805
Albums Rated
3.46
Average Rating
74%
Complete
284 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
241
5-Star Albums
100
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
|
5 | 2.23 | +2.77 |
|
Sincere
Mj Cole
|
5 | 2.38 | +2.62 |
|
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
|
5 | 2.58 | +2.42 |
|
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
|
5 | 2.6 | +2.4 |
|
Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
|
5 | 2.6 | +2.4 |
|
Take Me Apart
Kelela
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
What's That Noise?
Coldcut
|
5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
|
Djam Leelii
Baaba Maal
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
|
1 | 4.3 | -3.3 |
|
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
1 | 3.7 | -2.7 |
|
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
|
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
|
1 | 3.54 | -2.54 |
|
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Blackstar
David Bowie
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| U2 | 4 | 5 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 5 |
| Beatles | 6 | 4.5 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 5 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 5 |
| Beck | 3 | 5 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 5 |
| Prince | 3 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.67 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 4.67 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 5 |
| Elvis Presley | 2 | 5 |
| Curtis Mayfield | 2 | 5 |
| The Police | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 5 |
| Dolly Parton | 2 | 5 |
| The Temptations | 2 | 5 |
| Emmylou Harris | 2 | 5 |
| Aerosmith | 2 | 5 |
| Run-D.M.C. | 2 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Willie Nelson | 2 | 5 |
| Stan Getz | 2 | 5 |
| Eagles | 2 | 5 |
| Taylor Swift | 2 | 5 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 5 |
| George Michael | 2 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 5 | 4.2 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 1.5 |
| Björk | 3 | 1 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 1.33 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 1.33 |
| Kraftwerk | 2 | 1 |
| Scott Walker | 2 | 1 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 1.75 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 1.67 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 1.67 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 1.67 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 2 |
| Slipknot | 2 | 1.5 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 1.5 |
| Tim Buckley | 2 | 1.5 |
| Tom Waits | 4 | 2 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 5, 1 |
| Fairport Convention | 1, 5 |
| Nick Drake | 5, 3, 1 |
| Brian Eno | 5, 1, 1, 1, 2 |
| Peter Gabriel | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (241)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Sarah Vaughan · 11 likes
5/5
This one’s personal. My mother was actually there! She was 19 years old, fresh off a breakup, working as a secretary downtown and living the grown-up life in Chicago, complete with high heels, menthol cigarettes, and cocktails at Mister Kelly’s. Listening to this feels like slipping into her kitten heels and stepping back into the smoky glow of 1950s nightlife.
M.I.A. · 2 likes
5/5
M.I.A. is a trailblazing female rapper
Beck · 2 likes
5/5
Love
Don McLean · 2 likes
4/5
I mean, its just so pretty. What's not to like? It does become monotonous after a while, but it is only 36 minutes so easy to get through.
Björk · 2 likes
1/5
my god that was painful. 1 star because there is nothing lower
1-Star Albums (100)
All Ratings
The Doors
4/5
Pixies
3/5
Paul Weller
5/5
Great work vibe
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5/5
Tears For Fears
5/5
Love this. Every track
The Stooges
4/5
Classic. Iggy Pop was cool before cool
George Jones
3/5
Not my jam but appreciate it historically and musically
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Various Artists
1/5
There’s a reason holiday music is only played once a year
U2
5/5
A personal favorite
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
I like it. Peppy background music.
Buck Owens
3/5
Appreciate it historically and recognize several songs from when I was a kid… not my jam, though.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
I like it still. Now I realize how they were winding down the 80’s sound and sliding into 90’s grunge.
Blondie
4/5
Very nostalgic
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Solsbury Hill!!! Love that song. Rest of album equally good.
3/5
Very nostalgic. She was a trailblazer. Wouldn’t listen again though.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
Hearing One song is fun 80’s punk. Listening to the whole album is torture.
Beatles
5/5
Elliott Smith
1/5
The Style Council
3/5
Is this the music they play in the theater before the movie starts? I liked the especially bluesy tracks.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Talented.
Robbie Williams
3/5
It was ok. Very 80’s pop sounding for an album released in 1997.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Absolutely love them. Not my favorite album of theirs, if I’m honest. But had great fun listening!
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
A favorite
Underworld
4/5
Is that EDM? I’m not cool enough to know but I think it was. It was fun. Good work music. Peppy but background.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I like a couple songs a lot and equally disliked others. He’s still the boss.
Nirvana
3/5
Powerful album. I’ve always liked Nirvana but not 4 star for me.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
I love this. Reminds me of my brother discovering rock in the 70’s and me crushing on his best friend who lent him the album.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
Not my bag. It felt like that prickly feeling when your foot falls asleep but in my brain.
Talk Talk
4/5
Love this.
The Prodigy
2/5
Nah. Thanks.
Jimmy Smith
5/5
Jazzy! I liked it.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Beautiful
So good! Love me some pre-Disco Rod Stewart.
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
I like the one song; but who doesn’t?
Van Halen
5/5
Never gets old.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Classic.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Love DM
George Harrison
5/5
Beautiful
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Didn’t know it at all but it was good. Had 80’s electronic vibe
The Sugarcubes
1/5
Eeek, no. Like the cranberries but screachier.
Jacques Brel
2/5
One star of my own liking but adding a star because he’s French and who doesn’t like a swarthy French crooner?
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
Oldie and fun. Appreciate the throwback.
David Bowie
4/5
Love Bowie though this isn’t my fave album.
Nick Drake
5/5
New to me, I liked it a lot!
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
I just really don’t vibe with this type of country music. All the songs sounded the same and the “my grandma cried when I pierced my nose” lyric was cringey af.
Frank Ocean
3/5
I like it, but small doses. Wouldn’t listen to the whole album again.
Tori Amos
1/5
Ugh. No.
Jamiroquai
5/5
Longtime listener; longtime fan.
Pavement
4/5
Early 90’s nostalgic
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
It’s ok.
Solomon Burke
5/5
Bluesy and smooth
Daft Punk
3/5
Not my jam but get that they are talented and innovative
The Clash
4/5
A great first album from a classic band.
Elastica
3/5
That was fun. Not for me again though.
Paul Simon
5/5
Wish there was a 6th star for this favorite
Elvis Presley
5/5
🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Smooth, dreamy, beautiful
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Five stars
Pink Floyd
3/5
Neutral then, neutral now
Tom Waits
2/5
I want to like Tom Waits music. Yet, I don’t.
M.I.A.
4/5
I didn’t expect to like this but I really did. Nice Friday vibe.
Otis Redding
3/5
Enjoyed. Wouldn’t listen again. Appreciate the genre but it isn’t my vibe.
Van Morrison
4/5
Beautiful
Sebadoh
3/5
Not appealing but not repelling either
Arcade Fire
3/5
I interesting. Liked some tracks more than others.
Beatles
5/5
Holds up.
B.B. King
3/5
Love the man. Neutral on the genre.
Nina Simone
5/5
She’s amazing.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
I’d have loved it in the 89’s
The Beau Brummels
3/5
I could hear the San Francisco sound. Cool throwback
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I bought this when I was in HS and loved it. Doesn’t hit the same.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I like Tangled Up in Blue
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Love this
David Crosby
1/5
Can’t.
Haircut 100
5/5
Sucker for 80’s electronic dance
James Brown
4/5
He’s the man
The Darkness
2/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
A little is fun. A whole album is too much Freedom Rock for me
Slipknot
1/5
No thank you
Beck
5/5
Love
Incubus
5/5
Great band. Great album.
The Police
5/5
Another suburban family morning…
David Bowie
4/5
Classic
5/5
TIDAL didn’t have Spy vs Spy but I listened to his top tracks and love it. Brought visions of the pink panther.
D'Angelo
5/5
Smooth
Gene Clark
2/5
Yawner for me
Fela Kuti
4/5
Didn’t have Live! so I listened to a ton of tracks. It’s good. I like Jazz but it is hard to work and listen to Jazz when you have ADHD 😵💫
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
So good.
The Shamen
3/5
I don’t love the genre but it was surprisingly fun and mindless work music.
Bob Dylan
1/5
Just not a fan
New York Dolls
4/5
Such fun
Miles Davis
3/5
Feels like sitting in the theater waiting for the movie to start
Coldplay
5/5
Time Machine to the 90’s
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
True love
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Time machine
Janet Jackson
5/5
Legendary badass!
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Oh my, no
Kraftwerk
1/5
Wow, 1977? Electronica has been terrible for decades
T. Rex
2/5
One Bang a Gong song is enough for me; don’t need a whole album
Le Tigre
3/5
Well that was… unexpected. Didn’t hate it but couldn’t listen to the whole thing.
Orange Juice
4/5
I enjoy the genre and the idea of making punk rock less angry
ZZ Top
5/5
Followed by the Brothers in Blues documentary on Friday night. Five stars.
Michael Jackson
5/5
MJ classic
Genesis
2/5
Lol 5/8 tracks are 8+ minutes long. 👉👁️
The Crusaders
3/5
Cool 70’s vibe
Peter Tosh
5/5
🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Thundercat
3/5
New to me! Will need the right mood for it.
Bob Dylan
1/5
Too much Dylan, y’all
UB40
3/5
Good homogeneous reggae
Dolly Parton
5/5
Iconic
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Loved it
The Isley Brothers
5/5
This vibe is 🔥
4/5
Enjoyed this full album more than I thought I would. My expectation was that I’d like the tracks I’m familiar with but be bored with the rest. I liked it all.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
So good. Holds up.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Bruce is OK
Ministry
2/5
My ears hurt
Joy Division
2/5
Eh, I remember liking this more than I actually do.
Cream
3/5
Hit & Miss
Syd Barrett
1/5
Nope.
Jeff Beck
3/5
I think just not in the mood?
Public Enemy
5/5
Legendary
Massive Attack
4/5
Very cool
Blur
2/5
Woo hoo! was fun. The rest was bad.
The Temptations
5/5
So good, every track. 👏🏼♥️
The Divine Comedy
1/5
This was like a parody of… something bad.
Nick Drake
3/5
That was weird… yet, I didn’t hate it.
Funkadelic
4/5
Love the Funk!
The War On Drugs
4/5
Dreamy and pleasant. Very nice.
Frank Zappa
1/5
My brother’s favorite. But at my age I can openly admit that really am not into Zappa. Or my brother, for that matter…
Cypress Hill
5/5
90’s best hip hop
Chicago
5/5
Oooo the pre-pop days of Chicago. Great band.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
So cool
Stephen Stills
3/5
Hit or miss.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Makes me wish for autotune
Germs
2/5
😵💫
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Love their sound.
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
🪩 😍
Linkin Park
4/5
Angry rock that I actually like
The Byrds
4/5
Holds up
GZA
5/5
Clan 4evah
The Birthday Party
1/5
As much as I wanted to be an 80’s punk fan, I don’t think so.
Talking Heads
4/5
They’ve always had a consistent sound.
Yes
3/5
Roundabout is a Vibe. The rest a yawn.
Dr. Dre
5/5
💪🏼
Fairport Convention
1/5
What what was that? Bluegrass? Folk? A ca. 1300’s bard?
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Liked a song at a time but the whole
Album was repetitive.
Beck
5/5
Brilliance
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I like it but not all at once kind of like.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
👩🔫
Grateful Dead
2/5
Not high enough
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
That’s a lot of PSB…
Beatles
5/5
Still perfect
Peter Gabriel
2/5
I wanted to like it more than I actually liked it
The Smiths
3/5
Not to be that person who says "all their songs sound the same to me" but all their songs sound the same to me.
Julian Cope
1/5
Tried. Nope.
Duran Duran
5/5
My name is Rio! It isn't but should be
Pulp
3/5
3.5; rounding down because I liked it but I wouldn't listen again
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Great poet and songwriter. Not a great singer. Understand why his songs are so often covered. RIP.
Dwight Yoakam
5/5
Such a fan
Love
1/5
Sounds like the 60's which normally I like a little but this didn't hit at all
Sabu
3/5
OG Latin!
Motörhead
1/5
Can’t.
ABBA
3/5
Hard to meet the Album bar.
Emmylou Harris
5/5
Love you, Emmylou.
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
She's a badass
Aerosmith
5/5
Never gets old
The Who
3/5
I never got the hype
Pink Floyd
1/5
unpopular opinion, but... no thanks.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
Hard to believe I didn't love this in 1983; I love it now. Happy birthday, Hip Hop! #HH50
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
3.75 really... it starts so fun and strong but lost me around track 5...
Gary Numan
3/5
Defines the 80's synthesized sound. Every track sounds the same to me. Is this where EDM germinated? I think so.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
This is pure gold
Ramones
5/5
Well that was fun!
King Crimson
3/5
Appreciate the talent and composition, just not my preference
Beck
5/5
always fun
Tom Tom Club
4/5
This makes me happy
The Zutons
4/5
Wasn't familiar but I liked it a lot!
Pretenders
5/5
💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
Bobby Womack
5/5
Groovy. I loved it.
Dolly Parton
5/5
Not usually one for country music, but I absolutely love this. Three of my favorite artists and women.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Reminds me of high school. Not the good parts.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
It's a vibe
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Every song is truly beautiful
The Specials
1/5
Nah
R.E.M.
5/5
still a favorite. now on an REM binge...
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Jazz is hit or miss for me, I think it depends on the style. This one hits.
The Temptations
5/5
Sing-along favorites for all time
Carole King
5/5
Can I give it 6 stars?
Nick Drake
1/5
Definitely the iconic 60's sound; nothing unique or engaging for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Yeah yeah yeah!
Radiohead
4/5
I liked it more than I thought I did or would
Johnny Cash
5/5
His cheeky dialogue was the best
Metallica
3/5
Reminds me of my favorite roomie who had one CD... this one. I've still heard it enough.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
dear god why
Morrissey
4/5
I've always liked Morrisey. Unique and dreamy, kind like Lo-Fi back in the day.
Caetano Veloso
5/5
I ❤️ Bossanova.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot.
Dire Straits
5/5
I don't think I've heard all of these before. A+
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Elvis is the original velvet crooner.
Metallica
2/5
I like the band, but not the music 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
I thought it was 60's folk... nope 1996 pop!
The Smiths
3/5
While I like the Smiths, this one over-indexes on downer.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I didn't want it this dark
Arcade Fire
4/5
Peaceful
Os Mutantes
2/5
Ehhhh?
Charles Mingus
3/5
Jazz. All the notes. At once.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Respect, but a bit too hardcore for me.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Always excellent. 👸🏾
M.I.A.
5/5
M.I.A. is a trailblazing female rapper
Megadeth
1/5
nope
Big Star
3/5
Fun hearing the original "That 70's Show" song!
Sex Pistols
4/5
Yep. I like 'em still.
Garbage
3/5
62 tracks? That's a lot of Garbage.
Lou Reed
4/5
I like Lou
Iron Butterfly
3/5
well that was a throwback
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Absolutely perfect
Beach House
3/5
I wonder if I'd have liked it better if I was in a different mood? It wasn't the right vibe for Friday afternoon.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
classic
Morrissey
3/5
Does it seem like we're over-indexing on Morrissey? It's cool but why so much?
Elton John
5/5
Hey kids!
50 Cent
5/5
such good memories with this
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Beautiful & groovy forever
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Greatest storyteller
Eminem
5/5
Gets better and better
David Bowie
4/5
2013 sounds the same as 70's Bowie. Very cool. RIP.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
nope
Ray Charles
3/5
nit my fave genre but I do love the classic songs
Guns N' Roses
5/5
🤘🤘🤘🤘
Parliament
4/5
Classic funky Funk
Scott Walker
1/5
awful
Mylo
4/5
Usually not a fan of this (is it electronic? EDM maybe?) but it worked as an afternoon office vibe.
New Order
4/5
High school revisited
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Always love them, but earlier jams aren't my fave
Public Enemy
5/5
Bring Da Noize! 👊🏼
The Associates
1/5
❌ my ears are angry
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie is OK; not nostalgic or the right vibe for me generally though
Jerry Lee Lewis
1/5
Talented for sure. Also a monster.
AC/DC
4/5
hard not to enjoy
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
wait, there was more than just Relax? Huh! Club vibes.
The Replacements
3/5
some fun, some too scathing
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
early 80's new wave fan girl here
Portishead
5/5
really enjoyed this; sweet and dreamy
Fatboy Slim
3/5
3.5 - enjoyed it but the whole album at once is too much EDM for me
Jorge Ben Jor
2/5
didn't NOT like, but hard to listen to with ADHD
Björk
1/5
my god that was painful. 1 star because there is nothing lower
Billie Holiday
5/5
beautiful
The Band
3/5
not bad, just kinda dull
Willie Nelson
5/5
so good
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
I get it is a classic, but too screechy for me
Bob Dylan
1/5
I know he's a legend but I've always found Dylan repetitive and eye-stabby
William Orbit
5/5
really enjoyed the whole album
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
amazing
Yes
4/5
great harmonies, tracks are long and repetitive but pleasant
Astrud Gilberto
5/5
one of my favorites
The xx
4/5
Was unfamiliar but like a lot
The Velvet Underground
2/5
just not my genre
David Bowie
1/5
As much as I love him as an artist, I don't vibe with his sound. This one was almost a caricature of David Bowie
Joni Mitchell
4/5
lovely as always
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
dear god no
Missy Elliott
5/5
she's so cool
Joni Mitchell
4/5
love her voice
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sound of my 80's angst
Kanye West
2/5
Listened to about half and do like it. I'm having trouble separating the art from the artist so, like Jerry Lee Lewis, rating is based on ick factor.
The Fall
3/5
Very 80's classic post-punk sound. Mark Smith's legacy.
Steely Dan
5/5
One hundred stars. Brilliance.
Gram Parsons
5/5
Loved this and went down a rabbit hole on his bio, then binged on Emmy Lou as a follow-up.
Eels
3/5
Very 90's Alt.
Radiohead
2/5
Is Radiohead considered Emo? This felt very emo.
