View Album
Wed Mar 01 2023
Different Class
Pulp
3
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Thu Mar 02 2023
21
Adele
3
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
5
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Mon Mar 06 2023
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
She has an absolutely beautiful voice and I appreciate the talent that went into this album, but the style of music isn't for me.
2
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Tue Mar 07 2023
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
3
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Goo
Sonic Youth
5
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Thu Mar 09 2023
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
4
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Fri Mar 10 2023
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
4
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Mon Mar 13 2023
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3
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Tue Mar 14 2023
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
4
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Wed Mar 15 2023
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
3
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Thu Mar 16 2023
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
3
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Fri Mar 17 2023
The Predator
Ice Cube
4
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Mon Mar 20 2023
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3
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Tue Mar 21 2023
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
3
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Wed Mar 22 2023
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
What a difference from their later work! This album was a major disappointment and it's hard to imagine that it was ever popular. It sounds like elevator music. By far, the highlight is Tracey Thorn's beautiful voice.
2
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Thu Mar 23 2023
Ray Of Light
Madonna
3
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Fri Mar 24 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
4
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Mon Mar 27 2023
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
3
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
I love Jane Weaver but this does seem like an odd choice for albums to hear before you die. It's fairly niche and not even her best work, in my opinion. Flock is the superior album by a mile. Still, it was a nice surprise to get this suggestion as I hadn't previously heard this album.
4
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Wed Mar 29 2023
Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
I hate to give a 1 star review but this album just did nothing for me. It's not my genre, to be fair. I was a little intrigued by the description of "cosmic American music" but this honestly just sounds like a standard country album to me. I'm sure it has its fans but this one wasn't for me.
1
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Thu Mar 30 2023
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
3
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Fri Mar 31 2023
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Shame that the second half of the album is missing on Spotify
4
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3
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Tue Apr 04 2023
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Even on a list like this, this is a rare perfect album. The concept is admittedly gimmicky but the breathe and depth of the music and variety of styles makes up for it. Not a single bad track.
5
View Album
Thu Apr 06 2023
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
3
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Fri Apr 07 2023
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
Better than expected. While the Sex Pistols were clearly more influential, this album is a lot more interesting. It's definitely not for everyone though.
4
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Mon Apr 10 2023
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
4
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Tue Apr 11 2023
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
4
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Wed Apr 12 2023
Low-Life
New Order
4
View Album
Tue Apr 18 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
I read that this album was Beyonce exercising total creative control, which usually means you can expect a weird and wonderful collection. Unfortunately, there's not much about this album that's very unique. I don't mind all of the collaborators, but there's not much here musically that I haven't heard many times before. I'm giving three stars only because the end of the album has a few good tracks, almost hidden from the rest of the poppier songs. The standout track for me is Superpower where she seems to finally start taking some risks.
3
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Timeless
Goldie
2
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Fri Apr 21 2023
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
Great danceable punk album. If you had to pick one main influence for LCD Soundsystem and the DFA label, this would be a strong candidate.
4
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Mon Apr 24 2023
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
4
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Tue Apr 25 2023
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
4
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Wed Apr 26 2023
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
4
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Thu Apr 27 2023
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
5
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Fri Apr 28 2023
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
It's a good album and the band probably would have been fun to see live. But is there really anything exceptional or groundbreaking about it? I've heard loads of bands doing very similar things and frankly, these guys seemed a little late the dance-punk party. I'd pick The Rapture's Echoes over this one personally. That doesn't mean it's a bad album. Not at all. I enjoyed it all the way through for what it is. I just don't know that it's interesting enough to be on this list.
3
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Mon May 01 2023
Moondance
Van Morrison
I wouldn't have sought this one out myself but it's definitely a solid album. It's nice to hear the lesser known tracks. I doubt I'd personally go back to this one often but I appreciate the artistry and skill here.
3
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
2
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Wed May 03 2023
Night Life
Ray Price
Well, it's not my genre. I don't know enough enough honky tonk to say whether this is a particularly good example of it. I guess it's kind of interesting for what it is, but not really for me.
2
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Thu May 04 2023
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
4
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Fri May 05 2023
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The first album on this list that I already knew inside and out. One of my absolute favorites.
5
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
In Rainbows
Radiohead
An easy review. One of the best from one of my favorite bands. It's likely not the best entry point for people interested in Radiohead, but it's undoubtedly the best album of the latter half of their years performing. Here they replace political and social commentary for personal introspection. Not a band song on the album.
5
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
I appreciate the role Elvis played in popularizing rock and roll, particularly to white audiences. He also clearly played an important part in establishing the public persona of many performers who came after him. Just in terms of the music itself though, I can't hear anything special about it. There are plenty of more interesting examples of early rock and roll out there in my opinion. Maybe if I'd lived through that era, I'd see more to it. The songs are decent but I wouldn't go out of my way for this personally.
2
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Wed May 10 2023
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
4
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Thu May 11 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
This one was completely new to me. There are definitely some catchy moments on there, although some of the chamber pop sound was a bit over the top for my taste. Overall, not a bad album and possibly one that would grow on me over time.
3
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
A very strong debut album. You can definitely hear the influence this must have had on the indie rock scene of the 80s and 90s.
4
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Mon May 15 2023
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
3
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Tue May 16 2023
Liquid Swords
GZA
4
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Wed May 17 2023
Basket of Light
Pentangle
This one was a pleasant surprise. Based on the fact that it's a folk band I've never heard of and the cringe-worthy title "Basket of Light", I thought for sure that this was going to be "let's sit around the campfire and praise Jesus" kind of album. It was definitely a lot more interesting than that. From reading into the band, it sounds like they were considered fairly influential, which is all the more surprising that they're not more well known now.
4
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Thu May 18 2023
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
An immaculate debut album from one of the world's best guitar players.
5
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Fri May 19 2023
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
The playing and improvisation on this album are impressive and the genre-bending heavy use of the Hammond organ is interesting. I can imagine this music being nice to hear played live at a jazz club or wine bar. Outside of that, I wouldn't personally seek it out but I appreciate the skill that went into it.
3
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Mon May 22 2023
War
U2
A good album with powerful themes. The two singles, Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day, really stand out and do some heavy lifting for the rest of the album. Even ignoring those it's a solid album from start to finish.
4
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
I enjoyed this one more than I expected. Very 80s but also pretty infectious.
4
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Wed May 24 2023
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
I knew of Yousou N'Dour mainly from the various collaborations with western artists and involvement with different charity causes but I'd never heard his own music before. Very impressive. It's really exposing some gaps in my musical knowledge and sending down a rabbit hole of his extensive discography, the mbalax style, and Senegalese history. I'd give 4.5 if I could.
4
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Thu May 25 2023
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
It's hard to decide how to rate this one. The intensity of Ice Cube's voice and the political commentary on institutional racism clearly give his album an important place in the history of rap music. The mysogyny however is uncomfortable. To his credit, "It's a Man's World" addresses sexism head on. However, it only highlights that sexism exists without any particular challenge to it. It also suggests a moral equivalence between sexism directed at both men and women. Even that limited response may have seemed revolutionary for a rap album released in 1990, but today it seems more like an empty gesture. Especially when the same album has a track called "Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here". In that context, "It's a Man's World" feels more like an excuse than an apology. The message it sends is not "Let's challenge sexism" but "Sexism exists everywhere, so get over it."
Overall, it's a great album, especially put into the context of the time it was released. Unfortunately, parts of it haven't aged well.
3
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Fri May 26 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
On first listen, I was put off by the adult contemporary smooth jazz saxophone. The stand out single "Money for Nothing" sounds nothing like the rest of the album and contains uncomfortable homophobic slurs (apparently the lyrics are all based on quotes from someone who was mocking MTV and rockstars. That explains the use of the slur but it's no less uncomfortable to listen to). The rest of the album felt all over the place.
On listening again, it grew on me. There's a lot that's impressive about the album and how eclectic it is. I've enjoyed parts of it more than I expected to. I'd be tempted to give it 4 stars but I doubt it's one I'd return to often.
3
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Mon May 29 2023
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
One of the rare examples of a supergroup that really worked. I don't love every track, but there's enough here to make this album memorable.
4
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Tue May 30 2023
Illmatic
Nas
4
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Wed May 31 2023
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
4
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Thu Jun 01 2023
The White Album
Beatles
5
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Fri Jun 02 2023
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
A surprising forgettable album from Simon & Garfunkel. The concept of side A sounded interesting but is rushed and underdeveloped. 15 minutes worth of music cover an entire life cycle, with only one stand out track ("America") and 2 full minutes of no music at all. It might have been better if they'd fleshed out a full album for this idea.
Side B is much stronger. "Mrs Robinson" and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" are the best two songs on the album. Unfortunately, there's really nothing new here, aside from one leftover track from The Graduate. The rest of side B are previously released singles. There's nothing wrong with that, but we're supposed to be rating the best albums ever made. A short concept for side A and a singles collection for side B is too low effort for artists of this level. It's fine for what it is, but hardly their best release in my opinion.
3
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Mon Jun 05 2023
Stardust
Willie Nelson
This album was a pleasant surprise. I've never listened to a Willie Nelson album before but always thought he seemed like an interesting person. I'm not a country fan but was willing to give this a chance. Reading that this release was a more conservative album of old cover songs, I really didn't expect much. But I ended up really enjoying this one. Very relaxing with some great performances. I'll definitely revisit this one occasionally.
4
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Tue Jun 06 2023
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
3
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Wed Jun 07 2023
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
There's some great genre-bending on this album. It's firmly rooted into its era of late 60s rock, incorporating elements of country and jazz. It's not going to be my favorite album of all time but it's definitely worth a listen.
4
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Thu Jun 08 2023
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I can see why this was so popular at the time. At a time of psychodelic rock and experimental albums, CCR delivered straightforward and memorable rock, with elements of country influence. Personally, I love the exact music that they were rebelling against. Despite that, I can definitely see the appeal of a band like this. It feels only fair to give this 4 stars for the song writing and performances, even though it's not my personal favorite.
4
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Fri Jun 09 2023
Rip It Up
Orange Juice
This album feels like a missing link between the Velvet Underground and the Smiths. One of the great early indie rock albums of the 80s. Equal parts post-punk and pop.
4
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Mon Jun 12 2023
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
The first of many perfect albums by Bowie.
5
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Tue Jun 13 2023
Tommy
The Who
The term "rock opera" is slightly embarrassing these days but this one must have been exciting back in 1969. It's impressive and definitely one to be experienced as a whole (and ideally live). Most songs wouldn't work on their own though and you really need to be in the mood for a full length concept album to appreciate it. But it's definitely an important album in the history of rock.
4
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Wed Jun 14 2023
Diamond Life
Sade
2
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Thu Jun 15 2023
Devil Without A Cause
Kid Rock
Easily the worst album Ive had to listen to in this challenge. Aside from genre mixing, what is noteworthy about this one? Just unremarkable music and toxic masculinity.
1
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Fri Jun 16 2023
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
I'm not normally a big fan of live albums but this is certainly an exception. It's definitely the best way to experience James Brown. What a performer. There's not a note (or scream from the audience) that's out of place here. The second half is surprisingly calm but still performed flawlessly.
4
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Mon Jun 19 2023
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
It's obviously an important album in the history of rock and roll but it's not the best by The Rolling Stones. It's a great glimpse of what was to come though, especially when they started writing more of their own songs.
3
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Tue Jun 20 2023
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
It seems kind of uncool to give this album a good review but it's hard to deny that it sounds unique and has some pretty catchy songs, particularly the singles. It really does seem like it's captures a time and place (California/America just before the turn of the century) perfectly. I might not seek this one out myself but definitely wouldn't mind listening to it again.
3
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Wed Jun 21 2023
Cross
Justice
It could be easy to dismiss this as a Daft Punk rip off but Justice brings an intensity and unique production style to the French house scene. There's often a fine line between sampling as a lazy way to make music and being a genuinely interesting process. With over 400 samples and micro-samples, Justice are firmly justified in their approach, akin to artists like DJ Shadow or the Avalanches. The result is an album that's deeply rooted in the 70s, disco and funk traditions but is coated by an industrial sheen. Perfect for a good pair of headphones.
5
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Thu Jun 22 2023
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
It's surprising to see a bootleg on this list. Back before the days of YouTube, bootlegs were the only way for the diehard fans to hear any unreleased content (especially live releases) and an entire hidden sub-industry sprang up to support it. The often sloppy nature of these releases is captured in the title: The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert that wasn't recorded in the Royal Abert Hall.
As far as the content of the release, the first half with the acoustic set is straightforward Bob Dylan. Impressive and classic songs, but not much that you won't get on the early studio albums. The second half with the full band is more interesting. Performed during Dylan's controversial transition period to electric guitars, the music is much fuller. What's missing is the audience reactions that were cut out for the official release of this album. In the original bootleg, you can hear the hecklers between each song. In that context you know that the band is loud and defiant, and feeding off the energy of the rest of the crowd who is along for the journey. The infamous "Judas" incident before "Like a Rolling Stone" was featured in Martin Scorsese's documentary and is worth looking for. It's a shame that the heckles were removed from the album as they only help to make Bob Dylan even more significant.
4
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Fri Jun 23 2023
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
3
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Mon Jun 26 2023
Parallel Lines
Blondie
Undeniably cool. This albums gets better the more I listen to it.
5
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Tue Jun 27 2023
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
Genre-mixing Brazilian artist hoovering on the edge of the Tropicalia movement.
4
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Wed Jun 28 2023
Blue
Joni Mitchell
A beautiful album, sung from the heart. It's not one that I'd revisit often myself, but I can see why it's a favorite for so many people.
4
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Thu Jun 29 2023
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
I never really followed Arctic Monkeys. This side project from their lead singer is clearly having fun experimenting with the sounds of 60s cinema and French pop. The singles are catchy but there's definitely some filler on this album. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.
3
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Fri Jun 30 2023
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
If you had to pick the best Bowie album, Ziggy Stardust is probably the strongest contender. It's a perfect record from start to finish. While it's definitely not Bowie's only perfect album, or even the first one, it's the most accessible, driven by a great concept, strong lyrics, and represents the first (maybe best) of Bowie's many characters. This is an easy 5 out of 5.
5
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Mon Jul 03 2023
Play
Moby
I have such a soft spot for this album. There's something both vulnerable and bold about it. Thinking that this would be his last album and that few people would hear it, gave him a lot of freedom to make a very different album of the music he loved. The fact that it exploded in popularity was a shock to everyone, including me. I bought this album the day it came out and loved it but always assumed that it was going to be this secret album that I listened to in my bedroom but no one else had ever heard of. 12 million copies later and that secret was out. Maybe 5 stars is too generous but this one brings back good memories for me.
