Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
246
Albums Rated
3.03
Average Rating
23%
Complete
843 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
31
5-Star Albums
28
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kollaps | 4 | 1.9 | +2.1 |
| Deloused in the Comatorium | 5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| Lost In The Dream | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
| Hot Buttered Soul | 5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
| Five Leaves Left | 5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
| Dirt | 5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
| She's So Unusual | 5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
| Boy In Da Corner | 4 | 2.57 | +1.43 |
| Hotel California | 5 | 3.6 | +1.4 |
| The Cars | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
| In The Court Of The Crimson King | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Tonight's The Night | 1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
| Clandestino | 1 | 3.22 | -2.22 |
| The Blueprint | 1 | 3.22 | -2.22 |
| New York Dolls | 1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
| Armed Forces | 1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
| Eternally Yours | 1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
| Germfree Adolescents | 1 | 3.04 | -2.04 |
| Behaviour | 1 | 3.04 | -2.04 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.75 |
| Black Sabbath | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 2 | 1 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 1 |
| Sonic Youth | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Albums | Variance |
|---|---|---|
| Pet Shop Boys | 2 | 1.5 |
| Nick Drake | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (31)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Gram Parsons
2/5
The story of his wife not liking his singing with Emmy Lou Harris, enough so to remove her picture from the cover, was WAY more interesting than this album.
24 likes
Meat Puppets
2/5
I sometimes think the requirement to get on this list is to have an album that is anti-melody. I suppose the art of Rock n Roll is being anti-establishment and not sounding like old people. If that’s the requirement for this list, then this album qualifies. I just enjoy melody with my protest poetry. This album had a mixture of out of tune guitars and screaming vocals, ala Nirvana without the heroin. But then it had some beats that had me tapping my fingers. So there’s something there… 2.1/5.
8 likes
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
This noisy assault had me glued to the listen for at least half the album, then became a bit tiring. This is at times incredibly raw and dark, but also humorous in its audacity. Definitely unique and for a record created to be the “most unlistenable album ever”, Ein came pretty close. Actually, there was enough rhythm and beat to keep me listening. I’ve had much harder times listening to more conventional albums I just didn’t like. I suppose ‘unlistenable’ is very subjective.
5 likes
Black Sabbath
5/5
You can imagine the cocaine hanging in the air in the LA studio during this recording session. Truly epic guitar and drum composition, mixed with haunting rhythms for Ozzy to lay on a thick layer of buttercream icing onto this devil’s food cake of an album. 5 stars.
4 likes
Pentangle
1/5
This is one of the albums I wonder “why is it on this list!”. I mean, if you’re going to include a hit-less unknown of this flower-power genre, I expect to see every Peter Paul & Mary album, as well as every Beatles record, Jefferson Airplane, etc. cMon, some of the choices on this list are head scratchers.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (28)
All Ratings
Beastie Boys
4/5
Great album, surprised it has such clean lyrics for a groundbreaking rap album. They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Black Sabbath
5/5
This has to be the absolute best album of 1970, and just sounds fantastic 52+ years later. It’s an album that I enjoyed at 12 as a foundational rock album, and even sounds more satisfying 30 years later on this listen.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Meh. I recognized 3 songs, and another two (people get ready) that I had heard more popular versions of by other artists. Not sure if they were written by Aretha or if she actually had covers on this 1968 album? I also noticed some rough mixing of the vocals on a few tracks. Not the best recording. But her voice was outstanding and she is the “Queen of Soul” for a reason.
R.E.M.
5/5
This seminal album of my youth has held up well over 30 years. It feels like 1992 all over again. Lots of great songs-well recorded and not many duds. Maybe that Monty song, that’s about it. Ignoreland, Drive and Sweetness Follows are gems.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Interesting composition and quality recording/mixing. In The Backseat is a an excellent composition, with a slow build and strings that set it apart from other tracks. Vocals are emotionally charged.
This album on the whole is very listenable, but heavier in lyrics than I expected.
Love
4/5
I’d never heard of Love before, but I will listen to Forever Changes again. Definitely has a 60s psychedelic vibe. I am liking the rhythms and drumming on “The Daily Planet”. Forever changes seems very well recorded for 1967. “Maybe the People will be the times…” is groovy.
After finishing this album, it seems generally ahead of it’s time. The songs have intricate layers. I could see this album being served with some shrooms.
New Order
3/5
Mid-tempo consistent, clean and punchy beats with soft vocals similar to Depeche Shop Bois.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This album takes me back to the late 80s. Brought a guilty chuckle remembering the Sam Kinison joke regarding the PSB & hamsters. Anyway, A couple of the tracks were big hits on the FM, but even the ones I hadn’t heard before are decent. The 2018 remaster on Spotify has good low end extension. Shopping, Heart, Hit Music and Kings Cross are quality.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
The voice as an instrument, then this album is worth more than my rating of 3 stars. However, I don’t think I heard anything that will be bringing me back to listening to this album, but this record nonetheless seems a deep and powerfully emotional vocal expression.
Erykah Badu
4/5
This album is best heard with a good set of speakers and a glass of wine or good craft beer. Deep beats and chill.
Wu-Tang Clan
1/5
As art this album plays like an explosion of color and shapes, rough edges imposed on smooth.
‘Carey like Mariah.”
The Rolling Stones
5/5
I enjoyed this listen. Several big time classics and even the B-sides were awesome. I listened to this album twice while stringing outside Christmas lights.
