View Album
Wed Mar 01 2023
With The Beatles
Beatles
Much stronger Side A
"All My Loving" one of their best pre-'65 songs
Has some of their best early pop stuff while also some of the worst in their catalog, a little uneven
3
View Album
Thu Mar 02 2023
Violator
Depeche Mode
Great production, consistent vibe, catchy music
5
View Album
Fri Mar 03 2023
Queen II
Queen
Interesting music you wouldn’t expect from Queen if you only know the big hits.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 06 2023
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
It was good Friday music. On a Monday morning, maybe not so much
3
View Album
Tue Mar 07 2023
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
This is a 5-star record until the last two tracks, and I realize I need to be pickier with my 5’s.
The highs on this record are the best in LZ’s whole discography, namely the guitar work on Whole Lotta Love, Plant’s vocals on What is and What Should Never Be, and Ramble On (the best bass line written by someone not named Paul McCartney).
4
View Album
Wed Mar 08 2023
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
Album had great energy in the first 4-5 tracks where the songs were transitioning into one another. Liked the Afrobeat/world music theme throughout, but the album lost momentum on some of the more digital/techno songs where her voice was distorted. The high points were the songs where her incredible vocal talent was uninhibited, I liked Locked Inside, Cold War, Oh, Maker, and Say You’ll Go the best.
3
View Album
Thu Mar 09 2023
Technique
New Order
Good production, like the bass sound, but the songs overall didn’t do it for me and started to sound repetitive.
2
View Album
Fri Mar 10 2023
Street Life
The Crusaders
Good stuff from a group I’d never heard of before. Well produced, catchy (I got a mix of R&B and Steel Dan type jazz), but I have a hunch there’s better stuff to discover in this genre.
Standouts we’re the title track (which didn’t feel like 11 min long at all) and Carnival of the Night, which I loved.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 13 2023
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Hard to review because I only listened back on Friday. I loved the first two tracks, thought it was pointing toward a promising direction and then The Lip sounded like Mike Filipowicz talk-singing. After that it was really hit or miss, I have a soft spot for standard 50’s pop but this left some to be desired.
2
View Album
Tue Mar 14 2023
Eagles
Eagles
In 2016, I developed a crush on a gorgeous girl on the dorm floor above me who was a huge Eagles fan (despite not knowing who Don Henley was). Today, she is married, and I am writing a review of the Eagles debut album while procrastinating law school work.
Regarding the actual music, this is a great look behind the curtain at who the Eagles were starting out. I unabashedly will say I would listen to this album over Hotel California any day, despite it being objectively weaker music. This is early Eagles, and this is pure country rock, heavily influenced by lead guitarist Bernie Leadon, formerly of the Flying Burrito Brothers (check em out, please). If Hotel California is the Eagles on cocaine and stardom, their debut album is the Eagles on peyote and a cheap bologna sandwich trying to make it big when they aren't Linda Ronstadt's backing band. The banjo on Take It Easy is what elevates it from catchy tune to country rock classic, the harmonies and guitar solo on Peaceful Easy Feeling (maybe a top 3 Eagles tune?) are perfect. But this album pulls its weight with Nightingale, a rocker that wouldn't even be so outta place on something like Hotel California, and Train Leaves Here This Morning, a great laid-back Leadon track. No, he wasn't as good a guitarist (or drunk) as Joe Walsh, but he played a far more important role as the Eagles first guitar hero before Don Felder and Walsh join the Frey later in the decade.
Now, can we talk about the war crime that is Chug All Night into Most of Us Are Sad? Two terrible songs that when sequenced together become even worse. Tryin' and Earlybird were ok, but please respect this album the aforementioned deep cuts I defended in the previous paragraph. This is a light 4, not nearly on par with Led Zeppelin II.
P.S. Shoutout Randy Meisner, Scottsbluff Bearcat.
4
View Album
Wed Mar 15 2023
Funeral
Arcade Fire
Amazing guitar sound, and I think all the orchestral arrangements were done in a good way to add something to the album without overdoing anything. My big hang-up here is the same with so many indie rock acts of the 21st century - why is the lead singer's voice so ... whiny. The "Neighborhood" saga is my least favorite grouping of tracks, the standouts here were Une Annee Sans Lumiere, Wake Up, Rebellion, and In the Backseat. I can easily see why this made the mark it did in 2004 and is considered a top album of the decade.
3
View Album
Thu Mar 16 2023
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
Everyone likes disco to some extent, you’re gonna be tapping your foot to the Four on the Floor beat at some point. However, I lose my appetite for disco pretty quickly. There’s typically little creativity, the songs don’t tell a story or lead you anywhere. He’s the Greatest Dancer, for example, takes almost 5 1/2 minutes and just repeats the same few musical motifs.
I will say, if you can forget just how overplayed “We Are Family” is, you have to acknowledge it’s likely a top 3-5 disco tune of all time. Props.
2
View Album
Fri Mar 17 2023
The Clash
The Clash
Hard to review in a vacuum. 1) knowing that outside of the Ramones and Sex Pistols this is one of the first punk acts to breakthrough, so I’m sure it was very new and interesting. 2) I know the absolute genius they put on with London Calling.
The album didn’t wow me, but I found myself enjoying it and I love the snarl of Joe Strummer’s voice.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 20 2023
Live At Leeds
The Who
The perfect live document of the best rock and roll band to do it.
1) there will never be another Keith Moon. He basically plays fills for entire songs and yet the songs still have a perfect rhythm.
2) there will never be another John Entwistle. I usually forget what Pete Townshend is playing because I’m too focused listening to how good the bass on these songs are.
3) related to the first two points, it’s hard to believe this music is only coming from 3 musicians and a singer. It’s louder and busier than the Allman Brothers, who were something like a 7 piece band.
4) The Who are a perfect blend of edgy like the Stones and hilariously innocent like the Beatles. Their banter in between songs and some of the tongue-in-cheek lyrics are great. It’s a shame their pre-Tommy stuff is the forgotten material of the British Invasion.
Definitely was wavering about giving it the elusive fifth star, but it definitely earns it.
5
View Album
Tue Mar 21 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
The first three songs are ok. Soul mixed with a little psychedelia, I kept getting TV cop theme song vibes. However, I’ve heard half a dozen covers of Heard It Through the Grapevine better than this, they miss the emotion of the song that Marvin Gaye delivers. The rest of the album is fine, amazing voices (I’d listen to them sing the Yellow Pages), but no songs jump out as memorable.
3
View Album
Wed Mar 22 2023
2112
Rush
A prog rock album is inevitably only as good as it’s side long song about some weird fantasy theme. This isn’t quite for me, but I can respect the hell out of the musicianship. Everyone knows Neil, but I think the guitar playing is what stuck with me from this record.
2
View Album
Thu Mar 23 2023
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
Let’s start with legitimate gripes about the album.
1) the opening track is meh and doesn’t give the album the opening punch it could’ve delivered. It’s a Bob Dylan co-write and George putting it first was basically the 1970 version of posting a hot new girlfriend on Instagram to make your ex jealous.
2) there is plenty of filler on this album. Apple Scruffs, I Dig Love, …why a second version of Isn’t It a Pity?
3) the “Apple Jam” of instrumentals and Johnny’s Birthday are fine, but don’t add anything of substance.
Now, onto the good.
1) some of these individual songs are not just among the best music a solo Beatle put out, but among some of the best music any of them wrote. What is Life, Wah-Wah, My Sweet Lord, and Isn’t It a Pity are up there with Lennon/McCartney songs.