Can
3/5
Kind of a LoFi vibe on some tracks like Future Days. But ADHD jazz that hurts my brain on others (like Spray. Then Moonshake delivers a damn enjoyable pop sound. Mixed bag, for me.
The Police
5/5
always jotful
Ray Price
4/5
Old fashioned C&W, honky tonk style.
The White Stripes
2/5
don't get the hype
Fiona Apple
4/5
Funny how knowing only one song by an artist gives an impression of what all their songs are, but then actually listening to the whole album creates a different impression entirely. I guess that's why we're doing this 1001 times, eh?
Björk
1/5
that was weird af
Coldcut
5/5
dance club vibes; loved it
4/5
80's pop charms me
The Doors
3/5
same as I remember it
R.E.M.
5/5
perfection
Nirvana
3/5
Their best sounding library of work
TV On The Radio
2/5
Trippy. Not in an unpleasant way. Maybe need to be high?
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
I liked this. Good energy and rhythms. A little repetitive but appropriate for synth-pop.
Paul Simon
4/5
a favorite for sure
Prince
5/5
Purple Perfection
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Enjoyed some tracks more than others. Very nostalgic and classic example of 80's new music
Burning Spear
5/5
Loved this. A powerful reggae masterpiece
John Cale
1/5
I like the 70's dreamy melodies but just wish his voice was better.
Common
5/5
My favorite R&B style, just enough hip hop with musical melodies.
Little Richard
5/5
What an interesting man and unique talent. Influential and toe-tapping, every track!
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
This was fully enjoyable, every track. Soulful and jazzy at the same time; a 70's vibe mixed with a modern R&B vocal.
The Kinks
3/5
Similar sound to others of the same era. You could tell me they were lost Beetles tracks and I'd have believed it. I expected more raunch and rattle like "Lola" but it was pretty standard 60's white person rock.
The Only Ones
2/5
70's punk isn't my favorite. Appreciate the history and how they transitioned the sound toward my 80's "new music" genre.
Metallica
3/5
Innovative cross-genre work though I wished for more S and less M.
The White Stripes
4/5
The drumming varies far more between songs than on their previous album, making it less one-note and monotonous. Meg's vocals add more texture and harmony than before as well. Despite not knowing any of the tracks, actually enjoyed it more than Elephant.
KISS
3/5
Without the makeup and theatrics as a distraction, it is really just straightforward 70's rock. Nothing special, but engaging with hook-y lyrics and the requisite sweet Rock-n-Roll love song (Beth) acting as a palate cleanser toward the end.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Listening to Sinatra feels like a rainy afternoon spent in my grandmother's closet trying on flowery hats and getting sentimental seeing her handwriting on the bak of old photos. I'd put this album on the turntable in the other room and remember how she cried in the car the day she heard that "ol' blue eyes" had died. The music is classic, his voice is smooth and charming, the era is timeless.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Every track on this album says something that applies to life and culture today. Amazing to think that in 50 years, social justice, equal rights, faith, and the looming threat of Misstra Know-It-All is all relevant.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
It is iconic 90's alt rock with the depth of Corgan's lyrics and skill at guitar shining at their brightest. The signature sound doesn't vary much and the tracks do begin to run together. Good emo vibe for an extended pity-party.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
A debut release that makes a statement about the music, the band, the songwriting that will endure as Arctic Monkeys' sound.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Funny to think of this as Punk... it isn't as angry and aggressive as I think of. I dare even say that I like his vocals and don't even question hierarchy, consumerism, or my existential existence after listening. Favorite tracks are Neighborhood Threat and Fall in Love with Me. I can easily imagine a modern cross-over country band covering them.
The Roots
5/5
I bought this in 2003 when I first heard The Seed; I remember being disappointed that it was the only track that has more R&B/Funk sound to it than Rap. The CD sat mostly unplayed. Listening again, the entire album is a masterpiece. Talented instrumentation, thoughtful collaborations, cross-genre appeal... it has everything.
Fred Neil
4/5
I did not know that "Everybody's Talkin'" wasn't written or originally recorded by Harry Nilsson! Neil's original version is less produced, but fully familiar and smooth. The other tracks had versatility and range in the musical rhythms and syncopation making it an easy one to listen to and enjoy. Neil's vocals are comfortable and pleasant, I think he must have influenced many artists in the genre.
Franz Ferdinand
5/5
Early 00's pop doing its job. It is a toe-tapping, chair-bouncing, and dance-club staple. Surely a favorite for DJs to mix into old and new tracks.
Eminem
3/5
I *like* Eminem. His lyrics are creative, poetic, funny, and you can tell are his personal stories. A whole album of the monotonous beats is a bit much, though.
Tina Turner
5/5
Once I got past the 80's dance vibe, I truly enjoyed the whole album. Most of the tracks were new to me and I could feel the foundation of OG R&B.
808 State
3/5
I was expecting Hawaiian slack-key or island sounds, not EDM! Did a little research on the band and they are kind of pioneers in club music. Cool and interesting; I'm sure this is used often by DJs and gets/keeps people on the floor.
The Adverts
4/5
Interesting band; they captured the UK punk rock sound of the moment on this album and somehow made it listenable.
Cat Stevens
5/5
Really enjoyed the early work of Yusuf Islam! Sweet melodies of the early 70's without the late 60's insistence on being heard. Can melt into this and dream of children, peace, and self-discovery.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
With a track-by-track re-listen, I realized how very versatile Hendrix's music actually is. I'd assumed it would be an endless groove of "Sky is Crying" guitar heavy angst, but there's actually a good amount of melody and thoughtful lyricism flowing through ear-bleeding guitar talent.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Very core to the era... feels at times like Bowie, other times like The Who and Billy Joel had a Neil Young baby.
Pixies
3/5
Driving, joyful, strong female vocals. It is as good as it is too much, all at once.
Kate Bush
3/5
I have so much respect for this artist; her unique sound and smart business sense. She is a great role model and influence for many female musicians who have followed her. Problem is, he music pushes the same buttons for me as Tori Amos and Björk. With the exception of Running Up That Hill, wouldn't listen again.
Van Morrison
5/5
A favorite, for sure. Easy, laid-back, soulful. Yacht Rock essentials.
5/5
Thoughtful, spiritual, blues-based rhythms and searching lyrics. Listening purposefully, it feels like a love letter to America.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Gritty at times but then surprises you with a horn section. The first1+ minutes of the last track, I forgot I was streaming and literally thought it was my neighbors doing yard work outside. Highlight was definitely China Girl, which I'd assumed was a Bowie original. Love Iggy Pop's creativity; don't love the all-over-the-place sound with the only consistency his monotonous vocals.
Kid Rock
1/5
Oh, how I loved this album in the early 00's. Wasting Time was my hype song and I sang it at the top of my lungs with the window down in my very practical Volvo, feeling oh so fly while I was in fact pregnant and NOT fly at all. \"Where You at Rock\" is still a term we text when my husband and I have lost each other in Costco. Kid Rock was my \"white trash guilty pleasure\" and sometimes I long for the days before I realized he is a racist, privileged, culture-appropriating asscrack with a gun... alas, those simpler days have gone. I didn't listen, can't take the idea of him making a red, white, and blue cent off my streams. Watch me kick, Robert James Ritchie, I don't care if I'm bitchy...
Christina Aguilera
3/5
The queen of the call back, the vocal runs, the showroom, dancehall, stripclub BADABOOM melodies with in-your-face gravitas. It isn't sweet enough to be sugar-pop and not really gritty and soulful enough to be R&B... it is something in between that may be best blended into DJ mixes and/or adapted into a Broadway play.
Boston
5/5
This album absolutely slaps and I'm not usually a big fan of Classic Rock. The drummer is the heart of every track and I'd even endure a 20 minute drum solo in a smoky arena with shitty acoustics and cheap beer if I could travel back in time to hear them live just once. Interesting that Scholz recorded the whole thing nearly by himself; an engineering visionary.
Michael Jackson
2/5
Another conundrum... do I rate the art or the artist? I've struggled with this a few times here and think they have to be considered together. Unpopular opinion and interesting twist is that even in '87, I was pretty firmly in the \"meh\" lane of MJ fandom so what we've learned about his supposed perversions doesn't impact how I literally rate this particular album. It is too pop for me. With the exception of Dirty Diana (that always felt like MJ's attempt at being Prince) and Smooth Criminal (which is about a woman who was assaulted, kinda not cool), the other tracks are formulaic and nothing special.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Sounds like a totally different band than the \"Sex is on Fire\" and \"Use Somebody\" later version of Kings of Leon. This is less produced and more country-rock sounding... lacking soaring vocals or layered harmonies. More like the type of band you'd vibe to after stopping for the night on a cross-country roadtrip and sliding into the local for a longneck beer and plate of potato skins while the owner's cousin's neighbor's nephew's band takes the stage.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
This music gives me a visceral reaction, like staring at a seed pod or other Trypophobia inducing pattern. My skin feels tense and nausea builds in my throat. I can continue to listen, but I know my blood pressure and gag reflex will dissipate if turn it off. I will say that I liked the drums in Beautiful People but the whole album feels so forced... \"look at me, I'm angry and have dark thoughts!\" being screamed at me for over an hour is simply unpleasant.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Their best example of 80's American punk. They combine melodies and instrumentation with the intensity and aggression earlier albums were known for. I love the way they use dissonance, in fact I remember learning the definition of that word 35 years ago because of Sonic Youth's unique sound. Fully enjoyed.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Hearing Arabian Knights again felt like a visit from an old friend. The crisp hi-hat and heartbeat bass drum have an analog trance music feel and Siouxsie's voice has that flat auto-tune quality to it... but before that tech even exited! I think this album could be a rave hit today.
Stan Getz
5/5
So smooth. Reminds me of tropical nights, rum cocktails, and sloppy kisses. I can hear the influence of Jobim and precursor to Gilberto classics; this album deserves a shrine the likes of \"Cristo Redentor.\" If you need me, you can find me on a binge of Bossa Nova for the rest of the day.
Black Sabbath
4/5
War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man... I bow down to thy Metal Royalty! Planet Caravan is a bit odd... like a quaalude in the middle of a coke binge. This is Ozzy at his finest, Dio at his peak. If metal had stayed like this, I may have hung in longer with the genre.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Awesome early '00 hiphop. Kind of a supergroup with a lot of talent and experience crafting catchy tracks with honest lyrics.
Björk
1/5
I know, I know... she's cutting edge. Her own sound. Trendsetter, feminist, a swan wearing visionary. But, also ear-bleeding vocal dissonance and random melodies that make my brain hurt. Not today, Björk. Not today.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
This one is everything. It hasn't lost a skoonch of charm since 1995. From the power anthems of You Oughta Know and Hand in My Pocket to the tender depth and pain of Perfect, this album is iconic.
The Smiths
5/5
The Smiths will always have a fond place in my heart. The romantic crooning of Morrissey embodies my high school angst. What I appreciate most is their melodic instrumentation, as opposed to the synth'd, electronic 80's sound. They capture the vibe of the decade while playing traditional instruments. The Queen Is Dead features some favorites, including Frankly Mr. Shankly and Bigmouth, but the pièce de résistance will always be Some Girls are Bigger than Others. In its stark simplicity, Morrissey states his neutral observation of the female form... and its a damn catchy tune.
Kate Bush
1/5
Kate Bush's vocals and song construction feel carnivalish to me. I imagine dancing oompahloompahs and theatrical, bare-breasted muses quirkily bouncing across a stage in a circus tent.
Todd Rundgren
1/5
So 70's core. Is it a screen play? Soundtrack to a musical? A frightening look at what the future holds? Sign me up for the interplanetary deals if it means getting away from this album.
Slipknot
2/5
The energy of a toddler drinking espresso combined with the anger of a serial killer. Psychosocial surprised me with that nice harmonically sung chorus, though.
1/5
Still wishing for some \"Lola\" like punch that just doesn't emerge. Nothing special, just old-school storyteller rock.
The Beach Boys
5/5
It sounds like young love, summertime, TV and Movie soundtracks that you can't name but make you smile. The harmonies are familiar, even on tracks that I haven't heard a million times and the building and layering on the melodies is really a study in "how to make a listenable song." Classic for a reason.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Popular Brit bands that I've never heard of as a Yank intrigue me. This is fully good music. Classic 90's rock, could have been Oasis or Coldplay if gotten any US radio time.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
So what if my asshole brother revered Frank Zappa, holding his every creation as the pinnacle of music deemed to be good and worthwhile? So what? I fucking hate this shit and I'm way cooler than you, bro.
Django Django
3/5
Interesting and fun but often I wasn't sure what exactly I was listening to. That may have been the point? Default has moments of 60's flower-power vibes mixed with movie background music ambiguity. Firewater is total dissonance between vocals and percussion. Hard to describe. Not awful, not great, just kind of there.
Prince
5/5
An album that I've listened to more than 1,999 times! I paid closer attention to the lesser played tracks this time. Does anyone else hear \"Neutron Dance\" elements in \"Let's Pretend We're Married?\" The former came out 2 years after this album, so probably was an influence. This album is truly seminal. Pun intended.
Eagles
5/5
So much talent. I've loved the country/rock crossover genre before it was even a thing. Witchy Woman, Take It Easy, and Peaceful Easy Feeling are the soundtrack to my late teens/early 20's even though we were well over a decade past the release of this classic. Good friends, an amateur with a decent voice and basic guitar skills, cheap beer, and Eagles sing-alongs. Suddenly, I'm 18 again.
Goldie
1/5
I don't really know how to listen to this music. It is cinematic at times, club/house music at times, theatrical at times... listenable but doesn't fit into my life in any way. I couldn't get past the fourth track; it makes my brain feel like I have shaken baby syndrome.
Tim Buckley
1/5
No amount of happiness or sadness justify 10 minute tracks that all sound alike. The 12+ minute acid trip that is Gypsy Woman is worth a listen for comedic value.
Hugh Masekela
5/5
Not just easy to listen to, it makes me feel unbelievably cool while its on. Masekela is crazy talented and versatile. I typically dislike albums with tracks exceeding 6 minutes in length, but this isn't in the same realm. Makes me want a martini, a 70's pantsuit, a jello mold dessert, a Virgina Slims with one of those long filters attached, and a government that gives a fuck about human rights...
Talking Heads
4/5
It never struck me before how much funk is in the compositions. It is odd music with austere vocals at times. Once in a Lifetime feels innovative while the theme is reflective of the human condition, easy to see how it was the breakout hit of the album in the US, at least.
Duke Ellington
3/5
I like jazz. Sometimes more than others. This is classic, like the jazz my mother listened to in the 1950's at smoky Chicago clubs while smoking cigarettes and drinking gin. Ellington is a master of brass and the entire band grooves like cool cats of days gone by. It is simultaneously awesome for this world and not for me.
Baaba Maal
5/5
I have never heard this before and I truly enjoyed it. The artist has a very interesting story as does the history of music in Senegal.
Bad Company
3/5
The company is good, the music just OK. Classic 70's rock is not my jam but I appreciate the anthems, the sweet rock-n-roll love songs, and dreamy ballads made to be paired with weed and patchouli.
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
Wow! 80's punk a decade past its prime! Bless tham and their moshpit-loving fans.
Norah Jones
5/5
Entirely lovely, all of it. I remember listening when it came out and thinking that the "Don't Know Why" single was the only one worth listening to... what a dolt I was. The tracks are familiar and all woven to be heard together. Perfect album to buy and listen to on vinyl. With a date. And whisky.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Thoroughly enjoy the Beasties. Paul's Boutique has a smoother, more musical feel with less frat-boy anthem efforts. A favorite.
Kate Bush
1/5
She's got a distinct sound, style, vocal, and musical arrangement that just isn't similar to anyone else. It is unclear to me how Kate Bush can have more than one album in the 1001 collection when they all sound the same.
Talvin Singh
2/5
Interesting Indian electronic club music. Can't say I've listened purposefully to anything like it before!
Primal Scream
4/5
Not at all what I expected with the name of the artist and album! Dare I say this has U2 Zooropa vibes? It is electronic, instrumental, dreamy, and bouncy all at once. Is this rave music? No? Well it should be.
Neil Young
1/5
I quite like the music but his voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Miles Davis
5/5
So. Damn. cool. Dreamy, melodic, powerful. Jazz in the days of old Chicago, pencil skirts, and offers you can't refuse.
Bebel Gilberto
5/5
Her voice is so sweet, whether singing in Portuguese or English. Samba da Bencǎo is familiar as the Eat Pray Love film's serenade. But the simply beautiful August Day Song and the lively, upbeat Sem Contencao should not be overlooked on this gem of an album. It is a Bossa Nova classic that holds up 25 years post-release.
Death In Vegas
3/5
More electronic/house music which has a time and place, for sure. It is upbeat and nondescript at the same time.
Wire
4/5
Good, fun, 70's Brit punk. Feels like the Clash at times, Ramones at others. Don't want to drag them down to just a comparison of familiar bands of the era, they are listenable all on their own.
4/5
This Mess We're In and We Float are really beautiful and I loved The Whores Hustle. I've always known of PJ Harvey but I guess have never actually listened. Well, that's what we're doing here then, isn't it?
The Verve
4/5
A 90's favorite. At the time, I didn't realize I was an Emo fan...Bittersweet Symphony is unique and captures their oeuvre nicely, but Weeping Willow and Come On / Deep Freeze (the hidden track! makes me miss CDs) are instrumentally beautiful and poetic with less of a \"please be a hit\" vibe.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Must I? Yes, I must. It actually is an easy listen to and goes by quickly though the tracks do have a droning, repetitive quality that I've never cared for. I appreciate his talent and influence on rock. Without this, would we have SRV? Prince? Jam bands? I think not. Worth a listen. It was released in 1967 (the year I was born!) in the UK BEFORE the US which is interesting.
