One listen all the way through and some individual tracks a few times. Still gathering my thoughts on the album as a whole (I like to listen to projects at least 4 times to digest them) but I definitely enjoy it. Some tracks feel dated, especially vocally, but I think overall there’s a lot that works even today. My least favorite moments on the record where these times that I feel played heavily into trends that aren’t as prevalent today. The overindulgent guitar solos and vocals that randomly go into a higher pitch are some examples of this that come to mind. Still, I thought that the energy was infectious and that the album had quite a few surprisingly strong melodies. This was a good first album to kick off this experience.
Favorites: Hot For Teacher, Top Jimmy, Girl Gone Bad, Jump
I don’t know this one was alright but just didn’t really do it for me. It felt too timid and safe at times, not letting it all out when it needed to. “I Just Want To See His Face” felt especially inoffensive, being so demure and muffled that it felt like nothing. After more listens, I might like this album more, but right now I feel like it was mainly just okay.
Favorites: Sweet Virginia, Shine A Light, All Down The Line
I love the title of this album, Kind Of Blue. To me that shows the tenderness and measured playing throughout the album. It’s not fully Blue, just Kind Of. Blue in Green is my favorite piece, and I love the depth of emotion that’s created through soft and small moments. Honestly, this album has just shown to me that little doesn't have to be the antithesis of big, but can be the precursor to it.
Favorites: Blue in Green, All Blues, Flamenco Sketches, So What
Solid album, I’m a big fan of Elvis’ vocals. They can be really grand and bombast, but I think the nuance of emotion is still there. Just fun to listen to.
Not Bowie at his best but enjoyable. Some parts felt too generic instead of that Bowie style of crazy expression that I like, but nothing bad.
A pretty inviting and easygoing album. I really liked the guitar and thought the playing was the clear highlight of the record. Although I wanted slightly more out of the listening experience, these were fun songs. There’s a good standard level of enjoyment set here.
Faves: Down to the Waterline, Water of Love, Lions, Setting Me Up, Sultans of Swing
I don’t think this one fully “clicked” with me yet (being my second listen a while after the first), but I’m beginning to appreciate The Beatles more. All across the album, there’s incredibly strong songwriting, and some killer melodies. You can tell that the band is really just having fun on this album, and the playfulness is just refreshing. Even though they don’t take themselves completely seriously, there’s serious strength behind these songs, with “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” being an especially dense listen. All in all, just a mixture of sweet and powerful tracks.
Faves: I Want You (She’s So Heavy), The End, Sun King, Come Together, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Heavily recommend the No Dogs in Space episode on the boys. Really helps me appreciate the edge and roughness of their music. They have such a genuine approach to creation that shows a bit of their wildness. Just a great, palpable energy flowing through the album. Hearing the band enjoying themselves so much, while also tacking some subjects with emotional depth due to Paul Westerberg’s writing creates such a great experience.
Faves: Sixteen Blue, Black Diamond, Unsatisfied, Androgynous, I Will Dare, We’re Comin Out
I LOVE Tina’s voice. It’s the standout quality of the album for me, being a bit rough but also endlessly smooth. “Steel Claw” is the best example of this. She just has this strong energy about her that comes through in her vocal performance. The instrumentation is also upbeat and rhythmic, which emphasizes the strength of Tina’s voice. Great album to dance to.
Faves: Let’s Stay Together, Steel Claw, Help!, Better Be Good To Me
As someone who enjoys Curtis Mayfield but haven’t heard much outside of some of his songs, this was kinda a surprise for me. To be honest I was disappointed that the album wasn’t as dramatic as I expected, but I understood why. This is a pretty intimate record, and I really liked the tenderness on here. There were moments I felt weren’t as moving as they could have been, but when it connects, it really connects.
Faves: So in Love, Billy Jack, Jesus
Really love the first half of this album especially. Never listened to Dire Straits before and this was a great introduction. I wasn’t expecting how spacey and atmospheric some of these songs to be, but I loved that.
Faves: Money For Nothing, Your Latest Trick, Walk of Life
Unfortunately this one just didn’t do it for me gang…I didn’t dislike it but I felt like it was just alright. I was disappointed that it felt pretty textureless despite it being a live album. I’ll revisit it but it was a pretty bland experience for me 5/10
Nothing I disliked but nothing that particularly stuck with me. It was structurally fine, but didn’t wow me or have much to capture my attention.
Faves: n/a
I thought it was a good mix of intensity with great rhythmic melodies. “Wormboy” especially reminded me of a NIN song, which I dug a lot. I was gonna give this four stars at first because of how much I just liked the general sound, but noticed that it became a little repetitive. Bands like Deftones and NIN both accomplished what this album tries to do better during the same time period. As much as I liked some of the songs here, I don’t feel comfortable enough listening to Marilyn Manson for further exploration.
Faves: Irresponsible Hate Anthem, The Beautiful People, 1996, The Reflecting God
This is just a ridiculously fun album. I like that it doesn’t take itself seriously. Still can’t believe there’s a song that’s just Yo Momma jokes. It’s a bit of a product of its time, especially with the instrumentation, but there’s a good amount of qualities that still hold up today. It is, in fact, a pretty bizarre ride!
Faves: Soul Flower, Passin’ Me By, Otha Fish
GREAT punk album!!! Everything I love about punk condensed into about half an hour. Pure charm, high energy, and hypnotic melodies, I just love it all.
