965
Albums Rated
3.34
Average Rating
89%
Complete
124 albums remaining
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Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
60
5-Star Albums
13
1-Star Albums
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Ratings by genre
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alien Lanes | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| 69 Love Songs | 5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
| Psychocandy | 5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
| Car Wheels On A Gravel Road | 5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
| Teenager Of The Year | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Trans Europe Express | 5 | 3.15 | +1.85 |
| Loveless | 5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
| If You're Feeling Sinister | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
| The Blueprint | 5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
| John Prine | 5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deloused in the Comatorium | 1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| Ritual De Lo Habitual | 1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
| Make Yourself | 1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
| Central Reservation | 1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
| Fly Or Die | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| Tago Mago | 1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
| L.A. Woman | 2 | 3.67 | -1.67 |
| Ill Communication | 2 | 3.65 | -1.65 |
| Here's Little Richard | 2 | 3.57 | -1.57 |
| Licensed To Ill | 2 | 3.56 | -1.56 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 4.8 |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 4.4 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| The Pogues | 2 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 7 | 4 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.33 |
| Beatles | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jane's Addiction | 2 | 1.5 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Cure | 2, 3, 5 |
5-Star Albums (60)
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Popular Reviews
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Excellent album. Probably more of a 4.5 for me but I’ll round up in honor of all the Bruce heads in this group.
2 likes
Lucinda Williams
5/5
This kind of blew me away. The production was phenomenal - really transported me to a sunny, dry afternoon in the country. Top notch songwriting. Can’t think of any reason to go below a 5.
1 likes
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
The magnum opus of one of my favorite songwriters. I appreciate this album more each time I listen to it.
I know the length is controversial, but if you go song by song, almost all of good, and many are outstanding. The diversity of the songs helps with listenability while maintaining a cohesive sound. There are too many favorites to list here, but on this listen I was really into Asleep and Dreaming and You’re My Only Home.
I would recommend everyone listen to this album at least twice (doesn’t have to be in one sitting!) Top 15 record for me, maybe top 10.
1 likes
Silver Jews
4/5
I’m a big silver jews fan, but I have to admit I was surprised (though not upset) to see this on the list. I think I’d only listened to it once before. It’s probably their 3rd or 4th best album, so does that mean the others will be here as well?
This is no American Water, but it’s a great album. Berman was one of the greatest lyricists of all time and his low voice complements the sleepy country vibe perfectly. This album gets better as it goes. I Remember Me, Tennessee, Friday Night Fever, and Death of an Heir of Sorrows are fantastic.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (13)
All Ratings
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Fugees
5/5
Can’t believe I’ve never heard this before. This is the best of old school rap - mcs just trading high quality bars. Rivals anything tribe has put out
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Despite the excellent venue name, this is not my thing at all. Great voice but the music doesn’t make me feel anything. I enjoyed the ad lobbing at the end.
Massive Attack
3/5
No reason for this to be on the list when Blue Lines is also on it. I guess it’s fine.
Pixies
5/5
An absolute classic. Debased is one of my favorite album openers of all time. The sheer energy sets the tone for the rest of the album. The iconic bass line in Here Comes Your Man also deserves mention.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
An excellent album but has a few too many bland songs for a 5. The singles are phenomenal. Bridge over troubled water is one of the most beautiful songs of all time (although I kind of prefer Cash’s cover). I do think it should have been the last song instead of the first because the rest of the album can’t live up to it.
The The
4/5
My life got easier when I admitted that I straight up like new wave. This was fun. This is the Day was my fave.
Talking Heads
4/5
This is a 3.5 for me. I’ll round up because of their influence and a lot of it is quite good, but I’ve never been able to get into talking heads. Byrne’s voice kind of drives me crazy
Taylor Swift
3/5
The more I hear pop albums the more I’m reminded of the quote from the meeseeks in Rick and morty - “We’re not supposed to live this long! It feels weird!” I think it’s inherently difficult to write an exceptional pop album. The genre is more suited to the EP. The singles on this were great but I thought it was about to end like 4 times.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Was not in the mood for this. You could’ve told me it was Grateful Dead and I would’ve believed it. Not sure why it needs to be in the list.
R.E.M.
4/5
I think I preferred Green to this, but there’s still a lot to like here. Excellent lyrics and the melodies are engaging.
The Band
4/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Waiting room music
Ride
3/5
One of those groups I’d heard of but never listened to. I was liking this but it it is too long and a little repetitive. Still, clearly an influential band. I can especially see the line from them to a group like the feelies.
James Brown
4/5
I wouldn’t be interested in listening to this as a studio album, but it’s so fun to hear the crowd going crazy in this. Hard not to enjoy it.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2/5
Oh man. I get why this is on the list and understand rap was still in its infancy, but frankly this was preposterous.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Dirty Projectors
4/5
Never listened to this album full through. Very much a time capsule of that late aughts early 2010s vibe. Two doves was my favorite.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Kind of got distracted listening but it’s not bad. A high 3.
Marty Robbins
4/5
The Master’s Call is a bop
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Not as bad as the I thought it would be based on the name but still not at all for me. Just scrapes by with a 3.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Very boring. Some ok parts but definitely a slog
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Obviously a great set of pipes on Sinatra but the pace of this was all off and just didn’t keep my interest.
Jane's Addiction
1/5
What a dumb album. None of these songs needed to be 6 minutes and I would argue this album does not need to exist.
Beastie Boys
2/5
I’ve never understood the acclaim the beastie boys get. I’ve listened to 3 of their albums and each one is as obnoxious as the last.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Man, this guy is French af. Amsterdam had me hype, the rest was fine.
Dr. Dre
4/5
Impeccable production. The misogynistic and homophobic lyrics are unfortunate but also not uncommon for rap at this time. Snoop’s energy and authority are a highlight.
The Stooges
3/5
Could’ve done without LA Blues but fine otherwise
Prince
4/5
Good not great. I enjoyed the first half better. The second half sort of felt like kraftwerk on an aphrodisiac and was a bit much for me.
Eagles
3/5
I’m not a big fan of the song Hotel California so this didn’t have much for me. Nothing was awful and Wasted Time was pretty good but most of it just felt plastic.
The Birthday Party
2/5
Hm. This was rough. Some ok sounding stuff but this is well beyond post punk if you ask me.
Arrested Development
4/5
Never heard of this group. Fun album. Mr. Wendal, U, and Natural we’re faves.
Björk
3/5
Björk really just does whatever she wants. This didn’t particularly do it for me but I thought There is More to Life Than This was a fascinating song.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Free bird!
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
While I don’t think this quite deserves all of the acclaim it gets, it’s a nice pop country album.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Orbital
3/5
The Go-Go's
4/5
The Black Keys
4/5
Man, everybody in high school was always telling everybody to listen to the black keys. I liked this, but I do feel like it leans heavily on that specific, somewhat distorted sound. Many songs are similar. These Days was my favorite, although I was kind of hoping it would be a cover of the Jackson Browne song.
Queen
2/5
I’ll admit I’ve never given Queen a real try, but I’ve never heard a song of theirs and thought, “I want more of this.” So, an album was too much. No desire to hear this again.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Not quite a 4 for me but almost. I liked having it on in the background
Nick Drake
4/5
This gets a 4 for the beautiful and talented guitar playing. It’s not something I’m ever dying to hear but certainly not bad. I’m sure I would like it more if I could understand him half the time.
Steely Dan
3/5
Steely Dan doesn’t really do it for me. It just makes me think I’m back in the car as a kid listening to my dad’s music. Not bad, not something I’ll seek out.
ABBA
3/5
My first real exposure to ABBA. First song was the best and the rest was fine. Just short of a 4 for me.
XTC
4/5
Even though this album loses its way toward the end, I’m gonna give it a 4 because I loved how strange it was. First few songs were great and Dear God was a strong closer. Man, this was a doozy.
Bad Brains
2/5
Pretty weak. Felt like soft hardcore.
The Beach Boys
5/5
I think I’ve gotta go 5 here. Never listened to this before but I loved it. So much more heft than I’m used to with The Beach Boys. A Fay in the Life of a Tree was my favorite but everything was good.
Johnny Cash
5/5
“I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die” - is there a cooler line than this? Is there anything more hardcore than recording a live album in a prison? Answer to both is no. This album rocks.
The Cardigans
3/5
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
A hugely important album whose influence can’t be overstated. Shoe gaze isn’t for everyone but I do think this record is accessible. While this isn’t something I’ll always seek out I’ve gotta go 5. When You Sleep and Sometimes are phenomenal, but the real strength is it’s cohesiveness and style.
Roxy Music
4/5
An interesting album with a lot to like, some stuff to dislike. Ultimately an enjoyable listen. In Every Dream Home a Heartache was fantastic
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Loved reading about the backstory of this album, super cool. Of course I wish I could understand the lyrics but this was solid.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Can’t beat this for country. I know a lot of these (most? All?) are covered standards, but this is a tremendous album.
The Mars Volta
1/5
I try to be open with music but I struggle to understand why, or frankly even how, someone creates something like this. It felt like a bad trip. I’m sure these guys had some grandiose vision and it all makes sense to them but I detested this album and never want to hear it, or its stupid song titles, again.
Ice T
4/5
I’m torn between a 3 and a 4 here because this drags way too long but it’s got a lot to say and says it well. Mind Over Matter is some of the best rapping I’ve heard in any early 90s hip hop. Once it got to the hard rock it lost me. I’ll round up to 4 for his work on SVU.
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
The magnum opus of one of my favorite songwriters. I appreciate this album more each time I listen to it.
I know the length is controversial, but if you go song by song, almost all of good, and many are outstanding. The diversity of the songs helps with listenability while maintaining a cohesive sound. There are too many favorites to list here, but on this listen I was really into Asleep and Dreaming and You’re My Only Home.
I would recommend everyone listen to this album at least twice (doesn’t have to be in one sitting!) Top 15 record for me, maybe top 10.
The Dictators
3/5
This was pretty good, but I think it was mostly due to the covers. A high 3.
George Michael
3/5
Faith is of course a classic, but the rest was too sensual for me. It’s a good sound and I can see why it would be popular but not for me.
Charles Mingus
4/5
This stressed me out, but it had more of an impact on me than jazz usually does so I’ve gotta give it credit.
The Roots
4/5
Another old skool rap album that loses its way in the back half. Some excellent rapping here though.
Steely Dan
3/5
Randy Newman
3/5
God’s song was the only real highlight here for me. Dayton 1903 annoyed me.
Elvis Presley
4/5
This was some solid Elvis. That fever cover did it for me.
SAULT
3/5
I liked a decent chunk of this but disliked a bunch as well. It’s pretty cool sounding but I was ready for it to be over.
David Bowie
4/5
Buck Owens
3/5
It’s wild to think of what passed muster lyrics wise back in the day. I certainly didn’t mind listening to this but it’s just so dated it’s hard to take seriously. Just shy of a 4.
Beatles
3/5
A high 3. I think a lot of this sounded pretty generic but it wasn’t bad. Some good hooks. Nice little song about killing a woman for not liking you to close it out.
Björk
3/5
Björk lives in that low to mid 3 territory for me. Most of this indistinguishable from her other stuff. I did think Unison was excellent.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
I don’t think I knew this band wrote Two Weeks. This album does have that 2010s indie sound - fleet foxes, dirty projectors, arcade fire - but it does have some of its own personality. My favorite was While You Wait For The Others. A light 4.
Talvin Singh
3/5
While I didn’t have the best time listening to this album, I think as background music it would be fine so it lands on the 3 spot
Stephen Stills
4/5
Quite long but I won’t hold that against it. My biggest complaint is that the style of this album was all over the place, but the songs were actually quite solid.
Slipknot
2/5
I have to admit, this way better and more palatable than I expected. I didn’t think there would be an alt rock vibe to it. It still has many problems that most metal poses to me - mainly anxiety and overwrought, weird kid at school lyrics. A high 2.
Madonna
4/5
Title track is a certified banger but I feel like the rest just can’t live up to it. Still, some solid pop.
Muddy Waters
4/5
This was cool. Pretty wild to imagine seeing muddy waters play hoochie coochie
Joni Mitchell
4/5
As pleasant as an album can be. Not something I’d reach for again, especially not being on Spotify, but glad I heard it. High 4.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Stevie Wonder is another one of those artists that just makes me think of being bored listening to my dad’s music in the car as a kid. His voice is too smooth for me. Still, this is a great album. Obviously Supedstition is a classic but my fave is Blame It On The Sun.
Beyoncé
3/5
I remember when this came out and the world lost its collective mind. Gotta give this album credit for its impact, but nobody can deserve as much hype as Beyoncé receives. There’s a decent amount of filler here in between the hits. Maybe I’d feel different if I watched the videos along with it. I don’t know, just didn’t do it for me. My faves were the ones everyone knows.
King Crimson
3/5
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
Otis Redding
4/5
Love this voice. A nice, quick listen.
3/5
Not sure why there’s so much PJ Harvey here. I thought this was fine.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
This was a game changer for me when I first heard it (probably ‘08 or ‘09). A soft spoken album with a lot to say. me and the Major and Get Me Away are the classics but there are no bad tracks here. An ungenerous take could dismiss this as meek twee, but the execution is nearly flawless and it’s hugely influential.
DJ Shadow
3/5
Seems pretty important. Lot of good beats. I’d do a 3.5 but just can’t give it a 4.
SZA
4/5
Nice easy listening. This wasn’t a revelation for me or anything but very good.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This was fun to listen too, if a bit saccharine and Budweiser-y. Kind of lost its way in the middle but picked up at the end. You’re Missing was my fave
The Sugarcubes
2/5
These writers are thirsty for Björk. Not for me.
The Police
4/5
The second half won me over
Gang Of Four
4/5
Never listened to this whole album before. The hits are great and the rest is solid. Maybe a little repetitive - they really leaned on that opening strummy rift - but a quality album.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Metallica
3/5
Not a big heavy metal guy so this was exhausting for me. But, production is great for a live album, I like the idea of a symphony with heavy metal, and appreciated the energy.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Femi Kuti
3/5
Very fun, a little long
Goldie
1/5
Long, boring, and repetitive with no standouts. I usually give this kind of music some leeway but this was just rude.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I like the style but the execution is a little flat and disappointing. Songs by themselves are fine.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Buffalo stance is very very good but the rest of this was kind of ridiculous
Tears For Fears
3/5
The hits hit and the rest is fine. A high 3
Michael Jackson
4/5
While I do think that Thriller, Beat it, and Billie Jean is one of the best trio of consecutive pop songs in history, to me the rest of the album just isn’t consistent enough to get to a 5. Still very very good. Sorry!
Anita Baker
3/5
Only able to listen to some of the songs on this due to Spotify licensing but I got the gist. Pretty good but nothing stood out.
The Soft Boys
3/5
I liked this but just shy of a 4. Opening track is by far the best but I also liked Insanely Jealous of You. Some interesting punk-ish elements.
Nas
5/5
About as good as 90s NY hip hop gets. Savage and consistent.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Wow this was so much better than The Birthday Party. Real Tom Waits energy. Had it on in the background which maybe helped. I’d like to listen to it again more closely. As of now a high 3.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Hard to get too excited about this. None of it is particularly interesting. At least there’s some variety. Scrapes by with a 3.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
This was wild. I liked it though. Frisbee was my favorite - great riff
Wilco
4/5
Such high caliber song writing. A little long but it doesn’t really let up. Red-eyed and Blue is an amazing song title. Not quite a 5 but Wilco will get one.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
I mean, come on.
Don McLean
3/5
I forgot that American Pie was 9 minutes. A fun song but definitely the main reason this album is on the list. I liked Everybody Loves Me Baby a lot too. Took a strange turn at the end.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Death In Vegas
4/5
This was cool. Had a massive attack vibe but more lively. Not sure when I’d listen to it again but glad I did.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Ugh I don’t know. Musically I liked a lot of these songs, especially the ones with some dancey elements. Mother is my favorite. But the concept of the album itself I found overwrought. The album is too long. Maybe drugs would help. Kind of at a 3.5 but I guess I’ll round up.
New Order
4/5
Great album. Not many of their big hits on this one but just really solid and also a little different. More instrumental and darker. Definitely want to listen again. Love Vigilantes and Face Up were my faves. A high 4.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
More of a feminist text than an album. It doesn’t quite compare to Sinister, but still a lot to like. Electronic Renaissance and I Don’t Love Anyone we’re the highlights.
Paul Simon
4/5
Very good, not quite for me so will fall short of a 5 but a lot of good songs. Why does he say Julio like that?
Deep Purple
3/5
Not really for me. Smoke on Water is fun if course, but also it’s so overplayed maybe I should hate them for it.
Air
4/5
This was interesting!
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Excellent album. Love Goes On is the obvious standout but the whole thing is chill and consistent. I’m All Right is another fave. A high high 4.
The Smiths
5/5
Eaaaasy 5. An absurd number of hits on this one. My favorite is probably I Know It’s Over. Morrissey may be an asshole but he knows how to write a lyric and I love his voice. If I had to choose I’d say the Smiths self titled slightly edges this out but they are both magnificent.
Supergrass
2/5
An unnecessary, aimless Oasis knockoff
Louis Prima
4/5
Obviously dated but pretty fun.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Can’t say I particularly enjoyed this but it sounded nice.
Cee Lo Green
3/5
Bouncy as hell and pretty unique. The One was good. I think this falls just shy of a 4 but a worthwhile listen.
