and you only have 26 minutes to get there.
4
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Wed Oct 19 2022
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
Wow—really enjoyed this. It’s a witty, fun, varied record. Making me rethink my prejudice against “punk.” I hope there’s more like this out there!
As an aside, I had to do a mental reset on this because Apple had the release year as 1988 which must have been a reissue. 1979 makes a lot more sense.
4
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Thu Oct 20 2022
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
A very “lite” version of late 80’s alternative rock. It’s like if your favorite band sat down with you and every time you said, “This is my favorite part!” they cut it out. The lyrics struck me as either trite or just uninteresting, and their cadence was often awkward, so no help there. Pretty inessential.
2
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Fri Oct 21 2022
Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
If the premise here was to take cheesy ‘80s songs and strip them down and use their best parts to make something better I could get behind it. I somewhat enjoyed the fun that the disco/80s sources brought to it. But I guess I just don’t like this genre because at best this just felt unfulfilling. At worst, anytime there was a vocal sample, sooner or later I was forced to skip. “Drop the Pressure” was particularly bad. The word that came most to mind while listening was “insufferable.” I wanted to like it, but upon full consideration, I can’t deny the conclusion. I hated it.
1
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Sat Oct 22 2022
The Blueprint
JAY Z
Trying to listen to this with an open mind because I’ve always had a probably irrational dislike for Jay-Z. Something about his style has always rubbed me the wrong way. On the second time through I’m starting to get it. He definitely does what he does with a lot of skill, and maybe that’s masked by the looseness of his particular style. Seems to me that his strength is not so much the vocals in isolation but how they fit the beats. I get why people like it, it’s just not for me.
In terms of production, Kanye somehow knows how to make the classic soul samples sound new, so his tracks are pretty enjoyable. You have to give him that even if he’s a morally bankrupt human being. The production is strong throughout really, and the consistent feeling I got from the beats is that they sounded expensive, which I guess fits.
Jay’s lyrics in general are fine I guess. I’m not impressed with his wordplay or metaphors or anything. And some of it is just tedious or corny. Hard to excuse the casual misogyny and homophobia—this record was made in the 21st century. A couple of tracks rose above but even then I didn’t learn a whole lot or find anything that spoke to something unique enough to stick with me. He tried to address that in the music by saying it speaks to people living like how he grew up. Fair enough I guess. But it is possible to create great art from the perspective of a minority culture without having to cater to a majority audience. So I’m not ready to call this a classic just because other people really liked it.
All in all, I appreciated the craft of this a little more than before I actually sat down and really listened, but it’s still not something I’d choose to listen to. I can at least say I listened to it now so I’m not coming from a place of ignorance.
2
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Sun Oct 23 2022
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
4
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Mon Oct 24 2022
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
A nice blend of genres that at the time seemed cutting edge, especially for dance music. It still works but I think it would only really impress with the benefit of nostalgia. I’m guessing it probably means a lot to people who went out dancing to these mostly positive songs. As a suburban kid in the USA, that was not my experience of it unfortunately. None of the songs blow me away at this point—even Movin on Up or Loaded. Still it’s a pleasant enough way to spend an hour and think about a time when it still seemed possible that humanity might get it together.
3
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Tue Oct 25 2022
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
Something about African rock always excites me—these distant cousins just sound right together. This record really succeeds in incorporating western influences in a natural way, on top of the Malian Blues that’s already an exciting hybrid. There is also a lot of variety here, from the rock focused Soubor to the Ali Farka Toure influenced Wayei to the acoustic Petit Metier. Musicianship is great, vocals are great. Plus the record is an act of defiance against repression and religious fundamentalism, so what more could you ask for?
5
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Wed Oct 26 2022
Repeater
Fugazi
It’s funny how a slight change in the ratio of ingredients can throw off a recipe for one person or perfect it for another. To me this has so much good stuff, really the whole instrumental core of grunge. If you stirred in some melody and some lyrical subtlety it would be all good. And then add a dash of rage for spice and it’s perfect.
Instead we got no melody, all rage. I’ve always found that kind of punk/hardcore vocals a little dull but also whiny—impotent really. The lyrics here are not too bad but when coupled with that vocal style, they just make my goodwill and patience evaporate. At the first sign of pretension, I’m out. I’m sure there are lots of people who love this record because it’s giving them a double helping of what they like best. But to me it’s just unbalanced.
I was absolutely the perfect age for this record when it came out, but I had no interest in it then; and I think honestly if I had sat down and listened to the whole record as a teenager I’d have had the same reaction as today.
2
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Thu Oct 27 2022
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
This feels like a big part of the soundtrack to my early childhood, I think because this was the sort of thing everyone seemed to agree was pretty good at the time. This is what you’d expect to hear in someone’s car or on TV as an example of modern music. It has one great song in Shining Star. Plus Reasons and Africano are pretty solid. Otherwise super-polished and inoffensive.
3
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Fri Oct 28 2022
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
Not a lot compelling here. Some very earnest lyrics, but not in a charming way. The music is barely above easy listening. And somehow she seems to be both over singing and barely awake at the same time. As remarkable as that is, I can’t imagine why this was put on the list.
1
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Sat Oct 29 2022
Aja
Steely Dan
I’m so proud of myself for spotting Michael McDonald on backing vocals on some of these tracks! Nothing more to say.
3
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Sun Oct 30 2022
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
An absolute gem. This is the first album I got here that I had never heard at all, but I absolutely loved. Great songwriting, production, and performances. It has depth and soul and grooves.
