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Wed Jan 18 2023
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
Most of these tracks are classics. It's impossible to listen to them individually and not automatically hear what's coming next in your head because this albums is ingrained in our consciousness.
I'd put it in my top 3 Stones albums. The diversity of sound is great, leaning more into country/folk elements and heavy in blues lets Keith's riffing really shine.
Sympathy has been so prevalent in film and TV, but it is so fitting sometimes, both musically and lyrically. Who doesn't sing along to the Woo Woos at the end?
4
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Thu Jan 19 2023
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Close to the end of Ye's genius. After this and Yeezus, he really started slipping for me.
But this record is intense. It's challenging, ok a good way.
4
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul's lyricism sets him apart, and with the addition of his musical exploration with Caribbean and Latin rhythms, this first solo record remains one of the greatest departures from a successful duo/group.
Few have successful solo careers after having intense success with a group, but Paul Simon has shown time and again he belongs amongst the greatest American songwriters of all time.
5
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Mon Jan 23 2023
In It For The Money
Supergrass
Unless you did more than catch radio hits from the 90s Brit rock acts (Blur, Oasis, etc), you may have missed Supergrass.
Even this being right in my wheelhouse, I don't know this band very well and haven't listened to them in ages. Looking forward to a focused, first-time-in-twenty-five-years play through of this album....
And there ya go. Pretty good record, can see why it didn't cross the ocean, though.
3
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Tue Jan 24 2023
Clandestino
Manu Chao
Interesting multi language album. Never heard of this one.
After listening, I definitely want to dig in a little to see why this made the top 1001 list. It's seems like it has a pretty big impact in Europe, even though it didn't make as big an impact in the US (at least English speaking).
2
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Wed Jan 25 2023
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
This is the pinnacle. Love this record.
5
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Thu Jan 26 2023
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Oh man one of my absolute favorites! These dudes are insane. Ridiculous live show.
Blasting this in my '92 Corsica, windows down, nothing to worry about in the world.
No other hard electronic band had the mainstream power like the Prodigy in those days. Their songs were rightly featured in some great films, and are still used to illustrate the frenetic action energy of a story.
5
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Fri Jan 27 2023
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
3
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Mon Jan 30 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
4
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Tue Jan 31 2023
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
4
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Wed Feb 01 2023
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
This is a pretty good punk record, but they've never been in my punk rotation.
2
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Thu Feb 02 2023
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
I go back to this album over and over. The incredibly lush instrumentation, the storylines of the songs, just a great album from a unique band that's just on the fringe.
4
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Fri Feb 03 2023
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
This was a surprisingly great album! I have not heard of these guys, and though I don't spend my time fully engulfed in the punk world, I have a pretty good grasp on the variety of name brand punk bands.
So I came into this one clean slate, and really enjoyed it. It's got that Cali punk sound, like Dead Kennedys and a little like Snot, and overall a great mix of guitars and perfect vocals for the style.
Crazy they only had one major label album before splitting up.
Almost pulled a 4 star rating, but it's challenging when compared to so many other great albums, even when limiting to the punk genre. I'd toss em a 3.8 if I could.
3
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Mon Feb 06 2023
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
I can't convey how much I enjoy a debate album that right up front introduces themselves and what you're getting into. I can't imagine what it was like to hear this when first released. Seems surprising to hear the way Chicago pulled these sounds together and made something that was definitively them.
4
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Tue Feb 07 2023
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Corgan and crew delivered an astonishing output during the sessions for this album. Incredible songs, amazing arrangements, the way this went beyond alternative to breakthrough to the mainstream.
Listen to the deluxe version with all the extra stuff. So good.
4
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Wed Feb 08 2023
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
This was a breakthrough when it happened of course. I'm not sure it holds up as well, since a lot of the hype was label driven. (Don't be mad at me.)
It's a really good album, no doubt. But is it a timeless masterpiece? Not sure.
Lonestar and Turn Me On are highlights for me.
2
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Thu Feb 09 2023
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
This is a great find. Enjoyed the heck outta this album, and look forward to more from them.
3
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Fri Feb 10 2023
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
Not sure why they put a live album on the list vs any other Motorhead album, but I'll take it!
3
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Mon Feb 13 2023
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Great album start to finish.
3
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Tue Feb 14 2023
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
Great players. These guys live have to be a good show.
3
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Wed Feb 15 2023
Microshift
Hookworms
I like this. Reminds me of LCD Soundsystem.
Never heard of them, but it's good stuff.