Van Morrison
3/5
Kind of a snooze. I feel like this needs to be listened to in a meadow somewhere. Nice sounding but every song sounds the same and his vocalizing gets to be a bit much.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Some good beats, but this was a little too disco and repetitive. I preferred Very.
Leftfield
3/5
The Pogues
5/5
A classic. Title track, Turkish Song, Fairytale, and Lullaby of London are all phenomenal. The expanded edition is a little long, but all of the extra songs are good (especially those Dubliners collabs). Worms was weird.
As a whole, this is unique, brash, confident, energetic, and gorgeous. May not be for everyone but definitely a record everyone should listen to.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Solid. I’ve never listened to Rod Stewart but this was not what I expected. A lot of heart and good musicianship. Maggie May was my favorite.
Soundgarden
3/5
Not for me but fine.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
This is just on here for Piece of My Heart, which, fair. A lot of the other tracks had the feeling they were made up on the spot. A cool time capsule I guess. My favorite part was at the end when the guy was promoting “The Who, from England”
3/5
Not bad. I liked Starlight a lot. Other than that it was pretty good if a little self serious. A high 3.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
For an instrumental album I was actually liking this a lot. Very groovy. Unfortunately it was just too long which drops it to a 3
Lana Del Rey
4/5
This was interesting. Pretty gutsy for a huge pop star to release something so stripped down. I’ll round up to a 4.
David Bowie
3/5
I’ve been enjoying the Bowie on the list in general but this is a bit of a dud. Not bad and has some good moments but by the end it felt a little one-note.
Def Leppard
3/5
Fun classic rock. It really my style. High 3.
The Verve
2/5
Another mediocre Brit alt rock album. At least this one was really long.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
That’ll Be The Day gets this to a 3. I’m sure the whole thing is very influential but too dated to get really into.
Robbie Williams
3/5
Getting real tired of this british alt rock. I guess this was fine.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Gotta give it up for the energy. I do think it’s funny how relieved the crowd was when he played great balls of fire. All of these are the same song but it’s a fun 20 minutes.
The Black Crowes
3/5
I liked the production on this a lot and thought the kind of country/hard rock fusion was interesting and pretty unique. Unfortunately the songs themselves were nothing too special and I got pretty bored in the back end.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
This was really refreshing. Something new and different. First track was my favorite but I loved the whole thing. Soul and folk! What a combo.
The Auteurs
4/5
Maybe I was just relieved after listening to pantera but I’ll be generous and go with a 4 here. Solid Brit pop.
Erykah Badu
2/5
I respect her voice and musical talent but this whole thing fell flat for me and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Too smooth, no real hooks, and far too long. Need more structure.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Infectious and funky. That lady is by far the best but the whole thing is good. A high 4.
The Hives
3/5
One of the global reviews said this was a less good and more punk version of the strokes and I couldn’t get that out of my head. Obviously the hives are earlier and deserve some credit for influence but it does kind of sound like something that’s just not ready yet. Not a bad listen though.
Donovan
3/5
A classic sound, but the title track and season of the witch were the only songs I really liked. The rest was too quiet for me.
Maxwell
3/5
Soul just really isn’t my jam. This was fine but I got pretty bored by the end.
Linkin Park
2/5
A disappointment. I used to like Linkin Park a lot and was hoping this would be a rush of nostalgia but it was all so overwrought it was hard to enjoy.
John Grant
4/5
I went from thinking this was fine, to bad, to quite good. It grew on me once I settled into the vibe. Love the brutally honest lyrics and clean sound.
Frank Ocean
4/5
I’ve never been fully able to understand the breathless acclaim this album and frank ocean in general got. People lost their minds over this and I think in a way it does it a disservice because it’s almost impossible to live up to that kind of hype. His voice is gorgeous and the production is unique and impeccable but a lot of the songs themselves miss the mark for me. This is a great album but falls just short of a 5. Wish I could’ve heard it before I heard about it.
Miles Davis
3/5
Gene Clark
3/5
Funny to read that this was so critically eviscerated when it came out. Very inoffensive and some pretty solid tracks. Nothing that made me think twice though. A high 3.
Dr. John
4/5
Reminds me of my time down in the bayou. But for real, this is so insane that it’s good. Not something I’d reach for often but something everyone should listen to.
Q-Tip
4/5
Never listened to Q-Tip’s solo stuff. This was good! More rap focused but still kind of funky
Blur
3/5
A lot of good songs here but the album is just a bit too long and all over the place. To The End was good.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Another one that’s just here for a single song. Take me out is good but the rest kind of sounds generic.
The Replacements
5/5
A classic. Starts out more fun and punk and then Westerberg starts showing of his songwriting chops. Androgynous was way ahead of its time and Unsatisfied (a top 20 song for me) proves that raw emotion and simple lyrics can do wonders. The back end of this album just does not let up. Seen Your Video and Answering Machine are other highlights.
Richard Thompson
3/5
I feel like this is really close to be something I would like but I don’t quite get it. Maybe it’s just a bit too folk. Not bad but a little repetitive. Down Where the Drunkards Roll was my favorite - preferred the quieter tracks.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Yeah, this is really good.
Neu!
3/5
Good to listen to in the background. I thought the first half was really beautiful and interesting and the second half was not as good.
Paul Weller
3/5
Did not feel a single emotion listening to this.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
A fun, accessible album. It sounds great for being released in the 70s. Ain’t no God in Mexico was great but enjoyed the whole album.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Did not love this. It was kind of interesting and none of it was really bad but it got tiring after a while. Low 3.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I get such a kick out of these. San Quentin was so good and his crowd work is admirable.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Never been able to get into the peppers. I find their swings between quasi-rap and super mellow to be disorienting. Clearly talented musicians and capable of writing good songs, but other than the hits there’s very little in this album that I’d like to revisit. High 3.
a-ha
3/5
I was hoping there would be some deep cut in here that blew me away but I guess Take On Me is their hit for a reason. The rest was fine but bland. I did think And You Tell Me was pretty good.
Deep Purple
2/5
Ugh. Way too much jamming in the back half.
Scott Walker
2/5
AC/DC
4/5
While I think this album pushes the intro verse chorus verse chorus solo chorus pattern to its absolute limit, it is undeniably fun. The first chords and drum beat of the title track are like candy. A lot of cringey lyrics but I had a good time.
The La's
3/5
I remember liking this more, but now it sounds like just one more of the many ok britpop albums on this list. There She Goes is of course good and one of my favorite songs about heroin but nothing else stood out to me.
Madness
3/5
Listened on YouTube. It’s pretty silly overall. Our House is not quite enough to get this over a 3 but it’s not bad. Pretty sure there’s blackface on the album cover.
Missy Elliott
3/5
I think I’m getting a little fatigued with the early 90s hip hop/r&b so this review might be slanted. The album is fine, nothing blew me away.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Hmm, a tough one. I don’t think this is something I’d revisit often but I appreciate the brevity and Love Hets is a classic and Cathy’s Clown is actually fantastic and sounds like something that could have come out recently. So based on those 2 I’ll give it a light 4.
Bob Dylan
5/5
One of the best offerings from one of America’s best songwriters. Like a Rolling Stone is overexposed but still great. Ballad of a Thin Man is a kafkaesque masterpiece, and Queen Jane Approximately is gorgeous. As a whole, it just works.
Prince
3/5
I felt like there was a lack of urgency here. The first half of this is so sparse I kind of forgot it was playing. Nothing bad but just kind of long. Could Never Take the Place was very good.
Elliott Smith
3/5
I really need Elliott to stop whispering. It’s a hurdle I just can’t get over and basically ruins his music for me. Still gets a 3 for songwriting.
Sparks
3/5
Pretty strange, kind of heard a queen influence but I liked this more than the queen we’ve heard. Altogether pretty down the middle.
Pixies
4/5
Less accessible than Doolittle - they really explored a more experimental, noisy vibe here. That didn’t stop them from making Gigantic and Where is My Mind which are some of their greatest hits. Still, other than those 2 I don’t think the rest of the album has quite enough to get to a 5.
CHIC
2/5
I understand why it’s here but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it. High 2.
The Killers
4/5
Catchy as hell and gave us Mr Brightside so it fully deserves to be on the list. It’s like Nee Order for the modern age. I think the b side loses its way a tiny bit but an excellent listen. High 4.
The Doors
3/5
Didn’t get too much out of this but liked the sound. High 3.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Hi PJ
Elvis Costello
4/5
I feel like this album demonstrated how influential Costello is in modern music. Really enjoyed it.
Elton John
4/5
Never got too into Elton but never had a problem with him either. This is good but I don’t have much to say about it. Social Disease was my favorite.
De La Soul
3/5
Kind of disappointing. Eye Know is such an amazing song but the rest was way stranger than I expected and not in a good way. It’s a fun sound when they’re rapping by altogether this didn’t do much for me.
Dolly Parton
4/5
This hits. Title track was great.
The Cars
3/5
Just What I Needed is such a bop but the rest of the album didn’t really captivate me at all and I was ready for it to be over.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
M exposure to the pumpkins has mostly been through their hits. I’ve been meaning to check this album out but have felt daunted by the length. It is quite good. They switch it up the pace and style a decent amount which is imperative for such a big record, but as a whole it has a cohesive sound. Corgan is a weirdo but his lyrics, when discernible, are powerful. I didn’t love the heavy metal aspects but appreciate the texture they added. Other than the singles, my faves were Love and Bodies.
Pearl Jam
3/5
Tough. Thought a lot of the songs were pretty good but I just get so tired of his voice. Why Go had sick guitar. Not sure if ever listen to it again though. High 3.
David Bowie
4/5
This gets that Bowie 4. Lazarus was really cool and I dug the kind of chilling quality of the whole thing.
Iggy Pop
5/5
I’ve sat on this and I just don’t think I can give an album that has The Passenger anything less than a 5. Not that the rest is bad, in fact it’s quite good. But man oh man is that a good song. So this gets the elusive light 5.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Interesting if confusing mix of styles here. I liked I Can’t Make Your Way but as an album it’s a bit all over the place.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Ghostface is such a technically talented rapper that I don’t even need to like his songs that much to enjoy listening. The skits are a bit much but I think the content makes up for it. Loved the biggie feature at the end. Big Girl was my favorite.
Various Artists
4/5
Kind of hard to rate this since it’s a collab of old standards but man this goes hard for a Christmas album.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Pink Floyd makes me feel weird because I feel like I’m missing something. I don’t understand why this album is such a cultural touchstone. Not that it’s bad. Time is my favorite track because stuff actually happens. Yeah, I don’t know. Light 4.
Brian Eno
2/5
I want to give this a 1 but I’ll be kind because I understand what it’s trying to do. Still, I kind of disagree with this being classified an album at all. It’s two incredibly talented and creative artists exploring something new. Unfortunately the end result is more academic than enjoyable. Low, low 2.
The Doors
2/5
I was really not in the mood for this, especially since there was a very similar doors album not too long ago. Not sure why both are needed and I liked Morrison Hotel more. High 2.
Bob Dylan
5/5
This is peak Dylan right? He’s firing on all cylinders. Blowin in the Wind, Hard Rain, Don’t Twice, and one of my personal faves Talkin World War III Blues which has maybe my favorite line on the album: “I’ll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours - I said that”.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This was great. Kind of dragged a little bit at the end but man oh man what an A Side. Need to get more into Costello because each album I listen to I feel like I’m seeing more and more how influential he was on artists I like. High 4.
Yes
3/5
Not for me but not bad. There was a riff in Mood for a Day that I really liked.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Reminded me of an American Oasis. Reverb was doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Overall felt like it was taking itself too seriously. Didn’t get much out of it but sounded fine.
Television
4/5
Excellent album. For me it doesn’t quite have the oomph to get to a 5 but I love the sound of it overall. High 4.
The National
4/5
Excellent album. Beautiful, Dirgey, nice production, great lyrics.
Doves
3/5
Way too long but not bad. There Goes The Fear was good. I do think there are far too many of these kinds of similar sounding albums though. High 3.
Sister Sledge
3/5
We Are Family is a classic but this album is not good. I don’t think disco is really meant to be in album form. Light 3.
Kate Bush
4/5
This got pretty weird by the end but the first 2 tracks are good enough to secure the cuatro. The whole thing kind of felt like a musical.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
lol, sure why not. Ny first extended exposure to this kind of music. Not bad but hard to get into.
Pixies
4/5
Haven’t heard this one before. Really good! It seems more focused than their other stuff - not as much experimenting but a lot of catchy intros. The Happening was my favorite.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Man, California Dreamin is a great song. The rest was not bad - some was pretty catchy. I assume this was pretty influential so it gets a light 4.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
This kind of music isn’t really for me. It seemed intentionally repetitive and oh so slow. Also read an article once about how horrible of a husband Marvin Gaye was so it’s hard for me to feel any sympathy for him that he had to pay alimony. High 2.
Common
3/5
Kind of a miss for me. The first half was disorienting and hard to get into. At least in the second half the songs were more focused. Too long. Light 3.
Tom Waits
2/5
In general, I think I want to like Tom Waits more than I do. In this particular case, I get the vibe he’s going for but it falls flat. I was fine with it in the background but know I won’t be able to get through it on a focused listen.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
4/5
This I liked. Good 60s sound and some fun riffs. I feel like the Kinks sound different every time I hear them. Victoria, Shangri-La, and Arthur were my faves.
Air
4/5
Man that first song was dope. The rest was solid enough. I didn’t even realize this was a soundtrack while listening. Well done. Light 4.
Coldplay
3/5
Yellow is the hit off of this for a reason. Everything else kind of blurred together.
Bauhaus
3/5
A combination of Joy Division, Bowie, and Nick Cave. This was wild. A decent amount to like and dislike so I’ll call it a push. Title track was probably my favorite.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Some ok stuff at the beginning but the second half was a muddy, masturbatory slog.
The Stranglers
3/5
Pretty good but way too long for a punk album. Go Buddy Go was great.
The White Stripes
4/5
Didn’t realize before how influenced the black keys were by the white stripes. Pretty crazy this came out in ‘03!
Jack White is obviously one of the greats when it comes to guitar. His songwriting I can take or leave but overall this is a really solid album with more than a few flashes of greatness. I enjoy the fuzzy sound.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Can’t say I enjoyed this very much. Terrible voice. High 2.
Frank Black
5/5
Wow this was fantastic. I’d heard Calistan before but there were so many bops. He managed to keep his craziness while also churning out some really catchy stuff. Lot of heft here. Secures the 5.
TLC
4/5
As a whole this is not for me but it’s really well executed and there was some excellent rapping on this. The Andre appearance and Waterfalls gets it to a light 4.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Great idea for an album and they pulled it off. It’s interesting how Billy Bragg can sound so Americana.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Started out with some bangers but this got old pretty quick. Great voice tho.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Shocked this reached 51 on the UK charts. Mostly nonsense. Sweet Embrace was ok.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
My brain felt like it was melting by the end of this but the individual songs are good so I guess light 4?
Ozomatli
4/5
Despite sounding like the soundtrack of a Fast and Furious movie, I have to say this was a fun listen. Obviously I didn’t understand it but it’s catchy as hell.
Jurassic 5
4/5
This was fun and good. Excellent rapping
Billie Holiday
2/5
Oof, no disrespect to the queen but this was a complete snooze. Glad to be Unhappy was good.
OutKast
4/5
Kind of torn. Very long and too many skits. But it gave us Hey Ya and Roses. It was also able to keep getting me back in every time I started tuning out. Interesting concept but still not sure they needed to release this as one record. Light 4.
Sebadoh
3/5
I remember my brother listening to Sebadoh after he got into dinosaur jr in high school. I liked a few of their songs but not much else and that kind of holds true here.
I’m not a fan of noise for noise’s sake, so a lot of this album didn’t really do it for me. ‘Soul and Fire’ and ‘Homemade’ were the only real highlights
Duke Ellington
3/5
I like jazz but don’t know much about it, so it’s hard for me to tell what’s “good”.
I liked listening to this but could’ve done without the extended introduction.
Eminem
4/5
The lyrics and skits on this album have aged like milk, but you can’t deny the raw talent and production quality here. I have to admit I was even bopping my head to the wildly homophobic ‘Marshall Mathers’. ‘Kill You’, ‘Stan’, and ‘The Real Slim Shady’ are standouts
Common
4/5
Never listened to Common before but I really dug this. No particular songs stood out but the album as a whole solid mid 2000s rap. Bouncy but had heft. The vintage Kanye is an added bonus.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Pretty neat but instrumentals can only do so much for me. Light my Fire and Raghupati were fun. I’ll keep this album in mind if I do any psychedelics.
Fishbone
2/5
Very little to like about this for me. Somehow both repetitive and disjointed.
Mudhoney
3/5
I’m sure that Nirvana is on this list, so I don’t know why I would also need to listen to this before I die. As an album though it’s decent. Mudride, If I Think were good.
John Coltrane
4/5
Very nice to listen to. I’m sure I’d give it a 5 if I knew more about jazz.
Michael Jackson
3/5
It’s strange to listen to this album alone in an apartment. From the sound of it, it set the tone for the 80s and I’m sure it’s had a huge influence on pop. On its own though it didn’t quite hit the pleasure center in my brain that great pop should. Maybe I’d enjoy it more on the dance floor.
Beatles
5/5
I’ll admit I’m cynical when it comes to the beatles, but cynicism only goes so far. This album slaps. Starts off strong with tax man, which is almost proto-punk. Eleanor rigby is eerie and beautiful. Yellow submarine, an objectively ridiculous song, somehow isn’t out of place. For no one is also a highlight. Just a great piece of work.
