197
Albums Rated
3.22
Average Rating
18%
Complete
892 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
17
5-Star Albums
7
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Drunk
Thundercat
|
5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
|
Be
Common
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Aja
Steely Dan
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Blackstar
David Bowie
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
|
5 | 3.6 | +1.4 |
|
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
|
5 | 3.62 | +1.38 |
|
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
|
5 | 3.63 | +1.37 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
|
1 | 3.72 | -2.72 |
|
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
|
1 | 3.52 | -2.52 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
|
1 | 3 | -2 |
|
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
|
Cut
The Slits
|
1 | 2.71 | -1.71 |
|
Violator
Depeche Mode
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
The Cars
The Cars
|
2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
5-Star Albums (17)
View Album Wall
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
Prince
5/5
listened on the plane from melbourne.
One of my fav albums of all time, goated prince as usual. trio of holy songs are darling nikki when doves cry and of course purple rain. hon mention beautiful ones
David Bowie
3/5
cool to hear lots of prototypes for not only future bowie albums but many 70s rock albums. top3: Andy Warhol, Oh You Pretty Thing, Changes. Hon mention of course life on mars
Meat Loaf
2/5
kinda sounds like Tim Minchin lol
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Leonard does it again. Title track and treaty are the best two here
Ray Charles
3/5
pretty great but gets kinda samey through the middle sections. for some reason this sounds like Christmas! best songs: let the good times roll, come rain or come shine, don’t let the sun catch you crying
Neil Young
4/5
Pretty fantastic! not many thoughts just a good listen. what’s with guitar singer-songwriters and heroin songs (see: Bert Jansch)? Highlights: heart of gold, words (between the lines of age), old man
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
gen x soundtrack, why does he say the n word? this sucked. Best song: accidents will happen
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Not bad, some fun moments in between all the haze. Noisy stuff is a bit much to be super enjoyable. Best tracks: the hardest walk, just like honey, sowing seeds
Tori Amos
4/5
really fantastic and also amazing kate bush sounding a bit at points!! Heartbreaking and also invigorating best songs: me and a gun, little earthquakes, crucify
Björk
4/5
ethereal soft and full of bangers. best tracks: hidden place, pagan poetry, cocoon
JAY Z
4/5
The Jam
3/5
very nice not many thoughts just some good stuff best tracks: all mod cons, down in the tube station at midnight, Mr clean
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
this is not as good as I remember and at times is kinda grating. the highs perfectly tread the line between dated (good) and dated (bad), but the lows are more annoying than interesting. everything is still hard af even if not amazing though. best tracks: Sittin' here, I Luv U, Jus a Rascal
Hole
3/5
Not much to say but very enjoyable grunge stuff! always fun to hear something from 20+ years ago have such a clear influence / similar sound to bands from today. Best tracks: Jennifer’s body, credit in the straight world, violet
Sonic Youth
3/5
A bit hard to get into at the beginning but overall great riffs and a fantastic ending. Best tracks: schizophrenia, cotton crown, tuff gnarl.
Alice In Chains
1/5
I’ve come down with a terrible case of 90s rock shouts fuck this album
Arrested Development
4/5
native tongues but in Atlanta this is fantastic. extra points for all the fishing songs and incredibly funky beats. best tracks: Mr wendal, Raining Revolution, dawn of the dreads
Lucinda Williams
1/5
production on this is offensively annoying, thought I was exempt from the “I listen to everything except country” but turns out I’m not this was painful to get through. no more 90s Americana please. only song I liked: right in time
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Yeah this rips! Not a lot of absolute amazing songs but no real misses either. couple songs drag a bit. best tracks: cherub rock, soma, Luna
Bobby Womack
3/5
this slaps although does get samey / does not stand out a great deal vs other similar albums of the time n genre. Best tracks: secrets, lay your lovin on me, where do we go from here
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Music for depressed middle age men. not bad but all the songs drag a bit too long which works when they work but if they’re even a little off then it sucks. best tracks: everybody knows this is nowhere, cowgirl in the sand
John Cale
4/5
wonderful and amazing!! Some tracks are unappealing when they start but by the end are simply great. Best tracks: andalucia, Paris 1919, the endless plain of fortune
David Bowie
5/5
what’s left to say about this album. I think it’s easy to think that Lazarus and black star are the only parts of this album that matter but every track is absolutely fantastic and heartbreaking in its own right. bed tracks: blackstar, Lazarus, Tis a pity she was a whore
in the famous words of my 12 year old cousin: “it’s the guy from u2, bonzo!!!l” . shut up bonzo this album sucks go listen to parklife. best track: beautiful day
Fela Kuti
4/5
Funky and great!! doing best tracks for a 4 song LP is a bit silly they’re all good
Thin Lizzy
3/5
A fantastic dive into thin lizzy’s best songs! it’s a real shame that it’s a live album. I do not like live albums man I do not like them sam I am. Saving grace: some of the solos are fire. best tracks (if they were not live versions: dancing in the moonlight, cowboy song, still in love with you. best track (live version specifically): emerald
Caetano Veloso
3/5
this is pretty cool and funky. me when i dont speak portuguese. best tracks: alegria alegria, anunciacao, clara
The Strokes
5/5
god this album is so good no misses what’s left to say. Every week / month I change my favourite songs but best tracks: New York City cops, last nite, trying your luck
Burning Spear
4/5
pretty excellent and also funky. best tracks: marcus garvey, the invasion, jordan river
Julian Cope
2/5
