Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
295
Albums Rated
3.55
Avg Rating
52
5-Star Albums
27%
Complete
794 albums remaining
Rating Speed
4.1
Per Week
501
Days Active
Reviews
289
Written
98%
Review Rate
vs Global
0.17
Avg Diff
3.55
Avg Rating
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Hard-rock
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
7
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rum Sodomy & The Lash | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| 1989 | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Shake Your Money Maker | 5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
| Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Nebraska | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| Court And Spark | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| Pretenders | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| 25 | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| Hot Rats | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| The Band | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| System Of A Down | 1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
| Bongo Rock | 1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
| Queen Of Denmark | 1 | 3.14 | -2.14 |
| The Holy Bible | 1 | 3.14 | -2.14 |
| Happy Trails | 1 | 2.8 | -1.8 |
| Happy Sad | 1 | 2.78 | -1.78 |
| Funeral | 2 | 3.57 | -1.57 |
| Low | 2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
| Playing With Fire | 1 | 2.54 | -1.54 |
| Gorillaz | 2 | 3.53 | -1.53 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 | 4.13 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 4.75 | 4 |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4.75 | 4 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Michael Jackson | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.2 | 3.75 |
5-Star Albums (52)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Beatles
5/5
Pretty good album. I think these 4 lads are pretty talented. Do they have any other material I could listen to? Hopefully this is not a one off.
5 likes
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Incredible melodies and lyrics. Not typical pop music at all. Interesting jazz influences and flourishes. Joni Mitchell is a genius. Every song is an interesting adventure.
4 likes
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Eclectic, epic, sprawling. Too long? Too much symphony and overtures? Overall pretty good. Lots of good ideas. Could have used some editing.
1 likes
Brian Wilson
3/5
Maybe the originally conceived album would have been great. I know Brian recorded what he considers the definitive version. There is some really great stuff on here, but also some half baked ideas. Ultimately, too many underdeveloped ideas. If all the songs ended up as good as Heroes and Villains and Good Vibrations, we would have a 5-star album on our hands. But Mrs. O'Leary's cow is not gonna get you into 5-star land.
1 likes
Kraftwerk
3/5
Most interesting because this album was made in 1974. Apple didn't make the first home computer until 1976 and no one was using synths in 1976. 22 minutes is too long for a song though. Good background music overall.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
Motörhead
3/5
Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Surprisingly good. Not really heavy metal, just hard edged rock. Catchy tunes.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Very good. Imagine hearing this when it first came out. Especially Whole Lotta Love. Not a big fan of Moby Dick but 8 out of 9 songs are amazing.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Eclectic, epic, sprawling. Too long? Too much symphony and overtures? Overall pretty good. Lots of good ideas. Could have used some editing.
New Order
2/5
No real drums, Hardly any guitar, not for me.
The Crusaders
2/5
Meh. Jazz for people that don’t like jazz. Completely average.
Louis Prima
3/5
Lots of fun. They caught the live, having a party vibe perfectly. Catchy tunes. Lots of humor. Great pop songs/jazz hybrids. The horn players are really fantastic. Very enjoyable album. I loved the "high note grease" lyric in " The Lip". 3-1/2 stars.
Eagles
4/5
Pretty amazing for a debut album. 3 obvious all-time classics, amazing playing, stupid great vocal harmonies. -1/2 star for Chug All Night and -1/2 star for the stupid bird noises.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Trying to be super arty-rock. But ultimately failing.
Critically acclaimed but for the life of me, I don't know why.
Let's list the art-rock tropes used on this album:
1. Weird album title that has nothing to do with the songs on the album.
Long mysterious sounding titles with numbers and parenthesis: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), etc. (By the way, the 4 "Neighborhood" songs appear to have no connection with each other)
2. Foreign language titles (also mysterious): Une Annee Sans Lumiere
3. Unintelligible lyrics on several songs
4. Repetitive chanting
5. Added violin and accordion for artsy ambience
6. Constant driving quarter note bass drum on seemingly every single song, except when they throw in a sudden weird tempo change (usually accompanied by a key change or new chords). Very artistic.
Here's a tip . Try writing a catchy melody.
I tried to like these guys when this came out - but I just can't do it.
I don't get it. Someone tell me what I am missing.
2 stars for effort.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Solid album. 3 monster hits and everything else is great R&B/Disco music.
The disco era had some crap, but this is a good representation of the better disco music available. Really enjoyed this.
The Clash
4/5
Great debut album. No bad songs at all. Interesting cultural commentary buried throughout. Working class guys with no other options. Strummers guitar and voice are so unique.
Janie Jones, London's Burning, and Career Opportunities are standouts. London Calling is a masterpiece but this is an amazing debut album.
Fantastic album.
The Who
3/5
Very good live album, but ultimately just a live album. There are better versions of these songs on studio albums. I enjoyed the different versions, and it would have been super cool to see The Who live in the late 60's.
3.5 Stars
The Temptations
3/5
First Temptations album after David Ruffin left the group and the first "Psychedelic Soul" album by the Temps. I enjoyed the album but there was nothing really groundbreaking. The psychedelic soul sound actually sounds pretty dated to the late 60's early 70s. The Temps had better psychedelic songs later with Ball of Confusion and Papa was a Rolling Stone. So I guess this was the genesis album.
Nice attempt at social commentary, but the kid screaming "I want my mama" in the middle of the 9 minute Runaway Child Running Wild was a bit much.
I saw the Temptations broadway show last year and was not aware of all the drama and death that afflicted the group. Otis Williams was the only long term survivor of the original line up.
Good but not great. 3.5 stars.
Rush
4/5
I admire the audacity of Rush to make this album after the record company told them to turn in something more commercial.
Do I need a 20-minute sci-fi seven-part prog rock song with lyrics inspired by Ayn Rand? Maybe not, but it kind of works (except that one section where Lifeson is basically tuning his guitar). Let's be honest about the lyrics, Neil Peart is a great drummer but a weird dude. I took 2 breaks while listening to 2112, but I cannot completely dismiss it. I bet it was fun to memorize that song to play in concert. Lee and Lifeson probably contemplated firing Peart for that alone, but couldn't because you know - world's greatest drummer. Also, who doesn't love "We are the priests of the Temples of Syrinx". What the hell is that about?