Massive Attack
3/5
I appreciate what these guys set out to do, and the originality and influence of this album. Overall though, the execution is slightly off and felt one-note. I found myself checking to see when it would end. Five Man Army was decent.
The Incredible String Band
3/5
Another “influence” album. Overall too british for me. I guess I could see myself listening to it again on a walk in the woods or something. A very cellular song was my fave.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Classic rock. Would probably give it a 4 if I didn’t hate Robert Plant’s voice.
The Specials
3/5
If you like ska, you have to like this album. As someone lukewarm to it at best, I found the middle of this album to be a little hard to get through. A Message to You Rudy is of course the best song by far and a bop.
Doesn’t Make it All Right and the unfortunately titled Little Bitch were also decent. Would listen to again if I was feeling like a rude boy.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Very close to giving this a 5, but just a bit top heavy and didn’t quite stick the landing. This is one of those bands I’ve heard of a bunch but never actually listened to. Great album overall. You can see the influence on bands like the magnetic fields. A Different Point of View was my fave.
Silver Jews
4/5
I’m a big silver jews fan, but I have to admit I was surprised (though not upset) to see this on the list. I think I’d only listened to it once before. It’s probably their 3rd or 4th best album, so does that mean the others will be here as well?
This is no American Water, but it’s a great album. Berman was one of the greatest lyricists of all time and his low voice complements the sleepy country vibe perfectly. This album gets better as it goes. I Remember Me, Tennessee, Friday Night Fever, and Death of an Heir of Sorrows are fantastic.
Roxy Music
3/5
I had to start listening to this album again after finishing it yesterday because I couldn’t decide if I liked it. I got about halfway. It’s certainly not bad and it’s got a cohesive vibe and is interesting. Kind of at a 3.5 but gonna round down because it just doesn’t have the it factor
The Cure
2/5
God, this was a bummer. I’m glad I listened to it because I’d never heard true goth music before, and it’s fascinating to hear how different the cure was (how did this same band put out just like heaven two albums later?), but it’s not for me. The unchanging drum beat made it difficult to distinguish between songs, which I’m sure was intentional but ultimately resulted in a wall of gloom with no real payoff. I’ll stick with joy division for my mopey tunes.
Little Richard
2/5
These are all the same song!
Motörhead
3/5
As far as live albums go this is pretty good. It’s fun but Motörhead gets repetitive to me
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Even though they’re different, this reminded me of the Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. Both are pretty and create their own little world, but the music itself didn’t move me.
Spotify only had the 2 CD deluxe version so I’m not sure how much of this was on the original release so that may cloud my score. Holy Man was by far my favorite and I also really liked the instrumental outro in Time.
The Adverts
4/5
A solid, energetic Brit punk album. I don’t think of heard of these guys before and glad to have listened to it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I guess this is indie dance pop? Whatever it is it’s well executed here. I feel like I’ve heard Heads Will Roll dozens of times and never knew it was the yeah yeah yeahs. Skeletons, Hysterics, and Little Shadow were my faves. Excellent album cover.
Elliott Smith
3/5
I’ve never gotten into Elliot Smith, but I’ve also never really tried to (maybe because liking Elliot Smith would be too painfully on brand). His talent as a songwriter is undeniable, and you can hear his influence on artists like Alex G. There aren’t any bad songs on this album but it was still underwhelming. The first 2 tracks were my favorite and after that it was fine to listen to but nothing great. I expect to feel more emotions listening to such an emotional album.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
A pretty slow start but fine, and then H2O Gate Blues gets this to a 4. It’s fun once you accept that it’s more spoken word than music.
David Bowie
4/5
I liked this a lot more this time around than I did when I first heard it a while back. More of a vibe than an album, but in a good way. Refreshing. Sounds and Vision was great.
Nirvana
4/5
Liked this a lot. It must have been sad hearing this right after he died. There’s a decent number of covers but I don’t mind that, especially in a live album.
Justice
4/5
Al Green
3/5
I feel like this album was mostly just included for the title track, which is fair - it’s a great song. The rest of it didn’t really move the needle for me.
Rush
3/5
I thought this would be a drag but pretty interesting. It’s not something I’d likely seek out again but I can see why people like it. Would give it a 3.5 but rounding down for Geddy Lee’s voice.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
My main issue with this is I don’t know if it’s good for what it is. That said, I liked this more than I thought I would. Parts were unpleasant, but overall it felt like there was structure which I appreciated. I’m glad I heard it but unlikely I’ll listen to it again. On Fire was my favorite.
Cream
3/5
Was hoping to like this more. Overall it was fine but a lot of the songs just felt like they were missing something.
Cypress Hill
3/5
Glad to get some old school in the mix. I loved the beats throughout and some of the Latin influence, but the rapping was pretty lackluster even by 90s standards.
Röyksopp
3/5
Was liking this but it really fell off halfway through. Really a 2.5 but I’ll round up to keep my 3 streak alive.
Ray Charles
2/5
Just so boring. I can’t do 75 minutes of slow, repetitive love songs without something to break it up. Those strings are going to haunt me in my sleep. I’d be happy to listen to any of these songs on their own but I never want to hear this album again.
Carole King
4/5
Solid.
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
A year or two ago I would’ve given this a 2, but I’ve come to really appreciate country/Americana so this worked for me. Also a pretty interesting album title for the 50s.
3/5
It’s impossible to separate this from the cultural baggage of wonderwall but I tried. This isn’t bad at all but feels a little self important to me somehow. A little long.
The Youngbloods
3/5
The first track had me really excited but then it kind of fell into that generic 60s sound. Worth a listen but nothing I’m dying to hear again.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I don’t find this kind of music particularly interesting, but I’ll give it a 4 on the strength of Frankin’s voice, which is astonishing. Aint no way was my favorite
Burning Spear
4/5
First reggae since I’ve come aboard and it’s refreshing. This is great, but I like the sound of most reggae so it’s kind of like jazz for me where I have a hard time telling the good from the bad.
Grateful Dead
3/5
I don’t think it’s out of line to give this a 3. I respect the musicianship and there’s a lot to like in this (dark star and the eleven were highlights), but jamming loses a lot of its charm when it’s recorded, and the dead lose a lot of their charm when you’re sober. Is an 8 minute song if feedback really necessary? I’m sure this would wonderful to see live but as an album listening experience it left a lot to be desired.
Willie Nelson
4/5
A solid offering from willie. It’s hard to get to excited since it’s all covers, but nice to listen to.
The Who
2/5
Let’s get this out of the way: rock operas are dumb. The story is usually so thin and vague that it becomes meaningless, and they seem to be an excuse for artists to write ranging songs with no melody.
This is my second time listening to Tommy and I still just don’t get it. If you take each song on its face, none are very good and many are asinine. Why is pinball mentioned in like 3 songs? Does Tommy play pinball? Do I care? I understand why this is on the list but it’s just not for me.
Elvis Presley
4/5
I’m torn between a 3 and a 4 here. Long Black Limousine is by far the best track imo, but is a cover. Kentucky rain was also good. The rest are solid. I’ll go with a 4 because I recently saw the bio pic.
ZZ Top
3/5
Fun and ridiculous, if a bit repetitive. I can’t take ZZ Top seriously. They sound like a parody of themselves.
Killing Joke
3/5
The Stooges
4/5
This was good. First two tracks are standouts but I was also fascinated by how dark We Will Fall was. Will listen again.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Excellent album. Probably more of a 4.5 for me but I’ll round up in honor of all the Bruce heads in this group.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This is similar to what’s the story morning glory in that it’s cultural reputation precedes it. On its own though, there’s a lot to like here. I enjoyed the bouncy vibe of the opening track and the brutal honesty of You Oughta Know. I feel like there’s something Dylanesque about a lot of the songs. Head Over Feet was my favorite.
Bill Callahan
4/5
I’ve listened to some Smog before but I don’t think I’ve heard Callahan’s self titled stuff. This is pretty pared down, almost trance-like at times. Reminded me of Willie Nelson a bit. You could argue it gets a bit dull but I think the song writing is strong and ultimately it’s a really nice album to listen to.
Django Django
3/5
This felt long and I was surprised that it was only 50 minutes. That said I didn’t dislike it. Might have to give it another listen.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Really cool vocal work. Unlikely I’ll listen to it again but glad I heard it.
Arcade Fire
4/5
A great album I’ve never paid much attention to. Hard to believe it came out in ‘04. Wake Up famously made the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are look good and the first track is a classic. My faves were Crown of Love and Rebellion.
Radiohead
4/5
It’s Radiohead so I feel like there’s very little I can add to the conversation. As an album it’s cohesive and eerie. It’s missing the oomph to make it a 5 for me but great nonetheless. All I Need, Reckoner, Videotape are the faves.
All I need
Hookworms
3/5
Interesting listening to this the day after In Rainbows. I’m no Radiohead super fan but compared to yesterday this album feels completely outmatched. Other than that though there’s nothing really wrong with it. I liked The Soft Season.
Hole
4/5
I don’t really believe in “guilty pleasure” music, but if I have any this is it. The second Hole album I’ve heard and the second one I’ve really enjoyed. No one’s doing anything particularly innovative here and it is painfully 90s, but I’m a sucker for raw lyrics.
The Police
4/5
Message in a Bottle gets this to a 4. Rest of the album is good enough.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I don’t see why this needs to be on the list when we know Pet Sounds will be making an appearance. Do You Wanna Dance and Help Me Rhonda are classics and rightfully so, but the other songs seem stuck in the 50s, even though this came out in 65. Songs about how your sister’s boyfriend better be nice to her and how you’re too young to get married (??) feel like they belong on a kidz bop album
Circle Jerks
3/5
This album’s brevity is it’s strong point. I don’t necessarily mean that as an insult - I think it encapsulates the essence of hardcore punk. It wouldn’t make sense for this to be 40 minutes. Music wise this was fine, though I’d rather be listening to some early replacements.
Nick Drake
3/5
There’s just something about Nick Drake’s voice that drives me crazy. I don’t think this album is bad but I didn’t really get anything out of it.
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
I did not really enjoy listening to this. I appreciate the ambition, but music is hard enough without trying to cover all these genres. Feeling 2.5 but I’ll round up Buffalo Gals.
The Crusaders
3/5
Good background music
David Bowie
4/5
The highs are so high but the b sides just don’t cut it to get it to a 5. Great listen overall though. Excellent production. I’m sure others will have more to say as I’m relatively unfamiliar with Bowie
Beatles
4/5
Another album where the b sides take away from it. Hard to grade this since half the songs are covers and I feel like out of the originals and covers, it was 50/50 in terms of what I enjoyed. Would this be on the list if the artist had a different name? Hard to say. Ultimately though a worthwhile and mostly enjoyable listen.
Eminem
4/5
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the audacity it requires to write a song about telling your child that you murdered their mother. It’s insane. This album is high energy, crass, violent, infectious, and could not be made today. Like the MM LP, from a rapping and production standpoint it’s impeccable. He just seems to be having so much fun and is so self aware that I don’t see how you can’t like it. My favorite is I’m Shady, where he breaks down some of the braggadocio from earlier in the album. I don’t think this beats out MM LP (which I regret not giving a 5), so this gets a 4.
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
I don’t know who the audience is for this but it sure ain’t me. Hurt is of course a classic but doesn’t make up for the aimless cacophony of the first hour.
CHVRCHES
4/5
I think it’s saying something that I’ve heard most of these songs out in the wild before. Maybe a bit repetitive but overall a strong album of quality pop
Black Sabbath
3/5
Better than I expected. A lot of the guitar was impressive. Definitely not my thing but certainly understand its presence on the list.
Black Flag
3/5
The list is in a mood this week. Can you imagine seeing these guys live? I have a soft spot for punk but this is a bit too angry for me. TV Party is an iconic song but this falls just short of a 4.
The Kinks
4/5
This was good. Even though it’s long it kept up the pace and didn’t really have any lulls. Had that nice 60s sound. I do wish the production was more consistent - the mix of mono and stereo tracks was a bit jarring. Party Line, Queen of Darkness, Sunny Afternoon, and Mr Reporter were the faves.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Foreign music can be tough for me since I’m very much a lyric guy, but I was really digging this. Unfortunately it was way too long and really dragged at the end.
R.E.M.
4/5
Really good. This is the best REM record I’ve heard but I feel like it’s not as talked about as Murmur or Automatic.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
That voice will always do it for me. CCR stayed in their comfort zone for this one but that’s good enough.
Spacemen 3
4/5
This was cool. Never heard of this group but a few of these songs sounded familiar. A more intense Spiritualized. Side note: I really wish artists/Spotify would publish original track listings for all albums. Lord Can You Hear Me was my fave.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
Ignoring the terrible name, I don’t like music that seems to come from a place of pure derision, which this does. Sounds like a bunch of smart asses trying to be edgy. I’d much rather listen to Minutemen.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Maybe not my favorite Dylan album but excellent. Idiot Wind, You’re Gonna Make Me Lonely, and Rosemary are my favorites - just classic Dylan spitting bars.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Sex Pistols
5/5
What a classic. God Save the Queen, Seventeen, and Anarchy in the UK is such a devastating 1 2 3 combo.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
This was fine. I don’t think I’d ever heard Coconut in its entirety before and it is fun, if maybe a bit appropriative.
The Avalanches
2/5
Ehh, this is the kind of electronic that does nothing for me. It’s scattered and feels like an MF Doom album without the rapping. Frontier Psychiatrist was ok.
Coldplay
4/5
So much baggage with Coldplay. This is not bad, but it does kind of feel like they hit on a formula for a song and have been riding it ever since. The Scientist is better than Clocks. This would be a good 3.5.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I question the need for this album in addition to Funeral because I don’t think there’s much of a difference in tone, but that’s a well documented comment on this list. Still, it’s a good album.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Can’t beat the vibes on this one.
Dolly Parton
4/5
This was fun. I imagine this collab turned heads when it came out. Wildflowers was my favorite.
Violent Femmes
4/5
Never listened to this full album before. You can hear a lot of influence in it today. Sort of proto folk punk? Besides the obvious blister in the sun, I really enjoyed Prove My Love and Good Feeling.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
This was insane. I was going to say that a lot of this sounded like he forgot he was recording, but after reading the Wikipedia article it seems like that was actually the case. There were a handful of decent songs (Weighted Down was the highlight) but overall this is not good. Apparently he thought they would edit and flesh this out. Not sure why they would choose to release it as is.
Kanye West
5/5
Listening to this, you can’t help but sigh and wonder where it all went wrong. This is a fantastic album and it’s not even his best work. The sampling is out of this world, the rapping is clean, smart, and funny. Jesus Walks is a classic, but imo it does kind of foreshadow his later Christianity overload. Still, a triumph.
Talking Heads
3/5
This falls just shy of a 4 for me. I’m just never really in the mood for talking heads. The Big Country was my favorite.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
I liked this much more than Pornography. Still gothic but had that new wave vibe. Pretty cool. 1959 was my favorite.
The Byrds
3/5
This was good, but as an album it felt all over the place.
The Charlatans
3/5
Fine? A worse oasis but whatever.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Solid album. Mercedes Benz is such a dry, clever song. Get it While You Can was my favorite.
Joy Division
5/5
What an album. Disorder is one of the strongest debut songs of all time. Those drums, the live wire bass line, the lyrics - outstanding. New Dawn Fades, She’s Lost Control, and Shadowplay is a killer sequence. The only thing you can ding this album for is its bleakness - it’s not something you want to listen to on a sunny day. But that’s part of the fun. Essential listening, easy 5.
Janet Jackson
3/5
It’s crazy how much she sounds like Michael Jackson here. I enjoyed the first third of this album, got a little tired of it the middle third, and thought the last third was unnecessary and boring and kind of weird.
3/5
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Good, but runs up against my jazz 3 star wall.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Other than the famous singles, I found this pretty dull. I do really like those singles though so I’ll give it a 4.
Metallica
3/5
As a yankee fan I will always have fond memories of Mariano Rivera walking to the mound with Enter Sandman playing. Plus it’s a great song. The rest of this album, especially the second half, does not live up to it. So many of the songs sounded identical and the lyrics were trying too hard imo. Not much interest in hearing this again front to back.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I liked this better than the black album, but it still suffers from some of the same problems (mainly repetitiveness). Good guitar playing. Self titled track was my favorite.
Oasis
4/5
Liked this better than what’s the story, although it’s similar enough to not really be necessary on this list. Supersonic and Married with Children were the faves.
Travis
3/5
It’s UK week I guess. This was fine, but Slide Show was the only track that really caught my attention.
Lorde
5/5
When it comes to pop I don’t think it gets much better than this and that’s why it gets a 5. Exceedingly listenable, excellent production, lyrics on point, and it doesn’t feel too long or repetitive which is my gripe with most pop albums. One note is that Green Light is an odd choice for an opening song - it’s so big it feels like a closer. But other than that this is a strong album that elevates the genre.
The White Stripes
4/5
Never heard this one before. I liked the production. Songs were pretty uniform with the exception of We’re Gonna Be Friends. Would do 3.5 but I’ll round up.
Mott The Hoople
4/5
Based on the album cover I was worried this was going to be another prog rock album, so I was pleasantly surprised when it started. A really nice, pretty low key sound. To me this felt like a 65/35 bob dylan/kinks fusion, and I may be crazy but some of it reminded me of parquet courts. Overall a good listen if maybe a bit derivative. Whizz Kid, I’m a Cadillac, and I Wish I Was Your Mother were my favorites.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Sade
3/5
I can see why this is popular but not for me. A high 3.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
This was more serious than I thought it would be. I sometimes get a little exhausted by funk but I think this had a good balance and wasn’t too long. Everyday People and Sex Machine were my faves.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I enjoyed the ambitious yet stripped down nature of this. Kind of surprised it came out in ‘02. Seems more modern. Not sure if they were influenced by Grandaddy but I heard a lot of them in this. Do You Realize was my favorite.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
If you wanna spoof the Beatles I’m all for it, but you’ve got to have some actual music to back it up. About half of this album was sped up spoken word and it got tiresome.