hmm I don't think I like this that much. explores a lot which is fun but also gets a little too much the run time is more than what I like. best tracks: east easy rider, promised land, double vegetation
Various Artists
4/5
Probably the best Christmas album of all time. all iconic all amazing brilliant work Phil shame about the abuse and murder. best tracks: sleigh ride, Christmas (baby please come home), Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Yes
2/5
frustrating! there are some great parts of this album but they're all hidden inside songs that are way way too long. best track: half of the opener
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
this has aged remarkably well however why did it take so long for producers to figure out how to mix hip hop. I can really see how some tracks (it’s like that and the krush grooves) would blow your dick off in 1984. Best tracks: 30 days, wake up, rock box
Talvin Singh
3/5
Lots of great really cool ideas but man is it slow to get going!! Good news is the latter half is great despite the first half’s flop. Very groovy and love the combination of so many different cultural sounds. Best tracks: OK, Light, Decca
Common
4/5
common Common W. This is a soulquarian classic, great storytelling, funky beats, funny lyrics at times. It is a bit too long but not unbearable. Best tracks: a song for assata, thelonius, the 6th sense
Beatles
3/5
some highs and some lows but mostly just middle of the road. if I were more cynical I would say this is a transparent attempt to break into the US market but I enjoy the covers so it’s ok. best tracks: all my loving, please mr postman, you really got a hold on me
The The
2/5
First half great, second half not so great. terribly and painfully 80s also why is the last song 7 minutes. Best tracks: infected, heartland, angels of deception
The Velvet Underground
3/5
it’s just ok. The bigger songs from this album are famous for a reason but also the murder mystery fucking sucks and the track list as a whole is not the most consistent. best tracks: candy says, pale blue eyes, Jesus
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Fantastic! monk is amazing as always and it’s fascinating to hear sonny Rollins breakout with him. best tracks: brilliant corners, bemsha swing, ba-lue bolivar ba-lues-are
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
this is absolutely fantastic! Nick caves songwriting is on show here through both albums in the double; instrumentation is great as well. best tracks from abattoir: nature boy, hiding all away, there she goes my beautiful world. Best tracks from Orpheus: the lyre of Orpheus, o children, breathless
Tom Waits
3/5
thought this was going to be insane as other tom waits offerings are but in fact this is not as fucked. at times it can get a bit samey but overall enjoyable. I love his voice over basically anything. best tracks: On the nickel, heart attack and vine, Mr siegel
Dusty Springfield
3/5
never listened to dusty beyond the classics but this was a very pleasant surprise! I understand why she is so beloved. Best tracks: breakfast in bed, son of a preacher man, no easy way down
Liz Phair
2/5
This would be enjoyable if it was like 23 minutes long. Instead it is 57. best / only good songs: never said, fuck and run, Stratford-on-guy
The Doors
3/5
70s rock bands stop making 9 minute songs challenge: impossible. This is actually pretty good, the annoying organ solos are at a minimum and the instrumentation is great. Best tracks: riders on the storm, la woman, been down so long
Cocteau Twins
4/5
patiently awaiting the translation of this album into English
Arcade Fire
4/5
hey this is pretty good! starts off great but neighbourhood 3 and 4 are kinda unnecessary I feel. Best tracks: neighbourhood 1 (tunnels), crown of love, wake up
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
loved it! great mix of grungy and dark, guitars and bass are driving, performance is excellent. only downside is that the whole is not the most cohesive. can take some time to get into its rhythm but once its there its great. best tracks: carcass, suburban relapse, metal postcard
Little Richard
3/5
really can hear a straight line from this album to so many other classics. can’t believe this holds up so well, little Richard fucking rips on some of these as well. best tracks: tutti frutti, ready teddy, oh why
The Fall
4/5
extremely based I love the fall now. lots of great instrumentation, silly vocals at times, good riffs. love the energy. Best tracks: spoilt Victorian child, rollin dany, barmy
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
the more aggressively funky the track the better. A couple of the slower songs on here don’t work as well as they could and as soon as things go up a gear this album is fantastic. best tracks: reasons, Africano, shining star
Massive Attack
4/5
hell yeah. the way this effortlessly crosses genres and uses so many different elements without losing cohesion is brilliant. best tracks: be thankful for what you've got, unfinished sympathy, safe from harm
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
this album is a masterclass in funk minimalism; does so much with so little when it wants to and then switches it up and fills the mix. no matter what , it works. Best tracks: Jesus, so in love, love to the people
Soft Cell
2/5
this sux. if it’s supposed to be a joke in parts that’s lame, if it’s supposed to be serious that’s also awful. any good parts are ruined by annoying lyrics or a bad drum line. Only good track: tainted love (which stops this from being a 1 star)
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
this album flips between banger and bizarre and it’s great! the goofy songs work even though they’re not particularly striking they fit well. best tracks: nocturnal me, killing moon, seven seas
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
if you said this was better than TPAB I would not be mad at all. cohesive, brilliant, nearly flawless. I have nothing to add to the conversation about this album I just simply love it. best tracks: bitch don't kill my vibe, maad city, sing about me im dying of thirst
David Bowie
4/5
very very very nice. first half is great and the direction change for the back half was unexpected but very very welcome. Bowie is phenomenal on this one and the mix and arrangement is excellent. best tracks: heroes, joe the lion, sense of doubt
Elbow
4/5
this is really really great, a nice indie banger. songwriting is the highlight for sure, but most of it also sounds very nice too. best tracks: grounds for divorce, mirrorball, the fix.
