Ethereal but grounded. Incomprehensible but clear in their messages. The Cocteau Twins are one of the most antithetical bands I've come across, and this may just be their masterpiece. Elizabeth Fraser is such a unique talent.

A top 3 Bowie album for me, without a doubt.

With only cursory knowledge of Cooper's music and stage persona, I wasn't sure whether I'd enjoy this listen. But this collection of tunes is fun, weird -- and at times, even beautiful.

Joni's voice is one of the beautiful sounds in this world. Her gift for melody, her ability to effortlessly blend pop with jazz and elevate the singer/songwriter genre to high poetry is why she is still being spoken with with such reference today. Blue is a shining moment in her discography.

The bridge between early and late Beatles albums. The sound of discovery. Always a great listen. I don't even dislike "Run For Your Life".

A good overview of why he's considered one of the greats of his time.

While I have heard and enjoyed a few of PJ's earlier albums, none left much of a lasting impact on me. This one had me from the start.

Never been a big fan of Spector's "wall of sound" production style. But hard to deny the talent of the artists he's assembled here, as well as the quintessential recordings of these classics that they produced.

Nu-metal was never my thing, though I understand the influence this album held for the genre, and for music in general at that time. Chester was a voice for the misunderstood, angry youth, and as such was beloved by many. The lyrics here strike me as borderline juvenile, and the music, while powerful, belongs to the early '00's. An important album, but just an okay listen for me.

As Rubber Soul proved to be a transition period for the Beatles, BIABH is Dylan's equivalent. And equally good, at that. Some of his most rollicking tunes accompanied by some of his most profound poetry. When I found myself relating to his political points nearly sixty years later, I shivered.

A fine country/western album. The only reason why it's rated a little lower is because it doesn't seem to offer much variety from other country albums of its time. Unsure what makes it stand out amongst its ilk -- can't even find much other proof online of its particular influence.

The rap and metal combo is sorta douchey as is, but no one has ever made it douchier than Kid Rock. This album is so lame.

I mean...what's to say about this album? Quite an achievement from a band at the height of their powers -- that said, I think it's overrated. Ambitious, but overstuffed. Some of Floyd's greatest moments are present here, but so are their most excessive.

It feels almost sacrilegious to rate something so new so highly, especially after refusing several classics of that honor. But the immediacy of this album warrants it. A stunning listen from the get-go, but an album that has also grown on repeated listens. Beautifully written and composed. I don't think I could tire of this one.

I'm not too into 90's rap, to be honest. I missed that scene, and it's no longer as groundbreaking from today's vantage point as it may have been then. That said, I see what this album did for those who were influenced by 2Pac. Kendrick, my favorite rapper, regularly references him, and it's clear that Kendrick's earlier works owe a lot to albums such as these. So while I have respect for Pac, this album doesn't do much for me. Lyrically, it's strong, but nothing that hasn't been said before or after. Musically, it's pretty abysmal. An alright listen, but not something I'm personally interested in revisiting any time soon.

Gainsbourg is the epitome of cool. This album is rocking and sexy and suave, and doesn't outstay its welcome.

A lovely album that is sure to grow on me with time, as have several of the Byrds' albums. Although he wasn't WITH the Byrds by the time that band started exploring this style of cosmic country, I'd argue that Gene does it better himself here. Fantastic arrangements that evoke everything from gospel to proto-disco to western.

Lowkey might be my favorite Jimi album? Virtuosic but fragile, Jimi delivers here some of his most memorable licks.

The singles are undeniable. The rest is hit and miss. It might be shrugged off as inoffensive -- or even cheesy -- lounge rock by those less prone to letting their musical guards down, but there's a lot to groove to here.

An interesting listen! I'm not familiar with Elis Regina or her body of work, but I understand that this is a posthumous compilation (that also includes works by other associated artists?) There was enough here that I could groove to, though I wish I could understand Portuguese, as the slower songs suffered from my inability to comprehend precisely what she was singing about. But even without understanding the lyrics, the musical arrangements were enough to chalk this up as a good listen, if not one I plan to return to regularly.

The altar at which punks kneel. Loud and fast as promised, this one is packed with snarling guitar riffs and Rotten's sneering vocal delivery. It's never been an essential listen for me, but hey -- I'm no punk. And it's still pretty damn great.

I've heard OF the Mekons, but can't say I've ever actually heard them. I wasn't sure what to expect from this album, but it wasn't this. I thought they were a punk band, but this ranges from art rock to alternative country. A very interesting listen, and I have no doubt, one that could easily grow to be a favorite.

I was a little biased going into this one, as an album that I've already loved for years. But it truly is one of the high points in the discography of a creative and innovative band. They continue to push sonic boundaries here, but without sacrificing the beauty or fragility intrinsic in these compositions.

Ethereal but grounded. Incomprehensible but clear in their messages. The Cocteau Twins are one of the most antithetical bands I've come across, and this may just be their masterpiece. Elizabeth Fraser is such a unique talent.

Well this is a fun little pop album, isn't it? I might be off-base, but sounds a bit like a 90's Sgt. Pepper's. I'm really into this on first listen, I'll have to make a point to revisit it soon, because it sounds like it'd be a lot of fun to sing along to. Plenty of hooks, which is how I like my music.

Look, I have nothing against this album. But by today's standards...it's quaint. There isn't much showmanship. Frank didn't write his own songs. It's just a fella doing crooner karaoke. The songs are lovely and easy listening, but it just doesn't move me the way I'm told that it should.

A dang good 90's alternative album. "Drive" remains one of my favorite R.E.M. tracks, and is a great, dark way to enter this album. Exiting on the one-two punch of "Nightswimming" and "Find the River" is a beautiful, classy goodbye. Sure, some of the hits like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon" have been played to hell over the past 30 years, but the rest of the album overshadows them. I always enjoy a listen of this one.

Cohen's storytelling is second to none. This album was my introduction to him, towards the end of high school -- his lyricism is so vivid and cinematic that I couldn't help but love him. Musically, I was initially bored, but there is so much more going on than it may appear at first glance. The horns and strings and guitars that embellish his poetry and guitar playing can be subtle overdubs, but make all the difference. Truly a Canadian legend, and songs like "Suzanne", "Master Song" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" will always hold a place in my heart.

What's to say that hasn't been said?

Yeah, some of it is a little corny. Some of it doesn't age well. But I've always loved it anyways. I've probably listened to the 2112 song suite itself -- all 21 minutes or so -- a few dozen times at least. And it holds up. An early Canadian rock epic by THE Canadian rockers.

I was surprised to see this one on the list. The Killers have never really struck me as critical darlings, and I don't even necessarily think Hot Fuss is their best work. But I guess if you're going to give it up to a '00s pop-rock album, there are much worse options. "Mr. Brightside" has joined the likes of "Sweet Caroline" and "Don't Stop Believin'" as an overplayed anthem, but other tracks, like "All These Things That I've Done" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" may be underrated, if anything. This album is a lot of fun, really, and as someone who was nine when it dropped, I can't NOT give it up.

They sure know how to be economical with their songs, eh? 14 in about 15 minutes...they don't come much faster than that. Fast and angry is about all these songs are giving me, though. Not much depth here, but hey baby, that's punk.

Maybe Iggy's finest collection of tunes, thanks in no small part to music composer, producer, and friend David Bowie, who also provides backing vocals and keys. He lets himself bask in the sun here, not hitting the darkness of the Stooges and some of his other solo stuff, and it suits him!

Look. The Eagles get a bad rap. It seems a lot of "serious" music fans find them corny or annoying. But I am an unabashed Eagles fan. Their harmonies, their tasteful playing...all of it, great. There are more pop-rock masterpieces on this album than most artists have in their entire discographies. It goes down SO smooth. I genuinely think this is a 4.5 star album, but as we can't use half stars on this site...

I'm not a big psychobilly guy. It always sounds borderline novelty to me -- like Halloween music. But there's no denying the Cramps do it right. This album is fun in its "twisted", silly way. Punky surf rock that doesn't outstay its welcome. I would probably give this 3.5 stars, really, but I'm going to round down because after this one, I don't really have any interest in checking out the rest of their discography.

This is not what I thought Everything But the Girl sounded like at all! I thought they were a rock band, not a drum and bass trip-hop thing! Interesting. Pleasant enough background music, but to be honest, it doesn't do much for me. It sounded very '90s, and not in any way that is nostalgic to me in any way.

CCR is always an easy listen. At under half an hour, nine songs, almost half of them stone-cold classics, this is no exception. Even the lesser-known songs here have that familiar CCR sound that grant them an air of familiarity. An album like a hug.

I just don't respond to this aggro industrial stuff. It doesn't speak to me in any way, shape or form. Repetitive noise that's more likely to give me a pounding headache than anything. A few thrashy grooves here and there that I can get behind, but the screaming and the distortion is just so unpleasant to me that I have a hard time looking past it and focusing on the more technically impressive aspects.

This album seemingly owes a lot to the Clash...err, the artists that influenced the Clash. But hey, it's fun! It sounds like a pizza party. Very skankable for sure.

I've never been a big rap fan, but Public Enemy has always been an act that I've respected. Their flow, their lyricism, their sampling, always great. Powerful yet funky. Their collab with Anthrax here is a great forward-thinking mashup.

I'm biased from years of loving this album, but I think it's Joni's masterwork. Though definitely her attempt at mainstream success, her jazz influences shine through, making it a crowd-pleaser with true artistic integrity. Songs like "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris" are among her greatest singles, still staples of oldies radio, and songs like "Down to You" are as beautiful as anything you'd find on her perceived best, Blue.