Talking Heads
4/5
While I do think Once In A Lifetime is overplayed, this album is pretty solid. My complaints about Byrne’s voice and delivery still hold but this was fun enough to warrant a 4.
Tito Puente
3/5
Nick Drake
4/5
I think this has been my favorite Nick Drake so far. A solid listen for a walk.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I liked this a lot. According to the track listing it was not remastered, which would make the production that much more impressive. Opening track was my favorite. Just a good, funky jazzy time. A high 4.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
This was fine but didn’t do anything for me. I do think it must have influenced Tracy Chapman since Fast Car came out 3 years later. An interesting 80s acoustic sound.
Sigur Rós
3/5
The Radiohead influence is big in this one. I think I need to listen to this again in a different setting than a commute. For now it’s a high 3 but could be a 4.
Primal Scream
4/5
This was pretty good. I zoned out a bit listening to it because I was working but it got my attention a few times. Gonna go with a light 4.
R.E.M.
4/5
Overall an impressive debut. I’m never dying to hear R.E.M but I never mind it either. Not my favorite of theirs that I’ve heard but really solid.
Elvis Costello
4/5
One of the funniest opening lines there is. This is a very good album that falls just shy of a 5 for me.
Miles Davis
3/5
Didn’t really have an effect on me but no complaints.
Mudhoney
4/5
Does Mudhoney need two albums on this list? No. But I found this album much better and more accessible than their previous entry here. The solo in Broken hands was sick. A lot of gave me Dinosaur Jr vibes. Seems like they were contemporaries. A solid rock album.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Not bad, listened in the background which I think was a good call.
Beck
4/5
At times felt a little boring, but ultimately I liked this. Beck’s lyrics were actually relatable. Lost Cause was by far the fave.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Long, but a lot of slaps on this. Listening to this today it sounds like so much else out there, but coming out in 2005 this must’ve influenced a lot of 2010s indie folk.
Gang Starr
4/5
This was dope. Solid bars all around. Check the Technique was the highlight. Doesn’t quite have the oomph for a 5 but close.
AC/DC
4/5
Some great tracks here. Not everything works but Back in Black followed by You Shook is killer. Hell’s Bells is a strong opener. Other than that a lot of the songs kind of blend together. Nothing is bad but it all follows such a formula. Angus Young is fantastic; Brian Johnson’s shrill voice gets to be a bit much. In the 5th grade I would’ve given this an easy 5. Listening to it now it’s close, but not quite there.
Scott Walker
3/5
Im realizing that albums have an entirely different rating system when I listen to them on a walk vs in the background while working. This was on in the background which saved it. Pretty strange. I can hear notes of influence on Stephin Merritt. Black Sheep Boy was good. Just gets to a 3.
4/5
I’ll give this a 4 so Marty doesn’t get mad at me, but this didn’t do much for me. First 3 tracks are great. Rest of the album isn’t bad at all but I don’t see the big deal. I’ll give it credit for being interesting.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Can’t beat the vibes. Marley learned how to churn out the hits here.
Thundercat
3/5
I don’t deny the talent here, but I was bored by the end of it. I wished it was a Kendrick album.
Neil Young
4/5
Really liked this. Chill but heartfelt and an excellent album cover. High 4 right now but could get to a 5. A shame he isn’t on Spotify.
Kanye West
4/5
I unironically love Bound 2. This album is such a departure from dark twisted fantasy but it’s refreshing. It’s both sparse and claustrophobic. Blood on the Leaves goes so hard. I can’t quite get to a 5 on it but high high 4.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Really nice listen. Judy Blue Eyes was my favorite but no real bad tracks. A good one to let wash over you.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Kind of mid tbh. I question if this would be in the list we’re it not a RS album. Not bad though. Under My Thumb is great.
Jane Weaver
4/5
This found its footing as it went on. I really loved the transition into Lightning Back. Also appreciated the concept of electronic folk. 3.5 but I’ll round up.
Minor Threat
3/5
Gets the punk 3.
Motörhead
3/5
Title track is fun and the rest gets a little exhausting. I’ve never really understood the huge appeal.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Not quite a 5 but close. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light, After Hours - a lot to love here. VU eased back on the throttle but still put out a fantastic record with some of their biggest hits.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Second time listening to this and I liked it a lot more. It’s a sad album but sure-footed. Love his voice. Treaty was my favorite I think but this is better as an album than any track.
Paul Simon
3/5
Not bad but didn’t do much for me. The song writing is good but his soft voice gets tiresome. Kind of felt like he was phoning it in with the song about cars.
Pulp
4/5
I’m enjoying this kind of music more and more lately. Disco 2000, Feeling Called Love, and Underwear were standouts. Torn between 3 and 4 but I’ll round up
Sabu
3/5
Pretty sparse. Fine listening in the background. Might be a 2 if I was listening to it on a walk
Aerosmith
3/5
Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion saved this one. Not a big Aerosmith fan.
Van Halen
3/5
You Really Got Me is fun, the rest is whatever.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Opening track was my favorite. This kind of toed the line between good country and the overly sweet stuff I don’t like as much. I think it lost its way in the middle a bit.
John Lennon
3/5
Not bad. An interesting mix of styles. Still, very little stood out to me. God was the only song I really liked (and I liked it a lot). Fun fact: John and Yoko sat in the same row as my mom in a movie theater once.
Aimee Mann
4/5
Big Alanis vibes here, but I would say higher quality song writing. Just a real solid album with clever lyrics throughout. I think Mr Harris was my fave but a lot of good ones.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Liked this a lot more than I expected. Still a bit cheesy but a lot of really catchy songs and some grit too.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Pretty cool. I liked the eerie vibes. A soft 4.
Mike Oldfield
3/5
It is what it is. Last song was pretty strange.
Adam & The Ants
2/5
What was going on in the UK in 1981 that this was the best selling record? This had like 2 ok songs and the rest were completely forgettable or actively bad. Just seemed kind of aimless.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I’ve never spent much time with Sonic Youth but enjoyed this a lot. Good mix of rock, punk, and experimental stuff.
David Bowie
4/5
Never heard this one but seemed like solid Bowie. He kind of lives in that 4 range for me. Time was very good.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
I’ve got a lot of respect for this album, but musically it’s never stuck with me as One of the Greats. Maybe it’s just because of how hip hop has evolved over time, maybe it’s because of the song Infamous Date Rape (which, why?), but it doesn’t get me going enough to be a 5.
That said, it’s still an excellent, wildly influential album. Excursions is a phenomenal opener and the record doesn’t feel too long which I feel was a big issue in the 90s. I might like Midnight Marauders better.
Britney Spears
3/5
It’s Britney Bitch.
This was fine. Other than the first 2 tracks (both bangers) the rest is kind of generic and sounds like scrapped Madonna tracks. Autumn Goodbye was decent. I am also of course not the target audience for this. As a kid there was nothing worse than being accused of liking Britney Spears.
I strongly believe we are the first group of people to listen to Baby One More Time the day after listening to Low End Theory. If my Spotify algorithm wasn’t in shambles before it sure is now.
PJ Harvey
3/5
God, I would love to know what kind of dirt PJ has on these list writers because this is getting out of hand. This was my favorite of her albums we’ve listened to so far - a bit more grungy and velvet underground-y. Plants and Rags was good. Still though, not much different from the other stuff. A high 3.
Orbital
3/5
Idk.
Queen
3/5
Another odd Queen album. I feel like you really have to be in the mood for this. I did enjoy She Makes Me so I’ll go with a 3.
Muddy Waters
4/5
The swag on this is off the charts. Great album title too. Not something I’d likely come back to much but a great listen.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Ah, the kitschy kitschy ya ya song. This did nothing for me. Not sure why we need it here when we’ve also had primal scream.
Anthrax
2/5
Wow so cool and deep.
The Pogues
5/5
I just recently listened to IISFFGWG in the backlog, and after listening to that I immediately listened to this. Happy to listen to it again. I adore this album and play it every St Pats.
The firepower here is insane. You’ve energetic, almost claustrophobic songs like Sick Bed and Sally, and then gorgeous, spacious songs that take their time - Pair of Brown Eyes, Old Main Drag, Man You Don’t Meet, Dirty Old Town, and of course Waltzing Matilda which is an absolute triumph.
The Clash
5/5
I believe this is the first consecutive 5! This album showed the world that the clash was not just another punk band. Sandinista is really where they get experimental but you can already see them broadening their horizons here. So many hits.
The Stooges
4/5
Very cool and good. I listened to both the Iggy and Bowie mixes and both had something to offer. Search and Destroy is sick. I think it loses its way a bit at the end but still a quality listen.
Soft Cell
3/5
Hm yeah idk about this one chief. Tainted Love is an interesting song because I’m not even sure if I like it or if it’s just so familiar that it feels like a warm blanket.
The album is comically long but there are some decent tracks. Would’ve been better as background music. Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Fun City, and Insecure Me we’re pretty solid. A light, light 3.
Patti Smith
4/5
My second time hearing this and I should probably listen again. As of now I think this is really solid but I don’t quite understand all of the acclaim. I guess it was pretty different at the time and the style has been copied which is why it doesn’t sound like anything that special now. Still, I liked it. The Gloria rendition and Kimberly were my favorites but I think the album is strongest in its entirety
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Good blues but nothing spectacular. I liked his voice.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I may rethink this but right now can’t go above a 3. I love the title track but the gift is just not musically interesting and sister ray is fine to listen to in the background but so so long. May have been a 4 if I wasn’t listening on an airplane.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Kind of all over the place and definitely not my thing but overall fine. Solsbury Hill and Here Comes The Flood we’re my faves.
Pantera
2/5
Missy Elliott
4/5
Strange how much talk about death there was on such an upbeat album. This was fun. Loved all the features.
Lucinda Williams
5/5
This kind of blew me away. The production was phenomenal - really transported me to a sunny, dry afternoon in the country. Top notch songwriting. Can’t think of any reason to go below a 5.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I need to listen to this again but for now it gets a light 4 mostly based on how strange it was. Not at all what I expected. Pretty cool though.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Really solid. It’s got that turn of the decade indie sound but kind of has a dancey feel too it. Interesting lyrics and hooks. I’d heard of tv on the radio before but never listened to them previously. Might check out more of their stuff. Dancing Choose and DLZ were my faves.
Saint Etienne
3/5
This was not at all what I expected based on the cover art. There was a kind of trip hop vibe to it. Pretty unremarkable overall. The lightest of 3s.
Turbonegro
3/5
Some pretty good tracks but a lot of filler too. Good guitar. I liked the parts where the Norwegian accents were really apparent. Overall fine.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Not bad, kind of zoned out a bit but good background music.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Incredibly fly. I liked the instrumentals a lot and it’s always good to have a reminder not to deal cocaine. A high 4.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
This felt like a bunch of people trying and failing to imitate mf doom. There was some decent stuff in the beginning but it completely fell apart and was way too long. By the end the bars felt like bad freestyle. High 2.
The Prodigy
3/5
These hour long electronic albums are killers. Would love to know why there are multiple on the list. Still, I think I’m more upset at the list makers than the artist here. This is ok.
Doves
3/5
Not what I expected. A lot of instrumental, almost psychedelic stuff at the beginning, then some oasis copying, and then I thought the back third was not bad. The Man Who Told Everything and The Cedar Room were my faves. Still, would not be on here if they weren’t british.
Ice Cube
2/5
I fully understand why this is in the list but on its own this is just not very good. The rapping is juvenile and the beats are lame. Doesn’t help that ice cube is like, pro police now
Alice Cooper
3/5
Can’t deny that No More Mr Nice Guy is a banger. The rest is pretty fun but not exactly for me. A high 3.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Liked this better than the most recent Rufus I listened to. Still not entirely for me but this one felt a little more structured with better lyrics. I liked 14th Street. High 3.
Fleet Foxes
4/5
A pleasant, well constructed album that’s a breath of fresh air after the string of recent picks we’ve had. These guys were huge at the turn of the decade but never really listened to them. Now they’ve been completely overshadowed by their drummer. Some of it is a bit too whimsical and soft for my taste but it’s a solid and thoughtful. Your Protector was my favorite.
Queen Latifah
4/5
I forgot Queen Latifah did this. But it was good! Obviously dated but a lot of the rapping was pretty strong and it covered a lot of ground. Cool beats too.
50 Cent
3/5
These are all songs I would be hype to hear at a party. They’re dirty and fun. As an album though I think this leaves a lot to be desired. It’s more a collection of singles. Not that everything has to be a concept album, but this felt very long and repetitive by the end. Would be better as an ep. Also, the beat in Back Down made me think something was wrong with my speakers.
Fugazi
4/5
Need to listen to this again but solid post punk. I always get them and Gang of Four mixed up.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Excellent album cover and title. These guys sound like a more chill sonic youth and it works. Enjoyed the dreamy vibe. The Concept, Alcoholiday, and Is This Music were my favorites. Light 4.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Ugh. Who is this for? I guess it was slightly better than the last MOI album we had but still unnecessary. If you’re going to make fun of music make better music. Also according to my research Zappa is not at all Latino which makes that voice he puts on kind of messed up. Idk, this whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. Low 2 because I thought 2 songs were ok.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
I feel like I would normally give something with this sound a 4 but it’s just missing something. There’s talent and emotion but the energy kind of stays at the same level and desensitized me a bit. My favorite part was when they slowed it down for Not What You Want. Love Portlandia though.
The Byrds
4/5
Good stuff. These guys just were all over the place huh? Good thing I’m in a country mood lately. I liked the slower ones a lot.
Love
3/5
Is this what Zappa was making fun of? Not my favorite but not horrible.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Kind of cool that he was trying something new and a little experimental, but I didn’t find this too compelling. Maybe I’m Amazed was the only song that got my attention.
Lou Reed
4/5
I think I might prefer New York to this one but it’s still great. The sound is influential, the lyrics are taboo-breaking. Walk on the Wild Side is so popular there’s not much new to say about it, but damn that song is good. So cozy. Vicious, Perfect Day, and Satellite are other standouts but this is an excellent record to listen to front to back. High 4.
Guided By Voices
5/5
We’re heating up this week. The club is open.
This is lo-fi perfection. Pollard has written more albums than many artists have songs, but a lot of them have a good track or two and the rest is filler. Not true here. Salty Salute gets me hype whenever I hear it. Game of Pricks is their most popular song for good reason (in my top 20). There are too many other good ones to list. Yes, there are some throwaways, but I’ve never minded them as they’re short and spaced in between bangers.
As a whole, alien lanes is GBV at or near their best. You’ve got catchy hooks and deliciously strange lyrics and nonstop fun. One of my faves and an easy 5.
Ash
4/5
Liked this more than some other britpop we’ve had, although maybe that’s because they’re not actually British and the style is more varied than britpop really enjoyed Girl From Mars. Let It Flow sounded exactly like Weezer. Light 4.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Pleasant if a bit dull at times. I liked You Can’t Love Em All. Overall a decent mix of soul and doo whop. High 3.
John Cale
4/5
Never really got into Cale but I liked what I heard here. Child’s Christmas was a strong opener. The title track sounded familiar and it was good. Half Past France was my favorite - loved the far away, eery sound of it. I imagine this at the more accessible end of his discography. Good listen.
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
I’ve never heard of this group and was skeptical at first but this won me over by the end. Good lyrics and not too soft. When We Two Parted was the first track to make me perk up. Dug the strings in Fountain and Fairfax. My Curse was my favorite - excellent song.
There is something almost post-emo about this even though it came out in the 90s and that makes no sense.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
LC is growing on me a bit. As the title suggests this isn’t really an album - every song ends pretty abruptly before going onto something new. But The Stranger Song; So Long, Marianne; and One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong were all really strong and the rest was good enough if a bit, as Josh would say, samey. Cohen’s talent is clearly as a lyricist and when that coincides with good music I love the result.
Randy Newman
3/5
Unfortunately my favorite song was also the one where he keeps repeating the n word. I’m kind of torn on Newman. I like his lyrical style at times but can’t really help but tune out as his albums progress. Kind of reminds me of Cohen that way actually. This was not as strong as yesterday though.
Good listen but nothing stood out to me. Liked the bluesy rocky vibe. Light 4.
The Stone Roses
5/5
A heater to start off the week. This feels so 70s it’s strange to think of it coming out in 89. Love the psychedelic, chill vibe and how off the rails I Am The Resurrection gets.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Excellent. Definitely more mellow in their later years but still powerful. Heard Kraftwerk but also some Joy Division. The title track is an earworm, call the police and how do you sleep were my other faves but this is one to listen to straight through. Drags a tiny bit at the end but a heavy 4.
The Beach Boys
5/5
Well, it’s Pet Sounds. Changed the game. Opener is off the wall, and Sloop John B - God Only Knows - I Know There’s An Answer is an absolutely insane sequence. I do think it’s hilarious how obsessed this group is with getting married.