Side 2 is better and shows where Rush was heading.
I have no idea how this album sold so well but the 70's were a strange time.
George Harrison
4/5
There is probably a 5-star single album buried in here. Maybe even a 5-star double album. But someone should have pulled George aside and recommended leaving out a few tracks - perhaps all of disc #3.
Otherwise there is some great stuff on here. And a fair amount of filler. The great stuff is great, so 4-stars.
This is a really good solo album, but I think I prefer the George Harrison stuff from his more popular band - the Traveling Willburys.
Gorillaz
2/5
Not really bad. But certainly not great. Maybe good. This is extremely average. I kept waiting for one great song or something cool to happen. I'm still waiting.
Lots of weird spacey sounds mixed in though.
Good album cover I guess.
Cream
3/5
Cream goes from blues to psychedelic. Not the best Cream album, not the best Clapton album. Highlights are Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love, and Tales of Brave Ulysses (the most 60's of 60's songs).
I felt like I should like it, but phychadelic rock was so short lived (and weird), I could not like it enough.
Gene Clark
2/5
Pretentious and boring. No wonder no one has ever heard of this Gene Clark album. Decent playing by the musicians.
Suede
3/5
If Oasis and Sweet had a kid and they gave him a guitar fuzz box pedal turned all the way up for his birthday - you would get Suede.
Could use a little more fun, and better annunciated lyrics.
Or just a touch less fuzz effect on the guitars. Extra point for real drums and guitars.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
When Suede broke up, they must have given all their fuzz boxes to the Queens of the Stone Age. Everything has fuzz, even the bass. This album rocks. 3.75 stars.
The Clash
5/5
A masterpiece. Not one bad song. Extra points for real guitars and drums.
Peter Tosh
3/5
Good reggae album. Enjoyable.
I wonder what Pete thought about legalizing marijuana? No subtlety in the title track.
+1 for real guitar and drums.
He did come to a violent end from previous associated. Makes you think.
Calexico
2/5
I don’t really know what this album is. Half the songs were greyed out on Spotify. Some cool mariachi stuff, some good songs, but it did not hold together. Maybe because half the songs are missing.
3/5
Surprisingly good catchy synth based '80s pop. Much better than I expected overall.
Bad Company
4/5
When rock bands could be rock bands and just put out a great album. Bonus points for real drums and guitars (goes without saying).
The Saints
4/5
Guitars - check
Drums - check
Extra point for horns
Kick ass songs - Ramones vibe but dare I say a little better.
How come I’ve never heard of these guys. Should have been bigger.
The Band
5/5
Real guitar, drums, piano and organ. Pretty much the perfect band configuration. Sounds like a bunch of guys getting together to sing a bunch of old folk songs and weird story songs. Kind of rough and ragged, but that adds to the charm. It sounds like they are making stuff up as they go along, but it is way too complex to do that.
I was flirting with a lower rating due to "Jawbone", but after a second listen I liked the weird song about a criminal.
Not sure why The Band is not cancelled for "The Night the Drove Old Dixie Down". I don't think you can mention the old south anymore without cancellation. They should edit out all the references to the south and rename it "The Night Something Bad Happened in my State".
I was thinking 4.5 on my first listen, but I will upgrade to 5.
Adele
5/5
So much drama and emotion. Incredible voice. Fantastic songs. Adele is a treasure. She could sing the phone book and I would listen.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Very inferior to Cash at Folsom Prison (much better album).
Tried to catch lightening in a bottle twice, but failed.
San Quentin is a good song, but skip the rest and listen to At Folsom Prison instead.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Recorded on a 4-track cassette recorded as demos in his house and carried around in his pocket for months until they finally decided the band could not improve this material. Crazy that the record company let him release this instead of a big rock album. Haunting and simple music and lyrics. Bruce must have been in a bad mental state when he wrote most of this.
Highlights are Bruce's echoing background vocals on Atlantic City, the chugging guitar on State Trooper, and everything about Open All Night. Not a feel good album but a masterpiece nonetheless.
Beatles
5/5
Point for real guitars and drums
Point for horns
Point for sonic/electronic experimentation
Minus point for Yellow Submarine
Minus point for not enough Harrison compositions
Point for the solo on Taxman and the riff for And Your Bird Can Sing
Pretty good album. I think these boys are going to be good.
Talking Heads
4/5
Great grooves. Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth are fantastic. Early David Byrne lyrics are weird as expected, maybe weirder on the first TH album. Their better work was still to come. This is very good, not great.
John Grant
1/5
That sucked
Dr. Dre
4/5
Great beats, great sounds, great swagger. I totally appreciate the skill to rap at this level. So much happening on these songs and it was a new art form at the time.
Minus one point because I can't get past the violence and sex drenched lyrics. I get it, but don't like it.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Incredible melodies and lyrics. Not typical pop music at all. Interesting jazz influences and flourishes. Joni Mitchell is a genius. Every song is an interesting adventure.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Basically this is all the sane people from Talking Heads. Interesting, experimental, fun. Ultimately this is an experiment in rhythms with loose melodies and lyrics tying everything together. I enjoyed it but probably will not revisit this often. Glad to have the opportunity to listen. 3.5 stars. Extra point for real guitar and drums.
Paul Simon
4/5
Great songwriter. Unique storyteller lyrics and melodies that are unexpected. Hearts and Bones, Rene and Georgette, and the Late Great Johnny Ace are standouts. I love mellow Paul Simon arrangements.
The Jam
3/5
Bonus points for real guitar and drums. Fun album, fun band. I like the early '80s pop rock vibe. Good not great.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Brubeck’s time signature project - very successful. Jazz for people that like jazz and enough creativity to pull in casual jazz fans. Absolutely great jams and challenging music. Love it.
Beatles
4/5
Several awesome songs, some clunkers, could have used and editor. Extra points for real guitar and drums, and extra points for being the Beatles. Can't give it a 5. Call it 4.5.
Santana
4/5
Great guitar album. Super cool grooves. Great meld of rhythms and great guitar. Carlos Santana is a master musician. Loved the album.