The Stooges
2/5
first half of this is god awful, second half is fantastic. suddenly everything that didn't work starts working - vocals are grungy and raw rather than annoying, frantic guitar is matched by the cracked sax, whole thing sounds real. best tracks: dirt, fun house, 1970
Bob Dylan
4/5
I think that I would enjoy this more if I knew where it sat in dylans discography. nevertheless, fantastic. songwriting was great, sound is great. can drag a bit but not too much. best tracks: highway 61 revisited, like a rolling stone, queen jane approximately
Harry Nilsson
4/5
this is very silly and also very great. I love the whiplash going from a goofy little song to something tender and sweet. best tracks: gotta get up, without you. coconut
The Beach Boys
3/5
goofy lads make some great tunes. I expected this to get samey but its fairly varied, vocals of course are great but I love the songwriting too. best tracks: don't hurt my little sister, help me rhonda, good to my baby
The War On Drugs
4/5
Lush and amazing. I would say the songwriting is great but at times impossible to tell what the fuck he is saying. The whole thing just comes together amazingly; its hazy and smoky and wonderful. Best tracks: Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, Lost In The Dream
Small Faces
4/5
fantastic! the concept section is so well done. Doesn’t sound like it’s from 1968. The mixing is exquisite!! Best tracks: ogdens nut gone flake, lazy Sunday, Rene
Miles Davis
5/5
Brilliant from start to end miles Davis is a genius. Fresh ideas pop up throughout and it never gets tired. Best tracks: so what, flamenco sketches, blue in green
Stan Getz
4/5
this is really great and I keep coming back to basically every track here. Fantastic introduction to samba for me, getz is wonderfully talented. The rhythms and instrumentation is beautiful. best tracks: samba triste, desafinado, samba dees days
XTC
2/5
kinda annoying, kinda entertaining. The whole sound of this album is just off; like 1 riff will be fun or a chorus will be catchy but the rest of the song doesn't sit well with it. some standouts and some stinkers. best tracks: grass, ballet for a rainy day, season cycle
Bon Jovi
1/5
first half of this album is truly dog ass; second half is tolerable. whole experienced is saved only by the big hits and "I'm a cowboy on a steel horse I ride" (ironically). best tracks: you give love a bad name, without love
Silver Jews
3/5
is it antisemitic to say this is like country leonard cohen? can't tell if the songwriting is genius or ultra cringe. vocals are nice despite that and the overall sound is great. best tracks: room games and diamond rain, slow education, time will break the world
Leonard Cohen
3/5
very nice leonard. truly lives up to the name; songs about love and hate (but it seems mostly songs about how love is hate) best tracks: avalanche, famous blue raincoat, sing another song boys.
New York Dolls
2/5
I get how this would be revolutionary but fuck early american punk kinda sucks. annoying but I respect their vibe. best tracks: personality crisis, trash
Tim Buckley
2/5
I don’t think I liked this much, songwriting was weird in a dated kinda way, I can imagine people in the 70s thought it was fire but now I think it’s dumb. Best track: get on top
Yes
3/5
so so so much better than I expected and the sole reason is that the songs are a regular length. everything that works about yes works, except nothing is 10 minutes long. Best tracks: roundabout, long distance runaround, south side of the sky
Guns N' Roses
1/5
fuck this sucks
The National
3/5
when I'm in the mood to listen to this its very enjoyable, when I'm not it's not. not a fault of the album really, songwriting is good for the most part and sometimes great! best tracks: bloodbuzz ohio, conversation 16, anyone's ghost
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Not exactly revolutionary but enjoyable and the songwriting on here is really great at times. everything she writes sounds so authentic in her voice (duh) and feels like fresh air. best tracks: the last of the true believers, banks of the pontchartrain, love at the five and dine
Neu!