The Offspring
3/5
Even at the time of my life when I would have been most likely to like the offspring they were never one of my favorites. I feel like they had a handful of songs I liked but didn’t recognize any on this. Self Esteem was pretty good. With a different singer I would like this more as an energetic not quite punk album, but his incessant half yell got very grating to me by the end. Light 3.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
I don’t know what genre of electronic this is but we’ve heard it a few times and I don’t really like it. The moaning song annoyed me.
Soft Machine
2/5
An odyssey. I’m still getting over the audacity it takes to start off an album like that. It straightened out a bit but why wouldn’t I just listen to other jazz?
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Been mostly disappointed with my listening lately. This was fine. Sweet Thang was good. Probably won’t listen again.
ABBA
3/5
It’s got Dancing Queen, so there’s that. I don’t doubt the influence of this album but I didn’t get too into this. It’s just so corny! But it’s not bad. High 3.
Dire Straits
3/5
I liked this but no songs stood out to me. Chill though. High 3.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Think I’ve gotta go 5 here. It’s just so well executed and influential. Not something I’d reach for every day but I’ve heard this a couple times now and I think it keeps getting better. Europe Endless and the title track are bomb.
Mekons
4/5
Dug this. It reminded me of that song Bug Country and the singer reminded me of the guy from the Pastels. I was lukewarm at first but thought the second half was really strong and had a pretty unique sound. Last Dance was my fave.
Iggy Pop
4/5
If this list has taught me one thing it’s that Iggy and Bowie were tight. I liked this. Pretty rough around the edges but it’s interesting to hear something between Fun House and Lust For Life. But I guess this is more of a Bowie record than Iggy record. China Girl was great and Dum Dum Boys.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Second time hearing “the greatest album of all time” and I still don’t get it. Obviously it’s not bad and I guess it must have been influential but it’s so slow and repetitive. Soul just isn’t for me.
Cat Stevens
4/5
I think Wild World and Father and Son get this a lot a light 4. It’s kind of a soft album but good for a particular vibe. Probably worth a closer listen.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Good in the background, a little long.
Blur
4/5
This was pretty good and it has the woohoo song. Still, there’s something about it that kept me from fully getting into it. Maybe I’m just exhausted from all the Brit pop so I’m not going to hold that against it too much. Also really liked You’re So Great. Torn but I’ll go with a light 4.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
This is a debut album? That’s wild. I enjoyed this but didn’t really attempt to follow the story - maybe on a subsequent listen. I like this more than the first time I heard it. It flows along nicely, gets a little long at the end. Oh, Maker was excellent. And loved the Big Boi appearance on Tightrope. Cool blend of genres. Good stuff.
Beck
4/5
If I were rating solely on importance and influence this would get a 5. On its own merits it gets a 4 for me. Some of the noise is just a bit too much. But this is something everyone should listen to and the hits are excellent. Really like Lord Only Knows. Where It’s At is a classic.
John Martyn
3/5
Could not stand his mumbling voice and this was a little soft for me - put some guts in it! But musically it was interesting. The guitar was impressive.
The Damned
3/5
Really liked Just Can’t Be Happy Today but got a little bored by the end. Overall decent.
Norah Jones
3/5
This would be nice to have on at a party or something but it gets dull pretty quick. Fine
Tangerine Dream
2/5
I’m sure this is good for fans of the genre but not for me.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Interesting that we’ve had the top 3 of the RS list in the past month. This is gorgeous. The way she moves her voice is wild.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Interesting that this came out the same year as Unknown Pleasures. This reminds me of my least favorite parts of that album though. Fine post punk but a lot of it sounds like he’s singing from the other room.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Even though this came out in 06 it brings me back to high school, I guess since that’s when everyone started listening to them. A slightly more rambunctious Black Keys. It’s a really solid album but not as good as AM so I question its place here. A Certain Romance is the standout.
Suicide
2/5
Getting real sick of sex noises in albums. Cheree was ok but altogether this was pretty bad and borderline upsetting.
Brian Eno
3/5
Not bad but it’s not my thing. Spider and I was the only track I found compelling. Eno is good to have on in the background but the sound gets old to me after a bit.
Genesis
2/5
Normally I’d give something like this a 3 because overall I thought it was weird but fine, but this is too long to be mediocre. Would love to be there when they decided that they were bursting with so much material that they had to make a 90 minute record. Strange mix of prog sand straight experimental.
Sepultura
2/5
No thanks. There were a handful of somewhat interesting moments but this never stood a chance.
Aerosmith
3/5
Just can’t get into Aerosmith. It feels like hard rock that’s just going through the motions. But fine.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Ah, grime. Britain’s questionable contribution to hip hop. Can’t say I enjoyed this much - hard to understand and whack beats. Kind of funny.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Props for the most 90s album cover of all time. But let’s be real - this is basically disco with some rapping at the very end. Appreciated that, but I hold to my belief that this kind of music is not meant for the album form. Light 3.
Skepta
3/5
Like everyone, I was dismayed at the second grime album in two days. But I liked this much better even if I can’t say why. And I was liking it even before the drake knockoffs in the middle of the album. The grime itself was better. Better beats, more understandable. Still nothing in super into though. High 3.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Better than what we’ve had lately, but I can only hear so many 5+ minute solos before it gets repetitive. Add in the production quality of a live album and this just doesn’t quite make the cut as a great record for me. High 3.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Not sure what to make of this exactly. Seems like he had an idea for one song and decided to try to make an album of it. Kind of all over the place but nothing terrible. Light 3.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Perfectly pleasant to listen to but nothing that made me perk up. Sort of electronic with a hint of trip hop.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
What a strange, strange man. Some beauty mixed with unease. I wish I knew which ballads were original and which were older. At least it was interesting. Death is Not the End was the only song I really liked. Also, this counts as a PJ Harvey album.
The Who
4/5
The first 4 of 2024. This is way better than Tommy but I don’t get the huge deal. Maybe because I listened to the mono version and the production is pretty flat. Overall it’s pretty solid and I Can See For Miles is great.
Radiohead
3/5
Gonna go with a high 3. It got pretty weird and long by the end and I don’t see why this Radiohead album needs to be included.
Miles Davis
3/5
On Fridays I usually have the album on in the background while working and was unable to do that with this one at first - there was so much going on that I couldn’t concentrate. It’s not bad and the creativity and talent involved is evident. But like most jazz, it doesn’t do it for me on a deep level. I fully admit I don’t know enough to appreciate this is any real context.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Perfectly pleasant and excellent production for the time. I do take issue with saying that an instrumental album is “about” anything. To the artist maybe, but how would I ever know this was about a shepherd’s day? Not compelling enough to get to a 4 but a high 3.
The Band
4/5
Without The Weight, this would not get a 4. Kind of surprised by how flat it felt. It’s solid, but pretty repetitive and mostly just didn’t do much for me. But man oh man is that a good song.
Funkadelic
3/5
Not my thing but not bad. That ending was insane. High 3.
Paul Simon
5/5
This is one of those light 5s. It’s not something that’s got me obsessed but I also can’t fault it for a sigg by le thing and it is excellent. Great blend of styles with a cohesive sound. Wish he clicked for me just a bit more.
Adele
4/5
Starts of with the best song of the album but the rest is still good. Her voice is just insane and is basically a default 4.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Some easy Monday morning listening. Old af. The jazz 3.
Faith No More
2/5
Damn this sucked. Low 2.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
This is another one of those hip hop albums I respect more than I deeply love. It is great - you’ve got a squad of superb rappers going at it - but maybe the production is just a bit too raw for my modern ears. Still, an essential listen. Protect Ya Neck goes so hard. High 4.
Van Halen
4/5
Not gonna pretend that Panama and Jump aren’t bangers. The rest does not come close. Still a decent listen though.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Ok, but soft an unnecessary on this list. I feel like we’ve heard enough mediocre, vaguely British psychedelic rock.
The The
3/5
I really enjoyed the first The The album on this list, but this not so much. It was dark and sticky, which if executed better could be very interesting but just felt a little out of place for me here. Heartland was pretty good. Low 3.
Orange Juice
3/5
Fun, but ultimately a little frustrating because there were some hints of really good stuff that they couldn’t keep up. Loved the title track and Louise Louise. An interesting listen.
Nirvana
5/5
The back third of this album kind of falls off but the beginning is good enough to get the 5. First three tracks are a killer sequence. Can’t get enough of that Come As You Are baseline. I kind of prefer when Kurt stops yelling so much - Polly is a great reprieve to have in the middle. Overall this album doesn’t mean to much for me but it deserves its status as an icon.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Can’t beat that opener. The rest is also very good but just not my thing. High 4.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Not bad but got pretty repetitive the second half. Interesting how little it seems the US and UK have diverged in this genre.
Fred Neil
3/5
Falls just short of a 4 for me. I appreciate the influence and it’s far from bad but none of the songs really spoke to me, even the big hit. Worth a listen. High high 3.
The Beta Band
3/5
Pretty interesting. I liked the sparse electronic vibe and the fun accents but felt it went kind of downhill in the second half. It’s possible further listens could get this to a 4 but high 3 for now.
Suede
4/5
Was dreading another britpop album but the first few tracks were killer. The second half seemed aggressively British and got a little boring but it wasn’t bad. Good enough for a light 4.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Better than I expected but there’s been so much like this on the list and it’s not really my thing. Loved the guitar though. Sad and Lonely Times was really good. High 3.
Morrissey
4/5
Morrissey is generally going to start out at a 4 for me and imo this album maintained that. Nothing blew me away but I love his voice and he can turn a clever phrase like it’s no one’s business. We’ll Let You Know and the unfortunately titled You’re the One For Me, Fatty were my faves.
Meat Puppets
4/5
Pretty sold. I enjoyed the variety of styles but especially the more country tracks. Nothing was really bad I’d say. Light 4.
The Beta Band
3/5
Is this the shortest gap between two albums of the same artist we’ve had? In this case I think it was a disservice because it didn’t have the novelty of the first album for me. It’s not bad but not good enough.
Elis Regina
4/5
Dug this, wish I could understand it but there was a lot to like regardless. O Trem Azul stood out to me.
The Pretty Things
3/5
If this is one of the first rock operas then I guess I understand its place hear but also they really opened Pandora’s box. Did not try following the story. Overall it was too 60s for me. I did like Loneliest Person.
Pere Ubu
2/5
This entire album sounded like some weird filler interlude that I would be happy to slog through as part of a better album - maybe velvet underground or pixies. But for that to be the whole thing is just kind of unacceptable.
Sugar
4/5
A quality if somewhat unexciting record. I never really got into husker du but I know they were more hardcore than this. It kind of sounds like Bob Mould was aiming for a more mainstream sound (and maybe even a hit). Got big REM and Long Winters vibes. Hoover Dam was really good. I’ll be listening again.
Hole
4/5
This is an excellent record. Not quite a 5 but it probably would be if I was a woman and listened to this in high school. Great commentary and quality riffs. High 4.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
This was inoffensive enough at first but got really boring and by the end I wanted to claw my eyes out.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Great hip hop album. I’m feeling stingy with the 5s lately but this is close. Sometimes they just play around too much for me. But overall I loved it. Bouncy as hell, quality rapping, and a lot of fun. Soul Flower was my fave. High 4.
Elton John
4/5
Elton’s attempt at a country album? First two tracks are classics and the rest is good enough. Got kind of weird with the Indian song. Overall a quality album.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
First time hearing this full through but I think I’ve gotta go 5. Just Like Honey is a killer debut opener. Love the high pitch noise in several of the songs. The Hardest Walk and Taste of Cindy were other faves. Kind of proto shoegaze. Need to soend more time with it but a great way to start the week.
Rush
3/5
Not a big fan of Rush but I’m not gonna sit here and pretend Limelight isn’t a great song. Overall though this isn’t for me and I don’t have much to say about it. High 3.
Simply Red
2/5
Pretty bad. He seemed to curate the worst parts of 80s music into a mind numbing 45 minutes.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Never been a big fan of Led Zep and this did nothing to change my mind. Not bad but nothing that made me perk up. High 3.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
This was fine; doesn’t seem particularly necessary alongside some of the better country we’ve already met with on the list.
Johnny Cash
4/5
It must be tough to let Cash cover one of your songs knowing it can easily eclipse the original. If Cash wrote all these songs it would be a 5, but as it is it’s an excellent album of mostly covers. Hurt is more famous the Trent’s version and I think I like Cash’s version of Bridge Over Troubled Water more than S&G’s. Those two are the highlights for me but it’s all really good.
The Strokes
5/5
Man, that bass line in the title track gets me every time. Is this a Great Album? It is if you ask everyone I went to high school with. While there’s definitely some filler, I can’t deny that this is an excellent listen. Last Night, Someday, Hard to Explain are the singles for good reason. The album has great pacing and lasts as long as it should. Was torn between a 4 and a 5 but add on that this influenced a whole new wave of bands and it gets to the cinco.
Neil Young
4/5
This was strange and I liked it. I’m excited to spend more time with Mr. Young when he comes back to Spotify. Title track was the standout but this seems like one to listen to in full. Liked the pared down sound.
N.E.R.D
1/5
Awful from the jump. This had no business being an ep, let alone 55 minutes. If you want to jam aimlessly with your buds be my guest but don’t subject me to it. God I hated this.
Michael Jackson
5/5
I think I like this more than thriller. Just all so catchy. Dirty Diana? Get outta here. Liberian girl was the only song that gave me pause but I was into it by the end.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Ah Fiona. This is much more conventional than her later stuff but still has that out there vibe. By the second half I kind of forgot I was listening to music. Shadowboxing is good. The whole thing is good but it definitely takes its time in a way I don’t completely appreciate. Very high 3.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
Well, it’s certainly ambitious. But perhaps the album is not the best format one could choose to expound on nuclear proliferation. There’s some pretty nice sounding stuff in here but it was buried in what almost felt like college reading. The Conference was interesting.
Iron Maiden
3/5
The Human League
4/5
Obviously can’t go lower than a 4 for the album with Don’t You Want Me. Also really liked seconds. Is it dated? Absolutely. But it’s also very fun.
Adele
5/5
To start an album with Rolling in the Deep, end it with Someone Like You, and not have it wane much in between is insane. A pop masterpiece.
Shack
3/5
Aggressively mediocre and would not be on the list if they were not British. Bland lyrics, fine enough music I guess. Light 3.
The Byrds
4/5
I respect the byrds and I’m sure a lot of the music I like was influenced by them, but I’ve never fully gotten on board. The jangles start to sound too similar to me after a while. Still, it’s a good listen with some great tracks and covers. Light 4.
Big Star
4/5
I’ll admit I have a soft spot for Big Star almost entirely because of the song Alex Chilton by the Replacements. This doesn’t have any of the big hits but it is solid. Femme Fatale was really good. Light 4.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Taylor’s lyrical talent is mostly on display here (although multiple tracks referencing someone’s dirty tires is maybe unnecessary) but I feel like the music just wasn’t there. It sounded nice but it was just background. This was almost spoken word poetry. And she’s clearly capable of both so fell a little flat for me. High 3.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Not bad, nothing I’m interested in coming back to though. Also feel a little weird about Rod Stewart singing Old Man River like that.
The Byrds
3/5
Too much too soon from the bird men if you ask me. This was not as good Tambourine Man but was fine.
Kid Rock
1/5
Fuck this guy and his useless music.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
It’s good but not for me. Not sure what was going on with that final track.
David Gray
3/5
Oh man, opening track was such a dad car song so that brings me back. But also makes it hard to take this seriously. It’s decent, kind of Elton John mixed with Tracy Chapman. High 3.
Joy Division
4/5
Probably doesn’t need to be on the list when we already have Unknown Pleasures, but it’s solid post punk and I enjoyed it. A little more stripped down than their debut.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
I thought this was pretty good but absolutely did not need to be a double album. Even with 2 songwriters it all started to blend together. But it sounded nice. High 3.
B.B. King
4/5
Not the biggest fan of blues or live albums but the showmanship here is great. Only could’ve listened to an album of just his patter. Songs were good if repetitive.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Can I Kick It is a bop but overall I wasn’t feeling this and it didn’t seem necessary after already having Low End Theory. Got kind of bored by the end.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This benefitted greatly from being on in the background but I don’t know man. It sounded nice but was so long. Also what’s with all the Nick Cave on here? Low 3.
Beastie Boys
2/5
I mostly despise the beastie boys. I find them boring and obnoxious. Some of the hits are ok and save this from a 1 but man I did not enjoy this and I don’t get the hype.
Spiritualized
4/5
I’m a fan. This is not something to listen to whenever but for the right occasion the vibes are immaculate. I prefer Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space but mostly just for that one song. Light 4.
The Undertones
4/5
Pretty fun! Kind of Clash meets Specials with some catchy stuff. Here Comes The Summer was great. Light 4.
D'Angelo
3/5
It’s groovy but my problem with D’Angelo is that I always like the first song or two and the. It just gets too similar. A lot of space in this album. But it sounds great. Kind of torn but think I have to go high high 3.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Big Oasis vibes I thought. This wasn’t bad. Kind of experimental at times but nothing made me perk up.
JAY Z
5/5
A joyful, cohesive offering from one of the best rappers to do it. Pretty damn good.
Cheap Trick
3/5
Will I always bop to Surrender? Yes. But I think there needs to be a compelling reason for live albums to be on the list and I didn’t get that here. Certainly not bad but I’d rather hear it in the studio.
3/5
Not on Spotify, will circle back
4/5
I know this is a classic but it’s not a 5 for me. The first three tracks are fantastic but the rest sound too similar and not as good. It’s still a great listen. I feel like U2 and Coldplay are the same vibe. High 4.