It's a nice album. Kind of surprising that it made the list, to be honest, because it doesn't seem to be *that* highly regarded, in the grand scheme of music history. But the writing is often clever, and the melodies are pleasant, if teetering on the edge of saccharine. The lyric "if you were a horse, I'd clean the crap out of your stable" got a laugh out of me, though. That's true romance.

Like many others, I'm not particularly familiar with a-ha's oeuvre, outside of one song in particular. But I know they're a bigger deal in Europe, and as this list seems to be quite Eurocentric, I'm not surprised to see them here. This album, while very much a product of the '80s, is a glimpse at why they're more revered across the ocean -- a lot of really good tracks here. I love the title track; hearing them slow things down after years of being subjected to the sugar rush that is "Take on Me" is revelatory.

I love the Kinks. Everything they did throughout the 60's and 70's was great, and no exception here. "Waterloo Sunset" is one of Ray Davies' greatest works, and his brother's "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" is a favorite of mine as well.

It sounds like every other Merle Haggard album I've listened to. But that's a good thing. The outlaw country artists are the only ones that really resonate with me. They're storytellers, above all else. They don't fall into the same three or four clichés that modern country stars seem to. And even when they do, well, they originated it, so can't be too hard on them. This is a 3.5 star album to me, but I'm going to round down this time, because a few days after a very pleasant listen, not much about it has stuck in my mind.

Huh, this was a cool listen. Kind of like a rougher, rowdier Rolling Stones. Like, if they recorded all their stuff in a well-equipped garage. Bluesy and folksy in equal measure. I've never heard of them before, but this album makes me wonder why not.

A fantastic album. It flows so well from song to song. Some of his best are here - "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is maybe the best song he's written, and "Vienna" isn't far behind - but it loses a bit of steam after those first seven classics, ending with two tunes that would be pretty great on their own, but become forgettable in the context of following mega-hit after mega-hit. Imagine it ended after "She's Always a Woman"? Talk about all killer, no filler! Still, I can't really give it less than five stars.

Harry Nilsson, what a character. All sorts of styles are presented by him here, all done beautifully. His gorgeous rendition of Badfinger's "Without You" being immediately followed by the zaniness of his self-penned "Coconut" tells you all you need to know.

Good album. The version of "No Woman, No Cry" here doesn't stand up to the live version on Legend. But other tracks, like "Lively Up Yourself" and "Bend Down Low", are great little reggae tunes. Light up under the sun and and enjoy this nice, breezy listen.

I've always liked the Dead Kennedys, more than most other punk acts of their time. Their debut album is probably their best album (compilations excluded), and so this was a fun listen. Fast and riffy, with Jello's signature vocals.

Once again, I will be unable to be impartial about Joni. She's fantastic, and this is another one of my favorites of hers. Songs like "Amelia" and "Coyote" have so much feeling to them. Her jazz influences continue to be more strongly felt than on her past works, maintaining the trajectory that she had been on, and due in no small part to Jaco Pastorius' fretless bass playing. This is maybe her last "perfect" album, but it's a perfect closer to an incredible run.

Three incredible artists gather to share their talents, and their voices blend here perfectly.

Iggy's introduction to the world, and he came out swinging. The first two songs here still sound so modern. Things hit a brick wall with "We Will Fall", featuring John Cale. I have nothing against drone music per se, but this song goes nowhere. Following it, though, things pick right back up, and feature the Stooges doing what they do best.

I was an Elvis fanatic as a kid. But I only had the greatest hits collections. Hearing this collection of deep cuts (like, not a single hit here) reminds me that Elvis was just another crooner of his time. Nothing here really hits the way any of his hits do. They're just pretty well-done renditions of songs written by others.

Widely hailed as Radiohead's masterpiece, this one proved that The Bends wasn't just a fluke. As relevant as ever, and still sounds fresh over 25 years later. This is one of those classic albums that should age very well, and remain a mainstay for music fans for decades to come.

This is the kind of punky new wave music I can behind. Loud and fast, but without being repetitive or boring. This is weird shit. Devo were ahead of their time. This is probably a 4.5 star for me, and I've chosen to round down, but I could have gone in either direction on this one.

I admit to not being familiar with the works of Jean-Michel Jarre, but this is groovy stuff! Early synths sound so good to me. The sound of waves on the final part of the album transported me to a beach while sitting at my office desk. I wish I had listened to this album while lying down in a dark room.

Yeah, this is CCR. You kind of know what you're getting going into a CCR album, and this one doesn't disappoint, per se. But it's also not one of their best. "Bootleg" is a nice deep cut that I wasn't familiar with, but otherwise, this is just a decent addition to CCR's discography. Not so much something you NEED to hear before you die. I think I'd just point inquiring minds towards Chronicle, their greatest hits compilation. Outside of the aforementioned "Bootleg", it's got everything you need from this one.

I went into this album not expecting much. "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" is maybe my least favorite single of Bruce's career, and I'm not crazy about "Lonesome Day" either. But there are enough great moments here to consider this album a success. The back half of this album particularly worked for me -- the slower cuts like "You're Missing" and "Paradise" really work for an older Boss, and songs like "Mary's Place" have all the E-Street swagger and pomp that we expect from a Springsteen album. This probably gets a 3.5 from me, in actuality. But what the hell, I'll bump it up.

I had never heard of Lambchop, and don't know what I expected from this album. And, I won't lie, I wasn't laser-focused on the album for the entire running time. But what I heard, I liked a lot more than I expected to. Alt-country with chamber pop influences. Very well-written melodies. An overall "throwback" sound. I will definitely be giving this one another listen.

Part of Wonder's "classic period", and all five albums released during that period live up to their reputation. This might be one of the less notable releases of that time, and it still has absolute anthems like "They Won't Go When I Go", and funky little numbers like "It Ain't No Use". Always a fantastic listen.

I know Biggie is a legend, but I've never really been sold by his rapping style. It doesn't do it for me. And this is a looooong album, so there's a lot of him here. It's fun in parts, repetitive in others, and all the sex noises on the skits are goofy. A true mixed bag, but nothing transcendent here in my opinion.

Man, I gotta listen to more Kate Bush. Maybe it's because this album came later than the other albums of hers that I've heard, but this sounds so sonically full. Some of the instrumentation sound a little "80's", but it really works. This album sounds so good.

This is early Beatles, which has never been my favorite era of one of my favorite bands. They weren't yet breaking down walls, or writing all of their own songs. But there was a lot of potential clearly visible here as well. Some fab originals, like "All My Loving" and "It Won't Be Long", are previews of the powerhouse that is Lennon-McCartney. And even George gets his first songwriting credit on "Don't Bother Me". Their harmonies shine on all these tracks, and their playing is tight. Not among their best, but a very enjoyable sign of things to come.

This is a fun listen. I like that, as someone who isn't familiar with ZZ Top's catalogue outside of the big hits, I had only heard "La Grange". It allowed me to enjoy this as a straight-forward southern rock/boogie album, without any of the baggage that comes with ubiquity. They sound real good for a three-piece, and Gibbons is a better writer than songs like "Legs" and "Tush" ever really allowed me to appreciate.

The first glimpse of greatness from Radiohead. Coming out of the gate with the mediocre Pablo Honey, fans must have been stunned by this, their sophomore effort. Although I'm a big Radiohead fan, I came into this listen expecting to give it 4 stars. I don't think it's their best, but it's a great collection of songs. Listening again though...I can't not give this 5 stars. Every song is pretty perfect.

While I love Indian music, this album outstays its welcome by a bit. It essentially boils down to a 45 minute sitar solo, with a few educational bits in between. Honestly, the educational bits are probably the most interesting part, as Shankar explains the basics to Western listeners unfamiliar with Indian music. As a lesson in Indian music, I'd give this 4.5 stars. As an album? Maybe 3.5...and I'm going to round down.

Man...I came close to giving this four stars, as some elements of the production scream 2012, and I think To Pimp a Butterfly is overall better. But damn. His flow is unreal here, even relatively early in his career. The songwriting, while not yet at its peak, is still really strong here. And "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" remains one of his best. Kung Fu Kenny is the best rapper of our generation, and this is our first piece of evidence.

I didn't know this was a house album, so it was kind of a weird way to start the work day. Sitting in my office but my mind is at a rave. This isn't really my kind of music to begin with, to be honest. It's very repetitive, which I guess is the point. It's very danceable, and therein lies the problem -- I don't dance. But overall, not terrible background noise either.

"The Killer"! I'm not crazy about his voice, to be honest, but there's no denying he can get those keys rollicking. And the album certainly doesn't outstay its welcome, at a tight 22 minutes (edit: I see now that the album should be 37 minutes, but it appears Spotify is missing five tracks). A decent listen, if not something I'll be rushing back to listen to.

Right up front: I went in with reservations. LS are associated with a demographic that I don't really vibe with. But this album kinda kicked ass? The songs are pretty great, and the musicians are impressive. And when your closer is "Free Bird", it's sorta hard to walk away disappointed.

I've always enjoyed the "one-hit wonder" that is "Novocaine for the Soul", so I was excited to hear this album. And it stands up to that single quite well! I'll admit that I can't remember many details about this right now, as I listened a few hours ago, but I know I really enjoyed this and definitely intend to listen to it again.

It was alright - nothing about the songwriting did all that much for me, but some great bass parts. I do appreciate that this is his first work to be fully written by him, as well as some film references that he worked in. But not sure this left enough of an impact for me to check it out again any time soon.

Well this is a fun little one, isn't it? Under half an hour of good ol' 60's psych pop. I'm sort of surprised I've never heard of this band, as this falls right into my wheelhouse. I really liked this listen.