2/5
I think actually I just don't like krautrock that much. does some cool stuff but it's just not for me. I don't think I would ever really come back and listen to this again. best tracks: hero, isi, e-musik
Peter Gabriel
3/5
really swings wildly between great song and goofy song (which is often but not always bad). production is absolutely the highlight but gabriel's voice and songwriting also shine. best tracks: here comes the flood, down the dolce vita, solsbury hill
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
dunno what else I expected from "murder ballads" but yep its what it says on the tin. Fantastic and bizarre, nick cave continues to deliver for me. each track is so gruesome and dark and are all a wild ride. best tracks: stagger lee, where the wild roses grow, o'malleys bar
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
one of those albums that makes you realise why boomers have a superiority complex. this is amazing; all the little instrumentational details work and bruce is amazing at both writing and performing songs. best tracks: born to run, backstreets, night
Beatles
5/5
if you say this is your favourite Beatles album I wouldn’t be mad. one of the great beatles opening runs with taxman thru to yellow submarine (not that the rest is anything to sniff at). Best tracks: here, there, and everywhere, got to get you into my life, taxman
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
really strange album absolutely loved it. Freaky and atmospheric in places but also some real bangers. Truly enjoy the whole experience. Best tracks: souvenir, maid of orleans , Georgia
The Smiths
4/5
The more I listen to this album the more I think the non-singles are the best part. best tracks: Cemetry Gates, I know it's over, Frankly Mr Shankly
Dead Kennedys
3/5
this album is at its best when it toes the line of political satire. Unfortunately half the songs don’t come close and then the others take themselves too seriously. California Uber alles is genius, but holiday in Cambodia is kinda cringe. best tracks: let’s lynch the landlord, California Uber alles, kill the poor
Frank Sinatra
2/5
aaaaaaaah it all sounds the same. still good though, a truly amazing voice. what elevates the best parts is the lyrics and any deviation from standard instrumentation. best tracks: in the wee small hours of the morning, mood indigo, I get along without you very well
Talking Heads
3/5
frantic pace but never feels rushed. there’s no super standout sections but overall is solid throughout. Feel like the vocals match the tone of the instrumentation more rather than contrast which can make the album feel a bit more homogenous. Best tracks: take me to the river, the big country, the girls want to be with the girls
Van Morrison
3/5
variations on a theme: brown eyed girl. best tracks: moondance, these dreams of you, crazy love
The Beach Boys
2/5
Easily the best part of this is the edgier beach boys on show; rather than bright and bubbly the sounds here are a lot "grungier" (not actually grungy). however the whole is less than the sum of its parts. best tracks: long promised road, till I die, a day in the life of a tree
Wilco
4/5
totally fantastic. songwriting, performances, mixing, general vibes are on point. hard to pick favourites but best tracks: jesus etc, heavy metal drummer, pot kettle black
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
It takes a lot for electric blues to grab me, but parts of this did! eric clapton is probably the best part of this but for the most part its kinda standard electric blues-fare. best tracks: all your love, double crossin time, key to love
Spiritualized
3/5
it’s hard to live up to the opening song, but the rest of the album gets pretty close! I love the performances on here, everything comes together so well and the mix is great. Some tracks drag a bit and the album as a whole is very long but that’s not necessarily bad. Best tracks: title track, no god only religion, come together
CHIC
4/5
disco excellence. tbh the back half of this is better than the more well known portion. best tracks: I want your love, Savoir Faire, At Last I am Free
The Who
3/5
First third; great. Middle third; boring. Final third; pretty good. Love the usage of synths (?) mixed with more traditional styles of the time. songwriting is pretty great too. best tracks: baba o'riley, Behind blue eyes, bargain
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
why is this so long? still great though. everything jimi touches is gold. sometimes can be a dredge but overall is varied enough and the performance is truly electric so it's ok. best tracks: all along the watchtower, voodoo child, crosstown traffic
Marty Robbins
2/5
more murder ballads to add to the collection. this album is best when it leans into the campiness of western and worst when just retreading country tunes. best tracks: big iron (obviously), the master's call, el paso
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I think if you include this then Paul has the best non-beatles discography. this whole thing is fantastic, I love jaunty paul and the rest of wings is fantastic. best tracks: let me roll it, band on the run, mrs vandebilt
The Cardigans
3/5
this is so much more than lovefool which i absolutely did not expect. full of true 90s bops and also some more subdued tracks which were really enjoyable. at its weakest when it retreads tropes or doesn't lean into its aesthetic. best tracks: been it, lovefool, step on me
Thundercat
5/5
Just gets better with age. I love this album and I love thundercat. best tracks: them changes, A fan's mail, walk on by
Johnny Cash
3/5
fascinating piece of music history and super interesting to hear this live recording. Songwriting is great and Johnny cash is brilliant but unfortunately this is a live album and is not really something to enjoy as much as an archival work. If you listen to this for fun you’re insane. best tracks: walk the line, a boy named sue, San Quentin.