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
A fantastic voice and some excellent tracks make this a solid listen. Really liked Three Babies, Black Boys on Mopeds, and Jump in the River. Got some Kate Bush vibes.
Parliament
4/5
Funk isn’t my thing but this had me grooving. Light 4.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I think I’ve said this before but Stevie is just a bit too smooth for me that I find him kind of boring. It’s nice but nothing I’m ever in the mood for.
GZA
4/5
I love how Wu Tang split up but then they all just did solo albums with each other. This is a great record, a little repetitive maybe but strong rapping throughout. Loved 4th Chamber and Shadowboxin’ especially. High 4.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Fine, but doesn’t need to be on the list when we already have arctic monkeys.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Better than I expected but really top heavy. High 3.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Another good offering from Marley but not as good as the others.
Laura Nyro
3/5
Better than I expected! High 3.
The Jam
3/5
I feel like there’s another Jam album I know better than this one. I recognized the sound here but the only specific song I knew was Monday. I’m fine with this band but you definitely need to be a fan of a specific sound.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Oof, pretty bad. Big Kid Rock vibes. Why would you make an album 50 minutes when half of the songs are just repeating some inane phrases over and over? Didn’t make me angry enough for a 1 but this is a lowwww 2.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Keep coming around more to Cohen. There were some great songs here. This felt more Townes Van Zandt to me than some other stuff we’ve heard from him - some songs had that Mexican horn sound. Good listen.
Miles Davis
4/5
The Monks
2/5
Not pleasant to listen to. Not awful. High 2.
CHIC
3/5
I could’ve sworn we’d already had this one. Le Freak is fun I guess but this was too disco for me. Light 3.
The Residents
1/5
Bad! But there was something almost charming about it about halfway through so this gets my first ever High 1.
The Streets
3/5
This sounded different from the streets that I’ve heard before. More poppy. I followed the story a little bit but it’s kind of dumb and it’s hard to take him seriously with that voice. This is a good sound if you’re in the mood for it though.
Duran Duran
4/5
I’m a sucker for this stuff. It’s campy but a lot of fun.
Gene Clark
3/5
The first song got my hopes up. Rest of it reminded me that this man was in the byrds. Solid but not exciting.
The Fall
3/5
I should like this more because they’re an influence on some of my favorite bands (pavement being the most obvious) but it doesn’t do much for me. Decent post punk.
Gorillaz
3/5
Clint Eastwood is a classic and I actually thought Slow Country was great, but a decent chunk of this was boring and pretty bad so it evens out. Never really understood the green virtual band concept.
The Gun Club
3/5
An ok punk album that didn’t do much for me.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
Really not for me but it is iconic. I get why you’d like this as an edgy teen in the 90s but it’s too long overall. Plus I could never support music that suggests anything bad about the American government.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Some good stuff in here, even some flashes of brilliance, but like most Jonathan Richman the songs are all too long and repetitive. Excellent production but I was antsy by the end. Low 3.
Weather Report
3/5
Well, this is certainly jazz.
Madonna
2/5
I appreciate what she was trying to do but at least on my first listen this was not executed well. The electronic stuff is too soft and the lyrics are too corny and the album is way too long. High 2.
3/5
Meh. Sounded ok but got really boring. Low 3.
Suede
3/5
The blurb said this was panned as pretentious when it first came out and I have to agree. Not much here for me but sounded fine. Kind of Muse-y. Low 3.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
I’ve never heard an album that was also a music lesson so that was interesting. Apart from that this was indistinguishable from the other sitar music I’ve heard but sounded nice.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Pretty insufferable. This sounded like a whinier, more pretentious version of Queen (and I don’t like Queen).
R.E.M.
3/5
Not as good as Murmur or Green but End if the world is a classic. I also liked the one with the chorus about walking on coals but can’t remember the title. High 3.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Mostly just relieved to not have another random British alt band. This is a great one. Atlantic City basically gets it to a 5 by itself but there aren’t really any bad songs and the entire album creates a vivid scene. There are better Bruce offerings but this is up there for me.
Chicago
3/5
Chicago Transit Authority is a better name than Chicago.
I didn’t like this very much - too many different styles and it sounded more like a jam session. The longer songs were obnoxious. A lot of musical talent though. Low 3.
Japan
3/5
Altogether there’s too much 80s synth pop on this list, and that’s a genre I generally enjoy. But there’s just not much to differentiate it from the other synth pop. I did like All Tomorrow’s Parties. The rest was fine.
Daft Punk
3/5
Hard to get too into this on a morning commute.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Fine, but basically Muzak.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
This was pretty good, not great. I was grooving to it a little but it felt long for 36 minutes. High 3.
Germs
3/5
A rough album, but can definitely see why it’s on the list. Can’t see myself listening again but not bad, and I really liked the last song.
The Verve
3/5
Velvet Morning was good but I am so incredibly sick of British alt rock. Gun to my head I could not tell the difference between this and Oasis.
The Temptations
3/5
This was decent but I didn’t focus on it too much.
Judas Priest
3/5
Never listened to Judas Priest before and it was better than I expected. Kind of corny but fun and they did a decent job of bending the hard rock/heavy metal style. Living After Midnight was my fave.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Liked this a lot, just solid post punk with that 80s sound. Will be listening again.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Fine, but 30 minutes too long. I liked Houses of the Holy. The riff in Kashmir sounded really familiar but I can’t place it.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
2/5
The only tolerable songs for me were the ones with actual rappers. The rest was cringe. Moronic lyrics.
Bee Gees
3/5
Pretty boring but inoffensive enough I guess. There were a couple songs that I almost really liked but missed the mark. Low 3.
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Good for the background. Pretty clean.
The Smiths
4/5
Despite the blurb, I can’t imagine anyone arguing that this is the best release by the smiths. Girlfriend in a Coma is a huge hit and is a great song but the whole album is a more poppy departure from their earlier stuff. Still a great record though. Loved Paint a Vulgar Picture.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Some good songs here, never heard of him though. This is an interesting variation of reggae. High 3.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
This was fun! I definitely recognized the first song and a lot of it sounded familiar. Very Jacksony. The French know how to make a pop song.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
A little overbearing - the tv song especially was a lot. But there is a lot of substance. Can’t say I’d listen again but not bad.
Simple Minds
3/5
On we go with the synth pop. Sounds like the others. Really liked Glittering Prize though. High 3.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
The first half reminded me of Sinead O Conor and Destroyer. The second half mostly just seemed “exotic”. I thought this was decent and I’m sure more instrument inclined folks got more out of it. High 3 for me.
David Holmes
3/5
Not bad. The James Bond theme was fun and I liked the little interlude with the guy complaining about being kicked out of a club for dancing.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Hendrix isn’t exactly my jam but can’t deny the talent. Iconic guitarist. The album is a little dated sounding but has some great songs.
George Michael
3/5
The credit card song! This was fine.
Jamiroquai
3/5
The funk/disco stuff isn’t really my thing. Fine in the background. Low 3.
Mercury Rev
3/5
Liked this, maybe more than Joshua Tree? I thought the back half really stood out and was more textured than the U2 I’m familiar with.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Dagmar Krause
2/5
I can see why this isn’t on streaming. Really German and show tunesy and old.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
Brian Wilson
3/5
Sounded fine but the whole flow of the record felt a little jumpy. Not much here that I would listen to over the full band.
George Jones
4/5
It’s corny and simple, but man do I enjoy listening to it. There’s a reason slide guitar has come back into fashion.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Tangerine was good. High 3.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
Took itself way too seriously but also that voice felt like a prank was being played on me. Just seems like a generic attempt at an artsy album.
M.I.A.
4/5
Liked this way more this time around than when I first heard it. Unique sound - like metal and plastic hot glued together. Light 4.
The Cure
3/5
Liked it more than Pornography. Gonna go with a high 3.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Killing Moon gets this to a 4 easily. Clean, catchy, and 80s as hell. Silver and Seven Seas are also great.
Giant Sand
3/5
This sounded like an attempt to combine Yo La Tengo, Leonard Cohen, and Beck (and I had this thought before a song mentioned Leonard Cohen). Bit bad but takes itself too seriously.
Spiritualized
4/5
The contrast between the title track and Come Together is a masterful way to start an album. There’s a lot of beauty here (Broken Heart) and in the second half it effectively becomes a jazz album. It is too long, but still gets the 4.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Pulp
3/5
Some Nick Cave vibes.
Love
3/5
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
It sounded fine but as an album it was tough to stay focused on since it jumped around so much. What was going on with Broken Arrow?
Beach House
4/5
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
That song! This was inoffensive enough if not the most exciting.
Beth Orton
1/5
Had a hard time finishing this. So long and aimless. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood but hearing one limo song after another for an hour really got to me.
The Slits
2/5
Think I’ve gotta go high 2. Somewhat interesting but kind of tough to listen to after a while.
3/5
I wish this included the heckling that was apparently happening. It must have taken some guts to go electric and keep performing when people are mad at you. I don’t like live albums and Dylan’s voice was extremely Dylan here but I thought the electric part was fun. High 3.
The Fall
3/5
Barmy was good. The rest was serviceable post punk. High 3.
Metallica
2/5
Does Metallica know you’re allowed to make an album under 60 minutes? Repetitive and not for me.
Hanoi Rocks
4/5
I thought this was a lot of fun. It’s not breaking any ground but it’s catchy and pretty consistent. Really liked Tooting Bec Wreck and Lick Summer Love
Frank Zappa
3/5
By far the best Zappa we’ve heard. Still not entirely my thing but at least it didn’t feel like a joke. High 3.
White Denim
3/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Better than expected. A little top heavy. High 3.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Solid Costello. I liked Blue Chair a lot.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
I can see why this is on the list but I can’t tell if I liked it or not. Definitely interesting.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Julian Cope
4/5
Santana
4/5
Fairport Convention
4/5
Way more vibey than I expected and honestly not bad. Some great guitar. You need to be in the mood for it but I’m gonna go light 4.
Elastica
4/5
I groaned when I saw the words British alt rock, but this felt more like punk to me and I thought it was pretty good. Light 4.
Kate Bush
3/5
Well, it’s certainly a Kate Bush album. This Woman’s Work was a great closer. High 3.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Other than hearing The Rockafeller Skank in all its glorious context, this didn’t do much for me. I’m sure it’s good for those that enjoy this kind of sampling electronica.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
More accessible than Melancholy, and a bit more consistent. Today is the obvious standout but the whole thing warrants a relisten. Good stuff.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Fats Domino
4/5
Probably my favorite name in music. The music itself isn’t bad either! On Spotify this was only 17 minutes so hard to complain. Good sound.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
I’ve never really liked RHCP. Most of their songs just sound like scattered drunming with over the top baselines and and man reading from his dream journal angrily. This was way too long and I could not tell many songs apart from each other. Under the Bridge is the saving grace but still, high 2.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
A generational voice, but this isn’t necessarily an album I’d throw on. High 3.
Grateful Dead
4/5
I’ll let Marty do the talking on this one but it was pretty solid. Good sound.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Obviously too long, but you can’t really blame them. You’ve got like a dozen country legends in a room and I imagine it was tough to cull the output/say no to anyone. Still, this is a lot of fun and seems ti be a great showcase of the genre. That most of these were done in 1 or 2 takes is crazy. Lived the background chatter too.
The Shamen
3/5
Metallica
3/5
Really not for me but not terrible to listen to. Light 3.
Aphex Twin
4/5
For what this is I think it’s quite good. Obviously not something I paid a lot of attention to but I liked it in the background. Light 4.
Living Colour
3/5
Talking Heads
3/5
Don’t see the need for this with all the other Talking Heads on the list but it’s fine.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Actually don’t think I’ve listened to these guys before. Better than I expected but nothing that blew me away. High 3.
Moby
3/5
Tortoise
3/5
Post-rock, huh? Definitely new for me. I didn’t love this but it wasn’t terrible to listen to. Light 3.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
A worse Rufus Wainwright
The Cult
3/5
Richard Hawley
3/5
This grew on me a bit as it went on. Reminded me vaguely of Johnny Cash. A little too croon-y though. Light 3.
James Taylor
3/5
Obviously a talented guitarist and lyricist but this is way too soft for me to have any real connection with. High 3.
Dire Straits
4/5
Mom a lot of good stuff on here but a little long and unfocused. Still, a good listen. Light 4.
Tori Amos
2/5
Not my jam. Seemed like a Kate bush knockoff
Stan Getz
3/5
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Inoffensive but such a snooze and not at all what I expected from a group called Cowboy Junkies. I’m sure even tone was a conscious choice but I couldn’t enjoy it. High 2.
Napalm Death
2/5
My tolerance for this stuff is increasing but it was still a tough listen. Mercifully brief which keeps it from 1 territory.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
The biggest knock on this album is that the sound doesn’t change too much throughout. Luckily I like that sound. Pretty in Pink is the obvious standout but I also really liked She is Mine.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Just so 90s. Sort of like kid rock x sublime? Way too long.
Peter Tosh
4/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
I wish someone loved me as much as sonic youth loves speaking normally in the middle of songs. It’s certainly not bad but I need my music to be just a little catchier than this - nothing really grabbed me.
The Style Council
3/5
Kind of a strange one. The rapping was a bit much but it wasn’t bad. Light 3.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
An excellent, if maybe a bit top heavy, album. Rehab is a strong opener to live up with. Tight production, consistent sound. High 4.
Björk
2/5
The Associates
2/5
Bizarre and tedious.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
There’s no need for this when Loveless is already on the list. The sound is similar but they hadn’t peaked yet. High 3.
4/5
A fun listen and excellent advice for us all. Light 4.
Rod Stewart
4/5
I think the covers were better than the originals but Stewart’s voice works well with this kind of Appalachian sound. Only a Hobo was my fave.
Billy Joel
5/5
An insane track list that’s hard to believe is not a greatest hits album. Vienna stands out above the rest to me.
Tom Waits
4/5
Weird, unique, and great. What a strange man. I feel like I’m just a tick off from fully living Waits but this is a good listen. Goin Out West and I Don’t Wanna Grow Up are standouts, but That Feel is a top tier song.
Gotan Project
3/5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Some decent stuff here - I liked Flower Child. But a lot of it is really repetitive.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Technically proficient but it’s so soft it doesn’t really get me going. I will give it a light 4 for Homeward Bound.
Pentangle
3/5
Light 3. Kind of boring but inoffensive.
Green Day
4/5
Man, 4th grade James would’ve given this a 5 in a grenade heart beat. This is my first time listening straight through since probably 2006. Holiday is still a banger and I had completely forgotten about whatsername which I liked a lot. As a whole it’s hard to separate this from the now quaint seeming anti-Bush politics that sparked it. As a rock opera it is useless. But, it is a classic with some fun songs and I have a soft spot for it.
Funkadelic
4/5
Some of the better funk I’ve heard.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
That voice gets grating pretty fast.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
This worked for me. Fiona Apple mixed with Björk mixed with the forests and meadows. Would love to give it a deeper listen.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Could do without the misogyny, but this is a fun, bouncy listen with some excellent rapping.
Traffic
3/5
American Music Club
3/5
This feels like a Midwest emo mixed with modest mouse mixed with bedhead. Not bad, a little self serious. High 3.
Slayer
2/5
Megadeth
3/5
I can see why people would like this more than I can with Slayer, so for that comparison I’ll give this the lightest of 3s.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
As I’ve said before, not the biggest Stevie fan. I will give this a 4 because it does sound nice and there are some good tracks and I don’t want everyone to get mad at me, but it is too long and his voice bores me after a while.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
All I Really Need Is You was pretty cool but mostly this was just standard 60s fare with not too much to set it apart.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Really top heavy and if we’re being objective about it, Iron Man isn’t that good of a song. Light 3.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
I just let this was over me. No real thoughts
Laibach
1/5
Close to unlistenable fascist music. It was vaguely interesting for a few minutes but just kept going and going and going. According to their Spotify bio it all might just be some big performance art act, but I don’t think that really matters when your album sounds like the playlist of a Proud Boys meeting.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
Too long and weird for me. This also might be the worst combination of artist name and album title I’ve come across.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
25 minutes of this would’ve been more than enough. Occasional flashes of some fun stuff but mostly weird and assaulting. I can see a world where maybe I would give this another listen but I don’t think it’s this one. High 2
The Who
3/5
The Who really just do nothing for me, and neither do live albums. Not bad at all but not what I want to listen to.
The Blue Nile
3/5
Does everybody in Scotland sing like this? There was some decent stuff here but fell a little flat at the end. High 3.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
3/5
And You and I was pretty good. Whole thing was fine in the background. High 3.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is of course a great album, with the Stones in their country era. You’ve got Gimme Shelter and YCAGWYW as excellent bookends and the hits of the record. I liked You Git the Silver a lot too. It’s not phenomenal, but it deserves a light 5.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Steely Dan
3/5
My second time listening to this and at the beginning I was thinking that maybe I was finally getting steely Dan. I think I sort of do, but the second half of the album is not bad but pretty bland. Dirty Work is great. High 3.
Wilco
5/5
An icon. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is one of the all time album openers. Just an incredible song and Jeff doesn’t stop there. Jesus, etc, Kamera, Radio Cure… honestly after the opening half you’re still catching your breath by the time it all winds down. Easy 5
Slint
3/5
An interesting listen. Kind of yo la tengo x mbv x modest mouse ? Not very accessible and probably won’t listen again but it’s a vibe.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
They really ceded this one to Young and it worked! Nothing really stands out to me but the whole thing is an excellent listen.