5
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Mon Oct 31 2022
Synchronicity
The Police
For me, these guys have a double album’s worth of incredible music if you put it all together. I’m not sure any of their original records is an all time great, but even if so, this is not it. One 5* song here, two 4*, one 3*, and some self-indulgent duds.
3
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Tue Nov 01 2022
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
5
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Wed Nov 02 2022
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
A little dull, sometimes repetitive. Cinematic, but what’s the point?
2
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Thu Nov 03 2022
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
Big dumb fun. Bang a Gong was not a fluke—although it is by far the best example of its species. This shares some DNA with Bowie, but it’s all somehow less evolved. I don’t mind the nursery rhyme lyrics, B-minus solos, or caveman drums. You just have to put it on and not think too much.
3
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Fri Nov 04 2022
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
Thanks to this project I’m now familiar with Willie Nelson’s great Red Headed Stranger, which sets the bar for a love/jealousy/murder/redemption cycle. This record doesn’t manage to rate a comparison.
There are some flashes of greatness—Streets of Bakersfield in particular. There was also some moderately clever wordplay and at least it wasn’t wall to wall culture wars posturing and cartoonish stereotypes like some modern male country artists churn out. But it’s a little too glossy for me, even though this is supposed to be a more roots alternative to mainstream country.
The big problem was I just couldn’t feel enough from these songs to make me want to listen again. Unlike Willie, Dwight wasn’t able to bring me into his world enough to get over the repellence of his characters. And maybe I’m too sensitive but I thought there was a hint of antisemitism in “I Got You.” And “Dixie” and “rebel” are words that have meanings—they’re not just synonyms for the South. So you can take your traitorous, racist, revisionist history garbage and shove it, Dwight. There’s too much great music in the world for me to waste another minute on Dwight Yoakam.
2
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Sat Nov 05 2022
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
2
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Sun Nov 06 2022
Homework
Daft Punk
1
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Mon Nov 07 2022
Quiet Life
Japan
3
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Tue Nov 08 2022
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Pixies get an automatic 5*. The moments of gathering energy, chaos barely controlled, followed by frantic eruptions still kill me. I love Kim Deal maybe more than any other musician. I was at the rock and roll hall of fame and the thing that geeked me out the most was that they had one of her basses. This album was tested under extreme conditions today—running late to school with my son and he was freaked, but this insane record somehow calmed him down.
5
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Wed Nov 09 2022
Boston
Boston
If you think about it, even now there must be at least a million people in the world who would say their favorite band is Boston. Life is weird.
I never knew anything about this band, or cared to. I just learned that one guy played most of the instruments, which makes a lot of sense. The playing is all showy, gimmicky, grating, and empty. That kind of consistency is only possible if all the pieces are the product of the same ego.
1
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Thu Nov 10 2022
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren doesn’t add a whole lot. Most of what’s worthwhile here is better appreciated from the original sources. Hip-hop is a very misleading description for what this is—mostly a compilation of music stolen from different African musicians.
1
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Fri Nov 11 2022
Phrenology
The Roots
Appreciate the dense lyrics and Blackthought’s sometimes impressive wordplay. Don’t appreciate the inconsistency and sometimes immaturity. Pretty cool but I don’t think there’s enough here to convince me to return.
3
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Sat Nov 12 2022
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
3
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Sun Nov 13 2022
The Rise & Fall
Madness
3
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Mon Nov 14 2022
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
A slightly more rock version of English folk music evolved than Fairport Convention, with a dash of soul from Steve Windwood’s vocals. Pretty good stuff!
4
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Tue Nov 15 2022
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Music for dorks, wimps, geeks—my people, who could never be cool enough to be cool outcasts. Still sounds totally unique.
5
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Wed Nov 16 2022
Different Class
Pulp
I know people love this record but I just find it creepy. So much is devoted to weird revenge fantasies with a not-so-secret core of misogyny. If that’s what you think of people, Jarvis, you’re a miserable bastard. And if these are just characters I can’t imagine a situation where I’d want to spend any time with them.
I was not blown away by the musicianship. The singing was off putting and also unskilled. I didn’t think there was a lot of great song craft here. I’m glad I didn’t waste any time on it when it came out.
1
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Thu Nov 17 2022
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
I haven’t heard this in a few years and I’m so relieved it holds up. Maybe the messages are pretty simple, but they still resonate. We all need to feel sometimes that the struggle is worth it, just to make it through, or if we’re really lucky to try to actually build something.
The mix of electronic sounds and more traditional instruments in psychedelic pop felt new and exciting at the time. It might feel like it’s of a time now, but I don’t think it’s dated. This album helped define a sound that feels familiar in retrospect.
Just because one of the most popular current reviews is someone trying to appear cool by dismissing the whole album by saying “plagiarism,” let me just say, “Shut the fuck up.”
5
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Fri Nov 18 2022
Hms Fable
Shack
Solid post-Beatles pop from a journeyman band with all the tools. This is the sort of record that you hear and think there must be lots more like this out there—just good pop music that’s not groundbreaking but has no serious flaws. But it’s not that common at all. The songwriting, musicianship, and especially the brothers’ harmonies are all strengths. That’s why you can listen to the record the first time and think these must be famous songs; I must have heard them before, even though you haven’t. Glad I heard it.