The Kinks
3/5
There are some great standouts from this album and the majority of the reason for that is the backing track. the songwriting is equally tight throughout but half sounds the same. best tracks: rainy day in june, house in the country, sunny afternoon
Duran Duran
2/5
First half of this album: just ok. Second half: rips. The more synths the better and the sillier the synths the more I like it. best tracks: save a prayer, the chauffeur, hungry like the wolf
The Stone Roses
3/5
great opening and ending, lacklustre middle section but overall is pretty good. Best tracks: waterfall, I wanna be adored, she bangs the drums
Common
5/5
lyrics: incredible. beats: fantastic. runtime: perfect. sequencing: flawless. common is a genius and this is easily his best album
Todd Rundgren
2/5
can describe this only as neurotic. video game ass-music sometimes, then a regular song. not bad though! best tracks: zen archer, international feel, I'm so proud / ooh baby baby
The Byrds
3/5
A nice mix between Dylan and the Beatles without going too far in either direction. love the guitar work on here. best tracks: mr tambourine man, we’ll meet again, the bells of rhymeney
The Cure
3/5
Love how ominous and driving this is in parts, the guitars sort of pull you along deeper into the woods. other than those parts sort of standard fare, still good but not fantastic. Best tracks: play for today, secrets, a forest
The Kinks
2/5
nothing special but not unenjoyable - the kinks have a solid formula that doesn’t really miss. highlights, as with their other albums, come when they deviate. best tracks: harry rag, David watts, Waterloo sunset
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Not quite “all killer” but there’s certainly no filler. mixing is wonderful, songwriting is gorgeous and at points Stevie’s voice is heavenly. of the killer, superstition is the worst and that speaks to the absolute quality of this album. best tracks: you are the sunshine of my life, blame it on the sun, you and I
The Stranglers
3/5
who plays the bass that loud? this album is great. songwriting is good throughout but the best is the opening run of tracks. whole thing sounds brilliant and the prog-punk (?) is fantastic. best tracks: peaches, down in the sewer, princess of the streets
Faust
2/5
started out extremely annoying and hateable, but actually this is great. I respect the places this goes even if it's note exactly nice to listen to. best tracks: Picnic on a frozen river, lauft ..., the sad skinhead
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
mostly decent but is kinda twee throughout in an annoying way. when it works it works, but when it doesn't the songs are just sorta there and don't really hit emotionally. best tracks: the stars of track and field, like dylan in the movies, the fox in the snow
MGMT
5/5
if only the first half of this existed it’d still be one of the best albums of the 2000s. Fortunately for us the back half is also fantastic. I don’t think there’s a single person between 18 and 35 who doesn’t have a core memory to at least one of the songs on here. best tracks: time to pretend, 4th dimensional transition, kids
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
just couldn’t get into this and I don’t know why. It’s not bad but it all kinda blended together. best tracks: luv n haight, spaced cowboy, runnin away
Paul Weller
4/5
songwriting is tight throughout, Paul Weller’s is great and the arrangement is all good. Best part however is the ability to effortlessly shift between genres! Amazed by the places this album goes. Best tracks: can you heal us (holy man), all the pictures on the wall, hung up
Peter Gabriel
4/5
this is amazing! Really funky in parts but at its very best when darker and moody. a lot less silly than other Gabriel offerings and full of wonderful production. Best tracks: red rain, don’t give up, mercy street
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
the original gecs (?) - what if we put a bunch of wacky sounds in our songs and y know what it really worked. quintessentially 80s. best tracks: one more chance, its a sin, kings cross
Wild Beasts
3/5
Absolutely love the way this progresses as the album goes on - from ethereal and flowing to a much more driving sound. enchanting throughout. Best tracks: all the kings men, empty nest, through the iron gate
Oasis
3/5
Kinda longwinded but I do like it. Not as quintessential as what's the story morning glory but in some ways better; songwriting is sharp and whole thing sounds together. best tracks: rock n roll star, supersonic, married with children.
