Journey in Progress
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119
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3.15
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11
5-Star Albums
11%
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myths Of The Near Future | 5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
| The College Dropout | 5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
| Hybrid Theory | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| Imagine | 5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
| Rio | 5 | 3.49 | +1.51 |
| Definitely Maybe | 5 | 3.52 | +1.48 |
| The Number Of The Beast | 5 | 3.59 | +1.41 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
| Illmatic | 5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
| With The Beatles | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Violent Femmes | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| The Specials | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| Darklands | 1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
| Like A Prayer | 1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
| Closer | 1 | 3.22 | -2.22 |
| The Visitors | 1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| Black Monk Time | 1 | 2.94 | -1.94 |
| Back In Black | 2 | 3.86 | -1.86 |
| Tago Mago | 1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
5-Star Albums (11)
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Popular Reviews
Klaxons
5/5
This album is perfect for psyching myself up to go back to school and out myself back into student debt.
I’ll be straight up. I loved it, and I thought it was magick. Each song brought a fascinating element to the table, and I absolutely LOVE when bands just shoot for the moon and throw everything at it. My fav on the album, Gravity’s Rainbow, makes me want to both dance for 100 hours straight while climbing Mt Everest. Oh but this review isn’t over yet.
If these are the myths of the near future, I can’t wait to see what the myths of the distant future are. Now the review is over.
4 likes
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
More like “Light Jog-DMC”. This album is great for cleaning your sunglasses, as you inevitably leave a smudge and have to redo it.
In all honesty, it was actually pretty good…illin’ you could say. I enjoyed the heavy drums, guitar riffs and scratches on quite a few songs, as well as the beat boxing on my fav track, Hit It Run.
The most notable aspect of this kind of rap is the unison on the last lyric of the bar. Where one of them sings the line and then they all yell the last word. Classic.
Was more of a novelty listen for me than anything. Was very cool to get a sense for what mid-80s rap was all about. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily revisit this on the reg. It’s tricky because you gotta give props to the trailblazers.
They earn an extra star because they made an Aerosmith song better than the original. Aerosmith sucks.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (10)
All Ratings
Black Sabbath
3/5
They love the “call and response” between Ozzy and the guitar. I forgot what a banger The Wizard is. The last track is quite the adventure. I’m not a sabbath guy but this was a pretty cool listen
Dusty Springfield
4/5
This should be required listening for any teenage boy trying to get lucky at prom.
If I was meeting some friends on a Sunday morning in 1969, I’d throw this record on while strapping on my bell-bottom jeans and my floral headband.
Son of Preacher Man is a top 50 song of all time. Plus Dusty is a babe.
Violent Femmes
1/5
To its credit, I could see how this album was influential. Seems to straddle the lines of genres.. much like how the lyrics straddle the line between acceptable and rapey. I feel like Bill Cosby listened to a couple of these songs and got some ideas.
If the vocals on your album sound like I do when I sing, it’s usually not a great sign. Which is the case here.
I get that it’s a particular “sound” and “feel” they’re going for. But i’m not super keen on this album, I wish it would just be Gone, Daddy, Gone.
And if you Add It Up, it’s around a 1.6. But it doesn’t allow me to give that, so….fuck em
Bobby Womack
3/5
This was exactly what I was expecting, but in a very good way. A great variety of tracks and slap-and-pop bass is just the best. They ain’t playing no Games with the crispness of those funky riffs.
I’d 1000% play this at a chill party or when needing a little pick-me-up (instead of my usual, bumping cocaine). It’s a very versatile album. Oh Bobby, there’s just So Many Sides of You.
But Bobby “The Poet” Womack has some Secrets…his lyrics are pretty pedestrian. For an album named The Poet, I was expecting some deeper lyrical abilities and turns of phrases. It’s like an album named The Virtuoso having simple three-chord progressions on guitar all the way through.
If You Think You’re Lonely Now, arguably the biggest hit on the record, made me laugh out loud multiple times as it seemed like he rolled into the studio after having a minor disagreement with his wife of 13 years and just started narrating everything they just argued about. This stream of consciousness reaches an outstanding point when he urges his wife to think about what it’ll be like when he’s not there to rub her back. This seemingly mundane lovers quarrel somehow becomes the focal point of this album, a notion that makes me laugh even more.
Is it Just My Imagination, or does Bobby have primo pipes? There’s no denying the vocal abilities on this album.
So where do we go from here? It deserves more than a 3 but not quite a 4, from me.
U2
4/5
For a guy with a massive ego, Bono’s voice isn’t what makes U2 good. The band talent is greater than the sum of its parts. This album accentuates that fact. The third record in a row with killer bass.
This album is perfect when making a new pasta sauce recipe. It delivers a primer for focus and creativity, with a lively backdrop.
For some reason, I wanted to give it a 3 very badly, I’m not sure why. But I couldn’t be So Cruel. It’s far better than that.
Lastly, One is a masterpiece. A timeless classic that builds beautifully to a satisfying climax. But as I was up in the clouds, I found my favourite track of the album - The Fly. A hidden gem which I’ll be listening to until the end of the world.
Johnny Cash
4/5
The concept of recording an album from a State Prison is badass. And the little interactions between Johnny and the inmates are what make this album very unique. A hidden piece of the album is the inmates boo-ing the associate warden and then getting instructions of how to leave the mess hall, on the last track of the record.
This album is pairs well with a sleeve-cut plaid shirt out doing chores in the yard, which reminds you of the community service you did after your stint in “the pen”. Nobody needs to know it was a white collar crime.
