View Album
Tue Dec 13 2022
Purple Rain
Prince
4
View Album
Wed Dec 14 2022
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
“Rolling” was the immediate standout track.
“I’ve Been Dazed,” “Piano Joint (This Kind of Love,” “Final Days,” and “Hero” were also favorites.
Would listen to again.
4
View Album
Thu Dec 15 2022
Bossanova
Pixies
Standout tracks on first listen: Cecilia Ann, Ana, Dig for Fire.
Interesting mix of surf rock with alt/goth rock. Slightly abrasive in a mostly good way.
3
View Album
Fri Dec 16 2022
Liquid Swords
GZA
3
View Album
Mon Dec 19 2022
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
4
View Album
Tue Dec 20 2022
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
4
View Album
Wed Dec 21 2022
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
5
View Album
Thu Dec 22 2022
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
5
View Album
Fri Dec 23 2022
The Only Ones
The Only Ones
4
View Album
Tue Dec 27 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
4
View Album
Wed Dec 28 2022
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
4
View Album
Thu Dec 29 2022
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
3
View Album
Fri Dec 30 2022
London Calling
The Clash
5
View Album
Mon Jan 02 2023
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5
View Album
Tue Jan 03 2023
Let It Be
The Replacements
5
View Album
Wed Jan 04 2023
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
3
View Album
Thu Jan 05 2023
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
Winter 👏
4
View Album
Fri Jan 06 2023
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
Favorite Tracks: Freddie’s Dead; Ma and Pa; Question of Life; Bonin’ in the Boneyard.
Solid 4.
4
View Album
Mon Jan 09 2023
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
The percussion and piano on this album are constantly interesting and make the album a 5/5 for me.
Favorite Tracks: Under the Table, Shameika, Heavy Balloon.
5
View Album
Tue Jan 10 2023
In Rainbows
Radiohead
5
View Album
Wed Jan 11 2023
Van Halen
Van Halen
5
View Album
Thu Jan 12 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
4
View Album
Fri Jan 13 2023
Happy Sad
Tim Buckley
Favorite track: “Love from Room 109 …”
3
View Album
Mon Jan 16 2023
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
3
View Album
Tue Jan 17 2023
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
2
View Album
Wed Jan 18 2023
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
3
View Album
Thu Jan 19 2023
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
5
View Album
Fri Jan 20 2023
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Favorites - Track B and Track C (first half)
4
View Album
Mon Jan 23 2023
Sound Affects
The Jam
Favorite - Pretty Green; That’s Entertainment
4
View Album
Tue Jan 24 2023
Teen Dream
Beach House
Very mellow, soft music. Nothing so catchy as to be distracting but still pleasant to listen to.
Favorite - Used To Be.
3
View Album
Wed Jan 25 2023
Damaged
Black Flag
Favorite - TV Party.
3
View Album
Thu Jan 26 2023
Blur
Blur
Favorites - Song 2, Movin’ On.
Album is a solid 3.5 or 4.
4
View Album
Fri Jan 27 2023
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
4
View Album
Mon Jan 30 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
Favorites: Kashmir, Down by the Seaside,
4
View Album
Tue Jan 31 2023
The Undertones
The Undertones
This was a fun listen.
3
View Album
Wed Feb 01 2023
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
Favorite track: Captain Soul.
3
View Album
Thu Feb 02 2023
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Songs I Liked: Breaking the Girl, Funky Monks, Under the Bridge.
2/5 - mainly because I didn’t really like the rap-style delivery on many tracks.
2
View Album
Fri Feb 03 2023
Signing Off
UB40
3
View Album
Mon Feb 06 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
Favorite track: Once in a Lifetime.
4
View Album
Tue Feb 07 2023
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
The album is consistent and cohesive in its 80s new wave, synth sound, making for an enjoyable front-to-back listening experience. Nothing quite reaches the high of Sweet Dreams, but it’s placement in the middle of the album creates a good build up and cool down effect. Solid 4/5.
4
View Album
Wed Feb 08 2023
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
3
View Album
Thu Feb 09 2023
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
3
View Album
Fri Feb 10 2023
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
5
View Album
Mon Feb 13 2023
Eliminator
ZZ Top
3
View Album
Tue Feb 14 2023
High Violet
The National
Favorites: Afraid of Everyone, England, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.
Enjoyable album, though nothing really jumped out about it. Just … enjoyable.
