238
Albums Rated
3.91
Average Rating
22%
Complete
851 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Enthusiast
Rater Style ?
75
5-Star Albums
5
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitte Orca | 5 | 2.69 | +2.31 |
| Paris 1919 | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
| Car Wheels On A Gravel Road | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Street Life | 5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
| Miriam Makeba | 5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
| Phrenology | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| Astral Weeks | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Bitches Brew | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Channel Orange | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| The College Dropout | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly Or Die | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| Orbital 2 | 1 | 2.69 | -1.69 |
| Scott 2 | 1 | 2.64 | -1.64 |
| Boy In Da Corner | 1 | 2.57 | -1.57 |
| Illinois | 2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
| Tommy | 2 | 3.34 | -1.34 |
| Melodrama | 2 | 3.31 | -1.31 |
| Dry | 2 | 3.24 | -1.24 |
| Screamadelica | 2 | 3.17 | -1.17 |
| Trans Europe Express | 2 | 3.15 | -1.15 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 6 | 4.33 |
| Beatles | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Band | 2 | 5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Miles Davis | 2 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Kanye West | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (75)
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Popular Reviews
Beck
5/5
This is a perfect choice for this list. While albums like Guero, Modern Guilt and Mellow Gold might be more obvious choices, Sea Change is a snapshot of Beck at a pivotal moment in his career. A departure from a celebrated artist's then-signature production style that proves he's no one-trick pony. Post-breakup Beck strips it all back to plumb the depths of melancholia and psychedelia and yet nothing here feels plodding or tired. String arrangements on Paper Tiger are incredible, which makes sense given that's what his dad did for a living. B side of the record introduces elements more atmospheric like Sigur Ros, harmonic like the Beach Boys, and grungy like Nirvana alternatively. I thought I would enjoy this but I didn't anticipate it holding up THIS well.
1 likes
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
Had never heard these guys. The close harmonies are rock solid and the melodies are pretty classic gospel-roots Appalachia/trad country and I understand they're pioneers of a sort. A bit repetitive to my ear in 2023, not sure how much relevancy/staying power the album has almost 7 decades later outside of the legacy of canonizing this style of music, but it made the tedious tasks I had to do today a bit more bearable. 3 feels too low and 4 too high for my subjective experience of it.
1 likes
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Would have preferred Stadium Arcadium but this is solid. Anthony has kind of an annoying affectation imo and I've heard some parodies I cannot unhear so this is docked a bit for that lol. Would go 3.5
1 likes
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Late 60s early 70s funk might very well be my favorite genre, and Sly and the Family Stone's Stand! epitomizes it. This album is probably the best representation of Sly at his peak, before the drugs really started to turn him inside out as he watched the Civil Rights Movement crater. Its such a shame cuz this album is bursting with so much energy and ingenuity (the arrangements are brilliant musicianship, the sociopolitical commentary is a perfect balance of biting and idealistic) that we can only imagine what would have been had that momentum been sustained consistently over a longer period. In fact even in spite of this, some of my favorite Sly songs are from the later, darker period.
Random note: I love how the production changes 10 minutes into Sex Machine. But yeah there isn't a single song on this album that I don't fully enjoy from start to finish. I'm really jealous of those who were alive when this came out. It must have blown people away.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (5)
All Ratings
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
I mean, how do you follow up one of the most commercially and critically successful albums of all time, especially one predicated on the internal dysfunction of your own band? I guess you throw literally every idea you have at the wall (both stuff that sounds way out there and stuff that sounds exactly like what you've already done) and hope something sticks.
As a kid, Tusk was a massively underwhelming follow up for me, and far too long, compared to Rumours. Revisiting now with a greater appreciation for the context, I think there's a lot of meat on the bone here. While the opening track is a bit of a sleeper, what follows is engaging music.
It blows my mind that the only two members of the band to be consistent members of the lineup have the least influence over the sound. I wonder what Christine, Stevie and Lindsay would have gone on to do had the original front men not lost their minds to drugs (and one joined a literal cult!).
Tracks I enjoyed besides the major hits like Tusk and Sara: Think About Me, What Makes You Think I'm the One, Sisters of the Moon, Never Make Me Cry
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Everyone talks about the first track but The Only Living Boy in New York is also pure bliss and generated some of my favorite covers ever.
Talking Heads
5/5
R.E.M.
3/5
The Band
5/5
Dirty Projectors
5/5
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Dr. Dre
4/5
Undeniable impact on the industry. Great debut. Yeah some stuff ages poorly but it would be naïve to expect otherwise. For me this is when the genre full sheds any last remnant of the corny factor from it's nascent era and steps into its own. G funk toes a crucial line.