But with about 25 minutes to go in the album, it started to get a little repetitive, as country and rockabilly does. The music itself is mostly boring, almost as bad as an egg-sucking dog. With the main focus being Cash’s lyrics.
The lyrics of some of the songs are dark (as a dungeon), and the inmates go crazy for it. Which is both hilarious and terrifying. They call the Man in Black a master storyteller, and this is on full display in Cocaine Blues, which seems to be the plot of some crazy John Dillinger type shit.
A gem on the album is Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart, in which each line is a poetic analogy of how he’s been dumped. I found it amusing and a creative departure from the rest of the tracks.
The uniqueness of this live album is what makes it an awesome listen, even if I don’t care for much of Johnny Cash’s music. And as an overall soft person, I hope this is the closest I come to being in prison. Thanks for giving me that experience Johnny :)
Kanye West
5/5
Alright people, breath in, breath out - let’s leave Kanye’s persona at the door, and please know that We Don’t Care what your preconceived notion of rap music is. That’s my intro.
This is album is perfect when you are stuck doing a mundane task you don’t want to do, like data entry. Because it’ll fire you up so much that you’ll throw that laptop right at your bosses face, as your career all falls down.
First and foremost, it’s a masterclass in production. I haven’t heard a hip hop album with the variety and ingenuity of these beats. Kanye’s roots as a beat maker is on full display here as every song feels completely different from the others. Guy has enough background singers to make even Pete Davidson jealous.
Kanye may be an ego maniac, but his music has always been about taking risks and pushing creativity. Which includes incredible features. Kanye’s songs are never afraid to put other people in the spotlight, and in that sense you might say he’s…selfless? …nah.
I find the songs so good that I actually don’t really want to hear the skits, even if they are slightly entertaining. Especially, since I’m being reminded of the fact that my BComm isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Something that my student debt reminds me of everyday. They never let me down.
When looking for the best track on the album, I just have two words: Jesus Walks. I’m no “god-bro”, but the song makes me want to run through the wire of a chain link fence.
Overall, the songs on this record are incredible, even if Kanye is not an incredible person. But the best part: I got a free workout plan in the form of a downloadable PDF after I signed up at kanyewest.com , which inadvertently put me on several government watchlists.
Primal Scream
3/5
I take MDMA every Monday, so I had a lovely time listening to this record. It seems like that may be a prerequisite for listening to this bad boy.
This album is perfect for eerily batting around a single swinging lightbulb in a dark basement, or any repetitive task like that.
I actually like house music, so I didn’t mind the extended tracks. I stopped fighting it and just felt it. However, these tracks only hit in a specific time and place, and I wouldn’t necessarily listen to these guys on the regular, especially considering I just found out they existed.
I got some serious NIN vibes in the Higher Than The Sun mixes, which were my favourites on the record. However, Trent Reznor is way cooler than this and does it better.
I’ll give the Screamos credit though because they may be on the cutting edge of what’s to come. There were Fatboy Slim and Oasis vibes in a few songs as this was at a time before those acts existed in the mainstream.
This album is Loaded with different feels and weird sounds, which is fascinating to listening to. An array of genres taking (inner) flight all over the place, including the aforementioned house music, Brit rock, piano ballads, and more.
This album has no cohesion at all, but who cares? This is a music album not a corporate management retreat.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
The Jesus and Mary Chain, what to say About You? I’ll say that I’m Down On you.
This record is versatile in the sense that it’s just as perfect to put on when shooting heroine as it is when cleaning your heroine spoons the day after.
The writing is pretty clearly On The Wall for me…it’s not great. I found the songs incredibly uninspired and boring. It may connect with some people, but not me.
I don’t have any favourite tracks from this album. I noticed a few Bruce Springsteen-esque guitar riff rip-off’s, which was comical to me. So maybe those songs because they made me feel SOMETHING at the very least.
In this genre, there were better songs created before this and after this. After the album finished on my Spotify it automatically went to some songs from The Cure, and it was Nine Million times better than this. And I don’t even like The Cure.
Not quite sure how this makes its way onto the list. It must have been #1001. Quite unremarkable.
Cornershop
3/5
The sitar is back baby, just like those Funky Days. This album is perfect for those times when you explore a new Pantone colour when painting your picture frames.
The integration of Indian instruments and sounds absolutely buttered my soul. Some decent musicianship and creativity on this record, but for every moment of delight, there seemed to be two moments of ‘what is happening’.
Lots of bizarre stuff, mostly extended instrumental tracks with looped historical recordings. There was a tough stretch in the middle of the album there but then the light appeared with Good Shit, as well as Good to Be on the Road Back Home. A charming duet that turned out to be my favourite track.
This is the perfect album to give a 2.5 because it deserves some credit for a very unique sound. But anytime you can integrate the word ‘bosom’ into a song, you get bonus points. Good shit.
Iron Maiden
5/5
“Invaders….RAPING!”
This album is perfect for creating an inspirational montage of you doing physio stretches, so you feel more badass than you actually are.
All hail Bruce Dickinson, hallowed by thy name. The guy is so over the top and I don’t mind it at all. His pipes are incredibly recognizable as he puts the “iron” in Iron Maiden. They know what they’re about and they ride that all the way..hard.
Some of the last few albums on this site really made me a prisoner, trapped in their weird ways. But I found this record pretty freeing to tap my feet and head bang a little while banging out emails. This bad boy Invaded my brain all day long.
Although maybe the most well known, Number is my favourite. It’s undeniable. Special shout-out to wild journey that is 22 Acacia Ave. I don’t really aspire to go to brothels, but I’d try anything Bruce tells me to.