2) Phil Spector is a much at producing music than trying to not kill his wife. Listening to Awaiting On You All sounds like you’re 100 ft down a tunnel listening on a maxed out PA system.
People often play the classic game of trying to cut the White Album down to a single album (don’t be friends with these people, they don’t understand the White Album). However, this record could properly be chopped into a single record and it would be considered a top 25 album in rock history? Here’s my go at it:
My Sweet Lord
Wah Wah
Isn’t It A Pity
What is Life
If Not For You
Behind That Locked Door
Let It Down
Run of the Mill
Beware of Darkness
Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp
Awaiting On You All
Art of Dying
All Things Must Pass
4
View Album
Fri Mar 24 2023
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Good, unique mix of lofi, rap, and rock. Definitely good music to put on on a rainy day and just have playing in the background. I enjoyed the songs with lyrics best, namely Rock the House (with the Herb Alpert-esque brass), Clint Eastwood, and Tomorrow Comes Today. Nothing super profound jumped out at me, but definitely a good debut.
3
View Album
Mon Mar 27 2023
Disraeli Gears
Cream
Sunshine of Your Love? - Great
Imagine walking into a record store and passing over The Beatles, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, or Bob Dylan for this. I’d be upset in retrospect.
Of course Clapton is a great technical guitarist, but there’s just nothing resembling any emotion in his playing. Outside of “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,” I think EC has been riding rock’s coattails to stardom. At least he did a cool Michelob commercial back in the day. He cannot hold a candle to Hendrix or his contemporaries.
1
View Album
Tue Mar 28 2023
No Other
Gene Clark
A review on this album’s wiki said it “accomplished what Gram Parsons set out to do when he was breaking ground on ‘Cosmic American Music.’”
That is patently false. Parsons attempts at spacey country rock, with the Burrito Brothers, Byrds, and his solo work, all are essential and classic listening. This album was not. I did love Ben Keith’s pedal steel playing on track 7.
But shoutout to Gene Clark for being an original member of the Byrds, whom I love. And he also gets a star just for writing “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.”
2
View Album
Wed Mar 29 2023
Suede
Suede
Decent BritPop, again with the whiny voice from the lead singer though. The best songs were the ones where the guitar was allowed to rock out a little bit.
2
View Album
Thu Mar 30 2023
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Great guitar sound, good heavy rock. Definitely loses focus from time to time but overall definitely makes a good statement. I would say this is a less pretentious “Funeral.”
Extra star for real guitar and drums, as they say.
3
View Album
Fri Mar 31 2023
London Calling
The Clash
I’m not sure I can name another album that starts off extremely strongly, and then proceeds to throw classics in your face for an hour. Songs 1-12 are absolutely essential, Brand New Cadillac is the only “A-“ song among an A+ stretch. The rest is just good, and then Train In Vain wraps it up in such a good way.
The success with which a simple punk band turned “3 chords and the truth” into a mix of rock, reggae, and ska for this album is nothing short of a miracle.
I really think Spanish Bombs is only of the best songs ever written, definitely top 50 no question. I could write a paragraph on most of these songs, but I think it goes without saying it earns each of its 5 stars.
5
View Album
Mon Apr 03 2023
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
I like the world music thing more on stuff like Remain in Light. Tried to like it but couldn’t follow along. Extra star for real drums and instruments.
1
View Album
Tue Apr 04 2023
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
Good sounding alt rock/indie stuff. Admittedly was busy today so skipped around. Will definitely revisit this. Points for real guitar and drums as the kids say.
3
View Album
Wed Apr 05 2023
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
Meh, psychedelia mixed with church organs and a guy who can’t sing. Better than Clapton though!
2
View Album
Thu Apr 06 2023
Legalize It
Peter Tosh
First song: terrible. I quit there
1
View Album
Mon Apr 10 2023
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
Very easy to like Dolly’s voice. The arrangements and ensemble on older country music like this never seems to fail. Almost gave it a full extra star for the ever-tasteful pedal steel guitar throughout. Great vocals as always from her as well.
3
View Album
Tue Apr 11 2023
Moon Safari
Air
Interesting music and production for the time but nothing really grabbed a hold of me
2
View Album
Wed Apr 12 2023
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
Listened to 20 seconds of the first track…cmon
1
View Album
Mon Apr 17 2023
Bad Company
Bad Company
At first was a little unsure of getting this album because when I think Bad Company, I think overplayed FM rock radio. However, this album is just about everything you could ask for from 1970’s rock music: good energy, memorable riffs and melodies, killer lead vocals from Paul Rodgers, and a concise album that’s less than 40 min. Extra point for real drums and guitar, this one honestly flirted with 5 stars for me. Enjoyed the deep cuts just as much as the hits.
4
View Album
Tue Apr 18 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
Either this list or this algorithm loves punk music. I enjoyed it, horns and harmonica were a decent touch. Slightly better than The Clash’s self-titled, nowhere near London Calling. I need a break from punk.
3
View Album
Wed Apr 19 2023
The Band
The Band
I will try not to pontificate too much about my favorite album of all time. 12 songs, none of them sound alike, but the whole album is extremely cohesive, right down to the brown cover and sepia toned photo of them on the cover. As someone I once heard said, this is the most Americana album of all time… by 4 Canadians and an Arkansan.
This band has 3 of the top 50 singers of all time, and Robbie Robertson could write a song that would perfectly fit one of them, or all 3 at once. All 5 of them are experts of their main instrument and could play each other’s instruments just as well.
Just like the Beatles, they’re such a tight band because they spent just as many years on the small-town bar circuit as they did as famous rockstars. A band deserving of the title “The Band.”
I’m a thief, and I dig it.
5
View Album
Thu Apr 20 2023
25
Adele
Probably the best voice of 21st century pop? She gets an extra star for writing her own material instead of having a 10 man songwriting team or algorithm do the work. Too many songs with a bare piano arrangement, I started to get bored as a result.
3
View Album
Fri Apr 21 2023
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
I'm sure most of the crowd noise is faked/overdubbed, but it's still a fun listen as a live album. Johnny Cash is probably one of the more captivating performers of his time. Pound for pound, I would say Folsom > San Quentin in terms of his live records, but this one does have the benefit of having Wanted Man, my favorite song of his (written by Bob Dylan). It's basically a better version of "I've Been Everywhere."
4
View Album
Mon Apr 24 2023
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
Fantastic album that transports you to rural, heartland America circa the 1930s-1960s. I think like 3-4 of these songs use the exact same chords and picking style, but the storytelling is interesting enough to keep you engaged. Nebraska, Atlantic City, Johnny 99, and Open All Night stand out to me. I’m really glad Bruce was able to put a hold the rocker persona to give us this treasure, just a shame he had to sell out and make the painstakingly average “Born in the USA” album 2 years later.
5
View Album
Tue Apr 25 2023
Revolver
Beatles
In 1963, the Beatles’ first album begins on a quick count of “One, Two, Three, Four…”
Barely three years later (the span of time it takes Lorde and Dua Lipa to release ONE album), and the Beatles have turned popular music on its head from the moment George starts off Taxman with the slow, chill 1-2-3-4 count.
Backwards guitar solos, a full on sitar-laden song, a pop song that’s just a string arrangement, horn arrangements, Ringo’s drumming on She Said She Said, the vocal harmonies on Here There and Everywhere. These are all examples of things that were nearly single-handedly invented or perfected by the Beatles, and they’re all on one album. Most days, this is maybe my 4th or 5th favorite Beatles album, but I think it definitely has one of the strongest cases for their most important album.