3
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Sat Nov 19 2022
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
The sound of 1994 for me. I can’t be objective about it. I love every left turn no matter how questionable. They tuned up all their previous phases and turned out an epic feast. It seemed to cover every possible aspect of my life in some way: playing an absurd amount of basketball (badly but with a certain flair), trying meet girls, broadening my musical horizons, working on being a better person, just goofing off with friends. I might actually love Paul’s Boutique or Check Your Head more, but this one is peak Beastie Boys for me in many ways.
5
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Sun Nov 20 2022
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1
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Mon Nov 21 2022
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Let down a bit by this. I hadn’t heard it in a while and I remembered really liking it. She never really seemed to live up to her potential. Listening to this now I think I heard it at the time with the hope that she would. Somehow the record itself feels like a reflection of that as even the songs don’t seem to develop enough.
3
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Tue Nov 22 2022
Doolittle
Pixies
My favorite record by one of my favorite bands. No skips. Rips at any volume and in any setting. Kim Deal is the absolute best and her singing and playing are the soul of the record to me. But all the parts are great. On this, which must be way past my 100th listen, I’m really listening to the drums the most. So tasty, but with so much variety to them. Listen to the tom tom madness and weird fills on Dead and then the straight ahead snare/tambourine On Monkey Gone to Heaven. Totally different and you can’t imagine either song having the same impact without them.
5
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Wed Nov 23 2022
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
3
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Thu Nov 24 2022
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
1
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Fri Nov 25 2022
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
3
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Sat Nov 26 2022
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
2
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Sun Nov 27 2022
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
4
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Mon Nov 28 2022
Liquid Swords
GZA
3
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Tue Nov 29 2022
Forever Changes
Love
2
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Wed Nov 30 2022
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
3
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Thu Dec 01 2022
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
2
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Fri Dec 02 2022
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
2
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Sat Dec 03 2022
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
5
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Sun Dec 04 2022
Da Capo
Love
2
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Mon Dec 05 2022
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
5
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Tue Dec 06 2022
Fun House
The Stooges
4
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Wed Dec 07 2022
Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren
2
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Thu Dec 08 2022
Music From Big Pink
The Band
4
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Fri Dec 09 2022
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
5
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Sat Dec 10 2022
Fragile
Yes
This just isn’t what I listen to music for. All the digressions and unusual rhythms and chromatics and other gimmicks are very jarring. They make it impossible for a song to establish a mood, let alone lead anywhere. It’s almost worse that they sometimes flirt with building a serious groove, because it is such a let down when they then pull the rug. This album really is a chore to listen to.
If you’re wondering why other reviews mention a cover of America, apparently there are different versions. If you were spared like I was, I think you can consider yourself lucky.
2
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Sun Dec 11 2022
Fromohio
fIREHOSE
2
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Mon Dec 12 2022
Goo
Sonic Youth
5
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Tue Dec 13 2022
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
4
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Wed Dec 14 2022
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
5
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Thu Dec 15 2022
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
3
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Fri Dec 16 2022
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
3
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Sat Dec 17 2022
Brothers
The Black Keys
I can’t get past the falseness of this: attitudes, ideas and styles borrowed but not understood. It’s grating, repetitive, and empty. An idiot’s idea of what a modern blues record would sound like.
They really kind of exposed themselves with that cover of “Never Gonna Give You Up.” It’s so utterly inessential, so offensively soulless, it’s an absolute train wreck. They made it so easy to compare them to the real thing though. You just switch over to Jerry Butler’s version to hear what the song would sound like if it meant anything. Then you could listen to Eddie Floyd’s cover to see how an artist could actually reinterpret it without ruining it—that is if they had any inkling of how to feel music.
That was my breaking point. I only had one song left but I couldn’t bear to listen to any more. Goodbye forever Black Keys.
1
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Sun Dec 18 2022
Black Metal
Venom
1
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Mon Dec 19 2022
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
5
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Tue Dec 20 2022
The Stranger
Billy Joel
The popular songcraft here is strong but the problem is that it doesn’t serve much of a purpose. If you took Paul McCartney at his schmaltziest, added some overproduced Paul Simon with all the substance trimmed away, and finished with a dash of Elton John glitz, this is what you’d get. He absolutely nailed what he was trying to make, it seems, but it’s all so flavorless I can’t imagine why you’d want to try it. Plus the second half really reveals a core of misogyny that poisons anything decent there.
2
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Wed Dec 21 2022
Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
3
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Thu Dec 22 2022
Street Signs
Ozomatli
Wasn’t terrible. It just felt like the fusion was the point. That seems to have been enough for people not to mind how shallow and safe it was in a lot of places. For me, a bunch of B to C level parts didn’t magically add up to an A.
It’s funny that David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos) guested on this because I was thinking as I listened to it how much more depth Los Lobos has if you want to hear music that blends mainstream US (folk/blues/rock) and Latino traditions.
And then I was thinking how many better versions of conscious old-school hip hop there are out there from this era (for instance Dilated Peoples or Jurassic 5), and up pops Chali 2na. Not that those groups are anything earth-shaking. But they do a much better job of scratching that particular itch.
On a final note, I was playing this out loud and the last track “Cuando Canto” came on. My son, who is a pretty fluent Spanish speaker, came by and without prompting said, “Wow those lyrics are not very good are they.” And now he keeps singing “Cuando Canto” at random moments to annoy me. So for those of us who don’t speak Spanish, we don’t have to feel bad that we’re not giving it a fair shot—seems it’s equally bland in both languages.