3
View Album
Wed Feb 15 2023
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
3
View Album
Thu Feb 16 2023
xx
The xx
My pet peeve is when I need to look up the lyrics to a song because the vocalist is mumbling or marble-mouthed. On this album, the music is so subdued/minimal that I shouldn’t have had a hard time understanding the vocalists, yet I did.
The arrangements were pleasant, though. If I had to pick a favorite: Night Time.
2
View Album
Fri Feb 17 2023
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
With the caveat that I don’t know what the lyrics mean, this is a 5/5. The jazz-funk-rap production was really interesting and the vocal delivery is smooth.
5
View Album
Mon Feb 20 2023
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
3
View Album
Tue Feb 21 2023
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5
View Album
Wed Feb 22 2023
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
I liked the variety on the album.
3
View Album
Thu Feb 23 2023
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
5
View Album
Fri Feb 24 2023
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
“Damaged Goods” is one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard from this list of albums so far.
4
View Album
Sat Feb 25 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
3
View Album
Sun Feb 26 2023
Debut
Björk
Favorites: Human Behaviour; Venus as a Boy; Big Time Sensuality; The Anchor Song.
5
View Album
Mon Feb 27 2023
Garbage
Garbage
3
View Album
Tue Feb 28 2023
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
This album has so many things going for it:
- The concept: country/folk/western songs reworked into pop/soul/jazz is genius, in my opinion. And the execution is great.
- The instrumentation: the orchestra! The piano! Beautiful arrangements.
- The voice: his voice makes the whole thing work.
My only complaint is that it’s a little on the long side to listen as a whole. Doesn’t detract from the actual music though.
5
View Album
Wed Mar 01 2023
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
3
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper
It’s a 4.
4
View Album
Sat Mar 04 2023
British Steel
Judas Priest
“The Rage” has a cool funk/reggae intro which was surprising in a metal track.
“Grinder” is really catchy.
Album: 4/5.
4
View Album
Sun Mar 05 2023
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
Finding albums like this-which I likely never would have discovered on my own-is exactly why I am doing this.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 06 2023
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
Fantastic except I didn’t care for the last track.
4
View Album
Tue Mar 07 2023
Superunknown
Soundgarden
Good album all-around but Chris Cornell’s vocals are the highlight.
4
View Album
Wed Mar 08 2023
White Ladder
David Gray
5
View Album
Thu Mar 09 2023
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Favorites: The Dangling Conversation, Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound, Feelin Groovy, and For Emily.
4/5.
4
View Album
Fri Mar 10 2023
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
A purely fun listen all the way through.
5/5.
5
View Album
Sat Mar 11 2023
Kenya
Machito
4
View Album
Sun Mar 12 2023
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
5
View Album
Mon Mar 13 2023
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
It was a 5 when I heard it as a kid and it’s a 5 now.
5
View Album
Tue Mar 14 2023
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
3
View Album
Wed Mar 15 2023
Post Orgasmic Chill
Skunk Anansie
Album title is misleading because this is not “chill”. Lots of energy across the album. The strong vocals are a standout.
Favorites: Tracy’s Flaw; Good Things Don’t Always Come To You.
Solid 3/5.
3
View Album
Thu Mar 16 2023
Drunk
Thundercat
Experimental and eclectic in the best way. The remix album of this — titled “Drank” — is also fantastic.
5/5.
5
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
Bad Company
Bad Company
Good execution of the genre. Nothing too creative or noteworthy, but enjoyable for what it is.
3
View Album
Sat Mar 18 2023
The Cars
The Cars
I was surprised to learn that the singles from this album - Just What I Needed; My Best Friend’s Girl; and Good Times Roll - didn’t chart very high, because they are played a lot on the radio and at events still today. Everyone seems to know these hits.
I was further surprised to learn that “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” and “Bye Bye Love” weren’t singles at all, because they seem just as universally known/recognizable to me. Maybe my perception is skewed from my parents’ listening habits.
This album is full of hits. And it was the band’s debut. It gets a 5 from me.
5
View Album
Sun Mar 19 2023
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
3
View Album
Mon Mar 20 2023
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
3
View Album
Tue Mar 21 2023
Dookie
Green Day
3
View Album
Wed Mar 22 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
3
View Album
Thu Mar 23 2023
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
4
View Album
Fri Mar 24 2023
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4
View Album
Sat Mar 25 2023
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3
View Album
Thu Mar 30 2023
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
Finley Quaye's best song (“Dice”) isn’t on this album, but this album is just as perfectly mellow. Wonderful listening experience.