The Pogues
5/5
These songs sound like 200 year old folk songs but most were written in the '80s a the time of the album. Punk energy with traditional acoustic instruments. Insightful and even devastating lyrics. Sick Bed is funny and kind of sad. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is a fantastic anti-war song. I have no idea how these guys got as big as they were, but I am glad they did.
Jurassic 5
3/5
Good backing tracks, good rhymes, but it all felt a bit too clean. Something was missing. Overall pretty good, but not great.
Steely Dan
4/5
Bonus points for all real instruments and heavy duty jazz influence. Super creative, not quite 5-star material, but almost. 4.5 stars.
Carpenters
4/5
70's pop at it's finest. More musically complex than it appears on first listen.
The Stooges
2/5
Not great.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
I get what he was going for. I also get that allegedly Bob Dylan patterned his song delivery on Ramblin Jack. But that does not make this a great album.
Paul Simon
5/5
Close to a perfect album. Standouts: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, All Around the World - who am I kidding, all the songs are standouts. One of the first ultra-popular albums to merge non-American influences (South Africa) with American pop. Cannot believe Paul got crap for violating the boycott of So. Africa and working with these musicians. This definitely accelerated the end of apartheid. One of my favorite albums.
Radiohead
3/5
Not my favorite. Some great songs, some boring songs. Maybe I need to listen again. This did not grab me from the start.
Steely Dan
5/5
This is the most steely of the Dan albums. A feast of sounds and songs.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Impressive. Tons of attitude. Crazy amount of sampling. Really hard to do this in 1988.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Very chill. Love the samba music. Great for background music. I probably would not seek this out to listen again but would not turn it off if it was on. 3.5 stars.
The Undertones
3/5
Wiki says these guys are punk. I disagree. Average early '80s rock band. I would go see them, but this is not a classic.
ABBA
4/5
Great 70s pop
Bob Dylan
5/5
Classic folk album. Before Bob Dylan's voice became Bob Dylan's voice. Many of Bob's all time classics on this. Very cool.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Not for me. Mr. Nice Guy is a good enough song. I can't handle the macabre stuff.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I was only familiar with their hits from the '80s. This was surprisingly good. Maybe some of the best synth pop from the '80s. It's a Sin and What Have I Done to Deserve This were standouts, but it was all good.
Lorde
4/5
Really good pop music. Highlights were Green Light and Liability. Interesting comparison with the '80s pop of the Pet Shop Boys we heard earlier this week. More hip hop elements and modern lyrical presentation. It was even better on the 2nd listen.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Classic. Groundbreaking. These songs are so familiar now but must have seemed like a bolt of lightening when this came out originally. Sad that we lost Jimi too soon. He had problems, but could sure play the guitar.
GZA
3/5
Pretty good I guess. Tried to make it epic. Maybe got close. I enjoyed the ninja movie dialogue.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
The definition of southern rock. Gimme Three Steps, Simple Man, Free Bird are favorites of mine going way back to my college years and earlier. These songs live on classic rock radio. Real guitar and drums are a bonus. Doesn't quite get that 5th star, but a fun and enjoyable listen nonetheless.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Did not love it. Good grooves, hard to understand the lyrics. Not bad, but not great.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Art rock with absolutely batshit crazy lyrical content. Lots of noisy guitar solos. Not my thing. Too weird. Debated giving a 1 star, but it is listenable. Some of the songs have normal-ish structure.
The Police
4/5
Great album. But they still had some improving to do. Drums are fantastic throughout. Copeland is a top 10 drummer for sure.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Probably the album I have listened to most in my lift. Every song is great. Born to Run (the single) almost killed Bruce getting it done. Many Springsteen classics on this: Thunder Road, Tenth Ave., Backstreets, Born to Run, Jungleland - all performed regularly in concert 40 some years later. The transition from Meeting Across the River to Jungleland is so good. A true classic.
Kanye West
4/5
Solid set. Only one clunker in the list - stupid Workout song. Otherwise pretty good stuff. I am obviously not a hip-hop guy, but this is really good for an album without real guitar and drums.
Dire Straits
5/5
Much better than I remembered. Money for Nothing has not aged as well as the rest of the album but still a great riff and guitar part. Many subtle songs on this release. So Far Away is an understated groove. Ride Across the River is a moody masterpiece. Going with 5-stars for this one.
Blur
3/5
I was unfamiliar with Blur prior to this, except for Song 3. Good album. More playful than their Britpop rivals Oasis. Some silly stuff, some rockin stuff, but overall pretty fun. Parklife is a standout. 3.5 stars
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Eclectic. Interesting. Really like this. Underrated band.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
More variety than the debut album. More R&B elements for sure. Really good songs. Amazing this came out just months after the debut. Things happened quickly in music in the '60s.
Radiohead
4/5
Not sure about this after only one listen. I think this is a multi-listen album to truly get it. Interesting soundscapes on this. I am going to give this a 4 because I think it has potential after more listens.
The Hives
4/5
Love the garage rock/punk rock genre. Super fun to listen to. Not sure it rises to the level of greatness. Extra points for real guitar and drums, turned up to maximum! I will go with a 4. Although it probably should be 3.5.
5/5
5-stars because I don't want Liam to beat me up if he finds out I gave a lower rating. Also - great songs, real guitar, real drums, real rock star attitude.
Sex Pistols
5/5
Classic of the punk rock era. Much better than I expected it to be. 5-star for historical reasons.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
No way to not give 5-stars to the album that contains Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven, Going to California, and When the Levee Breaks. Real guitar - Page one of the best, Real drums - Bonham may be the best, and young Robert Plant. These guys were unreal.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Some classic Bob on this album. Subterrranean, Maggie's Farm, Mr. Tambourine Man, and It's All Over Now Baby Blue are stand outs. Bob starting to figure out how to be in a rock band.
Marty Robbins
4/5
Being a child of the 80's, I do not understand the fascination with cowboys in the 50's. That being said, this is an interesting collection. I love Cool Water and El Paso. Amazing the whole thing was recorded in one 8-hour session. They were about efficiency in the 50's. Post Elvis but could not be further from the future of music. Hard to believe modern country evolved from this. Well done Marty.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
More soundtracky than I thought it would be. Great funk grooves. Lyrics right out of the 70's. Enjoyable, but has aged somewhat.