Radiohead
3/5
Welp, there were a few tracks that I would describe as slower chill beats. Those were interesting, mainly for the highly stylized use of random sounds and synth. Best complemented with a dark, complex stout. Then there were several tracks that were angrier and didn’t have much melody.
As in most Radiohead work, the lyrics are intricately woven and meaningful, with this album politically driven at times. Lyrically, their absolute worst album can be considered 10x better than a ‘best album’ from one of dozens of late 80’s boozy hairbands. But I’d probably enjoy the lighter lyrics with those bands, along with a cold light beer.
I still like The Bends and Kid A much better.
The Doors
4/5
Good album-has that doors bluesy raspy sound and is a good listen. Not many hits on this record but some quality rhythm and vocals.
The Clash
3/5
This album has the best final B-side track in “Train in Vain (Stand by me)” of any album I’ve ever heard. The whole album is a “reverse hit sandwich”, with the meat acting as buns and the middle being a bit soft.
Sonic Youth
1/5
This album is the polar opposite of another album released in 1987. Def Leppard’s Hysteria couldn’t be farther in artistic direction than the tin pan, string bending, synth and vocal mashup demonstrated most aptly by “Pipeline/Killtime”.
Wikipedia says Sonic Youth pioneered “Unorthodox Guitar Tuning.” Another description is ‘Noise Rock.’ Maybe ‘unorthodox noise’ is the best description for this album.
Doves
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise. Never heard of ‘doves’. Unlike other artists, this album seems to contain long songs that are instrumentally diverse(leaning towards a softer, simpler Radiohead), and multi-layered to the extent that several tracks (Ex: Satellites, Fridays Dust) seemed like multiple songs within one. Definitely some interesting textures going on with this album. My only complaint are the weak vocals. Not sure if it was intentional, but it’s almost like the music deserves more. More reaching, more range, just seems wet noodle against the strong melody and rhythms. The last track “Caught by the River” is my favorite.
2/5
I knew ABC from “Poison Arrow” being on some 1980’s dance compilation CD I had growing up.
…and it will continue to be the only song I know from ABC.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Probably enough has been said about this masterpiece of Rock n Roll history. Talented musicianship matched with precise screeching vocals. Still holds its own as one of the best rock albums ever recorded.
Wild Beasts
1/5
I’m not sure how some of these albums made the cut.
Nick Drake
2/5
Moody and deep lyrics - I could tell he was sullen and introspective. Not my cup of tea but as art it is expressive.
AC/DC
5/5
A classic. The standard. A Riff heavy solid big black loud hard rock album. I was a wide-eyed 80s kid that was convinced listening to AC/DC tapes made me cool. Dirty Deeds yeahhh! I first and regularly heard a good number of these songs on the Who Made Who album, took me an embarrassing number years to realize wasn’t the birth album to many of these classic hits.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
1. I feel like Elvis Costello is cooler than me and I don’t know why.
2. Like a loudspeaker with a sharp tweeter, I get listening fatigue quickly with this album. Like 30 seconds and I’m out.
3. Why why why?
Ice Cube
3/5
This is a tough review.
At face value, this album is life on the street storytelling with profanity on top of hip hop beats. Objectively, I’m not sure who would enjoy this today, and it’s staying power I question. When Ice Cube fans are in their 70’s, are they going to be humming along to these golden oldies? Will this album bring back good memories? Or is this album an artifact meant to be preserved, a rare explicit example (at the time) of the language and anger of an underground, angry, misunderstood, oppressed urban youth?
I will likely never revisit this album, as it’s anger and wide stream profanity eliminate a soft listen. But I certainly know that’s not a shared opinion. I’m many ways, it’s a foreign language album, when most other albums on this journey are more easily approached. But I have a feeling Ice Cube’s motive was just this- putting up his middle finger to the crusty establishment.
By that definition, it’s a masterpiece.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Nice album-I like a few tracks, with Natalie Merchant’s contribution a pleasant surprise.
James Taylor
4/5
This album gets 4 stars for the HOF Fire and Rain alone, with Country Road another good track. But it’s not an album that keeps my interest from start to finish and for that, 4 stars.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Some good rhythms.
Screaming Trees
4/5
This album was a big surprise. Great vocals on top of wandering melodic guitar, each song was uniquely addictive in its own special way. I played it twice and had never heard it before.
It’s one of the albums I’m sad that took me 26 years to discover when I should have been listening to this in college.
Eminem
2/5
Not my cup o coffee. Like most in this genre, the stinging lyrics which rise above the ‘music’, don’t hold much longer than a few short years and are very moment-in-time.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
The album was the first time I had intently listened to Indian music. For a 65 year old recording, I think it was timeless - relaxing and ultimately beautiful in its simplicity.
Bobby Womack
2/5
Jazzy 80’s sound.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Great album in “the story of grunge”
historical/sentimental way, but lyrically very scattered and unintentional, admittedly so by Dave Grohl. Lastly, a rather poor recording quality.
Beck
4/5
One of the best unintentional slow chill albums I’ve heard. Really enjoyed a few of the cuts. It’s raw and heartfelt.
Gang Starr
3/5
This was a surprise. An early hip hop/rap album with a chill vibe and beats. I would listen again.
Pentangle
1/5
This is one of the albums I wonder “why is it on this list!”. I mean, if you’re going to include a hit-less unknown of this flower-power genre, I expect to see every Peter Paul & Mary album, as well as every Beatles record, Jefferson Airplane, etc. cMon, some of the choices on this list are head scratchers.