Carpenters
4/5
wahoo soft and lovely! wonderful things done to great songwriting (thanks burt). best tracks: close to you, I'll never fall in love again, help
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
jangly, raw, and sounds great. Whole thing is really tight and has a great energy. Best tracks: you’re gonna miss me, reverberation, the kingdom of heaven is within you
Supertramp
2/5
sits in a strange middle ground between the prog punk of the stranglers and more straight 70s rock. Not terrible but not great either. Best tracks: school, bloody well right, asylum
Joy Division
5/5
what’s left to say? A masterpiece from start to finish - production, the driving bass and guitar, brilliant drumming and an amazing vocal performance. Best tracks: disorder, new dawn fades, she’s lost control
Scott Walker
2/5
Just ok. Singer / songwriter standard stuff goin on. On occasion shines through. best tracks: The Seventh Seal
Ryan Adams
3/5
while this is goofy long I like it, doesn't overstay its welcome. some great songwriting and doesn't sound at all like its album cover. best tracks: new york new york, la cienega just smiles, harder now that its over
Depeche Mode
2/5
dude I loved the part when they said I'm going depeche mode and depeched everywhere. best tracks: world in my eyes, enjoy the silence, personal jesus
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Still hits so incredibly hard! The sound of this album is fantastic and the songwriting while a bit rough in places is overall fantastic and witty. Performances are electric and the whole thing just rips. Best tracks: when the sun goes down, riot van, I bet you look good on the dance floor
Marvin Gaye
3/5
marvin, what the fuck are you talking about? best tracks: here my dear, is that enough, I met a little girl.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
fairly standard electric blues but not unenjoyable. goes on a bit, but when it's on it's on for sure. best tracks: travelin band, i heard it through the grapevine, who'll stop the rain.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
led zep is the epitome of solid idea and near perfect execution. while this album isn’t amazing, it executes its ideas amazingly. Performances are great and in particular the bass tone is wonderful. best tracks: whole lotta love, what is and what should never be, living loving maid
John Coltrane
5/5
what it says on the tin: supreme. like a summer storm of brilliance! best tracks: all
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Simply wonderful! Aretha is fantastic and the songwriting is really lovely at times. can get a bit samey but the highs are really high. best tracks: chain of fools, a natural born woman, people get ready
2/5
a whole lot more entertaining than I usually find these types of albums. keeps the punk ethos without sounding like shit. best tracks: adult books, year 1, some other time
D'Angelo
4/5
Amazing! D'angelo's voice is so smooth and the instrumentation backs that up. Very cohesive and doesn't overstay its welcome. Best tracks: Brown Sugar, Smooth, Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine.
Richard Hawley
3/5
brilliant songwriting and a great sound - like a modern roy orbison! best tracks: just like the rain, born under a bad sign, hotel room
The Zombies
3/5
edgier beach boys. sorry if thats reductive. best tracks: butchers tale, time of the season, brief candles
Kelela
4/5
best way to describe this is lush; from the electic selection of beats, production choices, and vocal performance. best tracks: frontline, lmk, take me apart
The Clash
5/5
I can remember the first time listening to this album in full and it's always stuck with me I absolutely love it. punchy and political, but able to jump between heavier and lighter without ruining the vibe. best tracks: london calling, spanish bombs, the guns of brixton
Funkadelic
4/5
they really weren't lying when they said who says a funk band can't play rock. this is fantastic. Love the tongue in cheek lyrics and the mindbending instrumentation. best tracks: groovalleigance, who says a funk band can't play rock?!, One nation under a groove
Solomon Burke
3/5
hell yeah all classic songs in a wonderful style. the performance is what makes this standout. best tracks: goodbye baby (baby goodbye), you can't love them all, cry to me
808 State
2/5
A time capsule of 90s electronic music, somewhat aged poorly but with some massive highlights. This mix of pacific state is great. best tracks: pacific 202, cobra bora, sunrise
The Black Keys
3/5
Liked this a lot more than I thought I was going to. Nicely blues-y without being the blues. best tracks: tighten up, howlin for you, never gonna give you up
Ella Fitzgerald
1/5
if you need to put a 3 hour ella fitzgerald compilation into your book, maybe it should have just been 1000 albums to hear before you die. I'm not fucking listening to this
10cc
3/5
hell yeah silly music. really entertaining songwriting that is quite clever when you listen a bit harder. good blend of pop and rock. best tracks: Baron Samedi, The Worst Band in the World, Old Wild Men
Bill Callahan
4/5
truly beautiful. The songwriting is heartwrenching and gorgeous. lush and full instrumentation and mixing. best tracks: Eid Ma Clack Shaw, Too Many Birds, Roccoco Zephyr