In terms of influence, this is probably a top 2-3 most influential album on this 1,001 list. Just a shame the biggest hit from it is a kid’s tune about a submarine…
5
View Album
Wed Apr 26 2023
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Really good new wave music. Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth are great timekeepers, but I suppose it helps they’re married. Starts strong with Uh-Oh, ends really strongly with Psycho Killer and Pulled Up. Lost my focus in the middle of the album, keeps it from the elusive 5th star.
4
View Album
Thu Apr 27 2023
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
Didn’t finish but I enjoyed the production, the songwriting, and his voice
3
View Album
Fri Apr 28 2023
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
5 star worthy beats with 1 star lyrical content. This is basically just the 90s version of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. It’s clear as day the influence this album has had on the genre, but safe to say it’s not for me!
3
View Album
Mon May 01 2023
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
I love Joni’s voice in the same vein of Chris’s love for Adele. She has such total command over her voice as an instrument, not just in maintaining pitch, but in volume, delivery, especially cadence. I could listen to her sing the verses of Help Me a million times and never get tired of it.
On top of her second-to-none vocal talent, the music is interesting enough. This album, IIRC, is about when she begins a pretty full dive into more jazz. Extra star for real guitar, drums, and tasteful horns, but it won’t let me add a 6th star.
5
View Album
Tue May 02 2023
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
Good performances by the aforementioned great rhythm section of Talking Heads. This album reveals they would have most likely been stuck in their TH77 days if the songwriting had been more democratic. As a frontman and penman for their material, Chris and Tina needed David Byrne to take the next leap. I enjoyed this though.
3
View Album
Thu May 04 2023
Sound Affects
The Jam
Great bass tone, good melodies for a punk album. After hearing London Calling it’s getting difficult to judge these punk projects. Bonus points for it being a concise 35 min long.
3
View Album
Fri May 05 2023
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Catchy, melodic, well performed. Very accessible yet enjoyable music.
4
View Album
Mon May 08 2023
The White Album
Beatles
Honestly when I think of an “album,” this is usually what comes to my mind. The biggest band in the world, fresh off a stretch of 3 classic, creative, and cohesive albums, find themselves without a manager and a direction. So they go to India, write a bunch of music, record it, and say f*** it and release it.
Every good album needs drama, every good album needs filler tracks to keep the pace. There are days where I get tired of hearing Sgt Pepper or Revolver, but listening to the White Album is always interesting. And yes, that means I even like “Wild Honey Pie,” “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road,” and “Revolution 9”
5
View Album
Tue May 09 2023
Abraxas
Santana
Probably up there with Depeche Mode for my favorite album we’ve heard that I didn’t previously know. Great grooves from the percussion, fantastic guitar work.
Fun fact, Fleetwood Mac (pre-Buckingham and Nicks) wrote Black Magic Woman.
5
View Album
Wed May 10 2023
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
Great music, interesting blend of rock, punk, and all the traditional Irish music. Good mix of tempo within the songs as well. The hang up with me is his voice, although it’s unique enough I can understand why some people find the charm in it.
4
View Album
Thu May 11 2023
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Decent vocal performances, didn’t keep me interested throughout though
2
View Album
Fri May 12 2023
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
One of only two chances to hear Steely Dan as an actual band and not just the brainchild of Becker/Fagen, and this one makes you wonder how they’d have carried on as a real unit. Not a big Do It Again fan but the rest of the album has amazing musicianship and vocal performances to back unique songwriting. Brooklyn was my top song on 2022’s Spotify Wrapped I think, and for good reason. I wish they’d have kept David Palmer to sing some of their later hits.
Steely Dan doesn’t have a bad album. Katy Lied is my favorite, but they have many worthy of a 5 star consideration.
5
View Album
Mon May 15 2023
Close To You
Carpenters
Karen Carpenter really could sing this well *while playing the drums?!*
However, that raises the question of why they would let her brother sing on this when you have such a talent as KC. She’s up there with Joni and Adele for voices that have blown me away. Outside of the title track, though, I was unimpressed with the arrangements and instrumentation.
Bonus points for her voice and Close to You being Homer and Marge Simpson’s wedding song.
3
View Album
Tue May 16 2023
The Stooges
The Stooges
I listened to all of We Will Fall in the shower and thought my Spotify was messed up. I’ll never get that 10 minutes back. Hard rock doesn’t have to be this dumb, Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and company at least bring more interesting instrumentation to the genre.
2
View Album
Wed May 17 2023
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Powerful blend of rock and hiphop/rap. I can see why this would have a grip on angsty teens at the turn of the millennia, but it’s not the type of music I turn to when I’m pissed off. Still, objectively good music.
3
View Album
Fri May 19 2023
Graceland
Paul Simon
One of the most famous left-turns in pop history. He’d been making music for 23 by this point? It takes a lot to make world music this accessible, this succeeds. I don’t always feel like listening to the whole thing, but it objectively earns the 5th star.
The a capella opening to Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes is the standout moment
5
View Album
Mon May 22 2023
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
Radiohead is rock for music theory nerds. I think there’s 3-4 more well known and well regarded RH albums so not sure why this made the list. Thom Yorke’s voice is also too whiny.
2
View Album
Tue May 23 2023
Aja
Steely Dan
Incredible sound, inventive songwriting, catchy melodies. Perhaps the ultimate “real guitar and drums” album, the playing is just so good. Interesting how they continually had random session players lay these tracks and yet the whole album still feels rock solid as a unit. I Got The News is a B song surrounded by 6 A+ tunes.
5
View Album
Wed May 24 2023
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
They have such a recognizable sound, yet how do all their voices sound the exact same? Good rap music that doesn’t take itself all too seriously because Jewish white rappers from NYC can’t pass for Biggie Smalls. The sample list on the wiki page is nuts.
4
View Album
Fri May 26 2023
Hypnotised
The Undertones
Didn’t wow me and I’m kind of over all the punk on this list. Good bass though.
1
View Album
Mon May 29 2023
Arrival
ABBA
Catchy, yet a little forgettable. The dudes in abba should sing more.
3
View Album
Tue May 30 2023
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Very inconsistent album but incredibly breathtaking songwriting from a 21 year old from Minnesota. This song has 5.5 classics and the rest are simple throwaways. Everyone knows Blowin in the Wind, but the real genius on this album is Hard Rain, Masters of War, and Don’t Think Twice.
Early 60s folk Bob is my least favorite era of his, and Jason poorly trying to mimic his voice from this era does not affect me.
4
View Album
Wed May 31 2023
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
When I hear Alice Cooper, I do not think “oh, I must listen to this album of his before I die.” This is good rock music and probably isn’t in the top 73 most essential albums of 1973.
Don’t get me wrong, No More Mr. Nice Guy is one of the best FM radio rock songs, holds up well on repeat listens
2
View Album
Thu Jun 01 2023
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
Walmart brand version of Violator by Depeche Mode. Decent stuff, pretty catchy.
3
View Album
Fri Jun 02 2023
Melodrama
Lorde
This is the good stuff. First 5-6 songs are an all time way to start and album, and I wish Perfect Places had a 3x longer runtime. Such a well constructed album, from the production, to the moody lyrics, to the great cover art…even melodrama is such a good name for an album.
5
View Album
Mon Jun 05 2023
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
About as good as real guitar and real drums gets. Hendrix rightly gets the spotlight as a pillar of guitar playing, but Mitch Mitchell is having an all-time moment on the drums this entire album. Very Keith Moon like in that it sounds sloppy but is filling every guitar break perfectly. Great songs front to back, 5 stars despite the pretentious 8-minute hippy track.