Moby
4/5
This is a good listen nearly 25 years later. Well recorded and timeless, good sampling and timeless foot tapping rhythms abound.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
If there ever was a 5-star worth album on this list, this would be it. Every song is a hit. Well recorded, meaningful lyrics, different textures but all pleasing. Take my 5.
Motörhead
2/5
The Ace of Spades, The Ace or Spades, The Ace of Spades, The Ace of spades…
That’s about all I remember from this early 80’s metal. AoS was always on rotation while listening to old school metal.
Living Colour
4/5
I’ve been a rock/metal/hair fan my whole life, and this was the first time I have listened to Living Colour. I have missed out for the last 35 years. This is a sincerely great album, and sad that the rock station I grew up with didn’t have this in their daily rotation.
Various Artists
4/5
I’ve heard several of these “early 1960’s-sounding” Christmas songs throughout my 45 years on this planet, and never knew they were from a single album produced by Phil Spector, an album ranked as one of the greatest of all time. On my setup, it was surprising the recording quality and bass extension from this album. Not all the songs I recognized, but listening can transform you to a childhood time and place.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Poor recording quality and noisy guitar fills make this uninspiring at best. Not sure what’s so special about this album. I think the name “Sonic Youth” gives this band and their work an extra push into credibility.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Chill folk rock well recorded and sublime. Powerful lyrics and a beautiful unique vocal.
Massive Attack
3/5
Well recorded beats, good background music for getting things done.
Prince
3/5
Title track is a good one, rest are a bit eclectic. His music is definitely free of constraints and are expressive. Not an album I would likely return to.
The Beach Boys
2/5
This album is disturbing for me. I grew up with my father listening to oldies stations, exposing me to their shallow bubblegumsurf pop hits from the 60’s. Oh, then there was Kokomo in 1988.
I suppose it’s my fault for being ignorant of the two decades between surfing’ safari and Kokomo. This album has some weird and some unusual, with light sprinkles of their sugary sweet surfing topping. Not much sweet in this darkness.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Good chill album. Decently recorded which makes it nice to listen to.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Great album of an early folk rock with hints of future Crazyhorse and CCR. Chill and well-recorded.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
“Since I’ve been loving you” is so freakin good. It was a favorite of mine when I first heard it 35 years ago. Tangerine is unique. “That’s the way” is great and, as most zeppelin albums, has a clean recording quality that shines the finger plucking on good gear.
Tito Puente
4/5
Great sounding dance album-reminded me of dirty dancing soundtrack. Well recorded.
Rahul Dev Burman
1/5
Oh my. Again, not sure WHY such a poorly recorded collection of songs from a 1978 Bollywood OST must be heard before someone dies. Not that the composition or effort in writing each song is bad, but good lord, the worst of my CDs I would get from a 1994 Columbia House or BMG subscription seem to best this. This seems like a box-check on a diversity and inclusion requirement.
X-Ray Spex
1/5
I was not impressed with this punk album until hearing “Plastic Bag.” “It’s 1977 and we’re all going mad!” and the Black Sabbath slow guitar and single sax make it strange and likeable. The recording quality, like most punk of the era, sounds like $%\+.
Astor Piazzolla
1/5
I think the soft recording quality inhibited the prescribed jazz magic that this recording was supposed to reveal. It did not grab me and pull me in as an outsider, which I think makes a remarkable album. I wanted to be seduced by layers of jazz improvisation and synergy, but left wondering why this album just be listened to before the end.
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
This noisy assault had me glued to the listen for at least half the album, then became a bit tiring. This is at times incredibly raw and dark, but also humorous in its audacity. Definitely unique and for a record created to be the “most unlistenable album ever”, Ein came pretty close. Actually, there was enough rhythm and beat to keep me listening. I’ve had much harder times listening to more conventional albums I just didn’t like. I suppose ‘unlistenable’ is very subjective.
TV On The Radio
3/5
A good-sounding recording. Something chill enough and thick I would listen again.
Pavement
4/5
Good album that reminds me of the raw underpinnings of the grunge movement. Unpredictable and melodic, the album is a quality grunge record.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
A few good seeds in this album from the bad ones. Never been a fan, but I know many are.
Beatles
4/5
I feel guilty giving it 4 as such as classic album, but that’s what it felt like.
Adele
5/5
The bookends of this album make it an instant classic. Heartfelt lyrics from a heartbreak mixed with clean and simple arrangements make this a great listen. Take my 5 for those bookends.
Black Sabbath
5/5
You can imagine the cocaine hanging in the air in the LA studio during this recording session. Truly epic guitar and drum composition, mixed with haunting rhythms for Ozzy to lay on a thick layer of buttercream icing onto this devil’s food cake of an album. 5 stars.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Ella Fitzgerald’s voice is expressive, and the big band piano, horns and saxophones of this album are comfort in times of confusion and anxiety. A simpler time is remembered and enjoyed through this recording.
Aphex Twin
2/5
Hmmm. Doesn’t hold up well in 2023 when finding atmospheric/ambient works is easy-peasy. But I imagine this would have stood out in the late 80s.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I was never a fan of Bob Dylan, with his nasal (who’s torturing the baritone cat?) vocals, this album has some heartfelt lyrics and has warmed me to Dylan’s beautiful songwriting.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Look, this album is unique in that you have very talented musicians making amelodic music. There is absolutely no instance that I will want to hear this for melody, vocals, story or emotion. “The Curse” is phenomenonally bad. Other than my bowels, this album moved nothing in me.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
1/5
Why why why?
The Velvet Underground
2/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Decent but not their best.