The Byrds
4/5
Another from 1967 which I enjoyed more than yesterday's. Familiar tunes and familiar 60's Brit-pop sound by American boys.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Trippy. Musical, I guess. What's the situation when one would even listen to this, though? Oh, so this is Trance music. Bubble and Slide II has an interesting percussion stem that I'd love to hear mixed with something... anything. It just feels incomplete. Duke of Earlsfield sounds like a 60's sitcom soundtrack... I can see a scene from My Three Sons at a party with this playing in the background! Seems I have a lot to say about an album that just isn't enjoyable for me. Good to become more familiar with the genre!
Deep Purple
1/5
Part 70's melt your face rock, part carnival tunes. Child in Time being an example of the latter, but to be honest, I gave up the track early on when I saw it was a full 10+ minutes of that crap. Flight of the Rat feels formulaic with lyrics written by a 13-year old boy struggling in middle school English class. Also has no business being almost 8 minutes... why? I'll never understand 70's metal.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
It has all the 90's Emo angst that I typically adore, but listening to the entire album became a bit more grinding and repetitive than I needed on a Monday afternoon. An expansive work, with 2 volumes showcasing Billy Corgan's prolific output and talent. I liked a few tracks that had escaped my attention two decades ago including Cupid De Locke. 1979 remains the star of the show and made it worth getting to it on Volume 2.
4/5
I love Bossa Nova and was thrilled to lean that Suba was the producer on some of my favorites like Bebel Gilberto and Arnaldo Antunes. Cebille has an ethereal voice that brings a dreamy airiness to the tracks. Overall, it leans further into electronic and trance-like repetition for 5 stars for me.
Miles Davis
3/5
Great composition, lively and a staple for the genre. Too old-fashioned and lounge/elevator music sounding for me to particularly enjoy it.
R.E.M.
5/5
I mean, its perfect. Even though it came out in 1986, I hear elements of 90's grunge and 70's folk. Stipe's haunting vocals are choice and cheeky, powerful but never overdone.
Metallica
3/5
It's fine. I just don't want to listen to the whole, angry thing. Master of Puppets is a classic and will always be Metallica to me. I like the guitar on Welcome Home, it is very skilled playing by Kirk Hammett as usual.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Great timing, having just watched the movie One Love. It made the well-known songs more layered now that I have better historical, political, and cultural background to the album. It is a work of art.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Is it folk? Country? Blue Grass? Indie Rock? I'm confused that this was a product of 1998! California Stars is nice, dreamy, lyrically driven with a slow, two-stepping melody. Good honky-tonk staple. Birds and Ships, with the always lovely Natalie Merchant, feels like the last song of the night at an Irish pub somewhere. Then it abruptly shifts to rockabilly and then to a 60's beach rock sound. Overall, not bad.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Interesting when I think of this as the transition from 80's post-punk with signature distortion and dissonance into 90's alt rock like the Cranberries and Smashing Pumpkins. Only Shallow and Come Alone are melodic and listenable but the rest is an earache.
Machito
5/5
As soon as I hit play on this, I had a massive sneezing fit. Not saying I'm allergic to Afro-Cuban beats, quite the opposite! This music makes me imagine a time of cigars, pencil skirts, and Ricky Ricardo accents. These jams pre-date Desi Arnaz and certainly paved the way for mainstream US popularity. Nothing to sneeze at, whatsoever!
The Zombies
5/5
I liked this, much more than most late 60's/early 70's flower child folk rock. It is short - less than 40 minutes - with organs and harmonies and a sense of hope and goodness of all mankind. This Will Be Our Year is especially nice with easy, simple piano and sweet lyrics. Butcher's Tale has that weird fantasy vibe like Sgt Pepper's or a Lewis Carroll inspired short story. Time of the Season holds up; classic tale of a dude seducing a young girl by telling her he's rich and has life experience. Great final track.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
The funnest of hip-hop. Love hearing Cee-Lo and George Clinton featured on various tracks. Nothing to not like.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Its a lovely album with everything that makes S&G a mainstay of Americana. Tracks 9, 10, & 11 are the standouts and singles for a reason. The rest, while listenable and perfectly enjoyable weren't exactly bangers. Would slide this into rotation on my 5-stack CD player for sure, though.
Kraftwerk
1/5
This is the album equivalent of DNF on my Goodreads book list. I got through the first two tracks and then skimmed the rest trying to find something interesting. Its OK... just so repetitive and dull. I don't understand how this is different than AI generated electronic audio, except that it is actually far worse. It is fair to say I just don't \"get\" Kraftwerk and maybe that's on me. So be it.
Gang Starr
5/5
I like 90's hip-hop and thoroughly enjoyed this album. While I cant point to a specific track or lyric that grabbed me, I found it all nostalgic and important to the genre.
Soundgarden
5/5
Seattle ❤️ Alt Rock ❤️ Chris Cornell 💔
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
Did not listen as I have heard this album far, far too many times. As a grown-ass woman, I have finally decided that the RHCP are not for me. They are one of those bands that everyone around me loves, so I grooved along. I think I may have even rated them highly earlier in my 1001 Albums journey simply because I thought I was supposed to, I guess. No more. I'm done. Trite, simple, gimicky, and dull.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Oh, THAT tune! And that one, too? OK, I know this band. And so do you! OK, the Dr Suess-like rhyme there was accidental, especially since this music is more like something you'd hear in a Peanuts cartoon. It is fun to imagine an era and setting when this was the jam.
The Who
1/5
THIRTY TRACKS?!?! Damn. The Super Deluxe version of this album is over FIVE HOURS. Why? It all sounds the same; whiny, self-indulgent. late 60's Brit pop. I opted for the original \"Stereo\" release and still skipped though the monotonous, omphaloskepsis mess of it all.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Oh, that's what BS&T is all about. The symphonic and jazz elements are interesting and I appreciate the effort to arrange it all. Seems this album is actually a toned down version of the experimental rock-jazz that was their earlier releases. More and More is the most listenable after the You've Made Me So Very Happy and Spinning Wheel staples. God Bless the Child is straight up Blues and the rest are hokey and schizophrenic in the \"are we a rock band with horns?\" or a \"jazz band with hippie hair styles?\" sense.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
I thought some of these tracks were the Beach Boys or the Cowsills and didn't realize it was The Mamas & Papas all these years. Huh. For as known as they are for harmonies, the off-pitchness on I've Got a feeling really bothered me. Other tracks felt like variety show theme songs. California Dreamin' holds the album together and solely drives the thrid star in my rating.
Blur
3/5
What an interesting sound for 1994. The official reviews call them 90's Brit Pop but I hear more 80's influence with synth sounds and dissonant vocals. Boys & Girls has the most clever lyrics and is a catchy af tune. The rest is bouncy and fun but unmemorable.
Brian Eno
5/5
This is exceptionally comforting while trying to work from home with a terrible head cold. I usually rage against electronic music and tracks with interminable lengths but somehow this is perfect. The ambient nature feels like I'm in a spa getting a massage and lightly floating between the awake/asleep consciousness. Lovely.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
This makes sense through the lens of pre-grunge, pre-emo, anti-80's pop. Easily can hear this in the same cohort as Good Charlotte and the Ataris. Lots of guitar and driving percussion, sometimes taking too long to get to the point such as in New Intro and/or Super Unison.
Scissor Sisters
5/5
OMG, I love this! I hear elements of Elton John in Take Your Mama and never expected to enjoy any version of Pink Floyd anything but Comfortably Numb absolutely slaps. Music is the Victim has a danceable, electronic beat but also real, live electric guitar! Scissor Sisters, welcome to my life.
Queen
4/5
This album really holds up. I enjoyed Brian May's vocals '39 even though it doesn't quite sound like Queen without the masterful Mercury in the lead. There is such a variety of style - Seaside Rendezvous sounds almost Barbershop at times and of course the operatic Bohemian Rhapsody is the pièce de résistance and meaning maker of the album's title. The Prophet's Song is a bit much, even though perfectly on-brand for '75 Queen.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This must be the bluesiest of the Stones albums, that I'm aware of. Country Honk (aka Honky Tonk Woman) is delightfully underproduced complete with bluegrass fiddle making it feel like you've stumbled into a small town bar and caught the local band's last set before the PBR tap runs dry. I literally felt a shiver of joy hearing the opening chords of Monkey Man. You Can't Always Get What You Want is truly the cherry on top.
Soft Cell
3/5
It is long... an hour and fifteen minutes! Crazy way to realize that they have more than Tainted Love in their catalog. Also, I did not know it is actually a cover of a 1964 hit by Gloria Jones. Seedy Films is interesting and naughty... where were these guys hanging out in the 80's? Oh my. Youth is darkly theatrical and not very listenable and Sex Dwarf is slightly disturbing with pedo vibes. Kind of a mixed bag, overall.
Paul Simon
2/5
It starts with a weird \"is this Paul Simon trying to be an 80's pop star\" vibe and never quite loses it. Hearts and Bones is most enjoyable and Cars are Cars is the most silly. Gone at Last is a Simon-esque collab with a gospel groove. Overall, kind of a yawner and completely benign.
The La's
2/5
I'm unfamiliar... Its like the Monkeys and REM had a baby... but actually nothing like that at all. 80's sound minus the synth (hence REMish). OHHHHH There She Goes! I do know The La's! Some tracks are grating and painful, like Looking Glass (could have called it Shards of Glass) and the slow, ethereal All By Myself feels terribly out of place and amateur - like a 7th grader's poetry played to his older sister's forced harpsichord practice track. Giving an extra star for There She Goes but otherwise The La's don't seem like an album I need to listen to before I die.
The Clash
5/5
As fun as ever. I know, it is supposed to be politically enraging, angry, and controversial... but 🤷♀️ it makes me laugh and chair dance. God Save the Queen!
Taylor Swift
5/5
This album is pure joy by the best in the business. Obviously I listened to Taylor's Version and hope others do as well. The hits are known enough that I don't feel inclined to comment, but seriously do not miss Out of the Woods and I Wish You Would for a lesser played gems.
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Man, this is gold. I've heard of Joan Armatrading of course but can't say I've really listened. She's got vocal chops and songwriting talent that survives decades and crosses genres.
The xx
2/5
Very lo-fi and emo, to me. Not sure how to enjoy it but it works as background music OK. Kind of dull, for my taste.
Queen
3/5
It is so Queen. Weird, and dramatic, and theatrical, and multi-layered, and skillfully arranged and played, and yeah... weird. I said it. Mercury is at his vocal finest and the percussion and guitar work truly standout, especially in Stone Cold Crazy which I now realize perhaps the Crüe's Livewire found influence? Maybe. Anyway, Queen core. Rock on.
The Avalanches
4/5
Now that's interesting. Very listenable and different than anything I've really paid attention to before. Frontier psychiatrist is catchy af and the horses in the background are just 🤌🏼 in the most surprising way. I don't think I need two+ hours of it in my day, but appreciate the introduction.
Genesis
2/5
Considering how much I liked Peter Gabriel's So in the 80's, this crap bored me to tears. It is like a study on insanity disguised as a rock opera. Did Queen inspire this shite? Or did the 70's just demand a dystopian view of the future and fearful ambiguity of the purpose of all mankind? Fuck, I thought they did happy drugs back then.
The Saints
3/5
Standard 70's punk rock. Nothing new here but good fun if it is your bag-of-bananas.
Eric Clapton
5/5
Brilliance is not an over-statement here. The master at his best. Blues, Rock, Storytelling threaded together, track after track after track. Volume II's live version of Little Wing may be the best rendition of that gem I've ever heard. Second favorite track is Meet Me (Down at the Bottom); it made me listen again with lyrics turned on. No idea what it is about, but damn sure put on my running shoes.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Stones at their finest. As strangely placed as Dear Doctor is, I realized that it is core to their albums to have at least one whimsical, folksy, and funny track showcasing their versatility. Many of the songs are straight-up Blues and others, like Sympathy for the Devil and Street Fighting Man are more in line with late 60's/early 70's rock and roll.
Radiohead
2/5
I've never intentionally listened to Radiohead (other than hearing Creep on the radio now and then) and always assumed that I wouldn't like it. I wasn't wrong... but also, it was not at all what I expected. Really diverse sounds that are interesting from a composition lens. Random screeching layered with brass and delicate keyboard. Some tracks like Treefingers are just tones, almost spa-like. Still a one-hit wonder to me.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
I really liked track one, This Is The Way. Track four lost me a bit with a two-note melody and poetry-reading like lyrical cadence that included gibberish. Not sure what all that had to do with Poughkeepsie. By track eight, See Saw, I just wanted his vocals to stop. The guitar isn't unpleasant, but not skillful by any stretch. Todo Los Dolores is nice but also feels very amateur, like someone recorded your big brother playing guitar and making up words that sound Spanish. Not going to listen again.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Good 80's metal. That's not something you hear from me often, but I do like the Maiden. Rolling guitar riffs, heart-pounding percussion, angry vocals with depth and range. All good here. Four stars because I just don't like metal enough for a full five.
The Cure
3/5
The Cure is as distinct as they are conformed to the genre, the era, the sound. Robert Smith is uniquely moody and aching in his vocals and writing. This album isn't a standout, but I would say if you like one you'd like them all.
Mj Cole
5/5
I loved this. Very melodic and Lo-Fi chill. Elisabeth Troy's vocals are beautiful. Really good listen.
Khaled
3/5
I do like it. Makes me want to travel, dance, learn a new culture and grow as a person. That said, definitely not making my Monday Motivation playlist.
Primal Scream
3/5
This album is like a box of chocolates, never know what you're going to get! Is it metal? Is it Indy Folk? Is it angry shrieking with pounding percussion? Yes!
Miriam Makeba
5/5
What a voice. Thoroughly enjoyable 50's Afropop.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
It has a familiar, almost Morrissey feel at times (Love is a Sign), and maybe a touch of Crowded House (You Can't Say No Forever), but nothing standout or unique here.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
5/5
What can I say... 90's hip-hop is my jam.
Everything But The Girl
5/5
Very beautiful. The instrument combination, production and mixing is expert and entrancing.
Badly Drawn Boy
5/5
I feel like we are over-indexing on UK artists, but that's cool. I loved the About A Boy soundtrack and Damon Gough's 2000 album release is as beautifully crafted. Original and smooth melodies layered with guitar, horns, and strings. Would listen again and again.
Roxy Music
1/5
No, not my favorite genre. That Zappa/Bowie/Who vibe has never appealed to me. Too screechy and contrived.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
I'm frequently surprised how many bands had such similar sound in the 60's and 70's, but I guess that's true of any era? Good music here. If you like the Stones, especially their R&B and C&W classics, the Flamin' Groovies are for you.
Barry Adamson
3/5
It is nice. Reminds me of a classy hotel lounge with fancy cocktails and a faintly citrus scent wafting in the air. Something Wicked This Way Comes is a tinkly delight and The Vibes is slightly spooky but listenable all the well. Oh but then it takes a dark turn with It's Business As Usual... yikes didn't see that coming. And then bounces back to Christmas shopping in a snowy city with Miles! I need a drink and a neck massage after this one.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Such a great songwriter. Without You is a heartbreak classic and deserves to be on every tortured poet's playlist. Wait, Coconut is HIS song? Fecking brilliant.
Fugazi
3/5
That's a stiff way to start a Monday morning, but it is good. Not sure why they escaped be in the late 80's/early 90's. Perhaps I wasn't ready for this heat. Less glam than Aerosmith, more enjoyable than Nirvana, less dreamy than The Cure. I also love that the lyrics on Repeater are just repeated.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
1/5
I wanted to get past the weird before forming an opinion. But damn, it is weird. Not enjoying it at all, even in a curious way.
Throwing Muses
3/5
My DSP doesn't have this album, unfortunately. I listened to their 1988 release (House Tornado) instead. Initial thoughts are a Natalie Merchant meets Souixie vibe. Superlative 80's alt sound. More the latter, as I hear more tracks. I like the dissonant vocals and appreciate that the instrumentation does vary song-by-song. I'm going to listen to their 2020 release out of curiosity next!
The Byrds
3/5
Nice blend of folk rock in consistent style of the late 60's. Nice vocal harmonies, diverse instruments with standout guitar work.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Fully prepared to dislike because of the Frank Zappa influence (and if you follow my reviews, you know how I feel about FZ and why). However, a couple tracks in and I'm not hating. Let's see where it goes. Very bluesy and soulful, kind of like Jerry Lee Lewis or BB King at times (I'm Glad), but then will take a hallucinatory turn with experimental sounding rock and random vocal moments (Electricity) that make no sense yet add to the groove. Then Autumn's Child lands in the mix like a trippy beat poetry reading. It's a mixed bag. I think his vocal range is rad, though.
The Stooges
2/5
Ahhhh get me out of the 60's emo-before-we-knew-it-was-emo scene!
TLC
5/5
The album title says it all. Beautiful R&B from the finest to do it.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Money Trees is a perfect groove. Catchy lyrics with a combination of voices that all blend and enhance the beat. The references to suppression and violence prevail and sadly haven't changed in the decade+ since this was released. Lamar is a realistic storyteller and talented representative of culture for all times.
Shuggie Otis
5/5
What is this soulful sorcery and where has it been all my life?
Tom Waits
1/5
Not quite getting the Tom Waits hype. Starts carnivalish and pushes my ability to listen with an open mind because of all the distracting sounds. Cemetery Polka pretty much sums it it... its POLKA, FFS.
Korn
3/5
OK, if I must... oh wow. I don't hate it. Did NOT see that coming.
The Vines
3/5
I can't tell if I've never heard this before or if I've heard it 1,000 times. It brings the familiar sounds of 90's grunge combined with notes of Oasis-like brit pop. A textbook example of the genre and year.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Very nostalgic post-punk, new music 1980's charm. Takes me back to high school, John Hughes movies, cafeteria dances, and wishing for a glamorously angsty life in the UK.