4
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
3
View Album
Sat Apr 01 2023
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
4
View Album
Sun Apr 02 2023
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
3
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
3
View Album
Tue Apr 04 2023
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
5
View Album
Sun Apr 09 2023
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
2
View Album
Mon Apr 10 2023
Chris
Christine and the Queens
4
View Album
Tue Apr 11 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
4
View Album
Wed Apr 12 2023
Rapture
Anita Baker
5
View Album
Thu Apr 13 2023
Either Or
Elliott Smith
5
View Album
Fri Apr 14 2023
Pornography
The Cure
Atmospherically gloomy.
4
View Album
Sat Apr 15 2023
Pearl
Janis Joplin
Songwriting and Joplin’s ability to emote on this album warrant the 5 star rating
5
View Album
Sun Apr 16 2023
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
Overall, this is an enjoyable album. It’s inoffensive but became a bit uninteresting at points - I loved it as background music, though. It is interesting that some of the songs went on to be covered by other famous artists - clearly there is some draw to these songs.
Favorite tracks: A Place In The Sun; It’s Love.
3/5.
3
View Album
Mon Apr 17 2023
Stankonia
OutKast
This album is just nonstop grooves, which can make it surprising when you dive into the serious lyrical content on some of the tracks. There’s a lot in here.
Ms. Jackson might be one of the stickiest, catchiest choruses ever. Looking back, Ms. Jackson was just a sign of the massive hits to come on OutKast’s next album.
Favorite tracks: B.OB.; Ms, Jackson; Red Velvet; So Fresh So Clean; Stankonia; Toilet Tisha.
5/5.
5
View Album
Tue Apr 18 2023
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
The only thing I will say about this artist or album is that other artists have recorded great covers of some of these songs.
1
View Album
Wed Apr 19 2023
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
The album is quiet and relaxing. The folk music with string accompaniment creates a nice atmosphere. Lost a few stars because the music is so calm that it fell to the background too often while I was listening.
3/5.
3
View Album
Thu Apr 20 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
This album has so much energy. The bass lines were really fun. I’m glad I read the other reviews and learned that “New York City Cops” was taken off the U.S. version of the album - it was worth the listen. Overall a cohesive and consistently solid album.
Favorite tracks: Soma, Someday, Last Night.
5/5.
5
View Album
Fri Apr 21 2023
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
On this album, Lana takes a more diaristic approach to lyrics and an almost spoken-word approach to singing. The album is good, but it stripped back some of the reasons I enjoy Lana’s vocals and music. It is difficult to rate this album in isolation especially when it was Lana’s next release after “Norman F*****g Rockwell!” - her Grammy-nominated album which I consider to be her best album. But given that context, it also isn’t surprising that Lana decided to switch thing ups a bit for “Chemtrails.” If it was up to me, “Norman” would replace “Chemtrails” on this list.
My favorite track on the album is probably Yosemite, which is unsurprising because it was originally written for one of Lana’s earlier albums and has some of those LDR hallmarks. I also enjoyed the country-inspired tracks Breaking Up Slowly, Dance Till We Die, and For Free.
A great album for a mellow, rainy afternoon. But not necessarily a “must listen” in my opinion. For that reason, 3/5.
3
View Album
Sat Apr 22 2023
Doolittle
Pixies
A wild ride of an album the whole way through - the tracks switch things up from one another such that I never knew what to expect next. Really enjoyed the variety.
Favorite tracks: I Bleed, Here Comes Your Man, Hey, Silver.
4
View Album
Sun Apr 23 2023
The Scream
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Favorite tracks: Carcass; Mirage
4/5.
4
View Album
Mon Apr 24 2023
No Other
Gene Clark
Great mix of country and folk-rock.
Favorite: Strength of Strings.
3
View Album
Tue Apr 25 2023
At Budokan
Cheap Trick
It sounds like you had to be there to enjoy it.
3/5.
3
View Album
Wed Apr 26 2023
C'est Chic
CHIC
Fantastic disco album from start to finish. Easily a 5/5.
Favorite Tracks: Happy Man, Le Freak, Sometimes You Win, I Want Your Love.
5
View Album
Thu Apr 27 2023
Scott 2
Scott Walker
Incredibly theatrical and dramatic in terms of vocal delivery and instrumentation. The wall-of-sound orchestral backing is really rich but became almost too much two-thirds of the way through — kind of like eating one too many pieces of a really rich chocolate cake, it starts off good and I think I want more but then it suddenly becomes just too much.