Deep Purple
4/5
Great guitar-laden live album of the early 70’s.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Never a huge fan of Hendrix, but the album has some incredible guitar and groove.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
An Eastern flavored “Light My Fire” and “Jumpin Jack Flash”. The other tracks are a bit more loose and don’t grab my attention.
Wilco
4/5
This was surprisingly good, and I would listen again. A variety of folksy acoustic tracks with great instrumentation and variety. When you are wanting something unfamiliar and comforting at the same time.
Primal Scream
4/5
Although this album is alternative in the truest sense, there are moments in a few tracks that contain somewhat expected melody and pop composition. One of the best is “I’m Coming Down”, with unique twisting of saxophone. There are many textures to this album, but with a glass of wine or a slow sipping of bourbon, this eclectic mix of funk soul jazz and indie rock is quite pleasing. There is a lot going on with this album. In a good way.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Every song is about makin’ it with the ladies. “Get On Top”. It’s like if Prince had recorded a simple acoustic folk album.
Wilco
3/5
Is Wilco a Radiohead clone or a Jack Johnson cover band? Without knowing much about them, I would have guessed they are a pretentious art-rock acoustic group. I wonder if this album’s inclusion is a result of their previous work as a whole? For me It’s a stretch calling this one of the greatest albums of the 2000s.
The Mars Volta
5/5
It’s gutsy to produce a complex rock concept album as your debut, but Mars Volta pulls it off flawlessly. This is the type of album that the listener can lose oneself in the intricacy. Excellent guitar and drum manipulation, with elements of a variety of genres recorded with impressive quality. I’m glad this album made the list.
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Nothing that stood out for me in the collection of jazz ensembles.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Never been a fan of Elvis Costello. His voice is very fatiguing and his playful pop approach to punk rock seems insincere at best.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Tens Years Gone is such a great song. Take my five stars.
OutKast
2/5
A hip hop album with horns.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Couple of these songs kept me listening, but I found the lead singers voice to be irritating after listening to the whole album in one sitting.
Adam & The Ants
2/5
Not a moving record, not a sing-along record, not a play-along record.
Not a re-listenable record.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This 1969 classic is an awesome testament to the power of live music. Listening I could hear the emotion and reaction of the audience to the ‘San Quentin’ and to ‘A Boy Named Sue’. Johnny’s concert gave the finger to the establishment and a rare good day in a place known for plenty of bad ones.
Gram Parsons
2/5
The story of his wife not liking his singing with Emmy Lou Harris, enough so to remove her picture from the cover, was WAY more interesting than this album.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Good beats, well recorded.
Eagles
5/5
What can be said of this classic album that already hasn’t. It’s been played throughout my childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
I wish Henley wasn’t such an ass.
Duke Ellington
4/5
A well recorded jazz concert from the 1950’s.
Dion
2/5
Grew up on singer-songwriter 70’s, but never heard of this dude before. After listening to this soft biscuit of low energy, I understand why. It’s not offensive and probably best for background music.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Back to Life and Keep On Movin were staples of my mid 90s pop adolescence. They were on the hit KISS FM station in my city. The rest of the album leaves a little bit to be desired.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Unfinished funk. It has a 70’s incomplete vibe. Some cheap beats that lead nowhere interesting.
Gene Clark
2/5
Not sure why this made the list. Nothing remarkable.
2/5
Hmm. Well, I kinda liked “This Mess We’re In” with Thom Yorke. He was a welcome parachute when I was rapidly falling from the previous tracks on this record. Maybe he lost a bet and had to record with PJ? Maybe a triple dog dare gone bad? Her voice is a bit grating, kinda like a modern Yoko screaming softly, but I’m sure that’s what her fans like because it’s harsh and raw and true and authentic bla bla bla cue ‘artistic expression’ as we all sit back with amazement listening to her genius. Not sure why this made the 1000 tbh.
Ute Lemper
2/5
Ute has a pleasant singing voice. She is a good storyteller, with lyrics and the instrumentation of interest. It plays like a soundtrack to a musical.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Man, Cry To Me is the real deal, even 60 years later it really hits. I can see why it was used in DD.
Suede
2/5
“I wazzz baaawwnnn a paaaantmione haaaaaaaaaaawwwwsss.”
No thanks.
Manu Chao
1/5
I didn’t make it through the second track.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Great groovy sounds, some classic beats and lyrics. A nice listen for a Saturday morning!
Khaled
2/5
This Khaled album is hard to find. Good beats and production.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
This was a good listen the whole way through. A pleasant surprise from a band I hadn’t heard of, but was respected by other bands I have heard my whole life. If Nirvana and Oasis think their the ‘best band’, then they have some cred.
Ice Cube
4/5
From the start, this album doesn’t mince words about racism and street culture. It’s very, if not more, prescient 31 years on. For that it gets enormous respect. It’s not a record I would play lightly. I didn’t listen to it in 1992, but I wish I had. Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha has a genuinely catchy rhythm, not expected. It Was a Good Day is a bonafide classic, even for nerdy white kids in the burbs.
Slayer
2/5
When I read this album was produced by Rick F Rubin, I thought it might be a bit palpable to the Metallica loving side of me. Well, I would say it’s a sprinkle, or a dash. There are moments of Metallic metal, such as partially through “Epidemic,” but melody and rhythm are drowned out by the relentless thrash. I need to be angrier.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Sounded like a very groovy soul album. His voice and the music were chill. Not available on Spotify so had to listen through YouTube.