Miles Davis
4/5
Great early fusion jazz. Anything by Miles Davis is usually great. This was interesting and weird. Not exactly my taste, but I did enjoy it.
Soft Cell
3/5
Competent
R.E.M.
4/5
Great
Lou Reed
3/5
I guess this is pretty good. I never understood the VU/Lou Reed thing very well. Cannot say it's bad, but also not spectacular.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Really good modern indie/garage rock album. Loved it all.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Odd album. I guess you need to strive for greatness to achieve it. They did strive, but did not achieve. Some weird stuff that lowers the ranking for the overall album.
Spacemen 3
1/5
Nope. This is not good. There are some genres of music that I do not understand how they became even slightly popular and this is one of them. Maybe it is because I never did any drugs. Haha.
Ice Cube
3/5
Explicit lyrics aside, the beats are good. Not my taste, but I can appreciate it. I didn't really listen to this back in 1992 ironically, but listened to it now.
Metallica
4/5
Classic Metallica. I actually like this slower Metallica better than the earlier fast thrash-metal Metallica. Enter Sandman obvious standout but all are good. Great guitar and bass sound on this. Drums sound great too.
4.5 Stars
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Surprisingly great. Really fun. Cool electronic sounds with the acoustic instruments. Love it. Not quite epic lyrics keeps it from a 5. But really good.
Judas Priest
3/5
Good but pales in comparison to the Metallica album we had earlier this week. Bad timing for Judas Priest. A couple hits but everything else feels generic. Although it was probably a lot more fresh in 1980.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Funky. Great example of the genre. The Peppers kind of perfected this genre. Rhythm section is locked in and Kiedis does his typical rapid fire singing.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I thought this would be generic early hard rock. It is much better. I actually think these guys were an influence on early ‘70s hard rock. Innovators in good hard driving rock.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
From a time when instrumentals were cool (actually they still are). Great little combo, as they used to say. Bonus points for Green Onions, and the sequel Mo' Onions. Loved it.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Good but generic. Probably interesting at the time for people that had not heard the blues before.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
I wanted to like it, but really didn't.
Prince
4/5
All Prince albums are fantastic. This one is very eclectic, more drum machine than usual, but still great. Funky, great guitar solos, great jams. I could never take the place of your man is a standout for me. Really enjoyed.
The Killers
4/5
Four incredible hits. The other songs are pretty good too. Love the Killers and their retro 80's vibe and sound.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Incredible. And this was his 16th album. Insane talent. Great album. I was unaware of its greatness. Higher Ground has always been a standout but all the songs are equally great.
Sigur Rós
4/5
I thought this would be a total dud. I was wrong. Actually interesting electronic, kind of ambient, weird music. Much much better than I anticipated. Will I ever listen again - probably not. Was it good one time - definitely.
Iggy Pop
4/5
I only knew the title song before listening. Really enjoyable. I like the pop-punk genre and Iggy was good at it. Didn't hurt to have David Bowie helping out. Turn Blue is a really interesting song. Apparently the lyrics were composed on the spot by Iggy for a tune Bowie had written. That's crazy.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
There is probably a 5-star album buried in the double album, but too much filler. Extra point for Kashmir.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Meh. Some good songs but did not grab me and scream "Greatness!!".
Tori Amos
4/5
How did I miss this back in 1992. Too busy with life I guess. Really unique. Reminds me of Joni Mitchell. Variety of styles, very unique melodies and arrangements. Plus this was a debut album. Amazing.
Al Green
4/5
Great. A legend.
Spiritualized
3/5
Started out with potential. Got noisy in the middle. "The Individual" is awful. I did not make it to the epic 17 minute final song. I don't think I missed out on much. I really liked the title song with it's homage to Elvis.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Classic
ZZ Top
5/5
Solid blues romp. Some ZZ Top classics. I love it, but maybe I don't listen to enough blues. Waiting for the bus and La Grange are top notch ZZ Top. Really good. If I gave CCR a 5, I have to give this a 5 as well.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Great voice. Album does not have focus. 50% pop album and 50% folk/Irish traditional album. Could have been better to commit 100% in one direction. That being said, still very good. Sinead's voice is incredible.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Really good. I think a lot of these have been covered by others.
Talking Heads
5/5
Masterpiece. Rhythm section is phenomenal and the grooves are unique with a variety of interesting instruments and other sounds. David brings the weird lyrics to tie it all together.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
OK. Not Curtis Mayfield's best work. Not sure why this is on the list. There are better selections.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Many big Stones hits on this. Also arguably when they embraced some more creative elements and joined the '60s counter culture. Great variety. I actually like the lesser known songs better than the big hits.
Ray Charles
4/5
I never listened to this album previously. In fact, I thought the title was either a joke, or ironic. Come to find out it's not! Sounds like it was made in the '40s, but actually this was the early '60s. Ray is a treasure. This was fantastic. Unique covers and great blend of traditional and R&B.
Van Halen
5/5
This is certainly on the list of best debut albums. Such a unique guitar sound. Great, fun songs with a little edge and a little humor. Eddie was a master on the guitar. As unique as Jimi was in his time (also a top debut album btw). Thoroughly enjoyed this. Eruption/You Really Got Me is an all time classic paring. And I have always loved Ice Cream Man with the acoustic to electric transition.
5/5
Cannot deny this is a classic album. This and Pet Sounds kind of legitimatized the concept of pop music as art. Kicked off the Summer of Love. Day in the Life is a banger. Every song is great. I still do not understand how this is considered a concept album. If it started out as a concept, they did not maintain it. Nevertheless, still great.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Actually pretty good. I was not aware of the variety in Black Sabbath music. This was varied and interesting. Still not my favorite thing, but pretty good.
Fred Neil
2/5
Hippie Folk album from the '60s. Everybody's Talkin is a good song but the Dolphin Song was super cheesy. Everything else was average.
Frank Ocean
4/5
Quite good. Way better than I expected. Not super structured, almost like hip-hop/rap/jazz.
OutKast
3/5
Fine for hip-hop. Not my thing.
Beyoncé
3/5
Pretty good. I don't get the hype. Some good songs but nothing really sticks out to me as great.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Perfectly good. No hits. But actually pretty good.