5
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Tue Jul 04 2023
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Very engaging concept album about growing up and trying to get out of a rough place. The lyrics, music and production combine to tell a powerful and honest story.
4
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Wed Jul 05 2023
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
Definitely notable for bringing grime and UK rap to the world's attention. It was a unique album when first released. The single 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' is by far the best track, but the rest is a bit repetitive in my opinion.
3
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Thu Jul 06 2023
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
If you ignore the lyrics, the whole album sounds like it could the soundtrack to a Pixar movie. If you don't, be prepared for a very surprising number of racial slurs! It's an interesting album, for it's social commentary on class, race and the divide between North and South in America. We're meant to laugh at the "redneck" narrator, but also to admit that he has some good points (e.g.: racism still exists in the North). I'm never entirely comfortable with the idea that singing as a character gives you license to say whatever you like but that opening song, and its bigoted lyrics are undoubtedly the most memorable part of this album.
3
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Fri Jul 07 2023
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
I can't help but wonder whether the Christian groups burning their records were aware of how much that probably helped their album sales. For the rest of us, the skill of these performers is obvious and it's easy to get sucked into the fantasy of this music. It's great escapism.
4
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Mon Jul 10 2023
1989
Taylor Swift
A noteworthy album for a few reasons. Partly for being such a successful break from Swift's previous country albums. Partly for arguing for pop music as a serious form of artistic expression. And partly for attempting (unsuccessfully) to challenge the rise of streaming music platforms. To me, this album ticks all of the right boxes for a good pop album, but it's unlikely to be one I'll revisit.
3
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Tue Jul 11 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
I need to be in the right mood to listen to an album like this but it's undoubtedly a masterpiece and was hugely influential.
4
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Wed Jul 12 2023
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
It works well as a showcase for Carey's very impressive vocals performances. The hip hop influenced tracks are ok but the ballads, adult contemporary and smooth R&B that make up most of the album aren't for me.
2
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Thu Jul 13 2023
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
By far the best album by The Arcade Fire. It perfectly reflects the feeling of being young in suburban America. It's both comfortable and uneasy, with a longing to get out.
5
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Fri Jul 14 2023
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
A very fun hipster dance record. Probably not as significant as most of this list but a great album nonetheless.
4
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Mon Jul 17 2023
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
The influence Buddy Holly had on rock music history is enormous. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Elton John, The Clash, among many others. However, the artists who learned from Holly dwarfed him and this album doesn't quite hold up against what came later. It's a little unfair considering he died so young and likely could have continued to innovate for many years to come. Thankfully, many others picked up from where he left off and gave us so much amazing music thanks to Buddy.
3
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Tue Jul 18 2023
The Joshua Tree
U2
Those first three tracks really cement their status as rock stars. They're soaring and expensive and bring to mind vast landscapes and stadium concerts. The rest of the album has some high points but doesn't quite reach those same heights as the singles.
4
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Wed Jul 19 2023
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
A noteworthy album in the Big Beats (or if you prefer, Electronica) subgenre of the late 90s. There are some great tracks here, from the cracks and distortion of Elektrobank to the oddly touching hangover anthem of Where Do I Begin. I've always thought that the original opening track, Not Another Drugstore (later released as a b-side), would have worked better. Overall, it may be a bit repetitive and grating at times, but for me, there's loads of nostaglia value in this album.
4
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Thu Jul 20 2023
The Blueprint
JAY Z
There's a few decent songs and some good production. The lyrics are largely raps about having a lot of money, dissing other people, and misogyny. It's obviously a very popular album but I really don't see the appeal.
3
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Fri Jul 21 2023
Horses
Patti Smith
This album is partly a fairwell to lost rock icons of the 60s (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, etc). It also helped established punk rock while simultaneously moving it into a more avant garde space, with the help of producer John Cale. It's a great document of what was happening in the underground rock scene of the mid-70s in New York. Massively influential.
4
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Mon Jul 24 2023
Back In Black
AC/DC
Bands rarely survive the death of their lead singer. Rarer still that they can continue to be hugely successful and create another rock n roll classic.
4
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Tue Jul 25 2023
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
A "no instruments" album. The samples are arranged perfectly. You'd think the samples had been made to fit together.
5
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Wed Jul 26 2023
London Calling
The Clash
Is there any other double album that gets as much universal acclaim as this one? It's a punk rock classic that goes well beyond the genre. You can dance to it, drink to it, protest to it. It's energetic and varied without a single dull track.
5
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Thu Jul 27 2023
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
Never heard of the band before but it sounds like a gritty punk classic and an affectionate tribute to the less savory sides of London in the 70s. Lyrically, the sexist language is very outdated and unfortunate. Supposedly it's satire but nothing makes that obviously true. Maybe it's why this one isn't more well-known.
3
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Fri Jul 28 2023
Face to Face
The Kinks
Maybe not the very best of the Kinks but an important evolution of their sound and an early example of a concept album. This is definitely an album that gets better the more I listen to it.
4
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Mon Jul 31 2023
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Note quite what I expected from The Doors. I don't love the blues tracks, but the combination with psychedelic rock is fun.
3
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Tue Aug 01 2023
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
I guess it was noteworthy when it first came out. It has shock value and decent beats. But the lyrics are misogynistic, homophobic, egotistical, and incredibly childish. The songs sound like anthems for incels with misplaced anger and entitlement issues.
2
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Wed Aug 02 2023
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
The best solo release from John Lennon and one of the best of any of the post-Beatles albums. This is Lennon at his best, at a high point of his career but totally free to make his own art. It's close to perfect but I think could have been improved by using some alternative takes of a few songs. But there's still a lot to love about this album.
4
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Thu Aug 03 2023
Amnesiac
Radiohead
It's impossible to talk about this album without talking about the companion album, Kid A. Originally planned as a double album, Radiohead decided to break the massive recording sessions into two releases. That decision allowed Kid A to shine on its own. Amnesiac is the less impressive of the two albums but helped solidify their status as one of the best bands of the 2000s and not limited to their electronic direction of the last album. When these two albums were reissued together, it was a joy to hear then side by side as orginally intended. But it needed to have been separated at the time to have worked.
4
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Fri Aug 04 2023
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
The more I learn about Eric Clapton, the more I hate him as a person. But I have tried to look at this album objectively and it's a solid work from start to finish. I enjoyed the music more than I thought I would or wanted to. Too bad it comes from such an awful person.
4
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Mon Aug 07 2023
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
This is music that's best listened to live in a jazz club where you're forced to pay attention and focus on the music. For me, this album evokes images of a rainy day in New York in the autumn.
3
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Tue Aug 08 2023
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
A culture masterpiece. This group had so much potential to go further but were derailed by poor sales and in-fighting early on. The Odessey and the Oracle showcased what they were capable of. The Zombies had other great songs too but this was their own one perfect album.
5
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Wed Aug 09 2023
Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Written following the death of Nick Cave's son, his voice pierces through my skin with grieve, introspection and a very cautious optimism. This album will stay with me for a long time.
4
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Thu Aug 10 2023
OK
Talvin Singh
It's a good concept. Travelling the world via drum and bass and the tablas. Singh also has some high profile collaborations both on and off this album so there was a lot of potential here. Unfortunately, the result is ok but most forgettable, aside from one or two songs.
3
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Fri Aug 11 2023
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
A mess of psychedelic folk experiments, but it's oddly endearing. I can see why this would be a love it or hate it kind of record. I can't imagine being in the mood for it often, but it was interesting to listen to.
3
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Sat Aug 12 2023
Violator
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode's masterpiece. A perfect, stripped down synth-pop album. It's hard to pick a favorite song.
5
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Sun Aug 13 2023
Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
Such a beautiful and haunting voice. I'm not that familiar with Cohen's discography, aside from a handful of greatest hits. This album feels more like one complete piece than a collection of individual songs, to be taken in in one sitting, reflecting on love and hate.
4
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Mon Aug 14 2023
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
Fun, high energy, classic hip hop. Musically, the beats are tight and the samples are perfectly placed. Lyrically though, this album is all over the place. One moment, they're not taking themselves seriously enough. The next, the group is introspective, politically aware, and vulnerable. The next, they're transphobic, womanizing, and glorifying violence. It might have been 5 stars for me if not for that.
4
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Tue Aug 15 2023
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
One of the two masterpieces from the Flaming Lips. Whereas Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots might bring you into space and off to other planets, this album keeps you within the upper stratosphere, still feeling the pull of earth's gravity and heaviness of the human condition. Yoshimi has better singles, but the Soft Bulletin is arguably the better album from start to finish.
5
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Wed Aug 16 2023
Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Neil Young is one of the most frequent artists in this challenge with 9 appearances. He's undoubtedly a great song writer and has recorded some great early work. But I really don't see what's noteworthy about this album, aside from being a Neil Young album. It's not terrible, just some pretty standard garage rock songs. Hardly his best work.
2
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Thu Aug 17 2023
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
A significant figure in South African jazz and a symbol of apartheid resistance. There's not much information available on this specific album. "Manenberg Revisited" is version of a song written in 1974 (when Ibrahim went by the stage name Dollar Brand) about the destruction of Cape Town neighborhood and the forced removal of communities of color there. Supposedly when a copy was smuggled into the prison where Nelson Mandela was held and played on the loudspeaker, Mandela said "Liberation is near." Given this background, the album undoubtedly has many layers of meaning that aren't obvious to a casual listener outside of South Africa.
4
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Fri Aug 18 2023
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
This is such a palate cleanser of an album. If you're feeling down and just need to feel good about the world for a while, listen to Mr Blue Sky. The rest of the album almost as well.
4
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Sat Aug 19 2023
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
Like a strange dream that you keep thinking about throughout the day. Kate Bush has clearly inspired many weird and wonderful artists who came after her. Nearly 40 years old, this album still sounds bold and unique.
5
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Sun Aug 20 2023
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
A theme of romantizing the past and a blend of various styles, including folk, shoegaze and electronica. The result is an album that sounds like particularly raw, unpolished, and melancholy indie rock.
4
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Mon Aug 21 2023
Dry
PJ Harvey
Raw and powerful, PJ Harvey channels Patti Smith for her debut album. This record fits perfectly among the early 90s indie and grunge scenes and still holds up well.
4
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Tue Aug 22 2023
Garbage
Garbage
The dirtiest grunge polished into a pop record. Butch Vig's various experience gels together into something both angsty and danceable. How could a teenager in the 90s not have loved this album?
4
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Wed Aug 23 2023
Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
It's hard to get too excited about a 26 minute psychedelic jam band cover of a Bo Diddley song. This is an album that needs to be considered in the context that it was originally performed. It may have been significant at the time for helping to establish the genre, but doesn't hold up compared to some of their contemporaries like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. Not a terrible album, but not one that I'd return to.
2
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Thu Aug 24 2023
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
It's impossible for me to give an objective review of this album. It's the soundtrack of my childhood and was always on in my house. While I know many of Springsteen's songs, I have never actually listened to a full album. The whole album has a cinematic quality that really comes to life when listening closely to the lyrics. It's easily at least a 4 star album, but for sentimental reasons, it's a 5 star album for me.
5
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Fri Aug 25 2023
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian
Darlings of the indie scene. I enjoyed this more than I expected.
4
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Sat Aug 26 2023
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Absolutely no one will be surprised to see Little Richard on this list. Even if you're not familiar with all his songs, his legacy is well known and well deserved. This is rock and roll in its purest, classic form. Although it predates the concept of the album as a complete work, it's a great collection from start to finish.
4
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Sun Aug 27 2023
Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
While I'm not a huge Neil Young fan and generally think he's overrepresented on this list, this was a great album and really demonstrates more range than I expected. Bluebird is just a gorgeous song.
4
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Mon Aug 28 2023
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
This album is just embarrassing. Buckley seems desperate for us to believe that he has a lot of sex. Any merit the music had is subverted by the very cringe lyrics.
Wait, he was Jeff Buckley's father? Wikipedia says they only met once when Jeff was 8. Right, that tracks.
1
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Tue Aug 29 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Such a beautiful, classic voice. This album also offers a bit of insight into the time, with the novelty of a live recording made evident by the introduction. You can imagine being in a small jazz club, knowing that this was going to be on a record.
4
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Wed Aug 30 2023
69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields
It's an ambitious project. It really showcases Stephin Merritt's range and songwriting abilities. The modern, thoughtful and often humorous takes on the subject produces some great songs, focused on many different kinds of love. But it's a tall order to produce a triple album based on a simple concept, without ending up with a lot of filler. As enjoyable as it is at points, it's a slough to listen to the entire thing. It's a missed opportunity to be honest. If Merritt could have whittled this down to a single disc of the best 20 or so songs, it would have an amazing album. Save the rest for a special expanded edition, maybe. As it is, it's a good album, but it's just too bloated. The novelty of the length is too much of a gimmicky distraction and disservice to what could have been a great album.
4
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Thu Aug 31 2023
Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
An important figure in the early folk scene, connecting the dots between Woody Gutherie and Bob Dylan. Much of the music doesn't hold up as well against those heavyweight names but there's some impressive performances on here. It's certainly noteworthy as a document of that era.
3
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Fri Sep 01 2023
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
I always expect to be blown away by Rolling Stones albums but (aside from the occasional great song) I just find them ok. This album is noteworthy for the band having broken with their album and gained artistic freedom. And of course for the innovative and risqué album cover by Andy Warhol. But for me, most of the music isn't that memorable.
3
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Sat Sep 02 2023
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Such a sensational performer and an amazing voice. What else needs to be said?
4
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Sun Sep 03 2023
Slayed?
Slade
Hugely influential on a diverse range of genres, including punk, glam, and hair metal. This is rock at its least pretentious. It's just unpolished, screaming rock and roll to get you out of your seat.
3
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Mon Sep 04 2023
Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
Musgraves pushes the limits of the usual conservative genre of country by flirting with elements of pop and electronic music. It gives it a unique sound. Musically, country fans shouldn't be too distracted by the occasional synthesizer or vocoder but more conservative listeners might be put off by some of her progressive politics, something the genre isn't famous for.
4
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Tue Sep 05 2023
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
If I had to pick one album to represent the 90s, this would be a strong contender. Its complex studio productions, courtesy of Butch Vig, combined heavy metal, grunge, and shoegaze, into something both melancholy and highly energetic. Even their look fit perfectly into the 90s indie scene, just slightly odd and rebelous but completely relatable to all the lonely kids. A classic album.