Eagles
4/5
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
The Black Keys
4/5
The Roots
5/5
David Bowie
4/5
Beatles
5/5
Stephen Stills
4/5
Out of CSNY Stephen Stills is definitely my biggest blind spot. This is solid! Cool that we have a different member of the Byrds here in Chris Hillman. Steel guitar work is great. Wide range of genres is cool, though I wish it was sequenced to feel less jarring from track to track. I had not heard any of these before but they all felt pretty familiar, which was cool. Treasure is obviously the stand out.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Stevie has 4 perfect albums and this is one of them
Beyoncé
4/5
I deeply respect Beyonce but I never actively choose her music to listen to. Doesnt quite click with me, but then again I am very much NOT the target audience and thats ok. Her newest album is the only exception.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The title track pulls a lot of the weight but BOY does it.
The Police
5/5
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Tears For Fears
4/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Van Morrison
5/5
The man is an absolute asshole but this is his best work
3/5
My gen-x former boss would fire me if she knew but Muse is overrated imo. Too navel gaze-y for me. Arpeggios are fun but what else you got?
David Bowie
5/5
I LOVE Bowie's plastic soul era
The Isley Brothers
5/5
Isley Brothers are top tier for me. I've listened to That Lady an insane number of times since I was little. The background vox still crack me up. Some great covers on this record. The energy is top tier. Perfect example of soul from this era.
Frank Ocean
5/5
Back before he went off the rails
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
My best friend listened to this album SO much when it came out that I went from loving it to being so familiar with it the style became annoying. Its totally subjective but I have so much trouble listening to an album I could not avoid. It likely deserves better but the highest I'll go is three. Jon shouldn't have hyperfixated it on it in middle school!!
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Would have preferred Stadium Arcadium but this is solid. Anthony has kind of an annoying affectation imo and I've heard some parodies I cannot unhear so this is docked a bit for that lol. Would go 3.5
AC/DC
5/5
Is it dumb? Kinda, but its so TIGHT and it knows exactly what its supposed to be. I think you only need one accadacca album to get the whole picture, but this is the one
Prince
4/5
The Killers
5/5
Elton John
4/5
The Cars
5/5
This album to me is perfect
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
David Bowie
4/5
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
The entire industry failed Mama Cass. She should have been as respected on par with Aretha. This is a perfect album. Go Where You Wanna is my current favorite.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
One of the GOATs
Jurassic 5
4/5
I listened to the shit out of this in high school and it's still doing it for me. I feel like they don't get enough credit.
OutKast
5/5
Eminem
3/5
Ahh the favorite album of my middle school bullies/former close friends! As skilled as Eminem is at his craft his influence and legacy both broadly and on me personally from those shitheads worshipping him docks this down quite a bit.
John Coltrane
5/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
It's no Thriller but its still a good time
Beatles
5/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
The Specials
3/5
Rudy is a classic. Stupid Marriage is hilarious. First concert I ever saw was in this genre, first non school band I played trumpet in we did songs from the generation inspired by the specials - streetlight manifesto and RBF. Costello's fingerprints are all over this. That being said, it's not really the sort of thing I really seek out much nowadays. It's completely listenable and I appreciate the historical context and the whole checkered flag racial harmony ideals, but subjectively if this is for albums to hear before I die, I can't go higher than 3.5 out of 5, which for me is solid. 3 means if I heard it in the wild I wouldn't skip. A 4 has to have some special spices and a 5 would need to be something I immediately want to hear again. The half point is for stupid marriage, that was so fun. PS the chord changes and instrumentation in Little bitch is almost exactly the theme of the game show Cash Cab. Dunno how to feel about that.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
"Diana dried her eyes and was surprised, for I was in the NEWD" is definitely a statement. I think if I were British and not an infant in 1993 I would likely have a higher rating but alas, the Pet Shop Boys are corny in the unaware way that brits veer into so often. I mean they're always the guy in the big Pharell hat and not-Peter-Gabriel to me - and his voice is too nasal for my taste. It feels like what Mr. Bean listens to when he's in a funk. Nothing about the album is BAD necessarily, it just made me wish I was listening to more interesting synth pop, and it feels dated to my ear in a way that Duran Duran;s best stuff for example does not. My REAL hot take is that Future Islands is basically Pet Shop Boys 2.0. Objectively its closer to 3 but subjectively it was a bit of a chore for me, like eating boiled vegetables, so a 2 from me.