3
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Thu Feb 16 2023
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
This is okay for me. Not revolutionary or anything, so not sure it has a place in the 1001 list.
Some enjoyable songs, but Faces outshines Small Faces for me.
2
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Fri Feb 17 2023
Repeater
Fugazi
More fugazi on this list please.
4
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Mon Feb 20 2023
Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
Public Enemy
You could've grabbed any of the first few PE records for this list.
Bring Tha Noize with Anthrax tho, a solid track that was also featured on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game, cementing the legacy of Public Enemy in skate culture, video game culture, and music history.
3
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Tue Feb 21 2023
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
A certified classic. I like the Folsom recording better, but this one with A Boy Named Sue on it is fantastic.
4
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Wed Feb 22 2023
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Big fan of Bruce, but I think this is one of my least fave of his "major" albums. The audio mix (esp on Born in the USA) is not great. The radio singles aren't exactly in my top either.
All that said, it's still Bruce. So you have to give credit where it's due to an American songwriting icon.
3
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Thu Feb 23 2023
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
A much better Bruce album
4
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Fri Feb 24 2023
The Stranger
Billy Joel
My absolute favorite Joel collection. Every track is a killer.
5
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Mon Feb 27 2023
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Great storytelling to work with the film, and this is the epitome of street style from the era.
3
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Tue Feb 28 2023
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
I'm more of a prodigy fan today than ever
4
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Wed Mar 01 2023
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
An obviously brilliant record. Very challenging, but so enjoyable.
4
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Thu Mar 02 2023
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
What a heavy album.... She conveys a life experience that is raw and rough. Incredible.
4
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Fri Mar 03 2023
Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
I get the relationship of this band and its era, but it wasn't great enough to be included in this list.
1
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Mon Mar 06 2023
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Perfect. No artist has or will have a final album like this. From The track list, to the production, to the cultural environment, it was a perfect storm.
This note from the wiki sums it up:
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor admitted that he was initially "flattered" but worried that "the idea of Cash covering 'Hurt' sounded a bit gimmicky," but when he heard the song and saw the video for the first time, Reznor said he was deeply moved and found Cash's cover beautiful and meaningful, going as far as to say "that song isn't mine anymore."
5
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Tue Mar 07 2023
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
A certified classic. Some of the best of Sinatra, and the best tracks of the entire era were on this record.
5
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Make Yourself
Incubus
This was peak 90s alternative. You had the spacy guitar distortion, the scratching turntables, the acoustic "power ballad", lyrics that were disenfranchised and (let's be honest) a bit whiny.
All-in-all, I love this record for the time that I first heard it because I was all of those things.
Now, it still has some nostalgia but I'm not sure if it came out today I'd be that into it.
3
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Thu Mar 09 2023
On The Beach
Neil Young
4
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Fri Mar 10 2023
Hms Fable
Shack
Lots of 90s rock sound here, mixed with the Liverpool/Beatles influence. Nice record.
3
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Mon Mar 13 2023
Live!
Fela Kuti
I did not expect to want a Fela Kuti album on the day it showed up, but I was wrong. This live set with Ginger Baker is stellar.
4
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Tue Mar 14 2023
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
5
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Wed Mar 15 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Another classic. Jim's ramblings were an oddly perfect compliment to the brilliant musicianship of Manzarek and Krieger.
4
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Thu Mar 16 2023
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
I like this album. It's another that I don't understand the criteria for it's inclusion in the 1001 list, though.
I'd rank it 3-4 stars on its own, but in the context of it being a "must listen" record, I'm not sure it meets those aspirations.
2
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Fri Mar 17 2023
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
Big fan of this duo. Though this isn't my number one fave album of theirs, it belongs on the list because it's such an amazing debut.
5
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Tue Mar 21 2023
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
I love this album. Perfect timing when it was released to get on the raw rock wave of the early 00s
5
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Wed Mar 22 2023
More Specials
The Specials
Amazing talents. Such incredible grooves, I will listen to this album on repeat
4
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Thu Mar 23 2023
C'est Chic
CHIC
Look, it's great. Nile's guitar work, I mean, come on.
But is it for me? I don't think so.
3
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Fri Mar 24 2023
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Another really heavy album. Cohen's anguished vocals are perfect for the tone of these songs.
4
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Mon Mar 27 2023
Fragile
Yes
Another prog masterpiece
4
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
You forget how good some of her songs are, since Fast Car is so overplayed.
3
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Wed Mar 29 2023
We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
I don't know what else there is to say about Zappa...
5
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Thu Mar 30 2023
Dance Mania
Tito Puente
Great performances.