DJ Shadow
5/5
a seminal work. absolutely incredible tribute to DJs and a next step in hip hop. best tracks: midnight in a perfect world, building steam with a grain of salt, changeling
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
still think it's weird you wrote a song about your friend's wife dude. best tracks: little wing, layla, nobody knows you when you're down and out
Radiohead
3/5
listened to this in the perfect atmosphere: absolute chaos and sense of impending doom. still sounds quintessentially radiohead despite not being as far into their discography. best tracks: high and dry, nice dream, black star
The Cars
2/5
hey is this goofy. entertaining! very late 70s rock but it doesn't sound so much like everything else of its era that it gets boring. best tracks: my best friend's girl, just what I needed, all mixed up
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
beautiful and I love fleetwood mac. despite its length it does not drag much at all. features beautiful songwriting and performances from every member. truly part of the holy trinity of fleetwood mac albums. best tracks: tusk, sara, storms
Gary Numan
2/5
Fine but not mindblowing. Has its moments. Best tracks: Cars, Airlane, Complex
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
hell yeah. 77 minute album has never felt so good. the sound effects are such a nice touch and they feel just goofy enough to work. best tracks: mr blue sky, turn to stone, wild west hero
Blur
4/5
no question blur is the better britpop band! very silly at times and sounds great. PARK-LIFE! best tracks: parklife, end of a century, london loves
Haircut 100
3/5
Fairly standard as far as goofy english new wave goes but not unenjoyable. best tracks: favourite shirts, lemon firebrigade, surprise me again
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
beautiful! continues on from the magic that is parsley sage rosemary and thyme but doesn't feel like they're just going thru the same motions. what a fantastic partnership this is I sure hope someone doesn't sleep with someone else's wife. best tracks: bridge over troubled water, the boxer, el condor pasa
Dennis Wilson
3/5
above average but not exactly shining. does capture the beach boys sound without just sounding like a inferior version; dennis is able to bring in his own personality. best tracks: moonshine, you and I, pacific ocean blue
Dolly Parton
4/5
YES. BEAUTIFUL. Everything works so well!! best tracks: to know him is to love him, farther along, I've had enough
The Flaming Lips
4/5
this straight fucking slaps. incredible and weird throughout, takes so many unexpected turns. absolutely fantastic production and performances, and I like the songwriting a lot. best tracks: yoshimi battles the pink robots pt 1, all we have is now, fight test
Patti Smith
2/5
didn't really connect with this all that much. I like the guitar work and production though. best tracks: gloria, free money, break it up
Richard Thompson
3/5
Sorta runs out of steam as it winds up but hey this is pretty good. songwriting is excellent and I love the way the vocalists change duties depending on the track. best tracks: when I get to the border, the calvary cross, I want to the see the bright lights tonight
The Rolling Stones
2/5
yeah this really is a rolling stones album and that's about it. not offensively boring but nothing special. best track: sympathy for the devil
Muddy Waters
3/5
*riff*
best tracks: mannish boy, bus driver, the blues had a baby and they named it rock n roll
The White Stripes
2/5
did I not get this or do the white stripes actually kinda suck. 1 star for fell in love with a girl and 1 star for expecting.
Miles Davis
4/5
this is cracked I wish I owned it physically. miles continues to go crazy. best tracks: both of them that are on here
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Love the production on here and the way that the instruments just come into the mix and build throughout. great voice too! best tracks: down to zero, love and affection, water with the wine
T. Rex
3/5
extremely mixed bag. at times sounds like it's ahead of its time, and then immediately sounds like 1971. the parts that hit are very entertaining. best tracks: mambo sun, hot love, cosmic dancer
Stevie Wonder
4/5
ah, the rare legitimate double album that actually works and has two distinct sides, which each thematically enrich one another. great stuff stevie amazing that this doesn't drag on despite its enormous runtime. best tracks: sir duke, saturn, knocks me off my feet
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
yeah (x3). this fucking rips. best part is the album sequencing. best tracks: date with the night, maps, rich
The Doors
3/5
maybe I just don't get it but this doesn't really grab me. It's not bad per se but it's not super fantastic other than its highlights. best tracks: break on through, light my fire, soul kitchen
Radiohead
4/5
moody, atmospheric, fantastic. the sequencing is incredible, nothing feels out of place at all. kinda feels like kid a on sleeping medication, but like in a good way. best tracks: pyramid song, life in a glasshouse, you and whose army?