2
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Fri Dec 23 2022
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
2
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Sat Dec 24 2022
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
4
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Sun Dec 25 2022
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
5
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Mon Dec 26 2022
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
3
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Tue Dec 27 2022
Live Through This
Hole
I’ve always disregarded this album for fairly superficial reasons, and really based on one song—Doll Parts. First, Courtney Love is just not a great singer technically. Listening to the album now, I can see how her voice works better in more aggressive, punk-leaning songs. But totally exposed on “Doll Parts” I always found her voice annoying. Second, the rhythm of the guitar and vocal on Doll Parts are so simplistic and awkward, it always sounded to me like something a band of junior high kids would turn out. And to be honest the lyrics are just dumb.
I was surprised by the more sophisticated music on the rest of the album. I didn’t hate it to be honest. But I think the flaws of Doll Parts are there in the rest of the record too, and they’re enough to make this something I probably won’t listen to again. This melodic, softer version of Hole needs a stronger vocalist than Courtney Love to pull it off. And I think some of the songs are mixed to give more space to her vocals in a way that makes them feel a bit neutered. I’m probably too old now to be hearing the rest of these lyrics for the first time, but a lot of them are pretty dumb.
2
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Wed Dec 28 2022
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2
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Thu Dec 29 2022
In Rainbows
Radiohead
5
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Fri Dec 30 2022
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
3
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Sat Dec 31 2022
The Real Thing
Faith No More
3
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Sun Jan 01 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
3
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Mon Jan 02 2023
Amnesiac
Radiohead
5
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Tue Jan 03 2023
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
2
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Wed Jan 04 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
4
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Thu Jan 05 2023
Urban Hymns
The Verve
2
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Fri Jan 06 2023
Happy Sad
Tim Buckley
2
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Sat Jan 07 2023
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
4
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Sun Jan 08 2023
The Band
The Band
4
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Mon Jan 09 2023
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
2
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Tue Jan 10 2023
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
4
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Wed Jan 11 2023
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
4
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Thu Jan 12 2023
I Against I
Bad Brains
3
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Fri Jan 13 2023
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
3
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Sat Jan 14 2023
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
Listening to this album for the first time in years I was struck by how much I liked the production. It just sounds great—clean and full but not too slick. I was surprised it’s even 45 minutes because it’s full of great songs but it never drags for me. What a fun record.
5
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Sun Jan 15 2023
Real Life
Magazine
3
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Mon Jan 16 2023
Manassas
Stephen Stills
2
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Tue Jan 17 2023
Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
4
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Wed Jan 18 2023
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
3
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Thu Jan 19 2023
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
I know this is one you’re supposed to like. It’s important and you can dance to it! But I always wonder if the critics who said this was one of the best records of the 2000s ever dust it off and listen to it now. And did they ever dance, or did they just imagine that they might? I could see this meaning a lot to the right person if it came to them at the right time, but I’m kind of surprised at the level of reverence there was for it generally.
I mean … it’s fine really. I thought the lyrics were a little overwrought. The singing was a little overstylized and underfelt. I like dense layers and there was a lot to discover if you listen closely, so that was a plus. And they did try to build some tension and textural changes. I didn’t think they 100% succeeded in making those into compelling grooves though, or in using those changes to build something moving. Without achieving a climax of one kind or another, sometimes the music just felt heavy—overloaded to the point of being suffocating.
I think they got closest on Golden Age, which is almost great. But even there, I was dying for it to break through into at least one moment of ecstasy or else chaos. I guess since it seems to be ironic/warning they didn’t want to do that. A lot of talent went into this, but it never got up high enough for me to want to listen again. Its a weird 3 for me because if it could have lived up to its ambitions, I can imagine a world where it’s a 5. But since it didn’t, it’s almost worse than something simple done well. I don’t want to hear it again so maybe it should be a 2. But what the hell.
3
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
3
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Sat Jan 21 2023
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
Based on this project, I’m starting to see “he played all the instruments!” as a warning sign, not a recommendation.
1
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Sun Jan 22 2023
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
3
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Mon Jan 23 2023
Underwater Moonlight
The Soft Boys
4
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Tue Jan 24 2023
Machine Head
Deep Purple
2
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Wed Jan 25 2023
The Cars
The Cars
4
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Thu Jan 26 2023
Reign In Blood
Slayer
Big nope. I don’t know what they intended but to start right off the bat trying to profit off the atrocities of the Holocaust means I can’t listen any further.
1
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Fri Jan 27 2023
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
4
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Sat Jan 28 2023
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
RHCP got stuck in a paradox, I think. Who could have predicted that these knuckleheads would make it into the 90s, let alone a new century? When you’re around that long, you have to evolve. But you can’t totally leave behind your identity. Well the core of this band’s charm doesn’t look good on a bunch of guys turning 40. And what exactly does barely clever raunch evolve into? As this record shows, definitely not wisdom. They used up whatever they had on Blood Sugar Sex Magic.
In my dream, they made a deal with John Frusciante in the middle of the Blood Sugar Sex Magic tour that they would go out on top if he would just cheer up for a minute. They played a last triumphant show with Nirvana and Pearl Jam in support (look it up), gave each other a big hug, and called it a day. Through many twists and turns they all found their way back to each other and today they run a garden center together in Torrence. They look their age and they never ever mention that they were once a band.