The Style Council
3/5
Take away the cheesy instrumental light jazz songs and this is better than decent. My Everchanging Moods and You're the Best Thing are both above average pop songs from the mid-80's. Kill the instrumentals and play up the R&B angle and you have something.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Delightful album by the GoGo's. Would love to hear all these songs in their more punk versions, but I love that the producer pushed them to a more pop sound. The hits are great (Our Lips are Sealed and We Got the Beat) but all the songs have unmistakable early 80's energy. Great listen. I forgot how good this album is.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Starts off incredibly strong (Suite: Judy, Marrakesh, Guinnevere, You Don't have to cry, Pre-Road, etc). Bogs down around Lady of the Island. I thought it was gonna rally at the end but this version of Teach your Children is very inferior to the Deja Vue version. There is probably a 5-star album in here, but too much filler. Also - how did we get Everybody's Talkin on 2 different albums in just a couple weeks.
Pretenders
5/5
I love the Chrissy Hynde story. She was a rock critic and was getting some flack from artists after some negative reviews. Someone said, if you think it is so easy, see if you can do it yourself. So she did, and The Pretenders is the result. I think she won the bet.
Milton Nascimento
2/5
This is not one of the 1001 albums I had to listen to. Although it was perfectly fine music.
Anthrax
3/5
Not my jam. But really good for what it is. More melodic than I anticipated.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Starting to branch out from their earlier all-blues based albums. Creative and interesting.
The xx
2/5
Pretty good for ambient music. Nothing really grabbed me. Not bad, but not great.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This came out during my high school years but I was not into it at the time. Sounds like Achtung Baby without the catchy hooks. The U2 boys must have listened to this as inspiration. Interesting sounds. Lyrics hard to follow. Probably better with more listens. It is good, but it is great? Hard to give it 4-stars. I'm going with 3.25
Metallica
2/5
+1 for real instruments (lots of them). -1 for being way too long (2 hours). The songs all started to sound the same. The symphony contribution could have been more creatively used. It worked great on some songs but not on all. And I admit I did not listen to the whole thing.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Crazy prog-rock arrangements. Extreme guitar and drums. Indecipherable lyrics. Concept album with some insane sci-fi premise. Spooky latin or latin-sounding titles. I have to give an A for effort, but it did not all come together for me. Not my thing. It should probably be a 4 if I was into this music, but I will give it a 3, for me.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The Stones coming hard in the middle of their most productive and best period. Not a bad song on the whole album. "You Can't Always Get" is so good, even though it has been endlessly played. "Midnight Rambler" has always been a favorite of mine with shifting tempos and a "make it up as you go along" vibe. Great stuff.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
I was not excited about a 4-song album with one 18 minute long track. I was pleasantly surprised. Hayes and the band are fantastic. The grooves were tasty, and it was not at all boring. The 18 minute "By the time I get to Phoenix" cover was fantastic. Hayes dragged out all the emotion by telling the backstory before he dove into the Jimmy Webb composition. Great album.
David Ackles
2/5
Not an album I needed to hear.
Meatloaf light, overly musical theater with no story, too orchestral.
Honestly I do not know what he was shooting for, a new genre maybe?
Also pretty cheesy lyrics. Cheese sells, but not this cheese.
+1 for real instruments and competent player.
Early rockin' Rod is good Rod. And this is a very good album. Stay with me is the obvious standout, but it all has a Rolling Stonesy early '70s rock vibe.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Average. Everything sounded the same. Too long.
Prince
4/5
First 4 songs are gold. The long extended codas should be boring, but they are not. Lots of tasty guitar solos and cool meandering buried in the outros. Long outros usually are bad, but these actually add to the songs. Some songs got a little too long. Lots of great ideas. Some songs have sub-par lyrics, but great musical ideas. Doesn't feel like a 5, but maybe 4.5?
Television
3/5
Hard to judge this without a time machine. So much that is innovative was perfected by other alt-rock bands that came later. I did not pick up on the punk aspects at all. Good solid songs and arrangements. These guys are inspiration for a lot of bands I loved later.
Violent Femmes
5/5
Punk album without the typical punk sound. Captures ‘80s teen angst as good as anything ever has. Gordon Gano is a weirdo but also a genius. Side 1 is all highlights. Side 2 almost as good. If you want to hear the evolution of punk and alternative in the ‘80s, this is it.
The Sonics
2/5
This is fine for a '60s garage band.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
It was good. But "tango" music seems to be a strange genre to include in the 1001 albums I must hear before I die. I would not have listened to this without this project. Haha.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Good early metal album. A little over the top, a little juvenile, a little big trying to sound scary and important. Ozzy in fine form.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Not sure I like the sparse sound of this album. Doesn't really sound like Fleetwood Mac to me. Sara is a great song. And I have no idea how Tusk became a hit. What a weird song/arrangement/instrumentation/style etc. So strange.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
"Can't you hear me knockin" is my favorite Stones song. The improbably long and meandering solos at the end of the song are just fantastic. The rest of the albums is gold too. Have to go with a 5.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Pretty good lo-fi protest album. Not groundbreaking.
System Of A Down
1/5
No, not an album I needed to hear.
I was onboard with the aggressive guitar.
I can handle the angry, loud lyrics. It's protest music, right?
I cannot handle the weird falsetto and unnatural low growling vocals.
Those are comical.
Seriously, are the vocals a joke with a real metal band behind them?
Listen to The Darkness - at least they admit to the absurdity of the lyrical style.
It's absolutely no for me.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Really good album I was not familiar with. I don't think Stevie can make a bad album.
Green Day
5/5
Great album. Loose concept, but great songs. Took the pop-punk format to a higher level. The song structures, guitar work, and drums are all top notch. Great songwriting and unique melodies and transitions. Too many highlights.
Elvis Presley
5/5
Probably the first hit rock and roll record. Historically it has to be a 5. Although apparently he is accused of stealing black rhythm and blues. Regardless, Elvis was an original and the first inspiration for many many musicians.