4
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Wed Sep 06 2023
Follow The Leader
Korn
Nu metal was all the rage back in the day and this was probably the most popular example. It really does not hold up well though. A lot of growly music, adolescent lyrics, and the embarrassing memory that we once thought this was cool. I do like Jonathan Davis's scatting but it's still a cringey album overall.
1
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Thu Sep 07 2023
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
Leading figures in the psychobilly subgenre. It sounds like if you mashed up The Sonics, The Ramones, 60s surf rock, and B horror films. They must have been intense live.
3
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Fri Sep 08 2023
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell
Part homage to the funk and soul singers of the 70s and part reaction to the state of hip hop and R&B in the 90s. Probably the smoothest album you'd have encountered in 1996. In some ways, it borders on self-parody but it's an impressive work when listened to as a whole. While I wouldn't seek it out often, I liked it more than I expected to.
3
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Sat Sep 09 2023
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
An impressive album, a triumph of jazz, and surely one of the most incredible albums that had ever been released by anyone up to that point.
4
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Sun Sep 10 2023
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
Against the backdrop of an industry that's always chasing music that's faster, louder, and harder, sometimes you need to go quiet instead. Here Eno coined the term 'ambient music' and effectively launched a genre that's (in his words) "as ignorable as it is interesting". By eschewing rhythm and predictable patterns, the sounds can surprise and intrigue the listener, just enough to shut out anxious thoughts, while remaining quiet and calm enough to prevent new ones. The music is perfect for study, self reflection, or sleep. It's also a welcome change of pace when other music starts to all sound the same. A calm-inducing, and secretly chaotic, palate cleanser. In the words of John Lysaker, "it holds together no better (and no worse) than a cloud."
5
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Mon Sep 11 2023
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
I remember being a teenager watching MTV in the middle of the night and seeing The Residents for the first time. They had played "The Act of Being Polite" and I genuinely felt deeply unsettled and mildly terrified. But I have always been morbidly curious about The Residents ever since. They're more Dadaist art project than rock band, touching the edge of commercial success while still making sure to make you firmly uncomfortable. Like all good art should, it definitely evokes a reaction. You'll either love it or hate it, or possibly both at once.
4
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Tue Sep 12 2023
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
What happens when a 70s soul singer confronts the realities of war and addiction? When he stops singing love songs and starts singing protest songs? You get something that's both angry but remarkably calm. It's doubtless an important album. I really appreciate both the skill and meaning behind it but unfortunately I didn't love most of the music.
3
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Wed Sep 13 2023
C'est Chic
CHIC
A perfectly executed feel-good disco album. Nile Rodgers is a sensation. Little wonder that he'd be recruited by both Bowie and Daft Punk.
4
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Thu Sep 14 2023
Odelay
Beck
Beck's masterpiece. With production from the Dust Brothers, they create a storm of folk and hip hop, grabbing chunks of any other genre (punk, grunge, Latin soul, etc) that gets in the way. A very nearly perfect album.
5
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Fri Sep 15 2023
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
The album where The Prodigy (mostly) abandoned their early techno sound and invited the punk rock kids into the clubs. For album from angry ravers, this album holds up surprisingly well, nearly 30 years on.
4
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Sat Sep 16 2023
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
And with this the transition from the blues to heavy metal is complete. This is definitely one to think about in the context of when it was released. Supposedly recorded in its entirety in 12 hours, it's rough, chunky and dark. And it effectively launched a genre.
4
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Sun Sep 17 2023
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
Although clearly an accomplished musician and producer, it seems like Dennis Wilson must have lived in the shadow of his more famous brother and former bandage, Brian. This album puts aside most of the experimentation of the Beach Boys and shows that he could craft a mature, well produced album.
3
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Mon Sep 18 2023
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
The hype around this album was genuinely cringeworthy. A shoegaze White Album by a Brian Wilson-level genius inspired by John Coltrane, etc, etc. Ignoring these pretensions and ridiculous comparisons, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's actually a really good album. No need to overhype it. Just enjoy the beautiful mess they've created.
5
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Tue Sep 19 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
By the end of 1994, you'd have been forgiven for thinking that Radiohead were a one hit wonder at the tail end of their 15 minutes of fame. Suddenly The Bends comes out to prove everyone wrong. Not only had they created more great singles, but they've crated them into a near perfect album. Quite a leap from their humble debut of Pablo Honey. It's hard not to compare it to their later, earth-shattering work. But the truth is that this album holds up very well, especially when you're seeking some 90s nostalgia. This was the album that proved Radiohead are a force to be reckoned with.
5
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Wed Sep 20 2023
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
It's taken me far too long to really listen to Echo and the Bunnymen, a band that sit comfortably next to the likes of The Cure, New Order and other early 80s moody post-punk bands of that era. I only really knew The Killing Moon before, so I wasn't familiar with anything from this debut. I look forward to exploring their discography more.
4
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Thu Sep 21 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
When I saw this, I worried that it was going to be another dime-a-dozen punk band. I was instantly proven wrong. Trumpets in early 70s punk? It worked perfectly. Digging in a bit more, I found that The Saints were well ahead of the game. Contemporaries of The Ramones who brought punk to Australia before the Sex Pistols formed. Why are they not better known?
4
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Fri Sep 22 2023
Cut
The Slits
Pioneers of the fusion of punk and reggae. I don't want to belittle them by pointing out that they were an early example of a girl punk band because their influence and experimentation go well beyond that. But credit where it's due for helping to break the glass ceiling of punk. They may be lacking in talent but punk was never supposed to care about that anyway.
4
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Sat Sep 23 2023
Fragile
Yes
I don't mind a bit of prog rock and this was good enough to warrant a listen. Slightly interesting in that they changed musical directions slightly by poaching a electronic keyboardist from David Bowie. The musical interludes were a clever way to save a buck in the studio but are a bit boring. The rest is straightforward prog rock. Not very noteworthy but some great performances nonetheless.
3
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Sun Sep 24 2023
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
I'm always happy to hear some Kinks but this album isn't their strongest.
It feels somewhere in between Face to Face and Village Green, both of which are better albums. Apparently this is a cult favorite but I don't see it. Certainly not bad at all, but hardly their best work.
3
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Mon Sep 25 2023
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
Coldplay get a lot of flak for being overly safe or a cheap knock off of Radiohead. But this is a solid album with great songwriting. It won't appeal to everyone but you can see why this album was so successful. A very comforting listen.
5
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Tue Sep 26 2023
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
There's no denying the power of this album. A legend performing at the very end of his life. Full of pain and exhaustion from old age and back fractures. It's his final attempt to complete his legacy and his condition means that he has no other responsibilities or needs than to write, sing, and record from his living room. R.I.P. Leonard Cohen, a true great.
5
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Wed Sep 27 2023
Ctrl
SZA
This album sounds like a drunken haze of personal introspection, empowerment, raw sexual desire, and the places where those areas clash. There's some great production on here. Standout tracks for me are 'Drew Barrymore' and 'Prom'.
4
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Thu Sep 28 2023
Copper Blue
Sugar
Bob Mould influenced by Kurt Cobain is about what you'd expect. Very 90s, grungy with some poppier songs in there. Not a bad album at all for a good nostalgia trip. But it's a far cry from Nirvana.
3
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Fri Sep 29 2023
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
There are some definite rock standards on this album, particularly Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion. It's hard to deny their significance. Unfortunately, this period is arguably the height of Steven Tyler's sleaziness. While it's tempting to try to separate the art from the artist, it's hard when you hear songs like Uncle Salty. In Tyler's words: "Salty worked in a home for lost children and had his way with this little girl." That's a little too close for comfort to the accusations against Tyler. Sadly, some of these songs hit a lot differently when you know the background.
3
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Sat Sep 30 2023
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
An upbeat new wave album. A fun listen from start to finish. You can imagine the influence this must have had on young women in the early 80s.
4
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Sun Oct 01 2023
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
I didn't have high expectations but this album was pretty impressive. The blend of hip hop, R&B and reggae all fits in the right places and keeps the content interesting. The empowering feminist lyrics are particularly striking for 80s. Appearances by De La Soul, KRS One and Prince Paul were added bonuses.
4
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Mon Oct 02 2023
Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren
I appreciate the ambition of this album and my interest was definitely piqued a few times with some odd studio experiments. I was really tempted to try to like it more. But if I'm being honest this one just isn't for me. Too many 70s soft rock ballads for my taste.
3
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Tue Oct 03 2023
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Try as much as I might, I can't hate this music. It's just a classic album whose influence is obvious. It's a shame that Lynyrd Skynyrd helped so much to perpetuate the use of the Confederate battle flag and the myth that it wasn't connected to racism. The last surviving member of the original band did eventually denounce it in 2012 at least. This aside, the music is great.
4
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Wed Oct 04 2023
High Violet
The National
The National's sound is beautiful, hypnotic and melancholy. There are some fantastic songs here but for me, it doesn't gel together very well as a complete album. In my opinion, their previous album, The Boxer, would have been a much better choice and an easy 5. But I certainly didn't mind listening to The National in any event.
4
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Thu Oct 05 2023
American Gothic
David Ackles
I can understand how Ackles could have been both a major influence on artists like Elton John and Elvis Costello, and also be largely forgotten to history. I don't see myself revisiting this, but for certain people, this will be a treasure waiting to be discovered. For my taste, the theatrical pop sound would be better suited to Broadway than the recording studio, but I'm sure that many would disagree.
3
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Fri Oct 06 2023
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
Musically, this album is great. The production is slick, the beats are tight, and the respect for old school hip hop and funk shines through. Lyrically though, this does nothing to dispel the stereotypes of the genre, particularly from this era. With some exceptions, all songs are about glorified violence and constant misgony. I guess it's reflective of Biggie's reality as he saw it, but it doesn't age well. This is to say nothing about the painfully tedious and unlistenable skits of sex noises. What I wouldn't give for an instrumental version of this album (minus skits). It would definitely be a 5. Best track: "Things Done Changed".
3
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Sat Oct 07 2023
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
It's been called the album that really started the 60s. It's hard to imagine higher praise than that. The recording sessions come straight off the back of Dylan's famously controversial electric performance at Newport. Yet the songs are seeped in blues tradition, pointing to both past and future simultaneously. It's not his strongest album, but it has a very significant place in music history.
3
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Sun Oct 08 2023
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
What an amazing album from Brian Eno's label. The music is strange, varied and experimental but they manage to do it with a deep sense of calm and a lack of pretentiousness that's unusual in the avant garde. Very refreshing listen.
5
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Mon Oct 09 2023
A Northern Soul
The Verve
There seems to be a strong following for this album. The fans love it and it's included on many different lists of the best albums of all time. I'm sorry to say that I genuinely didn't see the appeal. It just sounded like a generic indie rock band shopping around for a record deal. The vocals were off, the music a bit dull. I'm clearly missing something here but I really don't know why it's so revered.
2
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Tue Oct 10 2023
Dookie
Green Day
I'm not a big fan of the whole pop-punk sub genre, but there's really nothing to criticize here (aside from the awful ablum title). Young kids with punk attitude, slick production, socially aware lyrics, and good songwriting. Lots of earworms on this album. It's not my style so I wouldn't return to it often but I can still appreciate it for being a solid album.
4
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Wed Oct 11 2023
Oxygène
Jean-Michel Jarre
An early example of ambient music and the potential of stereo recording. It's also a great homage to the pioneering early French avant garde electronic musicians like Pierre Henry. Ultimately it's great backroom music, as any ambient album should be.
3
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Thu Oct 12 2023
Abbey Road
Beatles
The final recordings of The Beatles. I often forget how good this one is. The album gives a glimpse into what a Beatles of the 1970s might have sounded like. The song writing had, in many ways, matured but there's still a playfulness that comes through. The use of the Moog synthesizer stands out. The studio recording process is more transparent here than in previous albums, fitting for a band that had stopped performing live several years earlier. On the other hand, the schism between Lennon's and McCartney's styles seems to be growing here. The temporary truce helped them to make one last wonderful album but it's also clear that their short time together ran its course, much to the detriment of fans everywhere who didn't get to hear enough.
5
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Fri Oct 13 2023
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
I knew some of this album already but never listened to the entire thing. It's really two solo albums from Big Boi and Andre 3000. I worried that it would feel bloated but the stylistic shift between the two halves is refreshing and there are loads of hits throughout. Speakerboxxx is the stronger album overall but The Love Below has so many great moments (including, obviously 'Hey Ya!'). My biggest criticism is that The Love Below is longer than it needs to be. It could definitely take out about 20 minutes or so and it help the entire project flow better. I'd skip the sophmoric and misogynistic song Roses, which was apparently a popular single at one point? Go figure. But overall, this is a great album with more hits than misses.
4
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Sat Oct 14 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
Legend has it that Television once walked into CBGBs and asked the owner what it stood for. "Country, bluegrass, blues," he said. Television replied, "That's what we play." The end result of that deception was the creation of punk rock's Mecca with Television as its first mascots. Their debut album lives up to the reputation as icons of the scene. The music still holds up against countless imitators that have come since.
5
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Sun Oct 15 2023
Tago Mago
Can
Possibly the most famous of so-called Krautrock genre, though it sounds very unlike most of their contemporaries. Can were focused on abandoning the past. The older generations had brought Germany war, human rights violations, and made their country the ideological main battle ground of the Cold War. Can looked both to the West but also to the future for influences. They sought to abandon hierarchy but giving equal prominence to all members. This is their most celebrated album, super charging the German music scene and spreading its influence far beyond those borders. As brilliant as the album is, the second half is very experimental and rough to listen to. The first half works perfectly as a short album though.
4
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Mon Oct 16 2023
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
Not the first punk album and arguably not the best. But it definitely set the standard for the genre, in terms of look, energy, and attitude. The Sex Pistols were the stereotype of punk rockers and influenced countless acts. The band itself is a little artificial though, created and led by their manager and surviving only long enough for this single album. While that is antithetical to the spirit of punk, I'll be damned if Malcolm McLaren didn't give the world something interesting though.
5
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Tue Oct 17 2023
Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
Not my favorite by the White Stripes but it's always fun to see what these two come up with. It definitely has some stand out tracks, particularly "Blue Orchid" and "My Doorbell".
4
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Wed Oct 18 2023
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Raunchy blues from Rod Stewart and his band. It's not going to change anyone's life but it's fun for what it is.
3
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Thu Oct 19 2023
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
A beautiful voice, recalling the talent of Nina Simone, and a lyrical story rarely heard in popular music. ANOHNI is a very rare talent. It was a nice surprise to hear Lou Reed on this album. Fistful of Love is definitely a highlight.