Ute Lemper
4/5
Wow, quite a ride for 9am on a Thursday morning. Lemper's vocal range is dramatic, tonally perfect, and she builds the cadence like a movie plot within each track. Not something I'd listen to for the pure entertainment but I'd buy a ticket to see/hear her live especially in a theater production.
The Pharcyde
5/5
Oh how fun is that! 90's hiphop at its finest. Cheeky raps, punchy beats, and plenty to say about society and culture.
Magazine
3/5
Another brit post-punk/pre-new wave band. Nothing new here but I do like the Clash-esque vocals and the synth beats.
Brian Eno
1/5
I wonder if this is just a random sequencing, but dang SO MUCH 70's brit punk and post-punk. I feel like I may rate them higher if there wasn't so much of it. This is just amateur guitar (twang twang twang twang) banging on a couple of chords with Bowie-wannabe vocals.
Small Faces
3/5
Very flower-childy. It has that summer of love in San Francisco sound even though the provenance of Small Faces is across the pond. Long Ago and Worlds Apart is a happy, beachy number even though the lyrics are pretty dark. Nice example of the genre and year with hi-hat heavy percussion and chanty vocals throughout.
Afrika Bambaataa
5/5
It sounds like typical 80's early rap; I thought of Cherry Hill Gang immediately on the first track (Planet Rock). Reading the history of Bambaata, I was charmed to learn he's amongst the true godfathers of hip-hop with influences and collabs as diverse as Kraftwerk and Johnny Rotten! So many party chants are here; I had no idea where they came from before (Party People! Say we like to body rock the parties!) Honestly this is super cool and I'm happy to have listened.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
Fuck, what even was that? Skunk and Identity were just noise. Wail was interesting, made it all the way through because of the rock-a-billy vibe but the production sounded like a garage band drinking too much PBR. And then Fuck Shit up clearly took its own advice.
Doves
3/5
OK, more early aughts brit rock. It is nicely melodic with more instrumentation than electo synth, and feels like springtime, festival, twirling in a field fare. Letting it play while going about my work, I caught myself thinking \"why does Chris Martin's voice sound so weak here?\" then to remember this isn't Coldplay. Overall a very pleasant listen that lands between awful and brilliant... a solid 3.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Smooth as silk, cool as hell. Mostly instrumental, but makes sense as a movie soundtrack. Nice background music with groove and grit and a perfect example of everything great about the 70's and Isaac Hayes.
Randy Newman
5/5
Such a wonderful songwriter and composer. I enjoyed this, especially his ability to create characters in the lyrics. It makes sense that he was so good at film scores since so many of his compositions are 3rd party storytelling.
The Kinks
1/5
I'm so glad I wasn't alive during this era for I really dislike this hokey, circus-sounding genre. If I had to say something nice, I'd compliment the lyrical storytelling and multi-layered instrumentation. But I don't have to, so I won't.
Soft Machine
1/5
If you follow my reviews, you'll notice my zero-tolerance policy for tracks over 5 minutes in length. This egregiously violates my rules. It also sounds like a truck load of instruments was given to a toddler daycare.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Ohhhh these songs! Don't dislike, but am generally weary of the late 60's/early 70's genre (if you're paying attention, 1001 algo...). I can hear the undertones of blues and country throughout and appreciate the influence and recognizability this album has. The beginning of jam bands? Or maybe just an early example. In any case, without a muddy field, crocheted halter, and copious amounts of shitty beer... I won't listen again.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
I like late 90's gritty rock like this, but maybe not all at once. The gloomy chords and raspy speak-sing vocals are a definite *mood*. It will get you moving for sure. Maybe not in a joyful way but I guess sunny dispositions aren't for everyone.
Supergrass
4/5
First track is upbeat and fun, interested in more! Very fun, very 90's but has a peppy Hey Hey We're The Monkey's like vibe.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
It's perfect. No notes.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Something about her singing always feels like she's trying too hard. Forcing the power, or something. That said, her range is beastly and this is sugarpop at its finest. Fighter is a quintessential hype song and Beautiful is exactly what every girl needs to hear now and then.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
This is really good, old-school, toe-tapping, classic country. The common I-IV-V chord pattern is prevalent throughout; it is simple, repetitive, and works.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Pure 60's blues; Clapton's talent is evident even in this early jam. The lyrics make me laugh, though. The somewhat pedo \"Little Girl\" and the \"What'd I Say\" declaration of moving to Arkansas and... that's it. That's what he said! 3.5 but rounding up for all the influence this genre has had.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Damn but the 60's we SO introspective. Is the war inside your mind? Is it? Or is it everywhere... Gaza, Ukraine, the White House... oh wait, that's not the 60's. Heralded as a great vocalist with multi octave range; I find him shrieky and unpleasant on the ears.
The Gun Club
3/5
Feels very late-punk, early 80's \"new wave\" but with an interesting rock-a-billy vibe in some parts. She's Like Heroin To Me is classic mosh-pit fare and the weird stalls in the middle of tracks like For the Love of Ivy evoke images of underground punk clubs with the band conducting the audience like a leather clad orchestra slowing to halt only to explode again with the next measure. It gets pretty monotonous and angry, can't rate higher than 3 stars.
Holger Czukay
1/5
Oh wow, it is like a weird parody of German pop. Or is this actually German pop?
Hot Chip
4/5
How does this perfectly 80's post-punk brit sound come from 2012? It is a wonderful Pet Shop Boys-esque sound that makes you want to twirl and drink Zima.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
I actually like this, even though not my favorite genre or era. There's tones of blues, country, and classic 70's rock (which, if we're honest is just blues and country mixed with weed and hippie hair).
Richard Hawley
5/5
Hawley's voice is of an old-time crooner... it sounds like a romcom soundtrack, like Christmas, like your grandma's phonograph after she thought you went to bed and has nipped the gin.
N.W.A.
5/5
Holds up. Nothing better. No notes.
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
This is southern soulful goodness. Some tracks sound more amateur (like 72) while others are accomplished hard rock with Alabama DNA (Guitar Man Upstairs, The Southern Thing). Fully enjoyable and I'd love to have seen them live! Also, A+ for their spot-on roasting of George Wallace.
Rush
4/5
Flashback to 1981! Lyrically, some of the best storytellers in the biz. Peart's drumwork perfectly moves the listener's heartbeat along through the plot, the climax, and the conclusion of every track. This is my favorite of their work, and as a standalone I rate highly. Given the entire body of their work, I get weary of the synth sound and Geddy Lee's nasal shrill.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Ummm 30 tracks, over 3 hours? Dear god, why. OK, I'll give it a try... check back in on me in an hour or so. I'm back. This is crap. Sorry, I know I know I know Lou Reed, influencer, innovator, he took a walk on the wild side... but come on, this is crap.
David Ackles
1/5
Jesus, what is happening with the piano in the background on track one? Why were 70's artists so obsessed with old-time sailors and tormented women with unfulfilled dreams? I'm not able to answer these questions.
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
Such angry young men! F*ck you, I won't do what you tell me either! I appreciate their activism through lyricism and literally *showing up* to protests and driving their fans to take action, vote, and be heard. The music is an interesting blend of metal and rap which is a little much with my morning coffee. Maybe would give an extra star if I'd listened at 3pm instead!
Bob Dylan
1/5
Starts out better than any Dylan I've heard... but still not appealing. Track one is boring but at least he isn't pretending to be a vocalist. Track two is another "70's rocker misappropriating the blues" trope. Then the rest descends into dullynesque boredom.
PJ Harvey
1/5
Oh this again... not the we've heard much from PJH, but I've just had enough of this pitchy, whiney, emo, white girl 90's rock.
N.E.R.D
5/5
Immediately hooked by the funk and the vibe keeps hold. So much talent in this group making cross-genre songwriting and instrumentation seamless and groovy.
The Doors
3/5
Yes, and no. Good, but cringey. Classic, but annoying. Should I rate from a "this is important music from an important band" perspective or should I stick to "do I like it, or not?" That is the conundrum for 90% of these 1001 Albums, right?
Travis
3/5
Kind of Oasis-y, dreamy emo rock. Hadn't heard them before yet it is familiar and listenable.
Louis Prima
4/5
Lovely and classic! Very fun listen, especially the Gigalo song which made me realize David Lee Roth wasn't the original artist, lol.
The Stone Roses
2/5
I quite like the third track; the record at first is giving a nostalgic 80's dance club vibe. Track 4, Don't Stop, on the other hand was just noise. The next two flow into 1960's Beetles or Peter, Paul, and Mary sounds. The album is a little all over the place, tbh.
Mekons
3/5
Oh my, is this for real? Yes, apparently so. It has a Men at Work vibe and funky 80's sound. I'd have probably loved it back in the day.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
absolutely not.
Iron Maiden
3/5
It is short. It is listenable. As a huge Ryan Holiday fangirl, I wanted it to be a hidden gem for me. The songwriting is good, intro, to bridge, to chorus with melody and metal. Lyrics are that 70's mystical, reality questioning storytelling. It's fine.
Elvis Costello
3/5
It was just OK. Elvis Costello has a bit of an expiration date for me and it was well before 1994. I do like his compositions and musical blending of jazz and pop.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This is beautiful, the sound of the 70's for me. Wonder's vocals are silky and soulful and my favorite part is how the background singers so perfectly complement and add depth in interesting ways to every track.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Mitchell's vocals are beautifully on-brand and the melodies are sweet and sentimental, exactly as 70's folk music should be. I bit of a snoozer, though.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
This is so cool. Of course I know and love the Paul Simon song featuring them but had never listened to a full album. This is peaceful and harmonic, I could easily listen again.
Solange
5/5
This is really good. Not just beautiful pop, but poetic social commentary on ongoing current events, racism, and all the things are so much easier to hear when sung in an angelic voice with a pleasant groove.
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
There is something about the harmonies made by family, especially siblings. Beautiful example of Appalachian music that could have come straight from The Soggy Bottom Boys (iykyk).
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Holy blue grass, this is over 2 hours long. That's a lot of fiddlin' for anyone; we'll see how deep I get before sampling and skipping through.Five tracks is the answer to that. So, this is interesting work because the group intentionally created this to reach out to traditional country artists and listeners. It is quite different from the more familiar \"Fishing in the Dark\" track of my late-80's two-stepping days. Its fine, don't love it but respect the effort and adherence to old-school country as they intended.
U2
5/5
Yes, please. Take me straight back to high school. Every song still hits, but \"I threw a Brick through a Window\" feels different. I remember skipping it due to the no hook, no catchy lyrics, no direction of the melody nature. But listening now, it feels like a joyful track of boys musically discovering who they are. Nice to revisit.
Deep Purple
3/5
Nasal. Screechy. Rhythmic and rocking, though. Wah Wah Wah WawawaWAAAAH I remember my brother learning to play guitar with that Smoke on the Water riff on repeat until my mother screamed at him to learn another song because she couldn't take it drilling through her cranium another minute. I can't love this but honestly can't hate it either.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Interesting with moments of enjoyability. I can for sure hear the Arctic Monkeys influence but at tinmes feel transported to a trippy 60's Doors-esque experience. In My Room could be performed on a black & white TV talk show with swirling flowery background graphics and performers in striped bell-bottoms and pornstaches. I don't feel like there's anything new here but appreciate the talent and effort.
Neu!
2/5
Chiller than chill. Practically meditative. It's nice, although Hero takes a turn to more of a club music vibe with punk vocal strainings. Then E-Musik seems to be almost 10 minutes of the same riff over and over and over... unfortunately, the aforementioned meditative quality has slipped into a \"poke-my-eyes-out\" quality. I'm tapping out.
Tito Puente
5/5
How to charm me... Latin jazz, big band Mambo, spicy Salsa (the dance), and this album all day long. With an > 2 hour playtime, I wasn't kidding about all day long but Tito fkn Puente pulls it off. Legend.
The Waterboys
4/5
I love the original sound of the Waterboys; they are like Mumford & Sons authentic old uncle. Take me to a pub somewhere with salty sea air and frothy Guinness and this band playing in the corner all night.
John Grant
1/5
The music is uninteresting; very basic and shoe-gazey, even carnival-ish at times. I read that Grant's talent is in his lyricism and storytelling, but it comes across like Buddy the Elf delivering a singing telegram.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
OK, I get it. I get it. You have a dick.
k.d. lang
3/5
It's beautiful and lang's voice is undeniably flawless. Feels like old-fashioned lounge-music from long ago. Quite nice but other than Constant Craving, unmemorable.
Alice In Chains
4/5
It is excellent 90's Seattle grunge, but with the clear influence of metal so it is more palatable to transitioning 80's ears. The gloomy, throaty vocals are signature AIC sound and The Rooster is the star of the album.
PJ Harvey
1/5
Oh that's right. PJ Harvey. That pitchy, shaky, shrieky voice that somehow passes for talent. OK. Thanks for the reminder that I don't get it.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Having really one known the Buckley version of Hallelujah, I found it so interesting that Grace and Last Goodbye are actually pretty rockin'. What a sad story his life and death are... worth a read for anyone unfamiliar.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Just perfect. Willie is the GOAT.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Ah 70's punk. The head-bopping, driving percussive angst of a generation. Laughing and Sentimental Journey had me cringing, but Street Waves brings the album away from dissonance and back to fun. Basically a mixed bag of mosh and mess. Mostly mess.
Snoop Dogg
5/5
Tik tok and you don't stop. The world is in love with Snoop Dogg and his time has come.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I like it because there are great melodies going in in addition to the talented dialogue. It has the feel of a chill house party, or a twilight cruise in a classic 70's Oldsmobile. Kick, Push is a banger and my favorite on the album followed by I Gotcha with the catchy Latin rhythm in the background.
Röyksopp
4/5
The kind of music that I completely forget is still playing. I think that's the point, right?
Paul McCartney
2/5
Maybe an unpopular opinion but Sir Paul's foray into the singer-songwriter track is a journey to Dullsville. Impressive, of course, that he singularly wrote, played, sang, and recorded this nearly entirely on his own... so no hate there. The home-studio effect just doesn't charm me. Baby I'm Amazed is the standout exception.
SAULT
5/5
While I was never sure if I was listening to electronic, Afrobeats, or straight up Pop R&B... I liked it all. A really hidden gem.
The Go-Go's
4/5
It is simple. It is sweet. Simply sweet girl band rocking the genre like 80's icons. The familiar tracks are as entertaining as ever but hearing Automatic for maybe the first time in 40 years reminded me that every album has filler tracks.
Dion
3/5
Not too bad for mid-70's fare.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I struggled with this because it wasn't bad, I just didn't find it very good. There's no comparison I can make to describe the sound, which I guess makes them unique?
T. Rex
4/5
I often think this project should be called \"1001 Albums, 900 from the 1970's, to hear before you die.\" That said, I love the 70's. Mostly. Mostly. This was a fun listen because the standout single, Bang a Gong, is so well known and catchy it didn't occur to me that T.REX has more going on. Thought they banged the gong, got it on, and dipped. Well no. It is a funky little 39 minute ride.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I'm going to look at the percentage of 70's albums to total here... it seems like my algorithm is stuck in that decade. Yup, 29% from that decade with the next closest, the 90's, at 20%.
But that's cool, no hate to the post-hippie, pre-metal age at all. Except for this album. It went on the audio equivalent of my DNF reading list. After learning that this was created and released after the artist had a tragic accident resulting in paralysis, I am empathetic to his \"Rock Bottom\" era but still struggled to listen.
Elvis Presley
5/5
He is the King. Tracks are familiar and as expected. A fun listen and deserving placement on the 1001 list.
George Michael
5/5
Listening to this now, I hear so much more gospel influence in the soaring vocals and soulful lyrics. I guess you gotta have faith. Freedom is a top 5 favorite song for me; it speaks to relationships but also political and societal concerns. The entire album is really achingly beautiful. I miss him.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
Strangely feels out of a different time than 2007... like early 80's post punk crossed with the Beatles but all mixed and recording in a teenager's garage.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Raw, powerful, 90's essential.
Jungle Brothers
5/5
This should be required listening. It is 80's hip-hop, sure... but so much jazz and James Brown and just MORE than Sugar Hill or harder, rougher genre samples.
Pulp
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I expected. It has elements of 70's rock but doesn't stay stuck in the Ziggy Stardust vibe at all.
The Dictators
3/5
Pretty standard 70's punk. Feels like the Ramones at times.
Stereo MC's
5/5
Ohhh haven't heard Connected in ages. Totally holds up. Every track is a banger that takes you to the club or just bopping around the kitchen. I miss the 90's.
ZZ Top
3/5
Living in Texas in the 80's, I swear I heard this one too many times. But f*ckall, it is good fun. Not my favorite but perfectly representative of 1983.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Been Caught Stealing is the fun, standout track on this album with signature percussion and a falsetto that launched ships. Listening to the other tracks, its really just more of the same. So, if you love Jane's Addiction sound then you'll love this album. It is somewhat of a one-trick pony to me, though.
The Pogues
5/5
Oh, that's The Pogues! Shit, I had no idea. This is more fun that a Guinness or six in an Irish pub. Now I have a great complement to the Waterboys when I need a lively jig with political undertones and punk influence.
Tangerine Dream
2/5
It's nice, very mid. I guess I just don't understand the use case for this type of music other than overly dramatic movie soundtracks.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
I really liked this. So very pleasant and whimsical sounding. At times I get Cranberries vibes, other times feel like Natalie Merchant in the 80's, and then straight-up hotel lounge music! This album is why I've trodded through 515, mostly weird 70's folk music, to discover something new that I actually like.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
It is good, dreamy, noisy, dissonant post-punk. Not as pop-heavy as other mid-eighties peers but also less ear-bleedy than say Sex Pistols or even Ramones. Interesting and enduring. I liked it.
Blue Cheer
2/5
Oh the days of driving hard rock with angry white-man vocals. This has everything. The requisite culturally appropriated blues track, the near 8-minute guitar riff overloaded love song, and echoes of the Stones and Hendrix (wait, who came first?). Hold my beer and pass the hookah, it is 1968.