3
View Album
Fri Apr 28 2023
Connected
Stereo MC's
Eclectic mix of 90’s electronic music and hip hop with the very pleasant surprise of saxophone and jazz flute throughout. The album worked better than I would have expected. Had no difficulty listening all the way through.
The only detractor would be the vocals, although they fit into the mix well on here.
Favorites: Fade Away; Connected.
4/5.
4
View Album
Sat Apr 29 2023
In Utero
Nirvana
Favorite track: All apologies.
4
View Album
Sun Apr 30 2023
Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
Inventive, surprising, and almost unlistenable. This album goes out of its way to create extra tension so the resolution feels much more satisfying - I’m not quite sure if that’s a positive quality or not yet. Certainly unique and hard to describe, so it gets a 3/5 for eccentricity.
3
View Album
Mon May 01 2023
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
Metal generally doesn’t do a whole lot for me, but I’ll admit that the guitar riffs sound complex and technically well-executed. So, points for that.
Standout: Good Mourning / Black Friday.
2/5.
2
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
Melodrama
Lorde
The decision to root the majority of this synth pop album in piano is what makes it feel timeless yet very much a product of the 2010s. It works really well.
The album art captures the essence of the album in its composition and color choice.
Favorite tracks: Almost impossible to choose, but likely between Liability, The Louvre, and Loveless.
5/5.
5
View Album
Wed May 03 2023
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
Minimalist, repetitive, and catchy. I can see how this was inventive for its time, although it can feel a bit dated amongst electronic music now. Overall, a cohesive album and enjoyable listen.
Favorite tracks: Showroom Dummies, The Hall of Mirrors.
4/5.
4
View Album
Thu May 04 2023
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
A wild ride.
4
View Album
Fri May 05 2023
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
3
View Album
Sat May 06 2023
Urban Hymns
The Verve
Consistently mellow ambient psychedelic-britpop. The 4 singles - Bittersweet, Sonnet, The Drugs Don’t Work, and Lucky Man - are fantastic. Easy full listen.
5
View Album
Sun May 07 2023
The Specials
The Specials
This 1979 guitar-driven ska clearly sounds like the blueprint for so much of the 1990s ska punk revival. Fantastic album.
Favorite Tracks: Monkey Man, Stupid Marriage.
Absolutely a 5/5.
5
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Synth-rock with country influences. I really enjoyed the sound of this album, and the balance of grit and polish. The saxophone on Your Latest Trick was a treat!
It’s difficult to ignore the use of a homophobic slur on the otherwise catchy Money for Nothing, though. While sung from the perspective of a character and not necessarily the artist/band, it is jarring and seems ill-intentioned. Also unnecessary in the songwriting.
3
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Acoustic 1st half vs. electric 2nd half was an interesting experience.
3
View Album
Wed May 10 2023
A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
This album has an antsy, can’t-sit-still energy to it that was jarring at first but ended up working well in the context of the whole album. Wildly imaginative and experimental, jumping between 1 minute ideas and 5+ minute songs.
Zen Archer was a trip.
But “I’m so proud / ooh baby baby / la la means I love you / cool jerk” was a top notch 10-minute soul journey that came out of nowhere.
5/5.
5
View Album
Thu May 11 2023
Bug
Dinosaur Jr.
Grunge, noise-rock isn’t normally thing, but this album scored points with the guitar playing and how modern it sounds for being released in 1988 (I would’ve believed it was released in the early 00s).
The vocals lost points.
3/5.
3
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Bleak (but sometimes whimsical) psychedelic folk rock. Reading the background of how this album came to exist is quite sad, and it’s easier to understand the album in that context of mental health issues.
Some good melodies in here and the lyrics are almost humorous if not depressing. The vocals are very hit or miss for me - I It’s In You was notable in how much I disliked the vocals.
2
View Album
Sat May 13 2023
The Next Day
David Bowie
Great.
4/5
4
View Album
Sun May 14 2023
Maxinquaye
Tricky
Dark and moody, but a vibe.
Favorite tracks: Black Steel; Hell Is Round the Corner; Aftermath; Brand New You’re Retro.
4/5.
4
View Album
Mon May 15 2023
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Jazz funk.
5/5.
5
View Album
Tue May 16 2023
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Hill’s voice is incredibly versatile which helps makes this album so interesting. It’s a long album, but it doesn’t feel like it.
Standout: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.
4/5.
4
View Album
Wed May 17 2023
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
This is excellent jazzy pop music.
Standout: New Frontier.
5/5.