5
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Fri Oct 20 2023
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
I'm only a little familiar with some of Waits' later work. Evidently this was his last album before he reinvented his style and I definitely enjoy the more eclectic sound that he'd evolve later. The music has a few highlights but others are forgettable. Lyrically, I can see the significance of his songwriting. As a reviewer said, Tom Waits can see as much beauty in the gutter as others can see in the Garden of Eden.
3
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Sat Oct 21 2023
Machine Head
Deep Purple
I can't believe how much I enjoyed an album that has a song called "Space Truckin'". Genuinely great metal with psychedelic and funk influences.
4
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Sun Oct 22 2023
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
A band from New Jersey that was clearly influenced by the British Invasion of the 60s. It's eclectic, moving between styles with ease, and it has some catchy songs. There's not much that you wouldn't find elsewhere though. It's a good example of the music of the 60s. It's just not the best.
3
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Mon Oct 23 2023
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
What would the 90s music scene have been without Jane's Addiction? They coined the term 'alternative' to describe their particular style of indie rock, a term that would be regularly used to describe the scene that followed. Their members were closely intertwined with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. And their festival, Lollapalooza, brought many 90s artists to early fame. Jane's Addiction is another staple of my youth though I'm less familiar with this album. I prefer Ritual de lo Habitual but there are some amazing songs here too, including Mountain Song and Jane Says.
4
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Tue Oct 24 2023
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
My knowledge of reggae is very limited but I never quite clicked with the genre. A lot of it sounds the same to me, though I'm sure I'm missing things. Bob Marley is the one exception for me where the music really stands out among the rest. His music seems to me to be more dynamic and less predictable than his contemporaries and it does make me want to explore the genre further to try to see what I've been missing.
4
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Wed Oct 25 2023
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
A prime example of what would have once been called Big Beat. The music alternates between catchy, silly, and acid-laced dance party. I loved this album when I was young. Now, I'd need to be in the mood for it. It has retained some of its charm over the years though.
4
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Thu Oct 26 2023
Pretenders
Pretenders
A stunning debut album from Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders. Her experience in numerous other bands and connection to the Sex Pistols brought her all the experience she needed to explode onto the punk and new wave scenes.
5
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Fri Oct 27 2023
Dummy
Portishead
One of the defining albums of trip hop. There's so much going on here. The vintage/film noir sound, the unconventional instruments and recording process, the incorporation of hip hop techniques seemlessly throughout. On top of that, Beth Gibbons' voice is gorgeous. She sounds like someone whose been crushed by the weight of the world and come back slightly jaded but stronger than ever. This is an easy 5 and one of my favorite albums of all time.
5
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Sat Oct 28 2023
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
If U2 tried to make a Radiohead album, you'd have something like Muse. That may sound cringe worthy to many people but the end result is varied, bigger than life, and worth a listen. For my money, Muse is not Radiohead and it's debatable whether they deserved a place on this list. A few songs really stood out though, like Map of the Problematique and Knights of Cydonia.
3
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Sun Oct 29 2023
Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
The beats have an infectious energy and the production has some great depth. Some of the lyrics are cringe (how many times can someone use sugary foods as a euphemism for genitals?), occasionally misogynistic and homophobic. But overall, the album holds up pretty well, particularly the title track.
3
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Mon Oct 30 2023
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
Full disclosure, about 20 years ago, I spent a lot of time hanging around hardcore punk kids. I could kind of see the appeal at first, but I pretty quickly started to feel like there were several dozen cookie-cutter knock off bands all doing the same thing. Simple songs, played as loud, fast and angsty as possible. For me, this got boring very fast. How much of that same thing can you really listen to? How edgy can your music be if it's following the same formula for decades? Credit where credit is due, this is obviously a defining album of the genre. And the fact that it's been copied so often clearly means that set a certain standard for others to follow. At less than 16 minutes long, this is likely going to be the shortest album of the entire challenge. But that was about all the time I needed.
3
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
How heavy can you get before actually being heavy metal? It's easy to see why Led Zeppelin are so celebrated and influential. The music really does stand out among many of their contemporaries. My possibly controversial take is that this isn't their best album. But that's by no means an insult. I've got four more albums by this band to explore in this challenge, including some I don't know very well. I'm definitely looking forward to them.
4
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Wed Nov 01 2023
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
Hot Shots II has always been a favorite of mine. It's like a perfectly smooth surface with small intereting kinks and imperfections that become obvious the more you zoom in. I can easily listen to this one on repeat. Does it deserve a place on the list? It's a tough call but I do think there's something unique here, even compared to their contemporaries, like Beck, Four Tet, or Caribou.
5
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Thu Nov 02 2023
Risque
CHIC
Arguably, Chic didn't need to have two albums on this list. In terms of style and performance, there's not much here that you can't find on their previous album, 'C'est Chic'. It's still nice to hear an occasional feel-good disco album though.
3
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Fri Nov 03 2023
Virgin Suicides
Air
Some very chill music from a great band. But it's an odd choice for this list. The music is good but not as good as other albums by Air. As a rare example of a film score in this challenge, again, it's good but hardly the best one out there. I'm always happy to revisit an old Air album but I really can't find anything significant about this release. I'd replace it with 10,000 Hz Legend of Talkie Walkie.
4
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Sat Nov 04 2023
Young Americans
David Bowie
The first of many true reinventions of Bowie's career. Having reached a peak of popularity during his glam rock/Ziggy Stardust period, he took a major risk by moving into plastic soul. By doing so, he proved that he could effortlessly move between genres and continue to be influential. Aside from soul artists, this album was also heavily influenced by Bowie's friendship with John Lennon, contributing to the very unique sound of the album.
5
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Sun Nov 05 2023
Darkdancer
Les Rythmes Digitales
Electro-clash before there was electro-clash. As a result, it sounds both ahead of its time and outdated at once. The best moments would fit in nicely on a Daft Punk playlist, but there's a lot of filler too.
3
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Mon Nov 06 2023
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
I'm not a fan of Van Morrison and was dreading that it's a live double album. But I will say that this is an excellent live performance and that it does bring some new life to his songs that makes them a bit more interesting. It's not for me but I can see what makes it an impressive album.
3
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Tue Nov 07 2023
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
It's impossible to talk about Pop's first two solo albums without mentioning David Bowie. Both 'The Idiot' and 'Lust for Life' were recorded with Bowie during the frantic year of 1977 when they were both living in Berlin, recording and touring relentlessly. 'The Idiot' was the perfect companion piece to Bowie's album 'Low'. Bowie had rescued Pop from drug addiction and the loss of his band, The Stooges, but he also took over the project. In response, 'Lust of Life' was Pop's desperate attempt to make the music his own before his mentor could exert too much influence. Despite most songs being written by Bowie, the album definitely sounds closer to a Stooges album than its predecessor. In turn, the change in direction would also later influence Bowie's next experimental album, 'Heroes'.
5
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
Possibly the best example of early electro music. While Kraftwerk took you on a journey across Europe, Bambaataa took it further by bringing them into the Bronx and merging them with rap and funk. The rapping style doesn't always compliment the music well and Bambaataa's legacy has been marred by scandal. But this album was definitely very unique and influential for its time.
3
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Thu Nov 09 2023
Closer
Joy Division
This is arguably Joy Division's masterpiece, despite being less well known than 'Unknown Pleasures'. The music and lyrics are darker and more claustrophobic, reflecting the mental health challenges of Ian Curtis shortly before his death. But it's also much tighter and freer than their debut. 'Closer' is possibly the most important post-punk album ever released, as well as template for early goth bands.
5
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Fri Nov 10 2023
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
My first exposure to Kraftwerk was the video for The Robots where they looked like mannequins and moved like very crudely designed machines. There was something kind of otherworldly about them. There was an uncanncy valley quality to them. This was in the late 90s and by then, countless artists that I loved had been inspired by them. Despite that, I felt like I had never really seen or heard anything quite like them. Later, I'd come to realize their place in krautrock and everything that came after them. 'The Man Machine' may be their best album. The music is at once more refined and more spacious, almost completely abstracting out anything human at all, aside from the content of the lyrics. Even today, the music feels strange, unique and hypnotic.
5
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Protection
Massive Attack
'Protection' was the album I put on on September 11th, when I needed to stop watching the news and find something comforting. Tracey Thorn's lyrics on the opening track felt like a warm blanket insulating me from the world. The whole album continues to feel like a safe space, escapist but with one eye still on reality. I know 'Blue Lines' is their celebrated album but I always found 'Protection' to be a huge leap forward for Massive Attack. It's not a perfect album but since I don't get review 'Mezzanine' (as it's not on the list), I can't not give 5 stars to at least one Massive Attack album.
5
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Repeater
Fugazi
I knew of this band but hadn't heard them before. It sounds like a missing link between punk and 90s rock/grunge. The screamy vocals have now been done to death and don't do much for me. But the music is refreshingly complex and tight.
4
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Mon Nov 13 2023
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Fun, unpretentious swing music. The combination of Prima's and Keely Smith's voices is magnificent. I can only imagine that this music might have once been considered scandalous.
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
There's a definite roughness to the vocals. The guitars are simple but heavy as hell. It all just kind of works though and it resonates pure rock and roll. This one seems like a big influence on heavy metal bands of the 80s and 90s. My only complaint is that much of it sounds the same.
3
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
I knew a couple of songs but I have never listened to a full Elton John album. What better place to start than his magnum opus? It's far more cinematic and experimental than I'd expected. It reminds me a lot of The Who's "Tommy". I can't say that every song is equally strong, but there are plenty of great tracks to keep returning to here.
5
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Thu Nov 16 2023
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
I have mixed feelings about this album. I'm adding a point because it's a different Cockney perspective on popular music and song writing. From the sounds of it, Dury had a rough life. There was clearly a huge influence on Damon Albarn here. Dury even manages to sound like Blur occasionally (e.g.: 'Clever Trevor'). To start, this album sounded like a drunk guy at the pub playing a cheap keyboard and doing mediocre early rock and roll tributes. Side 2 goes much more punk, which suits him better. Odd that they omitted the single 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll'. It's much better than the other single, 'Sweet Gene Vincent'. Overall, sort of interesting with a few decent songs, but not good enough to save it from obscurity nearly 5 decades later.
2
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
The Smiths took the sound of New Order away from dance/pop and brought it back into the post punk realm. Morrissey always was fairly pompous but it was easy to ignore that when he was just singing about militant vegetarianism. It's Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke who really carry these songs. Some of the best tracks these guys ever made are on this album.
4
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Sat Nov 18 2023
Metallica
Metallica
Noteworthy for its slow, deep style of heavy metal. I'm very familiar with all of the singles on this album and liked them alright when I was younger, although I never owned anything by Metallica or listened to a full album. They feel a bit overplayed now but they definitely stood out back in the 90s.
3
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Sun Nov 19 2023
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
That first side sounds triumphant. Seemless blend of soul, funk, psychedelic rock and cinematic landscapes. The song lengths look intimidating at first but once the songs start, they're so comfortable and detailed that there's really no rush to move on. The second side slows down quite a bit but with isn't without its soul and style.
4
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Mon Nov 20 2023
For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
An interesting art rock album from before Brian Eno's solo work. 'Editions of You' is the clear highlight here. The rest is varied and often unexpected. I feel like I'm listening to something halfway between Bowie and The Residents ('The Bogus Man'), which is a confusing place to rest, but at all a bad one.
4
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
This is a peak blues album. It's not a genre I listen to often, but when I do, I'll now reach for Muddy Waters. From start to finish, this album is great. It's impossible not to be affected by these sounds.
4
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
One of the greatest glam rock albums. Marc Bolan always gets compared with Bowie, but T. Rex beat him to the glam scene. As late as 1972 (before 'Aladdin Sane'), it was still fair to ask which was of two was better, in no small part to the strength of 'Electric Warrior'. Bowie was always going to win that battle in the long run, even if Bolan hadn't died tragically young. But T. Rex still stands as an important contemporary that holds up today.
5
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Of all the nu metal albums, this was easily the best one. Mainly because they don't just sound like self-centered frat boys. That's not a high bar. I haven't listened to it in a long time and wasn't sure how it would hold up. And it does a little. It's not my favorite album or even within my top 100 albums, but it still has some nostalgia value. It's still infinitely better than their contemporaries from the time.
3
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Fri Nov 24 2023
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
After being briefly banned from touring the US, The Kinks started looking inward to their own homeland for inspiration. The result is a concept combining the traditionalist British culture with the loose, unrefined and experimental youth culture. An early concept album, a cult classic and some of their best music.
5
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Sat Nov 25 2023
...And Justice For All
Metallica
I'm not really a Metallica fan, but "One" is an absolutely amazing song. The rest is a mix of thrash metal and prog rock. It's an impressive work, if a bit repetitive at times.
4
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
I knew some of Stevie Wonders' albums already but knew nothing about this one. His classic era is great and this album fits in nicely. It doesn't impress quite as much as 'Innervisions' or 'Songs in the Key of Life'. But it's still great to hear more from this period.
4
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
The blurred line between post-punk and new wave.
3
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Tue Nov 28 2023
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Elvis is obviously an important figure in the history of modern popular music and this album marks a return to form after nearly a decade of mediocre film soundtracks. It is also heavily influenced by the Memphis scene. As important as Elvis was in the 50s, by 1969, rock and roll had left him far behind. For Elvis fans, it's undoubtedly a noteworthy album. But I am just not an Elvis fan.
2
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Wed Nov 29 2023
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
The beginning of Bob Dylan as a songwriter. It's hard go overstate his significance as a lyricist. This album is such a statement of the early 60s and would have been unparalleled at the time of its release. Musically it's generally sparse, which doesn't make for great background music. But it's not supposed to be. The music is a vehicle for the lyrics that deserve attention.
4
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Thu Nov 30 2023
The Cars
The Cars
Classic new wave that's catchy as hell.
5
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Fri Dec 01 2023
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
Apparently one of Raitt's biggest supporters was Prince? That's unexpected. Slightly intereting background story. The music is fine but it's not my style.
2
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Sat Dec 02 2023
Station To Station
David Bowie
A sometimes overlooked gem in Bowie's discography. On one level, this album is almost forgettable (including by Bowie himself who claims to have no memory of recording it due to intense drug use) in comparison with his many noteworthy and more easily defined albums. On the surface, it is a transition album between the "plastic soul" of "Young Americans" and the post-modern Krautrock-influenced "Low". Multiple listens to this album reveals that it's one of his most complex albums. It's completely free and beyond simple categorization. It also has some of Bowie's most beautiful vocal performances. This one is a must have for any fan who really wants to explore his work in depth.