2
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Sun Jan 29 2023
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
4
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Mon Jan 30 2023
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
3
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Tue Jan 31 2023
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
4
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Wed Feb 01 2023
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
The record shows off what Johnny Cash has left and what he doesn’t. To me, a song that’s kind of monotonous and slow, like Hurt or Personal Jesus, just becomes painfully dull when it’s slowed down. What’s he supposed to do with it really—there’s no way to perform it with emotion. I really can’t stand the production on those experiments either. They’ve thrown all kinds of layers on them to make them sound ominous or dramatic, and it comes off as really phony. Bridge Over Troubled Waters is pretty egregious. The production is so bad that at points they forced him into William Shatner territory. This man with such a unique voice, that miraculously still worked was reduced to an awkward croak. The number of Johnny Cash recordings left to come out were clearly numbered, and they wasted a precious few on some nonsense. I’m not his biggest fan even but that seems just plain wrong.
I will say he does a pretty good job with Desperado, but I just hate the fuckin Eagles, man.
On the other end you have some of his own songs, or other country or traditional songs, and his interpretation really shines. He’s obviously mastered his craft over decades. His voice isn’t quite as strong anymore (but pretty good all things considered—especially on Streets of Laredo). For me, that shines a light on everything else he brings to the performance. 3 stars for an icon proving his status; minus 1 for some atrocious choices made by other people who thought they were clever.
2
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Thu Feb 02 2023
Superunknown
Soundgarden
2
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Fri Feb 03 2023
Rip It Up
Orange Juice
4
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Sat Feb 04 2023
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
3
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Sun Feb 05 2023
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
5
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Mon Feb 06 2023
Medúlla
Björk
3
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Tue Feb 07 2023
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
5
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Wed Feb 08 2023
Picture Book
Simply Red
I wish reviews could be downvoted, so we could take collective action against morons who think it’s funny to discriminate against redheads. How pathetic a person do you have to be to try to inflate your self worth by putting down people with a different hair color. The best thing you can say about yourself is at least I have the same hair as everyone else?
On the flip side, this album sucks. As an official defender of redheads I hereby give you permission to hate it on its own merits without worrying about being discriminatory. I believe the last song has an attempted dub breakdown in the middle, which is just unconscionable.
2
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Thu Feb 09 2023
Debut
Björk
3
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Fri Feb 10 2023
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
4
View Album
Sat Feb 11 2023
Grace
Jeff Buckley
5
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Sun Feb 12 2023
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
2
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Mon Feb 13 2023
Funeral
Arcade Fire
5
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Tue Feb 14 2023
Soul Mining
The The
2
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Wed Feb 15 2023
Sincere
Mj Cole
1
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Thu Feb 16 2023
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
4
View Album
Fri Feb 17 2023
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2
View Album
Sat Feb 18 2023
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
2
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Sun Feb 19 2023
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
4
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Mon Feb 20 2023
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
4
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Tue Feb 21 2023
Hysteria
Def Leppard
1
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Wed Feb 22 2023
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
3
View Album
Thu Feb 23 2023
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
5
View Album
Fri Feb 24 2023
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
4
View Album
Sat Feb 25 2023
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
4
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Sun Feb 26 2023
Before And After Science
Brian Eno
4
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Mon Feb 27 2023
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
3
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Tue Feb 28 2023
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
3
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Wed Mar 01 2023
Pornography
The Cure
4
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Thu Mar 02 2023
Dummy
Portishead
5
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
4
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Sat Mar 04 2023
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
2
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Sun Mar 05 2023
Hearts And Bones
Paul Simon
3
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Mon Mar 06 2023
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
3
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Tue Mar 07 2023
My Generation
The Who
3
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
3
View Album
Thu Mar 09 2023
Rio
Duran Duran
3
View Album
Fri Mar 10 2023
Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
3
View Album
Sat Mar 11 2023
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
2
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Sun Mar 12 2023
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
2
View Album
Mon Mar 13 2023
Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
2
View Album
Tue Mar 14 2023
Stripped
Christina Aguilera
2
View Album
Wed Mar 15 2023
Kenya
Machito
4
View Album
Thu Mar 16 2023
evermore
Taylor Swift
2
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
Parklife
Blur
2
View Album
Sat Mar 18 2023
Imagine
John Lennon
4
View Album
Sun Mar 19 2023
Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
4
View Album
Mon Mar 20 2023
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
5
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Tue Mar 21 2023
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
3
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Wed Mar 22 2023
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
5
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Thu Mar 23 2023
The Colour Of Spring
Talk Talk
2
View Album
Fri Mar 24 2023
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
3
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Sat Mar 25 2023
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
2
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Sun Mar 26 2023
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
3
View Album
Mon Mar 27 2023
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
3
View Album
Tue Mar 28 2023
NEU! 75
Neu!
3
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Wed Mar 29 2023
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1
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Thu Mar 30 2023
Illmatic
Nas
4
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
3
View Album
Sat Apr 01 2023
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
2
View Album
Sun Apr 02 2023
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
4
View Album
Tue Apr 04 2023
Maxinquaye
Tricky
2
View Album
Wed Apr 05 2023
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
4
View Album
Thu Apr 06 2023
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
3
View Album
Fri Apr 07 2023
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1
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Sat Apr 08 2023
Graceland
Paul Simon
5
View Album
Sun Apr 09 2023
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5
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Mon Apr 10 2023
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
3
View Album
Tue Apr 11 2023
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
2
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Wed Apr 12 2023
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
3
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Thu Apr 13 2023
Destroyer
KISS
Moronic
1
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Fri Apr 14 2023
Bummed
Happy Mondays
2
View Album
Sat Apr 15 2023
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5
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Sun Apr 16 2023
The Wall
Pink Floyd
3
View Album
Mon Apr 17 2023
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
3
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Tue Apr 18 2023
Moondance
Van Morrison
5
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Hypnotised
The Undertones
3
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Thu Apr 20 2023
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
I’ve probably heard this more than any other album ever. This time through I tried an experiment and listened to it more as a metaphor about bringing more love into our lives in every way. Of course it’s an album about sex and romantic love. But I think Marvin had a much broader version of love in mind too. He’s pretty straightforward about it at times but also I think he just had his love dial turned up. Try walking around with the security of If I Should Die Tonight (if you can manage it), the openness of Let’s Get it On, and the joy of Keep Getting It On, and the world is a beautiful place.