Beck
3/5
Gutsy move to put yourself into the category of musicians who only go by one name, like Madonna, Cher, and Prince. But here Beck is.
Great for listening while shopping at a local food store when you’re inspired to try a new Balsamic vinaigrette.
Beck is obviously a talented musician, and I couldn’t stop saying hell yes during a couple songs. But on the whole, I didn’t fully connect to the album as much as I wanted to or expected to. I was looking for the emergency exit for at least half the of the songs.
The thing I admire about Beck, is his ability to change his voice and singing style for different songs, some being rap-style, some bluesy, and most are folk.
Musically, each song usually has a main riff/hook that rides the entire song, and if it’s good, the song is great. Like my favourite on the record - Black Tambourine.
However, if the hook is not good…well, then l want to dispose of it like a rental car. I won’t even fill it up with gas before returning it.
Not a bad listen at all. E-Pro and Farewell Ride are bangers. But overall, I found something was just missing from the whole experience.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
People keep trying to get me to listen to Tom Petty and it looks like I got fooled again, and I don’t like it.
This album is great to listen to while poking a new hole in your belt because I gained a couple pounds.
Tom’s got a very unique and distinguishable voice, and it’s always cool to listen to a legend’s first album. It has a cool 70’s vibe as TP and the HBs try to find their sound.
HOWEVER, with the exception of a couple bright spots…I’m not a fan. I found most songs super forgettable and didn’t get me excited to be listening.
Breakdown, a vibe departure from rest of the album, is my favourite on the record. But by the time we got to the last track, I was ready to mentally breakdown, but thank god American Girl saved the whole record. That tune has been rockin around my head all day, so I’ll give em credit for that one.
Who are these HeartBreakers anyways?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Ah yes, the band that has ripped off tons of songs from other artists. This album is perfect for re-varnishing the vintage boat that your elderly father passed down to you.
Been a good ten years (gone) since I sat down and listened to some Zep. Surprisingly, I haven’t really cared to dive into their stuff at any point. Seeing this album in the light, however, gave me some good perspective on why they get the legendary status they do.
The musicianship is tight, and when they lay down a tasty rock riff, the songs are excellent. Trampled Under Foot has been and will always be my favourite song of theirs, period. The clavinet keyboard at the beginning is *chefs kiss*. Once they get bluesy, like at the tail end of this record, it’s kinda weak and doesn’t hold interest.
Without surprise, the guitar takes centre stage in this one, much like their others, as Jimmy is one of the best to ever do it. However, they lose me on some of their going-nowhere songs that surpass the 8-minute mark.
I could have considered a 5, but peep the bizarre lyrics from Bobby Plant in the last song of the album talking about a specific teenage girl he had an eye for. Kind of made me sick (again) to my stomach.
Kraftwerk
2/5
If you started driving on the Autobahn and played this song, you’d 1000% reach the end of the autobahn before the track finished.
This album is perfect for sketching drawings of what a Time Machine would look like.
I actually have immense respect for what I heard on the album from these innovators. Incredibly experimental with combining sounds, and paving the way for those who came after.
That said, I’ll never listen to this Miiternacht shit again. It’s fun to listen once and then melt this record down with a blow dryer.
On the other hand, this laid the groundwerk for electronic music to flourish, and of course the first crack at it will sound rough by todays standards. Based on influence alone, this album has tremendous merit. Anyone who gave it a 1, shame on you! I’ll give it a 2
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
I need this album artwork printed on a shirt.
This album is perfect for going on a 5-star rampage with some cheat codes in GTA4..which I’ve done before as Dominion was on the soundtrack for the game. Which is my favourite on this record. DA-MIN-I-ON !!!!
This has just 80s oozing out of this thing, but somehow in a good way. Which is a sentence I don’t think that’s ever been spoken before.
I’ll give credit where credit is due, I enjoyed listening to this album for the most part. There were some fragments that tried to corrode my ears with their repetitiveness, but hey, what album doesn’t do that?
Some of the highlights for me was when there was a Flood of choir singing / backup vocals appearing in tracks. It’s so over the top, but so on brand with being an edgy, “the world is weird” kind of band.
If this is goth, well then pass me the black nail polish
AC/DC
2/5
I’m convinced there is a AC/DC themed porno out there entitled “Let Me Put My Love Into You”.
This album is perfect for sawing wood in the garage and then ultimately mis-measuring numerous times resulting in four trips to Home Depot.
Lot of hits / recognizable songs on this album. I will say, they know how to make a popular song, which is why this is higher than a 1. They have a formula, as they know how to make the money honey.
The closest thing to something I like in this album is the first minute of the album, the Hells Bells intro. Once the voice comes in, they lose me.
The thing about AC/DC is that their music just wears on me. By the end of this record, it absolutely WAS noise pollution.
It really is a shame that when I google my name, something related to AC/DC comes up :(
Cat Stevens
4/5
Catscratch Stevens. I’ve never really sat down and listened to Cat Stevens before, just a few songs here and there. But I was happy to just throw this on and get on the road to find out if this is any good.
This album is perfect for throwing another log on the fire, while calling for helicopter assistance, at a secluded cabin miles from nowhere.
Even though most of Cat’s songs are slower paced folk tunes, the guy knows how to write lyrics and his singing style is second to none. This record has some songs that get right in the feels. One being Sad Lisa, my favourite on the record.
I live when the acoustic guitar gets a little rough on the strum and Cat starts belting, that’s when he’s at his best.
I’ll be honest, I’m 100% into this. I’ll be integrating some more Cat into my playlist repertoire. But I might die tonight, so who knows
Ryan Adams
2/5
They say never meet your heroes, which is great because I’ve never met Ryan Adams, nor is he my hero.
