Not my usual brand of indie rock, but still a pretty good album. An interesting look into clubbing & pub hopping in North England from Alex Turner's perspective. Not subject matter I can really relate too, but a good listen and a good laugh at times nonetheless.
My first full listen to what's considered as an all-time classic album, and I can see why. Phife & Q-Tip have great chemistry and the beats are on point!
favs: Check the Rhime, Jazz (We've Got), Verses from the Abstract, Scenario
least fav: What?
There's still a number of non-English musical genres I'm still unaccustomed to, including African music & the work of Miriam Makeba, so this was a really insightful listen and Miriam herself is a great singer, even if the music itself didn't really hold my interest outside of a few songs. 3/5
fav: The Click Song
worst: One More Dance
Musically, punk (specifically short, hardcore punk like this album) is a genre that's never really caught my interest. That said, there were a number of songs on here I did like, mostly ones that deviated from that formula or ones where I could understand the lyrics.
favs: Strange, Lowdown, Fragile
least fav: Field Day for the Sundays
It's the album I often see cited as Bob Marley's definitive studio album and for good reason, as it showcases his militant/political and mellow/romantic sides in equal measure. It's not my favourite Marley album though, "Kaya" probably takes that (of all albums, amirite?).
favs: The Heathen, Jamming, Waiting in Vain, Three Little Birds
least fav: Guiltiness (if I had to pick one)
favs: Things Behind the Sun, Parasite, Know
least fav: Which Will (ig?)
...I honestly don't have anything else to say otherwise.
favs: Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon, Fight Test
worst: In the Morning of the Magicians
favs: BabopbyeYa, Locked Inside, Come Alive
least fav: Make the Bus (ft. Of Montreal)
One of Elton's best-selling & most beloved albums... and one that's a bit too long for me to call one of my favourites of his. Still a really good album overall though.
favs: Bennie & the Jets, Candle in the Wind, I've Seen That Movie Too, All the Girls Love Alice
least fav: Jamaica Jerk-Off
favs: Sullen Girl, Pale September, Shadowboxer, Criminal
least fav: Never Is a Promise
favs: Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller (the obvious 3 lol)
least fav: The Girl Is Mine
The first 6 songs are great. It drags a bit after that…
A good album, and I like the concepts behind each side, but there's quite a bit of fat that should've been trimmed from this album (namely the cerebral side and the half-baked story, overture & last two songs of the "operetta side"). It would've made for an even better album, though a more accessible listen too, which Todd wouldn't have gone for.
favs: Hello It's Me, Black Maria, I Saw the Light, Couldn't I Just Tell You, Dust in the Wind, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
least favs: I Went to the Mirror, Breathless
favs: "Living for the City", "Jesus Children of America", "Higher Ground", "Visions"
least fav: "Golden Lady" ig
My first listen to a full Cure album aside from Disintegration. For the most part, it was pretty good.
favs: In Your House, A Forest, Seventeen Seconds
worst: Three
the Queen at full power here
favs: Ain't No Way, A Natural Woman, People Get Ready, Sweet Sweet Baby, Groovin
least fav: ...ig Come Back Baby if I had to choose...
favs: "Dancewitme", "Sumthin' Sumthin'", "Whenever Wherever Whatever"
least fav: "Reunion"
I'm not a big fan of the more theatrical side of Alice Cooper's persona which does bring this album down a bit for me. I still enjoyed it for the most part though.
favs: No More Mr. Nice Guy, Billion Dollar Babies, I Love the Dead
least favs: Mary Ann, Sick Things
fav: World Up My Ass
least favs: Wasted, I Just Want Some Skank!
My first time hearing Garbage outside of "Stupid Girl" a few times. A pretty decent listen overall.
favs: Biscuit, Glory Box, Sour Times, Sour Sour Times (a bonus track on the Canadian CD so it counts!)
least fav: Wandering Star
Rust Never Sleeps was my introduction to Neil Young after my dad decided to pick up the record one day when we were out browsing. His voice took some getting used to, but yeah, I really dig this album now!
favs: “My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)”, “Thrasher”, “Welfare Mothers”, “Ride My Llama”
least fav: “Sedan Delivery”
Hov's most acclaimed album, and for good reason (though Reasonable Doubt, The Black Album & American Gangster give it some tough competition)
favs: "Renegade", "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)", "Blueprint (Mama Loves Me)", "Song Cry", "Takeover", "All I Need"
least fav: "Jigga"
Of the little bits of ELP I've heard before, I'd definitely take their more simple acoustic guitar songs like "From the Beginning" over their usual keyboard-driven sound, though I don't think this is a bad record. It's an interesting listen at least, but I totally get why others (especially those who don't like prog rock in general) wouldn't dig this.
favs: "The Sage", "The Old Castle"
least fav: "The Hut of Baba Yaga (Pt. 1)"
I don't think it was smart to start the album off with its most recognizable (and best) song, and it was an even bigger mistake was to follow it up with the album's absolute worst song. I still liked this album for the most part tho. 4/5
favs: Good Times, My Feet Keep Dancing, What About Me
least fav: A Warm Summer Night
A great album from one of my favourite vocalists!
favs: You Bring Me Joy, Watch Your Step, Same Ole Love, Sweet Love, Caught Up In The Rapture
least fav: No One In The World
"Karma Chameleon" was a staple of my childhood thanks to my father, so I have a lot of nostalgia for that. The album as a whole is pretty good as well.
favs: It's A Miracle, Karma Chameleon, Church of the Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind
least fav: Victims
Like the Chic album that came after this, it's a good disco record where the singles make up the best songs.