5
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Fri Apr 21 2023
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
4
View Album
Sat Apr 22 2023
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
1
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Sun Apr 23 2023
Django Django
Django Django
3
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Mon Apr 24 2023
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
1
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Tue Apr 25 2023
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
3
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Wed Apr 26 2023
Elephant
The White Stripes
4
View Album
Thu Apr 27 2023
Sail Away
Randy Newman
4
View Album
Fri Apr 28 2023
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
5
View Album
Sat Apr 29 2023
Me Against The World
2Pac
3
View Album
Sun Apr 30 2023
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
2
View Album
Mon May 01 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
2
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
5
View Album
Wed May 03 2023
London Calling
The Clash
5
View Album
Thu May 04 2023
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
1
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Fri May 05 2023
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
3
View Album
Sat May 06 2023
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
3
View Album
Sun May 07 2023
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
4
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
3
View Album
Wed May 10 2023
The Slider
T. Rex
3
View Album
Thu May 11 2023
Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Dexys Midnight Runners
2
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
The Boatman's Call
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2
View Album
Sat May 13 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
5
View Album
Sun May 14 2023
Legalize It
Peter Tosh
5
View Album
Mon May 15 2023
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
5
View Album
Tue May 16 2023
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3
View Album
Wed May 17 2023
Green
R.E.M.
I’m shocked to see only one 5 star review for this. All I can say is what this meant to me when it came out. As a kid who was unsure of where or how to fit in, this was a world that I could inhabit. This was a place that felt like it belonged to me and that had tremendous depths to explore. Maybe it doesn’t sound new or different because of everything that’s been influenced by it. It was just serious enough to take seriously, just fun enough to be fun, just rocking enough to be rock, and just different enough from everything else to define the alternative. For an album this weird to be as successful as it was in the monoculture times, and break through to present itself to kids like me was almost a miracle. It was a gateway to a million other things but on its own it just about saved me.
5
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Thu May 18 2023
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
4
View Album
Fri May 19 2023
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
4
View Album
Sat May 20 2023
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
5
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Sun May 21 2023
Back In Black
AC/DC
1
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Mon May 22 2023
Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
4
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
4
View Album
Wed May 24 2023
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
2
View Album
Thu May 25 2023
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
5
View Album
Fri May 26 2023
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5
View Album
Sat May 27 2023
Blue
Joni Mitchell
4
View Album
Sun May 28 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
4
View Album
Mon May 29 2023
Harvest
Neil Young
5
View Album
Tue May 30 2023
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
2
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Wed May 31 2023
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
4
View Album
Thu Jun 01 2023
Larks' Tongues In Aspic
King Crimson
2
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Fri Jun 02 2023
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
View Album
Sat Jun 03 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
1
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Sun Jun 04 2023
Mask
Bauhaus
2
View Album
Mon Jun 05 2023
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
2
View Album
Tue Jun 06 2023
Tapestry
Carole King
2
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Wed Jun 07 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
5
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Thu Jun 08 2023
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
4
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Fri Jun 09 2023
Van Halen
Van Halen
1
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Sat Jun 10 2023
25
Adele
4
View Album
Sun Jun 11 2023
White Ladder
David Gray
3
View Album
Mon Jun 12 2023
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
2
View Album
Tue Jun 13 2023
The Specials
The Specials
2
View Album
Wed Jun 14 2023
Rocks
Aerosmith
1
View Album
Thu Jun 15 2023
Disintegration
The Cure
5
View Album
Fri Jun 16 2023
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
2
View Album
Sat Jun 17 2023
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
5
View Album
Sun Jun 18 2023
The Contino Sessions
Death In Vegas
2
View Album
Mon Jun 19 2023
Dance Mania
Tito Puente
3
View Album
Tue Jun 20 2023
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
4
View Album
Wed Jun 21 2023
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
4
View Album
Thu Jun 22 2023
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
3
View Album
Fri Jun 23 2023
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
2
View Album
Sat Jun 24 2023
Sound Affects
The Jam
3
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Sun Jun 25 2023
New Forms
Roni Size
2
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Mon Jun 26 2023
Technique
New Order
2
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Tue Jun 27 2023
Frank
Amy Winehouse
2
View Album
Wed Jun 28 2023
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
2
View Album
Thu Jun 29 2023
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
3
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Fri Jun 30 2023
Timeless
Goldie
1
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Sat Jul 01 2023
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
5
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Sun Jul 02 2023
The White Album
Beatles
5
View Album
Mon Jul 03 2023
A Walk Across The Rooftops
The Blue Nile
3
View Album
Tue Jul 04 2023
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
5
View Album
Wed Jul 05 2023
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
2
View Album
Thu Jul 06 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
2
View Album
Fri Jul 07 2023
Live At Leeds
The Who
4
View Album
Sat Jul 08 2023
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
4
View Album
Sun Jul 09 2023
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
3
View Album
Mon Jul 10 2023
Chelsea Girl
Nico
3
View Album
Tue Jul 11 2023
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
3
View Album
Wed Jul 12 2023
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
5
View Album
Thu Jul 13 2023
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
3
View Album
Fri Jul 14 2023
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
5
View Album
Sat Jul 15 2023
With The Beatles
Beatles
4
View Album
Sun Jul 16 2023
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
1
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Mon Jul 17 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
2
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Tue Jul 18 2023
Tommy
The Who
4
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Wed Jul 19 2023
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4
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Thu Jul 20 2023
The Idiot
Iggy Pop
4
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Fri Jul 21 2023
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
2
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Sat Jul 22 2023
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
3
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Sun Jul 23 2023