5
View Album
Tue Jun 06 2023
Liquid Swords
GZA
I like the idea of mixing in dialogue from a movie into a concept album. It’s a rap album, I really can’t say much about if I liked it or not. Pretty standard stuff.
3
View Album
Wed Jun 07 2023
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
I love listening to debuts, usually a band at their most authentic yet most raw. Follows the Allman’s debut by about 3 years but still sounds like such a fresh and new take on southern rock. Free Bird is face melting, the way RVZ phrases some of the lines in Gimme Three Steps is legitimately funny and the song has a riff that’ll be in my head for a week. I loved every song here, then went to their second record and loved every song there.
5
View Album
Thu Jun 08 2023
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
Cool, funky, interesting instrumentation for 1971. Definitely lays some hip-hop groundwork
3
View Album
Fri Jun 09 2023
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
Title track - sounds messy and muddy production wise, but the melody and interplay with the backing vocals gets stuck in my head once a week at least.
The gift - the instrumental jam is good, I dig the story line, and I like John Cale’s Welsh accent.
Lady Godiva - see above comment regarding John Cale’s accent. This is one of two VU albums to include him, so it’s a rarity I enjoy every time.
Here She Comes Now - the soft spot on the record yet still a little dark, brooding and messy.
I Heard Her Call My Name - I thought this would be the reason I gave it 4 stars, but I ended up enjoying it more than I expected
Sister Ray - good groove, maybe doesn’t need 17 min but a great finishing track.
A very coarse album, impossible to digest on first listen, but I can’t turn it off once I start listening to it. Definitely a good one to try out after the Banana album.
5
View Album
Mon Jun 12 2023
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
Distinctive vocals from sting, really unique guitar tone from Somers, great drumming from Copeland. I can’t say I loved anything outside of Message in a Bottle, though. Very inventive and influential music, no doubt, but I’ve never gone through a Police kick.
3
View Album
Tue Jun 13 2023
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Decent album…
It’s nuts how well rounded this album is after sounding absolutely nothing like his first two tries. Incredibly clear production, I can focus on each instrument clearly and it lets each song sound fresh every listen. The Professor is absolutely killing it here, it really should be Roy Bitten and the E Street Band. I always have a soft spot for She’s the One as a forgotten deep cut and great sax solo. Perfect album outside of the slight drab and pretentiousness of Meeting Across the River.
5
View Album
Wed Jun 14 2023
The College Dropout
Kanye West
A great start to a strong musical career. Creative, leans heavily on a good sense of R&B which not enough hip hop or rap does today. Found myself singing along which is rare for a rap record. Runs a little long, no rap album needs to be an hour.
4
View Album
Thu Jun 15 2023
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Loved this on the first listen, on the second listen I realized how long it is. I tagged on rap albums for being too lengthy, this gets the same treatment. No rock album needs multiple 8 min songs and 4-5 tracks over the 6 min mark. Money for Nothing deserves the run time, however. Walk of Life is pop gold. The Man’s Too Strong is a great lesson on how volume control can turn a good song into a great song. I think the overall album length and slight filler prevent it from getting the fifth star. Love Mark Knopfler though.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 16 2023
Parklife
Blur
Decent stuff, good instrumentation. Way too British for me.
3
View Album
Mon Jun 19 2023
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Really good album. Probably is a low 4 but I don’t remember much from Friday.
3
View Album
Tue Jun 20 2023
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
More great stuff but the album tracks on this one stifled the overall experience. Only giving this a 3 as relative to the 5 of AYE. A little more hippie and less guitar-rock focused than the debut.
3
View Album
Wed Jun 21 2023
Kid A
Radiohead
One of those albums that still sounds a tiny bit futuristic despite being a couple decades old. Definitely a huge left turn in Radiohead’s career and rock as a whole. No 5th star due to Thom Yorke’s whiny vocals draining out the music.
4
View Album
Fri Jun 23 2023
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
The perfect amount of British. People can say they are just cut and pasting pastiches from the Beatles…but why aren’t more bands doing the same? Out of the three mega-classics on this, Wonderwall is by far the weakest. Don’t Look Back and Champagne Supernova are pop perfection, and I’m surprised I didn’t know Some Might Say before this. Loved it.
5
View Album
Mon Jun 26 2023
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
Album really picks up toward the second half. Definitely would’ve been a bolt of lightning back in 1977, but it’s just good punk to my 2023 ears.
3
View Album
Tue Jun 27 2023
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
Some good rock music. Going to California is tied with Ramble On for my favorite LZ song. Stairway honestly deserves every accolade it gets. Rock and Roll, Black Dog, When the Levee Breaks are all perfect rock. A must listen to album.
5
View Album
Wed Jun 28 2023
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Side 1 he goes electric, side 2 reminds you he can still do it all acoustic. Subterranean and It’s Alright Ma are two songs that sound nothing like anything else in rock. The love songs on side A are perfect. This one has Mr. Tambourine Man, Bob Dylan’s 115th dream is hilarious, oh and it ends with Baby Blue, possibly his most heart wrenching song, if not his best.
I don’t listen to this one all that often, but if this is possibly his *worst* of the upcoming trilogy of 60’s rock albums of his…I’d say he’s doing alright.
He’s also 24 when he’s writing these lyrics…
5
View Album
Thu Jun 29 2023
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Energy is just oozing out of this album. It’s a shame raging against the machine just means “Republicans bad” in 2023, but back in 1992 this album’s message must’ve been infectious. Tom Morello underrate real guitarist.
5
View Album
Fri Jun 30 2023
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
The best country album I’ve ever heard to date. Sounds surprisingly crisp for 1959 too, apparently recorded in one 8-hour session.
In terms of pure songwriting, I’d have to venture to say El Paso is one of the 5 greatest songs ever written, and Big Iron definitely makes a top 25-50 spot. Such elegant storytelling in a way that I still hang on every word on the hundredth repeat listen. Every song in between is really good too.
5
View Album
Mon Jul 03 2023
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Funky and catchy, good music
4
View Album
Thu Jul 06 2023
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Only thing that struck me was the amount of electric guitar and piano, turns out that’s why this album is notable in the progression of jazz fusion. I enjoyed it, but liked Take Five way more and I know I’d enjoy others by Miles far better.
3
View Album
Fri Jul 07 2023
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
British synth pop and post punk are two genres I couldn’t get into no matter what. Never even liked Tainted Love. The 80s was an American dominated decade
2
View Album
Mon Jul 10 2023
Green
R.E.M.
These guys just have a knack for catchy music and great melody. Good real guitar and drums, maybe a little mandolin too?
4
View Album
Tue Jul 11 2023
Elephant
The White Stripes
Awesome production, I was worried every song would have the same flavor but this goes a lot of different ways. Fun to listen to. 7NA might be one of the weaker overall tracks honestly.
5
View Album
Wed Jul 12 2023
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Good energy, fun music, killer voice.
4
View Album
Thu Jul 13 2023
Zombie
Fela Kuti
Good overall, better as background music than something to really focus in on
3
View Album
Tue Jul 18 2023
Transformer
Lou Reed
Not a perfect album, but the hits carry the water here. Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day, Vicious, Satellite of Love, just great glam and pop songwriting. Just like with Bob Dylan, I’ll fight anybody who doesn’t like Lou Reed’s voice. Fun fact: this album was produced by David Bowie.
5
View Album
Wed Jul 19 2023
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Not terrible, probably worse than the other Yeah Ye…wait…why did we have 2 of their albums on this list?!