Faves: Love Song, Machine Gun Etiquette, I Just Can’t Be Happy Today, Plan 9 Channel 7, Noise, Noise, Noise
WE GOTTA TAKE THE POWER BACK!!!!! This album is a real rage against the machine. The energy here is just so infectious. There’s such a passion fire burning across each song. It’s hard not to be motivated, or at least pumped up when listening to this album. For such an angry piece of music it’s surprisingly uplifting, it makes you feel like change is possible.
“Anger is a gift.”
Faves: Settle for Nothing, Bullet In the Head, Take the Power Back, Killing In the Name, Fistful of Steel, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up
Good album with a lot of melodic guitar riffs (I can feel Good Fortune in my soul). There’s just a nice sound here, which makes for a pleasant listen. The only thing that I didn’t really care for on a first listen was how it kinda felt repetitive/dull at moments. Thom Yorker’s collabs with PJ Harvey were a high point for me, they gave the album a level of depth that I think doesn’t really exist without it.
Faves: This Mess We’re In, You Said Something, A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, Beautiful Feeling, Good Fortune
Wasn’t a big fan of this one, it felt drawn out and wasn’t captivating. I zoned out several times and just wasn’t interested in the sounds that I heard.
Faves: Blueski
Just some beautiful songs. There’s this feeling of tenderness throughout the album that I really love, it just draws you in so much. Had a great first listen, will take a lot of time to fully process all of it.
Faves: O Trem Azul, Nuvem Cigana, Clube Da Esquina N° 2, Trem De Doido
Definitely not bad but felt like a large majority of the album was just standard
Faves: More Than A Feeling, Rock & Roll Band, Hitch a Ride, Let Me Take You Home Tonight
Surprisingly strong. A lot of classics and they still hold up today. Some of the best 80s synth work I’ve ever heard, even if it can be overpowering at times. The execution is just 🤌. Great synthpop album.
Faves: Time After Time, Witness, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, She Bop, When You Were Mine, I’ll Kiss You
Mix of some songs I absolutely love and some I feel are just okay. Nico’s vocals are my favorite part of the album, and when they’re matched with the strings on here they’re elevated to another level. Very soft and delicate, but still vivid emotionally. A little too slow and thin for my taste at times, but overall 👍👍
Faves: These Days, The Fairest Of The Seasons, Chelsea Girls, Somewhere There’s A Feather, I’ll Keep It With Mine
“Elliott Smith could make Abbey Road but The Beatles could never make Figure 8”
Perfectly packaged emotion and tight songwriting. Powerful stuff, very moving!
Faves: Better Be Quiet Now, Can’t Make A Sound, Stupidity Tries, Bye, Son Of Sam, Somebody That I Used To Know, Easy Way Out
I wasn’t a Smiths fan for some amount of time because of how different Morrissey’s vocals were from anything else I had enjoyed. In time, I began to dig them so much. They’re like a good cup of hot chocolate, deep and soothing. It’s interesting how much a draw they became as I exposed myself more to them and took the time to prides them fully. Alongside Johnny Marr’s tight compositions and the imagery filled lyrics, it’s a package that offers much musical depth. I Know It’s Over has an argument to be the greatest song ever. The album definitely feels short, but it manages not to feel too thin.
Faves: I Know It’s Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
It’s mostly okay. I feel like the execution of these songs largely didn’t move me. Even the songs that had more energy still felt lethargic. Other than that, it was a lot of repetition and generic elements. I think listening to some tracks outside the context of the album will be a benefit by letting their unique qualities shine brighter. That being said, the second half of the album has considerably more interesting qualities, which can belt felt across the stretch from Lazy Old Sun to Waterloo Sunset.
Faves: Waterloo Sunset, David Watts, Lazy Old Sun
I have to point out how awesome this album (and band) is from a design standpoint. I think visuals aren’t too far removed from music and its content. It’s great how in line the visual design is with the songs on the album. So utterly smooth with classy imagery. It’s nice to see an album cover that was created with a purpose and not a photo that looks like it was pulled from a random photo shoot with a parental advisory logo lazily slapped on. Anyway, some cool songs here, you can get why disco was a mostly era specific “fad,” but you also see why it was so popular.
Faves: Le Freak, Sometimes You Win, Savoir Faire, Happy Man
These compositions man…Just so amazing. And the recordings are just so slightly intimate, which adds another layer to the album. Side note: I’m connecting why Dijon felt The Band were so important to shout out on his own record, Absolutely. There’s just so many moving parts to take in and feel here. And side note 2: I saw Goose play Look Out Cleveland during my first concert, it was such an important moment in my life and I’m glad that The Band created such a complete song. All the different instruments make up textures that are so rich and flavorful. This is just an album to approach from every angle you can to fully appreciate every piece and how they all come together.
Faves: Look Out Cleveland, Whispering Pines, Rag Mama Rag, The Unfaithful Servant, Rockin’ Chair
Quite unlike nothing I’ve heard of really. I think that speaks to both how much exploring I need to do and how unique of an artist Ali Farka Touré is. This is a very patient album, content with making a moment and living in it. The soft, rhythmic guitar becomes a stabilizing force where there’s so much depth when you pay attention. Sometimes I think I might look at the when too much in regards to looking for change within in a song. With this album, I just had to Clarence the changes and the things that didn’t change as it all slowed it. It made for a pretty tiring experience at times, as I used so much of my energy to pick up every minute detail I could, but it was all worth the greater picture.