The early countrified Eagles aren't really my thing, though I know many feel the opposite. But as such, this album isn't a favorite of mine, though even here, the Eagles show themselves as more than capable of writing a decent pop song here. Hearing Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon each provide lead vocals on songs here is a bit jarring. But also I just watched Marcel the Shell with Shoes On this past weekend, in which Marcel sings "Peaceful Easy Feeling", and that alone bumps this to a 4.

One of Bowie's top 5 best, and the first truly great album in his discography. This is one of the Bowie albums I go back to the most often. It fits a lot of great songs into a short runtime. Nothing to complain about here.

The Smiths at their best. Morrissey is a bit of a twat but his songwriting here is impressive, and his band is A1. Johnny Marr might be one of the most distinctive guitarists, and he comes up with some of the most catchy riffs of all time on this release.

This wasn't bad. A little noisy. Some of the longer tracks went on a little too long, but the shorter ones were fun little bursts of energy. The math-rocky elements were fun to hear.

I'm not a Metallica fan in any way, but this album is pretty cool. The symphony adds such a cinematic layer to the band that keeps the songs interesting. The originals would probably only earn 2 stars from me, but the twist for this performance bumps it up to about 3.5. I'll round down for the auto-tune on James' voice.

Hard to believe she was only 18 when she dropped this album. The lyrical honesty exhibited here is far beyond her years, even if her melodies can sound a little samey on some tracks. A fantastic debut from an incredible artist.

There was a time when I would have given this a 4, and maybe even a 5. But I've grown to find the sound of Anthony Kiedis' voice difficult to handle, especially when the lyrics it's conveying are at the level they are at. That said, RHCP will always be sorta fun. The musicianship is pretty fantastic, and I've gotta appreciate a mainstream funk act. This album is front-loaded with a lot of singles and other popular cuts, but I think "Scar Tissue" and the closer "Road Trippin'" are the only two songs I can still enjoy without rolling my eyes just a little bit. Don't get me wrong, it's still one of their better albums -- top 5 for sure. But the good stuff here has been overplayed.

I'm a Coldplay apologist. I don't care for most of their new output, but I grew up with these early albums, and I still like them a lot. I really enjoyed listening to Parachutes today. The first 60% of the album is particularly strong, and "Shiver" and "Sparks" remain favorites of mine. The only songs I don't care for as much are the short transitional title track, and the closer "Everything's Not Lost". That said, really strong pop record, and a great debut for them. I'd like to see them return to a more rock-oriented sound in the future, and please, for the love of all that is holy, stay away from EDM.

I was already familiar with this album, and I do like it quite a bit. Very dreamy, very lovely stuff. But I do prefer Beach House's subsequent albums. I guess that's a downfall of some of the more recent additions to this list -- a lot of the contemporary artists on the list have since released "better" work. That said, this one is still very good!

When I got a RHCP album three days ago, all I could talk about is how much I dislike RHCP now. So they had to come back with BSSM just a few days later! Those bastards! They know this album is my weakness. This is a really good album. Funky as all hell, with even Kiedis offering some of his better songs (though a lot more of his idiocy too). Oh well, at least here we can chalk it up to age.

Parts of this reminded me of Jack White. Sometimes The Stooges. But this is a little more glossy than the works of those artists. It's got that 70's punk sheen, while maintaining that very punk spirit. A fun listen, really.

Can't be denied -- this is a classic recording. It's so much fun to hear the prisoners getting swept up in the music, hooting and hollering, and hearing Johnny mess up lyrics or start laughing. A minimalist show, as is to be expected. But always a decent listen. Just a few too many religious songs for me, personally.

A nice, breezy listen. It was cool how some songs blended into others. Also, the amount of languages covered -- I noticed at least Spanish, English and French -- was fun to go back and forth between, especially as I speak two of those! All in all, a good listen. It seems like Manu Chao is far more well-known internationally than domestically, so it's fun to be exposed to his stuff.

Whoa, this is a pretty neat piece of work that I'd never heard of. Produced by Nick Mason (who does indeed give this project echoes of early Floyd), this album was recorded in a van on a farm, shortly after Wyatt experienced an accident that rendered him paraplegic. One song sounded like psychedelic jazz sung backwards and then played forwards. The next sounded like a beautiful, trippy little guitar solo played on a wide-open beach, with breaths providing the only percussion. This album, for lack of better words, sounds like it's everywhere. It's beautiful.

This was a little bit of a snooze to me. Some songs were fairly lovely, but I can't say this left much of an impression, writing this the day after my listen.

This was decent. I'm not familiar with Doves, though I swear I've heard "Here Comes the Fear" before (but I'm unsure where). They're a fairly good early '00s indie rock band, judging on this release. I'd probably give this 3.5 if half stars were permitted.

I've grown to like Gorillaz a lot more in the past few years, and while their debut is not my favorite, it shows a lot of promise for the group. Damon is clearly excited to focus his energy in a different direction than Blur allowed him to. There's a lot of fun stuff, but I believe that Albarn learns a lot between this album and his next few works. It's really only a 3.5 star to me, but I'm gonna bump this one up.

This is a ton of fun. I was only really familiar with the Avalanches' 2020 release "We Will Always Love You", so I enjoyed getting to go back and give this one a listen. I wasn't familiar with the term "plunderphonics" before this, so this form of ultra-sampling was neat. Familiar but remixed to the point of something new. Very danceable.

I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that my first exposure to this album is James Blunt's cover of "Fall at Your Feet". But hey, that's a decent cover, and this is a decent album! Neil Finn is a great songwriter, at the height of his powers here. "Weather With You" is vaguely overrated amongst their big singles though. I don't like the group singalong vibe. Still though, this is a good listen.

This is a primo post-punk album. All herky-jerky and driving. I love it. It's a 4.5 star album for sure, but I don't quite think it hits those 5 star heights.

This is a really cool album. And I wanted to give it five stars, I really did. It's just a little exorbitant and disjointed. Both halves are enjoyable; I think I preferred The Love Below on my first listen, and Speakerboxx on my recent listen. By the time you get through both sides...this thing is just way too longgggg. And many of the tracks, particularly many of the interludes, are incidental, not really offering anything of substance, as if they're just padding out each side to make for two "full" albums. Still, maybe my favorite double album in rap.

I wish I had discovered Tom Waits at a younger age. I only got into him in my mid-twenties, and I feel as though I'm not as well-versed in his stuff as I should be. That said, I'm starting to gain some level of familiarity with his stuff. Enough to know that this isn't my favorite album of his. But it still has the captivating, clangy feel of his middle-period records. He's a great songwriter, and his uniqueness is felt here.

I love the Kinks, and this album falls directly in (towards the end of, really) their greatest period of work. The concept album kings, this one here loosely follows a carpet-layer, a proxy for the Davies brothers' own brother-in-law. The album features some of the band's most fun singles, like "Victoria" and "Drivin'". It blows me away that this album is from the '60s. The Kinks should be spoken about in the same breath as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones; they were really that good.

I am reviewing this album with a very big asterisk -- as it was never released in North America, I only have access to 6/13 songs. Those six songs, though, are pretty great. It's a shame that Madness was essentially a one-hit wonder on this side of the pond, thanks to this album's "Our House". A catchy number, to be sure, but they're so much more than that. The six songs sampled here are near pop perfection. I'm surprised to hear that they're considered a two-tone/ska band, as that vibe is minimal here, and seems to be just one of many sounds explored on this record. It's very instrumentally dense, but I guess that's a result of having seven guys in the band. I'd definitely be down to check out more Madness in the future.

While I am not that familiar with Roxy Music's catalog, I've dabbled, and always liked what I've heard. This is another great art rock album. Their last with Brian Eno, as I've read, it's a good listen. Not much to add beyond that.

This is a tough one. I generally try to separate the art from the artist, but Kanye has gone from just being an insufferable shitheel to being someone with absolutely vile views. I used to listen to him, but I try to avoid it all costs now. But...this album is still kind of good. The beats on songs like "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" still kind of slap. And one thing is for sure: "in a French-ass restaurant, hurry up with my damn croissants!" will always be a legendary line. I'm struggling between giving this 4 stars, or knocking it back to 3 based solely on how extravagantly Kanye has managed to ruin his legacy. But at the end of the day, I will try to separate Yeezus from the piece of shit that is Kanye West.

Muddy Waters is one of the greatest blues musicians of all-time. But I'm not really a blues guy. Three chords can only take you so far. That said, the soul and feel that he gets across through this recording really elevates the music. Still, and this might be blasphemous - I'm going to be honest with myself, and give this three stars. I'm in no rush to hear it again. After an additional sixty-plus years of musical evolution, this is a bit boring in retrospect (though the infectious two-part performance of "Got My Mojo Working" almost single-handedly want me to bump it up to four stars).

Adele is an extremely talented singer, she's beautiful, and seems to be quite funny and charming in interviews as well. So yeah, overall, I'd say I like her well enough. But I never quite want to listen to her music. This album, for example: it's a fine pop album, but it seems like the sort of thing that would be playing in my mom's car stereo. It often sounds like radio fluff, or like well-trodden territory. To be fair, I don't believe this album to be one of her best. Even the singles here are sort of boring, which is not a problem that her previous album 21 ever had. I just don't know if this is the album of hers that should've made it to this list. I've always really like "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)", though. Fun song.

This album is a much better collection than the last Elvis album we covered. And even wilder, this one's older -- yet sounds so much more vibrant. Recorded at various dates between 1954 and 1956, this is his debut, and he's hot out the gates with "Blue Suede Shoes". I've never heard him singing quite the way he does on "One-Sided Love Affair". He sounds like he's having a blast. Upon hearing this, the studio execs must have creamed just as much as the girls watching him gyrate on stage. And the album art is iconic, thanks to the Clash. Not a perfect album, but a very good one.