Air
4/5
This is chill-hop before anyone conceived of iPods. This is 20+ years ahead of its time. This is a really cool find in 2023 from the dark ages of 1998. 4.5/5!
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Great album NOT filled with expletives, but able to convey serious themes and lyrics with awesome musicality and recording quality. New respect for Lauryn Hill after listening to this work of art. Although not my taste in general listening, this is a great album to play on a chill evening with some good speakers and a glass of whatever.4/5
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
The The
3/5
Uncertain Smile is a pleasant surprise on this 80’s new wave wonder. It starts relatively blandly, the ending 3 minutes piano composition is really special. It has ‘heat wave’ vibes. They mined the soul on this track. Overall the songs aren’t hit radio but conversationally lyrical. 3.5/5
Public Enemy
3/5
Man, this is early in the genre. So many missed opportunities to drop f bombs, but instead they used nice language and rhythms to convey their message. Much respect for that.
King Crimson
1/5
Alan Niester of Rolling Stone summarized the album saying "You can't dance to it, can't keep a beat to it, and it doesn't even make good background music for washing the dishes.”
Blur
2/5
I liked "Beetlebum" and "Song 2" was recognizable, but never a favorite of mine. Blur sounded well-recorded, and the band used some interesting devices for sound effects on the later tracks. Echo effects and strange sounds made the listen both interesting and fatiguing for the long-listen.
Iron Maiden
4/5
The first track on the album, "Prowler", is surprisingly melodic and has a great riff. Then the slower "Remember Tomorrow" is another gem. Reminded me of early (Pre Pyro) Def Leppard. The album's production quality may be a bit rough, but its a debut album so expectations should be modest. 4.0
Talking Heads
3/5
This was not my favorite talking heads album. It was OK.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
A few decent tracks in a weird alternative sounding Fleetwood Mac album.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
This is an awesome funk soul vocal groove slow and rich and creamy lyrical musical masterpiece to be enjoyed with a rich cognac or cherry wine oh lawd baaaaby!
The fact this is so groovy after 55 years. The Phoenix song is HOT. I need a shower! 5 out of 5.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Opening track on this album has hints of greatness, and “the rising” is also a solid track, worthy of the Grammy.
My general thoughts on the boss are that he was a 70’s storyteller, then a hit maker in the 80s-early 90s, then regression back to storytelling. I enjoy the hitmaking Bruce, not so much the storytelling.
The War On Drugs
5/5
Wow I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Incredibly musical and rhythmic in most songs, with excellent recording quality. You can easily get lost in these songs. 5 of 5.
808 State
2/5
Not a huge fan of acid house beats. However, for 1987, not bad.
The Cars
5/5
Great album with absolutely no duds.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Nothing really great about this listen. I like the bands name though.
Japan
2/5
For 1979, sounded like a 1986 Duran Duran. Interesting album with some sharp mood swings (Despair). Didn’t have real staying power with me.
The Cure
4/5
Weird beats, but not repulsive. I suppose it would be better if I was listening on a cheap cassette deck after school in 1980. “A Forest” was a surprise as I think I had heard it before. It’s mere existence added another star. 4/5.
New Order
2/5
Not a fan. The vocals were quickly fatiguing. 2/5
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
Not a single radio single from a pet shop boys album in 1990? 1990 was wasted by the pet shop boys.
Nick Drake
5/5
This is a great chill album that sounds like it is modern - but from 1969! Awesomely obscure!!! 5/5!
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
From someone who is not a rap-listener, I enjoyed the listen. I enjoyed the vocal prowess throughout and wasn't listening on low volume so my kids wouldn't hear cuss words. It was clean and strong. I wish more US Rap didn't have to rely on four letter words as much as it seems to. 4/5 for a clean and powerful rap album.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
Skipped the first track which was just annoying screaming. There is plenty of Low-Fi mixing and yelling and just overall harsh instrumentation. Like The Strokes but with angry vocals and jagged melody.
I'm sure its an artistic triumph and speaks to many on such existential levels. I'm sure I just don't get its "explosive creativity" and message to rail against corporate conformity! Aaaahhhhh!!!!!
Not for me.
Motörhead
2/5
Not a huge Motörhead fan, and this live album didn’t do much to move the needle. Still sounds like Motörhead. 2/5.
Gene Clark
3/5
A very well recorded singer songwriter album from the 1970s. Not much else to say. 3.5/5
The Byrds
2/5
It was a bit 60's country for my liking. I was waiting for something more like Turn Turn Turn or Tamburine Man, so I was disappointed. 2/5.
The Killers
4/5
I had forgotten about Jenny, a subtle great song. Brightside & Somebody had so much radio play in 2004-05-06, I'm still kinda sick of it. Smile is another good track that was solid. On Top was another heckova track. Really, this album had a Baker's half-dozen original hit songs during the fading sunset of rock n roll originality & creativity. 4.5/5
Beatles
5/5
What a classic. So many lives and careers based on this album and subsequent releases. I am forever grateful for the decades of consequential music that has improved my life and made me very happy. 6 stars.
David Holmes
1/5
This is the worst album on this list. 1 star for the excellent use of bad language at the start of every track.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
I liked this album. Sick beats and well recorded. 4/5
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Mike Ladd
2/5
Interesting sounds used. Didn’t stick with me tho. 2/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
I tried to listen to the ‘beach boy’ melody underneath the screeching sounds and didn’t get anywhere.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is a great album. Drums really kick ass. Several radio hits and the entire album is well-recorded. A very enjoyable listen on a good system. 4.7/5
Guided By Voices
1/5
A disappointing listen. Lo-Fi that sounded very bad on my hi-fi.