Beck
4/5
It’s funny how this album had some songs that could just be radio singles written by anyone, and then the next song you’re just like “oh, this is obviously beck.” He can’t help himself. This was a good listen though. Girl is fun. Broken Drum is sad but probably my favorite track. Light 4.
The Only Ones
4/5
Whole of the Law is such a sweet opener. Another Girl is a classic and easily my second favorite song about heroin. After that one-two punch, the album definitely settles down into more generic Brit pop-punk. They do better when they slow down a bit like with No Peace for the Wicked. The rest is serviceable but the first 2 tracks get this to an easy 4.
Tom Waits
3/5
Tom being Tom.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Policy of Truth is a banger. I liked this - somewhat repetitive but seemingly on purpose and not as much as other Depeche Mode we’ve heard on the list.
Big Star
4/5
I never got too big into Big Star but I feel like they’re always a solid listen. Man, Thirteen is a great song. Very influential and I have to assume the level of lyricism was pretty uncommon for this type of band in the 70s.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I’ve flirted with Dinosaur since probably the 8th grade but never became obsessed because their stuff was a bit too rough around the edges for me. But this and Bug are two of their albums that always work for me. The Lung is the standout here, but Sludegefeast, In a Jar, and Raisans are other highlights. It’s a tight rope act balancing catchy, clean hooks and sloppy noise. Mascis being one of the scene’s best guitarists doesn’t hurt either. Just shy of a 5.
Mylo
3/5
This sort of album is over represented on the list if you ask me. It was fine. Last song was good.
Bee Gees
3/5
OutKast
4/5
Gasoline goes so hard and Ms Jackson is iconic. The rest is good but there’s too much of it. Need an Andre rap album. High 4.
The Clash
4/5
It’s not quite London Calling, but a powerful debut. No bad songs really. Career Opportunities is one of my favorite Clash songs and of course you’ve got Janie Jones, White Riot, Police & Thieves. Still, it wasn’t as interesting as they were capable of. High 4 (again!).
Van Morrison
4/5
fIREHOSE
3/5
I wish I got this more than I did. Liberty for our Friend was good but a lot of it fell flat. Not bad.
David Ackles
3/5
First song was interesting and I liked Another Friday Night, but I would not listen to this again. Some weird stuff that I’m not at all surprised did not find an audience, despite the Wikipedia blurb. Fantastic album cover tho.
Also, the song that Spotify started playing after the album ending was another David Ackles song and way better than anything on this.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
The Jam
3/5
Not bad at all but nothing that made me perk up either. High 3.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Freak Scene is better than any song on You’re Living All Over Me, but after hearing both in the same week I think Bug falls short. It’s still great but doesn’t do quite as much. And “Don’t” is really unpleasant. But man, what an opener.
LL Cool J
3/5
Decent beats but questionable lyrics and pretty repetitive. Light 3.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
An overall unpleasant listen. I could see it maybe being influential to Tom Waits but there’s nothing to grab onto and it is 70 minutes. Light 2.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Pretty solid if you’re in the mood for it, which I wasn’t necessarily but I can see why people like it.
Ryan Adams
3/5
This felt like American Oasis, meaning it sounded fine but there was something vaguely annoying about it. La Cienega Just Smiled was decent. Too long.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Kind of Sun Kil Moon-esque. I can hear this influencing a lot of more modern small bands I’ve checked out in the past. A bit too subdued for me but not bad. High 3.
New York Dolls
4/5
A lot of fun. I’ve heard it before but this time reminded me of the Only Ones. Trash is great. Whole thing is solid, if a bit one note.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
This one feels like it’s for the real Joni heads out there - if you enjoy her writing enough to listen to a stream of consciousness of it. For the casual listener I thought it was fine but kind of tiring. Couldn’t tell you the difference between the songs.
Machito
4/5
Fun! Light 4.
Sam Cooke
4/5
What a fun concert this would be. It’s simple but it works. I wish we heard more banter. Bring it on Home to Me was my fave.
Method Man
4/5
I’m always down for this kind of thing. Nothing groundbreaking but an enjoyable listen.
Jethro Tull
3/5
I didn’t listen to the lyrics much so not sure about the god thing. This was pretty good but didn’t really stand out. High 3.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
5/5
Bowie gets his 5 from me. A great listen the whole way through. Need to spend some more time with it.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Yeah this is mostly a vibe. I liked Family Affair. Not something I’m dying to listen to again but would be happy to have it on in the background. High 3.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I’m kind of surprised Sinatra agreed to this. It was interesting to hear him sing over this kind of music. Obviously a great voice but the songs got a bit one note and the sub 30 minute album still felt long.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Kind of reminded me of Slint and Fugazi. Not terrible but not really my thing. Light 3.
Blondie
4/5
Is it punk? Idk; but it’s a lot of fun. Hanging on the Telephone goes so hard. Three classics is really impressive for an album. The rest are good if a bit forgettable. To me this is just shy of a 5.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
A fun listen.
Def Leppard
3/5
This was kind of a slog until we got to PSSOM. That’s a banger. Afterward I was in a better mood but nothing else really hit.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I think I’ve been the biggest Pet Shop Boys apologist so far in this list but we do not need this much of them. This was close to indistinguishable from the other British synth pop we’ve had. Fine but not adding anything new. So Hard was good.
The Cure
5/5
I’m not able to hear this without thinking of the South Park ep where Robert Smith guest stars and at the end Kyle yells that Disintegration is the best album ever. I wouldn’t go that far but it is great. Plainsong and Pictures of You are a fantastic opening gambit. Love Song and the title track are other standouts and the rest contribute strongly to the overall vibe of dream and anguish. I’m sure a lot of Cure fans find this one too poppy but I need some brightness compared to their more goth stuff. It’s a 5.
The Kinks
3/5
This has a lot of that British sing-songy thing that I can’t stand but oh well. Waterloo Sunset was good.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Pretty forgettable 60s fare. At least it’s not British but it could’ve been
The B-52's
2/5
Man that voice gets grating even in 30 minutes. I get why it’s on the list but after a couple songs I started to feel like I was in an asylum. High 2.
Björk
2/5
I genuinely understand why Björk is an artist you should hear before you die. She is unique and worth checking out. I just don’t understand why I need to hear most of her discography. When you’ve heard one of her albums you basically get it and her stuff is about as inaccessible as it gets. A fascinating woman/creature but not for me.
Foo Fighters
3/5
I actually don’t think I’ve ever listened to foo fighters. This was more 90s grunge than I expected even though I shouldn’t have been surprised based on the time and artist. A decent listen but nothing really grabbed me. Heavy 3.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
Lol why is this an hour long? Cry Me a River is the main reason to listen - a huge earworm. The rest is fine. A bit too much content about how all women want to have sex with JT. This is going to ruin the tour.
Nirvana
4/5
Rape Me is such an unfortunate song title but so so good. That and Dumb are the standouts here but the whole things is really solid. High 4.
Nico
4/5
These Days is one of the greatest songs of all time and even though she didn’t write it, Nico’s voice captures the haunting regret of it so perfectly. The rest of the album inevitably does not stack up but Chelsea Girls, I’ll Keep it with Mine, and Wrap your Troubles in Dreams are good. It gets pretty Warhol-y in the middle which I’m sure some people like but I found distracting. Still, These Days makes it a heavy 4.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Another Sonic Youth album that just doesn’t do it for me. Clearly influential on a lot of stuff I like but I need some hooks!
George Harrison
4/5
Without disc 2 this would be a 5. Love the slide guitar (what is this, 2023?). Standouts are My Sweet Lord, Isn’t it a Pity (although I prefer galaxie 500’s cover), and If Not for You. Disc 2 doesn’t really add anything new and the jamming at the end got tiresome.
Holger Czukay
2/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I had never listened to nick cave before this list. I’m glad I’ve now been exposed to him but there is too much nick cave here. This was decent.
Brian Eno
4/5
A good listen and hugely influential. I really like The Big Ship. Overall it’s nice to have on and is a good blend of ambient and lyrical.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
There’s just no need for this when we already have My Aim is True and This Year’s Model. Not bad, much more poppy. A pretty good listen but nothing really stood out to me. High 3. Also did he say the n word?
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
The Vines
3/5
Had high hopes for this on the first track but the rest didn’t do much for me. Sort of an interesting blend of genres at times - punky and then pretty mellow. I feel like they were influenced by the stone roses. High 3.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Well, I guess it could’ve been worse. Still, an unpleasant and creepy listen by a bad guy. High 1.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Not sure what this was.
Supertramp
3/5
Better than yesterday’s live album but still, prog rock is just not for me.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Not bad, maybe too long. I thought the production was solid and there was some interesting stuff. High 3.
The Fall
3/5
I liked this more than the last Fall album we had I think. Still a little too a-melodic for my taste. I liked I’m Going to Spain and Why Are People Grudgeful the most. High 3.
Calexico
4/5
Wished there were more vocals because I liked the voice, but this was still a solid, chill listen. Light 4.
3/5
Sound quality just didn’t cut it. Some good noise but got really weird at the end. Light 3.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
“Relax your body, relax your mind, and listen as we say this rhyme” is such a hilarious thing to hear in a hip hop album. Really dated but one of the more influential rap albums out there. It’s Like That is a classic. I’ll round up to a 4.
Gram Parsons
4/5
Great production, fun country. Did he write Love Hurts? Light 4
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Solid listen, incredible voice. Not quite as good as Back to Black but pretty close. Fuck Me Pumps was a lot of fun.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Keep getting her and Buffalo Springfield mixed up. This was fine.
Hot Chip
4/5
This was fun! Nothing groundbreaking but clean and catchy.
k.d. lang
2/5
Ehh, kind of boring. Liked some of the country stuff but overall 35 minutes felt too long which is not a great sign. High 2.
Megadeth
3/5
Honestly? Could’ve been worse. Maybe this list has just desensitized me but I find I’m not minding metal quite as much anymore. Light 3.
The Triffids
4/5
This voice reminded me of Nick Cave. I liked the blurry production on this one. Trick of the Light was my favorite. A bit too long but glad I heard it. Light 4.
Jack White
4/5
Insanely talented guitarist. Tight sound. To me there’s something missing keeping it from a 5 but it is very good.
The Saints
4/5
Haven’t heard of this but liked it! Punky but also catchy. A Minor Aversion was my fave.
N.W.A.
3/5
A tough one. Innovative and influential, but a lot of the songs are not very good and most of the lyrics are unpleasant to listen to. I’d be curious to know how many women enjoy this. Express Yourself is the biggest earworm on the record but it has no business being on this track list. You can’t have a song about not smoking weed when every other song is about how much weed you smoke and sell. That said, the first two tracks go hard.
Ramones
5/5
Does it really deserve a 5? Probably not, especially the second half. But that first half is killer and iconic and young James demands it.
Culture Club
3/5
Another album on here for one song. It was fine.
Radiohead
5/5
Radiohead’s commercial domination still confuses me a bit, but they’re growing on me. This is a great album. It pulls you in and washes you out before you really know what’s happening. Phenomenal production to capture that dreaminess. Let Down was my fave.
Stephen Stills
3/5
This didn’t do much for me but clearly a lot of talent. Last song was my fave.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Some crazy bangers on here. It’s kind of funny that some of the songs sound like little Richard covers and then you’ve got a 10 minute Heard It Through the Grapevine which couldn’t be more different. Lookin Out My Back Door has been stuck in my head all day. This is a 5.
Queen
3/5
Not a Queen fan. ‘39 was the best song on here.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Not bad, but weird. The first half was much more accessible. Too much of that sing songy British thing I hate.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
A bit long, but nice to have in in the background. Light 4.
Carpenters
3/5
Kind of goofy but pleasant enough. Also weird album cover. Looks like a couple’s vacation post.
The Temptations
4/5
Have I not listened to the temptations before? This was good. Fun hearing a 3 minute Grapevine after CCR.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Constant guitar soloing gets tiring for me after a while even if the one soloing is one of the best guitar player ever. I did think it was too long. There’s a lot of downtime that could’ve been cut. Can’t deny the talent so it gets a 4.
1/5
Y’all are listening to this? It stressed me out. Truly can’t imagine anyone enjoying this.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Solid British love punk. I don’t think I’ve heard anything but the greatest hits of the buzzcocks but I enjoyed it. I Don’t Mind is an excellent song and gets this to a 4.
Ian Dury
3/5
Not as bad as I thought it would be based on the description, but still not great. Strange content aside, there was a decent chunk that felt like I was listening to a British audiobook. The parts that got more punk focused were the best.
Solange
3/5
This is a tough one. It sounds really nice but is not really for me. I just kept wanting something to happen. The best part was when lil Wayne came on for a sec and broke up the trance. Still, a beautiful voice am I could see it being good in the background. Heavy 3.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Solid creedence, maybe not necessary with the other albums of them we have on here but I guess the creators wanted Bad Moon Rising.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Green Day
5/5
Stacked album. She, Longview, Basket Case, When I Come Around, all classics. Huge for my musical journey.
Radiohead
4/5
Not quite as good as OK Computer but still excellent. High and Dry and Fake Plastic trees are standouts. This one is definitely more Coldplay sounding but it’s well executed. With more time might be a 5. High 4.
King Crimson
2/5
Nothing here for me.
Deerhunter
4/5
Really good, almost minimalist in the first half and picks up like a snow ball throughout. Then it ends with He Would Have Laughed which is an incredible song.
Morrissey
4/5
This album feels very personal and self pitying even for Morrissey. Liked the first couple of songs but he really goes on autopilot in the middle. Not bad but just seems like the stuff he writes in his sleep. Speedway, however, is fantastic and a strong way to close out. That gets this to a light 4.
Primal Scream
3/5
Fine in the background. Light 3.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Decent soul. If You Think You’re Lonely Now was the only one that really jumped out. The rest wasn’t bad but didn’t do much for me. Just shy of a 4.
Beastie Boys
2/5
Cannot stand these guys. I guess it’s influential but it’s just so obnoxious and I’m never in the mood for it.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
According to Wikipedia this was influential in the post punk space which I can understand, but as a listening experience it falls short. The best songs were just ok. High 2.
10cc
2/5
Stupid.
Van Morrison
4/5
Long, but great production for a live album. Some of the songs sounded better than the album version. Maybe not necessary on this list but not bad. Light 4.
The xx
3/5
Decent indie electronic. A little slow for my taste but consistent. High 3.
Public Enemy
4/5
I could’ve sworn we already had this one but I guess not. Incredibly hard album title. I’m not sure the mixing of live and studio really worked but I’m guessing there’s some thematic reason for it. The rapping is strong, the style is dated and the lyrics seem almost trite now but maybe because this was so influential. Light 4.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Probably enough Sonic Youth.
Mariah Carey
3/5
Not for me and too long. Beautiful voice but I just get bored with this style after a while. Light 3.
KISS
3/5
Decent hard rock but nothing stood out to me.
Coldcut
4/5
Too long but fun. I was grooving to a lot of this.
Kraftwerk
4/5
I don’t know what it is but I just love picturing these Germans making their weird music in Kling Klang studio. Kraftwerk generally does it for me and that holds here. The Model and Neon Lights were standouts.
Donald Fagen
3/5
Maybe the real steely Dan heads can tell the difference between them and this solo project, but you could’ve fooled me. I always find it funny when an artist leaves a band to do solo stuff that sounds the exact same. Like the other Steely we’ve had, this was fine.
Os Mutantes
4/5
Liked this way more than I expected. The first 2 tracks pulled me in and Baby was really good. Definitely strange but I think it worked. Light 4.
T. Rex
3/5
Better than other T. Rex I’ve heard. Don’t know if I needed to listen to it though. High 3.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Basically a meme at this point but no denying Fast Car is a banger. First track is good too. The rest feels a bit more like spoken word poetry. Light 4.
Boston
4/5
What a sound. They get kind of lost in the woods for me in the middle but the whole thing is fun and can’t beat that opener. Just shy of a 5.
The Bees
4/5
This was solid. Felt more like a collection of songs and styles than an album. It was driving me crazy where I’d heard A Minha Menina before and turns out it was the Os Mutantes album. I liked the reggae sounding stuff on here.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Not bad but do we need all this Peter Gabriel? His voice goes back and forth between interesting and exhausting for me. And Through the Wire was the standout. High 3.
The xx
3/5
Can’t really tell the difference between this and the last xx album but it was decent. Nice in the background. High 3.
Sepultura
2/5
Ok for metal I guess.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Liked that drum solo. This sounded fantastic for a live album but the content doesn’t get me going. Nice to listen to though. High 3.
The Libertines
3/5
If this came out in 04 I guess I could see it being influential for some late aughts stuff like arctic monkeys. But on its own it was replacement level indie that seems to be hogging a spot on the list.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Is this the second blaxpoitation soundtrack we’ve had? Oh well. The opener is pretty great. Very instrumental. Solid throughout.
Syd Barrett
4/5
Pretty simple but good. Light 4.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Fun listen! The production was really good and I liked how the energy stayed high throughout.
Scritti Politti
3/5
Sounded like a Michael Jackson rip off even if the timing doesn’t add up. Another entire album on here for one song.
John Martyn
3/5
Not bad, didn’t pay very close attention
Kate Bush
4/5
Weird but interesting. Night of the Swallow was something else. Maybe we don’t need so much KB on the list but I kind of liked this. Light 4.
Digital Underground
3/5
Nice to have some hip hop but this was pretty absurd. Wild concept.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I get the sense that the real Bruce heads don’t love this one quite as much because of how overexposed it is but I could be wrong. And as a more casual fan, I love it. Just an insane track list from top to bottom. Title track is beautifully 80s, I’m on Fire is haunting, Glory Days is Glory Days. And we’ve got I’m Goin’ Down, which is probably in my top 20 favorite songs.