This album is great for burning cigarette marks into your XS denim jacket to look cooler and more badass than you actually are.
Oh for me to be young again and get distracted by an acoustic guitar and a decent voice. Almost as young as the girls this guy likes. Big time loser.
Some of it had some redeeming qualities, but I found the lyrics pretty whiny and those of a “sad boi”. Maybe those are my preconceived notions at work tho. By half way through the album, I was ready to go home, so come pick me up.
Talented, I guess. But….meh.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Buttery goodness.
This album is perfect for making a batch of cocktails before guests come over for a games night resulting in you get trapped listening to an insufferable pop music playlist.
Although I’m not really familiar with Quest’s catalogue, I was happy to take a little excursion and really listen to this respected group. I hear their name tossed around a lot when talking about influential hip hop acts and all that jazz.
The art form of rap hangs mostly in the lyrics and cool turns of phrases, with innovative rhimes and intonations. This record has a variety of deep and silly lyrics, making it an enjoyable listen with good vibes and stuff.
The beats are fairly similar from song to song, as there is some repetitiveness on the surface but everything is fine because even with that, I was bobbing for most of the record.
Especially when a heavy bass or a sax shows up, it gets me buggin out. As exampled by Show Business. I knew it was my favourite track within 4 seconds of it coming on.
I feel cool listening to this album.
The Clash
3/5
The recipe for a good song title: “London (insert verb here)”
This album is great for writing an email that you know people won’t read but you spend an obscene amount of time on it, just in case.
I don’t listen to punk a lot, but there’s no deny-ing this is The Clash. Their brilliance pretty much lies with their frontman Joe Strummer and his aura. With one of the best rock n roll names of all time, he didn’t really need to weigh many career opportunities because he was born to do this.
I listen 1.5 times as I didn’t mind it, but there wasn’t anything special for me here. My favourite on the record is I’m so Bored with the USA. The lyric and delivery of the chorus is just the best, one of those catchy punk melodies. And frankly, aren’t we all a little bored with the USA by now?
I see a theme appearing in this list: Early albums of more well-known acts that don’t necessarily contain their largest hits. Are they treating us or are they cheat-ing us? Who’s to say. Onto a weekend album, where we have 48 hours+ to listen.
Gorillaz
4/5
I wish I’d thought of the idea to make a cartoon band.
This album is perfect for falling in and out of a feverish dream, not really knowing what’s real and what’s not. (I listened to this album while having serious migraine issues)
I was today years old when I found out that the Blur lead man was the creator of Gorillaz. Turns out he’s some sort of (new) genius.
I love the creativity here. They’re laying the groundwork for their more refined sound in future years. This record is very exploratory with a new sound that doesn’t fit into any particular genre. Rather than re-hashing the same old riffs we’ve heard before, this has a different vibe and different delivery. And that earns pointz from me.
However, when experimenting there are always a few duds and this album has some of those. So it’s not perfect, as not every song rocked the house. But overall, I was always looking forward to what was coming next, which is all you can ask for in an album.
My sneaky favourite on the record was Sound Check but 19-2000 is a beauty. I always wanted a cool shoeshine.
The Specials
1/5
I had a blank expression on my face for most of the album.
This album is perfect for blowing up a floaty raft for a day at the beach. But at a certain point you realize there’s a hole in the raft. And because of this, your kids start a deep seated resentment towards you that’ll last a lifetime.
I dislike upstroke guitar rhythm very much. So obviously I’m not a huge fan of ska music, so this album was already destined to fail in my eyes.
I learnt that 2 Tone was the specific genre of ska in 1970s Britain. And I love that they literally put “2 Tone” on the cover of the album. It’s like if The Clash put “PUNK” on their album covers.
It’s a weird mix of 60s bubble rock and reggae ska, that just left me scratching my head and wondering (now). I don’t get it. But maybe I’m just a little bitch.
Some songs had some rock elements to them, but it doesn’t make it alright because a lot of them always revert back to 2 Tone at some point. My favourite on the album is Concrete Jungle because of the rock feel and the staccato bass just jabbing through the track.
The Specials. Not that special, amirite? Amirite?!
Brian Eno
3/5
This album is perfectly suited for deep thinking. Deep thinking that may be the seeds of Game Theory. Deep thinking that may earn you prestige in the academic world. Deep thinking that develops into paranoid schizophrenia. Deep thinking that ends up with Russell Crowe playing you in an Academy Award nominated film.
I’ve gotten into ambient music over the past couple months, so I enjoyed this venture into one of the first albums to create the genre. Eno, baby.
The most notable aspect I found was the light organ noises acting as a sort of gospel choir singing. Was pretty cool.
You have to be in a particular state of mind when listening to ambient music. Bangers aren’t really to be expected. They are repetitive, which I actually love, as I find it puts me in a meditative state when working or walking.
All that said, I don’t know if I’m particularly moved by this individual record or not, because most of it is fairly similar to some others. So, even though I appreciate the style, I can’t say this is better than any others within the genre. Eno, baby.
k.d. lang
4/5
This album is perfect for buying
Oh k.d. I wish I didn’t love you so. I actually enjoyed this album a lot more than I would. Even the country songs I found kind of charming, because it was obviously styled after “old-school” country, which I can appreciate more than modern country.
I loved that I checked the year on this album multiple times because I couldn’t believe it was from 1988. The music, the vocal quality was something out of 1958. I thought that was super cool and frankly, hard to do.
k.d’s pipes are primo, they’re stronger than black coffee. What a Canadian treasure. Hard to pick out a favourite on the record, I liked quite a few..maybe the country blues banger, Sugar Moon. A lighthearted love song.