Pantera
1/5
A new level of fucking hostility that is not love, for me.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Iconic. Innovative. Possibly important... still unlistenable.
Klaxons
4/5
I like this. A dance/club vibe with a 90's feel.
Public Enemy
5/5
Not just hype, not just 80's rap... this is a national treasure.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Its fab. Takes me back to listening to vinyl with my mom as a kid.
5/5
These guys are way more than the Lowrider song. This is a great album showcasing 70's funk at its finest blended with jazz, reggae, and brilliant jam band opuses.
Madonna
4/5
This is really a gem. It is grown-up pop with danceability at its highest. Ray of Light is the standout track, but dreamy Candy Perfume and meditative Shanti are really excellent and overlooked. Probably her most mature and listenable album.
Screaming Trees
4/5
Classic 90's grunge, but with a twist. There are layers of 60's psychedelia and even melodic, love-letter ballads like "Look at You." If you like the genre, this will be your jam. If not, will not differentiate from their cohorts of the day.
David Bowie
3/5
I think this is the Bowie I think of when thoughts of Bowie are invoked. Which isn't often, but I *understand* this Bowie. Anything Bowie post 1979 just confuses me.
4/5
In the year of growly, gruff grunge these boys rocked their falsettos. It still feels original and dreamy; refreshing and bright. Holds up well.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
I like this very much, but the thing about the blues to me is that it really sounds like the same track, over and over.
The White Stripes
3/5
Very White Stripes. You love them or you just don't bother changing the station when they're on.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I don't know... kind of pleasant. Kind of weird. Too naval-gazey for me but I do like the vocals.
Madonna
2/5
Another electronic tome with mediocre vocals and monotonous synths. Oh wait, it's Madonna? 🥱
The Jam
3/5
Quite like this. Nostalgic early 80's UK punk sound with less dissonance than Sex Pistols and more grit than the Kinks.
2/5
I want to like Dylan but I do not like Dylan
Steve Earle
5/5
OG Outlaw Country doing it best.
The National
4/5
I've been sleeping on The National. This is music that is soothing and exciting a the same time. It feels like love but also a yearning... I think probably best enjoyed while high.
The Yardbirds
1/5
Typical 60's folksy rock... not sure if it wants to be the Beatles, Chuck Berry, or... eh, that's about it. One or the other and neither particularly well done.
The Damned
2/5
Brit punk. Again. It's fine.
2/5
It must have been fun to be a punk back then. This album, and others in the genre, are brightly angry and enjoyably jarring. Honestly, hard for me to listen to now. But I bet it was fun.
4/5
You know, I kind of like it. It is just in-your-face angry punk until it surprises you with the quite lovely and melodic "The One."
Prince
5/5
I admit it, I'm a Prince superfan. But come on... the Ballad of Dorothy Parker is brilliance. U Got The Look is an anthem. If I Was Your Girlfriend the most bare-souled sexy love song. No notes.
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey is so mid for me. I don't hate it. I think he truly has an original voice and is a talented storyteller who can pull the emotion out of you with his melodies and lyrics. Its just kind of dull.
Beatles
5/5
I mean, its great. Classic and easy to listen to, it really holds up. It is kind of wild that this was considered edgy rock-and-roll back in the day!
Malcolm McLaren
1/5
Not sure what that was all about. Not music. Just sounds.
Roxy Music
3/5
Oh yay, another "theatrical rock band" from the 70's. I appreciate the fashion, gender, sexual fluidity of the genre but don't enjoy the. music much.
Anita Baker
4/5
Anita Baker has a voice of our lifetimes. It does make me a little sad when one of the great soul/R&B/jazz singers releases such a pandering 80's pop album but it is still beautiful. Just gives movie soundtrack vibes more than smooth whisky and clove-cigarettes in a dark Detroit bar vibes. "caught Up In The Rapture" should be a required wedding dance, though.
The Beta Band
3/5
It is kinda nice. Dreamy Brit pop of the 2000's. Not really memorable but very listenable.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Probably the best of the 60's era folk rock. The tracks have a good variety of sounds and musical style.
Randy Newman
4/5
Randy Newman is so interesting. I can't hear his voice without thinking of a Pixar soundtrack... but this album made me remember his R&B roots and clever lyricism.
Tom Waits
2/5
My usual reaction to Tom Waits... interesting, but not entertaining. I rather like his persona and storytelling, also versatility in the compositions. It listened at times like theater or a comedy album. Probably decently fun as a live show. Just not my bag-of-bananas.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Weird. Some tracks feel like Oasis-era Brit pop and others like a bad, garage band imitation of Sgt. Peppers. I missed this in the 90's yet missed nothing.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
From Artist Bio: "Bridging the worlds of technical playing and noise chaos with a color and imagination..." JFC, must we?
Cee Lo Green
4/5
I've heard Cee Lo's hits but listening to the whole album clarified his art for me. It gives 70's Soul Train vibes, Prince and the Minneapolis sound gravitas, but is mostly his own damn thing. Most tracks are really groovy and soulful but Evening News and Scrap Metal have a more definitive hip-hop feel with aggressive beats and grit.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Snore.
Donald Fagen
5/5
I had to listen to this one twice, back-to-back! The first time purely for a nostalgic trip back to the mid-80's when I had this cassette tape on repeat in my car. The second time to truly listen to the story about youthful optimism, belief in science and technical innovation, and dreaming of how life will be better post the Atomic-age. We'll be eternally free and eternally young... how disappointed the protagonist must be with the US now.
The Killers
4/5
Enduring hits, what's not to love? Listening to the full album, it struck me that there's a murder mystery here. What happened to Jenny?
Missy Elliott
4/5
Good hip-hop and a great example of early 2000's rap. Her talent is not just lyricism but in the production and collaborations.
The Soft Boys
3/5
That was a LOT of music. No complaints, in fact I think I'd have loved it had I discovered it in the 80's. Seems dated now, but very representative of the day.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
I expected to like this more, but then I remembered that I wasn't a huge fan back in the day. Check out the credits for some fun facts, though! Girls Just Want to Have Fun was composed by a man, for example. In fact, the tracks I like least were NOT written by Ms. Lauper at all! Maybe that's why I always felt she was a contrived character. I do not like the dumbed-down version of Prince's When You Were Mine at all. The songs that she actually composed (Time After Time, She Bops, Witness, and I'll Kiss You) are my favorites on this album.
Can
1/5
Whenever I read a Bio that starts with "Experimental German rock..." I cringe. In the spirit of 1001, I gave it a go and rest my case. Although, I would be mad at a cover of Halleluwah done by Sublime, perhaps....
Kelela
5/5
Track one has me pulled in... how has this never hit my radar? Track four gets a little dreamy and slow, but still a nice lounge music vibe. Feels like good bourbon and conversation.
Black Flag
4/5
It is just as angry as it was in 1981. Despite this level of gritty Punk not being a genre I enjoy now (ever?), it is still pretty f*cking badass.
Truly one of my favorite U2 albums; it is hard to believe it is 25 years old. A departure from their 80's progressive rock band sounds, this has elevated synth, layered melodies, and catchy groove on every track.
Supergrass
2/5
Huh, I listened to this but took no notes. Today, I came back to rate it and I can't remember a damn thing about it...
Thin Lizzy
5/5
This is good 70's rock & roll. Heavy guitar that does not become monotonous because if the melodic, catchy riffs. The Boys Are Back in Town is a legit anthem.
System Of A Down
3/5
Why does "politically charged" so often coincide with "underground thrash?" The combination makes it hard to reconcile... do they want to criticize violence or hype up a mosh pit? It's confusing. But not bad.
Calexico
5/5
564 albums and finally, FINALLY one that I'd never heard of and absolutely love. The latin influence, the country undertones, the surprising burst of Cumbia like the quenceñera you didn't know you were invited to?!?! 437 more like this, please!
Alice Cooper
3/5
Shock Rock at its finest, if you're into that sort of thing. It is too theatrical for me but I understand the uniqueness of this band's approach, storytelling, and front-man appeal.
Billy Joel
5/5
Smooth as silk. Can listen all day. In fact, I did.
PJ Harvey
2/5
First track was unlistenable. O Stella is certainly an improvement reminding me of 80's fare like Siouxie, et al. The guitar work is very basic, but gets the job done.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
Grab a fedora, a Cohiba, and channel your inner Ricky Ricardo... this is an all-time favorite of mine and should be of yours, too.
Red Snapper
4/5
The Rake slaps. This is electronic music that can double for dance or trance.
Stan Getz
5/5
When I was a kid, my father would play guitar and sing "The Girl From Ipanema" to me. He passed away in 1980. Today would have been his 87th birthday and this was my Album of the Day. Happy Birthday, Papai.
Living Colour
4/5
I always wondered why these guys were one-hit wonders. As I fully enjoyed Cult of Personality, I could see them vividly (hehe see what I did there) dancing on stage. Rolling into track two and beyond, the edgy rock started to slide a little into an 80's pop sound but still a great vibe. The blend of rock, synth and funk are enjoyable. I also liked the social message themed throughout which was either way ahead of its time or we are still sadly SADLY dealing with the same shit with no resolve.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
How to charm me? Have a horn section. That'll do it.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Maybe I shouldn't have read the bio of Serge before listening. The music and swarthy French lyricism isn't altogether unpleasant but all I hear is a pervy Pepe Le Pew. By the time I got to the pig-like squealing of En Melody, it felt cringey and like I was listening to something that may be used in court against him.
Don McLean
4/5
I mean, its just so pretty. What's not to like? It does become monotonous after a while, but it is only 36 minutes so easy to get through.
Stephen Stills
2/5
Ohyayyyy, another 70's "classic." First track has quite the jam-band vibe; I can taste the flat festival beer and smell the ditch weed already. Track two was a fun blues number but the THC kicked in by track four and I began nodding off... good and typical for its time and genre.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I like the PSBs. I mean it all sounds the same to me, but its dreamy with casual beat and feels familiar and warm. On the other hand, I could see that some would find it repetitive and boring, I guess?
The Blue Nile
3/5
By track 3, I was sure I had heard this in the 80's and loved it then, but had forgotten about it. Maybe. I probably would have loved it. So much angst but with smarter melodies than Morrissey, et al.
The Fall
3/5
Hmm yeah. 80's punk. It is under produced, decidedly British, and not unenjoyable.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Dear god, that's awful.
Koffi Olomide
5/5
This is a masterclass in percussion and vocal instrumentation. I don't understand a word but can feel the joy, the pain, and the praise as intended in every track.
Megadeth
3/5
Oh here we go... death metal at its finest, if you can call it fine? I mean, its fine.
Lambchop
2/5
What is Lambchop thinking here? Serious question... is it lounge music, EDM, jazz, yachtrock? I'm not against it, but I am confused. It feels more like background music to a 70's TV show than music someone would self-select.
Destiny's Child
4/5
Who rule the world? Oh wait... wrong album. Say my name? Damn it, wrong again. Whatever, its all likable with strong bop after banger, laying the foundation for every major hit of the 2000's pop genre.
SZA
5/5
That album flew by, I enjoyed every track. She's raw and honest delivering her barest thoughts with the sweetest voice.
Elbow
3/5
Sometimes its jazzy and smooth, like a Sting album or even Elvis Costello. But then you get slapped with orchestral movie soundtrack numbers that aren't catchy at all and I wonder wth I'm listening to.
10cc
2/5
This is the same band that did "The Things We Do For Love" late 70's pop hit... this earlier album is far different. It was fine with a blend of Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel like jams. Hotel is actually really fun. I have to take it down a star because their bio's first line explains what the band name means. Gross.
Spacemen 3
2/5
Ugh, enough of that.
Bill Callahan
3/5
Interesting. Moody and esoteric. Feels like a weird poetry reading where your closeted uncle Theo was dared to get on stage after eating too many gummies.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Yeah, good 90's grunge. This albums falls perfectly into the time spectrum... not overstaying the genre into the 2000's but firmly owning the sound.
Madness
4/5
Fun 80's band. I didn't actually know this was considered ska.
The Modern Lovers
5/5
This could be a soundtrack to a Quentin Tarantino movie. I mean that in a good way.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Classic. I've never listened to the whole thing, track after track and the man was a genuine storyteller. RIP.
Gorillaz
5/5
Most interesting sound and collaborative effort of the 2000's.
Arrested Development
5/5
3 years, 5 months, and 2 days later... still the most fun you can have dancing in your office chair.
Britney Spears
4/5
She's nutty af lately, but sure was the sweetest sugar-pop queen in 1999.
Slade
3/5
My first thought was "Yay, an early 70's Brit Glam Rock band... let me guess, theatrical, guitar heavy, screeching falsettos, and deep lyrical genius about drugs, sex and rock & roll..." Yep, on brand. But maybe I was just in the mood for it today?
Van Halen
5/5
The soundtrack of my middle school years.
Billy Bragg
2/5
What is this? It sounds like a late 70's British punk-rocker who went solo and recorded an album that his 80-year old Mum would enjoy.
Ryan Adams
4/5
This was lovely. Like drinking bourbon on a hot evening under a ceiling fan on a southern porch. It isn't Country exactly, but closest to that genre. Come Pick Me Up is especially enjoyable, but I am a sucker for a harp. I suspect Mr. Adams will fall victim to low ratings because of the struggle to separate the art from the artist. I'm going with rating the music, I guess.
OutKast
5/5
I like Outkast for sure, but not sure I need 2 hours of it. Hitting Play, let's see... It's moving fast! Already on track 3 and wondering how a song called "Unhappy" can have such a happy vibe? OK, damn. Two hours of this is actually just right.
Venom
1/5
Ooooof, definitely my least liked genre. Spoiler alert: these guys aren't black. The lyrics are hysterical, actually. It's like they asked ChatGPT to write shock-value satanic verse in the voice of a troubled 12-year old boy. I'm gonna pass but thanks for sharing your anger.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
I mean, its jazz, right? All the notes, all at once, like if your brain took a funky bath in outer space and then came back to Earth just to strut down the sidewalk in platform shoes. By the time I got to Sly (track 3), I had to pop an extra Adderall.
Def Leppard
4/5
Every track is a polished, hairsprayed anthem—like someone bottled the sound of a lighter flicking open in slow motion. I saw them on this tour in El Paso, TX in 1983—Google the controversy that followed for some unexpected Def Leppard lore. No hate, though, and this is an absolute banger of an album, zero skips.
Moby
4/5
TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS AND THIRTY FOUR TRACKS? Dear god, this should count as three albums to listen to before I die. Hope I don't die before I finish this odyssey.
I lived through to the end and would listen again. It really is a LOT of electronic music but there's cool elements of gospel, jazz, and rock all rolled in. It gets repetitive for sure, but that is kind of the whole genre after all.
Fugees
4/5
The Score is one of those rare albums that feels both of its time and timeless. Lauryn Hill’s voice is the undeniable standout — especially on “Killing Me Softly,” which is arguably one of the most beautiful remakes ever recorded.
That said, the loop-heavy production and slow pacing make parts of the album feel repetitive and forgettable to me but I still recognize its brilliance.
The Verve
2/5
Very 90's sounding but the non-grunge vibe of the decade. I read the band was heavily using Ecstasy when they recorded this. I feel that. Some of it is melodic and easy to listen to but most tracks (Drive You Home, No Knock on My Door as primary examples) are moody and grating. Mixed bag, but I'm leaning toward a 2/5 due to the feeling of being dragged through mud, naked and with broken eardrums. And not in a good way.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Come on come on come on baby... audio aphrodisiac right here.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
"Fuzzy" is good—not life-changing, but solid. It’s the kind of band you ‘discover’ in your late 20s while nursing a lukewarm PBR in a dim Pioneer Square bar that smells like wet wool and regret. It’s either the start of a lifelong story you bore people with—'I was into them before they even had an album'—or a fleeting blip you forget about by the time your hangover wears off. There is no in-between.
4/5
Is there some celestial rule that demands you enjoy albums from your birth year? Generally, the Beatles are just... *fine* to me. I get the impact, I respect the talent—but I’m not putting them on my playlists. That said, Sgt. Pepper is so nice. Actually, capital-N Nice. High-five to 1967 for this one.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
This is, without question, a masterpiece. But for me? I feel like Emperor Joseph II watching Mozart in the 1984 classic, Amadeus: "Too many notes!" I respect it, I do—it’s genius at work. But I’m over here clapping on the wrong beat, nodding like I get it, and secretly wondering if Monk’s piano is mad at me.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
A delight from start to finish. Natural Woman and Chain of Fools are the big stars, but Good to Me as I Am to You knocked me sideways — she’s serving soul on a silver platter. She's a goddess, a girl boss, a superhero in heels. And Groovin’? It’s so smooth it could probably broker world peace.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
"Jane Says" still hits the spot, but it’s doing all the heavy lifting. "Mountain Song" is catchy — if you don’t think too hard about what the hell Perry Farrell’s even saying. "Idiots Rule" feels like someone punched him in the face and he never recovered; who hurt him? Navarro’s guitar keeps things interesting, but "Summertime Rolls" is straight-up trash. A few gems, a lot of filler.
Neil Young
1/5
Well, it was what I expected—and that’s not a compliment. It gave me garage band energy, the kind where you wonder if someone’s drunk cousin is just crashing rehearsal again. I get that it was meant to be under-produced but for me, it laid bare everything I dislike about '70s rock: whiney vocals, meandering jams, and hairy white guys trying to sound like they can play the blues.
Manu Chao
2/5
I was expecting a Ricky Martin-style Latin pop party, but Clandestino had other plans. It is lo-fi, synth heavy, and under-produced. And then it gets weird... feeling at times like a kazoo solo at a funeral.
Manu Chao is definitely doing his own thing here. I did like some tracks—“Luna y Sol,” “Día Luna, Día Pena,” and “Lágrimas de Oro” which all have a folky quality that reminded me of bossa nova and bolero.