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
3
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Mon Jul 24 2023
Mothership Connection
Parliament
5
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Tue Jul 25 2023
Cross
Justice
2
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Wed Jul 26 2023
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
3
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Thu Jul 27 2023
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
4
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Fri Jul 28 2023
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
2
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Sat Jul 29 2023
Blunderbuss
Jack White
3
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Sun Jul 30 2023
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
4
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Mon Jul 31 2023
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
4
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Tue Aug 01 2023
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
5
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Wed Aug 02 2023
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4
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Thu Aug 03 2023
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
2
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Fri Aug 04 2023
Hotel California
Eagles
2
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Sat Aug 05 2023
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
5
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Sun Aug 06 2023
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
3
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Mon Aug 07 2023
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3
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Tue Aug 08 2023
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
4
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Wed Aug 09 2023
Sulk
The Associates
1
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Thu Aug 10 2023
Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp
3
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Fri Aug 11 2023
GREY Area
Little Simz
2
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Sat Aug 12 2023
Dookie
Green Day
2
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Sun Aug 13 2023
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
2
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Mon Aug 14 2023
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
4
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Tue Aug 15 2023
OK Computer
Radiohead
5
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Wed Aug 16 2023
Cut
The Slits
3
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Thu Aug 17 2023
Fly Or Die
N.E.R.D
2
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Fri Aug 18 2023
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
2
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Sat Aug 19 2023
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4
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Sun Aug 20 2023
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
4
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Mon Aug 21 2023
Calenture
The Triffids
1
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Tue Aug 22 2023
On The Beach
Neil Young
4
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Wed Aug 23 2023
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
5
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Thu Aug 24 2023
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
4
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Fri Aug 25 2023
Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals
3
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Sat Aug 26 2023
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
3
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Sun Aug 27 2023
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
2
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Mon Aug 28 2023
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
5
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Tue Aug 29 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
5
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Wed Aug 30 2023
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
1
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Thu Aug 31 2023
Vento De Maio
Elis Regina
3
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Fri Sep 01 2023
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
3
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Sat Sep 02 2023
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3
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Sun Sep 03 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
3
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Mon Sep 04 2023
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
3
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Tue Sep 05 2023
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
4
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Wed Sep 06 2023
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
4
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Thu Sep 07 2023
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
3
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Fri Sep 08 2023
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
2
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Sat Sep 09 2023
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
1
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Sun Sep 10 2023
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
2
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Mon Sep 11 2023
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
2
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Tue Sep 12 2023
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
3
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Wed Sep 13 2023
The Poet
Bobby Womack
3
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Thu Sep 14 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
4
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Fri Sep 15 2023
The Grand Tour
George Jones
3
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Sat Sep 16 2023
Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
3
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Sun Sep 17 2023
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
3
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Mon Sep 18 2023
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
2
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Tue Sep 19 2023
Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
4
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Wed Sep 20 2023
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
2
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Thu Sep 21 2023
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
3
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Fri Sep 22 2023
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
3
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Sat Sep 23 2023
Low-Life
New Order
2
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Sun Sep 24 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
5
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Mon Sep 25 2023
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
5
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Tue Sep 26 2023
A Night At The Opera
Queen
2
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Wed Sep 27 2023
World Clique
Deee-Lite
3
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Thu Sep 28 2023
Smash
The Offspring
1
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Fri Sep 29 2023
Yeezus
Kanye West
2
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Sat Sep 30 2023
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
4
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Sun Oct 01 2023
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
2
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Mon Oct 02 2023
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
2
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Tue Oct 03 2023
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
3
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Wed Oct 04 2023
Document
R.E.M.