5
View Album
Thu May 18 2023
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
The vocals are a standout because they work even when they shouldn’t.
Favorite track: Vamos (Surfer Rosa); Gigantic.
4/5.
4
View Album
Fri May 19 2023
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
Standout: All We Have Is Now.
5/5.
5
View Album
Sat May 20 2023
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
The disco rhythms mixed into the rock instrumentation works really well. This album is a fun listen.
Standouts: Mind; Life During Wartime;
4
View Album
Sun May 21 2023
Very
Pet Shop Boys
All killer, no filler.
In context, this album being released around the time one member of PSB came out publicly adds heavy weight to the lyrics of many songs. Yet the music remains upbeat and bright throughout.
Hard to pick a favorite, but I’ll say “To Speak Is a Sin.”
5/5
5
View Album
Mon May 22 2023
Sister
Sonic Youth
Noisy experimentation, but in a good way.
4
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Timeless.
5/5.
5
View Album
Thu May 25 2023
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
It doesn’t have quite the high moments as Daydream (Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, One Sweet Day), but it clearly builds on and experiments with the success of those hip-hop/soul-influenced-pop formulas. Honey is a smooth album all the way through.
Standout: Fly Away was a fun moment.
4/5.
4
View Album
Fri May 26 2023
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
Wild concept, but very charismatic performance.
Standout: Jackson.
5/5
5
View Album
Sat May 27 2023
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
Theatrical with great melodies.
Standouts: Shangri-La; She’s Bought A Hat …; Nothing to Say.
4/5.
4
View Album
Sun May 28 2023
Pretenders
Pretenders
I listened to “Pretenders” right after Blondie’s “Parallel Lines,” which made for an interesting comparison. “Pretenders” is an edgier version of the pop-punk-rock-new wave combo, also with a talented female vocalist. A great debut album, but less instantly catchy and memorable tracks than Blondie.
Standout: Precious; The Phone Call; Brass in Pocket.
3/5.
3
View Album
Mon May 29 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
A lot of raw emotion packed into a Lo-fi sound.
Standouts: Man-size.
3
View Album
Tue May 30 2023
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
Big fan of the hip hop production, vocal delivery, and writing on this album. It’s a long album but never got boring.
Standouts: Rhythm; Go Ahead In The Rain; Bonita Applebum; Can I Kick It?
4/5.
4
View Album
Wed May 31 2023
Parallel Lines
Blondie
This album effortlessly mixes punk, new wave, and pop elements (and disco too!). The vocals are excellent and vary enough to give different personalities to each track. The massive hits (Heart of Glass; One Way or Another) are fantastic but the rest of the album holds up just as well.
Standouts: I Know But I Don’t Know; Sunday Girl; Pretty Baby; Heart of Glass.
5/5.
5
View Album
Thu Jun 01 2023
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Standouts: Lily of the Valley; In the Lap of the Gods…Revisited; Killer Queen.
4/5.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 02 2023
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
Very easy listening. *Note - I need to re-listen.
Standout: Sparkle City
3
View Album
Sat Jun 03 2023
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Anthemic bar songs. Great for what it is.
4
View Album
Sun Jun 04 2023
Cross
Justice
This is a great French electronic album with rock influences.
Standouts: Genesis, Waters of Nazareth, D.A.N.C.E.
4/5.
4
View Album
Mon Jun 05 2023
Parklife
Blur
Fun album. Very 90s.
Standouts: Girls & Boys; London Loves; Trouble in the Message Centre; To the End.
4
View Album
Tue Jun 06 2023
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
Standouts: California Dreamin; The ‘In’ Crowd
3
View Album
Wed Jun 07 2023
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
Suddenly I am wearing all black and eyeliner.
Standouts: all 46 minutes. And the album artwork. “This Corrosion.”
5/5.
5
View Album
Thu Jun 08 2023
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
A really enjoyable blues-rock album. Great length, never got boring.
Standouts: Jealous Again; She Talks to Angels.
4/5.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 09 2023
My Generation
The Who
Never listened to this album in full before. It was enjoyable, and a strong debut album, though I prefer the band’s later music.
3
View Album
Sat Jun 10 2023
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The album starts out really strong with the synth-rock “Zero” and “Heads Will Roll,” but loses steam after that. I think I expected more of that same energy for an album titled “It’s Blitz!” (On that note, I really enjoyed the iTunes-exclusive tracks “Faces” and “Clap Song” because they had that upbeat synth-funk-rock sound.) “Skeletons” and “Dragon Queen” are standouts among the remaining tracks. Overall, the use of synths in a more rock-oriented way (as opposed to dance) kept the album interesting even on the lower-energy tracks.