Silver Jews
2/5
David Berman's voice is not for me. I thought I could get past it like I can with Kurt Vile, cuz I appreciate a lot about these songs. Hearing the female vocal suit Tennessee so much better just blew out the contrast. The vibe is solid and the lyrics have depth and humor, the sound is familiar because it's Pavement, who I like. Berman just cannot sustain a note, and his tone doesn't compensate enough for the experience not to feel consistently grating to my ear. I honestly wish I could get past it cuz I feel like there's worthwhile stuff here. Transylvania Blues felt like an oasis in the desert. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by other faults, namely what I feel is a critical lack of momentum or real differentiation between the rest of the songs in the first half of the album. I guess I can appreciate that you need Silver Jews before you can have the National but this is not one I'll be returning to. 2 feels fair for me. "Goodbye users and suckers and steady bad luckers"
The Cure
4/5
So angsty and heavy!! I know they pivoted to the more radio-friendly version we all love after this album but I really appreciated hearing them go through the crucible of this record. It could have all crashed and burned, but I think you can already hear the potential for the sound they would go on to dominate, especially in the second half. A Strange Day feels like the perfect prequel to Friday I'm in Love. The album feels like it would have been appropriate to accompany a film like The Crow. Straight-up gothic. Not necessarily my taste but definitely the album I've enjoyed the most since I joined this journey with you all. 4
Little Richard
5/5
I absolutely love Little Richard. Since before I was old enough to stand up and support my own weight. An icon. There's no rock and roll, no Prince, no modern blues era without Little Richard, and luckily the album itself is as impactful and enjoyable in 2023 as the legacy of the man. The man has made songs as infantile as the Itsy Bitsy Spider into absolute toe tappers, and these are arguably his biggest hits. His "manic" energy is infectious and calculated. And unlike a lot of the albums I've heard so far, it sounded great even out of my shitty laptop speakers before I was able to connect it to my actual ones. A masterclass in doing your own thing in a way NO one else can. This made my Monday better. Album absolutely deserves to be on the list.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Knew next to nothing about the middle Wilson other than that he had a tough time and he drowned before he hit 40. I dig the edgier, horn-heavy sound, mixing in the softness of Brian with stuff that reminded me of Elton John and Ry Cooder at times even. I don't know that any of these songs particularly stand out but its listenable and enjoyable and different from my expectations for a Beach Boy. Appreciated the exposure, though I'm finding this list overall is pretty subjective to a particular guy's kind of taste haha. Would love to see more diversity to justify these being albums we need to hear before we kick the bucket. This is really a 3.5 for me in terms of impact, but I'll go 4.
The Adverts
4/5
Sorely tempted to make a snide comment hinting at James's Little Richard review and say "all these songs sound the same" (which made me laugh out loud cuz it's not WRONG) but it equally misses the point with the Adverts! Cuz just like Little Richard, these songs are a quintessential example of their genre, which happens to also feature 4-on-the-floor relentless shouting energy that sound great in shitty speakers and rarely surpass the 3-minute mark - 25 songs but just over an hr (I stopped after the original 13 due to time constraints). Interestingly I definitely hear some parallels to something Bowie leans into later (think On the Roof here in 78 vs the lyrical phrasing in Modern Love off Let's Dance in 83). Enjoyed it more than I expected to being an extremely casual fan of Punk music. 4
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Gahh the hardest thing for me to be succinct about is reviewing a true middle-of-the-road pick. As much as I appreciate finally getting an album featuring a woman at the forefront the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have never really connected with me. It fits into that category with Audioslave and alt contemporaries of this era where I don't see any faults, per se, but it just doesn't really elicit much of an emotional response for me. The album has a lot of 4-chord, driving straight eighths under meandering/syncopated vocals and it doesn't feel as deliberately thoughtful of a choice for example as in the adverts punk context. The simplicity is definitely accessible but I don't know that I buy the "greater than the sum of its parts" argument for this one. Maybe this is just a product of the genres I grew up on and gravitate towards than criticism, but yeah this is DIRECTLY in the middle for me. If I hadn't been exposed to Heads Will Roll 5000 times since 2009 would I like it as much? I'm not sure. It still doesn't elevate it above 3 for me. I will add however that I didn't notice til halfway through I accidentally had the album on shuffle and I acknowledge that sequencing can be pretty important to the listening experience and so I may be missing the "je ne sais quoi" of It's Blitz. HOT TAKE If this were an EP of just Dull Life, Heads Will Roll and Hysteric I think it would be just as, if not more effective. Odd that it didn't end with Skeletons?!
Elliott Smith
5/5
Getting a lot of the last studio album of an artist who died tragically early lately. I had never given Figure 8 a proper listen til today. The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel and Elvis Costello/Marshall Crenshaw influences are really apparent here. Loved the strings throughout, which I dont know that Ive noticed on earlier albums? I feel like the Shins took Smith's sound and ran with it. Man knows how to make chord changes stir distinctive and different emotions, the melancholy indie darling. Perfect record for a road trip. Can't think of anything that takes away from it. 5
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Was so engrossed I didnt take notes. Love GSH - weird that this album isn't on Spotify anymore. Did Kendrick sample one of these tracks?