2
View Album
Fri Jul 21 2023
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Psychedelic and spacey, not bad. Could’ve flirted with a 4 if it weren’t for the repetitive 11min instrumental.
3
View Album
Mon Jul 24 2023
The Predator
Ice Cube
Can’t say whether or not it was better than the chronic, definitely edgier and angrier.
Also regular people just enjoy this album, psychos like me immediately recognize the Steely Dan Green Earrings sample on Dont Trust Em
3
View Album
Tue Jul 25 2023
Metallica
Metallica
If all metal were to be like this, call me a metalhead. I have to shout out the album cover is a very cheeky wink to White Light/White Heat…
4
View Album
Wed Jul 26 2023
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
Great melody writing, interesting blend of acoustic folk themes with electronic and big production ideas. Didn’t pay too much attention to the overarching concept but the musical ideas carried enough of a related strand to feel cohesive.
5
View Album
Thu Jul 27 2023
British Steel
Judas Priest
Right up there with Metallica as far as good metal goes. I don’t know what it would take for a metal album to get the 5th star but this one came close at times. Living After Midnight sounds like a KISS track almost. I listened to “Breaking the Law” before taking my criminal law final…got an A-, I’ll take it
4
View Album
Fri Jul 28 2023
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Extra star for the good playing from the rhythm section. Kiedis’s voice is insufferable and Frusciante is a good guitarist but the riffs overall are so meh
1
View Album
Tue Aug 01 2023
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
Pretty good for 1962. Love the electric/Wurlitzer piano throughout. Outside of the first track, not much to latch onto.
2
View Album
Thu Aug 03 2023
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Good blues tunes. Nothing extraordinary but the band is right and sounds good. Blues music is repetitive and doesn’t allow much room for creativity but if you can play, you can play - and these guys can.
3
View Album
Fri Aug 04 2023
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
This was good. Not much else to comment on.
3
View Album
Mon Aug 07 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Hadn’t listened to this, very different than the Prince I do know. Since it’s Prince, you can assume it will be captivating. I liked it overall, but this might’ve been the beginning of a small decline.
4
View Album
Tue Aug 08 2023
Hot Fuss
The Killers
Good guitar and drums, and incredible energy throughout. With the hits on side A, I was worried it would lack side B but I enjoyed throughout. Let’s pretend the second to last track just doesn’t exist though.
5
View Album
Wed Aug 09 2023
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Smack dab in the middle of an impeccable run, a lot going on but not a note out of place. Pretty sure he plays every instrument on these albums too. Insane amount of talent, plenty groovy. Easy “put it on and listen” 5 star record.
5
View Album
Thu Aug 10 2023
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
I was too distressed by Robbie Robertson dying to listen to this. Also, was not super excited to listen when I tried to pronounce it. Got through tracks 1-2
2
View Album
Fri Aug 11 2023
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Much more melodic and listenable than the Stooges debut. Good improvement, Iggy. The Passenger and title track are legitimately strong pop.
3
View Album
Mon Aug 14 2023
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
This really does feel like Led Zeppelin’s “White Album.” Double album in which every idea was tossed onto the final track list - rock epics alongside joking-style filler. Interesting listen but doesn’t quite rise to their best work. I gave LZ2 a 4 (probably deserved a 5) and LZ4 a 5 so this has to be a 4.
Kashmir, Ten Years Gone, Houses of the Holy are all LZ canon, great stuff. Trampled Under Foot is an F- song.
4
View Album
Tue Aug 15 2023
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
The album tracks for the most part were as good as the smash hits. Enjoyable listen.
4
View Album
Wed Aug 16 2023
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
Sounds like a 90s Kate Bush. Good stuff objectively but not my go-to kind of music.
3
View Album
Thu Aug 17 2023
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
If I could sing like this, I’d probably never shut up. Voice like butter, the songs themselves are just ok. Good grooves.
3
View Album
Fri Aug 18 2023
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
Not my thing but kept my attention enough to avoid 1 star treatment.
2
View Album
Mon Aug 21 2023
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ridiculous amounts of “choogle” from the boys who invented the thing. Swampy, catchy, overflowing with energy. Album dips in the middle from Graveyard Train to Penthouse Pauper but it’s still got the choogle. I will never shut up about how their “classic era” consisted of five 5-star albums in 24 months. Insane productivity.
I think arguments could be made for The Beach Boys and Velvet Underground, but my personal vote goes to the boys from the Bay Area as the greatest American rock band.
5
View Album
Tue Aug 22 2023
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Raw, bluesy, swampy in its own non-CCR way. ZZ Top had many more albums than I would have guessed.
3
View Album
Wed Aug 23 2023
Black Metal
Venom
I listened to 20 seconds of the first track, then 20 seconds of the second, and got the gist. C’mon…
1
View Album
Thu Aug 24 2023
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
Just fine all around, don’t think her voice suits some of the acapella and bare arrangement moments on this.
I’ve also noticed we get a lot of albums with an artist’s one smash hit on it - weird way to create a “1,001 albums you must hear list.”
3
View Album
Fri Aug 25 2023
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4 stars for the music and I felt compelled to throw on the 5th for the influence Gram and company had on cosmic country and the country-rock blend. I’m a sucker for pedal steel and 3/4 time, and this album had it in bunches. If you like Gram Parsons, it’s also worth checking out:
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
GP
Grievous Angel
5
View Album
Mon Aug 28 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
This is not my beautiful house.
This is not my beautiful wife.
This is just a really good album.
5
View Album
Tue Aug 29 2023
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
Didn’t finish it, was fine.
3
View Album
Wed Aug 30 2023
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
Probably really good at face value, but it’s hard not to compare this to Revolver in 1966. The Brian Jones-era Stones were definitely talented, and this is a step forward, but their post-1968 put stuff like this to shame. Glad Paint It Black made the American version of the record.
Fun tidbit, when looking for a title to Revolver, Ringo suggested they tease the Stones by naming their new album “After-Geography.”
3
View Album
Thu Aug 31 2023
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
A good spin on these songs. Getting big band and R&B vibes infused with the country skeleton. Almost feels like an African-American twist on Sinatra.
4
View Album
Fri Sep 01 2023
Van Halen
Van Halen
Not often a debut has such a legitimate claim to being the top album of the decade, let alone the year. VH has many good songs, but the consistency of the run of classics gathered here is hard to grasp. Definitely an album that changed music forever.
5
View Album
Mon Sep 04 2023
The Yes Album
Yes
Good prog. Love Seen All Good People.
3
View Album
Wed Sep 06 2023
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Imagine review: 5 stars, John had a crazy good start to his solo career with Plastic Ono Band followed by this. Has hits, has sentimentality, he knew how to write an honest song that could tug at the heart strings.
Sgt. Pepper: maybe not a true concept album, but helped lay the foundation for the album as an art form. No longer did records have to be 14 three-minute songs. With a Little Help from My Friends is second only to Hey Jude in the Beatles’ singalong catalog. And Day in the Life…? Nuff said. Stands the test of time.
5
View Album
Thu Sep 07 2023
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
If my favorite song on a Sabbath record is a ballad, something is up. A good softer shift away from the first few albums, despite those being great. Good guitar work.
4
View Album
Fri Sep 08 2023
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
Love a good “forgotten artist with a classic album.” Cool guitar tone for a 1966 folk album. A quick wiki search tells me this guy REALLY loved dolphins. Much credit to him for giving us “Everybody’s Talkin’,” an absolute classic from Harry Nilsson.