Goldfrapp
3/5
A pleasant if entirely unnecessary entry on the list.
Magazine
3/5
Eagles
4/5
I unironically, full throatedly love Take it Easy. The rest of the album I could take or leave but was good enough to get this to a 4. 2 British and 2 American albums this week. Who will win?
Underworld
3/5
Decent electronic I guess. As we get closer to the end though all these repeat sounds are even more questionable.
k.d. lang
3/5
Kd does not need 2 albums on this list. Kind of boring but fine. Some decent stuff at the end. Light 3.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
I was surprised how much this reminded me of gaslight anthem since I thought they were mostly just influenced by Springsteen. Solid enough album but man, American Girl is a banger and a great closer.
Tricky
3/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
The intro Where Do I Begin was fantastic but the rest was pretty standard electronic
Cornershop
3/5
Decent sound but repetitive and long
The Who
3/5
This did very little for me. Maybe it’s just overexposed and not remastered but the title track sounded stale. I know it’s influential and I had an ok time with it but just not feeling it. High 3.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
Really pushing the definition of music. Lowwww 2.
Joan Baez
2/5
Maybe folk like this doesn’t need to be in album form. Got really boring halfway through. Sounds very nice but I would never put this on. High 2.
The Byrds
3/5
Less jangly than I’m used to from the byrds! But overall about the same level of enjoyment - it’s decent but nothing really grabs me.
Kelela
3/5
At this point I’m just happy when it’s not some weird British band. Good production, nothing that really grabbed me. High 3.
Public Enemy
3/5
Another solid offering but again nothing that really got me. High 3.
The KLF
3/5
We’ve heard so many of these.
Soul II Soul
3/5
Club classics, club club classics.
This was pretty good in the background. Another high 3.
The Coral
3/5
Another unnecessary British album. Dreaming of you was pretty good but the second half was quite loose and rambly.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
2Pac
4/5
His voice is always deeper than I expect. Not much to complain about with this one. Dear Mama is a classic. The rapping is strong and consistent. If I was more into west coast hip hop from this era it would be a 5 but didn’t quite get there for me. High 4.
The Darkness
3/5
This is another album on here for one song. And it is a banger. Love is Only a Feeling was also good. You really get all you need from the first half though. Fun listen.
Beatles
4/5
For one of the most famous albums of all time there’s a decent amount of filler here! Come Together is a great opener but too subdued. You Never Give Me Your Money, Golden Slumbers, and Carry That Weight were the standouts for me. I still don’t understand the worship but it’s a good listen.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
Eels
3/5
Title track was good. Heavy nirvana influence, maybe some RHCP and event slint. It’s one of the more unique rock albums we’ve heard but I don’t really want to hear it again. High 3.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
Never heard of this guy but this was fun! I liked Gang Bang a lot. It got pretty weird by the end but overall glad I heard it. Light 4.
Minutemen
3/5
This is one I want to like more than I do. It’s one of my favorite album titles and History Lesson Part 2 is a fantastic song. I liked Corona too but the rest doesn’t do much for me and there’s so much of it.
Bon Jovi
4/5
Like Boston, this is designed to hit those pleasure centers in the brain. Shot Through the Heart, Livin on a Prayer, and Wanted Dead or Alive are undeniable ear worms and a crazy 3 singles to have on one album. That said, they’re so transparently catchy that I found it took me out of it a bit. The lyrics are absurd and the rest of the album is filler. Maybe on another day I’d give this a 5 but it’s a 4 for me.
Neil Young
4/5
Heart of Gold goes so hard. Are You Ready… and Alabama were the other standouts. This is a great listen. Production is unique and sharp. With more time I could see it being a 5 bit right now high 4 for me.
Radiohead
3/5
No need for deep cut Radiohead when we already have several better albums by them on the list. It was fine but nothing stood out.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Every 60s British album cover seems to have the same vibe. This is worth listening to get a sense of how much the Stones changed over the course of their career and also how much Mick Jagger has always wanted to be black. Like the Beatles early stuff, it’s blown away by the later discography where they get more experimental and confident. A decent listen though. High 3.
The Specials
3/5
Rude boys get in here! This was fine. Saying this a lot lately but no need for this when we already had their big album on the list.
LTJ Bukem
3/5
I’m not positive I listened to the correct thing but I get the gist. I know it takes a lot of talent to make music like this but it still is just background for me.
The Monkees
3/5
Decent 60s rock. I’m sure this was influential but I just feel like I’ve heard this so many times already on this list. You Just May Be the One and Randy Scouse Git were my faves.
Small Faces
3/5
I guess it’s 60s week. Weird second half!
Bob Dylan
5/5
A great mix of acoustic and electric. It’s Alright Ma is such a good song Gotta go 5.
Fever Ray
3/5
This was like more accessible Björk. Still didn’t do much for me but fine in the background.
Black Sabbath
3/5
RIP. Never been a big fan of his music but an indisputable icon. Snowblind was my favorite on this one - loved the slow solo. The rest was decent. Very consistent sound.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
I don’t understand why someone would put this on. It’s all over the place, there are no hooks. Can’t seem to decide on a genre but not in an interesting way. Jane Says was the only decent song for me. High 2.
Steely Dan
4/5
Pet gets this to a 4. So catchy.
Roxy Music
4/5
Been a while since we’ve had some Roxy! This was a solid offering. Not something I’d go for again and again but it was consistent and I have no complaints. Light 4.
Neil Young
4/5
Some more solid Neil. Does he need all these albums on the list? Idk. I kind of got lost in this one after a while. Roll Another Number was my fave.
Peter Frampton
3/5
I don’t know Frampton so a live album was not really what I needed. Some cool sounding guitar. Altogether forgettable and too long. Light 3.
The United States Of America
2/5
Kind of a snooze. If the lyrics were political it was hard to tell with how soft the vocals were. Nothing stood out. High 2.
Ice Cube
3/5
Not bad, It Was a Good Day is of course a classic. This one seemed a bit more focused than his other entries we’ve listened to. High 3.
Alice In Chains
2/5
Every song here sounded the exact same - that faraway yelling vocal effect. Too long. High 2.
Stereolab
3/5
This was really well executed but the style is not really for me. In the background it’s good and I can see why someone would like this a lot. Tomorrow is Already Here was my fave. High 3.
Steve Earle
4/5
Simple, quality country. This was a welcome change from recent entries. Focused and consistent but not repetitive. Fearless Heart was the standout.
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
Think I’ve gotta go with a 5 here. A lot of hits for a debut. I’d never heard Money Changes Everything before but that was a banger and my favorite. The Prince cover was great. Whole thing had that consistent new wave sound that I’m looking for in something like this.
Lou Reed
4/5
A bottom heavy, classic Lou reed offering. How Do you Think, Oh Jim, CSII, and The Kids is a crazy sequence. Bit something I’m always gonna reach for but this is excellent. High 4.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Another crooner. It definitely was short but not great. High 2.
Gillian Welch
4/5
Great listen if you’re not in a hurry. Opener and closer were standouts.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Too much talking but this picked up in the second half. Last couple of tracks were good if extremely British. High 3.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
About as influential as you can get considering how it it helped birth a genre, but man there are some corny bars in here. Not something I have much desire to hear again.
Screaming Trees
3/5
A couple of good tracks on this but there was something very generic about it I couldn’t put my finger on. The vocalist sounded really familiar. Overall pleasant but forgettable. High 3.
Tina Turner
4/5
Solid 80s. Some classics on here but Steel Claw was my favorite and I don’t think I’d heard it before. No complaints. Light 4.
808 State
3/5
3/5
What a strange little group. Perhaps completely off base but to me this is almost more punk than new wave. Gut Feeling is the standout. High 3.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
There’s not much to say about this that hasn’t been written at this point but I just want to throw in that putting “I” right at the end of an album almost as an afterthought is crazy. What a feat.
3/5
Thank god I heard this.
Brian Eno
3/5
Incredibly well executed ambient. By nature though this is hard to get into or excited about. High 3.
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Tough one. These Germans need to chill. I don’t understand how a mind creates or enjoys this.
MC Solaar
4/5
It’s no English week! This was better than I expected. Obviously didn’t understand a word but it kept me engaged and the beats were fun. Light 4.
Liz Phair
4/5
Restrained and raw. Fuck and Run is the easy standout for me. A bit long but easy to listen to.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
A gold mine for sampling but this was weird to listen to as an album. Repetitive and kind of creepy. Light 3.
Le Tigre
4/5
Get in here riot grrrls! This was a good, fun listen. Deceptacon is one I’ve heard plenty of times before and a standout but my favorite Eau d’bedroom Dancing. Solid 4.
The Lemonheads
4/5
Solid 90s alt. The title track is the standout but Rudderless is also great and of course can’t forget that Robinson cover. The whole thing is cohesive.
The Undertones
3/5
Pretty unnecessary at this point in the list. Not bad but we’ve heard this before. The Way Girls Talk was my fave.
Little Simz
4/5
Some of the better British rap I’ve heard. A well put together album and refreshingly different from the rest of the list.
John Prine
5/5
A classic for a reason. This one picks up steam as it goes along but the whole thing is great. Far from Me and Angel from Montgomery were my faves.
Dion
2/5
Didn’t care much for this but you can almost draw a direct line from here to Father John Misty. High 2.
The Kinks
3/5
Despite the description, this sounds a lot like all the other Kinks we’ve had. Perfectly fine.
Heaven 17
3/5
For a second I thought we were finally getting some pavement in the mix! Instead it was disco. This was ok. The Height of Fighting was fun. Light 3.
Klaxons
2/5
Didn’t really like this one. We are wasting slots
Dead Kennedys
4/5
What a good punk album. Kill the Poor, California Uber Alles, and Holiday in Cambodia on a debut is no easy feat. Not very accessible but not too intimidating either. Jelo bounds you over the head with his lyrics that are at once over the top and incredibly dry. Just shy of a 5 for me.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
I forgot I was listening to this almost immediately after I put it on so make of that what you will.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I never really got into Arcade Fire, probably because they were made fun of so much in Hipster Runoff back in the day. But this is honestly quite good, if a bit self serious.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Not sure we need this much Elvis but he’s certainly an excellent artist. Nothing in this really grabbed me but overall solid. Light 4.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
Not a fan of this one. All over the place and boring.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Dumb. We do not need two Rivine Comedy albums on this list.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Something a little different! Was hoping this would be a bit more of a fusion between the two artists but still decent.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Hmm. Staring at the Sun is a great song, but a lot of this is pretty slow and a bit repetitive. But it’s not a sound I mind at all. Just shy of a 4.
FKA twigs
3/5
A good album but this is also one I kind of forgot about after putting it on. Nothing bad to say about it though and some of it sounded really good. Just not really for me. High 3.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Decent folk ur similar to the other entries we’ve had like this.
Aerosmith
3/5
Never realized how horny Aerosmith was before this list. Decent hard rock
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Absurdly long for what this is. Could have been cut in half. Stylistically I can see some influence. You can draw a short straight line from Walk Away to Ari’s Dangerous Woman. Beautiful is a classic and probably the reason this is on the list. Light 3.
Morrissey
3/5
Haven’t we only had 2 Smiths albums so far? Let’s get ST in here before a third Morrissey album. This was perfectly fine but not different enough to warrant a spot. High 3.
Scissor Sisters
4/5
Never heard this band before. A lot of fun at the beginning but dragged at the end. Very light 4.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Good jazz.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Pretty solid. Gabriel’s voice is interesting and In Your Eyes is a classic. However, this style just didn’t grab me. High 3.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Not for me but fine and short.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
A shame she seems to be not the best person but this is a masterpiece.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Wow, haven’t heard this name in a while. This was honestly pretty good but every song felt like it had the same beat and cadence. Kick Push was the only one I recognized. Loved that outro where he thanks seemingly every person he’s ever come across. Light 4.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Another one on here for one song. Pretty sure we’ve had Dexys before and they did not need another entry. Not bad.
Ray Price
3/5
Fine country, if a little one note.
The Zombies
4/5
Better than expected, especially the last couple. Butcher’s Tale was the right combo of weird and catchy for me. This felt a step above a lot of the 60s stuff we’ve gotten. Light 4.
Red Snapper
3/5
Decent for what it is but I didn’t pay too much attention. Kind of a funkier massive attack. High 3.
The Waterboys
4/5
I find it funny when bands completely switch styles to something more traditional. It does take a little something away from the end product but this is still pretty good. I like his voice and there’s a lot of emotion. A bit repetitive after a while.
Kings of Leon
3/5
This style is not for me but I can appreciate the production. Overall too self serious, kind of Imagine Dragons-y. Light 3.
Venom
2/5
Standard sounding metal. Not terrible I guess. High 2.
Haircut 100
2/5
Not a fan of this one. A midpoint between new wave and jazz that was too long and did not work.
Pretenders
2/5
This was fine enough, if forgettable, at the beginning, but man those long songs at the end dragged on and on and annoyed me. High 2.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Another big boy from Christina. Other than the campy sexual stuff a lot of this was just really personal and melodramatic which gets old after a bit. Production wise there’s some good stuff though.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I could not pay attention to this but it was fine. Waste of a spot though.
Incubus
1/5
Oof, rough one. These lyrics sound like they were written by a middle schooler and there are no melodies. I remember liking that song megalomaniac, which is not on this album but is the only thing that would’ve salvaged it.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Is there any mf doom on this list? If not what are we doing with this? Bizarre pick, pretty bad.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Insane how many albums he has on here. These are not all must listens and this is definitely not. Every song sounds the same and they’re all kind of bummers. Light 3.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Not Bragg’s best but pretty good. He’s great at capturing the everyday angst of unrequited love, and this were my faves - Honey I’m a Big Boy Now, The Warmest Room. Gotta love the pro union stuff too. I enjoy his overly British voice so to me it’s a solid listen. Light 4.
Kraftwerk
4/5
More well constructed electronic from these Germans. The title track is excellent. The rest kind of fades into the background but still, enjoyable.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Perfectly fine sounding but repetitive. Way more country sounding and way less psychedelic sounding than I expected from a 60s band named the Flying Burrito Brothers.
U2
4/5
I just feel nothing about U2. I guess this was pretty good? Didn’t listen to the lyrics too much. Lightest of 4s.
Public Enemy
4/5
That’s probably enough for Public Enemy on this list. But this is good. Overtly political as always, some powerful bars. Welcome to the Terrordome andFight the Power are classics
Goldfrapp
3/5
Thank god we heard another Goldfrapp album before we died. This was so low key I almost missed it. That oompah song was weird. Fine.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Not much to say about this one. What an accomplishment
Pere Ubu
2/5
This clearly influenced a lot of bands I like but I just can’t get past his voice. Drives me crazy. The dance party one was my favorite. High 2.
Animal Collective
3/5
I remember when this album was inescapable but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it front to back. I probably need to listen to it again but on first listen it’s not for me. I can see why people like it but there’s not enough distinction between songs. I appreciate the more unique sound and influence though. High 3.
Joe Ely
3/5
Was hoping to like this more. Perfectly fine but not too interesting and so, so twangy. Need a little kore substance in my country. High 3.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I’m going to be saying this a lot more now we’re in the final 50, but maybe this should be a wrap for Neil Young. We’ve heard some great stuff from him. This was good but kind of felt like he was on autopilot. Very jammy. Light 4.
Portishead
3/5
This list has taught me that trip hop isn’t my thing. This wasn’t quite there but pretty close. Overall fine but didn’t do much for me.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
This was ok. But aren’t we going to get Heaven or Las Vegas? So baffled by some of these choices.
Tom Waits
4/5
Standard Tom here. I was having a decent time but the back half really picked it up. Jersey Girl, On the Nickel, Mr. Siegal, and Ruby’s Arms were all really good and more accessible than I usually find him.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Ugh this is a tough one. Juicy and Big Poppa are such iconic songs and with good reason, and the album itself is huge for hip hop, but do the rest of the tracks live up to it? A lot of misogyny and I hate those skits. But I’m going to say the rapping is strong enough to get it to a light 5 for me. Amazing album title too.
M.I.A.
4/5
Look me in the eye and tell me Paper Planes isn’t a banger. Rest of the album has some highs and lows but overall this is a fun listen that’s hard not to get sucked into.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Pretty good, but a little repetitive and I couldn’t understand it. Nice sound though and sick album cover. High 3.
Brian Eno
4/5
Some good stuff here. On Some Faraway Beach and the title track wee the standouts. Interesting but not too out there. Seems like it influenced GBV.
U2
3/5
Idk, One is good but too much U2 too fast. High 3.
Can
1/5
Tough to get through. Long and upsetting.
Portishead
3/5
Wire
4/5
Points for influencing almost every band I listen to. There aren’t any tracks that really stand out to me but the whole thing is consistent and sounds good. Light 4.
Can
3/5
Better than the Can album we had last week (lots of tight groupings lately!) but still not really for more. Gauzy and forgettable.
Khaled
4/5
Insanely long but this had some heat! Managed to not sound repetitive which is an issue I have with a lot of foreign language music. I was feeling it.
Eurythmics
3/5
Another one on here for one song. I’ve actually never really liked the title track, but it is catchy. Jennifer was the only one that grabbed me. The rest was standard synth pop we’ve heard about 50 times on this list.
Prince
5/5
Can’t not get into this one. It’s not as chock full as you might think construe acclaim, but everything is at least good and the highs are so high. When Doves Cry is close to the Plato if ideal of this genre.