Faves: Erdi, Beto, N’jarou, Soya
I thought the beats were so creative. Even so, the level of rapping didn’t match up to the quality of the production. It was a little too lethargic to me, especially when considering the diversity of the beat selection. It’s a little disappointing to present something this different and not rise to meet that standard.
Faves: Execution Of A Chump, The Meaning Of The Name, Take A Rest, Precisely The Right Rhymes
Mainly just a fine album. The good songs are good, but there’s not a lot on this album that brings out powerful feeling from within in. These songs are just songs. I don’t have much that I actively dislike about the album, but I thought that what was offered could have been either bolder or more precise in what it does.
Faves: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face
Such an aggressive sound it becomes grating too often. The guitar is too often like a nagging mosquito, constantly telling you it’s right there like you would have easily forgotten about it otherwise. It’s much too much and much too often. Cool ideas but the instrumentation gets in its own way.
Faves: Super Bird, Sad And Lonely Times
Utterly smooth and filled with a level of soul that really speaks to you. The pure force of this album really surprised me, and I found myself being enthralled by nearly every track. Solid stuff and is just the right length to perfectly hold your attention and then move on.
Faves: The Whole Point Of No Return, My Ever Changing Moods, Here’s One That Got Away, Me Ship Came In!, Headstart For Happiness, The Paris Match, You’re The Best Thing, Mick’s Blessings
I’ll have to revisit but while I liked the tone of the album and the soundscape, I enjoyed the pieces used more than the outcome for the most part. There’s real creativity involved in the album, but it doesn’t quite come together in a way that’s transformative for me. A great thick sound, but I was still left wanting more and feeling like ideas could have been further expanded upon.
Faves: Strange Brew, Tales of Brave Ulysses, SWLABR, Take It Back
Wow. The best word I can use to describe this album is just artistic. Every track is written witch such a high level of intentionality and care, it’s wonderful. I mean, starting with Changes? What an opening track! Bowie’s meticulous craftsmanship allows for so much growth. Speaking of Changes again, the changes and crescendos are what give the song so much depth. It allows for a stronger emotional impact. Specificity is a perfectly utilized gift here.
Faves: Changes, Life on Mars?, Oh! You Pretty Things!, Kooks
Decent but early. Much like the CGI in the Star Wars prequels, you have to have some level of appreciation for the innovation but also recognize how you can get more out of today, the standard is just different. However, some songs here are standout for their emotional flair (such as Dreamin’ and You Are) and the execution matches the vision, so it’s not a perfection comparison. I don’t want to understate how much there is enjoy about the enjoyables present here. When it’s on it’s on, but there’s also some rustiness to the album you just have to brush off.
Faves: Dreamin’, You Are, The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheel of Steel, The Message
At first I thought it was just a nice selection of songs for some easy listening. And then I heard The Ocean. The amount of pure and genuine emotion infused into that song almost brought me to tears. There are a couple other hits here that really pack a punch in a similarly expansive and beautiful way.
Faves: The Ocean, Coles Corner, Born Under A Bad Sign, Darlin’ Wait For Me, I Sleep Alone
Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, what a dynamic duo! Great lead vocals followed by great supporting vocals adding such delicious texture while great lead guitar and rhythm guitar work does the same. Such unity of thought which is also found throughout the composition as a whole. From track to track you can feel how perfect the songwriting is, with different sounds working in unison to create these rich pictures. I love the beautiful melodies and the fast-paced instrumentation, and the songs they are able to slow down and linger in their melancholy atmosphere. London Calling is able to do so much and is filled with such sporadic energy while never losing its composure. From an individual song basis to the album as a whole, it’s just so strongly held together. A wonderful album from many different angles.
Favorites: Train in Vain (Stand By Me), Lost in the Supermarket, Spanish Bombs, Wrong ‘Em Boyo, I’m Not Down, Hateful, Jimmy Jazz, Clampdown, The Card Cheat, The Right Profile, Four Horsemen
This album makes me feel so romantic about music. Just so soft yet forceful, so tender yet unrelenting. Gillian Welch takes complete hold of your attention and you are naturally drawn into the level of detail in the instrumentation. Beautiful textures that develop gently. I believe that we don’t need constant stimulation and a million different instruments to make something so layered and dense, and this is a great example of letting the art breathe. Something simple can be so much. There’s just a wonderfully admirable level of depth here that I will continue to wade through.
Faves: Revelator, Everything Is Free, I Dream A Highway, Dear Someone, Elvis Presley Blues, I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll, Red Clay Halo
Filled with so much personality. There is a Strokes level of charm that just oozes through the music. The funky basslines and the punchiness of the percussion create such a perfectly woven structure for the album. It’s just so wonderfully arranged. This is an album that’s completely in its element and rejoices in that fact. Truly just put together in such a cohesive way, how lovely!!!
Faves: Al Hassidi Terei, Soubour, Ai Tchere Bele, Nick, Petit Metier
Definitely good but I was hoping for some more development. There are many Fela Kuti songs that have this element of fierceness to them, but this album is kinda lacking that. I felt having that aggression, that spice, would have added another layer that I think was needed. Still has change and power, but I wanted heavier contrast.