This was actually pretry damn cool. I'm a huge King Gizzard fan, and I can retroactively hear some of Can's influence on their stuff. It's wild to think that this album is over fifty years old now. As a proponent for shorter songs, I cannot in good conscious give this a perfect score, considering three tracks fall in the 11-19 minute range. But this was still a trip. I hope to hear this high someday. Edit: Won't lie, wrote that after hearing the first half. The second half was a little less listenable, treading into pure noise territory. But overall, still cool enough to keep 4 stars.

I'd only heard two tracks by Faces, the two that we've all heard: "Stay With Me" and "Ooh La La". But this album proved that they had more than those two songs. The instrumentation across this album is so warm. It just feels like good classic rock. Why did Rod Stewart have to go solo and ruin this stellar vibe?

The way I knew this band would have an Oasis connection from the first second I heard them...I love UK's music output for the most part, but the stuff they were pumping out in the 90's just wasn't really doing it for me. There's nothing inherently wrong with this album per se -- I'd actually say I enjoyed almost all of it. But it's very cut-and-dry, down-the-middle stuff. I don't remember much about it, despite having just listened to it two hours ago. I could give it 4 stars, but I won't. Perfectly fine album. Just not one anyone NEEDS to hear before they die.

This is the second Divine Comedy album we've covered, which is strange considering I hadn't heard of them before this. I really don't know what I think about them. On one hand, some of their stuff seems musically interesting. But a lot of their songs seem kinda cringe. I guess it's trying to be funny or clever? But trying a little too hard, maybe? Something about the albums I've heard just don't sit right with me, despite checking a lot of my boxes. It's certainly original. But at the end of the day, I'm just not interested. When I was younger, I was a big Barenaked Ladies fan -- I feel as though I would have appreciated this more in those days.

I don't like most rap, with a few notable exceptions: Kendrick, De La Soul, Outkast, and Tribe. Tribe may just be my favorite among them. They walk the line between fun and intelligence so well. You can be entertained by the cleverness of their prose, or just vibe to the beat. I think the reason why their beat clicks so well with me is that they use a lot of rock samples. Their basslines are always so slick. Anyways, I don't know where I'm going with this. I slightly prefer Midnight Marauders, but this album is deserving of 4.5 stars.

As always, let me preface this by saying that Kanye, the person, is trash. Contrary to the opinion of some, I also think that Kanye the rapper is trash. He comes up with the occasional good line, but for the most part, his lines come off like a 10 year-old who thinks he's edgy. Kanye the singer? A whole other level of bad. But Kanye the producer? I've gotta give it up to that guy. This album has some of the best production in rap history. The samples are fantastic. The features are great. Overall, it's a pretty damn great collection of songs, in spite of the artist.

John Martyn, yet another UK artist I've never heard of. But this time, it blew me away! What a great, beautiful album. Dense but peaceful all at once. I've heard some complaints regarding his voice, but I kind of like it. It's reminiscent of someone like Nick Drake. This would be a nice relaxing Sunday listen.

I used to dislike System of a Down. They were too much for my young brain to handle, but I've grown awfully fond of their unique style. Admittedly, I haven't been to the gym since before the pandemic, but they were regulars on my cardio playlist. They just get you pumped up. They're loud and fast, on even on this, their debut, they were coming out the gates with memorable hooks and deep lyrics (often related to their Armenian roots). Serj has one of the most recognizable voices in metal.

There are a few Dusty albums that I've listened to pretty consistently, namely "Dusty in Memphis" and "Dusty...Definitely". While those are late 60's efforts by Dusty, this album is from the first half of the decade. And to be honest, it doesn't hit as hard as what she produced a few years later. This one just sounds like a white woman's version of what a lot of Motown artists were doing at this time. The Supremes, Mary Wells, the Marvelettes...they were all doing this kind of thing at this time, and just as well or better. It's just not as interesting as her later output, and doesn't provide as much of a spotlight for her individual talents. That said, she's clearly a star at any point in her life, and it's still fun to hear this. It's a short listen, and a sneak peek at what's to come. Looking at it in the context of the time it was released, I can't go lower than four stars.

I've always been a Paul guy myself, but this album is no slouch. John continues his streak of being painfully honest in songs like "Jealous Guy" and "How?", and shows he still isn't afraid to get political on the iconic "Gimme Some Truth". And I find the closer, "Oh Yoko!" to be one of his finest, sweetest moments. Still, songs like "It's So Hard" are a little boring, "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama" goes on a little long, and the title track is so ubiquitous that I find it kind of hard to listen to now. Still a great album, but not quite as perfect as his debut.

I liked this more than I anticipated. It sounded VERY '80s (as I expected from Pet Shop Boys) but the songs were well-written and compelling. A lot of beautiful melodies. I think this is the type of album that would continue to unravel with additional listens.

Tina is fantastic. But this album doesn't quite match the heights she reaches here. "Steel Claw" was a fun 80's rocker, and "I Can't Stand the Rain" had some interesting 80's swagger (did I mention this album sounds very much like a product of the 80's?) I'm not a big fan of the (Mark Knopfler-penned??) title track, and the covers of Al Green, David Bowie and the Beatles were just sort of confounding. Tina's voice is incredible across the album -- smoky and strong, a true presence. But couldn't they get her some better stuff to sing?

This is some sexy, smooth Latin rock. Very psychedelic and well-mixed. A lot of fun. I could give this 5 stars, but it might JUST fall short of having that certain je-ne-sais-quoi to get it there. But I will be listening to this one again.

I'm a huge Talking Heads fan. There will be Talking Heads albums (that I assume appear on this list) that WILL hit 5 stars. I even considered giving this one a perfect rating. In fact, in the writing of this and in considering why I *wouldn't*, I talked myself into doing just that.

I had previously listened to Portishead's debut, Dummy. It didn't do much for me at the time. I remember it as being minimalistic to the point of being boring. Third, however, is a much more intriguing listen. As densely layered as it is, it makes me want to revisit their debut to see if there isn't something there that I missed.

The Dead are known as a live band, primarily. But I still quite enjoy their studio albums, and this is objectively their "best". While the second half of the album sags a little more, I wouldn't say anything here is bad, per se. "Friend of the Devil" is a great piece of folk rock. "Sugar Magnolia" is a fun little tune, full of joyous harmonies. And "Truckin'" is a great closing track, as the band moves forward on their "long, strange trip". As a semi-reformed stoner, this band and this album will always hold a place in my heart.

I think I can safely say that this album was my first exposure to Senegalese music. And it was a good listen, particularly for a busy day at work. The intermingling guitars were semi-repetitive, in a way that allowed me to zone out and focus on my work. But the melodies were very pleasant. And the xylophones on "Taara" were joyful and cute and lovely. The instrumentation in general was quite nice, even if the vocals were sort of grating -- my fault, as I don't speak the language, so it was just noise to me. My only other complaint is that the album is a little on the longer side, but I'd by lying if I said I noticed on this listen. Probably a 3.5 if I'm being honest, but I'll round up. A good atmospheric listen.

I don't think I've ever heard Sebadoh, but for some reason I thought they were metal. Their name sounds like a metal band, no?! Anyways, it turns out that they're indie-adjacent? The music ranges from soft and sweet to noisy and dissonant. Maybe atonal is a more fitting word than dissonant. I don't really know how I feel about this album. I went from loving it to being bewildered by it and back about ten times. It's good, I think? The more straightforward garage rock tracks certainly are.

I must avow that my view of what a Nick Cave album is has been warped by the tragic circumstances that have infiltrated his life. I'm more familiar with the work he released after the premature death of his young son, work which was naturally very solemn and reflective. The lyricism here is still as poetic, but with a larger dynamic range. He's always had a darkness to his voice, but it's nice to hear him get a little lighter, too. This is a solid 3.5.

Trippy, maaaaan. Or at least very dreamy. Echoes of the Beach Boys in places. The warmth of the '60s is felt like a warm blanket around your ears, both in the songs and in the recordings. The coolest part though, is that most of these songs are written by two women, not by any of the five men in the band. Progressive politically and sonically, AND a ton of fun at that? This is an easy 4 stars for me.

This is one of my favorite albums of all-time. Perfection from front to back. Stevie could do no wrong during this era, and this is proof. His grooves hit as hard as his social commentary. Hard to believe he was only 23 when he dropped this -- harder still to believe it was already his 16th album.

Big Star's original run was pretty flawless, but this is the least captivating of those three albums for me. Still, the least good of three pretty great things is, believe it or not, also pretty great.

The Kinks were real good before this, but this was the first album of theirs that was GREAT. Not as perfect as, say, Village Green or Arthur. But still, in retrospect their ability and trajectory are no more clear than here. I'm wavering between a 4 and a 5, but I'll stick with a 4 for now -- they've got other albums more deserving of the top honour.

A pretty fun, 3.5 star rock album. Doesn't stand out to me among the many other albums of the time that sounded quite similar, but it's well done. I'm gonna knock it back down to 3 just out of principle, because it's been a day since I listened and it's already wiped from my mind.

Just some piano, some bass and a little brushed drum. Very cool, very chill. Perfect for working to. I love this old jazz, man. Puts me in a headspace.

Fun, funky, fresh. Feels like a transitionary album between The Jacksons and his true solo career. "Rock With You" is still one of my favorites of his. Those muted horns are *chef's kiss*.

I mean, okay? Seems like an decent-to-good 80's hair metal album. Lots of hooks. Lots of cheese. Lots of terrible fashion choices. It's a fun listen, but is it all that revolutionary? I guess it did inspire a lot of their contemporaries, but from today's POV, I don't hear anything that makes it all that worthy of this list. Still though...fun.