Also, the album art is great.
3/5.
3
View Album
Sun Jun 11 2023
Tidal
Fiona Apple
The jazz elements/influences and Apple’s vocal delivery really stood out and made this album attention grabbing.
4
View Album
Mon Jun 12 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
Excellent album. Very funky.
Standouts: The Cisco Kid; The World Is a Ghetto.
4
View Album
Tue Jun 13 2023
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
Melancholic indie rock. Overall a consistent album, almost to the point of the songs being indistinguishable (especially the drum parts). But also easy to press play and sit back.
Standouts: Red Eyes; Burning; Eyes to the Wind; In Reverse.
4/5.
4
View Album
Wed Jun 14 2023
Dirt
Alice In Chains
With the caveat that this type of hard rock rarely does anything for me, there were moments on this album when the vocals were a bit clearer and I really started to appreciate the melodies and hooks. I’m rating this a 4 because it overcame my natural disinterest in the genre.
Standouts: Rooster; Rain When I Die.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 15 2023
Hysteria
Def Leppard
A pop album masquerading as hard rock / soft metal, but in a great way. Mutt Lange production is insanely catchy.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 16 2023
Take Me Apart
Kelela
The production on this album, largely by Jam City and Arca (with Ariel Rechtshaid! which meant I was very likely going to like this album), really shines. So much so that Kelela’s vocals—which are good and add a quality of tenderness to the brash-at-times production—take a backseat to the production. Ultimately, I preferred the Jam City-produced tracks over Arca’s. LMK and Truth or Dare we’re highlights.
This album made me want to switch over to Tinashe’s 333, so that’s what I’m listening to now that I’ve finished Take Me Apart.
3/5.
3
View Album
Sat Jun 17 2023
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
I really liked the bass lines and percussion on this album - a lot of interesting stuff happening. The vocal delivery here is just so odd, yet it doesn’t feel too out of place with the music, which is a feat of its own. I ended up being quite fascinated with how it all works together.
Standouts: I’m Not In Love; Take Me To The River.
4
View Album
Sun Jun 18 2023
All Directions
The Temptations
Groovy, funky, and way too short.
5
View Album
Mon Jun 19 2023
Disintegration
The Cure
Moody, gothic, and hypnotic. The instrumentation was beautiful.
Standouts: Prayers for Rain; The Same Deep Water As You; Disintegration.
5/5.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 22 2023
Destroyer
KISS
Beth!
3
View Album
Fri Jun 23 2023
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
The fact that this album was recorded with an in-studio audience to create the atmosphere of a jazz club live performance is very effective.
4
View Album
Sun Jun 25 2023
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
This was a surprise treat! Brazilian psychedelic rock with bossa nova influences. This hit the spot in a way I wasn’t expecting.
5
View Album
Sat Jul 01 2023
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
The punk-rock-country fusion was a bit jarring at first but eventually won me over. This album sounds a lot more modern than a 1985 release.
Standouts: Hard to Be Human; Last Dance.
4
View Album
Sun Jul 02 2023
GREY Area
Little Simz
Standout: Flowers feat. Michael Kiwanuka (whose album was the 2nd album I listened to way back at the start of this list).
4
View Album
Mon Jul 03 2023
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
I really enjoyed the soul vocals over 80s pop production on this album.
Standouts: Seven More Days; If You Let Me Stay.
4
View Album
Tue Jul 04 2023
Disraeli Gears
Cream
Standout: Sunshine of Your Love.
3
View Album
Wed Jul 05 2023
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Fantastic blues album from start to finish.
5
View Album
Thu Jul 06 2023
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Down By the River and Cowgirl In the Sand were enjoyable.
3
View Album
Sat Jul 22 2023
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
4
View Album
Sun Jul 23 2023
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
3
View Album
Mon Jul 24 2023
1999
Prince
5
View Album
Sat Sep 02 2023
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
5
View Album
Sat Dec 09 2023
Oxygène
Jean-Michel Jarre
Loved this
4
View Album
Sun Dec 10 2023
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
3
View Album
Thu Dec 14 2023
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
3
View Album
Fri Dec 15 2023
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
4
View Album
Sat Dec 16 2023
Zombie
Fela Kuti
4
View Album
Sun Dec 17 2023
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
3
View Album
Thu Dec 21 2023
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
3
View Album
Tue Jan 23 2024
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
5