Morrissey
3/5
The Smiths are better than solo Morrissey. I like the alt-folk/rock style. Bonus point for real guitar. But too whiny and mopey for me.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I remember these guys from back in the late '80s, but never listened to them. They never made it onto the radio or my radar. I admire the pop-rock guitar band. Obvious bonus points for real drums and guitars. I get hints of the Raspberries, Beach Boy melodies, early REM. But the energy level never rises to the point of my caring about it.
Beck
4/5
Beck takes a groove, makes it weird, and builds on it. Really fun and interesting.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Some top notch Simon and Garfunkel tunes. Not sure about the concept of the concept album. And it looks like they shoehorned in Mrs. Robinson (although it's the best song on the album). The hits are classics. The rest is pretty darn good. What would the genre be? Elevated folk?
Orbital
2/5
Completely average electronic music
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Bonus points for real guitar and drums. Very entertaining stuff. Never listened to the whole album before. The hit, Take Me Out, is a standout. But the whole album is great.
The Slits
3/5
I always assume these late '70s bands will be punk bands. This was not. Interesting to see the evolution of punk to a reggae/ska genre. Sounds like early English Beat with more punk style vocals. Interesting historically. Will I ever listen to this again - no. But I guess it was an interesting listen.
Parliament
4/5
Just a funky masterpiece. This music should make a comeback.
The Cars
4/5
Great new wave album because they did not forget to make the guitars sound good, and they made the synths sound cool - not cheesy. I love this album. Maybe because it was all over the radio when I was a kid. But whatever - this is great.
Mariah Carey
4/5
Really good. Could use a few more memorable melodies, but overall good.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Swing music excellence. Never heard any Basie I did not like. This is no exception. Pre-improvisational jazz, but fantastic big band music.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Could not get into it. The lyrics are probably super -interesting if I listen close enough. But it did not grab me. Others have done the stripped down guitar-singer-songwriter thing better, but he was one of the first? I prefer Dylan or Springsteen.
Coldplay
3/5
Too much mid-tempo melancholy. Well executed melancholy, and decent melodies. But please - give me something that won't put me to sleep.
Giant Sand
2/5
Surprisingly good for a band I have never heard of. Will I listen again? No. Was it ok? Yes. Competent but not spectacular.
The Waterboys
4/5
Unknown to me previously, but I love me some folk rock. Great album. The Van Morrisson cover took it over the top for me. That song is not easy to cover. Acoustic instruments and Celtic flourishes throughout, epic subject matter, vaguely religious overtones. Excellent.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
I wish I could go see shows like this at jazz clubs. What a voice. What a performance.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Shades of Booker T and the MGs. Fun, but not essential listening. Well done but not ground breaking.
Eagles
5/5
Probably the pinnacle of '70s California soft rock. Creepy title track, Life in the Fast Lane, great harmonies, cocaine fueled Don Henely - what more could you ask for?
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Simple arrangements, interesting vocal, poetic and weird - religious but not straightforward lyrics. Even more mysterious knowing he passed away right after it was released. Very Very Good.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Not super impressed. I guess I am not a big Depeche Mode fan.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Classic rock royalty. Big influence on everyone else.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Great 80's pop. More sophisticated than I remember. Very interesting sounds and songs. Loved it.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Interesting. I understand Kraftwerk is considered pretty influential. Not my favorite.
Buzzcocks
3/5
Most of the songs sound the same. A little too early in the punk/new wave evolution. I bet they were fun live.
Massive Attack
2/5
It was fine.
The Specials
4/5
Really good. I never understood how the ska era succeeded the punk era. But this was very good.
David Bowie
4/5
David Bowie is insanely talented and the master of many genres. Very entertaining and cool instrumentation. Changes is the standout hit but all the tracks are cool.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Top notch '70s Elvis. In the Ghetto, Don't Cry Daddy, Suspicious Minds. Fantastic. Great country/soul band to change up the sound. The comeback album for Elvis!!
Willie Nelson
4/5
Classic Willie. Stripped down and just cool. Love the way he weaves in melodies from older folk songs.
Morrissey
3/5
A very Morrissey album. The definition of early '90s British pop.
Mj Cole
3/5
It was good. It was not great.
John Martyn
3/5
Never heard of this guy. Kind of modern sounding for an album from the '70s. Still nothing that stuck in by brain. Not an album I needed to hear.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Definition of hippie music.
Manu Chao
2/5
Not an album I had to hear before I died
The Beau Brummels
3/5
What was happening in the '60s? This is a weird collection. Musically pretty good. Lyrically really out there. Also - how have I never heard of these guys except as a reference in a Billy Joel song that may not even be about this band. I will give it a 3 for sheer effort and weirdness.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Pretty good. Some shades of Oasis in the mix. More rocking than I expected. The slow tunes are not great. Probably will never listen again, but it did not feel like a waste of time.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Pretty good. Would never have been played on any radio station when I was young. Haha. Too explicit.
Van Halen
4/5
Classic Van Halen. Hard to believe this was the last of the David Lee Roth era albums. Panama is the stand out but all the songs are great, even Jump.
The Doors
3/5
I am less impressed with the Doors as I get older. A couple good songs but I never quite understood the mystique about this band. Above average blues band with a charismatic weird lead singer. Crazy that Jim Morrison was gone less than 3 months after this came out.
Beatles
5/5
Pretty good album. I think these 4 lads are pretty talented. Do they have any other material I could listen to? Hopefully this is not a one off.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
Too weird for me and not on Spotify. VDP is a weird dude. Kind of interesting, but all weird.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Janis was very good. Sad we lost her so soon. Great blues influenced album. Very '60s vibe.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Beautiful jazz. Kind of meandering, less focused on strong melody lines. Fantastic bass playing. We have had jazz albums for non-jazz fans. This is an album for jazz fans.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
Nobody needs a 22 minute jam on the Bo Diddly Beat.
Moby
3/5
I respect this, but it feels like background music. Interesting and kind of a cool vibe.
Michael Jackson
5/5
So many hits. Such variety. Michael Jackson was super creative at this time. I also love the Eddie Van Halen uncredited solo on Beat It. I could do without the cheesy duet with McCartney but it is still a 5.
Cat Stevens
3/5
I love Cat Stevens and there are some classics on this, but I cannot give it a super high rating.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Not bad - not great - not necessary to listen to.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Not exactly my jam, but certainly a great album. A little spooky and crazy - that is the charm. Nobody does this kind of music anymore.