But then its like a manic street jester shows up with “Bongo Bong,” (that ironically has no bongos) “Mama Call,” and “La Despedida”—which I can absolutely live without.
Queen
3/5
That was trip, and unfortunately I wasn’t packed for the journey. It starts with five tracks of solid classic rock and then “Ogre Battle” (spoiler alert: not about Shrek) crashed in at track 6 and it felt like I'd wandered into a glam-rock Renaissance Faire.
The vocals and guitar work are jaw-dropping, but mystical kings and vengeful queens in rock music is just so overdone in that era (we have Stairway to Heaven, isn't that enough?). Mercury was already larger than life and "March of the Black Queen" is a masterpiece, if you're into Lord of the Rings meets Glam Opera, I guess. I just personally find '70s rock theatrics kind of exhausting.
Everything But The Girl
5/5
This is like a cup of tea that somehow reads your mind. It’s soft, slow, and peacefully delivered. Tracey Thorn’s low alto feels like she's letting you in on a beautifully sad secret. She reminds me of Natalie Merchant in that grounded, soul-settling way.
It still blows my mind that this same duo gave us the 90s club staple “Missing.” This is quite the opposite; it makes me wish I were a cat in a patch of sun, half-asleep, waiting patiently for someone to pet me. And honestly? That’s kind of the dream.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This is a guided tour through the Stages of Grief, led by a chain-smoking poet with a vendetta. And I'm here for it.
There’s Denial in “Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head,” Rage in the gloriously bitter “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” and Depression in the slow, suffocating spiral of “I Want You.” “Next Time Round” moves toward Acceptance, but not before we crawl through the wreckage of Bargaining in “Crimes of Paris." This is no "Veronica" if that's what you were expecting... which I kind of was, so excuse me while I go call my therapist.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Goldfrapp! An iced coffee drink? A journey through the British countryside wearing Björk’s goose dress? Or a reason to consume edibles before noon? I don’t know. I didn’t hate it—even though track one (“Clowns”) had me ready to fake a power outage just to get out of listening.
And yet... A&E crept in and made me feel something suspiciously adjacent to "liking." There’s something sweet and strange buried beneath the pastoral fog. Not quite a banger, but not a snoozer either. File under: “Albums to play while you pet a moss-covered rock and reevaluate your life.”
John Lennon
2/5
This album felt like a therapy session set to a metronome. It’s chaotic, emotionally raw, and at times un-fucking-hinged. Working Class Hero was fine and familiar thanks to Green Day’s cover—but most of the album is a tough hang.
Well Well Well wasn’t just a scream into the void—it was a scream at me, for nearly six minutes, and bro, I didn’t deserve that. I get that John was working through some heavy shit, but it felt selfish and indulgent, like he hit record mid-breakdown and decided that made it art. I’m glad he found healing. I’ll find mine by never listening to this again.
Coldplay
5/5
This is a whole era of feelings dressed in minor chords and gentle existential panic. Listening now, I felt an urge to go back in a time and see this show live in 2002... back when Chris Martin was still charming Barbara Walters with unfinished piano sketches and emotional restraint was just a suggestion.
Simple Minds
3/5
This feels like stepping into a modest 1980s house with “good bones”—high ceilings, a solid foundation, and a lot of natural light (read: shimmering synths and moody optimism). But as you walk from room to room, it’s clear that not everything got the full makeover. It just doesn't deliver the emotional, layered drama that would become Simple Minds just a few years later.
Tracks like “Promised You a Miracle” and “New Gold Dream” are the centerpiece renovations—open concept, polished, and ready for guests. But elsewhere, vocals are recessed like a sunken living room, the melodies float in abstract space. Still, the bones are there. The intention is there. And for fans who remember the before-and-after, it’s fun to revisit the blueprint mid-renovation.
Killing Joke
2/5
This album sounds like Metallica being conceived in a rainy London alley under Cold War dread and cigarette smoke. “Complications” manages to sneak in an actual groove, and “Primitive” and “The Wait” deliver gritty, punk-fueled energy that I don't hate.
The rest belongs in a museum—one with barbed wire, strobe lights, and a strict No MAGA Hats policy. Respect is due, but I won’t be streaming “S.O.36” unless I’m trying to clear a Proud Boy rally like the US military blasting Twisted Sister at Noriega in Panama ca. 1989.
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Listening to this album felt like unlocking a time capsule — the jangly guitars, the emotional weight, the driving energy. Warehouse brought me right back to my freshman year of college, racing down I-10, late to class, with the windows down and cassette tapes scattered in the back seat. It has a place in my soundtrack to that year along with R.E.M., Sonic Youth, and 10,000 Maniacs.
Standout tracks for me were “These Important Years” and “No Reservations.” There’s something grounding in Bob Mould’s raw clarity and urgency — that perfect blend of melodic and messy.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Sinatra’s voice is smooth as a velvet tuxedo and the lyrics cut like a stiletto dipped in bourbon. The orchestration? Masterful—like a soft jazz hug for your heartbreak. This is a mood album through and through: poetic, melancholic, and emotionally rich.
Did I admire it? Absolutely. Did I feel things? For sure. But by track 6, I also found myself checking how many “wee small hours” were left.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This debut is a bunch of Muddy Waters–worshipping white boys trying to pass as down-and-out Southern bluesmen, covering classic Americana with reverence. But then “Tell Me” rolls in like a lost track from a bad Monkees episode, and suddenly they’re just begging for AM radio approval. It’s got charm, sure—but satisfaction? They'll need another year for that.
The Cardigans
2/5
Other than “Lovefool,” which still works in that late-’90s prom montage kind of way, the rest of this album is a shrug in musical form. Nina Persson’s voice is lovely — cool and detached in a way that hints at something darker — but the songs themselves blur into a polite, forgettable haze. It’s all pastel pop with no punch.
Roni Size
3/5
This is an artsy honor student of drum & bass — ambitious, innovative, and so eager to prove itself. “Railing” and “Brown Paper Bag” are great, and “Digital” feels like espresso with a side of amphetamines. “Trust Me” spirals into some truly chaotic territory and by track 14, the boots-and-cats-and-boots-and-cats all start to blur together. A respectful nod from the sidelines, but I’m not enrolling in the full D&B curriculum.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
This delivers some standout moments — but not every punch lands. “Charlie Big Potato” and “Tracy’s Flaw” are moody highlights, and “You’ll Follow Me Down” charmed me with unexpected sweetness. Skin brings power and attitude; angry like Alannis, soulful like Brittany... stormy, and sometimes stirring — but not a full-body chill.
Mike Oldfield
2/5
🧌 Piltdown Review (Caveman Voice):
"Ruhhh... GONGGG... hmmngrrhh TWO SLIGHTLY DISTORTED GUITARRRGH... brrrrrngnghh TUBES! BELLS! WHALE NOISES! HURRGHHH."
(Translation: "This album is culturally significant, but also, who invited the neanderthal to grunt through track II?")
This legendary one-man prog epic earns points for innovation, ambition, and accidental horror movie stardom — but let’s be honest, it’s a fever dream in symphonic form. Between the Celtic-tinged serenity and the full-on throat-grunting descent into madness, it’s equal parts fascinating and exhausting. By the end, I was just trying to survive the roll call and hoping the Piltdown Man doesn’t follow me home.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
I didn’t expect to vibe so hard with an album that opens like a masterclass lecture. The artist's explanations of ragas are surprisingly engaging, and once the music kicks in, it’s hypnotic. “Raga Bhimpalasi" is an absolute banger. It builds slowly, looping and swirling until it feels like time is melting.
Yes, it’s definitely a departure from the usual rock/post-punk parade, but this was a welcome palate cleanser—sophisticated, spiritual, and strangely catchy. Who knew a 20-minute raga could slap?
Eagles
5/5
Welcome to the Hotel California—such a lovely place, such a lovely face, and somehow still one of the most hauntingly perfect albums ever made. From the edge-of-paradise mystique of the title track to the wild rhythm of Life in the Fast Lane, this album walks the line between dream and disillusion. New Kid in Town is heartbreak with a smile, Wasted Time aches in all the right places, and yes—Pretty Maids All in a Row still gets an invite to the party. Try and Love Again? Don’t need to. This album already nailed it. It’s The Last Resort, the top shelf, the forever play. You can check out any time you like… but you’ll never want to leave.
R.E.M.
5/5
I love this album, obviously. Murmur isn’t just R.E.M.’s debut—it’s a whole vibe. Mumbly, jangly, mysterious, and completely magnetic. It’s like tuning into a late-night college radio station and hearing something that sounds both brand-new and ancient, all at once.
“West of the Fields” is the forgotten gem here—my personal favorite.
True story—at an R.E.M. show around 1987, my college boyfriend hoisted me onto the stage, where I danced with a clearly terrified Michael Stipe for a whole 60 seconds before a bouncer politely but firmly uninvited me from the stage.
When they released Murmur in 1983, there’s no way R.E.M. knew they were creating a record so good it would eventually inspire a flannel-wrapped freshman to launch herself onto the stage like a woodland creature in a dream-pop panic.
This isn’t just a debut album—it’s the blueprint. Long live the kudzu.
Leftfield
3/5
I made it through two-thirds of Leftism (split across 2 days) and what had me chair-bopping yesterday feels a bit like water torture today. It's highly mood-dependent: if you're not in the exact right headspace, this album can go from hypnotic to hostage situation real quick.
“Afro-Left” is a standout, all tribal rhythm and invented-language swagger—like scat singing with a subwoofer. And “Open Up” featuring Johnny Rotten? That’s just pure rave chaos with punk teeth. Bow down.
The production is layered and sophisticated, but the sheer length and repetition can wear you down like techno erosion. I respect it. I even liked parts of it. But I’m gonna need a nap and some silence before I try to finish the last 40 minutes.
Queen Latifah
5/5
Can we take a moment to appreciate that this came out in 1989? Queen Latifah kicked down the door with confidence, clarity, and a message. “Ladies First” is an instant classic—feminist, funky, and still empowering decades later. “Wrath of My Madness” is pure fire, showcasing her lyrical strength and swagger. The whole album blends hip-hop with jazz, reggae, and soul without ever losing its power. All hail, indeed.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I came for the funk, stayed for the soul, and… politely excused myself during “Sex Machine.” “Soul Clappin’” and “I Want to Take You Higher” are everything I wanted. “Everyday People” remains timeless, blending social commentary with a melody so catchy it could solve a minor conflict.
But the 13-minute sprawl of “Sex Machine” dragged the vibe from *get down* to *lie down*. I’m gonna need a nap, but not a cigarette, after that one.
The Dandy Warhols
2/5
This album had me at “Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” — cheeky, catchy, and soaked in snark. “Cool As Kim Deal” sealed the deal with its slacker charm and undeniable 90s cool. But somewhere around the swamp-fuzz oddity of “Green,” things started to wobble... and by the time “Hard On for Jesus” rolled around, the wheels were fully off the psychedelic tour bus.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
This feels personal and important—like something that needs to be said out loud, but only in a whispered voice. Tracks like “Dos Cruces,” “Trem de Doido,” and “Lilia” hit an emotional place—each one unlocking something tender, strange, or just beautifully sad. Glad I experienced this.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
The day after Sly Stone passed, this album hit—and somehow it feels more relevant than ever. Disillusioned, murky, and slow-burning, There’s a Riot Goin’ On is funk turned inward: political, paranoid, and deeply personal.
In 2025, with real riots and performative politics all around, this record feels like a mirror.
Pentangle
3/5
This album is charming, atmospheric, and occasionally a little bit dumb in that “ye olde open mic night” kind of way. There’s enough medieval mood to spark a full-blown Outlander scene in my head (Jamie Fraser preparing for battle to “Lyke Wake Dirge,” you’re welcome STARZ). It nudged my imagination in many ways — like music should.
But let’s be real: for every moment of elegant enchantment, there’s another that feels like you accidentally wandered into a Renaissance Faire’s soundcheck. Not a playlist staple, but a worthy wander.
Brian Wilson
4/5
With Brian Wilson’s recent passing, listening to Smile felt especially poignant — a long-lost masterpiece finally brought to life by the man who once nearly vanished beneath it. No particular standout tracks for me, but the overall vibe was beautiful, strange, and moving. I'm grateful I experienced it. His legacy truly resonates.
The Specials
3/5
This one had major Madness vibes — jumpy, cheeky, and full of British eccentricity, but with a darker, more cynical edge underneath the ska beat. Most of the tracks blended together in a quirky, toe-tapping way, though Man at C&A totally lost me. I liked it, didn’t love it… but I’m glad I experienced this weird little detour into dystopian lounge-ska.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Dusty Springfield’s vocals are rich, controlled, and undeniably beautiful—but the material she’s working with? A bit of a snooze.
Nearly every song is some variation on pleading for love from a man, crying over a man, or being ignored by a man. And wouldn’t you know it—almost all of them were written by men. Even Dusty’s one original contribution, “Once Upon a Time,” sticks to the script. Down-bad was the dominant pop language of the day, apparently. Beautiful voice, sleepy material.
Neil Young
2/5
I went in with an open mind and gritted teeth. Neil Young’s voice still grates on me like a rusty rake across a chalkboard, and frankly, that made this album hard to enjoy—even when the instrumentation had potential. “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” might’ve landed better sung by, say, literally anyone else. And don’t even get me started on “A Man Needs A Maid”—a song that manages to be both musically bloated and lyrically cringe.
In short: Harvest is a maybe-almost-OK album trapped inside the body of a man wailing through a tin can. Please, 1001 list, let this be my Neil Young quota. I’ve served my time.
Big Black
3/5
Surprisingly... I don’t hate it? I expected to be running for the nearest Neil Young record (and god how I dislike Neil Young...) to soothe my bleeding ears, but Atomizer is oddly compelling in a “what fresh hell is this?” kind of way. I don’t like it, to be clear, but there’s something fascinating about its raw, unfiltered aggression.
“Kerosene” and “Strange Things” were the least offensive to my nervous system, with the latter’s background “HEY!” transporting me directly into the middle of a mosh pit (which is hilarious, because I have never and will never be in a mosh pit).
Three stars and three Advil. Let’s never speak of this again.
3/5
It is cheeky, jangly, and a very British time capsule of the early 90's. It feels like it’s elbowing for space on an overcrowded Britpop tube ride. I liked it OK… just not hopping back on this train soon.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Surprisingly better than the jean-shorted, Bud-drinkin', NASCAR-core vibe I unfairly expected. The band jams and earns their legendary status, but let’s be real: nobody needs a 19-minute track, even if it’s blasting from a Dodge panel van with an eagle airbrushed on the side. Four stars for the groove, minus one for the jam-stretching excess.
Justice
4/5
Based on the ominous cover, I was bracing for a full-on electro-exorcism. But surprise! There’s a bouncy, funky, joyful vibe and it was a fun listen.
“D.A.N.C.E.” is the one that hooked me; it felt like stepping out of a doomsday sermon to check on the toddler room mid-mass. Even the heavier tracks had a strange momentum that kept me engaged.
Hawkwind
1/5
A chaotic, numbing space rock assault that confuses repetition for transcendence. Endless jams, buried vocals, and overwrought sci-fi monologues combine into a swirling mess that wears out its welcome fast. I just wanted out of this spacecraft. Not transcendent. Just exhausting.
Cornershop
4/5
Cornershop pulls off something I did not expect. Making a Punjabi cover of “Norwegian Wood” feel both reverent and revolutionary, while dropping Beck-esque oddities like “State Troopers” along the way? I'm here for it. Who knew I had a sleeper appreciation for the Sitar. Doesn't get a full 5 stars from me because let's be honest, that was some weird shit.
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
It’s absolutely a 1970s movie soundtrack through and through, just sprinkle in some Hindi and plenty of sitars. What I liked is that it didn’t feel like it was trying to be weird or experimental, it just is different. Like Shaft and Monsoon Wedding had a baby and James Bond toasts the beautiful Indian girl with a Chai Martini.
Slayer
2/5
This felt like standing under a firehose of noise, aggression, and technical fury for 29 hammering minutes. Before I could process what the hell was happening, it was thankfully over. I'm still catching my breath, wondering if I need a shower, a Vyvanse, a priest, or all three. The sheer tightness is impressive, but the relentlessness blurred the tracks together for me.
King Crimson
1/5
Why? Why make an album this forgettable? This started as not unpleasant background noise, until Wetton’s off-key vocals began. He does NOT have the voice of a lark... suggest he lay off the aspic. The only track that stood out was The Talking Drum, but only because I thought my speakers were broken for half of it. Wishing they were, tbh.
Marty Robbins
5/5
What I thought would be just a collection of cowboy songs turned out to be a masterclass in narrative songwriting. This album pulls me right into the saloons, deserts, and gunfights of the old west. I'm from El Paso, so listening to this made me homesick for chile relleños and dust devils.
The Bees
3/5
This one rather charmed me! Lo-fi psych, reggae, folk and every so often a horn section popped in to make me smile. Sky Holds the Sun makes me want to drink a martini in a dark hotel lounge.
2Pac
4/5
A powerful album from a huge talent; I can still respect his honesty and skill. Dear Mama always hits; beautiful and moving, especially as a mother. RIP 2Pac.
American Music Club
2/5
Really more of a 1.5, but rounding up out of respect for anyone’s dad in a garage band, which is what this sounds like. “Now You’re Defeated” was particularly painful, and the rest blurred together in a haze of vocals that made me beg for auto-tune and samey, same-same arrangements. “Firefly” might’ve stood out more if it hadn’t been followed by an entire album that sounds just like it.
Suicide
1/5
Should have come with a warning "Do not press play unless you're curious what Elvis Presley having a panic attack in synth form after doing a bad batch of acid sounds like. "Frankie Teardrop" alone should come with a therapist.