Busy day yesterday (was too busy being blue, but ultimately tears don’t care who cries them, so I’m effed), I only got to listen once but would absolutely listen to this more.
Dr. John
3/5
I go to Dr John for most of my prescriptions. This album is perfect for welding your own meditation bells.
I feel like I walked into a large chamber bedroom with tons of velvet drapes and carpets and gold lamps. Got handed a variety of psychedelics on a brass serving tray by a moustached, young man named Aries. Then proceeded to be given a bongo drum and seated in a circle of 27 people who just finished having an orgy. They then hit record for 33 minutes straight and whatever happened, happened.
All that to say, I actually enjoyed this album wayyy more than I thought. So many backup singers, so many instruments that I found interesting to listen to. There were parts of incoherent nonsense, but that was the late sixties baby!
People from Nah’lens love to tell you about “the bayou”.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
It’s too bad it wasn’t another Chemical Brothers album. These guys have tons of great songs, but this isn’t their best. Some decent beats that are great when doing work. But they much more well crafted songs on their later records.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
An all caps album title, wayyy before it was cool to do so.
This album is perfect for chipping ice out of your troughs and spouts. Crucial for making your house happy.
I don’t think this will be groundbreaking analysis, but the songs where Shuggie sings are great. Very chill vibes that put you in a good mood, like my favourite on the record, Aht Uh Mi Hed. The songs where the vocals are not available (instrumentals) aren’t great, and that’s coming from a guy that digs instrumentals.
I get a little Hall & Oates vibe off the title track, and since H&O is a guilty pleasure of mine (come @ me), I dig it.
This is legit a decent rainy day album, I’m not even forcing a song title here. Decent job Shugster
a-ha
4/5
This will be an unpopular opinion.
This album is perfect for putting floral wall paper up in your bathroom. It’s coming back in style, you guys!!!
I liked it. There, I said it. Not sure if I was living a boys adventure tale, or what my train of thought was, but I was into it. Is it the best album ever? God no, but it got me bobbing my head and put me in a good mood while looking up to the blue sky on my walk, so what else can I ask for?
The vocals are often over the top, and the music sounds so artificial. But that the 80s BABY! Obviously Take on Me is still a mega hit, but I found The Sun Always Shines on TV to be an upbeat party banger, and also an apt commentary on society.
Some songs were better than others, but I enjoyed listening all the way through. Do I…like..a-ha?
I’ll stand here and face the rain whilst being berated by the group.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
YA BISH! This album is perfect for getting your Nissan Sentra detailed up real good.
Kendrick Lamar is one of the finest (and Realist) musicians of our time. A true artist and poet(ic justice). The album is so well thought out and took the listener on a transparent journey of his experiences growing up, from track to track. This is exampled by my favourite on the record, The Art of Peer Pressure. Which is just a badass title.
What I love about his style is that he adjusts his voice to give the effect of multiple people singing on one track, when it’s just him. And he uses creative inflections and sound effects that ensures every track has a different feel and is as deep as a swimming pool.
Couple things: the hook on Backseat Freestyle is elite. Plus, Bitch, Don’t Kill my Vibe is my new life mantra.
R.E.M.
2/5
This album is perfect for doing laps in the swimming pool, mostly because you would only hear short bits at a time.
I actually had high expectations for this one. Document my feelings as “disappointed”.
I didn’t find a ton of variety on the record, which was partly due to Michael Stipe’s vocals, which the more the listen to them the more they become just strange. This band is better in radio doses…one (finest work)song at a time.
The only reason they get two stars if for This is the End of …. Which now that I think about it isn’t even that great of a song. Chalk this one up as one that I do NOT love. FFIIIIIRRRRREEEE!
Gene Clark
3/5
It’s a Gene pick. This album is great for finding a bargain at a garage sale.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. Don’t take this as some misunderstanding, the vocals/backup vocals were pretty enjoyable but I found the songs kinda basic.
Don’t chalk me up as life’s greatest fool though, I see the merit in this album and would absolutely listen again. But if I had to say if there was “no other” like this one? Nah, I wouldn’t say that at all.
Gene’s not trash, but I’d consider him a true one.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
I really prefer Jefferson Starship, actually. The album is great for feeling pillow fabrics at IKEA. So plush.
I was hesitant about this one because honestly I don’t know much Airplane other than the hits. How do I feel about it? I’m very into it.
Not sure if it was just Today, but I found that it had quite a bit more variety than I was expecting, with some classic feel good 60s vibes, but also some ballad, blues, and acoustic licks. The biggest surprise was that Grace Slick doesn’t sing all the songs? Like, whats that all about? G-Slicks is a babe. But the committee vocal section really rang true on most tracks.
The two big hits are obviously great tunes, and I could feel them coming back to me with each listen. With Somebody to Love being an all timer, and White Rabbit being the LSD Anthem. But the surprise of the record was My Best Friend, which started out as a “whatever, 60s feel good track” but it sneakily slips into some groovy acoustic blues lick that gives the song a cool dimension. Seems to be the theme of the album - lot of subtle dimension and good vibes. Deserves the praise is gets.
Plus, any band with a flautist is aces in my books. Or is it flutist?
Stan Getz
2/5
I love albums that are just named their genre. Can’t wait to listen to “Alt Rock” and “Rap”. Short review today. I’m not really into Samba Deez Days, but it was fine. I mean, those guys are obviously talented, but I feel like the genre has been tarnished over the years bc of how much it gets made fun of for being in elevators, lobbies, etc. Surprisingly, I don’t listen to a lot of jazz or jazz variations. So will NOT be entering into the rotation
Skepta
2/5
Man, I had high hopes for this one. This album is perfect for blasting after a workday in Londontown and pre gaming at a pub before heading to see Jersey Boys on the big stage.