Metallica
3/5
I like Metallica, but not like this. The orchestra adds an extra layer of noise that I don’t want or need, and the fine detail beauty of strings are generally lost under the drumming, guitar and tired Hetfield vocal. I have always enjoyed air guitar and air drumming. I had no urge to air-violin or air-cello. Still don’t after listening to this. Let’s consider if Nirvana pulled this crap? Or Slayer? This is GMC/Hummer releasing a subcompact economy car. Or McDonalds serving lobster tail McNuggets.
The Saints
1/5
Never heard of The Saints. Not sure why they made this list. Punk rock, that’s why. The dude on the cover looks like Robert Plant and Joe Elliot had a love child and it was born an adult in the late 70s. Problem was, he didn’t get the vocal genes handed down.
David Bowie
2/5
I tried the whole album and nothing stuck. I like Bowie's China Girl album 10 years later.
The Cure
5/5
Wow I couldn’t stay awake it was so moody and chill. Loved it!
Bob Dylan
3/5
Never been a fan of his weasley voice and thin sounding recordings. I do respect his song writing which is evident on this album. 3/5 for me.
The Crusaders
4/5
Decent jazz/elevator/disco vibe. Nothing too offensive and easy to chill to. 3.8/5
The Fall
3/5
This is probably my favorite 'punk' anything I've heard. There are good rythms and beats and actually has some replay value. 2.8/5
Lorde
3/5
Lorde sounds like an angsty teen with a story about a drivers license and talks all slowly to tell her stories. If Lorde was the ‘original’ artist to sound like this, then I suppose this album has a reason to be here. 3.1/5
5/5
This is a great Beatles album. It has been listened to, studied, copied, decorated and imitated for over 50 years. It deserves to be in this list for its impact on music and pulp culture. 4.7/5.
Miles Davis
4/5
This is a bit more groovy with the electric piano. 4.2/5
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Meh
Beatles
5/5
Probably my favorite Beatles album.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Highlight was “I’m not Angry”. Good rocker. 3.7/5
New York Dolls
1/5
Wow this is horrible.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I enjoy Peter’s solo brand of weird in this album. Salisbury Hill will always be the greatest of ‘self-motivation to escape whatever current situation you are in’ songs of all time. Most of the album is not melodic, which knocks it down a few stars. But this is what he wanted in the end. A single radio-friendly track for which to pay for the highly artistic album remainder. It’s a strategy. 3.8/5
The Kinks
3/5
Musically, very low-fi 60’s. Does not sound passable in 20xx…Lyrically, I suppose the album is stronger than most. 2.9/5
The Young Gods
1/5
Le’ no thankeauuu!”
The Fall
2/5
This album needed gracefully removed from this list.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Great jazz album. Listened to the whole thing and was satisfied!
Miles Davis
3/5
I wanted to really dig this album, but it fell flat for me. The recording was not as dynamic as I would have liked. 3/5
3/5
The album sounds the The Strokes with a bit more uptempo composition. Nothing outstanding stood out, but unique for 1981. 3/5
Isaac Hayes
4/5
I like the groove and instrumentation on this album. Half the songs weren’t available through Spotify, but Issac Hayes was definitely cutting some grooves with this record. 3.5/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Excellent album - the remastered version sounds phenomenal. 4.3/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
Some interesting recordings but nothing that hooked me. Seems raw and vocally expressive - angry relationship fodder.
Turbonegro
1/5
Not great as a rock/glam/punk album, and lost me with the “muther***£r” over and over again with “Rock Against Ass” track. Good artists don’t have to cuss their way to respect. Dylan, Beatles, Stones etc didn’t have to cuss to be great.
The Temptations
4/5
A good albumn, sounded like the Temptations. Simple sounds and excellent harmonies and instrumentation. 3.5/5
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Steve Winwood
3/5
“When you see a chance” is obviously a classic. The rest of the album, it was fine and we’ll crafted, but left me wondering what gave of admission to this list. 3.4/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Rainy Day Women and Just Like a Woman are classics, but for as accomplished and revered a song writer as Dylan, I wasn’t impressed with most of the tracks musicality. Lyrically it’s probably worthy of all awards possible, but his voice is repulsive and droning. 3.2/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Great album to take you back to a simpler 1980s world, with the warm and soothing rhythms of a groovy Paul Simon. Good for a listen start to finish on good HiFi. 4.3/5
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
Growing up in the 80’s, four songs from this album were on heavy rotation on my parents’ FM dial. As part of the soundtrack of my youth, these songs hold a special place from a special time to be alive. Not many albums are drenched in such a pure, quintessential early 80’s aesthetic as “She’s So Unusual.” 4.8/5
Duran Duran
4/5
Great classic 80’s pop. Vocals are great and synth instrumentation is sublime. Save A Prayer and The Chauffeur are my favorites. 4.3/5
Justice
3/5
Had not heard this before, but pleasantly surprised. Great beats. 3.4/5.
George Jones
1/5
Not my cup of tea. If you were close minded and had no outside contact with society for decades, and this was the only album available, it would be acceptable. 1.9/5
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Excellent jazz recording. I like being able to hear the patrons and their forks in the background. 3.9/5
Norah Jones
2/5
I know this is contrarian, but her voice is just not my taste.
She is like licorice to my ears. I know some people like some licorice, I really don’t. Nora was probably taken to the cleaners with little profit from the massive success of this album. And it was produced by one of those chubby industry icon types that plucked the likes of Barbara, Diana, Whitney & Mariah.