Fave: Observation Is No Crime
Hmmm. Wasn’t for me, I didn’t get a lot out of this. I felt like it was…not gimmicky, but just so intensely stylized that it was hard for me to connect with it on a genuine level. I can’t say it was a bad album, just something super unfamiliar to me. So for as much as it didn’t resonate with me, it was a cool opportunity to listening to some Celtic music and try to grow more accustomed to it.
Faves: Metropolis, Thousands Are Sailing, The Battle March Medley, Fiesta
Super fun album, it definitely feels an hour and fourteen minutes long, but it’s not long for no reason. I need more listens to dive into the story of Tommy and dissect the lyrics, which I’m sure will just deepen my enjoyment of the project. Really energizing instrumentation, these songs have a timeless quality to them by not feeling forced into a specific box. Just a bunch of songs collected together to fulfill a bigger theme.
Faves: 1921, Eyesight To The Blind, Christmas
Love the atmosphere created here. Spacey yet vibrant with super diverse instrumentation. This album has such a powerful identity, where style is substance and it comes together to become an enriching quality.
Faves: Wonderful World, Vision of You, Relight the Flame
Enjoyable album, very slow and groovy. I wanted a little more kick to it. However, I will need to listen to the original released version and go over that as a packaged unit, instead of my accident listen to the deluxe edition first (huge pet peeve ugh…) A good album regardless, I’ll see if I can find the fire in it that I think is needed for me to have strong feelings about the record.
No More Trouble, Concrete Jungle, Stop That Train
Beautifully and so effortlessly so. A touching album. It is so gentle in its presentation but it grasps so firmly. I absolutely love the pieces from every song, and the amount of time taken to build each track. It’s adds such a transformative quality to these tracks. Intentionality is the name of the game. I felt ashamed for not giving this album my undevoted attention during the first listen because there was just so much depth to it that I thought deserved to be recognized. One of the most heartfelt albums I’ve listened to.
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Is That Enough, Anna’s Song, Falling In Love Again, A Funky Space Reincarnation, Sparrow
I like the tenderness of the vocals and how they often shift into a crescendo. I would say that’s the number one element of making these songs feel “big.” Sometimes, though, the drama of these moments doesn’t move me much. If I were to say why it’d be because there’s sort of a standard of expectation, and the threshold for doing something more with the drama isn’t met often. I do think more exposure will make me like the album more.
Favorites: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself, Remembering, The Greatest Man In The World
This album had a strong Dad Rock aesthetic, just a very thick sound and an unrelenting guitar. It's a very loud and in-your-face style that I thought was too harsh. Nick Cave's vocals (who I didn't know was the frontman) had some strong moments, but were too harsh. It added to the overall feeling of a strained execution that this record had. That's not to see that it was completely devoid of nuance, such as across the song She's Hit, or on some of the horns and drumming on other songs, but it felt like the positive moments on the record were just that: moments. Once you had enough time to start to follow a compelling sequence, it would lead back into a place of stagnation and forceful tones. Junkyard is an album that seemed more concerned with the appearance of being powerful rather than creating a sound that is powerful on its own merits.
Faves: n/a
Southern charm bottled in fifteen tracks. A lot of simple songs played extravagantly. I found myself expecting but not getting emotional resonance from many of the songs here, despite feeling their honesty. It’s somewhat of a paradoxical concept, but I think it’s rooted from the simplicity of the songs. I went to make it clear that they are simple but not technically dull. However, there also was not a strong tether that I could latch onto and feel heavy emotion from. I have a measure of appreciation of a song like Hands on the Wheel, but I feel like it wasn’t dynamic enough and dragged on. Despite only being slightly over thirty minutes, there are moments where you can still feel the minutes of some songs, which represents a structural problem to me. There is joy in the lightheartedness of the album, and it is something to play to make your day a little sunnier, but there was a deeper element that I found was missing.
Faves: I Couldn’t Believe It Was True, Bandera, Can I Sleep in Your Arms, Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming)
Energy, energy, energy!!! They must have put crack in this soundtrack. Such a vivid and uncompromising sound. There’s a spirit of excitement that grabs your attention and forces you to focus on these magnificent horns. This sense of power is emphasized with how dynamic many of these songs are, growing and swelling until it feels like the sound has no other choice but to be let out.
Faves: Pusherman, Think - Instrumental, Superfly, Little Child Runnin’ Wild
The rhythm…Sounds to DANCE to! Music that makes you MOVE! It’s a great journey listening to this album. I haven’t had a good sit down to a long song in quite some time, so this was a refresher and an energizer. I love long songs for the space that they create and how a specific sound navigates that space as a complete experience (which is also part of the overarching experience that is the full album.) These songs were dynamic and filled with so much change. For my zoomer attention span, it was also an enriching album to see as a “challenge.” Much longer than the two minute singles we’re used to, these songs really make you sit down and listen. You have to sit with and digest each parts of a song and then the song as a whole. This album is just a blessing to your ears and your brain. I will have to continue to pour over these songs and reconstruct them in my head over and over.
Faves: All of em
Just a very simple album to enjoy. Some easygoing fun. Didn’t know Dolly could slide like this though. The accent adds a surprising amount, especially the moments when she plays it up.