3
View Album
Mon Sep 11 2023
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Great voice. Interesting at times with a good flow between tracks. Jason tells me it gets better with Blonde.
3
View Album
Tue Sep 12 2023
Stankonia
OutKast
I saw it was over an hour and already feel like I have to dismiss it for that fact. Despite that it was great pop infused RB and rap. I skipped around a bit but the hits are unimpeachable
3
View Album
Wed Sep 13 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
Undeniably catchy and killer crisp production. Not sure where the album ended since the platinum edition was all Spotify had for me. I was gonna complain about how every song is just unending sexual euphemisms but that would make me seem like “old man yells at cloud.”
4
View Album
Thu Sep 14 2023
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
It’s fine. Voice is definitely the predecessor to Dolores O’Riordan and the Cranberries.
2
View Album
Fri Sep 15 2023
Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
I’ve listened to each of these albums with as much of an open mind as possible. This was bad. What genre are we focusing on? What’s the theme? Very weird.
1
View Album
Mon Sep 18 2023
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Not quite an album act, but the singles here are a perfect sample of female-driven 80’s pop. The drumming is very propulsive. Our Lips are Sealed is so good.
3
View Album
Tue Sep 19 2023
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
CSN is the soundtrack of camping in Kearney and car rides with my dad, very nostalgic music and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes has a special place with me for that. I even know all the Spanish.
Objectively, this should be a “Stills & Company” album. They formed a supergroup out of a LA jam session once they recognized how special their 3 part harmonies were. However, a lot of the talent begins and ends there. Graham Nash is just a smooth British voice and Crosby was like the 3rd or 4th most talented Byrd. Stills, fresh off his split with Buffalo Springfield and Neil Young, could both write and play a guitar. You get a sense of that on Judy Blue Eyes and Long Time Gone.
Deja Vu and the inclusion of Neil is a 5 star record, this one suffers from some “mashed baby food”-esque filler.
4
View Album
Wed Sep 20 2023
Pretenders
Pretenders
Hit me while listening that this is just the yang to Blondie’s yin: female led punk-adjacent new wave group where the male backing band has incredible groove. Great drumming, awesome guitar tone. I know Learning to Crawl a little better. If my memory serves me right this band faced a lot of tragedy and possibly left a lot of great work on the table.
4
View Album
Thu Sep 21 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
First song was 5 star worthy. The hour long runtime mixed with me not understanding a single lyric makes it a brutal trek otherwise. I’ll assume it was fine
3
View Album
Fri Sep 22 2023
Among The Living
Anthrax
Of the so-called “Big Four” of thrash metal, I’d say these guys rank 5th.
1
View Album
Mon Sep 25 2023
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
No reason this should be loved any less then LZ 1/2/4. Love how it begins with maybe their most well-known hard rocker and then just dumps it for an acoustic driven album. Where most albums put the hits up front, this album hits its stride at the end. Gallows Pole through to BronYAur Stomp is as good as a four song stretch gets.
4
View Album
Tue Sep 26 2023
xx
The xx
Fine elevator music, not super captivating
2
View Album
Wed Sep 27 2023
Sister
Sonic Youth
Pretty good noise rock. I know Daydream Nation is supposed to be their opus but am not familiar with much of their work. Good stuff but nothing reached out and grabbed me.
3
View Album
Fri Sep 29 2023
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
Started hot, really enjoyed the beginning. Almost like a hybrid of pop punk vocals with a heavy metal backing band. They lost me around the 12 minute tune down the stretch.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 02 2023
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
One of the very best. Brian Jones was mostly absent from this album but Mick Taylor had not really entered the fray completely. This is a Jagger/Richards masterpiece through and through. Bookended by 2 of rock’s greatest songs, with perfect country rock and rock n’ roll in the middle. Takes a lot to execute a cover of a song from the 1930s too. The run of Midnight Rambler to the end of the album is too good.
I’d rather listen to Exile, but this is their best album.
5
View Album
Tue Oct 03 2023
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
Wanted so badly to give it a 4. Love the music, don’t need the 8 min spoken word intro before Phoenix. Glen Campbell’s version is a perfect rendition and this is good too. Walk on By was a good cover and I liked the rest. This is good music to have on in a chill, background music type of way.
3
View Album
Wed Oct 04 2023
American Gothic
David Ackles
The bones of a great album are back there somewhere. These are well-written, mature songs. He doesn’t have the voice to transform them and the arrangement choices are puzzling. Some odd almost word stuff, odd horns and sounds pop up randomly. This is an album I’d want to hear early 70s pop acts cover, as I see Elton John’s lyricist produced it - it was obviously available to them.
3
View Album
Thu Oct 05 2023
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Just a good rock album. 9 songs, over in 36 minutes. Good mix of Rod’s iconic voice mixed with Ronnie Lane’s softer touch. A good rock band making a fun album to listen to.
4
View Album
Fri Oct 06 2023
Bummed
Happy Mondays
About as a good as a “Brit pop that didn’t make it big in the US” album will get if I had to guess. Pretty catchy.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 09 2023
1999
Prince
Starts with three really strong tracks. Obviously Prince is a great singer, songwriter, guitar player and arranger. This probably earns double album status, but not sure it’s consistent enough to earn the 5th star. Other Prince records have better deep cuts.
4
View Album
Tue Oct 10 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
Melodic and great sounding guitar work. The NYC punk scene in the late 70s was crazy good if this is one of the acts flying under the radar. Wasn’t going to give it the 5th star but it’s unique and catchy enough, it’s equivalent to a good, almost-great Talking Heads record.
5
View Album
Wed Oct 11 2023
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Great clear production on the vocals, love the minimalism and heavy emphasis on acoustic instruments. A lot of the songs feel like simple guitar, an almost DIY drum set, and some bass for good measure. Sounds like something from 1998, 2008, definitely not 1983. Super unique.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 12 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
It’s not the Sonics’ fault, but this is extremely dated music. The loud, fuzzy punk sounds are reminiscent of the Kinks, but a year earlier they were putting out stone cold classics. This is a covers album. Apparently this influenced early punk acts like the Stooges. Good for them. I liked the 2 originals.
1
View Album
Mon Oct 16 2023
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
If hard rock/metal music is a spectrum, stuff like Anthrax is on the far left and this is about as far right as you can get. Izzy’s voice fits well, Iommi is a great riff writer. Lot of good and unique stuff on this. Album cover is hilariously ill-fitting of the tunes contained within.
5
View Album
Tue Oct 17 2023
Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
We just released the BEST pop album of all-time. Let’s follow it up with…
1) Lofi ballads sung by the ladies
2) Buckingham’s obsession with making Fleetwood play weirdly militaristic drums?
3) other minimalistic little diddies.
Don’t get me wrong, tracks like Over & Over, Sara, Angel blew me away. But this is one of the most infamous left turns in pop music history, they get credit for the bravery it took to halt the Rumours momentum. RIP Christine McVie, the far superior female talent in the band.
3
View Album
Wed Oct 18 2023
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
Things I love about this album:
- the first 6 seconds of Brown Sugar
- Jagger and Richards telling me “it’s just that mean old life that’s got you in its Sway”
- everything about the poignancy of Wild Horses
- the way Charlie hits the snare “duh-DUH” after Mick says “knocking”
- the way You Gotta Move sounds like it’s being sung by someone with 4 teeth from 1940s Louisiana
- the drum fill at the end of the verses in Bitch
- the simple D-A-G chord progression on Dead Flowers coupled with Mick Taylor’s tasty country licks
- the triumphant sadness of Moonlight Mile
5
View Album
Thu Oct 19 2023
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
Very political, very British. Pretty solid overall. I like how he transformed Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom into Ideology.