The Numbers just don’t add up for me. It’s mostly because of the Lyrics, I’ve heard dozens of albums that are a more creative on the wordsmithing. But I guess that’s the vibe they’re going for. Not even Pharrell could save this record for me.
Some of the beats get my hype, but the overall feel of the album…that’s just not me. I’m going on a Detox of Skepta.
Duran Duran
5/5
Save a Prayer for Duran Duran. Great album. This album is great for sponge washing your car outside.
I find these guys rise above most 80s bands and that was confirmed with my three listens of this record. I love the layers they put on these tracks, there’s always something interesting to listen to, as examples by my favourite on the record, New Religion. I actually think the keys and other sounds they use give the songs great depth that wouldn’t otherwise be there.
It’s like they had a band meeting one day and said “hey bassist, we’re thinking of doing a song with a regular bass line” and that guy said “fuck you. I groove every track”. The bass is wild in these songs, usually ending up being the loudest instrument driving each song. Which is sweet.
This rating may get some flack but imma go My Own Way on this. Come @ me
Eels
4/5
The Electric (Guitar) Eel. This album is great for checking pay phones for stray quarters.
During the first listen, I felt like I was Not Ready Yet, because I was finding songs like Susan’s House and Beautiful Freak just Mental. But then I came around on the second listen and found I enjoy the tracks quite a bit, as they’re a little Spunky.
There’s not a ton of layers, like a vinatierta, the songs are pretty straightforward like a one-layer mousse. But I love mousse, like my favourite song on the album Rags to Rags. Just good vocal melody is all I need to jam out.
Just goes to show, sometimes music is just about how it makes you feel rather than analyzing the hell out of it. I dig the stripped down, one-man show vibe of the band which shares seemingly brutally honest lyrics and feelings.
Novocaine for the Soul is a 90s classic.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Leonard Skinhead, I mean…yeah that’s what I mean. This album is great for picking out a big ol bucket of bullets.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan. It seems as though this is their best album because after this one, they only made one more hit song (their biggest) in their like 30 year career. So, take that for what it’s worth.
The album itself has some decent things going on. I like when they use the keys and they can sink into a nice groove. Once they get all rednecky, that just ain’t the one for me.
Free Bird is an epic, so I’ll give them that. Overall, some classics on this record but ultimately If I had to listen to Lynyrd again today, I’d be wishing this Tuesday was gone.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I’m more of a Gala apple guy. This album is perfect for driving laps around the Perimeter while question the very existence of your being. You know, normal stuff.
This is my first taste of this apple. I apologize, that sounds weird. I dig the layers that most of the songs slowly build throughout them, including my favourite on the record, the opening track Sleep to Dream.
There’s a few slow as honey songs that kind of lulled me to sleep. But her vocals take centre stage in every song as she’s got some serious pipes, it’s almost criminal how good they are. I heard some classic 90s female singer intonations, which made me laugh.
After her voice, there’s some absolutely beautiful piano work on this album, making my admiration for her talent increase significantly. Earning her an extra star in my mind. Apparently she was 18/19 when she created and released this album, which makes it even more impressive.
Klaxons
5/5
This album is perfect for psyching myself up to go back to school and out myself back into student debt.
I’ll be straight up. I loved it, and I thought it was magick. Each song brought a fascinating element to the table, and I absolutely LOVE when bands just shoot for the moon and throw everything at it. My fav on the album, Gravity’s Rainbow, makes me want to both dance for 100 hours straight while climbing Mt Everest. Oh but this review isn’t over yet.
If these are the myths of the near future, I can’t wait to see what the myths of the distant future are. Now the review is over.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Wow, a four tracker. This album is great for using butter as shaving cream. I enjoyed it less than I thought actually. Im not sure what I was expecting, but I could have easily just walked on by this one.
It was cool to hear some soul and blues rhythms mixed with a 60s rock vibe on some songs. The one with the long ass name. But I mostly loved the very dramatic, inspirational song about philandering though. Good for him. Not so great for his wife.
The instruments and the Isaac’s voice were fine, but I just I just wanted Chef from South Park.
Judas Priest
2/5
Alright, let’s go rapid fire here. This album is great for working on a stripped screw for 45 minutes.
You may not have to be old to be wise, but you do need to write better songs if you want to be good. Listening to United brought out the Rage in me. That’s gotta be the worst song ever written. Top 10 at least.
The album is “saved” by a couple of their hits, but overall it’s so mediocre. Just like the band. Not a fan. Let’s just say that in my books, the are NOT Metal Gods.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
More like “Light Jog-DMC”. This album is great for cleaning your sunglasses, as you inevitably leave a smudge and have to redo it.
In all honesty, it was actually pretty good…illin’ you could say. I enjoyed the heavy drums, guitar riffs and scratches on quite a few songs, as well as the beat boxing on my fav track, Hit It Run.
The most notable aspect of this kind of rap is the unison on the last lyric of the bar. Where one of them sings the line and then they all yell the last word. Classic.
Was more of a novelty listen for me than anything. Was very cool to get a sense for what mid-80s rap was all about. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily revisit this on the reg. It’s tricky because you gotta give props to the trailblazers.
They earn an extra star because they made an Aerosmith song better than the original. Aerosmith sucks.
Deep Purple
2/5
Short one today: Highway Star earns 2 stars single-handedly. Banger.