David Bowie
4/5
Ooooh one of the Berlin triptych, honestly Eno never really does it for me but this collab is a worthwhile listen. Bowie is one of the few artists I've gotten since joining so far whose entire discography I've listened to previously, so I feel a bit more confident evaluating it. Not my absolute favorite album of his but I CAN appreciate why its included in the list, and I appreciate that he knows not to make the songs overstay their welcome. Listening to these three records and Black Star as it came out while walking around Berlin in 2013 is a treasured memory for me. Low is def my fave of this era. Sound and Vision is obviously the stand out but Be My Wife is great and I find especially the second half of the record gets better the more exposure you have with it. 4
Nirvana
5/5
If there is one famous MTV unplugged it's this one, which is ironic considering they are technically plugged in. Technically we get Bowie two days in a row so I'm thrilled. Hard to think of a reason why this shouldn't be on this list. Hard to also think of something to say about this that hasn't already been said. I've only ever watched the Nirvana performance before, not listened to it solely as an album, so that was cool. Hearing Kurt's easy banter all these years later is def a bit heart-wrenching, clearly such a self-effacing down-to-earth charismatic person. Crazy to think that besides the covers, their own songs they chose to play were lesser known at the time. This band and this performance have such a legacy. I mean even that Batman movie last year used the hell out of Something in the Way. 5
Justice
4/5
God this takes me back immediately to freshman year of high school, which may be upsetting to our 2 resident dad reviewers - Borat had just come out and Justice came out of nowhere. Dunno what it is about electric funk/dance but its biggest records are always produced by duos, invariably European, and tend to not have follow ups of the same magnitude for YEARS if at all (thinking Daft Punk and the short lived duo Oliver). D.A.N.C.E was inescapable and is still really fun today but I think this whole album is sequenced really well and maintains an interesting variety of textures - which makes sense coming out of DJ culture. It's one unimpeachable set. I'm definitely biased because Funk/Dance/Disco is one of my favorite genres (My parents fed me a steady diet of Tower Power, Earth Wind and Fire, MJ, Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson and loads of disco greatest hits compilations) and exposure to records like this led to one of my current faves Flamingosis who chops and screws samples in a similar spirit. But yeah its really hard for me to find anything to be critical here. This week really satisfied!
Al Green
4/5
I love Al Green but the title track is pulling a lot of the weight. It's GREAT stuff but doesn't quite hit 5 stars for me.
Rush
3/5
I didn't really give Rush a fair shake until the movie I Love You, Man and I am not ashamed to admit that. They are fun! Not SUPER my taste but there's lots to appreciate. Neil was insane, Geddy is utterly unique.
Ray Charles
4/5
Love ray, no one like him. Dunno that we needed two disks
Carole King
5/5
Nobody does it better
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
Had never heard these guys. The close harmonies are rock solid and the melodies are pretty classic gospel-roots Appalachia/trad country and I understand they're pioneers of a sort. A bit repetitive to my ear in 2023, not sure how much relevancy/staying power the album has almost 7 decades later outside of the legacy of canonizing this style of music, but it made the tedious tasks I had to do today a bit more bearable. 3 feels too low and 4 too high for my subjective experience of it.
4/5
This one is a hard one to figure out how much I appreciate. Is there any song that exemplifies cliche better than wonderwall? The songs themselves are good, but its hard to not feel like a bit of a tool blasting the hit singles off the record through speakers in 2023 - it just naturally invites judgement. I think whats tough is that for people my age, these songs were already overplayed by the time we learned to read. I didn't have a chance to be wowed by their impact. To me the legacy of the album has fully overshadowed the record itself on its own merit, which is a shame!
The Youngbloods
3/5
I had never heard them before so that was cool! Didn't really make a big impression on me one way or another though, and to me that's a bigger sin than being bad. These are albums to hear before I die and this felt forgettable - would much rather have had a Little Feat album if I were to choose a record from this genre and era, even better would have been something from an underrepresented category.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
I mean its an unimpeachable record. The songs that aren't massive hits are so short you can't tire of them before they're over. 5 easy
Burning Spear
4/5
This was a total blindspot for me and I really enjoyed learning about Burning Spear (and the attempted whitewashing of this album). I wish this entire list was made up of stuff like this. I love that he lyrically pulls no punches, some great guitar riffs, the Black Disciples are tight as hell as the backing band. I'll def be coming back to this.
Grateful Dead
3/5
To Marty's chagrin I've never been a huge deadhead but I do appreciate them! That being said I feel like a different live album would have been better suited for this list. Nothing to dislike, just nothing exactly blew me away? Eminently listenable just not as memorable as others I've heard from them!
Willie Nelson
4/5
While I would have preferred or expected originals, I can't exactly be mad! Willie is great and these are great arrangements of classics perfectly adapted to his sensibility.
The Who
2/5
The who is really hit or miss for me!! And besides Pinball Wizard this rock opera feels more self indulgent than interesting to me. Controversial but I'm more with James here.
ZZ Top
4/5
Enjoyed this WAY more than I expected to?
