Genre: Experimental, post-rock, psychedelic.
Review: Gentle start, very relaxing and soothing. Potential work from home music. Last 3-4 tracks were extremely good, especially the title track.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Alternative rock
Review: Good alt rock music. Some songs like "Say You Miss Me" I really liked. Reminded me of other 90s bands like Television and Radiohead. Couldn't say I liked this as much as them.
Rating: 7.5/10
Genre: EDM, disco, psychedelic.
Review: Surprisingly brilliant. Never thought I'd enjoy this kind of music, but right from the start, tracks such as "other voices" and "i used to" were just so creative and unique. Towards the end, tracks like "call the police" and "american dream" have a more soft-rock / psychedelic feel. Great variety and range.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Pop, modern soul.
Review: Another pleasant surprise. I knew of Janelle Monáe from the movie "Glass Onion", but never ever considered the possibility that she was also an amazingly talented musician. Loved the diversity of musical genres within the same album, especially the tracks "Dance or Die" and "Tightrope".
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Rock, instrumental
Review: Really enjoyed this album. Powerful voice, great guitar that reminded me of some other really good female driven rock bands (Heart, Evanescence etc). The opening track started out slow but picked up pace and never let go until the end of the album.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: EDM
Review: Decent music for running, workouts, work etc. Not a fan of the genre at all so don't go by my words necessarily, but it was all quite same-ey, uninventive and one-dimensional. At least it wasn't at all off-putting so I could easily listen to the whole thing.
Rating: 5/10
Genre: Classic rock
Review: What a classic. I've always admired The Doors, and listened to their hits a number of times over the years, but to listen to a complete album is to appreciate the work that goes into creating a masterpiece of music. Listening to the final track "Riders on the Storm" on my surround speakers at home was a reminder of just how great The Doors and Jim Morrison were.
Rating: Without a doubt, 10/10
Genre: Pop
Review: Lorde has a powerful voice with wonderful range, akin to the likes of Adele and Aretha Franklin. For someone her age to put out music like this is something special indeed. That said, it's not exactly my type of music. Still, I do appreciate good music and musical talent, and she's got it in droves.
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Punk rock
Review: One of the earliest pieces of English music I ever listened to was "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" when I was in high school. Since then I must have listened to this album dozens of times, and every time with increasing admiration for the rebellious passion and energy that drove every track.
Rating: A clear 10/10
Genre: Classic rock
Review: Thanks to my twin bro Mani, I was introduced to The Beatles when I was in college. Having been exposed repeatedly to media that glorified and revered them as the greatest, I found early on that they were a fun band to listen to, with catchy songs and simple beats. It's only after years and years of listening to all kinds of music does it really sink in how great their music actually is. Rubber Soul is one of the best examples of their irrefutable quality - wonderfully written tracks, with beautiful music and a sound that will last forever.
Rating: Are you kidding? Obviously 10/10
Genre: Classic rock
Review: The eponymous track from this album is one of my all-time favourites, but it also happened to be the only Don McLean track I had ever heard. But the rest of this album is pretty damn great by itself. A mix of cheerful tracks with quick, up-tempo beats and slower, introspective tunes makes for an album well worth its reputation as one of the greatest.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Hard rock
Review: Reminded me of classic bands like Judas Priest, Motorhead etc. I'm sure in time I'll start to appreciate how influential this must have been, although from what I read on the internet, the live show element had a lot to do with the success of this group.
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Electronica+Tango
Review: Unlike anything I've ever heard before. Gets a bit repetitive later though. Definitely have to listen to it again to make a better judgment.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Punk rock
Review: Meh. I'm sure I didn't give it a proper listen yet though, so whatever.
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Pop
Review: Classic MJ. Not at his peak yet, but man did he redefine the whole music scene during his time.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Thrash Metal
Review: Used to listen to this album back in college, but listening to it again this time gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the quality of the track "Walk". Other tracks are pretty neat, too.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Rock
Review: Never been a big fan of David Bowie, and I don't think this album did much to change that.
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Talking Heads
Review: Unique, path-breaking and still as fresh and exciting as it was all those years ago.
Rating: A "once-in-a-lifetime" 10/10
Genre: Rock
Review: I'd heard of Cheap Trick before, but never quite listened to any of their music. Reading up about them briefly before sinking into this album, I found that they were popular in Japan quite early on in their careers, and this popularity carried them to cult fame over the years in the US and the UK as well. This album, a live production recorded at the famous Budokan arena in Tokyo in the late '70s, was their biggest claim to fame. And it didn't disappoint.
Review: 8/10
Genre: "Metal"
Review: Possibly the worst full album of a heavy metal band I've had the displeasure of listening to. They're the cheapest imitation of the good ones like Tool, Slayer, Death.. And they think they're actually good. Hah!
Rating: 2/10 (for one half-decent track, "Wait and Bleed")
Genre: Punk Rock
Review: Interesting, nothing extraordinary or earth-shattering but certainly a good piece of work.
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Rock, Experimental rock
Review: Considered their magnum opus, and it certainly felt that way listening to it. Paranoid Android stands out but the rest is pretty top-grade too.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Rock
Review: The eponymous track is the standout, but the other songs are pretty good too. A real gem from the early Progressive era.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Heavy Metal
Review: A small dose of Motörhead every day is the secret to a long and happy life. This live album has it all - classic hits, rocking jives and Lemmy's unparalleled metallic growl.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Classic rock
Review: The origins of one of the best artists ever. And it shows. The tracks here are quite crude and u unassured but the Rolling Stones sound is clearly there. Can't wait to get into more of their albums, sure to come up in upcoming recommendations.
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Alt rock
Review: Decent, contemporary alt rock. This is no era-defining artist like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or Nirvana but still half-decent, just another example of an overrated inclusion into this list. The voice is manufactured and tears off way too often, and the music is interesting if occasionally dry at times.
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Folk rock
Review: Beautiful, gentle and soulful music that'll last forever. Paul Simon's lyrical prowess struck me on this latest listen, especially with the magnificent "For Emily, Whenever You May Find Her". Other tracks like "Scarborough Fair", "Homeward Bound" and "The 59th Street Bridge Song" are very nice as well. My post-lunch walk was infinitely elevated thanks to the sunshine, the sakura trees in full bloom and this wonderful piece of music to accompany me.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Punk Rock
Review: Pretty good. Reminded me of some of the older English bands like The Sex Pistols, Clash etc. Certainly some influences there. I'd like to listen to more of them. Heard good things, and listened to some good tracks here too.
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Bongo Rock
Review: That was brilliant. Apache is the one that screams (read: "percusses") at you from the get-go, but it's all pretty damn good. The combo of bongo and rock is so cool. Loved the covers of famous rock songs like "In A Gadda Da Vida" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" too.
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Rock
Review: Great music. Very deep and soothing voice, apparently the guy made this album when he was in his 80s! Released only a few weeks before he passed away. The quality of the music was fabulous.
Rating: 7/10