Faves: Coat of Many Colors, A Better Place To Live, Here I Am, If I Lose My Mind
What a sophisticated sound! A very lovely sense of tenderness that touches you. The combination of a silky smooth voice and thoroughly crafted instrumentation is nothing short of enchanted. The Intentionality of the composition hits you directly. There’s an intense emotion behind every song and so much to unpack, which I will continue to do so on subsequent listens.
Faves: August Day Song, Tanto Tempo, Bananeira, Samba Da Bencao
Once I commit to listening to an album front to back there’s almost nothing that makes me stop the process, no matter how bad the album is, or what external events are happening around me. I almost stopped listening to this album one track in. While this album does have a wide variety of sounds, there’s not much nuance. Instead, the noise is overbearing and brings a heavy weight that the album drags along. The lyrics just felt like babble, and made me more annoyed than anything when I tried to use them as an anchor. There was so much that resulted in so little. Not for me at all, very little enjoyment.
Faves: n/a
The Monks have the charisma of The Strokes and the creativity of Ween. Just seeing their approach to making music is sort of a beautiful thing. Guitarist and vocalist Gary Burger (all time name btw) later reflecting that they “were just a rock and roll band that really had a lot of fun” is also so inspiring. Their proto-punk style and ahead of their time style was born out of purity—a desire to just create. The Monks really could have been The Beach Boys of punk. It’s a shame they didn’t get the opportunity to continue to advance and develop this premier sound. I thoroughly enjoyed how sloppy the record was while remaining well put together, which is why it’s a little disappointing to have this be the complete picture, not getting to see any refinement or artistic growth. Even so, I’ll choose to be thankful to even get the opportunity to hear these songs, as well as the fact that the artists were able to see more people resonate with their music while they were living.
Faves: Monk Time, Shut Up, Complication, Oh How To Do Now, We Do Wie Du
Dad rock tendencies in the best way. Quite a later sound here I’d say, though that’s just to speak of The Rolling Stones’ timeless quality and their place as a fundamental band. The overpowering guitar and loud vocals were surprisingly not too much for me. I felt like this level of self-indulgence was truly earned. Ending with the glorious track, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, is a great example of what I mean. It’s a track that builds off itself and takes time to grow. It becomes a glorious spectacle and ends the album with a point of finality. I had to reflect and appreciate the power from the sincerity across the entire record. A classic for a reason that still holds up today.
Faves: You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, Live With Me, Monkey Man, Let It Bleed
The heavy focus on the atmosphere and the ethereal bliss creates such a specific picture. There’s a lot of power that can’t be found in the noise and the intense reverb. I enjoy the richness of these wall of sounds throughout the album. I do wish there were more depth to the theme though. I feel like the live experience would create this depth that I feel like is missing, but it’s not translated fully through the studio recording. A track like Suicide exemplifies this, with there being noticeable changes, but the impact feels softer than what you would expect. I truly don’t think this would be the case when listening to the thickness of the guitar in person.
Faves: Revolution, So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears), Honey, Come Down Softly to My Soul
Unfortunately, this was really a struggle to get through. The French vocals were unbearably rough and I felt similarly about the industrial instrumentation. It was just so thick and direct. I didn’t actively hate the album, but it was an unpleasant listen.
Faves: n/a
Wow. What an incredible comforting sadness. Very gentle and tender in a way that’s so powerfully touching. How can you not feel emotion with the beautiful vocals of Chris Martin? Those sweeping sounds take you sky-high without letting go. And the way a song like Shiver increases the intensity of its instrumentation to create this slightly harsher feeling of grandeur? Just fantastic. You just have to be romantic about an album like this.
Faves: Shiver, Sparks, Don’t Panic, Everything’s Not Lost, Yellow, High Speed
Those gravelly and finely aged vocals, man…Leonard Cohen’s voice has always been a superstar instrument. Like the superstar Allen Iverson, it dominates the album with so much flair. However, like it was hard to build around AI, I felt like the instrumentation could have done a better job at supporting Cohen’s vocal talents. I liked the strings and the added sense of drama from the orchestral elements, but wanted even more of an emotional backbone from the instrumentation.
Faves: On the Level, Treaty
At first I was lukewarm on these songs. It felt like just a “best hits” selection, where I would just rather listen to the studio recordings. As I progressed through the album, I really started to appreciate the way that the strength of the composition shines through. With this live performance, you can hear how well made each track is. The memorable guitar riffs, the powerful drums, all of it is presented so directly. Another layer is also added by the crowd noise. Their audible feedback is part of what makes this live format so transformative. Beautiful textures galore, I felt like the intensity of the guitar playing was an invigorating element here, where I’m not sure I would hold the same opinion if that same level of force was on the studio recordings. At Budokan being released as a live album makes sense because it is such a complete experience.
Faves: Lookout, Need Your Love, Ain’t That a Shame, Clock Strikes Ten, Big Eyes, I Want You to Want Me
So emotionally resonant. Smooth melodies that burrow in your ears. You get a sense of longing as well as a sense of comfort through this album. There’s just that ease of connection, vulnerable and pure. Very delicious sound here.
Faves: Mandolin Wind, Every Picture Tells A Story, (I Know) I’m Losing You, Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Just okay. Maybe was not in the mood to be open but was not an emotionally resonant experience. The lighter more acoustic moments felt realer to me than the grandiose big songs.