Laura Nyro
3/5
A mostly fun ride; sometimes jazzy and soulful and other times just piano-theater narcissism. I liked the opener “Lu” and the gospel-pop energy of “Eli’s Comin’,” amongst a couple other tracks. But when her manic-poetic side showed up (“Timer,” “Woman’s Blues,” “The Confession”), I felt liked I'd just peeked into the overly-dramatic womb that spawned the chaotic mess that is Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco and for the love of singer-songwriters, nobody needs that.
Silver Jews
4/5
"Let’s Not and Say We Did" was my favorite, but every track held my attention and made me smile. I’m normally not tolerant of the off-key, minimal-range male vocal, but it works in this context. Fly me to Nashville, pour me a PBR, and let’s find a dive bar with a cover band playing “Tennessee.”
Minutemen
5/5
I absolutely loved it, what else can I say? Heavy-handed bass chops charm tf outta me, and the Minutemen’s magic is in dropping 43 unique songs (that do not blend one into the next!) all in under 3 minutes each. That alone feels like a reason to listen before you die.
Ozomatli
5/5
This album is a block party where every culture brings its own sound system and somehow it all syncs up joyfully. Latin horns, flamenco guitars, hip-hop beats, and global rhythms swirl together into one big, booty shaking SHOUT. It’s vibrant, tasty, and feels like summer finally came to life.
The Black Crowes
5/5
I’ve lived with this album for years, seen them live multiple times, and somehow still catch new things. It’s swaggering, soulful, and unapologetically steeped in classic rock and blues, yet it managed to land in 1990 and feel fresh.
I love how "Sister Luck" sneaks in as this sweet, almost tender moment between all the big, strutting bangers. It’s a great reminder that this band had more than just riffs, they had range. Same goes for the album itself, it snuck into a moment dominated by hair metal on the way out and grunge on the way in, and carved out a lane that felt entirely its own.
I also have to laugh that I didn’t know for years that "Hard to Handle" was a cover (Otis Redding!). It just sounds so theirs. That’s the magic of the Crowes... they make even borrowed songs feel lived-in and raw.
And can we talk about Chris Robinson's Southern drawl? In "Twice As Hard," he stretches “hard” into a soulful two-syllable plea that sounds like he’s saying “hurtful,” “heartful,” or even “powerful”—depending on the moment. It’s all in the delivery, and it’s what makes this album endlessly replayable. You feel it as much as you hear it.
A debut album that still feels like a greatest hits. Ready to catch their summer tour (they are touring, aren't they?)
Bauhaus
3/5
Coming back to Mask decades after pretending to like Bauhaus to impress my hardcore punk friends, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This album is more varied than I remembered with equal parts gothic gloom, wiry funk, and theatrical art rock. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes I grimaced.
T“Hollow Hills” is where the ride down nostalgia lane stalled for me. It’s the epitome of goth atmosphere: slow, reverbed, and ominous. I know this is the kind of track that goth fans live for, but it completely lost me.
Can we talk about the start of the track “Mask," though? The opening split seconds sounded like the long-lost twin of The Police’s “Synchronicity II." Both songs deal with identity, pressure, and psychological unraveling. It made me wonder: is Bauhaus describing what "Daddy" becomes when the beast finally breaks free? Coincidence or cosmic post-punk synchronicity? Either way, I loved spotting that unexpected link.
As for track 13; I tried, truly. But I had to tap out. I can’t do nearly seven minutes of legalese absurdism over cowbells and spoken-word chaos. It's one Dada fish cake too far for me.
Heaven 17
3/5
This one screams early '80s from the first synthetic snare hit. Half Human League spin-off, half business-funk experiment, it's all angular synths, stiff grooves, and anti-fascist posturing with a dance beat. I can practically see the college apartment: Flock of Seagulls haircut, safety pin earrings, a Union Jack taped to the wall, someone pouring cheap Jägermeister shots while pretending to understand Thatcherism. I might dance on the coffee table later, but for now, it’s 3 stars.
Fiona Apple
2/5
Not awful, but definitely not good. This felt more like an emotional purge than an album. Too self-indulgent to connect with and too musically scattered to admire. The clatter of household percussion and stream-of-consciousness lyrics might pass as bold experimentation for some, but for me it landed closer to an amateur, half-assed effort. The only thing saving it from a one-star burn is, hey, we all did weird shit in 2020.
Tom Waits
3/5
I came expecting pretension and sadness… I got chaos, dog murder, and uncomfortable horniness. Yet? I kept listening. Minus one star for dogocide and unsettling “Daddy” moans. Would recommend… but only to people with strong stomachs and no pets.
The Thrills
4/5
A surprisingly charming debut I totally missed at the time, probably because I spent 2003 deep in Wiggles and Baby Beethoven land with a newborn. These Irish lads’ obsession with California sunshine, Las Vegas, and old-school Americana is oddly endearing, and the jangly guitars and breezy harmonies go down easy.
The Mars Volta
1/5
I expected haunted metal... dark rituals, maybe some Gregorian chants in a minor key. What I got was a manic, screeching fever dream of falsetto meltdowns, prog-rock jazz seizures, and theatrical chaos that felt like someone set a Broadway stage on fire and screamed at it in Spanish.
Every track tripped over itself in a race to nowhere, like a soundtrack for a sci-fi opera I never bought tickets to. It's the musical equivalent of being stuck on a malfunctioning carnival ride next to a philosophy major on mushrooms. Absolutely not. One star.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I was expecting a theatrical 70s mess, but holy Prince of Darkness, Vol. 4 rocks harder and cleaner than a band with a cocaine line item in their budget has any right to. "Changes" was a my favorite, a tender, piano-laced left turn that somehow didn’t feel out of place. But what in Lucifer's fresh hell was "FX" all about?
Gene Clark
4/5
A gentle, poetic detour from the heavy vibes of 1971. This one was pleasant from start to finish. “Tears of Rage” stood out (who knew I just needed Dylan’s lyrics without Dylan's voice to like his songs?), and “For a Spanish Guitar” was quite lovely. Glad I listened.
Al Green
5/5
This album was a gift; the kind you didn’t know you needed until you felt it in your toes. Al Green had me the moment he breathed out “I’m…” in that title track and never let go. “Let’s Stay Together” is the smoothest seduction ever pressed to vinyl, but it was his aching, stripped-down cover of the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” that sealed the deal.
Every note is drenched in velvet, every lyric delivered like a whispered promise or a late-night confession. It’s romantic, spiritual, and sensual all at once. Honestly? This might be the best gift 1001 Albums has ever given me.
If you need me, I’ll be over here basking in the glow of Reverend Al’s falsetto and reconsidering every past breakup while pouring another glass of red.
Pavement
2/5
It wasn’t bad, but it just… was. Too whiny, too meandering, and nothing ever hooked me in. It felt like the kind of background noise that blends into the hum of a laundromat. No standouts, no offense taken — just not my vibe.
Ray Charles
5/5
The title says it all. This is pure brilliance from start to finish. The big band swings, the strings swoon, and Ray’s voice glides over it all like velvet. Absolute genius.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
As they used to say on American Bandstand, “It’s got a good beat and it’s easy to dance to.” A solid four stars, with a solemn vow to recognize the artist next time I’m on Molly at an all-night rave… which is to say, never.
Black Sabbath
4/5
(3.5, rounded up because my Mom’s reaction is still hilarious)
Points for cleverness, points for horror-movie marketing, and bonus points for making my mother forbid my brother from opening the gatefold in the house in the 70's because “the upside-down cross would invoke the devil.”
The real win here is N.I.B. because it slaps, but also because my brother learned that riff on guitar when we were teenagers, and I heard it roughly 700 times a day until my brain rewired itself to headbang on cue.
Fairport Convention
5/5
I adored this! I went in blind and came out ready to buy a cloak and a ticket to the Scottish Borders. Who knew centuries-old murder ballads, fae kidnappings, and jigs could charm me so? I apparently have to start planning a trip to Carterhaugh, Arundel, and Cropredy… purely for “research.”
Roxy Music
1/5
I just can’t with the 70’s theatrical glam rock. Too much drama, like dropped-out theater kids trying to prove they have talent.
John Prine
5/5
This is everything a singer-songwriter album should be. No pretentiousness, no weird omphaloskepsis-fueled “journeys” into their own navel. It is just simple music, meaningful lyrics, and the kind of lived-in storytelling that makes you feel like you’re hearing it over a beer in a dive bar.
Standouts for me were “Angel from Montgomery” (absolutely gorgeous) and “Paradise” (fiddle and all). It’s honest, unvarnished, and somehow timeless, like these songs have always been here, waiting for me to listen.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
This one’s personal. My mother was actually there! She was 19 years old, fresh off a breakup, working as a secretary downtown and living the grown-up life in Chicago, complete with high heels, menthol cigarettes, and cocktails at Mister Kelly’s. Listening to this feels like slipping into her kitten heels and stepping back into the smoky glow of 1950s nightlife.
John Martyn
4/5
Enjoyed this very much. There's some world class bass playing giving reggae/dub music vibes thanks to the highly versatile Dave Pegg! Lee "Scratch" Perry's guest star influence on Big Muff, and other tracks, brings the heavy groove. Also note that the legendary Steve Winwood is jamming synths on Dealer. This is an all-star effort that only faults when it slowed down too much (IMO) on One World and almost lost me.
Brian Eno
1/5
One minute in and I knew this was not my kind of 80’s. It’s a chaotic mash of random radio voices, clanging percussion, and grooves that go nowhere, like being stuck inside a possessed shortwave radio. Whatever groundbreaking magic people hear in this, I just hear noise.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
This one’s a dream from start to finish as the band leans into a warmer, more approachable sounds than their earlier, moodier, 80's pop-thirsty work. The title track is the crown jewel: dreamy and expansive, the audio equivalent of whipped heavy cream with a shot of whisky.
Mercury Rev
3/5
At its best, this is the kind of harmonized, string-swept grandeur that Oasis might have made if they’d grown up in the Catskills instead of Manchester. Tracks like Tonite It Shows could be sync'd to a Disney movie. But in those slower, more meandering moments, the album drifts into self-indulgence, losing the thread and sinking into background music territory.
Dexys Midnight Runners
5/5
I went in expecting dungarees, fiddles, and “Come On Eileen,” and instead got a brassy, soul-charged knockout. Kevin Rowland preaches, pleads, and struts through biting anthems like “Geno” and “There, There My Dear,” then drops his guard completely for the gorgeous “I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried,” which would’ve been my 9th grade heartbreak anthem had I known it existed. The cheeky all-brass “The Teams That Meet in the Caffs” fully charmed me. I’d never have guessed this was the same band that brought us “Eileen,” but I’m thrilled it is.
Stereolab
1/5
I can appreciate the craftsmanship. The grooves are precise, the textures intricate... but the sing-song, high-pitched vocal style just grates on me. It’s absolutely a vibe… just not mine.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Really enjoyed this super fun, genre bending ride. My favorite track was Metamorphosis, a hypnotic jam that felt like a street parade through San Francisco and New Delhi at once. Least favorite was Sagar — at 13 minutes, it overstayed its welcome (but that’s my bias with marathon tracks in any genre). Overall, this album is pure joy, unpretentious, and one more reason to add “India trip” to my bucket list.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
5/5
Thirty-plus years later, this could have been written yesterday. Michael Franti’s razor-sharp lyrics on racism, immigration, homophobia, consumerism, and media brainwashing are eerily relevant in 2025. How are we still struggling with the same B.S.? The music and the words, the vibe and the message are all solid.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Dennis Wilson’s lone solo effort is revered as a lost 70s classic, but it wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the brassy, gospel swell of “River Song” and the wistful title track “Pacific Ocean Blues,” but the rest drifted too far into slow, murky waters. I can respect the ambition and ragged soul, but in the end it just dragged too much to hold my attention.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Talk about a time capsule of pure 1970s arena rock magic. Every track hums with the kind of live-wire energy that made stadium concerts feel like communal rites of passage. The talk box solos, the sing-along ballads, the long jams are all nostalgic and still catchy. Let’s be honest, Baby I Love Your Way probably soundtracked more than a few AMC Maverick backseat romances.
The Streets
1/5
This was… dumb. The whole “concept album soap opera” thing ended up feeling more childish than the children's movie soundtracks I was actually listening to back in 2004. Instead of clever storytelling, it just came across as flat, whiny, and juvenile. Not every journey is a hero’s journey—and certainly not every journey is interesting to others.
Taylor Swift
5/5
evermore is pure magic. It feels like wandering into an enchanted forest in the dead of winter, with Taylor as our storyteller and spell-caster. “marjorie” absolutely wrecked me (in the best way), and the title track “evermore” is so gorgeous it gave me chills—her voice has never sounded lovelier. This isn’t just an album; it’s a whole vibe, a cozy blanket of heartbreak and hope that I never want to crawl out from.
The Cult
5/5
This is a face-melting, rock-anthem-filled treasure; it is dirty, loud, and built for the stage. “Love Removal Machine,” “Wild Flower,” and “Lil’ Devil” deliver the swagger, while their cover of “Born to Be Wild” (which absolutely brought the house down when I saw them in 1988ish - with Guns N’ Roses opening, no less!) sealed the deal. It’s raw, it’s loud, and it’s still one of the purest hard rock statements of the 1980s.
2/5
Yes has always been a No for me, and this album just solidified it. I’ll give them credit for keeping it a tight 37 minutes instead of some double-LP endurance test, but that’s about as generous as I can be.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
5/5
This was just charming from start to finish. Seeing the release year (69) and that the band members were ex-Byrds, I feared the worst but found it extremely listenable!
Scritti Politti
3/5
This one’s all sorts of fun—shiny, polished, and pure mid-80s synth-pop energy. Listening to it brought me right back to clubbing in 1985 with my fake ID, sweaty dance floors, and neon everywhere. But beyond the nostalgic vibes, it doesn’t leave much of a mark. Fun in the moment, forgettable afterwards.
Brian Eno
1/5
ENOugh already! This list keeps shoving Eno at me and I’m still not buying it. Its like every effort of his is some bizarre graduate project.
Animal Collective
1/5
Too much. That’s really the only way I can sum this up. It’s all over the place, and I never got a handle on what their sound is even supposed to be. Instead of feeling layered and lush, it just felt messy and overwhelming. I’m sure the band absolutely worships at the altar of Brian Eno, which is why they made this list, but for me it was just noise without direction. Pass.
The B-52's
4/5
This debut is joyful, campy fun—what’s not to like? Surf rock riffs, space-age kitsch, and those wild harmonies make it a party from start to finish. I only dock a star because, all together and all at once, it can feel a little manic… and I’m not 16 anymore.
Television
4/5
This is a lean, wiry guitary, punkish sound that I can definitely hear echoing into bands I love later — R.E.M. for sure, and even a little Nirvana-ish vibe in Elevation. It’s smart, stripped down, and a little bit strange in a neat way.
Sepultura
1/5
The percussion and driving riffs deserve applause, and I love that they leaned into Brazilian tribal rhythms; it’s angry, it’s proud, it’s got real force behind it. But those vocals… oh no. He’s giving me a sore throat just listening, and I want to hand him a warm mug of honey water. Sir, please hydrate.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
This is a full-on 1968 time capsule, complete with random sitars, meandering folk chants, and a 13-minute odyssey called A Very Cellular Song that includes sounds I never needed to hear—like minotaur moans. Two stars for the ambition, minus one for the fever-dream execution.
Raekwon
5/5
This is everything I want from hip hop: smart, cinematic, and super listenable even with its length. The storytelling flows like a screenplay, with Rae and Ghostface tag-teaming their way through a gritty, mafioso-style crime saga. The dialogue and skits pull you into their world instead of distracting from it, and the beats are pure RZA magic. The whole Purple Tape plays like one cohesive movie.
Mike Ladd
4/5
The opening tracks grabbed me right away and I loved the mix of groove and imagination throughout. Not everything landed; tracks like “Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon” drifted into lounge-y background music that was skippable.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Surprise! This wasn’t the angry, thrashing chaos I expected from John Lydon’s post-Sex Pistols life! Instead, it’s this strange dub-punk vibe machine with hypnotic bass, jagged guitar, and Lydon ranting like a street-corner prophet. The sound itself is quite listenable, even groovy at times. My favorite surprise was “Bad Baby” — sarcastic, funky, and fun in a way I didn’t think PiL had in them. A strange, sprawling record, but one I enjoyed way more than I thought I would.
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
From the cathedral bombast of Agnus Dei to the sleep-inducing Little Sister, it felt more like an identity crisis than an album. Sorry Rufus, but this one isn’t for me.
Sparks
1/5
The 1001 curators love their 70’s, but theatrical glam rock with operatic falsetto and cheeky lyrics just annoys me.
Alice Cooper
2/5
My older brother had it spinning nonstop in the late ’70s, so it is more than familiar. But wow… talk about theatrical rock overload. Beyond the still-great anthem “School’s Out,” Alice and crew wander off into cabaret, horns, and even a full-on Broadway lift from West Side Story (“when you’re a Jet…” why?). It’s campy, theatrical, and more “stage show” than rock album. 1.5 stars in truth, but I’ll round up to 2 for nostalgia and because that title track really does still rip.
Def Leppard
5/5
No notes, really. Just pure love. This is teenage memories in a can of Aquanet.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
If I were in my 20s, out all night at raves, I’d be shouting four stars without hesitation. But today, I’m more observer than participant.
The Icarus Line
2/5
This one felt like déjà vu in leather pants. Between the sleazy riffs, messy distortion, and over-the-top swagger, it’s less “fresh chaos” and more “already done a dozen times by better bands.” I struggled to find any real spark of originality here.
Elliott Smith
4/5
What a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t familiar with Elliott Smith, but I recognize the sound — gentle, layered, and sweet. It’s undeniably enjoyable to listen to, though maybe a bit too easy to drift past without leaving a strong mark. Four stars from me, only deducting because as lovely as it is, it’s also just a touch forgettable.