The Kinks
3/5
starts off slow and I really was getting annoyed that I had to listen to this, but it hits its stride midway through and is great! Songwriting is good and sounds sillier than ever. best tracks: Big Sky, Village Green, Phenomenal Cat
The Yardbirds
3/5
this album has two parts: (1) boy do I have something fucking crazy to show you it's called the 12 bar blues (2) what if we went fucking goofy. and i love them for it. best tracks: over under sideways down, jeff's boogie, ever since the world began
Fever Ray
2/5
atmospheric and minimal but like in the bad way. best tracks: If I Had a Heart, When I Grow Up, Keep the Streets Empty for Me
Dire Straits
3/5
tasteful licks: the album. best tracks: sultans of swing, lions, six blade knife
3/5
damn this truly is blur. straddles the line between goofy britpop and non-goofy, which is sometimes good but also makes the whole thing feel longer than something like parklife. best tracks: for tomorrow, blue jeans, chemical world
Steely Dan
5/5
god I love steely dan. best tracks: aja, deacon blues, peg
Elis Regina
3/5
I think MPB is great and this is a solid contribution to that. hard sometimes to concentrate and actively listen to foreign language music but it is still captivating! best tracks: vento de maio, o medo de amar ... , tiro ao alvaro
Talking Heads
4/5
took me a few listens to fully get it but man I finally understand why everyone loves this so much. production is absolutely incredible and complements the already great songwriting and performances. best tracks: once in a lifetime, the overload, born under punches
Jeff Buckley
4/5
my god this really sounds like 1994. I think if were then I would give it a 5 but it sounds a liiiiiittle dated at times. otherwise; generally amazing and heartbreaking. best tracks: hallelujah, forget her, love you should've come over
Le Tigre
3/5
goofy uuuuuh music. really enjoyed the songwriting on this one, at times biting. best tracks: deceptacon, whats yr take on cassavetes, eau d'bedroom dancing
The Isley Brothers
4/5
hell yeah I love this SO much more than I thought I was going to. doesn't get tired or predictable and very funky. best tracks: summer breeze 1 +2, that lady 1 + 2, dont let me be lonely tonight
The Slits
1/5
boy do I hate this cover of heard it through the grapevine, but I do appreciate it. I know its antithetical to punk music but I really just only enjoy listening to a more polished sound. not terrible but not my thing. best track: instant hit
OutKast
4/5
two great albums that complement each other so well. double album which doesn't absolutely bore my dick off! both Big Boi and 3 stacks are in fantastic form. best tracks: prototype, spread, unhappy
Funkadelic
5/5
i want maggot brain to play at my funeral. best tracks: maggot brain, can you get to that, hit it and quit it
The Rolling Stones
3/5
the prototypical stones album dare I say it. well executed and punchy blues along with two absolute classics. best tracks: gimme shelter, let it bleed, you cant always get what you want
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
gives the beatles a run for their money when it comes to being unlistenable through one headphone. some absolute classic bangers that stand out, but not as much as I thought they would - a real testament to the quality of this album. best tracks: monday monday, california dreamin, do you wanna dance
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I think I need to listen to this in autumn or winter. on first pass I love how dark and gloomy this is. ol brucey's songwriting on full display here amidst pared back and beautiful instrumentation. why must middle america suffer. best tracks: atlantic city, state trooper, johnny 99
3/5
pre wank u2 hell yeah. while it does kinda all sound the same, it still is varied enough to not get stale. driving and unfocused at the same time, full of little details. best tracks: where the streets have no name, exit, with or without you
SAULT
4/5
hm yeah based. great grooves and poignant writing. downside: spoken word with no emotion makes me so annoyed. some fantastic highlights! best tracks: wildfire, bow, miracles
The Band
2/5
some highlights and some truly dull moments. don't love it. best tracks: across the great divide, the night they drove old dixie down, king harvest
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favourite bowie album but a solid entry in a fantastic discography. full of classics. best tracks: young americans, fascination, fame
Pulp
4/5
god I'm so in on pulp this is so good. maybe the real britpop winners were these silly fellas. best tracks: common people, mis-shapes, bar italia
Fatboy Slim
4/5
hell yeah. hard hitting incredible beats, energetic and funky. best tracks: right here right now, rockafeller skank, praise you
De La Soul
5/5
thank god for de la getting their masters back. genuine masterpiece of sampling. drums are so crisp, samples are fantastic & the energy is amazing. not to mention the lyrical chops. literally only downside is the skits but they're still kinda funny which is the best you can hope for. best tracks: the magic number, plug tunin, buddy
GZA
4/5
first listen to this in years and its so much more obtuse than I remember (compliment). wordplay is immense and the instrumentals are top notch. really the only thing that brings this down is minute long intros and outros. best tracks: investigative reports, gold, shadowboxin
The xx
4/5
Blueprint for so many bands of the 2010s. Instrumentals and lyrics beautiful and mixing is great. The run of like 5 tracks at the start is exquisite. Best tracks: islands, shelter, crystallised
Public Enemy
3/5
Was expecting an album either of 15 fight the powers, or a bunch of filler and then fight the power. Instead it’s all bold, different, and angry. Great energies throughout and chuck d’s skills are on full display. Outros can get kinda annoying. Best tracks: fight the power, burn Hollywood burn, welcome to the terror dome
Radiohead
5/5
what’s left to say? best tracks: everything in its right place, motion picture soundtrack, how to disappear completely
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Beautiful and rich. The mix is absolutely fantastic and the album takes you so many unexpected places. An absolute triumph. Best tracks: trem de doido, o trem azul, um girassol…