5
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Thu Oct 05 2023
m b v
My Bloody Valentine
2
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Fri Oct 06 2023
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
4
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Sat Oct 07 2023
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
5
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Sun Oct 08 2023
Microshift
Hookworms
3
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Mon Oct 09 2023
Low
David Bowie
4
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Tue Oct 10 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
4
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Wed Oct 11 2023
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
3
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Thu Oct 12 2023
Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
4
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Fri Oct 13 2023
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
4
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Sat Oct 14 2023
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
5
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Sun Oct 15 2023
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
2
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Mon Oct 16 2023
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
3
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Tue Oct 17 2023
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
2
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Wed Oct 18 2023
At Budokan
Cheap Trick
2
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Thu Oct 19 2023
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
2
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Fri Oct 20 2023
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
3
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Sat Oct 21 2023
Bad
Michael Jackson
5
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Sun Oct 22 2023
In It For The Money
Supergrass
2
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Mon Oct 23 2023
Celebrity Skin
Hole
4
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Tue Oct 24 2023
Very
Pet Shop Boys
1
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Wed Oct 25 2023
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
3
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Thu Oct 26 2023
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
2
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Fri Oct 27 2023
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
1
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Sat Oct 28 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
4
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Sun Oct 29 2023
Don't Stand Me Down
Dexys Midnight Runners
1
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Mon Oct 30 2023
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
2
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Third
Soft Machine
2
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Wed Nov 01 2023
Suede
Suede
2
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Thu Nov 02 2023
Treasure
Cocteau Twins
2
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Fri Nov 03 2023
Skylarking
XTC
4
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Sat Nov 04 2023
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
2
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Sun Nov 05 2023
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
1
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Mon Nov 06 2023
Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
5
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Tue Nov 07 2023
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
3
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
4
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Thu Nov 09 2023
...And Justice For All
Metallica
1
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Fri Nov 10 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
3
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
3
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
2
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Mon Nov 13 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
1
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Tue Nov 14 2023
This Is Hardcore
Pulp
3
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Moby Grape
Moby Grape
3
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Thu Nov 16 2023
Teen Dream
Beach House
2
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4
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Sat Nov 18 2023
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
3
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Sun Nov 19 2023
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
2
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Mon Nov 20 2023
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Brian Eno
3
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
4
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Violator
Depeche Mode
3
View Album
Fri Nov 24 2023
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
3
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Sat Nov 25 2023
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
3
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
2
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Tical
Method Man
3
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Tue Nov 28 2023
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
3
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Tue Jan 02 2024
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
3
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Wed Jan 03 2024
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
2
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Being There
Wilco
3
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
3
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
4
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Wed Feb 07 2024
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
4
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Gris Gris
Dr. John
4
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Protection
Massive Attack
2
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Sat Feb 10 2024
Kala
M.I.A.
3
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
4
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Djam Leelii
Baaba Maal
4
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Tue Feb 13 2024
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
3
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Signing Off
UB40
4
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Thu Feb 15 2024
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
3
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Guero
Beck
4
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Parachutes
Coldplay
2
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
2
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
3
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Tue Feb 20 2024
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
5
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Pump
Aerosmith
1
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Thu Feb 22 2024
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
2
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Face to Face
The Kinks
4
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
1
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3
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Mon Feb 26 2024
The Libertines
The Libertines
1
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
2
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Wed Feb 28 2024
Nixon
Lambchop
1
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Play
Moby
1
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Nowhere
Ride
4
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Sat Mar 02 2024
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Buck Owens
2
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Country Life
Roxy Music
2
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Truth
Jeff Beck
2
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Wed Mar 06 2024
I Should Coco
Supergrass
3
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
2
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Faith
George Michael
2
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Sat Mar 09 2024
Infected
The The
2
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
5
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Mon Mar 11 2024
...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
3
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Nevermind
Nirvana
4
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Bubble And Scrape
Sebadoh
2
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Shaka Zulu
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Transformer
Lou Reed
4
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Abbey Road
Beatles
5
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Traffic
Traffic
4
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Mon Mar 18 2024
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
2
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Tue Mar 19 2024
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
2
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
2
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Melodrama
Lorde
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Elastica
Elastica
2
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies
3
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Sun Mar 24 2024
The Joshua Tree
U2
4
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
4
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Tue Mar 26 2024
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
5
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Wed Mar 27 2024
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
4
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
4
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Wed Apr 03 2024
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
3
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Connected
Stereo MC's
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Dirty
Sonic Youth
5
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Thu Apr 11 2024
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
4
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Mott
Mott The Hoople
4
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Palo Congo
Sabu
3
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
1
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Mon Apr 15 2024
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
1
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Tue Apr 16 2024
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
2
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
2
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Either Or
Elliott Smith
Seeing this cover pop up reminded me of when I saw it for the first time in 1997. I was doing DJ slots at odd hours on our college radio station and there was a big bin of new CDs we were supposed to choose from for some required proportion of our shows. One of the jobs of the volunteers was to review these albums and put brief notes on the cover so the DJs would have an idea of what to check out. This one said basically don’t be fooled, I’m a sensitive singer songwriter. I can’t remember what songs I played at the time but I do remember thinking that was spot on and I happily played this record every show until it dropped out of the new music bin.
The next memory I have of this is listening to it more and more after graduation, driving around LA. I played it for my younger brother and said to him I love this guy, he’s kind of folky but his music really rocks. As I played it for him I kept saying OK I think this next one is a loud one. I just had the impression that these were dynamic songs with some kind of strong life force. This was before these songs became famous for being used in movie scenes to telegraph melancholy. Although they’re sometimes dark, I didn’t think of them as being just that. They’re expertly constructed, layered, and dynamic, musically and lyrically. There is anger here, frustration, alienation and loss, but also joy and hope.
I’ve listened to this album hundreds of times. Sometimes I play it as background music because I know it so well, it doesn’t even engage my brain enough to distract from whatever I’m trying to do. I can literally sing along while reading something else. Other times I play it to get into the headspace of driving around LA, feeling the unique atmosphere of the city. Sometimes I listen close in headphones and try to pick out something different—one of the layers of guitars or vocals, an odd shift in timing, an unexpected chord change. It’s always rewarding.
I guess what I’m saying is, this is not a one-note artist or record. Try listening to this record when you’re happy. Last time I heard it was riding the train down the pacific coast to San Diego. It was equally amazing as a soundtrack to bleak downtowns and glorious beaches.
5
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Fri Apr 19 2024
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
3
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Sat Apr 20 2024
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
4
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Sun Apr 21 2024
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
2
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Smile
Brian Wilson
1