Dire Straits
4/5
Not quite a 5, but close. Probably a 4.5 on the strength of Sultans of Swing alone.
Madness
3/5
Surprisingly good. I only think of Our House and One Step Beyond. I did not realize how eclectic they were. Very enjoyable. My view of ska has expanded. 3.5 stars.
Grateful Dead
3/5
I can certainly appreciate a good jam band, and these guys are the OG jam band. It's rock and roll equivalent to jazz. I just don't love it. If a song is 23-minutes long, it should be better structured, not just random sound. But hard to come down too hard on the originators of jam band rock. I'm going with 3.5. Just cannot give it the 4 star treatment. Maybe there are better, later Dead live albums.
Supergrass
3/5
Better than expected.
Eminem
3/5
Not sure if this is a 1 or a 5. Obviously brilliant music and lyrical composition. But also clearly unhinged violence and lyric content. I kind of respect it but cannot like it. Dude needs some serious mental health help.
The Black Keys
3/5
Did not blow my mind.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Interesting
k.d. lang
3/5
Would have been better if k.d. focused on the country genre more. Too many different styles. Didn't really like the jazzy nightclub vibe on some songs. Overall competent, but nothing really stuck out. The hit "Constant Craving", is a reasonable mid-tempo song.
The Temptations
4/5
Funky 70's Temptations at it's best. Papa is a great jam tune. Some social commentary added for flavor. A little dated, but still cool.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Winner Winner. What a great album. John Fogerty is a genius. The rock is swampy and awesome.
Bob Dylan
5/5
It's a classic. One of Bob's best. Highly influential.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Really good modern pop album. All catchy tunes, hits and non-hits. I think this Taylor Swift is going to be pretty good.
Eminem
3/5
Not better than the Marshall Mathers LP thing. But not really worse. Once again, he has talent but is clearly unhinged. I kind of hate it, but can appreciate some parts of it. Way to violent.
The Beach Boys
5/5
The best Beach Boys album and probably the biggest change in genre/sound from their previous albums. Unique instrumentation and arrangements. Subdued percussion. Beautiful vocals. Brian took the Beach Boys formula and made it modern and unique by abandoning the "surf/party song" pattern. God Only Knows gets me every time. Amazing that Good Vibrations was not on this album - it was a single. Brian and the Boys were amazing for this brief time.
Frank Zappa
5/5
Very surprising
5/5
U2 classic. "Where the Streets Have No Name" is a top 10 rock song of all time. Loved it when it came out, love it today.
Kate Bush
3/5
"Art-Rock" always concerns me. And this is definitely art-rock. I didn't totally love it. Lyrics hard to understand with her high airy voice. The last song "This Woman's Work" somewhat redeemed it for me. That is a great song. But not enough to get a 4 star.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
The '80s were a strange time. Frankie was huge for about 1 year. Relax, War, and Two Tribes are great and represent the genre, mid '80s dance music, pretty well.
Norah Jones
3/5
Not jazz. Basically, light rock driven by piano, which I like. Is it multi-star worthy? Probably not. Great album to listen to, but kind of becomes background music.
Beatles
5/5
Great collection of Beatles hits. Not as experimental as later albums will be, but still lots of fun catchy tunes. The vocal harmonies are spot on.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Lots of lyrics. Would require several listens to decipher and think about. Seems "jazz-like" with changing melodies, tempos, spoken word parts. Pretty arty actually. I can appreciate it. Might get and extra star if I listen more.
Tom Waits
3/5
Interesting but ultimately probably not one of the 1001 albums I needed to hear. Not bad.
Otis Redding
4/5
Great songs by a great singer. What more could you ask for. Essential covers and other awesome Tunes by Otis.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Acoustic protest album. Fantastic. Great songs, great playing, great emotion.
Carole King
5/5
Just delightful. Flawless execution and great songs.
The Blue Nile
2/5
No. Not essential.
4/5
Super creative David Bowie. Weird and rockin'. Could have been a 3 but Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City blasted it into 4 star territory.
The White Stripes
4/5
Amazing for only guitar and drums. Best 2 piece band ever?
Nina Simone
4/5
Really entertaining and interesting. Lots of variation in tone. Great '60s album that is not mainstream rock. Loved it.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Solid EWF effort
Manic Street Preachers
1/5
No
Brian Wilson
3/5
Maybe the originally conceived album would have been great. I know Brian recorded what he considers the definitive version. There is some really great stuff on here, but also some half baked ideas. Ultimately, too many underdeveloped ideas. If all the songs ended up as good as Heroes and Villains and Good Vibrations, we would have a 5-star album on our hands. But Mrs. O'Leary's cow is not gonna get you into 5-star land.
John Coltrane
5/5
Coltrane's masterpiece. A little challenging as it is not pop-jazz, but so interesting. My favorite jazz album, just narrowly ahead of Kind of Blue. John Coltrane was a genius.
David Bowie
3/5
Interesting style shift for Bowie. Some Bowie essentials on this and in whole a fun album. Not sure I like the Across the Universe cover. But overall, pretty good. 3.5 stars.
k.d. lang
3/5
Better than average country album. Not a classic.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Classic Sinatra
Wilco
5/5
The album where Wilco goes from country-rock to freaky, weird, country-rock. Lots of great stuff. Moody and haunting and interesting.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
Kind of a classic in late '90s Americana - Country/Rock world. Great song lyrics. Twangy country-ish guitar driven instrumentation. Unique voice. Lucinda has been doing this a long time.
Germs
3/5
Typical punk album.
3/5
ok
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Good. Probably needs multiple listens to get full impact of lyrics.
PJ Harvey
3/5
It was fine.
Miles Davis
4/5
Classic Miles. Miles brings the cool.
Radiohead
4/5
I do not understand the hype. Maybe repeated listens would prove me wrong. Pretty good though.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Most interesting because this album was made in 1974. Apple didn't make the first home computer until 1976 and no one was using synths in 1976. 22 minutes is too long for a song though. Good background music overall.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Typical Elvis Costello album. Just good straightforward rock and roll. Interesting lyrics. Never rose to the "greatness" label in my mind, but very good nonetheless.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Whatever. Give me more classic rock please.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Classic Johnny Cash. Love the non-subtle theming of murder and jail songs throughout. Kind of serious, kind of funny.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Typically great McCartney melodies, even outside of the hits. Turns out I have heard more of these than I remembered. Top notch post-Beatles effort from Sir Paul.