Eminem is a genuinely talented rapper. He's a master of wordplay, his flow is great, his beats are good and catchy. But like...this is the most homophobic shit I've ever heard. The skits are so stupid. And the album just goes on way, way too long. A few songs here and there are great storytelling, or have some clever lines, or are catchy to rap along to, but he's just so juvenile and hateful that I'm not ever going to listen to this of my own free will. My girlfriend loves him though, so I'm sure he won't be out of my life for long.

What an interesting and strange concept for an album. Modelled after a radio station, complete with ads. Very forward-thinking for its time. The only song on here that I was familiar with prior to my listen was "I Can See for Miles". A great track of course, but there were quite a few good tracks here. "Our Love Was" is lowkey my favorite of the bunch. I need to listen to more of The Who.

I'll be honest and say that I got this album nearly a week ago. I'm only writing my review now, because I just can't decide how to score this. I come into this review very much impartial, as I've listened to it many a time. I can't not mention how repetitive it is. I can't not mention that it derives a lot of its style to its predecessors like the Talking Heads, and doesn't do it quite as well as they did. But I also can't not mention that it's catchy as hell and puts me into a near trance. It makes me, very much not a dancer, want to shake my little tush. Certain tracks even make me tear up a bit. I can't not admit that for all its faults, this is a damn near perfect album to me.

FUN! That's the word that comes to mind for me when I think about this album. Such a glam rock gem. It may take precedence over "Electric Warrior" for me at this point, insofar as which album I would put on on a random Thursday. A flawlessly-produced collection of three-minute gold nuggets of pop.

WHY does the music that England was producing in the late 90's leave me so cold? Albums like this should be right up my alley, but this does nothing for me. More off-brand Oasis, who were just off-brand Beatles. It's perfectly serviceable, but not memorable. And wow, at 75 minutes it just feels like a slog. I think this could have been a much tighter album if it was edited down by half an hour.

Hell yeah. Funky, psychedelic and DARK. What a mix. The lack of joy on this album in contrast to their earlier work makes this a much more compelling listen for me personally. There is yodelling on this album too. Crazy stuff.

I'm not sure how I missed this album. 2009 was right around when I started to get into indie music in a big way, and this album was huge during that time. But it was probably a decade later before I was properly introduced to this album. And I quite liked it. The songwriting is unconventional, the instrumentation is glitchy and strange, but it all comes together into a hooky collection of tracks that sink into you even deeper with repeat listens. Although I missed it on release, it still very much sounds like the late 2000's to me -- a nostalgia for something that I didn't experience.

Megadeth has always been my fave of the Big 4 of thrash metal. They're fun, they're fast...what else do you need? Still, though...I'm not a big thrash guy, and Rust in Peace was better.

Sigur Ros is a band I've been meaning to check out for probably 15 years now, but I regret to say that this is the first album of theirs that I've listened to. I certainly should not have waited this long, as this is a lovely listen all the way through. I don't understand a word they're saying, and would likely delve deeper into translations on further listens. But even just musically, it's enough. I will be back.

While I consider myself a big fan of Bowie, I didn't connect with most of the work he put out during the last 30 years of his career. Some of his later albums were downright bad, some were quite good but inconsistent. Which is why I was so enthralled by how much I loved the entirety of this album, and how bittersweet I felt when he passed two days later. What a gorgeous, passionate, fitting send-off for one of music's most incredible personalities. The titular "Blackstar", his second-longest track after "Station to Station", deserves that honor. I truly believe it to hold up among his best, most interesting works. Tracks like "Sue" and "'Tis a Pity..." have Bowie sounding as badass as ever. And songs like "Lazarus", "Dollar Days" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" break my heart on every listen. Tony Visconti really outdoes himself with the production here, ending his nearly 50 year partnership with Bowie with style. The horns sound incredible. All the instrumentation does, to be honest. The effects interspersed throughout the tracks give it such a cool feeling, a vibe I can't pin down but that hasn't been present on Bowie's albums since the dawn of the corny 80's. I don't know if anything I said here makes sense. I'm just ranting. I adore this album. I can't believe how perfect of a goodbye this album is. This really cemented Bowie's legacy as one of the coolest to ever do it.

I know this is a groundbreaking work by an all-time great, so I sort of feel as though I should be giving it 5 stars. But, while it was an enjoyable listen, maybe my ears aren't attuned enough to jazz to know exactly why this is the best. It's really good, though!

I went from hating Steely Dan as a kid, to developing an appreciation for them in my 20's. By the time I hit 40, they'll probably be a favorite of mine, but I'm not quite there yet. Instrumentally, they're virtuosic. Their arrangements are extremely creative, and on this album, pretty tight lengthwise too. But their music can leave me cold in some way -- it's not as heartfelt as what I'm typically drawn to. But who needs heart with music this brainy?

Never heard of this album, I wonder what it'll be like? Oh, it's the funkiest shit ever? Sounds good to me.

I've had very limited exposure to Echo and the Bunnymen, but what I've heard has been great. While the 80's was never a favorite musical era of mine, the post-punk and new wave that came out of that decade holds up better than a lot of the pop and rock. Artists like Siouxsie, Joy Division and Bauhaus were masters of emotion. E&tB are right up there, as far as I can see. The songs on this album go from powerful to fragile to downright spooky. It's a good listen.

When I started university, I remember listening to a good amount of Norah Jones. I remember thinking her songs were the sexiest, most romantic music I've ever heard. I still kind of think that. This collection of both covers and originals prove that. She's a fantastic pianist, but her gorgeous voice shines brightest here. A perfect soundtrack for rainy days in bed, but I could have this on in almost any context and feel at peace. I've heard criticisms that she sounds too "Starbucks", or isn't original among so many singer-songwriters. But she just does it so, so well...especially for 22.

I think it would absolutely break Marvin Gaye's heart that over 50 years after the release of this album, and nearly 40 years after his death, nothing has changed. This album is still as lyrically relevant as ever. Musically, it's gorgeous, with lush strings and deep, resonant bongos creating such a warm atmosphere. It's a masterpiece. Nothing more need be said.

I've gotta say, I haven't listened to many mambo albums in my life. This may very well be the first, in fact, so I don't have much that I can compare this to. Mambo always sounds similar to me, but I know Tito Puente is one of the best in the game. This album is from the late 50's, so pretty early. I liked this well enough.

I absolutely LOVE McCartney. He is possibly my favorite musician of all time. But I'm shocked to see this album make the list. It is far from his best output. In fact, this album has often felt like a collection of outtakes to me. There are some gems here to be sure -- "Maybe I'm Amazed" is one of his best tracks, "Every Night" is lovely, and it's fun to see old Beatles castoffs like "Junk" and "Teddy Boy" finally released. But as a whole, the album just doesn't come together all that well.

It's Parliament. You know you're going to want to shake your groove thang. And I did! Fantastic album. But it's not Maggot Brain. That's a 5 star, and this is close. But the Parliament-Funkadelic collective had already hit their highest highs at this point.

Why was I so convinced that Pere Ubu was a Black singer-songwriter? Suffice it to say, that is not what I found here. This is a post-punk band from Ohio. They are abrasive and loud and they sorta rock. There is a lot here than is quite interesting, particularly for 1978. You can hear their influence on a lot of music being released to this day. Some of the song here can even make you shake your butt. But I will admit that, at times, they're a little much for me. Certain tracks favor noise over melody. But even then, they're...interesting!

I've heard this album a few times, and thought of it as a 4-star album. On this listen, however, I've had hard time finding fault. Janis has such an incredible, raw, powerful voice, and the songs covered here are almost uniformly fantastic. The Full Tilt Boogie Band are perfect accompaniment, bringing smooth style to the arrangements. And it doesn't outstay its welcome at just over half an hour. I love this.

This is not my first listen, but it is the first one where I actively realized that this is kind of a weird album. Many of the songs here have a strange, almost eerie feeling to them, which is a fun angle to approach psychedelia from. Having the keyboard be so central to a band's sound almost always earns points with me, too. Morrison is certainly an odd duck, but his howl can send shivers down your spine. A few of the tracks here are sort of half-baked or simply not that good, which prevents me from considering this a perfect, 5-star album. But the highlights are real good.

This has been climbing the ranks towards becoming my favorite Dylan album. His songwriting is probably at its peak here, conjuring images with every story he tells. His band here are certainly no slouches either. Beautiful all around.

I might be more familiar with Aimee Mann as a podcast guest than as a musician, but I've always thought her to be a warm and intelligent presence. I think this is the type of album that would grow on repeated listens. The melodies are catchy if a little generic, but the lyrics I was able to parse were far more intriguing and honest. I'm typically unable to pay much attention to lyrics on first listen, focusing rather on the song as a whole, but I want to revisit this album while scrolling Genius. I think there's something here.

I really don't know how to feel about Muse. When I think of them, I think of an operatic, overblown spectacle that inevitably feels corny and over-polished. But when I actually listen to them...they're a lot of fun, really. They've managed to become one of the bigger mainstream rock bands in an era when rock isn't at the forefront of the culture, and they really do rock. It's hard for me to hate on them, as silly as they might be at times. I won't often throw them on of my own accord, but there are a lot of undeniable rock anthems here. They're hooky, and they've hooked me.

It's wild to me that this is the first I've heard of Solomon Burke. He should be spoken of in the same breath as artists like Sam Cooke, as he can croon and shout with the best of them. The soul drips from his voice, and the arrangements are often groovy. At the end of the day, he's doing exactly what other artists of his time were doing. But he's doing it well.