5
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Sun Dec 03 2023
The Libertines
The Libertines
There's certainly a lot of drama behind this album. But unlike some other bands who can turn drama and internal tension into great music, this is just ok. I can see how they might have seemed exciting at the time though, touring with legendary acts and also performing underground gigs in their flats. The excitement doesn't really hold up unfortunately and it mostly sounds like just another punk band.
2
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Mon Dec 04 2023
Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
Melancholy folk and bluegrass. I've never heard of this one before but it was incredibly absorbing. Music to close your eyes and daydream to.
4
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Tue Dec 05 2023
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Heavy, danceable rock that sounds like a modern take on Can. It's hardly controversial to say that this isn't their best album though. QOTSA were still establishing their sound at this point. Later albums including Like Clockwork or Era Vulgaris would have been easy 5s.
4
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Wed Dec 06 2023
Scott 2
Scott Walker
Mixed feelings on this one. To start with, I only know Scott Walker from the excellent song '30th Century Man' and was hoping for an album more like that. I've also heard that Walker went avant garde later in life and there are some early flashes of that here. Overall, it's more interesting than I initially gave it credit for but there are only a couple of songs that I would want to return to. There are definitely some unfortunate and outdated lyrics here and there too.
3
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Thu Dec 07 2023
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
This one doesn't deserve the hate it gets but it also doesn't deserve a spot on the list. The music is pretty solid to be honest but the vocals are so comical that it's just a distraction. If you're going to go falsetto, you need to either do it really well or commit to being a bit silly. This album achieves neither, which is a shame because the compositions would have been great without that.
3
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Fri Dec 08 2023
Is This It
The Strokes
I was very late to the party when it came to The Strokes. I dismissed them as overhyped rich kids making standard rock music. Probably not bad but I didn't have the time to bother. When I finally got around to listening to this, I could see what I had been missing. The album is so much better than I'd expected. It's not often that a band manages to balance on the fine line between mainstream radio-friendly rock and unpolished underground indie. But the Strokes managed and the album still holds up well. Easy 5 stars.
5
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Sat Dec 09 2023
Low
David Bowie
'Low' may be the most striking of all of Bowie's transformations. He'd already managed to move effortlessly from glam rock to plastic soul, which was a commercial success but drove him into a coccaine-fueled frenzy. To escape both addiction and fame, he took Iggy Pop and Brian Eno to Berlin. Bowie and Eno were heavily influenced by Krautrock artists, as well as Eno's own ambient style for the start of this incredible era. Combined with the paranoia of a divided Berlin, there was really nothing quite like this album before. His record label refused to release it for 3 months for fear of failure. 'Low' has gone on to be massively influential for post-punk, industrial and synth pop artists in particular. It's not everyone's taste but for many, this is will always be Bowie's masterpiece.
5
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Sun Dec 10 2023
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
I've always meant to listen to this one but never prioritised it. It sounds like trip hop with a heavy lean towards ambient music. Perfect for a relaxing Norwegian holiday.
4
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Mon Dec 11 2023
Leftism
Leftfield
There's really no album quite like this. There was a move in the 90s for dance music to get more serious. Artists like Underworld and Faithless were making albums that worked equally well in a club or in your bedroom with headphones on. A catchy beat wasn't enough, you needed more complex production, interesting lyrics and engaging art. Leftfield were definitely part of that corner of the music scene, but took it in a different direction. This is a very eclectic collection, covering all different styles of music. It's all over the place but fits together perfectly. Who ever would have thought that getting Johnny Rotten to sing on a techno song would work so well?
5
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Tue Dec 12 2023
Rubber Soul
Beatles
For me, this is the point where the Beatles became really interesting. They finally had artistic freedom and they used it to really push through music that was both more mature, more eclectic and more experimental than anything they'd done before. This is no longer just a band for screaming teenage girls. It might not be as impressive as later works but this is truly the album that launched the second half of their careers. There's not a bad song on here.
5
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Wed Dec 13 2023
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
This strikes me as "you needed to be there" kind of album. I can see people having connected with it in the 80s and made some strong memories around it. The sound is not bad, but it's definitely very dated. I kind of see the appeal but it's not for me.
2
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Thu Dec 14 2023
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
I once bought this album solely because Thom Yorke was on it. I very quickly realized that he was the least interesting part of it and this album became one of my all-time favorites. Partly a tribute to New York City. The imagery of being on a rooftop in Brooklyn, seeing the five bridges, will always be a powerful one for me.
5
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Fri Dec 15 2023
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
I can't think of any non-western musical instrument that had as such a pronounced 15 minutes of fame as the sitar, and particularly as performed by Ravi Shankar. It's interesting Shankar himself was so disillusioned with the 1960s rock and roll scene and the hippie movement, both of which had embraced him. He had so much love and respect for music that anything getting in the way of it (drug use, Hendrix setting fire to his guitar, etc) was blaspemy. That reverence for beautiful music certainly comes through here. Indian classical music might strike some as just a brief (and possibly tedious) additional to Western music, but you can't deny what an amazing musician he was.
4
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Sat Dec 16 2023
Pearl
Janis Joplin
Such a unique voice. This album had fewer of the songs I knew than the Big Brother and the Holding Company album but it represented an increased maturity of her as a songwriter. This is perhaps a glimpse into what her future sound could have been, had she lived longer. Very sad to have lost this talent at such a young age.
4
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Sun Dec 17 2023
GI
Germs
I'm not usually a big fan of the early California hardcore scene. A lot of it sounds the same to me. I'd heard of the Germs before but never listened to them. I enjoyed it more than I expected, possibly aided by Joan Jett's production work. Some tracks were tiresome though, particularly the tedious 9 minute finale, which is infinitely long on the vinyl due to the locked groove.
4
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Mon Dec 18 2023
Vulnicura
Björk
I know Bjork rubs a lot of people the wrong way but if you look past the perceived "weirdness" of her style, she really is a brilliant artist. 'Vulnicura' may be her most mature release to date. In her early punk and electronic releases, she was recording in toilets at clubs. Since then she's grown and explored classical structures, world music and the avant garde and brought all of that experience into this release. This is a break up album unlike any you've heard before, particularly notable as it comes from an older woman, rather than the likes of Taylor Swift. In some ways it's a shame that this challenge doesn't have more of Bjork's early work, which is more fun to listen to. But this is definitely an impressive work of art.
5
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Tue Dec 19 2023
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Raw, mid-90s energy. A lot of the album really holds up well, due largely to the unique vocal style that lingers somewhere between singer-songwriter and grunge. It does lag a little here and there but the singles are very strong.
4
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Wed Dec 20 2023
Manassas
Stephen Stills
A technical very impressive album throughout, resulting from coccaine-fueled marathon recording sessions lasting days. There's a bit too much twang for my taste but there are also a handful of stand out tracks. If I'd had any say, I would have cut out about half of the album but I recognize that I'm not the target audience. Despite that I enjoyed this much more than I expected to.
4
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Thu Dec 21 2023
Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
This is one of those albums that I would have never gotten around to listening to if not for this challenge. The very large overlap with the Flaming Lips, both in terms of style and their careers, was a pleasant surprise. The album itself took a few listens to really sink in but it's really gorgeous and ahead of its time. It sounds really free and honest, particularly as the band held no hopes for commercial success and just wanted to make something they could enjoy.
4
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Fri Dec 22 2023
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
I've always been curious about Hawkwind. They seem like a crossroads between jam bands, hard rock, psychedelic, and electronic music. I don't know of any other bands that are quite like them, though there is a lot of overlap. It took a few songs for me to warm up to this album but it slowly won me over. While I would have preferred a studio album to showcase their sound, it must have been something else to see them performing back then.
4
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Sat Dec 23 2023
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Learning about the Nashville system has helped me explain a lot of what I don't like about country music as a genre. It's often manufactured, cookie cutter copies of the same concept, designed by conservative music executives. Fortunately, outlaw country exists as a much more interesting counterpoint and Nelson is one the most famous of it's artists. I've liked some other of his work better but there is something really genuine about this album and I'm glad I've heard it.
3
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Sun Dec 24 2023
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Impressive performances and a huge influence on the blues and what would later turn into heavy metal. This album's significance is easy to see. It feels like a showcase of Clapton more than anything else though. Interesting album for what it is though.
3
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Mon Dec 25 2023
Nowhere
Ride
Sounds like a poppier version of My Bloody Valentine. Not a bad album at all but I don't see why critics were so excited about this one.
3
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Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
A rare example of a compilation on this challenge, though it could be thought of as a Phil Spector album, given his heavy involvement and his name on the title. This album is at once a showcase of his "wall of sound" recording style, an extremely modern sound for the time of its release in 1963, and contains a number of songs still held up as modern Christmas classics. Given what Phil Spector would later become, it feels odd to associate him with the holiday. But honestly, it's hard to think of a more iconic Christmas collection than this one.
4
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Wed Dec 27 2023
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
In the mid to late 90s there was a movement of increased maturity among dance music artists. Be it connection to the art world (Underworld), eclectic production (Leftfield), or deeply personal lyrics (Faithless), dance music was demanding to be taken seriously. The Basement Jaxx rebelled against this and just wanted to make feel good music that you didn't need to think about. There's nothing wrong with that in principle but they took it so far as to border on self parody. There are a handful of songs here that are genuinely enjoyable in small doses. The rest of the album tries so hard to avoid the depth of their contemporaries that the songs are instantly forgettable. It serves it's purpose in the music world. If you want to just dance, it's fine. But it's a bit ridiculous that they styled this as a 'remedy' to more interesting artists than themselves.
3
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Thu Dec 28 2023
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
I can't quite conceptualize the distance that would have been felt between Rio and Hoboken in 1967. Viewed as a Sinatra album, he applied his crystal clear voice to the bossa nova style. The results are nice but less interesting than the same material from Brazilian singers. Viewed as a Jobim album, he is an ambassador for Brazilian music into the US, teaming up with one of the heavyweight crooners to bring his sound in. It's a good and maybe unexpected collaboration but overall, Sinatra is kind of watering down Jobim here in my opinion.
3
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Fri Dec 29 2023
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron. An amazing voice whose lyrics speak to the same disenfranchisement that exists today. The union with Brian Jackson's keyboards works great. I just wish this was still on Spotify.
4
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Sat Dec 30 2023
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Johnny Marr's songwriting is near perfect, to the point where I can almost ignore my intense dislike of Morrissey. It's a strong album though, despite him. With a different vocalist, it might have been among my favorite albums.
4
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Sun Dec 31 2023
The Clash
The Clash
Am amazing debut album. The Clash were one of the world's best punk bands right out of the gate.
4
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Mon Jan 01 2024
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
Echo and the Bunnymen might be a little harder to get into than some similar bands like The Cure and Sisters of Mercy. They are worth the effort though as there are some great tracks here. I definitely need to be in the right mindset but the dark and desperate sounds are perfect for a specific mood.
4
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Tue Jan 02 2024
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
Certainly an icon of the 60s and an early example of the British invasion, preceeding The Beatles. Her voice is stunning. The music itself is largely standard covers but that wasn't uncommon for the early 60s. I preferred the second half. She deserves a place on this list.
3
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Wed Jan 03 2024
Future Days
Can
It's less iconic and recognizable than their classic album Tago Mago but it's easier to get lost in. You may find that you even start dancing to it unconsciously.
5
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Thu Jan 04 2024
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
I was pleasantly surprised by the very strong opening track on this album. 'Can't Let Go' is another impressive song. I could easily imagine Jack White covering it. Those two tracks aside, the album is objectively good but not really that interesting to me. It's a fine example of modern country music but that's not my style.
3
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Fri Jan 05 2024
Nixon
Lambchop
Lampchop lean heavily into the chamber pop style. A bit too much for my taste. There are a few great tracks but others really lose me. Aside from some brief praise from the music press, I don't know see much significance to this one either unfortunately.
2
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Sat Jan 06 2024
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
As a huge fan of Nirvana back in the day, I always wanted the Foo Fighters to sound like a continuation of that sound. They don't. They're more accessible, far less experimental, and less daring than Nirvana was. Because of that, I kind of dismissed them. Nothing against Dave Grohl, it just didn't tick the box that I was looking for. Now I'm trying to give this a fair shot and trying not to see Grohl as standing in Cobain's shadow. Judged on its own, this is really an excellent album. In retrospect, copying Nirvana exactly would never have worked. Apologies to Grohl and the rest of the band. They deserve the acclaim they get.
4
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Sun Jan 07 2024
A Seat at the Table
Solange
Being the younger sister of (arguably) the biggest superstar on the planet must be a real double edged sword. On one hand, imagine how many doors are opened through nepotism. On the other, you will inevitably always be in their very large shadow. Thankfully Solange took a different path than trying to imitate her sister's success. Instead she's made much more interesting music that defies categorization. It's somewhere between R&B and Boards of Canada, with a healthy amount of political statements. I'd like to imagine that it speaks to many lonelier thinkers and dreamers who don't quite fit in with their peers but nevertheless have a lot to say.
4
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
This album is like a masterclass of 80s pop music. Whether it sounds dated or classic if a matter of personal taste. 'Buffalo Stance' is the highlight here by a wide margin. Overall, it's a more daring and eclectic album than her contemporaries but it's very firmly rooted in the 80s.
3
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Tue Jan 09 2024
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
The fifth appearance by Neil Young for me so far in this challenge. Aside from Buffalo Springfield, most of what I've heard by him so far has ranged from mediocre to just ok. This is the first one that I actually felt compelled to go back and listen to a second time. It has some beautiful songs for a broken heart. The title suggests the feeling of melonchony or depression after a period of excitment, which fits the music. Nice to see a bit more of what makes Neil Young a great artist.
5
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
This isn't an album I would have chosen to listen to myself. Nothing but respect for Tina Turner and her dynamic voice and personality. But the music never really appealed to me. Truth be told, most of this album isn't my style, but I'm rating highly mainly because it was a pleasure to hear her and there were some nice surprises. This version of 'I Can't Stand the Rain' is fantastic and the highlight for me. I also wasn't expecting a cover from Bowie's unrealized Orwell musical.
4
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
Regional folk music runs the risk of sounding a bit gimmicky, like something that is played for tourists in UNESCO site gift shops. Unless of course you have something to have something to back it up. Shane MacGowan (R.I.P.) had a connection to the music, fantastic lyrics and the punk edge that the music needed to feel more authentic and modern.