3
View Album
Mon Oct 23 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Always wanted to listen to this one. Comes between Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life, but I didn’t recognize anything from it. The singles, Boogie on Reggae Woman and You Haven’t Done Nothin’…amazing. Stevie really couldn’t put a note out of place in the 1970s. Ballads, boogie woogie piano, catchy pop tracks - all of it.
5
View Album
Tue Oct 24 2023
American Idiot
Green Day
An album that will always likely remain frozen in time, but may never “sound old.” That churning guitar and BJA’s voice are about as 2004 as it gets. Very nostalgic for myself, especially a poignant tune like Wake Me Up When September Ends. Really enjoyed finding the album tracks as good as the hits.
5
View Album
Wed Oct 25 2023
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Very easy to see the appeal of this music in the 1956 music landscape. Elvis is energetic, charismatic, charming. Definitely what was needed to have black music broadly introduced to the masses. Good stuff. Great band too.
4
View Album
Thu Oct 26 2023
Viva Hate
Morrissey
Morrissey needed Johnny Marr. The only song that gave me a strong Smith’s vibe was Suedehead and it seems like it’s his most played track by far as a result.
2
View Album
Fri Oct 27 2023
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3
View Album
Mon Oct 30 2023
Guero
Beck
I don’t remember all that much from Friday. I remember enjoying it. Kinda takes an almost rap influence, but with some catchy guitar and slide work. Good casual listening
3
View Album
Tue Oct 31 2023
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
I didn’t know what to expect with Voices of Old People, and yet it still surprised me. What’s going on here? I’m hoping this 1,001 album redeems itself with Bridge Over Troubled Water, their magnum opus and an album that doesn’t involve non-interesting theme music and …well, old people talking.
Added star for Mrs. Robinson.
2
View Album
Wed Nov 01 2023
Snivilisation
Orbital
A load of crap
1
View Album
Thu Nov 02 2023
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Really good beyond the hits. Not your standard 2000s alternative rock album, does a good job of changing the pace and almost including more ballad type songs. 3.5 stars
3
View Album
Fri Nov 03 2023
Cut
The Slits
A little off beat, off pitch, but that is probably kinda the point. They at least get some props for paving the way for some other female groups.
2
View Album
Mon Nov 06 2023
Mothership Connection
Parliament
Definitely good, definitely funky. Really doesn’t go far enough to stun or impress me, just really easy listening that’s fun at times.
3
View Album
Tue Nov 07 2023
The Cars
The Cars
This album cover should be next to the word “synth” in the dictionary. Great pop cuts, catchy as they come. I think Bye Bye Love is the forgotten sleeper on this. 1976-78 was a great time for debuts with this, Boston, and Van Halen. Kinda strange their three biggest songs are you introduction to the band.
5
View Album
Wed Nov 08 2023
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
One of the better rap albums I’ve heard. Something I’d actually revisit as a non-rap fan. Great beats, smooth vocal delivery and lyrical content many cuts above what you get today. Once they sampled the guitar line in “Up On Cripple Creek” by The Band, this went from 4 to 5 stars for me.
5
View Album
Thu Nov 09 2023
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
A great voice and talent, easy on the eyes. But musically this is like mushed carrots. 90’s female pop has some misses
2
View Album
Fri Nov 10 2023
Moondance
Van Morrison
Flirts with being a perfect album. Takes the best of the pop-iness of Brown Eyed Girk with the introspection of Astral Weeks. Just good sign alongs. Glad tidings from New York!
5
View Album
Mon Nov 13 2023
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Really picked up in the second half. I enjoyed some songs so much I gave them a second and third listen
4
View Album
Tue Nov 14 2023
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
I suppose I get why LC is heralded among Dylan, Paul Simon, and Townes Van Zandt as the great lyricists. He leaves a little to be desired on the vocal delivery. Still an enjoyable listen.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 15 2023
Parachutes
Coldplay
Pretty good, very well produced. I think his voice bugs me for some unknown reason but I still enjoyed it overall.
3
View Album
Fri Nov 17 2023
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
3
View Album
Mon Nov 20 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Felt like I was sitting at a little table in the venue. Soothing, charismatic, short and sweet. Incredible voice
5
View Album
Tue Nov 21 2023
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
The cover art gave me Peter Tosh Legalize It vibes at first and I got worried. This turned out to be pretty good jazz all around.
3
View Album
Wed Nov 22 2023
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
Kind of like Pink Floyd’s debut (also from 1967) but without the promise. Just an echo/reverb filled psychedelic album lost to time from the summer of love. Too short to offend me though!
2
View Album
Mon Nov 27 2023
Hotel California
Eagles
There’s some self-righteous filler (both Wasted Times and The Last Resort) on this but you can’t go around acting like the first three songs aren’t perfect. The title track really is universal. Great stretch of hidden deep cuts from Victim of Love to Try and Love Again.
5
View Album
Tue Nov 28 2023
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Same good songwriting as his debut with less impressive vocals. Understandable given his age.
2
View Album
Wed Nov 29 2023
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
Only had the chance to skip around. I like the combo of upbeat pop they used in the debut with the ominous and darker mood that creeps in and shows up later on Violator.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 30 2023
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
9 up, 9 down. The songs that aren’t earth shattering are great rockers in their own right. His only truly perfect album.
5
View Album
Fri Dec 01 2023
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
Feels more modern than 1998. Enjoyable for the most part. Did not expect Fatboy slim to be a middle aged white guy.
3
View Album
Mon Dec 04 2023
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Hits are exceptional. Breath synth work. I actually find myself liking Head Over Heels more than Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
4
View Album
Wed Dec 06 2023
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
Made me feel like I was in a cocktail lounge. Very good. Love girl from Ipanema
3
View Album
Thu Dec 07 2023
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
Excellent punk
4
View Album
Mon Dec 11 2023
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
It was ok. I don’t know why he thought he could make 50 albums like this…but I’d be excited to hear a Nebraska one
2
View Album
Wed Dec 13 2023
The Specials
The Specials
This sounded how I was guessing based off the album cover. Punk but infusing pop and reggae a la the clash or Blondie. Doesn’t reach their heights
2
View Album
Thu Dec 14 2023
A Night At The Opera
Queen
You’re My Best Friend is their best song.
4
View Album
Fri Dec 15 2023
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
Fantastic and inventive
5
View Album
Mon Dec 18 2023
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Lacks some of the 50’s rockabilly energy from Elvis but it’s still the King.
4
View Album
Tue Dec 19 2023
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Willie’s best. Outlaw country is where it’s at.
5
View Album
Wed Dec 20 2023
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
We’ve gotten two Morrissey albums and zero Smiths albums thus far. Not a 1,001 album I needed to hear but fine nonetheless
3
View Album
Thu Dec 21 2023
Sincere
Mj Cole
Looked up the wiki after one song. House music is not a serious genre of music. Grab an instrument, not a MacBook. 0 stars
1
View Album
Fri Dec 22 2023
One World
John Martyn
Kinda funky but not great
2
View Album
Mon Dec 25 2023
Garbage
Garbage
3
View Album
Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Merry Christmas to everyone!
5
View Album
Wed Dec 27 2023
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
Didn’t listen to the whole thing but a good debut, I think he gets better too. An artist I need a deep dive for
4
View Album
Fri Dec 29 2023
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
3
View Album
Tue Jan 02 2024
Tommy
The Who
This is like The Wall if The Wall was actually a good concept album. Not every song is perfect but interesting concept and lots of good tunes to boot.