favs: Le Freak, I Want Your Love, Funny Man
worst: At Last I Am Free
My personal least favourite of Hendrix's 3 main albums, though that's mostly because of the length. Still a really good album and a 60s psychedelic rock essential!
favs: Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Voodoo Chile, Gypsy Eyes, House Burning Down
least fav: Burning of the Midnight Lamp
The first 5 tracks a really good to great. It drags a bit from there outside of "Express Yourself", my favourite song of theirs.
favs: Express Yourself, Gangsta Gangsta, Fuck tha Police, Straight Outta Compton
worst: I Ain't tha 1
a good album, and I like the novelty of having each side dedicated to either swing or ballads, but I personally prefer soul music pioneer Ray Charles to pop crooner Ray Charles
favs: It Had to Be You, Just for a Thrill, Alexander's Ragtime Band
least fav: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'
One of the grittiest sounding albums I've ever heard from an established mainstream act, and while that's why it's taken a bit for me to come around to this album (and I don't think I'm still fully there yet), that's what I love most about it too!
favs: Family Affair, Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa, Time
least fav: There's a Riot Goin' On
favs: Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts), Can I Kick It?, Go Ahead in the Rain, Bonita Applebum
least fav: Youthful Expressions
the combination of classic soul influences, hip-hop beats & D's silky, buttery voice is just too immaculate for words. My favourite D'Angelo album & quite possibly my favourite album of the entire 1990s decade!
The Queen of Soul’s masterpiece and a near-perfect album!
favs: Respect, Soul Serenade, Do Right Woman-Do Right Man, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Good Times
least fav: Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream (the only song I’d rate a 4/5 rather than 5)
favourites: Guinnevere, Wooden Ships, Long Time Gone, Pre-Road Downs
least fav: Lady Of The Island
I'll admit, overexposure & my growing cynicism (& possibly a lack of snow this year) have dimmed my enjoyment of the Christmas canon quite a bit, but this is still a damn good Christmas album.
favs: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Here Comes Santa Claus, Winter Wonderland
worst: Silent Night
sidenote: may Ronnie Spector forever Rest in Peace & may Phil Spector forever Rot in Pieces.
A hip-hop classic that I don’t revisit as often as I should… I don’t see the point of all the skits, though that could be said for a lot of 90s rap albums. I’ll easily take pointless skits over sex skits tho.
favs: Killing Me Softly, Ready Or Not, The Score, Manifest, Fu-Gee-La, Zealots
least fav: not counting the Intro, the Outro or all the skits… The Beast ig?
favs: Style, Wildest Dreams, Clean, You Are In Love (deluxe edition)
worst: Bad Blood
The Slim Shady LP & The Marshall Mathers LP were the first two rap albums I've ever owned or listened to. And while I don't listen to Em nearly as often as I used to, I still love this album. The Eminem Show is better though.
favs: Brain Damage, Rock Bottom, If I Had
least fav: Bad Meets Evil (not counting the skits, then "Soap" would be the worst)
a masterclass in operatic rock melodrama!
This album's concept is half-baked at best, but the industrial new jack swing sound goes so hard that I don't even care.
favs: Rhythm Nation, Black Cat, State of the World, Miss You Much, Come Back to Me, The Knowledge
least fav: Lonely
Prince’s magnum opus and one of my favourite soundtracks.
favs: Purple Rain, The Beautiful Ones, Let’s Go Crazy, Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 U
least fav if I had to pick one: Computer Blue
CCR’s discography featuring their full lineup is untouchable, so it says a lot that this is considered their best album. Cosmo’s Factory, Green River & Willy and the Poor Boys are neck-and-neck-and-neck for that position imo, all are just great albums!
Christina’s voice fits into old-school soul & jazz very well. Both discs are great but my personal tastes have me gravitating towards the old-school hip-hop/soul fusion songs on the first disc.
favs: Ain’t No Other Man, Slow Down Baby, Back in the Day, Makes Me Wanna Pray, F.U.S.S., Candyman, Save Me From Myself, Hurt
least fav: Welcome
A very good power pop record and I totally hear why it’s as revered and influential as it is. For the most part, I prefer the harder rock songs like “Feel”, “Don’t Lie to Me” & “When My Baby’s Beside Me”, tho I would rank “Thirteen” & “St 100/6”, which are softer tracks, among my favourites on this album as well.
One of the first hip-hop albums I heard as a teenager (around the late 00s/early 10s) and I still love the gritty lo-fi atmosphere this album gives off. C.R.E.A.M. & Can It Be All So Simple are damn near perfect, Chessboxin’ & Protect Ya Neck are hits, I personally prefer 7th Chamber Pt. II to Pt. I and while the Wu truly are nuthing ta f’ wit, that’s easily my least favourite song here. Great album overall!
Listening to this album made me realize I’m not a fan of Anthony Kiedis’ rapping. I’ve always been a bigger fan of their pop hits & that’s no different here. Scar Tissue, Otherside & Californication are all great, there’s a couple others I like too but the rest of it isn’t really for me. There's not much here I'd consider outright bad though, just... average overall.
a really good album with a good blend of originals and covers, showing the Fab Four & their influences as they were in the early years, but I don’t know if I’d call it an essential Beatles record. Even among their early work, I personally prefer Please Please Me & A Hard Day’s Night.
favs: It Won’t Be Long, You Really Got a Hold On Me, Don’t Bother Me, Roll Over Beethoven
least favs: Little Girl, Hold Me Tight