Faves: Tangerine, That’s the Way, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Gallows Pole
Extremely expressive piece of art. Whether it’s loud or quiet, there’s energy there. A force that inspires emotion within you. I love the ever-changing production, it helps create shades of these different emotions and provides nuance through change. Some tracks are a little too quirky for me with the falsetto focus and pulsating synths, but I like that there’s an off kilter element to the album. Even though tracks like Golden Age and Stork & Owl weren’t ones I loved, I found value in the ways that they tried to present something new.
Faves: Halfway Home, Family Tree, Dancing Choose, Lover’s Day
I love the amount of energy delivered and how it’s done. The production so skillfully supports whatever the through line is and gives it even more power. From a strong bassline to an electric guitar’s rhythmic melody, there is matching passion in the vocals and production that does an amazing job at building up to big moments. There’s often several minutes of what seems like more of the same at first, only to transition to a climax that you feel deeply. All across the album you get developments like this due to the dynamism that’s ever-present.
Faves: Negative Space, Static Resistance, Opener, Shortcomings
I’m finally in an evolved state where I can truly appreciate The Beatles. When they’re on it, the songwriting is just perfect. The melodies are hypnotic and it feels like every note is placed and played correctly. Like music is a test and they got a perfect score. This is nowhere near my favorite Beatles album but still has some of their best songs. However, it feels like the songs that aren’t part of this top echelon are songs that they just settled for. Not bad songs, but very lukewarm ones. Again, the strength of the songwriting is there, but a greater sense of passion is just missing. As a listener, I don’t feel like the sum is greater than the parts of these songs. Sometimes I wish they would go ahead and really grab you by the throat, but instead there’s an air of passivity. Still a good album, but not The Beatles at the peak of their powers, just some glimpses of them.
Faves: And Your Bird Can Sing, I’m Only Sleeping, Tomorrow Never Knows. Got To Get You Into My Life, I Want To Tell You, Here, There And Everywhere
The beeps and harsh noise on I.B.M. immediately set the tone and provided the structure for the album. It’s an album that’s sonically dense, leaving you unpacking the sound. It can be overwhelming in the sense of leaving you drained at times, but this is part of what makes this album so fascinating. There’s just so much to it. I spent most of my time listening trying to fully break down the music, which was an enriching experience. There’s more interest compared to enjoyment right now, but I have strong appreciation for this project.
Faves: AB/7A, Dead on Arrival
At times the guitar can be overbearing and even slightly obnoxious but there’s real power to it. I respect that it actually is given so much room to breathe. Additionally, the accompanying instrumentation helps provide so much support surrounding it. There’s a lot of guitar focused development and I can only describe it as fulfilling. You can feel all of the creativity and sense of joy in creating something moving. Simply an incredible piece of art.
Faves: You Don’t Love Me, Done Somebody Wrong, ‘Hot Lanta, Statesboro Blues, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, Stormy Monday
Purity in music form. Jazz players rocking out. Such punchy drumming. Drama and mystery. Emotionally dense. Forever in awe of this gift. Eternally grateful.
Faves: ★, ‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Dollar Days, Lazarus
Very solid choice of sounds, which provides a wonderful structure. Bolder than I remembered. With electronic music, I think my usual lack of feeling impressed comes from the sounds chosen and what feels like a locked standard of comfortability. I wasn’t blown away from start to finish but I did hold on to the texture from this album more often than not. I wish there was an even greater sense of movement, but I did enjoy a good number of the locations that were honed in on. A fairly airtight album, that I wanted to see continue with its boldness.
Faves: D.A.N.C.E., TTHHEE PPAARRTTYY, Phantom
From a pure pure enjoyment level, it’s hard for me to remove this album from its time. It’s a very specific style to the era that doesn’t hold up today personally. This gives it a whiskey level roughness where most of what I appreciate from this album is covered by its agedness.
Faves: L.A. Woman, Love Her Madly, Hyacinth House
At first, I thought I wanted more from this album. I could always feel the energy that every song brought, but I thought there was another level, more layers that were missing. But as the album progressed, I could accept how direct it was because of just how intense the energy is. It’s not powerful in an overly forceful way, there’s just a constant flow of joy that’s broadcasted through the music. Enjoying Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (the artists too!) is a very easy task largely due to its straightforwardness. You don’t have to overthink how pleasing it is to hear Tom Petty sing his heart out over a truly electric riff during a song like American Girl. In just thirty minutes, the band takes full hold of your attention and gives you an experience that is more than worthy of your time.
Faves: American Girl, Hometown Blues, Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll, The Wild One, Forever, Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It)
Ooo this is my type of rock. So thick and dense and constantly moving. All of the changes just help add on to the intensity, building up to bigger and bigger moments. I love the speed at which we’re going, not quite slamming on the pedal, but definitely leaning on it. Fast enough to create strong energy, but just slow enough for you to feel all of the developments. It’s not just about the quality of firepower that the album brings but also how wisely it’s used.
Faves: Inertiatic Esp, Take The Veil Cerpin Text, Televators, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed, Eriatarka
Fast and loose. There’s just not enough for me. I always appreciate this type of abrasiveness without feeling exaggeratedly edgy. I wouldn’t say that it’s apathy, it’s being carefree. This is the freedom to create even when it puts you directly against the majority. Some ideas here don’t feel fully fleshed out or complete, but I think the spirit behind the album carries itself through each song. There’s an undeniable energy that provides considerable momentum. It’s punk.