The Stooges
4/5
Like a surprising number of us, I'm not a huge Iggy Pop fan but this had more appeal than I expected. I was not even bothered by the 10 min long song. Maybe its cuz I decided to listen when I was already pretty worn out and it was mellow in a way that felt sympatico? Idk if any of you know the Aussie band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard but they definitely take a lot of inspiration from this Stooges album
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
No notes
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Grew up on this album. I know it intimately. Yes that song is about Dave Coulier. Yall can dock it a point all you want but its a 5 from yer boi.
Bill Callahan
3/5
I admittedly could have given the lyrics a closer listen but I don't feel too embarrassed I hadn't heard of him prior to today. He's like if the Silver Jews and the National (I know, I know, they came after) had a step child. I think he's drawing a bit of inspiration from Astral Weeks (the strings and general arrangements, the pastoral imagery and overexposed treatment of the album art, some chord progressions) but it doesn't have the emotional weight for me. It's pleasant enough but I think I likely wouldn't have kept listening if I stumbled upon it on my own. I don't mind his voice as much as Marty but I also don't find anything crazy memorable here. I appreciated getting a different texture on "My Friend" but I dont know if that lifts it to a 4. Invocation was a HARD listen. I dont see what the dissonance added. Ended well enough though
Django Django
4/5
This was pretty cool! Definitely hadn't heard of them but brit art rock can be fun. A couple of tracks I'd def revisit. I thought it started strong, ok middle, decent finish.
Miriam Makeba
5/5
This is the kind of thing I had hoped this entire list would be like! This was great. Wish I spoke the language but the wiki was helpful context.
Radiohead
4/5
I appreciate Thom York and the gang but much like Beyoncé it isn't ever really something I choose to put on when left to my own devices. Would give it a 4.5 if I could! Hard to think of critiques or praise of this album that hasn't already been said ad nauseum. It's probably a reverse recency bias but I found myself appreciating the back half of this album more this time around
The Police
4/5
Are the Police a reggae band? This album says yes. Everyone knows the title track and it slaps but everything about it's been said. I think the real star of this album, for me on this listen through, is Copeland's drumming, it really elevates my connection with the material. Can you honestly say It's Alright For You is an interesting song without the momentum he injects? And for the rest of the album, where the songs stand on firmer shoulders, it adds an extra element. On deathwish its so locked in with the guitar it feels like one instrument.
The Crusaders
5/5
Oh baby I grew up on this album so that's gonna bias me, my parents generously gave me their vinyl after I moved out. Its just excellent. The title track was the first song that got me to appreciate long songs in general (I was truly just out of toddlerdom, and it gets to the good stuff immediately and then just keeps going) but the whole record is what defined my general sensibility when it comes to both funk and jazz. It's one of the reasons I took up trumpet. A former coworker of mine who mostly just listens to Radiohead says he cant stand jazz funk and I truly don't understand him as a person. That's the kind of derangement that happens if all you've ever heard are Joe Sample's imitators and not the real thing. Besides the OG Trio I also need to shoutout David T Walker on guitar, who has gotten some overdue recognition from my generation thanks to Vulfpeck. Randy's vocal is insane. I love that they started with Street Life instead of ending with it. Give the people what they came for and them wow them on your own merit. Kind of insane also they started playing with each other in the 50s as literal teens and they didn't achieve commercial success until this album, 30 years and as many record later. A jazz record at 18 on the pop charts? This is definitely the one to pick for this endeavor. If I have to be critical I would say Night Faces is a bit sleepier but it's also the last track and what an easy feeling send off. I'm so pleasantly surprised to see it here. Next time you're driving at night throw this on and tell me you don't feel like a million bucks.
David Bowie
5/5
The only weak point of this album for me is Eight Line Poem. Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars, Warhol, Dylan and Queen Bitch have all been covered so extensively that from a legacy standpoint I'm not surprised to see this album make it, given the other albums we've seen. Hunky Dory is his first absolute hit parade of an record, being preceded only by Space Oddity and the Man Who Sold the World, which don't do much for me outside of their title tracks. This is where the magic sauce starts. It's no Ziggy or Let's Dance but it's his first truly accessible pop album that just feels good to listen to. At this point I'm throwing out the rule book on what "deserves" to be on this list or not and just ranking based on my personal degree of joy in experiencing what the list has for us on a daily basis. And on that level this is another fully satisfactory experience.
Beatles
3/5
This is a wild choice out of all the amazing Beatles records to pick their 2nd that's still almost half covers, before they found their unique voice and call it a necessary listen. Come on Robert Dimery, you call this editing?! If any later albums are MISSING and this is included the guy is deranged. It's like 1 of 3 that I'd argue are skippable for your average casual listener. I would argue most are gonna be underwhelmed by anything before Help!, but even BFS has gems and Hard Day's Night has the iconic film. I've been in a stressed out headspace and I'm a Paul over John guy so that's gonna affect things but this would have felt like a chore today if the songs weren't so short, which was disappointing to realize. Like eating lettuce out of the bag instead of a fully dressed salad, I found myself wishing I could at least 'follow the sun' but stuck in 63 we are - not yet at the "much more than the sum of their parts" stage of the fab 4. But it's still the Beatles and Paul's vocal on Til There Was You is really lovely.