English acts from the early '80s really loved their horns, eh? But I must say -- they're put to good use here. The songwriting was overall much better than I expected from a band that, on this side of the pond, is often seen as one-wonders. The vocalist borders on affecting a whiny yelp at times, which occasionally got on my nerves. But beyond that, there is a lot of fun to be had here.

This album broaches some pretty dark topics, but does so with gravitas and authority -- it never feels like an artist wearing a Halloween costume, but rather a weary soul sharing glimpses at the dark corners of life that he witnesses around him regularly. It's a little too heavy to throw on at a party, but it's no doubt a great work of art.

It confused me when I heard this album referred to as psychedelic after my first listen. But after my second, I get it. While it's pop at its core, many of the songs have that same dreamy feel present on many late Beatles recordings. It's sort of all over the place, while still sounding like every song belongs to a piece. It's a great, dense pop album, if maybe a little too whimsical at times.

This album has always painted an image in my head of a depressed nightclub singer drowning his sorrows at the end of the night. This feeling might be because it was written shortly after the deaths of two of Young's friends -- there is certainly a moroseness that permeates most of the album. "Tired Eyes" is certainly one of my favorite by Young. I think this is a 5-star album, all things considered, but it hasn't quite reached that level for me, yet. I could see myself heavily disagreeing with my 4-star rating in a matter of years.

Depeche Mode are not a band that I've ever gotten into, but I have a great respect for them. The 80s brought along a lot of synth, but Depeche made them classy rather than corny. The album is beautiful and mature and interesting, textured but minimalistic. I spent many years thinking I didn't respond to this type of music, but this album is pretty damn good. I owe it some additional listens.

Whoa, this is crazy good. My knowledge of hip-hop is limited -- I like Kendrick, I like Tribe, and that's about where it stops. But albums like this make me think I should rethink my stance and explore. The instrumentals here are thick and funky, fun and creative, sometimes even a little unconventional or odd. The lyrics are thoughtful and often brilliant. I could see this becoming a 5-star after further listens.

This album moves between sweet, beautiful composition and dissonant, frenetic energy with such grace and power. Those may sound contradicting, but it's just an album that contains multitudes, without ever needing to rely on voice or lyrics. A great showcase of Mingus' talent.

I'm honestly borderline disappointed. This is a fine album, but I'd always heard that FKA twigs was a revolutionary artist, and this sort of just sounds like any mainstream pop album? Maybe she got there first, but at least in 2023, less than a decade after its release, it doesn't necessarily sound like anything that special. The first few tracks were pretty good, pretty catchy. But this type of sultry R&B is dime a dozen nowadays, and nothing here really stands out from the crowd for me. At the least though, I can say she does sound like a fully-formed artist here, which is impressive for her first album.

Oh jeez. As I write this, I'm maybe half an hour into my listen, with almost another two dreaded hours ahead of me. I think it's safe to say that this will be the first album I will not finish of the 165 that have been generated for me. I'm sure this album is very influential to the drum & bass genre, but I think this is showing me that drum & bass is not for me. It just loops ad infinitum. You just heard a decent 5-second hook? Get ready to hear it for the next 8 minutes! Did I mention this album is like 140 minutes long? I was able to get into some of the grooves for a few seconds, but they just weren't interesting enough to go on as long as they did. And the vocals are pretty bad. I feel as though I'm going insane reading all of the 4- and 5-star reviews this album has received on this site as I listen to this. To my ears, this is clearly background music, but I would need A LOT of external stimuli to ever consider having this album play in the background. I really don't ever need to hear this again, unless I find myself at a rave on a number of illicit substances. What a snoozefest. I can only pray that one day I find out what I'm missing here.

No surprise that this is The Police's last album, as they basically perfect the art of pop songwriting here. The gems on this album speak for themselves, as they've ingrained themselves into our cultural consciousness. Some of the deeper cuts are a little more forgettable, though not poorly written or unenjoyable in any way. This is a very solid 80's pop album, and I'd give it 4.5 if I could.

I had heard a Spiritualized album before (the big one), but this one may have made even more of an impression on me. Spacey and atmospheric at points, epic and bombastic at others. Very surprised to learn this released in 1992, it sounds a lot more modern than many other albums of its time. I really enjoyed this listen, and hope I remember to come back to it.

This is a fun little bit of jangle pop! Or punk? Or new wave? Or maybe something else entirely? Whatever it is, they're definitely in the same vein as artists such as R.E.M. -- a proto-indie rock, fun, energetic, and hooky, with a little underlying darkness. This is the type of stuff I'd have been listening to, were I alive in the '80s.

I'm not a fan of modern rap. We'll get that out of the way now. Kendrick is perhaps the only current talent that does anything for me...until this album. I really enjoyed this listen. Simz has fantastic flow ("Venom" made my jaw drop), and writes honestly and without ego, which is often a downfall of rap for me -- I want to hear about who you are, not about what you have, fuck your "flexing". All this over very pleasant instrumentals; thick, funky basslines, sultry guitar lines, dreamy synths and inventive percussion keep things fresh and highly listenable throughout. Another trend I've noticed among the rap albums I've explored is their tendency to outstay their welcome, often clocking in at over an hour and sometimes up to two. At a tight 35 minutes, this album presents a concise message. The guest appearances here from artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and Little Dragon are also welcome additions. I hope to explore more from Little Simz in the future.

I love this album, and I think it is maybe Steely Dan's masterpiece. That said, I can't in good conscious give something this cheesy five stars. I'm tempted to, but no. They must be punished for making something as cool as jazz sound so white. It won't stop me from playing at least one cut from this album every time I go boating, though.

Everything an AC/DC album should be -- loud, fast, and chock full of riffs. This is a decent amount of fun the whole way through. Outside of the mega hits here, though, the songs aren't that memorable, and AC/DC has a tendency to sound a little samey sometimes. Still, even when their songs are samey, they deliver that classic AC/DC sound, and what else are we here for?

Eric is a pretty great guitarist; that cannot be denied. "Layla" is a pretty fantastic composition. Beyond that, though, I've never been a fan of his music. Often relying on covers, only 30% of this album is made up of original songs. Those songs are okay, though not particularly notable. The covers here are a little better, but still feel a little aimless, and not more remarkable than the performances of a particularly good cover band. Now that I'm aware of how much of a racist Eric Clapton is, his aping of Bob Marley on his cover of "I Shot the Sherriff" is even borderline offensive. I guess I get the laid-back appeal of parts of this album, but Clapton just doesn't do much for me.

Bjork is always so fascinating to me. Is she Tom Waits, or is she Madonna? The lines are blurred here on her debut, as she hops between danceable numbers and mysterious explorations. I've grown fond of her odd singing style and the emotions she can convey through it. This was a cool listen, which, unlike the Clapton album I listened to before it, actually made me perk my ears up while working today.

Electronic music often leaves me feeling pretty cold, but I cannot deny that is fun, danceable stuff! I own this one on vinyl, and I'm waiting for the right opportunity to throw this one at a future party -- I think it could get the crowd moving. On my most recent listen, I did notice that the album sounded a little more "2007" than it had previously. But, meh. I'm nostalgic for 2007 anyways.

I love this album. It feels like a gentle breeze on a road trip, borderline spiritual in its simplicity. The melodies are memorable, the lyrics are touching, and the whole affair doesn't outstay its welcome. All in all...it's pretty perfect to me.

There's only so much you can do with just a piano. But God damn it, if Jarrett doesn't do it all here. Great improvisations that go from eclectic jazz to sweeping balladry to rocking blues. The story behind the titular concert is quite interesting too. But as I said earlier, there's only so much you can do with just a piano. As fantastic as he is at his craft, I started to get a little bored as I neared the hour mark, missing the interplay of other instruments. An extended improvised solo can be impressive, but it can also grow wearisome. After hearing this album, I now rank Keith Jarrett amongst the best pianists of his time. But I don't necessarily feel compelled to listen to this recording again.

This album exceeded my expectations. I was only familiar with "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl" going in, and while those are two classic 90's rock songs, I expected them to be the high points on an otherwise standard 90's rock album. But no, the quality stays consistent throughout. Shirley Manson is effortlessly cool and sexy, and the music sounds fresh even now, nearly thirty years later. This is an album of well-constructed rock that proves Garbage is far from it, and should maybe even be mentioned among the best bands to come out of the 90's.

Often seen as one of the greatest metal albums of all-time, and I'd be hard-pressed to argue. Often seen as their best album (though not personally my favourite), I can't deny it holds some of the greatest, simplest, heaviest rock riffs of all-time. Side A alone has "War Pigs", "Paranoid" and "Iron Man". I needn't say more.

I'm not sure how to review this, as I was not in the right frame of mind for it. It was much darker than expected, and I shouldn't have listened to it while I was working, because I couldn't focus on the lyrics as much as I should have. But yeah, nothing about it hooked me, really. Maybe I'll try it again one day.

What a rumpshaker! Ginger Baker sitting in alongside Tony Allen means you're in for 45 mins of rhythmic heaven on this album. The grooves are crazy. Fela is an Afrobeat legend and this album proves why. So much fun!

A favorite of mine. A true gem of psychedelic pop music.

Loud and fast and borderline grating -- yep, this is unmistakenly punk music! Surprised by how clean the guitar production is, though the music still maintains an overall grim feel. Totally forgot this was the band Pat Smear was in before Nirvana and Foos.

I rank this album fifth best among the eight albums they made as a band. You'd think that a condemnation, but no -- this album is incredible. It's just that they kept getting better. The band sounds tight here, and with their signature herky-jerkiness already in place. But while Byrne's songwriting is already very good, it is clear that this is a debut; the songs are smart and interesting, but not as catchy or danceable as the output to come. They would go on to refine themselves, both as performers and songwriters, through a prolific amount of live performances. But this is where it started.