The rest, not a fan. Sorry DP
Beatles
5/5
Never heard of these guys before. This album is great for going thrifting. Would be into listening to more Beatles records on this list (That’s What I Want).
Not sure what needs to be said, so this Won’t Be Long. The Beatles just crush out elite songs, which is no surprise to anyone here. But a nice little surprise/reminder was I Wanna Be Your Man, my favourite on the record. Banger.
Alright, here’s my thing. If the music makes me feel something, then I give it a good rating. This version of the Beatles isn’t super musically complex, but that Don’t Bother Me bc the songs are just good.
All I’ve Got To Do now is give it 5 stars.
Madonna
1/5
The Material Girl. I don’t know if it was the era or these particular songs but I couldn’t Keep It Together. I can’t even remember what it sounded like, I just blocked it from my memory after listening to it on Friday. I did NOT Cherish my time listening to this one.
I mean, Like A Prayer is good and famous for a reason. Other than that, I didn’t find much here. Dear Jessie makes me feel like I’m watching a terrible live musical, and I’m sitting in the middle of row, inescapable of the shittiness that is occurring in front me. A true assault of the senses.
I’m not familiar with Madonna’s catalogue, and this doesn’t make me want to be.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Purple Lloyd. This album is great for staring into a water fountain for a couple minutes, which turns into 3 hours.
I’ll say it. I’ve never been a fan. That is, until today. I’m just so much wiser than I’ve even been.
Masterful musicianship on this record. Pink Floyd is one of those bands that make every second of a 12-minute song worth listening to. Which is not easy to do. Every sound, every bit sounds intentional and sounds right.
The opening of Have A Cigar might be one of my favourite pieces of music. But my fav song of the album has got to be Welcome to The Machine. Hits just right.
Instead of those dark side of the moon shirts that everyone has, they should make more shirts of this album. I don’t love every Pink Floyd song, but I love every song on this album.
The Monks
1/5
Short one: didn’t like. the Bunks
The Roots
3/5
Not sure what that word means. This album is great for picking up your sunglasses that you left behind last night.
I dug it. I thought this album holds up well after being over 20 years old now. Love the instruments and beats behind the vocals, I think that’s what separates these guys from some other hip hop acts. Little bit of extra complexity, which I appreciated. And some of the flat out singing left me thirsting for water, damn. Some good vox from whoever that guy was.
Not the best album I’ve listened to but glad I did listen, I’ll rock with it.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Brazil baby. Was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed listening to this. Made the morning walk infinitely more enjoyable. Some good musicianship and variety on this album. It did drag on a bit, but overall, good stuff. Hell of a job Milt
The next step: cue up Portuguese on Duolingo so I can understand the lyrics.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
TV On The Radio
4/5
The golden age of indie rock. This album is perfect for picking up a candy snack. A candy snack you haven’t had in a while.
Great band, cool tunes. Love their sound. So many hidden layers within the tracks if you listen closely. These guys just don’t give a fuck. They’re gonna play what they want and sound like they want. You can tell this by the bold move of putting 4 minutes of silence on the record.
DLZ is obviously a banger. Some hidden gems are Golden Age and Make Love All Night Long. These songs had me reminiscing of a simpler time, almost had me Crying at points.
A couple songs left something to be desired, but on a whole, very great album. Now, I still don’t know what radio station they’re talking about. How do I see the tv?
Nas
5/5
He’s a poet and he DOES know it. Represent. This album is great for getting a sun tan as you try and forget that Life’s A Bitch.
I actually haven’t listened to this one a ton, even though it is regarded as one of the best rap albums of all time.
I listened to this one three times through, so that speaks to what I thought of it. I for One, Love this album.
I’m a lyrics guy. Beautifully crafted lyrics can elevate a seemingly average song, and it doesn’t go the other way for me. Great musicianship with poor lyrics is just a waste.
So even though I found the beats very average, Nas’ words is what makes this an elite album. Plus with his ability to rhyme in unique and complex ways, It Ain’t Hard to Tell he is one of the greatest.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Yeahhhh, I don’t know. The vocals take centre stage in this one, for better or for worse. It was more worse, for me than better though. Opera-like singing at moments left me feeling queazy 🤢
Some of the lyrics seemed forced (Underbelly). Decent riffs and rhythms. And overall ‘meh’.
The Who
2/5
Meh, didn’t really do anything for me. Fool me once, Shame on you. Fool me twice…won’t be fooled again
Supertramp
4/5
Putting the ‘super’ in Supertramp
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Schmilly. Some recognizable songs on this album, that I wasn’t expecting as I’m not overly familiar with this chap. But some fun tunes that’ll get you going Early in the Morning.
Not my favourite record ever, but Gotta Get Up is an undeniable bop. I don’t know who decided the verb for ‘good times’ would be ‘roll’, but we’re rolling with it.
ABBA
1/5
I don’t even like ABBA’s popular songs
Prince
1/5
Prince is actually one of the greatest guitars of all time but I barely hear any noticeable guitar parts, with the exception of a couple songs. A damn shame.
Most of these songs are stuck in a very specific era of time. Which is hard to listen to if that vibe isn’t popular at the current moment. Most of this album doesn’t transcend time, which is the sign of a great album, in my opinion.
I like a few Prince songs, and I’m kinda into his whole aura. But the majority of this record sucks. It’s very Madonna-ish.
David Bowie
3/5
Elton John
4/5
Some absolute classics on here. But it’s not all classics, some are kind of pedestrian, a little bit out of Harmony maybe. All The Girls Love Alice was a surprise banger for me. I dig Elton, so I was into it
Wilco
3/5
Willy. They kind of have this “status” in the music scenes, but I’ve never gotten into them.