Faves: Operation, Back Against The Wall, World up My Ass
I feel like this album is the start of Radiohead’s refinement. There’s no extra stuffing on the album with every song creating a picture so directly. Thom Yorke’s vocals are incomparably beautiful and I love that he really lets it all out here. And it’s not just the high notes he hits or the way it feels like he empties out everything when he’s belting out, it’s the totality of his versatility. And the instrumentation is very similar, with being able to swell and match big moments or stay softer and embrace a more somber tone. This isn’t Radiohead at their pinnacle, this is pre enlightenment, but this album does a great job of highlighting their strengths. Radiohead has been a very special band for a very long time.
Faves: The Bends, Street Spirit (Fade Out), Planet Telex, Just, Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, (Nice Dream)
So much energy that it’s just electrifying. The Smiths album are so palatable that they feel simplistic. It’s effortless. When you break down each song structurally, it’s just beautiful seeing how well everything compliments each other. Even going deep into the future, The Smiths will remain a foundational band. God bless Johnny Marr.
Faves: Barbarism Begins at Home, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, I Want the One I Can’t Have, The Headmaster Ritual, Meat Is Murder
Grimey. I love how itself it is. There’s no forced corporate pop smoothness of the sound. It’s a very specific and detailed sound that’s allowed to exist in its own space. The level of detail is what’s truly outstanding, putting something out there that’s so unique makes it easy to gravitate to. Absolute banger, so real in its intensity.
Faves: Turnover, Repeater, Two Beats Off, Song #1, Blueprint
Some pretty standard early 80s (‘78) stuff. Found myself wanting more earnestness or stronger expressions. Some discordant and out of place sounds, especially with the electronic elements on here. Just not an album that I thought offered significant value.
Faves: Best Friend’s Girl, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight, Bye Bye Love
Creative album. I love the grandiosity. Very fast-paced, you gotta relish in the upbeat atmosphere. It’s a real sense of energy mixed with the freshness of the production. I also love the echoing, almost ghostly vocals. A supremely fun album, much joy infused in the music.
Faves: The March Of The Black Queen, Ogre Battle, Some Day Day One, Funny How Love Is, The Loser In The End, Nevermore
Love Bruce but felt this album was a little dry. The weary tone just created a weary listening experience. I felt like this was Springsteen shackled, with him not being as dramatic as he usually is (which I think is him at his best.) He’s still him and able to use some low tones to draw out emotion. I just wish he was able to do this more often by letting the sound here be more expansive.
Faves: Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Open All Night
I gave some real appreciation for the formatting of the album, but I don’t think it necessarily works in this context. The first track is an Introduction to Indian Music, but it didn’t feel quite like it. To me, the album as a whole was mainly Indian sounds. I think either having a more proper introduction or diving deeper into sounds that would be unfamiliar to a Western audience would be a better route to go on. Instead, this album is stuck in a liminal space where there’s not much to follow while also not painting a full picture of different sounds. There are some explanations and introductions, which I think is a positive for the album, but I think following up on them further would do so much. Technically skilled no doubt about it, but for an introduction I think there’s a lot of emptiness.
Faves: n/a
Neat album, I think it could have been even more forceful. Maybe that’s me having more of a modern view for this album, but I feel like there’s a cost of grit that should have been there to give the album more punch. A song like I Kill Children doesn’t feel as harsh as it should to me, it just feels fast instead of aggressive. Otherwise an okay album, but this missing quality is noticeable throughout the record.
Faves: Let’s Lynch the Landlord, Viva Las Vegas (Cover), Chemical Warfare
So skillfully dynamic. Effortlessly stable while creating a completely new environment. There’s a fullness of sound that gives the listener a garden of beautifully dense stimuli.
Faves: City, Country, City, The Cisco Kid
Insanitary had to switch off the iPods to better headphones to appreciate the sound. This album is strong mannn. Blow out your car speakers level of strength I’m talking about. It’s not just about enjoying the music, it’s the fact that something about the record is so compelling that it makes you want to enjoy it. You get excited to listen to it and there’s an eagerness to throw it on. Just extremely well packaged.
Faves: Beautiful Day, Wild Honey, Elevation, Peace On Earth, Walk On, New York, Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out
For the most part the actual content of the album ranges from decent to pretty great, but a big issue for me is how there’s such a lack of distinction between songs. There’s too much of a blended sound that results in mushiness instead of each song smoothly flowing into the next. The most captivating songs stand out by making their presence as individual tracks known with intensity. The loud and bending guitar is such a draw, but I don’t think it’s fully utilized. It’s a solid record when it manages to break away from the standard, but pretty forgettable when it doesn’t.
Faves: When You Love, How You Love
Honestly felt like this album was just okay and didn’t stray much from a standard level of competence, but I always love the friendly intimacy that you get from listening to The Band. It feels like you’re right there in the room with them listening to the songs being recorded.