I feel blasphemous admitting that this isn't my favourite Stevie Wonder album. But I can still say that this is an absolute masterpiece. It feels so cohesive, despite covering several genres and topics over the course of its 105-minute runtime. This is often seen as the end of Stevie's incredible mid '70s run, in which he delivered four or five near-perfect records back to back. But what a way to go out!

This is a really fun listen. Right out of the gate, with the groovin' "Wearin' That Loved On Look", you know you're in for a good time. At this point in his career, Elvis was moving away from his more traditional country, gospel, and rock sounds to a soul-infused fusion of the lot. Even the songs here that are pretty straight country -- like "I'm Movin' On" -- have some stank added to the affair. Turns out Funky Elvis is cool as hell. His backing band here, The Memphis Boys, add a swagger that his usual band, the Jordanaires, just don't have. The rhythm section on this thing just has such a warmth and a groove that compliment "the King"'s persona perfectly. The whole thing just comes together beautifully, and I'd argue might just present Elvis at his very best. 9/10.

Curtis slows it down a little here to address societal issues that still exist almost fifty years later. Thanks for trying, Curtis. The music here is as lovely as ever. His voice is smooth as butter, the instrumentation soulful and funky. And his lyrics are as beautiful as they are poignant -- tales of coping with the world you find yourself. Sex and drugs, love and hate.

Maybe their first perfect album, and my personal favourite. Such an anxious vibe! Fitting, of course, considering the title. I once heard (though I'm unsure whether this is true) that each song title is meant to represent a fear -- fear of air, fear of cities, etc. And that fear is felt across the album; sometimes it's a heavy, suffocating sense of dread, sometimes a fast, frenetic anxiety, but definitely an uneasy feeling throughout. Musically, it's pretty weird, and I mean that as a high compliment. They really gel into a cohesive unit here; the interplay is fantastic. Some of their best hooks and riffs of their career are on this album. It rewards repeat listens, but definitely deserves to be included in conversations about which Talking Heads album is best.

When I was a kid, I thought Alice Cooper was scary. Growing up is learning Alice Cooper is actually fun. Like Halloween decorations, he's not going to hurt you, but just wants to give you a little thrill. This album is pure rock fun, and actually has a lot of range -- after a few rocking numbers, the piano balladry of "Mary Ann" was quite surprising. I believe this is the last Alice Cooper album I'll be encountering on this list, and I hope I remember to come back and listen to them again. They're actually great.

I like a lot of grunge, but I'm not sure if this one was necessarily for me? It's very loud and fuzzy, definitely not short on energy. Maybe I just wasn't angry enough today to listen to this. Or maybe I just prefer the bands that Mudhoney inspired.

Although I don't know if I've ever listened to this album in its entirety in one sitting (or at least not in a long time), it looms large in my life. It's a favorite of my Dad's, so I remember seeing the album cover around throughout my childhood, and definitely hearing the bigger songs on every mixtape that served as a road trip soundtrack. That opening harmonica wail on "School" still sends shivers up my spine. Reading other reviews here, I see a lot of criticism that the prog rock here is too tinged with elements of soft rock or yacht rock. It may not be as challenging as other albums of its time, but what's wrong with that? It's damn listenable -- in fact, it sounds great to my ears. Many would agree, as several of these tracks remain staples of 70s music. Dad, I like your music tastes quite a bit.

I've always liked "This is the Day" but wasn't familiar with anything else on this album. It was really good, but I'll stop short of saying it blew me away. It's great new wave, but even within a genre that is quintessentially '80s, it sounded very '80s. If you can look past that, though, there are a lot of very smart pop songs here. I would like to spend more time with the lyrics on future listens. Also cool to learn that it's Jools Holland playing the piano solo on "Uncertain Smile".

Since having the displeasure of seeing Van Morrison live a number of years ago, my opinion of the man himself has soured some. That said...this album is undeniable to me. It's beautiful. It sounds the way coming of age feels. It is so warm, so small yet powerful. Van Morrison himself be damned, this is getting my highest marks. I can see myself listening to this for years and years to come.

I'm not a Metallica fan so my opinion is moot in these matters, but this isn't a classic for me the way it is for so many others. It's clear that this is their effort to hit the mainstream; and it worked! Good on them, but I almost cringe at the sound of James' aggressive vocals over some of the softest music I've ever heard. That said, the songwriting is solid on a lot of these songs -- not many metal albums have as high a hit ratio as this tracklist does -- and the production from Canadian legend Bob Rock sounds pretty good for the most part. The string sections on certain songs really add to their instrumentation too. But the whole affair goes on a little long for my tastes. This is probably a 3.5 for me, but in the absence of half stars, I'm going to lower it to a 3, because Metallica are sorta uncool sellouts.

The first true rock opera, you can't help but admire the ambition behind this album. Pete Townshend was only 23 when he put it together, so it's hard to be tough on him if a few sections of this are a little clunky. Awkward, exposition-laden lyrics are a fixture of musical theatre, and that's basically what we're doing here, right? There aren't many hits here, or even many songs that could stand on their own. But despite all of this damning praise, I really do think that this album is a feat worthy of celebrating.

This isn't a bad album by any means. It just goes on a little too long, sounds a bit repetitive, and, well, it sounds aged. It somehow sounds more like a product of the 90's than other albums by contemporaries like Tribe or De La. But I still enjoyed it overall! The sampling is fantastic, and the flow is engaging (even when the lyrics are a little corny). Honestly, if it was 10-20 minutes shorter, this would have been an easy 4 stars.

While this is more of a 4.5 star album, it broke my heart to consider giving it only 4. Maybe it isn't perfect, but it's real close. This is some masterful funk and soul. Beautiful when it needs to me, but groovy as hell all the way through. A great listen that I'd be happy to put back on as soon as it ends.

What's to say about this album that hasn't been said? It falls in the rare category of albums that could be a greatest hits package on its own. Every song on here is catchy, well-written 70's rock music that can be played in any situation. The harmonies are tight. The guitar solos are fiery. A crowd-pleaser of an album if I've ever heard one. And it's one of my dad's favourites, so that seals the deal. Love you Dad.

Allow me to preface this by saying that I don't think I heard the full album -- Wikipedia clocks this album in at 72 minutes, with 20 tracks, whereas the version on Spotify features only 9 songs in about 36 minutes. I didn't expect to be particularly into this, but it was a lovely listen. Sarah gives a phenomenal live performance, but not everything goes smoothly through the recording -- she goofs the lyrics near the start and again at the end, and her sense of humour and hearing the audience's light laughter gives this a breezier feel than I perhaps expected. It's quite charming, and prevents this from becoming a stuffier affair, as 50's jazz albums can become. Still, throughout the majority of the record, it is the sound of professional musicians doing what they love, and doing it well. I'm glad Spotify featured a shorter version of the album, as it may have gotten old by the hour mark, but the 36 minutes I spent in an old 50's jazz club this morning was enjoyable indeed.

They reinvented the blues and made them even cooler. The one-two punch of "Good Times Bad Times" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" that kicks this album off had to feel like a major paradigm shift in the rock world. But I still don't think this is a perfect album. A few forgettable ones here. And has anyone noticed how much they rip off Greta Van Fleet's sound?

There's some interesting material on this album. It's satire at its base, though, which is regrettable. Satire can be art in its own right, but sometimes it has its head too far up its own ass, too focused on taking the piss out of something else to bring anything of substance itself. This album walks that fine line. There are moments of brilliance, musically and humoristically. But for all the fleeting moments that sound like the work of inspired musicians, far too much of this sounds like a bunch of edgy, jaded teens were given recording equipment. Zappa was clearly a visionary but his vision is through a worldview that I don't subscribe to. Still, a fun listen, just not one that I'll be rushing back to.

One of my favorite bands. Putting that right up top, because this is getting five stars from me. This is one of the greatest folk albums of the 2000s, and it may still be my least favorite Fleet Foxes album. While they continued to grow in complexity on future releases, this is folk at its most pure. The melodies are on point, the instrumentation is dense without overwhelming, and the HARMONIES! My god, those harmonies. Robin Pecknold is such a talented songwriter, and this release is where he first proved that to the world.

This was a damn fun album. Bongos galore. Which I expected based on the band name and album title, but still! Groovy!

Primarily anchored by vocals and piano, but with enough musical diversity here that it never gets wearisome. Though I recently saw her described as a "more generic, less talented Fiona Apple", a devastating insult that my brain won't seem to shake, I think her lyricism is quite complex and powerful indeed -- even when the music doesn't reach that level. This album is a very good listen, if not a revolutionary one.

I like Sonic Youth, but this is even darker than I'm used to from them. Very raw, gothic stuff. It might be the earliest material I've heard of theirs, and it's neat to see where they got their start. They sound as though they've always been cool, but they do get even cooler.

Leonard Cohen is one of Canada's greatest poets, and some of his greatest songs are here. But if I have to get critical...yowza, this is clearly a product of the '80s! Still, the songs themselves overpower the more aged elements of the production. I very much enjoyed this listen.

My personal favorite Nirvana release. That their songs -- originally loud, raucous numbers that would make your parents furrow their brows -- work in an acoustic setting speaks to the quality of the songwriting. Kurt was a big fan of both pop and blues music, and that shines through here, with their beloved covers of songs by artists like Bowie and Lead Belly. It makes you wonder what direction Nirvana may have headed in had things been different.