4
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Fri Jan 12 2024
Nevermind
Nirvana
This was quite simply the album that got me into music in the first place. I'd never heard anything like it before when I was first exposed to it. The radio and other kids in school were focused on pop music and Nirvana seemed to have come out of nowhere. 'Nevermind' is considered the archetype of grunge music but Nirvana were so much more than that. There was punk, noise, antiestablishment, anti-sexism. Cobain was defiantly questioning absolutely everything my young mind knew about the world and I loved it. I can still feel the surge of excitement over this discovery and how much it shook me. From here, I found a whole world of different genres and artists that I never knew existed. But my journey started with 'Nevermind'.
5
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Sat Jan 13 2024
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Another from Depeche Mode's classic period. This is some of the best 80s synth pop out there and represented a major development and maturity of their sound. I didn't immediately like this one as much as 'Violator' but it has really grown on me. Fantastic album.
4
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Sun Jan 14 2024
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
A famous name in the blues scene. Unfortunately, his voice and style are a bit drowned out by the very dated sounding production and mediocre collaborations. I feel like there must be better examples of Hooker's music out there. Personal opinion, there are better blues albums in this challenge.
2
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Mon Jan 15 2024
Fun House
The Stooges
The Stooges represented a huge step in the evolution of what would eventually be called punk. This album is a bit less listenable than their self-titled debut but it sounds more raw and at times more dangerous.
4
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Elephant
The White Stripes
If I had to pick a favorite White Stripes album, it would have to be 'Elephant'. The whole thing sounds tighter and more powerful than their previous releases. It's amazing how much variety two people can produce using old instruments and recording equipment. There are a few stand out songs here, including the amazing and instantly recognizable 'Seven Nation Army'.
5
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Savane
Ali Farka Touré
I'm so glad to see some Malian music represented in this challenge. It's such an interesting country in terms of its music and has produced some really great artists, including Toure and Toumani Diabaté (listen to him too if you enjoyed this album). Toure himself was an interesting person. He grew up in a culture where musicians were the lowest caste but he wanted to play it anyway. He combined traditional Malian music with a heavy influence from African American blues artists. He was briefly mayor of a small town where he gave his money away to help build the infrastructure. And in his final years before succumbing to cancer, he created a recording studio in the hotel he was staying in because he couldn't travel far enough to reach any others. His album represents his final recordings, yet it's still full of life and a blend of musical traditions. For me, this is music for when you want to feel miles away from home.
4
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Thu Jan 18 2024
The Poet
Bobby Womack
The only song I previously knew by Bobby Womack was 'Across 110th Street'. This album is lot funkier and sexier than that song but also a bit less mature. That's not to say it's bad, just not what I expected. I can imagine loads of artists being inspired by Womack and his music really fitting a niche at the time. But to be clear, this isn't Stevie Wonder.
3
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Fri Jan 19 2024
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Wow, what an experience this one was. I'm not normally big on live albums, but there's so much feeling and power in this one. What's absolutely fascinating is that this recording was kept in a vault for more than two decades. It says a lot about the state of the music industry that the label was afraid this recording would harm his image as a pop star in the early 60s. The fact that Cooke appeared to be in his most free form when performing for African American audiences (and that the label felt the need to tone this down and hide that side of him) speaks volumes. This isn't normally my favorite genre, but I was just blown away by this album.
5
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Sat Jan 20 2024
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
This album established Talking Heads as a band to watch. The first of their work with Brian Eno, as well as their move to being a more danceable band. Although David Byrne gets the most acclaim, the whole band sounds great and there's not a bad track on the album. It's a classic and really enjoyable to listen to.
5
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Sun Jan 21 2024
Guero
Beck
Often referred to as the unofficial sequel to Beck's masterpiece 'Odelay'. 'Guero' doesn't have the same impact and novelty, but it's great hearing Beck and the Dust Brothers working together again. I haven't listened to this album in many years and I forgot how strong it actually is. There are a lot of great songs here and it's a solid album from start to finish.
4
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Mon Jan 22 2024
Street Life
The Crusaders
About as edgy as smooth jazz can get, I suppose.
2
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Tue Jan 23 2024
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
After bouts of writer's block and internal tension, Talking Heads came back to record their magnum opus. Producer Brian Eno continued the work started with Bowie to combine elements of work music with post punk. But 'Remain In Light' is a lot funkier than anything on 'Lodger'. This album is another benchmark for a band who reinvented so much during their time.
5
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Wed Jan 24 2024
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Brian Eno
The album that paved the way for the Talking Heads album 'Remain in Light' (coincidentally, the album I got yesterday in this challenge). The experiments with world music and samples are very interesting and influential, particularly for the time. It lacks the hooks that you might expect from Byrne's music. Talking Heads is the album you play at your party. 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts' is the music you play when everyone has left and you want to spend some time alone with your thoughts. Definitely an album for people who are interested in experimental music and recording processes, not for everyone.
4
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
This album really exceeded my expectations. It's a great blend of classic and very tight hip hop beats set against gritty rap. The collaborations were particularly a nice surprise as I didn't realize how involved MF Doom was on this album. In contrast to a lot of mainstream rap albums, this one isn't afraid to experiment. One of the best Wu Tang projects I've heard.
On the negative side, it's really unfortunate how it falls into the stereotype of including misogynistic and homophobic lyrics. Also, the skits. So unnecessary and boring.
4
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Live At Leeds
The Who
I like The Who as much as the next guy but this hardly feels like their best album. Putting it in context, it seems like it was probably a return to form after 'Tommy'. And maybe for 1970, it was a particularly impressive live rock album. By today's standards, it sounds fine but I'd take a studio album over this any day.
3
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
I always struggled with this album, only because 'Heavy Metal Drummer' is such an earworm and nothing else on the album sounds quite like it. I've tried a few times to listen to the full album but never engaged. This challenge has forced me to finally sit down and listen straight through to finally hear it for what it is: a very good indie record. Not perfect or especially groundbreaking but absolutely solid and worth revisiting.
4
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Sun Jan 28 2024
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
A landmark shoegaze album. Marked by turmoil, overspending and a seemingly endless number of different recordings studios to get the sound right. But man, 'loveless' does sound otherworldly.
5
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Mon Jan 29 2024
Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
I'm fine with a bit of Elvis Costello but this album was just ok. I can see some excitement over its initial release and whether it was actually a reunion of the Attractions. But taking the long view, is that that really very interesting? It's not a bad album but not as impressive as his other work. It doesn't feel significant enough for this list.
3
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones took the album template, experimentation, and world music influence of The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' and ran with it. They did so with a lot more edge and grit. If parents hated Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards were probably a nightmare. Their best song from the era, 'Paint It Black', is sadly missing from the original UK edition but there are still plenty of standout songs here. I have mixed opinions about The Rolling Stones but I think this is one of their better works. Unfortunately there's also a lot of misogyny that ruins would have otherwise been a very good album.
3
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Debut
Björk
Although I'd argue that 'Post' and 'Homogenic' are stronger examples of Bjork's music (and not included in this challenge, sadly), 'Debut' is still a very powerful album. Bjork's voice is sensational and unique. She's long been one of my favorite vocalists. She's been a lifelong singer, releasing her first album as a child and then spending her teenage years jumping around punk bands, some of which were better than you might think. She finally found early international fame with The Sugarcubes, who produced some wonderfully weird music.
But Bjork always needed to go her own way. She is and always has been a force on her own, not a mere singer in someone else's band. She would eventually leave Iceland for London where she had the freedom to do her own thing and was embraced by the emerging electronic movements of the early 90s, with an explosion of subgenres having their moment, including trip hop, drum n bass, and acid house, among others. These sounds all seemlessly made their way into the appropriately titled 'Debut', with the assistance of 808 State's Graham Massey and the album's producer Nellee Hooper. While electronic music made up the backbone of the album, it is also filled with Bjork's early concepts and demos that never fit into her previous musical efforts the right way. The saxophones feel slightly out of place at first but on multiple listens they make up an essential part of the whole recording.
While her later work in the 90s may have been more easily digestible, 'Debut' is full of slow burns. I didn't immediately like songs like 'Aeroplane' or 'The Anchor Song' but sooner or later, they really clicked. It's a little harder to track it down, but the Brodsky Quartet version of 'The Anchor Song' is among my favorite pieces of music ever recorded.
5
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
As I'm not usually a fan of the genre, I find it hard to be completely objective. I was intrigued by the idea that he was rebelling against the Nashville establishment, as all the best country stars (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, etc) had done before him. But I really don't hear anything special here. Experts in the genre will likely hear something that I'm missing but all I hear is run of the mill honky tonk with shamefully toxic lyrics. 'Streets of Bakersfield' is the only song I found noteworthy and pretty decent here but that's not enough to justify being on this list.
2
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Document
R.E.M.
I was a little late to the party with R.E.M. I never disliked them, I just didn't spend enough time actively listening to them to appreciate how good they are. This one is definitely something of a landmark in their career, marking a shift in style and their biggest success up to that point. There are some absolutely classic songs here. Overall, not my favorite work of theirs, but definitely a solid effort.
4
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Sat Feb 03 2024
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
This album taps into a time, a place and an angry determinism, and still feels as raw and relevant as ever. This is Black Lives Matter before many were aware of just how bad the situation was. To top it off, the music is phenomenal and the best output that I've heard by Public Enemy. The social message deserves strong beats to back them up and they definitely delivered here.
5
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Sun Feb 04 2024
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
A pivotal release for the psychedelic movement and the debut of one of the best selling bands of all time. It's also interesting to hear Syd Barrett leading the band here. It's particularly bold for a debut album in the 60s and doubtless it turned more than a few heads. It holds up fine, both as an experimental record, but with enough pop elements to keep it listenable. It's obviously not as iconic as their later work, but it definitely deserves its place in music history.
4
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
A good example of what trip hop can be, focusing on the influences across multiple genres and great beats. It's not exactly genre defining the way the heavyweights of trip hop (Massive Attack, Portishead, etc) are. What it does showcase is how well bedroom producers can put together a solid album of very chill music. It's more background music than anything and it's a bit repetitive but it's a good album for what it is.
3
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Tue Feb 06 2024
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Eminem always claimed that his music was supposed to be like a horror movie, in that it's for entertainment purposes only. It's a lazy and overused way to be able to say whatever you want. It's also very easy to pick apart. The opening disclaimer is clearly tongue-in-cheek. Eminem surrounds himself with layers of aliases to seem like characters rap bigoted and violent lyrics he wouldn't. The problem is that unlike other artists who can lose themselves in different characters, Eminem, Slim Shady, and Marshall Mathers all sound the same. Maybe it's fictional that in that he wouldn't really murder his partner or members of the LGBTQ+ community, but it's clear from the songs that part of him really wants to. The fact that he is self-aware of his toxicity doesn't make it any less toxic. It really just sounds like it was all written by an angsty teenager who thinks that shock value, humor, and art are all the same thing.
Why Dr Dre chose to produce this is a complete mystery to me but he's contributed the best quality of the whole thing. The beats are undeniably good. It's not enough to save the album, but it does illustrate how good this album could have been if it wasn't filled with bigotry and misdirected anger.
1
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
This is the kind of album that's a must have for hardcore fans but will bore most everyone else. The concept of a prog rock take on classical music is novel enough but the general silliness distracts from the impressive performances and high quality recording. It's an alright album but hardly deserves to be on this list in my opinion.
2
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Electric Music For The Mind And Body
Country Joe & The Fish
Apparently these guys were huge in the San Francisco psychedelic scene and leftist circles of the 60s. My initial impression was that it's a less memorable version of Jefferson Airplane. But this album really picks up a few tracks in. The sound becomes muddier and more electronic than their contemporaries. It hasn't exactly survived the test of time and maybe not that many people today know who they are. But I can definitely see an enduring cult following for this group.
3
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
The idea of a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist seems less like a novelty and more like a resume for Adamson. But as that was his intention, I can't really fault him there. The music is fine and indeed would make a good backing for a neo-noir film. For me, soundtracks, real or imagined, are not usually that interesting to listen to on their own. But there are some interesting pieces here. 'Sounds from the Big House' could have influenced some early textures used by Nine Inch Nails. Indeed, Reznor would later tap Adamson for songs on the Lost Highway soundtrack. I don't know that this list needed two imaginary soundtracks by Barry Adamson but it was fun to hear this one.
3
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Sat Feb 10 2024
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
Wow, what a find this was. I've always liked desert blues, but haven't properly explored the genre. Songhoy Blues offer a slightly more modern take on the genre, showcasing influence by the incredible Ali Farka Touré, as well as a wide range of Western styles. Interesting that they cite hip hop and R&B as their 'main diet', while staying firmly connected to Northern Malian music. An added bonus here is the collaboration with Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. None of this says anything about their personal stories of being internally displaced persons, in exile from a fundamentalist group who wanted to ban music from Timbuktu. Despite their modern sound, Songhoy Blues are also keeping their Northern sounds alive.
5
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Sun Feb 11 2024
The Who Sell Out
The Who
Are The Who responsible for the concept of skits on albums? If so, thanks a lot guys. Putting that aside, it's not bad for such an odd little album. The fake ads are fairly listenable and the rest of the songs are pretty good. It's gimmicky, sure, bit also documents a period of ads and pirate radio pretty well. Too bad they got a off of legal trouble for all of the unlicensed material.
4
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
It's a popular criticism of this list that it has too much Elvis Costello. While I agree that six albums is a lot and that some were particularly average, I am glad that Costello is featured on the list. 'Armed Forces' may not be the strongest release overall but it does feature some of his best work, including 'Oliver's Army' and '(What's so Funny about) Peace, Love and Understanding'. Unfortunately there's also a lot of filler here that's less memorable.
3
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Tue Feb 13 2024
Melodrama
Lorde
There is something appealing about Lorde's music that I've never been able to put my finger on. Maybe it's her vocal style, or just that the music feels a little unorthodox for a pop star. I really only knew her debut album 'Pure Heroine' before. Unfortunately, 'Melodrama' doesn't appeal to me as much. There are some stand out tracks like 'Green Light', but it's lacking the eerie minimalism of her debut and has fewer tracks that stick with me. I still like it, but it's a shame that 'Pure Heroine' didn't make the cut for this list. It might have been a 5 for me.
3
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
I'd always been curious about Peter Frampton but never sought out his music. All I knew about him was that he was a school friend (and eventual collaborator) of David Bowie, and that he appeared on an episode of The Simpsons alongside Cypress Hill and Sonic Youth. That was enough to convince me that he must be cool. The actual music hasn't hit as strong as I thought it would. At times, it sounds like waiting room music. It's saved by the expert guitar playing and effects, particularly towards the end of this album. All of that is strong enough that I might eventually give Frampton another shot. But on one listen, it's not quite as strong as I'd hoped.