4
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Fri Mar 31 2023
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
Excellent debut.
4
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Mon Apr 03 2023
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
This is a good intro to the indie scene from the early 00s
3
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Tue Apr 04 2023
The Band
The Band
Undeniable masterpiece
5
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Wed Apr 05 2023
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Wow, what a voice. Passionate and beautiful songs. Can't skip on Glyn Johns and the work he's done over the years, either.
5
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Thu Apr 06 2023
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
This was such a massive cultural record for it's time. New sounds, but moreso the suggestive themes that caused (mainly male) Brits to be quite uncomfortable. And for that alone, it gets too marks. Hahah
Besides that, these are some really good tunes, earworms, chill vibes. Love it.
4
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Fri Apr 07 2023
The Doors
The Doors
5
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Mon Apr 10 2023
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5
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Tue Apr 11 2023
Liquid Swords
GZA
I really enjoy how much GZA leans into the classic Kung Fu movie themes.
3
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Wed Apr 12 2023
Yeezus
Kanye West
I think it's my favorite Kanye album. The dude is a nut job, but I like it.
4
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Thu Apr 13 2023
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4
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Fri Apr 14 2023
New Forms
Roni Size
3
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Mon Apr 17 2023
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
4
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Tue Apr 18 2023
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
3
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
3
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Thu Apr 20 2023
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
3
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Fri Apr 21 2023
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
5
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Mon Apr 24 2023
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
A stone cold classic. Encapsulated the laurel canyon vibe.
5
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Tue Apr 25 2023
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Fun record, good to put on for a certain vibe.
3
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Wed Apr 26 2023
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
The best. Such a perfect album.
5
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Thu Apr 27 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
1
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Fri Apr 28 2023
Tical
Method Man
The way any of the WuTang era melds lofi beats and Kung Fu spirit with hard lyrics, it's such a microcosm of hip hip that can never be replicated.
5
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Mon May 01 2023
S&M
Metallica
4
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Tue May 02 2023
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
Great punk record. Cool double album concept, smashing blend of styles, good mix of lyrical content.
4
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Wed May 03 2023
Me Against The World
2Pac
One of the best poet rappers to do it.
5
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Thu May 04 2023
Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab
It's fine. Pretty cool.
2
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Fri May 05 2023
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
It's pretty fine
3
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Mon May 08 2023
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
An obvious five star choice for this list.
5
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Tue May 09 2023
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
I only knew the Cardigans from the Love song, and I wouldn't say I enjoyed it.
But this is overall a really good record. I liked a lot of it. May have to check out more.
3
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Wed May 10 2023
School's Out
Alice Cooper
3
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Thu May 11 2023
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
A once in ever kind of talent
5
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Fri May 12 2023
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
Could be the mood I was in but I didn't get this one at all b
1
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Mon May 15 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
4
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Tue May 16 2023
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
4
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Wed May 17 2023
Elastica
Elastica
2
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Thu May 18 2023
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
He's cool, inspired but also real. Influential but way outside of the mainstream.
3
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Fri May 19 2023
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
Fun, but a lot of filler. I liked the concept of Andre and Big Boi doing their own style.
3
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Mon May 22 2023
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
4
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Tue May 23 2023
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
5
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Wed May 24 2023
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
So musically, this is epic. I love the sounds, the orchestrations, everything.
Lyrically, however, and the "story"? What the heck is happening here?
3
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Thu May 25 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
5
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Fri May 26 2023
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
I like these guys. I've of those "bands that the other big name bands listened to" kinda things. Kinda can't have Pearl Jam and Soundgarden without Mudhoney.
3
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Mon May 29 2023
Raw Power
The Stooges
4
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Tue May 30 2023
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
This is one of those great ones that, upon release, the critics at the time felt was mostly blah. I don't understand it, this is such a great album, and an incredible debut.
It makes me wonder the mindset of the critics of the era; were they too into Dylan or Simon/Garfunkel and other folk acts? Were they coming off the Beatles high and didn't know what they were listening to? Did they just write it off as a university kid making a record?
5
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Wed May 31 2023
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
Nice chill album.
3
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Thu Jun 01 2023
Sincere
Mj Cole
2
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Fri Jun 02 2023
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
Phenomenal.
5
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Mon Jun 05 2023
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Every indie female fronted band (and most indie bands, for that matter) from the 2000s to now owe a lot to Siouxsie.
But, I'm not a massive fan, so I see the value of them on the list, but for me, it's still only a 2 star.
2
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Tue Jun 06 2023
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Oh man this record is so good
5