As seen on many other reviews on this site, I will also preface my review by saying that Moz is a dick. But it's also hard to deny his skill as a lyricist. I'm not as familiar with his solo work, and I must say that I found this album far less musically compelling than his work with the Smiths. But it was an alright listen. I don't really remember any standout tracks -- it sort of just washed over me. It's a 3.5 star listen for me, but in the absence of half stars, I'll bring my ranking down to account for the artist himself.

I remember digging through my dad's vinyl collection a few years back, and making fun of him when I found this album. I shouldn't have. It's a pretty fantastic pop record. Although songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time" have been dulled by their ubiquity, it doesn't make them any less of gems. And the rest of the album is a lot of fun too. Kitschy in the best way, it keeps you bopping for the entire 40 minute runtime.

Could there be a Phoebe Bridgers without an Elliott Smith? One of the most notable in that subcategory of indie artists who sing depressing lyrics quietly, Smith is also one of the best. His heartbreakingly honest lyrics sometimes overshadow his melodies, but even those are fairly strong in their simplicity. Songs like "Between the Bars", "Say Yes" and "Angeles" are among his best and most hummable.

Now this is a live album! You can feel the electricity coursing through this recording. Sam is in good form, belting out many of his hits to a crowd that is rightfully riled up. On songs such as "For Sentimental Reasons", the crowd's voices threaten to overtake Sam's, a spontaneous choir showing their love for music, and Sam's music specifically. The details of his premature death are unfortunate, but he sure sounds alive here.

The sound of a complicated friendship reaching its bittersweet end. Even looking past the lyrical metatext that adds an emotional weight to this album, it is still the finest collection of tunes by Simon & Garfunkel, and the production is pristine. A special shout-out to "The Only Living Boy in New York", one of my favourite songs. But I love everything here; songs like "The Boxer" and the title track are among some of the most beautiful songs ever put to tape. Perfection.

I've always had a complicated relationship with Beck. He seems like exactly the type of artist I would love, and I've tried to get into his music, but it has never quite stuck with me. Odelay, maybe his most critically acclaimed record, is no exception. The biggest singles, "Devils Haircut" and "Where It's At", are fine, but have always seemed extremely repetitive to me. The rest of the album just rolls off my brain like water off a duck's back, even after multiple listens. I never find it bad or unenjoyable. It's just so...fine. There's a lot of musical experimentation here, which I can appreciate, but things like the electronic elements he often incorporates just isn't my taste. Overall, it sounds like an artist doing a lot, without any of it fully working.

They say brevity is the soul of wit, and Tim didn't get the memo. While some of the jazz elements here are interesting, and while some of his morose contemplation is touching (if undeserving of sympathy), many of these songs are far too drawn out without ever getting anywhere. It's a depressing, slow listen.

Most of the "big" albums on this list, I've already heard. This one had somehow passed me by; though I was very aware of the album, I'd never given it a full listen. Wow. I can't believe I missed out on this. I can't tell if it's funky jazz or jazzy funk, but goddamn does it ever slap!

On my previous dalliances with the screamy man, I was not quite sold on what I heard. But my ears have been opened to prog thanks to my more newfound and undying love for another King -- one of the Gizzard variety -- and upon this relisten, I found I enjoyed it more than ever before! This is epic at times, restrained at others. The time signatures shift, which is cool and good! "Epitaph" and "The Court of the Crimson King" are probably my favourites here. As the birthplace of prog, and as an iconic work of art in its own right, it would be sort of screwed up if I didn't rate this at five stars on principle. But on this listen, I finally discovered that it truly deserves them.

This was a decent listen, even to someone who isn't generally a rap fan. The sampling is great, the flow is solid. I admittedly didn't focus much on the lyrical content much on this first listen, so I hope I'm not out of pocket in saying that they seem like a "fun" group, but yeah, this was fun.

This album surprised me! I expected it to be in line with the music being put out my their contemporaries over there in foggy ol' England: Oasis, Blur, the Verve, what have you. But this was somehow...weirder? Some songs almost seemed a little more aggressive, even? Parts of it brought to mind "90s britpop but almost grunge". If that seems like an odd pairing, fear not: it works! I certainly enjoyed it more than any Oasis album that has come across my desk. Lots of energy, good hooks but without being overly formulaic. I'd listen again.

I had moments, early on in this listen, where I was a little worried about where we were headed. I don't mind my prog music getting a little "far out", but I can't appreciate when it devolves into pure cacophony. It was trending towards the latter at points, but it came back around. There were many pleasant moments here, shows of excellent musicianship that made this an enjoyable listen indeed. I look forward to future re-listens of this one.

My Neil Young hot take is that I might like this album more than Harvest. Another from Dad's vinyl collection, so I feel a connection to my Pops when I throw this one on. Beyond that, the melodies and lyricism here are just fantastic. It's a great listen, and it's in and out in barely half an hour. Canadian excellence.

I've heard of Michael Franti, but not this particular project of his. I don't quite believe it earns its place on this list, as there are several other albums who deal with the same themes much more successfully. Every song here goes on too long, the instrumentals aren't particularly interesting, and Mike isn't as technically proficient as many of his contemporaries...the whole thing just sounds lacking. I'm all for socially conscious rap, but there are far better options out there.

I thought I would enjoy this listen quite a bit. A 2020 album about black identity seemed as though it would have a lot to say, energized by what was happening around that time. But the end result is just kinda boring. Lyrically it is so surface-level that it borders on self-parody. And while some of the instrumentals are decent, they are so uniformly low-tempo that it makes a 56 min album feel much longer. I just can't figure out how a piece ruminating on such deep topics can come out sounding so soulless. Listen to To Pimp a Butterfly or What's Going On instead.

I actually enjoyed this album more than I did on first listen, a few years back. But it's still pretty meh! Samples and a few notes on a keyboard over droning synths and a drum loop. Ad infinitum. Occasionally, maybe a little guitar is thrown in for flavour. Some of it is pleasant enough, but it still sounds like background music, outside of a few notable tunes. It's just all too repetitive and goes on far too long.

Ryan Adams joins the list of shitty human beings whose music we've listened to for this project. As with the others, I will try to be impartial. I quite liked this album. Well-written alt-country that sounds like modernized Dylan. This is the part where I'd say I'm excited to listen again, but considering how slimy he is, maybe I'll listen to something else.

This is maybe my least favourite album in the Smiths' discography, but it's still a great listen. I've just never found the songs to be as memorable as those on other albums, outside of "Girlfriend in a Coma" and "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", the latter of which I know best from Rock Band 3. Man, Rock Band 3 rules. And The Smiths rule. Except Morrissey, he's a shit.

The "Sgt. Pepper's" of 60's rock albums.

"The world is sound." So begins this album, which is far better in theory than in execution. By blending musical elements and performances by musicians across the globe, Singh is attempting to create a musical melting pot. However, the contents of the pot come off tasting a little bland, and at an hour in length, blandness is a death sentence. Electronica and drum & bass are generally not my vibe though, so your mileage may vary.

It's funny to think about prog from the '70s as being boundary-pushing, out-there music for its time. In retrospect, it has nearly as much in common with the mainstream rock of its time as it does with today's prog. Sure, the songs are longer, and the playing is more intricate, but the songs have clear melodies and are not particularly alienating to anyone with open ears and an open heart. This is probably one of Yes' top three, alongside The Yes Album and Close to the Edge. Many great tunes here, from "Roundabout" to "Heart of the Sunrise" to "South Side of the Sky", but a special shoutout goes to "Long Distance Runaround" -- I recall it was on my first "stoner playlist" in the weeks after I had first tried weed. I haven't heard it in a long time, and it brought back memories of those halcyon days. While this isn't necessarily a perfect album (a few of the transitional tracks, while spacing out the longer songs well, are forgettable), I'd probably give it a solid 4.5, and in the absence of half-stars, I'm adjusting upwards.

An emotional album, both in its contents and the story surrounding. A shame this was to be Jeff's only album, as it demonstrates his vulnerability, his passion, and his ability to craft powerful, intricate songs. I should not have been surprised, considering it was released in 1994, that it would have some rock swagger infused into it, sometimes sounding reminiscent of Pearl Jam. But it works. Certainly better than anything his father released.

How nice to get High Violet, one of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands, on the day the band releases their newest album, Laugh Track. While LT and the companion album that preceded it seem to show the band's magic start to fade, HV is a wonderful reminder of why they were one of my favourite bands to begin with. Strong melodies, charming instrumentation, lyrics that bounce between enigmatic and revealing...this is the National that I fell in love with.

Jack White is eternally cool. I will throw on an album by the White Stripes, from his solo career, or the majority of his side projects at the drop of a hat. Despite not being a fan of most blues music, Jack brings an edge to it. The way his guitar snarls will never not be badass to me. White Blood Cells once stood as my favourite WS album. The second half of the album blends together a little more for me, but that first half...wow. While their first two albums were promising, WBC really shows just how strong just a guitar and drums can sound. This is a 4.5 star album, but there's no way in hell I'm rounding down.

This was a super cool listen. I feel bad giving this four stars when I gave Fragile five only a few days ago, but that only comes down to familiarity. I'm sure, with a few additional listens, this could easily become a 5-star record. This is a beautiful, interesting, ever-shifting listen. A few moments of dissonance that I wasn't wild about, but that is picking nits. I will be back to this one eventually.

Justin Hawkins' falsetto is ridiculous. The whole concept of a hair metal album released in 2003 is sort of dumb. But at least it's dumb fun. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is permanently etched into the souls of my generation, but there are several other tracks here that, while less well-known, are just as enjoyable and carry just as much energy. I thought this would be a 3, but you know what? Fuck it. This was a fun little listen, 4 stars baby.