3
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Thu Feb 15 2024
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
Very nice (if a bit leftfield) modern folk. As much as I like the music, the vocal style doesn't do much for me. At times, it seems borderline silly to the point of distraction. I can't help but picture the stereotypical Williamsburg hipster of the early 2000s while listening. Tone down the vocals a bit and you'd have a very good album. Alternatively, go full experimental and really make it weird all around. 'Rejoicing in the Hands' is somewhere in between those extremes. The result is a ok album with some interesting peaks but not enough to really be memorable. There are better alt folk albums out there but it's not bad.
3
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Purple Rain
Prince
An undisputed pop masterpiece, even among many people who normally hate pop music. There was something different about Prince. He brought in influences from a diverse range of music. His music was larger than life, tightly produced, sexy and danceable. No one else has ever managed to sound quite like him.
5
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Sat Feb 17 2024
L.A. Woman
The Doors
The last Doors album I heard was 'Morrison Hotel', which I wasn't that excited by. 'L.A. Woman' really stands head and shoulders above that one in my opinion. There is great energy, strong songwriting, and some daring experimentation, documenting the (perhaps too extreme) final days of Jim Morrison's life. Definitely attention grabbing and memorable.
4
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
I really didn't expect how strange this album would be. Written during a stay in a psychiatrist hospital and hastily recorded as intended-demos, 'Oar' reminds me in some ways of Van Gogh's final days of life when he was painting frantically. That isn't to say that Spence is the kind of genius that Van Gogh was but there's a similarity in that both men where attempting to do something more conventional than what finally came out. 'Oar' is both uncomfortable and endearing. Unsurprisingly, the record label had no idea what to do with it and it quickly faded into obscurity as a cult classic.
4
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Teenager Of The Year
Frank Black
The first rock concert I ever attended had Frank Black as the opener when he was promoting this album, so this music really brings me back. That made him the first rock star I ever saw live, long before I knew who The Pixies were. Listening to this album now, it sounds like what you often hear from lead singer solo projects, which lacks the chemistry of the rest of the band. Despite that, it has some real gems. 'Headache' is the standout track and rivals most material by The Pixies. But there is enough else on here to make for a good album. My only complaint is that it's a bit longer than it needs to be. Trim about 20 minutes off and it would be a tighter album but I still really enjoyed listening and imagining that first live experience again.
4
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Tue Feb 20 2024
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
This album is dated and a bit campy but I can't help enjoying it. The funky rhythms, the smooth synths, and the ultra cool brass all come together perfectly. Despite being such a huge group (by my count, there were nine members at the time of this recording), everything fits right into it's place, even with a refreshing amount of empty space in between sounds. I could pass on some of the more ballady songs but the rest is hard to hate. Classic album.
4
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Metal Box
Public Image Ltd.
John Lydon had abandoned punk when he left The Sex Pistols and had already pioneered post-punk with PiL's debut album 'First Issue'. Here, the band fully embraces the avant-garde. This is particualarly evident in Lydon's bizarre (and slightly off-putting) vocal style. The original packaging, while being novel, actually created (intentionally?) a frustrating experience where listeners struggled to get the records out of the tin case. German band Can is a major influence here though not 'Metal Box' isn't as good as Can's best work. The hero of this album is bassist Jah Wobble. Bassists don't usually get that much praise, but his dub rhythms come out in full force on this album. If anything keeps the listener engaged, it's Wobble. This album also introduces PiL's fantastic drummer, Martin Atkins, though only on one track as he joined in the middle of recording. Overall, this record will annoy a lot of people. It's not something you'd play at a party or a relaxing Sunday afternoon. But it's an interesting one and there is some brilliance among the weirdness of it. A landmark post-punk album.
3
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Thu Feb 22 2024
Infected
The The
The The walk the fine line between post-punk and new wave, not really fitting into either genre correctly. 'Infected' follows the pattern of extremely bleak lyrics accompanied with upbeat music. But the main significance of this album was probably the unusual decision (particularly for such a minor group at the time) to produce a video for every track. The videos themselves were extreme, fueled by drug use and putting themselves into dangerous situations. The police refused to try to protect them filming by a cracked house in the middle of the night. They were attacked by communist rebels in South America. The band appear to keep going on pure adrenaline. Shock factors aside, it's a good album on its own, deserving of time and consideration for the period it was made. Top track for me is 'Slow Train to Dawn'.
4
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
I sometimes cringe went that I'm getting yet another 'punk classic' and 'proto-hardcore' album. The genre, while great, has a lot of cookie cutter copies out there. Not so with The Damned. Very endearing and varied with guest appearances by Lemmy and members of The Clash. Surprisingly catchy for such a rough and rowdy punk album.
4
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
I don't know how I made it so far in life not listening to Led Zeppelin. I worried a bit about this being a double album, particularly after reading that some songs were seemingly tacked on from previous recording sessions just to make it fit. But 'Physical Graffiti' was great and without a single bad track. There's a refreshing diversity of styles here that doesn't hit immediately but listening straight through, it really solidifies. Any time a song starts to feel forgettable, it quickly turns into something new and novel. I'll definitely be revisiting this one.
5
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Sun Feb 25 2024
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
The original 'art rock' album. There's a lot to say about this one. Lou Reed brought a classic rock and roll sound and married it with the gritty subject matter of New York poets, singing about topics previously off limits in the genre, including drug use and prostitution. John Cale brought in a fearless experimentation inspired by early 20th century avant garde composers. The addition of Nico is a strange choice for a debut album but she adds a further sweet strangeness to the songs she appears on. Andy Warhol, supposedly the producer, did little beyond paying for it and adding a phallic front cover image. Yet his presence is all over the album. Without his reputation and fearlessness, this music wouldn't have existed. Few albums have ever been as influential as this.
5
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
The phrase "white reggae" really sounds like cultural appropriation by today's standards. Ignoring that, the Windrush generation brought Caribbean influence to the UK and why shouldn't that influence rock music? 'Message in a Bottle' is one hell of a song and carries the album but there are other peaks, including 'Bring on the Night' and 'Walking on the Moon'. There's also some filler here but I'm enjoying it all more with every listen.
4
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Springsteen brings a brighter, poppier flair to his working class American ballads. His music was always on when I was a kid so I was really familiar with a lot of this album, but there were a few songs I had never heard before and they sounded just as strong as the others. It's a classic album.
4
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Wed Feb 28 2024
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles knocks you off your seat and makes you pay attention. The abrasive horns attack your senses and lead you directly into Charles' sensational voice. The force of side 1 flows into the smooth ballads of side 2, with the incredible singing still with you. As another reviewer said, he exudes pure class.
4
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
A pioneer of early heavy metal and very influential in the genre. I keep wanting to dismiss Deep Purple but I'm always pleasantly surprised by how good they are.
4
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
I was disappointed to see another San Francisco psychedelic 60s album on the list but this one was pretty unique. The instrumentation is impressive. The style feels like it's pulling all different genres from the era into a Tolkien-sequence world. The vocals are a bit distracting though. He sounds like he's trying to imitate Bob Dylan. Tone that back and let the music stand out more and you'd have a stronger record in my opinion. Despite that, there's a lot going on here that's worth a listen.
3
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
Finally! This album is how I always hope a Rolling Stones album will sound, with the right energy and depth to match their style.
4
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Born To Be With You
Dion
'Born to be With You' is a good example of an album that takes some time to get into. The first few tracks left me a bit cold. It was only about halfway through listening that I clicked with the production and the impressive vocal talent present. Specifically the song 'Only You Know'. It was enough to make me go back and listen again with an open mind. I can't say that I loved every track but definitely a good record with Phil Spector's fingerprints all over it.
3
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Teen Dream
Beach House
I can't help but feel like Beach House were a 'flavor of the week' kind of band. Pleasant enough to listen to and maybe something you can briefly get very excited about. But longer term, it's kind of forgettable. I really liked 'Norway' and 'Real Love'. The rest is sort of nice and calming background music. Nothing wrong with that but there's also not a lot to hold onto unfortunately. I remember these guys having their moment about a decade ago. I see it but can't imagine them being anyone's all time favorite band.
3
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips' second masterpiece, after 'The Soft Bulletin'. A very ambitious album combining themes of science fiction, love, humanities struggles. 'Yoshimi' introduces electronic elements into their sound, mixed with acoustic instruments and hip hop influences. At times, it recalls parts of early electronic music experiments, like Pierre Henry's musique concrete. It's very modern, very strange, and very human. A very unlikely album to hold the official rock song of Oklahoma.
5
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
A beautiful voice and some of the best known songwriters of the 60s. This is a lovely album. Not the kind of thing I would normally seek out myself but a pleasure to hear.
4
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
I really don't know what to think of the Rolling Stones any more. At first, knowing only some of the bigger singles, I really wanted to like them. The first couple of albums I listened to were letdowns, and a bit toxic at points. Firmly wanting to dislike this band, I was exposed to 'Exile on Main Street' and there I could finally see the hype, though I figured it may be a 'one album wonder' situation. Over the first few tracks of 'Beggar's Banquet', I feel that my initial image of them as a singles band is still pretty accurate. 'Jig-Saw Puzzle' onwards, I've warmed up to it more than most of their albums. It's not my favorite album of all time, but where it works, it works. It's rock n roll, it's bluesy, it raunchy, it's still feels a bit creepy at points. But damn if there's not some good music on here.
4
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
Some good, intelligent modern hip hop. The singles are strong and I would definitely return to 'Kick, Push' sometime. The social consciousness really comes through from the perspective of a black Muslim man in Chicago. Overall though, it's not the strongest hip hop album I've heard. 'Outro' is 12 minute acknowledgements track with very repetitive beat and has been one of the more tedious songs of this entire challenge so far. But there's enough here to show Lupe Fiasco's talent.
3
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Sat Mar 09 2024
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
One of the better Elvis Costello albums. The songs 'Pump It Up' and 'Radio Radio' alone make this one worth your time. As with his other albums, there's some filler too, but here are enough hits to ignore them. Here Costello continued the momentum of his strong debut album.
3
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
It seems funny to think of anyone being offended by something that sounds so ridiculous. The very over the top artwork and lyrics make Megadeath like a parody of themselves. But the performances are great and it works as long as you don't attempt to take them seriously.
3
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Mon Mar 11 2024
2112
Rush
Rush are undoubtedly legends of prog rock. I'm no expert in the genre but from what I know, this album doesn't feel like it represents the best of the band, or an early landmark in the style. It's maybe a breakthrough for Rush themselves, as they're previous works weren't very successful. It's definitely good, just maybe not the best example of the genre out there.
3
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
I only really knew 'Everyday People' before listening to this album and I definitely wasn't prepared for what I was about to hear. 'Stand' is energetic, socially aware, sexy, pop, funk and psychedelic. I can see a strong influence on funk music that was to come. The album also feels like an appropriate document of the transition from the 60s to the 70s.
5
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Describing an artist as a 'singer-songwriter' sometimes feels like being served white bread. It's often comforting and familiar, and made by the right people, it can be amazing. But more often than not, it's sort of plain. Great for background music in a coffee shop, but it can all sort of sound the same after a while. I had heard of Suzanne Vega before but never knew her music. It was a nice surprise and had a bit more character than I imagined it would, with distinct different sounds to each song. The music seems both timeless but with subtle hints of 80s pop music. Really nice album.
4
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Gold
Ryan Adams
I've never listened to Ryan Adams before. For an alt-country album (not usually my style) it has a few genuinely good songs. But for me, it really struggles to keep the quality high throughout. He sounds like a less interesting version of Jack White. From what I've read of Adams, he does seem like a bit of a mess. He seems to always be frantically recording albums, many of which he label refuses to release (including one with the very questionable title 'The Suicide Handbook'). He's had sexual harassment cases. He seems to kind of want to play punk rock but keeps going back to country. Are you ok, Ryan? Anyway, I can see why some people like him but for me, this album was about 40 minutes longer than it needed to be.
3
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Fri Mar 15 2024
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
In a sense, Miles Davis did the unthinkable with 'In a Silent Way'. He took a genre that was already defined by experimentation and freedom and he dared to change the rules even further. The reactions were very mixed. Was he taking the liberation of jazz to its next step? Or risking new confinement by bringing the genre closer to rock and roll? His use of electric guitars, extensive editing, and other studio tricks further alienated purists but excited many others. The result is something that doesn't quite sound like rock or jazz at all. It sounds like possibilities and at many points feels like a preview of what Brian Eno would later coin as 'ambient music'. I'm no expert in Davis's music, but this album has always been my favorite.
5
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Amazing to think that the first hip hop album to reach such mainstream success and get a Grammy nomination didn't come out until 1986. And that it took rock elements and a cover of Aerosmith to make it happen, acting like a Trojan horse for the entire genre. But it definitely worked. Dated as it is, some of these songs still work. The inclusion of the song 'Dumb Girl' is unfortunate but there are plenty of hits here to help ignore it.
3
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
My first time listening to Girls Against Boys. I've heard them described as post-hardcore, and I wasn't quite sure what that was supposed to sound like. And to be frank, a lot of it sounded like 90s grunge. Not a bad thing. Parts reminded me of Nirvana and Sonic Youth, though not as great as either. Thought about in the context of its time, I can see it feeling exciting, like an important part of a scene at its height. In retrospect, it suffers from being a bit repetitive and doesn't quite stand the test of time. But it has its moments and it's fun to imagine having been there.
3
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Mon Mar 18 2024
Make Yourself
Incubus
Incubus lie somewhere in between the high point of System of a Down and the very low point of Limp Bizkit. Which is to say it's ok nu metal but not much to write home about. I think I listened to this entire album multiple times when I worked in a record store but the fact that I'm not sure says a lot. The songs 'Stellar' and 'Drive' are good enough to be a little enjoyable but it's not enough for me to say that this album deserves its place on the list.
2
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
Echoes of Electric Light Orchestra and Elton John. Supertramp sounds cinematic and larger than life, much like those others. It's an odd choice of albums though, as 'Breakfast in America' is the more polished and more celebrated album. 'Crime of the Century' is fine but it pales in comparison to their masterpiece.
3
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Scum
Napalm Death
Apparently a landmark grindcore album. It sounds like the band started writing each song and halfway through decided to make it very loud in the hopes that no one would care that it's not complete. The longer tracks are a bit better. 'Siege of Power' is the only one I'd return to. Obviously though, the effect of jumping from one track to the next in rapid succession is part of the charm for fans, to the point of absolutely absurdity. I have to kind of admire the ridiculousness of releasing a 1 second song as a single. But as a listening experience, 'Scum' is mostly tedious with a handful of good moments that disappear as fast as they emerge.