Eminem
4/5
The tricky thing about edge-lord style satire is that if it goes over your head, you may take away exactly the wrong lessons from it. While it's clear from the very beginning with disclaimers like public service announcement that Marshall was self aware enough to understand this risk (in later albums he turns the premise on its head and doubles down), unfortunately a certain type of suburban white appropriative douchebaggery was inevitably birthed out of the success of the Slim Shady LP. The vessel of toxic masculinity becomes heralded earnestly instead of exposed, like American Psycho and Fight Club before it, and so many after. Granted there are other elements that don't hold up outside of this, but I don't hold him uniquely culpable for the moments I winced listening.
Now to the positives - on the whole I really respect just how deliberately this record was made in order to create a world of its own... the man knows how to Emcee. It feels more like a radio play than an album - it's borderline histrionic, with characters sharply defined, centered around a deeply compelling, if often violent and pyschosexual story - a formula he would refine and repeat to great success across many subsequent albums. The gritty loops undergird the atmosphere of terror and paranoia he wants to elicit - it's like a nightmare you can't (and don't quite want to) look away from, and his passion really comes through. He's acutely aware of how he will be received and executes his vision so so clearly from a production and lyrical standpoint and that's commendable.
At the same time, I think it's completely fair and in fact more interesting to rate these records based on how much they resonate with with us as individuals vs an attempt at impartiality, and for me the second half of the album starts to blur together. I think it would have been stronger with fewer tracks!
The Kinks
3/5
Marty said my exact thoughts on this record lol!
Bob Dylan
5/5
I'm back from the dead! Apropos of nothing I just wanna say that I think Bob gets way too much hate for his singing voice. He's on pitch, say what you will about his tone. I don't go looking for flaws in masterworks.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Where is the weak point on the album? Since I was 13 I haven't found a one.
Sex Pistols
5/5
Gah Ive got so much catching up to do. Gonna spend less time on the obvious ones. May not be my preferred genre but my god it feels as alive as the day it was released.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
I appreciate Nilsson dearly. Spicy hot take but Jump Into the Fire just really doesn't do it for me, I felt the 7 min length of it. Otherwise loved the album. Would go 4.5 if I could.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Before there was boygenius there was trio! What a supergroup. I can't quite put my finger on why I feel its more a 4 than a 5 for me, maybe some songs blended together too much in my head? It might come down to this kind of country needs a bit more zip for me to be really engaged as a listener. So solid though.
Violent Femmes
4/5
This doesnt sound anything like any other early 80s album, even other alternative artists, what a treat. Everyone knows the first track but I had never listened to the rest. It really broke the mold. Would you call this folk-punk? I really liked that they went for some harmonies on Prove My Love and Gone Daddy Gone (the usage of the marimba was pretty funny).
Kanye West
5/5
This feels a LITTLE bit like being "yeah but have you seen Hitler's paintings they're pretty good" / separating the art from the artist but I simply can't go lower than a 5. It's such a shame, I think he really does need help for a couple different disorders and is also a deranged ultra rich guy. Nice to travel back to when his feet were still on the ground.
Talking Heads
4/5
As a little kid I didn't know that "Take me to the River" was actually an Al Green song. I thought David Byrne wrote it. I love his cover so much. I don't know that the rest of the album is as solid as most other Talking Heads albums but I appreciate that they're never content to rest on their laurels and always pushing to connect with the audience in new ways and remain relevant. Would go 3.5 if I could.
The Byrds
4/5
Even though Bob Dylan and Gene Clark didn't write any of these songs, their influence is still super apparent, especially on that opener. Really interesting to see a band in transition, trying to figure out their identity and come into their own. Which is kind of hard when you do an album half of which are covers, but I would argue the seeds are planted and the covers were enjoyable. Out of CSNY, I'm least versed in Crosby's pre supergroup work (I guess my parents didnt have these records) and I'm not sure why I haven't explored it before. Did anyone else get the feeling that some of the songs ended kind of abruptly? Still, a worthwhile experience
Janis Joplin
4/5
Nothing new to add beyond what you've all said haha, Janis's voice is incredible and it's a shame she never got the chance to make her masterwork she was clearly capable of. I can see someone fiddling with AI and old demos like Paul McCartney's done recently but for now we'll have to settle for Pearl as the closest to her potential we're likely to hear. It was so close to clicking!
Joy Division
3/5
The album from the T shirt meme!! We did it folks. It's softer and more melancholy than I remembered but I guess that's post-punk - I get more predecessor to Thom Yorke than I do contemporary of the Sex Pistols. Personally doesn't resonate much with me, I can't honestly call it a truly enjoyable listen but I get why it would be included here.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Yes there are many influences, but Bruno Mars wouldn't ever have dripped in Finesse if Janet hadn't dropped this album. In a similar vein, while she wasn't the first or only to do so, I also think Eminem was influenced by the theatrical thru lines of this album. That being said, upon revisiting this album, maybe I'm going crazy but I feel like her vocals are pretty muddled/hidden in the overall mix. It really distracted for me and made many songs feel repetitive. So I'm gonna rate my experience of the album specifically here and only go 3.