Dire Straits
5/5
This is a great sounding album. A high level of smoothness and exquisite production of guitar and drums and vocals all in good quantity. This album has good grooves and sounded fantastic on my hifi. Every track is a good listen. Surprisingly only one ‘hit’ with Sultans of Swing. But I enjoyed it all. 4.7/5.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
I turned 16 in ‘93, so I have absolutely no excuse for not hearing this groundbreaking album while young and free. I heard the radio edit of Gin & Juice, and y was aware that snoop defined the hip hop scene in 94, but I’ll admit I‘m ashamed I missed this 30 years ago. Snoop has become an icon and this album is unapologetic west coast hip hop. 4.4/5
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
I’m not sure how sincere these songs are about Illinois. Sufjan wrote the prior ‘Michigan’ as a joke, so it’s hard for me to take the music writing seriously. It seems performed and recorded well, but seems this musician is sarcastically insincere in its outward seriousness. In one 2023 word: Sus. 2.7/5.
4/5
This album was a refreshing 60’s surprise. It’s remastered recording on Spotify sounded just about perfect. Excellent drums and acoustics in the studio for this recording. Most of the songs are not radio hits, but the lyrics and song construction seem to be pre-post-modern rock. I couldn’t help but think this was a recent recording in the style of the 60’s. Enjoyed the whole listen. 4.4/5
10cc
3/5
A decent recording, this zany 70’s pop mix a lot album sounded good on my setup. 3/5
Lou Reed
3/5
Conversational Bowie produced glam. Walk on the Wild Side was the highlight of this album. 2.8/5
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Don’t listen to this album if you are drowsy, or before a strong cup of coffee. His voice is like a bedtime story. 2.8/5
Ozomatli
3/5
Julian Cope
3/5
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Definitely a wee bit of a man being emotional about a woman. Sheesh, he’s like a 1950s man TSwift.
Beatles
5/5
A nearly perfect Beatles album. Influential, great lyrics, memorable tunes for generations. 5/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Good messages + good beats for 1982.
King Crimson
1/5
This was difficult to find something to like. I tried every track, and nothing kept my interest. 1/5.
Björk
2/5
Debut was OK, but not mind blowing. Her voice was all over the place, and some of the tracks seemed to go strange places. Probably wouldn’t listen again.
The Human League
3/5
This should be preserved as a human artifact of synthesizer usage in 1981. Holy crap this has lots of authentic 80’s Casio Keybord goodness! Simple beats underlying a HOF synth effort. And best of all, their only hit is left for the final track, like the sweet cherry at the bottom of a 1981 Old Fashioned.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
This album has the best Rhythms of just about any RAP album. It’s also a classic. I don’t listen to this Genre, but even I admit it’s goooood.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Objectively challenging to listen to at length, while also having a degree of sophistication that keeps you listening. A strange combo, worthy of a stressful listen. 2.7
Muddy Waters
4/5
Excellent recording and enjoyable performance by Muddy. “Soon Forgotten” is a good one. 3.5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Groovy, but nothing remarkable. Good background music.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
“Keep It” should have been the name of the album. This seems like an unremarkable album from one of those successfully insincere bands that every generation seems to relish.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Excellent vocals and grit from a talented young woman taken too soon.
Queen
3/5
Rush
4/5
Not horrible, but for some reason I expected a more grand, more epic album. 3.7/5
Leftfield
2/5
JAY Z
1/5
Jay Z’s massive ego comes barging through this hip hop horror show.
System Of A Down
3/5
It is good because it was unique and had original screaming thrash compositions.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Neil Young
1/5
Did not listen because Neil doesn’t want Spotify premium listeners to have access. NEIL, I pay Spotify $170 yearly for artists to collect some revenue. I also watch ads.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I can’t believe this was recorded in the sixties. It has stood the test of time. Whole Lotta Love is a gem. 4.2/5
The Kinks
2/5
I tried to find a great song, but it seemed a challenge on this sixties-sounding album. Sunny Afternoon was probably the only highlight for me. 2.4/5
Todd Rundgren
1/5
Not sure why, but this album kinda gave me the creeps. 2/5.
Miles Davis
4/5
This was a weird listen, but interesting. Not a conventional jazz recording. Bitches Brew was aptly titled. Groovy is a word I could use to describe the overall sound of this album. You can tell it was 1970. 3.7/5
Aerosmith
4/5
This is strange after growing up on Aerosmith post-Pump. Obvi some top shelf classic rock cuts from this album, such as walk this way and sweet emotion. However, Toys in the Attic is one of the worst opening tracks I have ever heard. 3.8/5.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
The only song I had heard was “Fighter” when it was on the hit FM radio back before phones. I listened to most of the album and wasn’t disgusted at all, in fact, the album has a great recording quality to it. 2.9/5
Radiohead
4/5
I always fall asleep when listening to Radiohead, so I think it was good but missed the last few tracks. It’s their typical “music from an advanced form of intelligence” format. Lost of odd sounds, instrumentation and lyrics that are passive aggressive. 4/5
Mudhoney
3/5
Ehhh.
Little Richard
2/5
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Mail Felix was a soft vocal that was soothing as soft rain through a window.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Whoa. I had no idea this album contained the earliest power ballad “Without You” and that the same guy sang “You put the lime in de coconut…” holy crap. I started listening to the album and was intending to write it off as another head scratcher on this list, but it’s at least a 3.5/5.