I had a few Reservations on a few songs that kinda lulled me to sleep with nothing super interesting going on in them. But overall, some decent musicianship here.
I won’t be The Man Who Loves Them, but I may be the man who kinda, sometimes likes them.
Primal Scream
3/5
It didn’t horribly offend me, much to my surprise. But I don’t need to listen to these guys for the rest of my Long Life. I think we’ve gotten our fix.
One thing I do admire about these guys is the focus on variety - sounds, instruments, song types. They like to change it up, which is cool. Motörhead is a sneaky little banger near the end of the record.
Kid Rock
1/5
Yeahhhh not for me. Hey Kid Rock: I Got One For Ya….Fuck Off
Adele
4/5
Rumour had it that I don’t really like Adele. And while that may be true, I’m Turning Tables on this one. I’ve found this album aged well and with the exception of a couple of nondescript songs, this album brings it. Don’t You Remember that Adele has a powerhouse voice? That mixed with great melodies…Take It All.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I wrote this review while I was lying in bed, just like Brian Wilson did. Considered an all time classic by many, it’s not fully my cup of tea. Like half of my cup of tea..wouldn’t it be nice if it was my full cup of tea? Some songs were actually really great, like God Only Knows is elite. I had a 3 but I bumped to a 4
Al Green
3/5
Good listen! Enjoyed Ally Boy, but pretty standard for that genre
Charles Mingus
2/5
Not a jazz guy. This was fine. Mingyyyyy
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
The third best Elvis behind: Elvis Presley and Elvis Stoyko
Pixies
2/5
I was going to say something but I don’t know where my mind went . Ah well
Erykah Badu
3/5
I’m going to have to listen again. I feel like there’s a lot of depth here but I wasn’t in the right headspace to accept it today. So it was just meh, but I figure there’s a lot of Cleva stuff going on
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
The opening for Lucy’s Ballad sounds so much like Pat Benatar’s We Belong. Did Pat lift it off of Mary Fai?
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Ray Charles
3/5
A legend. Was cool to listen and let the good times roll. All I could think about during this record was that it had such Big Brass Energy
Aerosmith
2/5
It wasn’t as bad as I expected but I was still saying No More No More by the end of it. Aerosmith isn’t my jam. Their hits are overplayed on the radio and their non-hits aren’t good. Maybe I’m just a little (Uncle) Salty
John Lennon
5/5
Imagine gets 3 stars by itself. I was surprised by the quality of the rest of the tracks. One of the GOATs for a reason. How Do You Sleep? - elite song
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
First half of the record - almost flawless. Second half……I’ve never seen such a large discrepancy between their good songs and regular songs. But bc there’s 4 certified bangers on this one, I’ll Get On Top of this one with a 4
The Jam
3/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this album, was grooving to an eclectic mix of instruments
Le Tigre
3/5
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I could see how this could have paved the way for some of the indie sounds in the 2000s
T. Rex
3/5
It’s no Stegosaurus, but it’ll do.
Pixies
4/5
Another album without their number one hit? My mind is so blown that I just can’t find it. This album was actually really good. I see you, Pixies
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Can’t beat Biggie’s flow. Rhyming multiple words within a sentence. Legend
Sonic Youth
4/5
I dig the vibe actually. Some bands that sound like this kind of piss me off, but this album was a Kool Thing
808 State
3/5
Love this music for working 15 hour days. Not great for most of the other things I do during a day though.
Oasis
5/5
Banger. I’m here for all of it
Pixies
4/5
I have a feeling the rest of these albums on the list will be Pixies albums. Plus I finally found my mind
Joy Division
1/5
I tried. I really did
The Byrds
2/5
Snooze fest
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Some great songs, some average ones. But it does put you in a great mood
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Big fan. Hell yeah yeah yeahs
Nick Drake
4/5
Is this the guy who sings Hotline Bling?
Can
1/5
The Who
2/5
The Who just can’t compete in the 60’s bop sound. They didn’t get good until the 70’s
Parliament
3/5
Public Enemy
4/5
Loved it
Linkin Park
5/5
When listening to this album, there’s only one thing you have to do…….SHUT UUPPPPPP
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Ms
Dire Straits
3/5
Some definite lulls for me, but it wasn’t all dire - overall good riffs and vocals. Sultans is a banger. Southbound Again is a sneaky banger
Ice Cube
3/5
Some good tracks, but also some duds. Cube seems like a cool guy
Queen
3/5
The Band
4/5
Bah luhlalalala hewhooo
Black Sabbath
3/5
War Pigs is elite. The rest kind of lost me a little
Metallica
4/5
Close to 5, but a couple songs bring down an otherwise exceptional album. Those songs: Nothing Else Matters and Sad But True. Come at me
Bob Dylan
3/5
Gets old after a bit
Eurythmics
2/5
Sweet Dreams is big. The rest……..
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I actually appreciated what was going on here. Colour me surprised
Beatles
4/5
Didn’t love it all, but loved most of it. The great songs on here are truly great. Blackbird is an all-timer
Paul Simon
4/5
The epitome of “hard to hate” music. Easy listening, good musicianship. He’s got some better albums, I think. But this is great
Marty Robbins
3/5
Didn’t hate it as much as I thought
Kanye West
2/5
George Harrison
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
If you told me all Bruce Springsteen songs sound the same, I’d agree with you
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Nick Drake
3/5
Smooth
CHIC
4/5
Honestly very close to a 5 from me. Couple songs dragged it down. But loved this disco funk action
Jurassic 5
4/5
Dig it!
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
The War On Drugs
4/5