3/5
Great background music while I was working. I feel I'll equipped to otherwise evaluate this, way out of my depth
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Hugh Masekela sits in my head in between Herb Albert and Herbie Hancock, and Home Is Where the Music Is is the leap in sophistication I'm still mourning we never got from Janis Joslin, having just caught up on Pearl. The jazz is accessible but pointed. There's a kinetic momentum that explodes in some songs and even sneaks into his gentler pieces to prevent them from ever feeling too sleepy. Masekala got his foot in the door via wide appeal pop covers like Grazing in the Grass and Aint No Mountain High Enough but he's fully turned the page here, exploring fusion in its nascency and boy is it fertile soil. We get a really wide spread of influences, and the sequencing is spot on - the first and last track of each side are total standouts. Inner Crisis's second gear takes me by surprise, the ending of Maesha is great and unexpected, and then to end the whole thing on the polyrhythmic goat rodeo that is Ingoo Pow Pow...
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Great psych rock album. Gotta be their best? While their massive hits on the record have been played so much that the enjoyment is diminishing returns for me, re-listening Friday the rest of the tracks demonstrate while they don't particularly stand out, it's no fluke. I don't find any serious weak points here. I think my only critique is that I wish they gave Grace Slick the mic more.
Metallica
4/5
I was born a year AFTER this came out and I'm probably the furthest thing you can get from a metalhead or aficionado but there's no getting around the fact that Metallica's eponymous effort absolutely fucks. I had only ever heard Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters off this record before and was pleasantly surprised by how not-bored I was by the rest of the tracks. I think what impresses me about Metallica is that they aren't so far down the thrash rabbit hole that they haven't lost sight of the importance of dynamics - some later groups just sound like a wall of noise to me. Here though the gentler moments (like in Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters) make the harder moments stand out even more clearly. Thought it was really interesting that Metallica's current top three listener cities are all in Central and South America! Through the Never was a cool track.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Super fun! I am not at all familiar with Iron Maiden really, and hearing the debut made me excited to see how they evolved. Def reminded me that this genre is really a take on classical music, especially arpeggios, just with distortion and drums. Felt really cohesive, the tracks flowed really nicely.
Oasis
3/5
If I had to pick a British pop rock darling's debut record that shamelessly steals from the Beatles, I would much rather have listened to Flyte's The Loved Ones. That being said it's certainly not a bad album by any stretch, it just doesn't resonate much with me. When a song started I'd be like "oh that's new" but by the time it ended I couldn't remember how differed at all from what I'd previously heard. The songs have pretty accessible hooks though, and there's a great energy/momentum to the whole thing, thinking especially of the track sequencing (more cohesive than WTSMG), muddy guitar tones and overall production. Just like with Death Cab for Cutie, with a different, less nasal vocalist I think I'd probably like Oasis a lot more. In fact know that's true cuz Jet's Get Born a decade later is arguably derivative of Definitely Maybe in places and I don't have the same qualms. Here I have trouble understanding what Liam's saying half the time cuz he can't resist turning every vowel into a diphthong - over the roar of the guitars it's a total wash. I do think it's worthwhile in general to have the debut albums of wildly successful bands on the list, even if their creative peak is still to come. Here for example it was cool to learn how self assured they were about their sound, right from the jump. Would be a 3.5 if I could, as its better than average, but no true standouts for me.
Travis
4/5
Oh irony of ironies! Travis is EXACTLY what I was listening to instead of Oasis. Middle school Josh was also listening to Keane, the Shins and Radiohead at this time and they all sit together in my brain as points on an axis. Oddly my point of entry for them was Glenn Campbell's Sing cover. Outside of the Boy With No Name I generally listen to their hits instead of albums. They are like Elton John and Chicago in that respect for me - good for at least one big hit on each album but the rest tend to be a mixed bag. Directly comparing it to yesterday's record and the metal albums before it, I do miss Oasis's unrelenting energy; The Man Who isn't as cohesive of an effort - higher highs and lower lows. You have be down with a more melancholy and wistful mindset and have a higher twee tolerance. Definitely a winter feeling band for me, where Oasis is summer. There's a reason Writing to Reach You, Driftwood, Turn and Why Does it Always Rain on Me? have 20x the plays on Spotify haha. When they find a catchy hook, it REALLY clicks. When they don't, I find myself wondering where the song is headed and sometimes I don't get an answer. It's a shame the hidden track concept doesn't really translate to the streaming era. You either watch the bar move across your screen or just skip to 6:50 min into Slide Show when Blue Flashing Light begins, which I think is a worthwhile, really different addition. 3.5 is what I want to give it, but to balance out yesterday's 3 for a 3.5 I'll go 4 here for personal bias.