Scritti Politti
2/5
Competent but boring. No interesting ideas. I suppose the synths were maybe newer for the time, but this is still a snooze fest.
The Fall
2/5
Boring and repetitive. Not great punk, or post-punk.
3/5
No comments. Not an album I needed to hear but better than I expected. Bonus for some real guitars, I guess.
The Zombies
2/5
I can see why this did not sell well on release. Time of the Season is the only good song. The others sound like hippie parodies.
Roxy Music
3/5
Variety. Interesting. Not quite rising to the awesome level.
Duran Duran
4/5
I am interested to hear what others think about this. To me, this is top notch early '80s pop. However, these guys were big on style and MTV videos so that plays a big part in my opinion. If you didn't live through the MTV era, is the music as good as I think it is? Does familiarity merit an additional star?
Black Sabbath
3/5
The first heavy metal album, but certainly not the greatest. Also - not my jam.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Just lots of fun. When rock n roll was young.
The Dictators
3/5
Dead Kennedys
3/5
What to say? Super political punk music. Jello is an interesting dude for sure. I will probably never listen to this again.
David Bowie
4/5
Super well known album cover. The songs were not big hits, but they are all awesome. Wide range of styles, jazz, punk, rock, avant garde. Another fine David Bowie project. Did he do anything bad?
Animal Collective
3/5
New to me and pretty good.
Prince
4/5
So good. -1 point for a little bit too much Prince screaming high pitched notes. This was the album that kept Springsteen Born in the USA from #1. Let's Go Crazy, I would die for U, and Purple Rain are standouts. But the whole album is great. Prince can really shred.
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
Classic. Monday Monday, California Dreamin' are beautiful. All the harmonies are amazing. Great songs. Classic of the mid '60s.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Very good
Aerosmith
4/5
I'm torn. Sweet Emotion, Toys in the Attic, and Walk this Way are Aerosmith classics. But I am not sure if this is really good, or just really familiar to me so I think it's good. The rest is pretty good too. I think this classic Aerosmith is better than the rebirth in the 90's Aerosmith. It is definitely not a 5, but I'll go 4 stars. +1 for real guitars and drums.
Rush
4/5
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Great album. Too bad she did not make more of them.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Not a studio band obviously. A couple good tunes here, but not epic.
David Bowie
2/5
Not his best effort. And what is up with all the instrumentals? I am not here for David Bowie instrumentals. Was he trying to make instrumentals a thing again in the 70's?
Duke Ellington
3/5
Very good for arranged jazz. Not as interesting as truly improvisational jazz. But very good.
Justice
2/5
Why is this album on the list. Not horrible, but certainly not essential.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Thing Called Love is a good song, but this fails to hit the blues/soul awesome level that Bonnie can hit. Ultimately, this is a great sounding album with not great songs.
The Who
5/5
Early harder pop rock masterpiece. These songs are little gems. The Good'd Gone, La La La Lies, Much Too Much are all standouts as well as the band defining "My Generation". More complex albums were in the future, but this is a masterpiece of pop rock.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Pop masterpiece of the late 80's. Not as good as Thriller, but still awesome.
Actually, this is probably a 4.5, but I will round up.
Talking Heads
5/5
Peak pre-super fame Talking Heads.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Not an album I had to hear before I die.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Did not enjoy. Hippie art folk.
Jeff Beck
4/5
-1 point for Greensleeves. Otherwise, this is great. I enjoy the Jeff Beck, , Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton 60's era of British blues. Also - Rod Stewart is amazing on these early Jeff Beck and Faces albums, before he went more pop.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The Best Stones album.
The Black Crowes
5/5
I haven't listened to the whole album in awhile. Actually - not a bad song on the set. It is not a 5-star in the mode of Exile on Main St., but it deserves 5 stars.
Incredible Bongo Band
1/5
Background Muzak for a crappy tiki bar. What is this doing on the list? Not only that - but cover songs that are desecrations of the originals? I bet Mick and Keith did not love the cover of Satisfaction. I certainly didn't.
The Police
4/5
Nearly a 5-star. Mother is the blemish, but it is a major blemish. I get the punk attitude of Mother and letting Andy have one song. But it is so out of place with the rest of the album. Otherwise - Synchronicity Part 2, Walking on the Moon, King of Pain, Every Breath are all crazy good standouts. Peak Police - right before they broke up. Too bad.
Chicago
4/5
Nearly a 5-star, but I cannot forgive them for "Free Form Guitar". I will indulge most guitar solos but I cannot tolerate 6 minutes of Kath proving he can make the guitar sound like a motorcycle. The other songs are great. Early Chicago was the bomb.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Top notch folk album from the '60s. Great harmonies and great songs.
Big Star
4/5
I always meant to listen to Big Star. They were a big influence on the Replacements. It has a Raspberries feel to it. Power pop, but a little more serious and better harmonies than the Raspberries. One of those influential bands that never had great success. Alex Chilton was a very good songwriter.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Phenomenal debut. Led Zep was ALWAYS on the classic rock radio when I was a kid. "Get the Led out" was a staple. I am probably too familiar with these songs to properly rate the album. Close to a 5-star, but I need to leave some room for improvement to the glorious Led Zep IV.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
What more can be said. Masterpiece by Joni.
The Yardbirds
4/5
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Didn't listen to the whole thing but first 3 songs were ok. Might deserve a deeper dive but I am not going to do that. haha.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Loved it. Need more Bob Marley and more reggae.
D'Angelo
2/5
B.B. King
4/5
Really good album. Super entertaining. BB was a blues guitar master.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Bleh - it was fine. It is probably the most 1989 album of 1989.
Beth Orton
2/5
OK
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
I appreciate the newness of the synth sounds for that time. And this is pretty good, but just too boring. I need some more oomph in the songs.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Sure it's funky, but the Chili Peppers are not my idea of a "great" band.
The Everly Brothers
3/5