Circle Jerks
2/5
The Specials
1/5
I’ll file this under “head scratcher”. I’m left wondering if it’s intentionally bad and that’s why it’s considered great art? 1/5
Public Enemy
3/5
A mix of politics and inner city repression. Credit is due for the creative mixing on top of real street lyrics to bring relevance to topics of misogyny, race and violence. Not sure I’d listen for pleasure, but more an idea of inner city living from the late 80s. 3/5
Pixies
4/5
Monkey gone to heaven is a good track, as well as no. 13. For such an influential alternative album from 1989, the recording quality is impressive. It’s a unique listen but there’s just enough meat on the bone to keep listening.
5/5
A truly classic album, with huge radio friendly hits. However, for me it’s the lesser played “Trip through Your Wires” , “Running to Stand Still” and “One Tree Hill” that are subtle favorites. 5/5
The Replacements
2/5
The vocals seem recessed within the canvas on the first track, “I Will Dare,” but the song structure was pleasantly poppy. The album lures you with ‘Dare’, then slaps you in the face with fast guitar and poorly recorded indynamic drumming punk style n “We’re coming Out”. Then the album slows back down and basically disappoints with poorly recorded screaming vocals on “Satisfied.” 1.9/5. Won’t relisten to this one.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Never heard of this album, but it was an enjoyable listen. Well recorded and inoffensive, it has great instrumentation, percussion and vocals throughout. The horns had great texture on “Maria Lionza”. 3.5/5
Nina Simone
3/5
A good vocal, but recording leaves a bit to be desired.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Seemed kinda smaltzy Aussie pop. I wanted to like it but it was just ok.
Germs
2/5
The only track on Spotify was “Media Blitz”. One song on an album was not much of a blitz.
Björk
3/5
This Bjork album is gentle and chill. 3/5
Nirvana
2/5
I love pearl jam, soundgarden, AIC, STP, every grunge band from the early 90s. But I can’t seem to get why this band is so popular and always revered…
Meat Puppets
2/5
I sometimes think the requirement to get on this list is to have an album that is anti-melody. I suppose the art of Rock n Roll is being anti-establishment and not sounding like old people. If that’s the requirement for this list, then this album qualifies. I just enjoy melody with my protest poetry. This album had a mixture of out of tune guitars and screaming vocals, ala Nirvana without the heroin. But then it had some beats that had me tapping my fingers. So there’s something there… 2.1/5.
OutKast
4/5
This was a surprise enjoy, and validates my motivation for continuing this project. It’s an album I knew just from “Fresh and so clean” and “sorry mrs Jackson” lyrics on FM radio when I was in college. Although it wasn’t all gold, it had great, relatively happy lyrics, repetitive melodies and well engineered beats. I’m not sure how many millions this sold but it earned them. 4/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Awesome album, a classic/orig rock masterpiece. Lots of replay value and timeless melody. Take my 5.
Bad Brains
2/5
Still not sure what to make of Bad Brains. It’s a bit of early hair metal guitar and riffs, without melody or chorus refrains. The vocals are a bit of Danzig that morphs into the lead singer from Overkill. It’s weird. 2/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Bits of something more sprinkled in the lesser know tracks, but overall average Aerosmith production. 2.9/5
Carpenters
3/5
A couple classic radio hits in an album that doesn’t really take any chances. Sugary soft pop from the 70s…2.8/5
Nirvana
4/5
Not a huge Nirvana fan, although I like most grunge from the era. This album conveyed greater sincerity than most of their studio content. 4.3/5
2/5
I gave it a listen, and decided it was not that great. Not sure why, it lacked something. 2.5/5
Robert Wyatt
3/5
‘Drones and songs’ from the mind of a parapalegic. The first track is objectively a challenge to get through. Disjointed and erratic. However, as the album flows, and most interestingly, as each track develops, I found myself enjoying the intricate details and complexities that make the album incredible. It’s not a crowd pleaser with any sort of pop sensibility. But for what it lacks in sugar, it makes up for in spice. 3.6
Small Faces
2/5
Cool that the Great White song “Afterglow” actually came from Small Faces. 2/5 for poor Spotify recording.
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
Not something I’ll seek to revisit. Lots of repeated refrains and beats. Not well-recorded. 2/5
ZZ Top
4/5
A solid rocker. Good drums and well recorded for the time. Punchy.
The xx
3/5
Atmospheric and interesting indie rock. 3/5
Van Morrison
3/5
Not my favorite Van Album. I have to be in a mood.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Sex Pistols
2/5
Little Simz
2/5
Surprising number of textures in this hip hop rap pop rock record. I wish the cursing language wasn’t there but that’s more a sign of my old age than an indictment on this album. Carelessly offending people is a hallmark of being successful in rock & roll.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Classic stones - not the most dynamic recording but great songs nonetheless. 3.9/5
Dolly Parton
2/5
Not a fan of Dolly. 2/5
Tears For Fears
5/5
Excellent, remarkable, satisfyingly sensational example of 80’s radio pop. This album’s hits are the soundtrack to my childhood fortune of growing up in the idealistic, beautifully simplistic and sweetly genuine 1980s Midwest.
Alice In Chains
5/5
A masterpiece of grit and grind, Layne Staley vocals, Jerry Cantrell’s guitar and artistic timing create a nearly perfect grunge album in 1992. I am enjoying AIC more as an adult 30 years later than I did when I was a teenager when new. Such a time to be alive when these iconic albums were released.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Actually well recorded, simple beats and decent vocals. 3/5