4
View Album
Wed Jan 03 2024
Clandestino
Manu Chao
I made it three songs. Didn’t hate it but meeehhhhhh
2
View Album
Thu Jan 04 2024
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
Would be a decent album in a vacuum but repetitive and near the bottom of what 1967 would have to offer
2
View Album
Mon Jan 08 2024
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
If I know most of the lyrics and songs off a rap album, it has a lasting cultural impact. Idk if it could get better. So catchy and memorable
5
View Album
Tue Jan 09 2024
1984
Van Halen
It’s not their debut but it’s a good farewell for DLR. Jump is overhyped but stuff like I’ll Wait and the other hits are great
5
View Album
Wed Jan 10 2024
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Night and Day from their psychedelic debut. Pure rock and blues. An old guy who frequents Emmet’s Tavern and Alderman’s always karaokes “Been Down so Long” very poorly. Title track, Riders, Love Her Madly, Hyacinth House all rock.
4
View Album
Thu Jan 11 2024
Abbey Road
Beatles
The best album ever recorded and nothing short of a miracle. If anyone wants to hear my manifesto on this album, you know where to find me.
I think I know every single note by heart.
5
View Album
Fri Jan 12 2024
Ys
Joanna Newsom
Only could make it through the first marathon song. Folk needs something to pair with it. Folk country, folk rock…plain folk sounds like music from a Hobbit movie
2
View Album
Mon Jan 15 2024
Pearl
Janis Joplin
I think her legacy is greatly over-exaggerated by her death. These all sound like similar blues tunes and I’m not even a big fan of the voice. Bobby McGee is the standout and I might even like Kristofferson’s version better these days
2
View Album
Tue Jan 16 2024
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
Didn’t make it the whole way through, but good jazz is good jazz. Gets the standard 3 stara
3
View Album
Fri Jan 19 2024
Thriller
Michael Jackson
5
View Album
Tue Jan 23 2024
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
2
View Album
Wed Jan 24 2024
Darkdancer
Les Rythmes Digitales
1
View Album
Thu Jan 25 2024
New Wave
The Auteurs
3
View Album
Fri Jan 26 2024
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
One of those albums that is “overplayed”-proof. Wish Us and Them and Brain Damage were as ubiquitous as Money and Time
5
View Album
Mon Jan 29 2024
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
5
View Album
Tue Jan 30 2024
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
2
View Album
Wed Jan 31 2024
The Rise & Fall
Madness
4
View Album
Thu Feb 01 2024
Live / Dead
Grateful Dead
Put the Dead in the company of TSwift and Zach Bryan - perfectly good music often ruined by the outcry of their hive mind fan base. I would get my kicks telling a Deadhead to get a job, hippie!
As for the music, Jerry is great at guitar but the whole noodling around for 23 min thing gets so old so fast
2
View Album
Fri Feb 02 2024
I Should Coco
Supergrass
Alright was fantastic, enjoyed the rest. Should be more well known
3
View Album
Mon Feb 05 2024
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
4
View Album
Tue Feb 06 2024
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
4
View Album
Wed Feb 07 2024
Brothers
The Black Keys
Good arena rock. So much bass and low end. Catchy enough
3
View Album
Thu Feb 08 2024
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Only listened to a few tracks. Sad we didn’t get Trout Mask Replica
2
View Album
Fri Feb 09 2024
Ingenue
k.d. lang
1
View Album
Mon Feb 12 2024
All Directions
The Temptations
3
View Album
Tue Feb 13 2024
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Perfect mix of chooglin’ and ramble tamblin’
5
View Album
Wed Feb 14 2024
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
First double album in rock history — earns the runtime. Poetic, capturing, and I even love how much my ears hurt from the harmonica
5
View Album
Thu Feb 15 2024
1989
Taylor Swift
Good production. This is her best no matter how esoteric the swifties try to get
5
View Album
Mon Feb 19 2024
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
Brian Wilson is second only to Paul McCartney for the gift of melody in songwriting. A genius
5
View Album
Tue Feb 20 2024
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
I can all around appreciate the musical talent and innovation, but Zappa exists in the same realm as the Dead -- I get why people dig it, but it doesn't tend to align with my tastes.
3
View Album
Wed Feb 21 2024
The Joshua Tree
U2
Great production, great songs. Love when they lean into the long droning guitar picking of the first two tracks. U2 was making good rock in the era where rock was basically dead. My only gripe is that U2 is not good enough for ~two~ of their members to go by single-name monikers
5
View Album
Thu Feb 22 2024
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Her voice is very unique. Toes a like between beautiful and annoying but all in all good
3
View Album
Mon Feb 26 2024
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
Perfect Sunday morning type of singer — wish I would’ve saved it for then instead of Friday
4
View Album
Tue Feb 27 2024
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
This came out right in the heart of Beatlemania and I’m sure it felt like a bomb went off. Energy oozes off this record, hands down their best pre-drugs album and John’s overall best work (10/13 are his writing). Paul’s songs are no slouches either. Whole lotta fun.
5
View Album
Wed Feb 28 2024
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Creative and well executed, less catchy than good kid maad city. Better than most if not all rap out there so gets the 5
5
View Album
Fri Mar 01 2024
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
5
View Album
Tue Mar 05 2024
Tapestry
Carole King
Fun and touching, incredible voice. The world needs more singer songwriters these days
5
View Album
Thu Mar 07 2024
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
5
View Album
Mon Mar 11 2024
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
4
View Album
Tue Mar 12 2024
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
3
View Album
Wed Mar 13 2024
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
1
View Album
Thu Mar 14 2024
Smile
Brian Wilson
Hard to judge this album — it’s the most notorious lost album of all time, but based off the sessions we have it seems really inconsistent. Great beautiful stuff like Our Prayer/Gee, Heroes and Villians, cabinessence, and Surf’s Up. You can hear most of that on other albums. But then you have a song about eating vegetables. Also, good vibrations doesn’t fit on here (it would’ve also been out of place on Pet Sounds). Still, Brian is an all-time genius and melody writer
3
View Album
Mon Mar 18 2024
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
5
View Album
Tue Mar 19 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
I don’t know if the world needs Philly Soul David Bowie, but the title track and Fame are killer. Bad cover of across the universe. Fun fact, Bowie gave Lennon songwriting credit and backup vocals on Fame because JL told him he should sing the word “fame” in that weird way
3
View Album
Mon Mar 25 2024
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
Only a handful of really good songs but the voice carries all the water necessary. Mount Rushmore of singers.
5
View Album
Tue Mar 26 2024
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
4
View Album
Wed Mar 27 2024
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
2
View Album
Fri Mar 29 2024
GI
Germs
2
View Album
Mon Apr 01 2024
C'est Chic
CHIC
4
View Album
Tue Apr 02 2024
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
3
View Album
Wed Apr 03 2024
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Only listened to the title track, why isn’t this on Spotify?
4
View Album
Mon Apr 08 2024
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
5
View Album
Tue Apr 09 2024
OK Computer
Radiohead
4
View Album
Mon Apr 15 2024
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
5
View Album
Tue Apr 16 2024
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
I’d rather listen to Venus and Mars or RAM but it’s hard to argue against this being his magnum opus. Chock full of memorable melodies you memorize after one listen. The title track should get all the pop culture obsession that bohemian rhapsody does. Jet and Let Me Roll It are my other favorites, but the album clears without a bad number.
5