The Offspring
4/5
This one’s a bratty blast of mid-90s skate-punk. Self Esteem and Come Out and Play are classics, and even the early tracks like Bad Habit were super fun. But by the end, the relentless bang-bang-bang drum rhythms started to feel monotonous. Still, the cheeky spoken-word intro and outro gave me a laugh, so I’m rounding up to four stars.
CHVRCHES
5/5
It’s the kind of album that makes you want to dance and cry a little at the same time.
Ali Farka Touré
5/5
Elegant, rhythmic, and pure vibe. The guitars flow like they’ve always belonged together, grounding blues in its African roots while feeling timeless and effortless. Loved it.
Happy Mondays
5/5
Joyful chaos from the heart of Madchester. Every track has its own hook and beat, but it all flows in the same funky, grinning haze. A total vibe of swagger and playfulness—five stars, highly recommended.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
The songs themselves are fine—moody campfire ballads and scruffy garage-rock. But Neil’s delivery just doesn’t land for me... I'm an anti-Youngite. I found myself wishing for cover versions instead, because the melodies and lyrics are undeniably good, yet his voice and ragged style make the experience feel more like endurance than enjoyment.
Mudhoney
4/5
Mudhoney may not have been the best of the grunge era, but they were undeniably among the first. It’s historical, almost a playbook for the sound. I enjoyed it, and while I wouldn’t call it essential front-to-back, a couple tracks definitely earn a spot on a Seattle Sound playlist.
Jethro Tull
1/5
A Renaissance fair of riffs and flutes that never once clicked for me. Theatrical, preachy, and grating from start to finish.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
“Cinnamon Girl” is fine, if covered by someone else. One star, filed under Everybody Knows Neil Young Paid to be Over Represented Here.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
At first I thought the vocals might drive me nuts, but then the shimmer took over. This is dream music in the truest sense — you don’t understand a word of it, yet it wraps you up in lush, otherworldly beauty. Everything blurs together in a way that feels more like floating than listening, and honestly, I love it.
Emmylou Harris
5/5
The emotional center is “Boulder to Birmingham,” her aching tribute to Parsons, which nearly brings you to tears. This is country at its most soulful and transcendent—a jewel of an album from a jewel of an artist.
Spiritualized
4/5
Pretty, spacey, and so subtle it sometimes vanishes mid-listen. Run drifts a J.J. Cale (more famously covewred by Lynard Skynar!) lyric into the cosmos ; I knew I’d heard it before but couldn’t place it, like awkwardly spotting a coworker at Costco. Gorgeous in theory, but too mellow to hold focus for long.
The United States Of America
1/5
A chaotic art-school experiment where every knob is turned and every idea is a bad one. The Garden of Earthly Delights was almost listenable, only because I kept hoping the background lasers would take out the singer.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
If you told me this came out in 1993, I’d believe you. The grunge gods clearly heard this and took notes — fuzz, angst, and all. “Little Fury Things” is a blast of melodic chaos, and the whole album feels like melody trying to claw its way through distortion. It’s raw, forward-thinking, and somehow sweet beneath the sludge. “Tarpit,” though… kind of a drag.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Trippy, tender, and a little too floaty for me. It’s interesting — not unenjoyable — but for Today, I Am Gonna Pass.
The Kinks
2/5
The Kinks are the 1001 curators kink, I guess. Who knew they had so many albums? This is charming enough, but it feels like the clean-cut Oneders version of the band that would later belt out “Lola.”
Gil Scott-Heron
5/5
Smooth, thoughtful, and exactly what I needed on a Monday morning. It’s jazzy, but not the kind of complicated jazz that sends my ADHD brain running for the skip button. Gil Scott-Heron’s voice is warm and poetic, his lyrics full of quiet power, and the whole album feels like a calm conversation about chaos. Timeless, soulful, and grounding.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Duh duh dunt duh duh dunt. You know it instantly. So we’re permanently stuck in the ’70s with 1001… Could be worse.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
It’s a meh for me. It has moments that sound like Owl City (and maybe that other dreamy Seattle-ish band I can’t place), which are pretty cool—but then those Neil Young-ish vocals kick in and ruin the mood.
Boards of Canada
3/5
Unmemorable but pleasant — nice background texture, but nothing really sticks
Ms. Dynamite
5/5
This was dynamite. Confident, smart, and full of groove. “Anyway U Want It” and “Gotta Let U Know” were my faves, but honestly, I’d vibe to this whole album with a glass of red and a good book any Friday night.
Beatles
3/5
Exactly as expected: flashes of genius mixed with a few “what is this?” moments. Innovative, classic, maybe iconic at times, but not exactly replayable.
Bert Jansch
3/5
It’s fine — a soft three stars. The guitar work is lovely and intricate, but it leans a little too folksy for my taste.
The Byrds
3/5
“Eight Miles High” is nice and good to hear again, “Hey Joe” was cool… didn’t realize they covered it! But mostly a cosmic shrug. Feels like an artifact from a world I wasn’t quite born into.
Method Man
4/5
Even if it’s not my usual genre, I can tell this one’s good. Gritty, smoky, and full of that early Wu-Tang darkness. “Bring the Pain” stands out, and the minimalist “ding-ding-ding” production gives it that unmistakable 90s New York mood. Not exactly office-safe, but definitely a classic.
Funkadelic
5/5
It’s great fun(k)! The tracks are long and a little too jammy for my personal groove, but there’s nothing not to love. I’ll take this over another Byrds or Eno album any day.
The Charlatans
4/5
An upbeat Britpop gem made in the wake of keyboardist Rob Collins’ death. The band channels loss into energy and warmth, especially on standout track “One to Another.”
Van Morrison
5/5
Timeless. 1974? 2004? 1954? Whatever—Morrison is pure joy, even when he sings the blues.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
It’s an Identity crisis on vinyl. The first couple bluesy tracks had promise, but then came Porpoise Mouth (weird) and Section 43 (annoying). It eventually wandered back to twangy guitar blues, but by then the vibe was long gone.
CHIC
5/5
Five disco balls, no question. Every track is drenched in style, confidence, and groove. “Le Freak” brings the party, “I Want Your Love” turns it romantic, and “Savoir Faire” is pure silk. I was born too late to rule the disco floor, but this album lets me pretend otherwise. 🪩✨
Johnny Cash
5/5
Emotional, peaceful, and heartbreaking at times — but always perfectly on brand. Cash turns every song into scripture, whether it’s his own words or someone else’s. The sound of a man making peace with the world.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Basically the epitome of everything I don’t like in music — theatrical, noodly, and way too pleased with itself.
OutKast
4/5
Exactly what you’d expect — wild, funky, and full of personality. “Ms. Jackson” and “B.O.B.” shine brightest, while the rest is a thumping circus of fun that occasionally wears me out, if I’m honest.
The Human League
3/5
Fine overall, but once you’ve heard “Don’t You Want Me,” you’ve basically heard the whole thing. The highlight is realizing just how narcissistic the guy in that song is. Synth-pop nostalgia appreciated, but I’ll take Depeche Mode or Duran Duran any day.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Deeply rooted and rhythmic. The blues DNA is undeniable, and the title track especially hits that perfect groove — timeless, soulful, and sun-baked in the best way.
The Who
3/5
So, this is fine. I do like The Kids are Alright and I didn’t realize the iconic “I’m a Man” was the Who! By iconic I do mean ironic… he’s basically mansplaining how to be a manwhore.
Anyway, it’s so in-lane for the time and genre. If you told me “It’s Not True” was the Beatles I’d just smile and nod.
Nas
5/5
Slick as city asphalt after dark. Ten tracks, no skips, no filler — just pure lyrical poetry gliding over the smoothest beats of the ’90s. It’s cinematic, intelligent, and effortlessly cool. “One Love” stands out like a late-night letter from the heart of Queensbridge. Makes you want to drop the top, cruise slow, and let the streetlights sync with the rhythm.
Liz Phair
3/5
Clever, with a sense of humor and a cool backstory as her “conversation” with the Stones’ Exile on Main St. I appreciate what she’s doing but the music itself doesn’t charm me. If only her voice were as smooth as her swagger.
Hole
4/5
Pop with a grungy childhood. It’s catchy, like glitter on a switchblade. You can feel its fingerprints all over later pop rebels like Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, who clearly took notes on how to snarl through the sparkle.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
5/5
R&B, soul, a little disco—and clearly the sweet baby child that will grow up to be hip-hop. This album is a treat.
The Pretty Things
2/5
This one was like being trapped in a lava lamp with a narrator who won’t lower his voice. There were a couple groovy moments that were little flashes of “Yellow Submarine meets Austin Powers” ... but they just made the rest of the album feel even more overcooked.
The KLF
4/5
A rare win for a genre I usually side-eye! It’s trippy, warm, surprisingly smooth, and just deranged enough to keep it interesting.
If the “mysterious man whispering in my ear” hadn’t made me jump…this might’ve been a 4.5.
But we’ll call it part of the charm.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
The whole thing starts to lull and dull after an hour, but it would make perfect background music in an Ian Schrager hotel lounge.
David Bowie
2/5
One hero, many zeroes.
Big Star
1/5
At times I can hear the flickers of something I’d actually like, but mostly this is a chaotic mess. Other than You Can’t Have Me and Nighttime, it just spirals into weird-for-weird’s sake.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
A tale of two Nick Caves:
One is giving full gospel-rock revival with There She Goes, My Beautiful World absolutely soaring — legit late-’80s “I Still Believe” energy. The other is whisper-singing deranged fairytales about Orpheus sawing his wife in half. It swings wildly between brilliant and “bestie… why?“
Adam & The Ants
4/5
Ant music always makes me bouncier than I was before.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Cathy’s Clown is a timeless standout, and the whole album feels warm and effortless. Not playlist material for me (I’m not THAT old), but I’d absolutely live for a Jelly Roll cover of that track.
The Young Rascals
4/5
Huh, this one falls into the “year I was born release; I kinda like it” bucket! Not every song. But there are some bangers on here. Four stars!
Marvin Gaye
5/5
It’s peaceful, political, emotional, and timeless without even trying. Zero skips, zero flaws. Just perfection.
Brian Eno
2/5
This one gives me occasional Talking Heads vibes, but mostly it’s classic E-NO core nonsense. Side A has a few quirky moments I didn’t hate, but the second half drifts straight into ambient limbo and never comes back.
a-ha
5/5
Pure 80s magic, and listening to it felt like finding an old high-school cassette I didn’t know I still had. Every song came back to me instinctively, like muscle memory. “Take On Me” is still the best music video ever made.
Supertramp
4/5
I actually liked this more than most 70s AOR. It’s melodic, clever, and mostly avoids the indulgent prog nonsense I usually dread. It does get a little dramatic here and there but it is a solid, art-rocky listen that feels like the older, moodier cousin of Breakfast in America.
The Prodigy
4/5
The Fat of the Land isn’t really my jam, but I can’t deny how cool it is. The beats get repetitive, yet those counter-melody vocals keep everything moving with just enough variety. It’s big, loud, chaotic fun — and honestly, when my alt-FM station throws on ‘Firestarter,’ I’m not changing the dial.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
I loved this. It feels like Southern blues took a long, sun-baked detour through Mali and came back with new life. The guitars are familiar and comforting, but the vocals and rhythms give everything this unexpected, joyful spark. It’s energetic, earthy, and completely infectious. A perfect blend of homegrown blues DNA and West African serendipity.
Q-Tip
5/5
Feels more like 1998 than 2008... in the best way.
Napalm Death
1/5
My ears are bleeding. Please sirs, consider therapy.
The Beta Band
3/5
The vocals have this soft, dreamy quality that floats over the beats and gives everything a warm, hypnotic vibe. It’s super pleasant to listen to. I do wish there were a few more standout hooks; nothing really jumps out as an earworm.
fIREHOSE
3/5
I can absolutely see my 18-year-old self El-Oh-Vee-Eeee loving this—fast, funky, indie-punk energy with that college-radio looseness. Today, though, it hits more as an interesting listen than a lasting favorite. I like the spirit and the musicianship, but the songs don’t quite stick, and the jangly, jammy vibe feels more nostalgic than essential.
Scott Walker
1/5
Oh absolutely NOT. The orchestral drama was already teetering on the edge, but the moment he started in with “I followed a naked body, a naked body followed me…” I was DONE.
Ian Dury
2/5
More of an italicized innnnnteresting than enjoyable. The Blockheads was fine, but Ian Dury’s talk-singing shtick wears thin fast.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. Goo feels like the butterfly emerging from Sonic Youth’s wormy ’80s punk phase—but not a monarch, more like a dusty moth flying straight toward the open grunge closet door in the dark.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Great seat-bouncing, afternoon-work fuel. The grooves are solid, but it’s all the same vibe — same tempo, same loops, same nod. I like it fine, I just don’t need this much of it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I wanted to give this a 3.5, but no half-stars, so four it is. I liked the energy a lot, and the vocals are aggressive without feeling like she’s just screaming at me. The raw, jittery momentum mostly kept me engaged, but I did get bored during “Maps,” which is where they lost that half star.
Aerosmith
5/5
This album smells like leather jackets and bad decisions and I’m so down with it. It’s gritty, confident, and funky without trying too hard. “Last Child” is timeless, loose, and cool as hell, while “Lick and a Promise” is a cheeky, grinding 70s rock guilty pleasure that totally works.
John Coltrane
3/5
Sigh. Not for me. 3 stars because as jazz goes, it didn’t make me gulp adderal by the handful. It just isn’t my taste
The Byrds
5/5
I expected a gimmicky genre hop and got sincerity instead. This album is warm and grounded with pedal steel and harmonies that feel authentic rather than ironic. It’s probably a four-star record on paper, but it earns a bonus star for surprising me!
Femi Kuti
4/5
Put it on, pour a drink, accidentally become cooler than planned.
Steely Dan
5/5
For me, this album isn’t just great—it’s personal. Steely Dan soundtracked my youth, my friendships, and the kind of musical love that never fades. Timeless, perfect, and forever five stars.
Giant Sand
3/5
This album is fine in the most literal sense of the word. I didn’t dislike anything, but nothing really grabbed me either.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1/5
It wasn’t gratingly bad so much as relentlessly Neil Young: whining vocals, twangy guitar, and an annoying commitment to the same chord for very long stretches of time. Maybe there’s something to admire in the tenacious mediocrity, but any amount of this sound is more than I personally need.
Air
4/5
Atmospheric and effortlessly cool, with gorgeous highs like “La Femme d’Argent” and the Beth Hirsch collaborations adding real emotional weight. A few tracks drift or lean into unnecessary electronic oddities, but the album’s warmth and elegance keep it floating comfortably above most late-’90s chill-out fare.
Beyoncé
4/5
Earns her billions.
Janis Joplin
5/5
This is Janis Joplin backed by a locked-in, funky band that finally lets the groove breathe. Tracks like “Half Moon” showcase musicianship that’s too often overlooked in favor of the myth. I don’t need the screechy moments, but the rest is soulful, confident, and flat-out rocks.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Five stars, naturally. A master class in swagger that cashes every check it writes. From raw funk to aching tenderness, this is the Stones at peak confidence, sounding like they own the room because they absolutely do.
Rod Stewart
4/5
I like it a lot, yet it doesn’t quite settle on a clear identity; one foot in Elvis-style covers, a hint of the glam showman Rod would soon become, and the rest wrapped in warm, early-’70s nostalgia. The songs are charming and easy to live with, but the album feels more like a transitional snapshot than a fully formed statement. That said, it’s a snapshot I’m happy to linger with.
The Band
1/5
Nope. Truly awful. Ok, ok, The Weight is a classic and tolerable but the rest made me wish I was listening to Neil Young instead (and I’ve endured root canals with more alacrity than listening Neil Young).
Laibach
2/5
Well that was… something. Yah yah yah! 2 stars, though! Granted them an extra star mostly because I kept imaging how clever they must have felt and I love that for them.
AC/DC
5/5
Perfect Friday energy. 🤘🏼👊🏼🖤
LTJ Bukem
3/5
Three stars because I don’t hate it, but I also don’t need that much synth in my life.
Lana Del Rey
5/5
It’s not flashy or immediate, but it sinks in slowly and stays there, which makes it feel more rewarding the longer you sit with it.
Turbonegro
4/5
Well… completely caught me off guard. I expected obnoxious shock-punk and instead got big riffs, sticky hooks, and a band that’s way more self-aware than it lets on.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
I like the commitment to the character, but track after track the shock value starts to wear thin.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
I don’t want to dislike it, I think it just isn’t my taste. Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy cross-cultural music styles… just not this one.
The 13th Floor Elevators
1/5
I totally get why this album made the curator’s list. I feel like I’ve heard every track before even though I haven’t. It’s just so… 60’s psychedelic rock. Hard pass.
George Michael
5/5
I totally get why this album made the curator’s list. I feel like I’ve heard every track before even though I haven’t. It’s just so… 60’s psychedelic rock. Hard pass.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I loved them in high school, and this still hits that same brooding nerve, especially on “The Cutter,” which remains sharp, urgent, and bouncy. A few tracks (the title song especially) lean so heavily into seriousness that they lose a sense of joy or lift for me. At its best, this album is thrilling and cinematic; at its weakest, it feels a little weighed down by its own mood.
Adele
5/5
Yes, the voice is immaculate (we know), but 25 deserves more credit as a carefully constructed mood album that actually rewards a full Track 1–11 listen. It’s polished, reflective, and emotionally cohesive… and now I’m just sitting here patiently waiting for Adele’s next major life milestone to bless us with another one.
Steely Dan
5/5
🤌🏼
Green Day
5/5
Still great. Loud, bratty, hook-stuffed pop-punk that somehow manages to be both dumb and emotionally perceptive. The songs fly by, the melodies stick forever, and the anxiety/boredom/horniness cocktail remains… distressingly evergreen.
Would love to see the live again, but would it be cringey watching 50-something men still this angry and horny? Oh wait… that has no age limit for men. Carry on. 🎸😏