2
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence are undoubtedly great musicians and songwriters. Their music is refreshingly simple and focused. While they're not a band I'd personally put on heavy rotation, I can definitely see why someone would. Previously in the challenge, I got 'Cosmo's Factory', which I would argue is a stronger album than 'Green River'. I also don't know that there's anything particularly significant about this album, other than being a popular CCR release. But it's certainly a well made album.
4
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Fri Mar 22 2024
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
Very strong start on this. It has a classic, minimalist alternative hip hop sound. I know a bit of Q-Tip's later stuff and have liked his style. The quality varied a bit, but I can definitely see the influence that this album has had, given that it was released in 1991. The standout track here stands out for questionable reasons though. Is 'Infamous Date Rape' social commentary, or celebration of misgony? Given the group's messages in other songs, I can entertain the idea that it might be the former and that there is a hidden message against sexual violence. However, the fact that that same song is riddled with period jokes makes it harder to buy that message. It's an odd miss on an otherwise great album, but it's striking enough that it's hard to ignore.
3
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
An incredible, raw, and politically charged album. Tom Morello's guitars cut right through you and force you to open up to Zach de la Rocha's assaulting vocal style and powerful lyrics. Where are these guys when the world needs them now? RATM also were among the first to successfully merge metal and rap. It would inspire a lot of terrible bands to come, and angsty young Republicans who didn't get the lyrics. But Rage were always the real deal.
Here is probably one of my most controversial comments for this entire challenge: I always thought this was Rage's weakest of their three albums. But I accept that I am odd man out there. Having said that, they are just a great band and it's always a pleasure to hear them.
5
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Sun Mar 24 2024
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
The first Beatles album containing only original material and an important step in their evolution as one of the most important bands in pop music history. Lennon and McCartney proved themselves to be serious songwriters by this point. The fact that there were no cover songs was already unusual for pop music of the era. This album won't do much to convince the nay sayers though, as it's little more than a 60s pop album, albeit a good one. Their real breakthrough albums were still to come but 'A Hard Day's Night' was a significant step in their journey.
4
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
I don't understand the hate that Lenny Kravitz gets. I also don't see the comparisons to Prince. Listening to this album, I feel like Kravitz is trying to channel John Lennon, Jim Hendrix, and maybe Stevie Wonder. The songs are generally good and have some impressive moments, particularly on the song 'Let Love Rule'. It also has a few misses and feels like it's missing something as an album. But overall, it's impressive for a debut album.
3
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Thriller
Michael Jackson
When reviewing albums, should you separate the art from the artist? No where is this question more relevant than with Michael Jackson. The artist (allegedly) committed unforgivable crimes. Though depression and mental health issues may have explained this, we shouldn't dismiss the seriousness or the long term effects on his victims.
On the other hand, this is one of the best selling album of all time by (arguably) the biggest pop star who ever lived. It's an album full of huge hits and was trailblazing in many respects. The blending of styles, the innovative use of music videos as art form. Jackson carried the torch from the ashes of disco's remains, and brought in the likes of Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, and Vincent Price to help cement his status. This album broke racial barriers like none before it. Jackson couldn't even get on magazine covers due to his race, and yet he still managed such a huge impact with this album. And not just in America, but all over the world. Michael Jackson was more well known than most US presidents.
So how do we reconcile these two things? For the purpose of this challenge, I'm separating the art from the artist. Put another way, I want to hear this album as it would have been heard on its release. So I'm putting aside (for a moment) the feelings of discomfort about Michael Jackson the man, to focus on Michael Jackson the artist, singer and performer. And I mean, it's a great album. Not all songs are equal quality but the sheer number of hits is more than enough to save it. Case in point, Jackson and McCartney arguing over a girl is a bit cringeworthy but it leads directly into the incredible title track. I hate that this album is marred by history because I really want to like it more.
4
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Wed Mar 27 2024
Don't Stand Me Down
Dexys Midnight Runners
I agree with the other reviewers who say that Dexy's Midnight Runners didn't need three spots on this list. Sometimes it really feels like the author is just inserting his personal preferences to fill up space. Having said that, it's a better album that I expected. The band are talented songwriters and performers who did well in the UK, if not so much in the US. They have real talent. Despite that, it's just not the most exciting album in my opinion. It has its moments, but it's hard to stay excited when they keep switching to long passages of very quiet spoken word sections in the middle of songs. They are really trying to make you pay attention. For the dedicated fans who are willing to shut out the world and pay strict attention to every lyric, the pay off is probably great. But not everyone wants to devote so much energy to Dexy's Midnight Runners.
3
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
A classic New Wave album owing a heavy debt to German experimental rock band Can. Devo were yet another part of the ultra productive period of Bowie and Eno's Berlin years that also included Bowie's most experimental releases and the first two solo albums from Iggy Pop. In other words, they were in very good company and really tapped in at exactly the right moment. I love Devo though it's far from a perfect album. The imperfections kind of add to its charm and the whole devolution image. I can't explain why but I can easily listen to this album on repeat.
At the time of this writing, 'Gut Feeling' isn't on Spotify. I hope that gets sorted soon because it's the best song on the whole album.
4
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Gris Gris
Dr. John
One reviewer said it "sounds like a post-midnight ceremony recorded in the bayou swamp". I stealing this as I really can't think of a better way to put it. The blend of New Orleans styles with psychedelia is utterly unique, though perhaps only appealing to a niche audience. It's bizarre and haunting, somewhat hard to listen to but very deserving of a chance. 'Gris Gris' is wonderfully experimental and daring.
4
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Urban Hymns
The Verve
I had a copy of this album when it first came out. Like so many others, I discovered The Verve due to 'Bittersweet Symphony'. It is undeniably a great song. The rest of the album was always just background music for me. Pleasant enough to listen to but nothing memorable. Revisiting this album many years later, it's much the same as I remembered it. The music is good enough but nothing really stands out. It's still great background music with one stand out single. But generally I just don't understand the excitement around this band.
3
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Ten
Pearl Jam
The quintessential grunge album and arguably one that helped usher in 90s rock. Nirvana may get the main credit for this scene, but Pearl Jam were probably the purest demonstration of the sound. The music immediately takes me back to that time. The music holds up incredibly well, particularly given how short lived grunge was.
4
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
An instantly recognizable title track. Everyone knows that song but few could probably name it. I personally would have guessed that it was written about a decade later than it was. The Hammond organ and excellent guitar riffs are a perfect combination. Enough so that the rest of the album can follow the same formula. It's simple enough but the execution is fantastic.
4
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Tue Apr 02 2024
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Wow. I haven't never listened to a single Frank Ocean song before today. I knew nothing about him except a vague idea that he was a RnB singer. Not a genre I was ever invested in. But this album blew me away. The music is impeccable, mixing elements of various genres and influences. The content is free and vulnerable, taking on numerous voices vividly. I never expected that this would be an album I play on repeat, but it's incredible.
5
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Queen II
Queen
The whole 'good versus evil' album has been done by many. But few could do it as well or with as much excitement as this band. This is the album where Queen really became Queen, with more complicated structures, multi-layered songs, and heavy use of overdubs. The various talents of the band are on full display here, particularly the progressive rock stylings of Brian May and the louder than life vocals of Freddie Mercury. What's striking is how little known this album is. It speaks to Queen's ability to create both iconic and instantly recognizable singles elsewhere, as well as perfectly crafted albums like this one. 'Queen II' is heavy, detailed, and utterly fantastical.
5
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
I'm sorry to say, this one just wasn't for me. I'm not a country music fan, though I do appreciate a bit of the outlaw country subgenre. The fact that Willie Nelson supported this one did pique my interest a bit. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. The honky tonk style just doesn't do much for me. I appreciate that Jennings is one of the stars of the subgenre and I didn't explicitly hate it. But it's just not one I'd return to.
2
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
I was exposed to Beth Orton through her work with the Chemical Brothers and a remix by Four Tet. I've always loved her voice. And I always attached very high expectations on her. Because of that, I never really gave her a proper chance. This album isn't as perfect as I'd hoped. But it's still very enjoyable. Maybe I should search through more of her discography sometime. There are definitely some gems on this album (like 'Stolen Car') and wading through the filler is still a pretty pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
3
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Frank
Amy Winehouse
A neo-soul record with amazing vocals. Winehouse is always smooth, jazzy and just slightly sleazy. It sounds classic while remaining modern. There's a nearly unanimous feeling that 'Frank' is the lesser album compared to 'Back to Black', but it's nice to hear this out as the showcase of young potential, as opposed to the tragic later days of a tortured soul. Amy Winehouse was definitely a talent and cut through much of the mass produced music of her era.
3
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Sun Apr 07 2024
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
I had another Divine Comedy album on this challenge many months ago. I gave it a 3 and wrote that maybe the music can grow on me. Since then, I've largely forgotten it. So this album came as a surprise because I enjoyed it more than I expected and (again) feel like it could grow on me if I let it. I don't love orchestral pop but Divine Comedy are more pop than orchestra, which helps. One of these days, I may spend more time listening to this band.
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Better Living Through Chemistry
Fatboy Slim
A popular one from my childhood and one of the best examples of the Big Beat subgenre. Is it a great album? Maybe not. It's all surface level repetitive dance music without much substance. But it sure is fun to listen to.
3
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
An absolute classic of the San Francisco psychedelic scene and the summer of love. A handful of standout tracks really make this album shine. 'Someone to Love' has an intensity rarely heard in the genre. 'Embrionic Journey' feels like a destined journey across the country. 'White Rabbit' is the tribute to Alice in Wonderland that we all needed, whether we knew it or not. Truthfully, a few tracks are kind of forgettable but the hits more than make up for them.
5
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, has the best review of this album. He said that the first time through he thought it was the worst album he'd ever heard and with each listen he warmed up to it a little more. By the 7th time around, he decided it was one of the best albums he'd ever heard. Unsurprisingly, many people's first reactions are pretty negative, as reflected by the fact that this is one of this lowest rated albums on this site. It's definitely a challenging one and it requires some effort on the part of the listener. Those willing to try it are in for an experience though. Personally, I love 'Trout Mask Replica' in all it's bizarre glory. It's a different view of the 60s, more chaotic than the typical flower power, summer of love vibes. This album is part bad trip, part confusion. It's blues, it's psychedelic, it's avant garde. The background of the recording reminds one more of the Stanford Prison Experiment than Woodstock, with the band effectively locked in the house, converted into a giant recording studio, under the watchful eyes of Frank Zappa. Officially, Zappa is the producer here, but his involvement is debated. More than likely, he created the space and opportunity for Captain Beefheart to fully explore and experiment, with both music and people. It's a challenging album but it is brilliant if you give it enough time.
5
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Thu Apr 11 2024
More Specials
The Specials
I've always thought of ska as the music that (to quote a popular meme) 'plays in a 12-year-old's head when they get extra mozzarella sticks'. I'd heard of The Specials and figured they were more of the same. The first thing that struck me was how true they sounded to the reality of the genre, truly a mix of reggae and punk, in the '2 tone' sense. Then the album continues and just unravels in a bizarre sprawl of different genres, including... elevator music? It is pretty endearing though. A successful band, burnt out, exhausted and unsure how to approach their follow up album. Everyone has different ideas so let's just try it all! The result is an album that according to the band, people 'won't even know if they like it or not', least the first time around. Spot on description. It grows on you though. It can't be described as a typical ska record.
4
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Homework
Daft Punk
One of the classics of the 90s electronic music scene, and maybe the most successful French act in the history of recorded music. It's repetitive, sure, but by design. The music is for you to get lost in, and to get up and dance. The beats are all perfectly placed and the album has aged incredibly well compared to many of their contemporaries. Having said that, Daft Punk went well past these humble beginnings with two later albums, 'Discovery' and 'Random Access Memories', both of which are tragically missing from this list. Those albums deserve 5 stars, while 'Homework' should really get s 4. Still, it's Daft Punk and I can't miss the opportunity to give them a perfect score.
5
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
A classic bossa nova record featuring many of the greats of the genre. The music sounds effortless and impossibly smooth. It's understated, saying only what it needs to, exactly as loudly as it needs to, and nothing more. This is music for when you and your partner get home late after a night out but are still wide awake.
4
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Suede
Suede
It sounds like The Smiths directly passed their torch to Suede and in doing so it created Brit Pop. This album is incredibly 90s, guitar driven alt rock. Definitely not a bad thing. Overall, I say it was a bit overhyped on its release and I don't hear the Bowie influences that others have mentioned. Nevertheless it's an impressive work.
3
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
Giants of folk rock at the peak (and soon to be the end) of their career as a duo. Paul Simon is the sole songwriter here and he gets the opportunity to shine. Despite the two drifting apart, their collaboration still works here. There are so many great songs. This is one of the best selling albums in history and it still sounds timeless today.
5
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
I had this album when I was young, but I tended to skip around the tracklisting a lot. Oddly enough, revisiting this album years later, I found it easier to sit through the entire thing. Like many double albums, it can feel like a slog at points, but there's a refreshing variety of styles which means that the low points are far from fatal. The music is orchestral, dirty, dark, and light all at different points. And it's seething with Gen X against and energy. Truthfully, this is an extremely 90s album, but it has aged pretty damn well (even if the band didn't as much). Personally, I'd have cut a few tracks out, but it's still strong enough to support being a double album.
5
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Wed Apr 17 2024
The World is a Ghetto
War
Such slick production and performances on this. To me, the music paints a picture of urban landscapes as places where people live. They're beautiful, imperfect, a little unsettling, but more than anything, the cities depicted here are alive with people's energy. What a great listening experience this was.
4
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
The Western fascination with Indian music (particularly among psychedelic artists) began here. A deceptive simple instrumental recording about a day in the life of a shepherd from Kashmir. The musicians inject elements of Western music which are subtle but helped them break into the 60s rock scene. It's not hard to see why it was so popular, despite the odds. The music really transports you to another world and a different lifestyle. For those questioning the daily hustle of capitalism and the pursuits of seemingly endless wars, this must have felt like the perfect escape. It still does today as well. It's beautiful, relaxing and escapist.
I'll also add my voice to the many other reviews cautioning that you should avoid the Spotify version which isn't the original.
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Third
Portishead
Imagine a band making two albums that defined a genre, disappearing for 11 years and then coming back with a completely different sound. Few bands could pull that off quite as well as Portishead. 'Third' is a haunting Krautrock and soundtrack inspired record that throws their trip hop roots to the winds. And it works, largely with the help of the flawlessly beautiful voice of Beth Gibbons. She sounds equally strong and vulnerable and it compliments the nervous droning of the music, as well as providing relief from it. If only Portishead would ever give us a fourth one.
5