Faves: Tears Of Rage, Caledonia Mission, Chest Fever
Just so unimaginably creative. A very inspired record. Brian Wilson really has a childlike wonder in his music. There’s an openness to every song, where you feel like there’s no limit in the way he expresses himself. Even the songs where the subject matter or writing may seem immature, the sincerity of the approach comes through clearly. You will always have something valuable to grasp on to. Revisiting his unfinished Beach Boys album and deciding for a redo makes this album so interesting from a structural point of view. So many changes here are just different, where I can go back to some of The Beach Boys’ recordings and get the same amount of enjoyment, if not more. However, the songs on this record work together perfectly. Sonically, there’s great progression with repeated elements that help to emphasize a certain sound, and thematically you get a great sense of the power of childhood and the changes throughout a life. Brian Wilson through all his struggles with his self and with finishing this album was able to create a record that was thrillingly cohesive. I will always thank him for sharing his art with the rest of the world.
Faves: Heroes and Villains, Song For Children, Child Is Father of the Man, Good Vibrations, Cabin Essence, Wind Chimes, Vega-Tables, Barnyard
Super moody. I was in pure awe of the strength of sound across every single song. That kind of impact can’t be understated. The thunderous distortion is something you can feel in your very bones. I got the same type of feeling I get when I see a local live hardcore show. When a sound weighs this much, it stays with you. And it’s not a sluggish feeling because of the diversity throughout the crested soundscape. It’s a testament to the strength of the composition that the guitar is this thick, this dark, without it ever feeling draining. With each incoming song I found myself waiting for the lull, but it never came. It just flowed together so naturally and never felt like there needed to be a break in any of the aggressiveness.
Faves: Catholic Block, Pipeline/Kill Time, Tuff Gnarl, Stereo Sanctity, Pacific Coast Highway, Schizophrenia, Master-Dik, Cotton Crown
It’s just so early compared to most of the music I listen to. You have to have some level of respect for it as a precursor, but it’s also a precursor. It’s a step before the things I like get implemented and developed further.
Faves: That’ll Be The Day, You’ve Got Love
Crazy how big and attention drawing this album is, while arguably not the best Velvet Underground album. To me, the noise elements are hard to mix with songs that are so sweetly soft like a Sunday Morning or a I’ll Be Your Mirror. Even so, they represent a type of purity in the exploration of the musical landscape by visionaries like John Cale and Lou Reed. Nico is used wonderfully across the album, adding a softer hardness to the album. Singers with unique voices magnified in a way that doesn’t feel like it creates a division between them and the music is a real joy. Not just a moment in time, this album remains the moment till this day.
Faves: Heroin, Sunday Morning, I’ll Be Your Mirror, There She Goes Again, Femme Fatale
Felt very simple, a little too stripped for me. I think Leonard Cohen has a fantastically powerful voice, but the surrounding instrumental doesn’t do much in terms of uplifting his voice. I’m forced to have an improve kind of “Yes, and?” reaction to this album. Currently, I do enjoy it and really view these vocals as a strong anchor, but there’s a degree of emptiness that surrounds them.
Faves: The Partisan, Story of Isaac
I need to stretch my ear to fully appreciate electronic music. It’s hard for me to feel the nuances within many electronic tracks. Wanted more, and I will have to relisten to see if I can get more.
Faves: Dance, Back To Life
Complete unity. Thought and execution. Past meeting present. Writing and rapping. There’s so many layers that are woven together in such a direct line. To get the full depth of the album you just need to dive in head first and understand how hand picked every choice is. One of my favorite things about the album is the use of jazz and how it connects to Kendrick’s identity as a Black American, which works hand in hand with him being a rapper. Part of this structure and the stylistic elements of the album informs so much in relation to what it is. That thematic strength from the instrument and beat selection alone just shows how much care was taken with this project. Kendrick’s creativity is unmatched, with his brain and heart being able to give infinitely through his music. It’s not overselling this album in the slightest when I say that it is life changing.
Faves: Alright, u, How Much A Dollar Cost, Wesley’s Theory, Mortal Man, Complexion (A Zulu Love), i, Momma, For Sale? - Interlude, Institutionalized, The Blacker The Berry, These Walls, You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said), For Free? - Interlude
Pretty electric. A very full sound, part of me wishes it was even harder, but it is plenty…already. Turn up the volume, turn up and enjoy. The power of the sound is a great strength, but you also get much depth from the rhythms. Plenty strong and melodic!
Faves: Regular John, You Can’t Quit Me Baby, Spiders and Vinegaroons, Mexicola, I Was a Teenage Hand Model, Hispanic Impressions, How to Handle a Rope (A Lesson in the Lariat), Avon
So texturally creative. It’s a joy to hear how all of the sounds come together and start expanding through the songs’ progression. Incredibly detailed with the direction of every curve and bend being very specifically chosen.
Faves: Facelift - Live, Moon In June, Out-Bloody-Rageous
A great moody atmosphere that drapes over the album like a dark cloak. Incredibly theatrical in its display, which works wonderfully as a point of emphasis. Dramatic and deeply serious, there’s a wonderful level of emotion that this project puts forth.
Faves: Stagger Lee, Henry Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow, Song of Joy
If only I found this during my introduction to shoegaze era. From the first track you can feel the impeccable sense of timing. It leads to deeply hypnotic melodies and songs that are endlessly replayable.
Faves: Supervixen, Only Happy When It Rains, Stupid Girl, Not My Idea, Vow, Queer, My Lover’s Box