Lorde
2/5
I may make some enemies with this one but that's ok. I want to like Lorde more than I do, but I struggle embracing the vocal style in the zeitgeist where every vowel is 1 degree away from a straight up meow - as a Kiwi though she gets more of a pass from the people who pronounce no as "naor" - I don't think she's putting it on. I also don't think I'm the target audience for her music at all, and that's fine - bubblegum pop is not my bag, too saccharine for me to stomach - the lyrics are interesting but what she talks about don't resonate much with my lived experience generally, which makes it harder to form an emotional connection - I almost feel like a voyeur? maybe that's the intent though. I also can't stand Jack Antonoff's whole shtick so tbh this was a hard listen.
RE: this album specifically - Green Light has a great hook. Sober sounds exactly like every single Emily King song (I guess that style of track is really having a moment this decade). Nice little homage to Born to Run & Madame George at the end of the Louvre. Liability is catchy, tried and true formula. I appreciate them taking some production risks on Hard Feelings/Loveless with those industrial sounds but it didn't work for me; just sounded dissonant. Every track on the back half of the record sounds like the type of music they play behind transition shots on the Bachelor or Love Island as the hunks/babes walk in slo-mo to the next setting and it didn't stand out.
The White Stripes
3/5
Crazy how your mind fills in the blanks with just a guitar, drums (sometimes keys) and jack's voice but it sounds pretty full. It's easy to forget that no one was doing this sort of thing at the time and as few heard their first 2 records, it blew people away in 2001 in a way it just won't now. Hard to evaluate the merit of the under 2 min songs. Jack's guitar tone is immediately identifiable and iconic. Not gonna surprise anyone that his vocal tone isn't my favorite given my opinions on Lorde and Oasis before that, but it's not too grating to me in context. People like to shit on Meg White's drumming but I think those are people who don't like drummers who play behind the beat. And a song like the Union Forever wouldn't work as well if she was driving the beat or directly on it. Funny listening to this with 2023 ears and being like "ooh the Conan podcast theme." Aluminum is almost kind of a jazz track? Enjoyed I Can't Wait. I probably would have chosen Elephant or Icky Thump over this but its cool to hear the thing that vaulted them into the limelight. I appreciated that the songs all didn't sound the same either. I want to give it a 3.5 - the only sin of this albums is some songs aren't super memorable.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
I had previously only heard All the Young Dudes, and I really wanted to love this but ended up only liking it. Made me wish we were listening to Bad Company. There were some good elements, and maybe its the Seinfeld effect but it felt derivative at times to my ear. I'm also pretty sure the Spotify version is a much lower audio quality, it felt muted. I did really like Honaloochie Boogie though! Would go 3.5 if I could.
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
My heart will not let me place this above Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 7 years after this when Bill got his mojo back, but that's likely because I was exposed to it at a critical time in my exploration of the genre and it's so lively and out there that it may be more recognizable as remarkable. Both albums deserve 5 stars easily.
This though, wow. For those that don't know, the bassist on this album died in a car crash shortly after, and this particular trio has been regarded for having a remarkable chemistry, so beyond the recording itself, it gets some serious historical cred for being their last hurrah.
As someone who's lucky enough to live right by two bars that have donation-based live jazz almost every night, that massive boost in exposure has given me much more of an appreciation for live recordings that stand out. There's sort of a magic trick to it. It's a very fine line to tow between accessibility and sophistication, before you even get to pulling apart the tone of the individual musicians or how well they gel together. This trio is insanely cohesive - they pioneered the idea that all the instruments can share melodic responsibility on an equal footing and they shift modes so effortlessly. This is arguably THE blueprint for what most trios are trying to do nightly in New York. I almost wish there was a shitty live album on this list so those less exposed could appreciate better how superb this is.
Sade
5/5
This is some real NY fashion week music! I've heard her sound described as sophisti-pop, which in my head translates to the love child of new wave and smooth jazz. Not gonna admit how many years I had been listening before I realized it's pronounced "sha-day" but man am I glad to have been exposed to them at an early age. Sade Adu is an incredible vocalist, a master of restraint and and a sharp songwriter to boot, and her backing band is tight as hell.
RE this album - I was surprised it was 84 cuz it feels late 90s to me, but it makes sense they were ahead of the curve when they debuted. I never get tired of any groove they lay down, I could easily listen to extended versions of most of these tracks. Was really pleased on this listen - the album barely loses any momentum after the #1 singles are out of the way. It's not until you hit Sally that the energy dips, and it feels deliberate - its also the track I paid the most attention to the lyrics on - only the bass plays consistently under her vocal. I love the bait and switch on where you think the beat is when the drums come in on Frankie's First Affair. 2nd half of When Am I Going to Make a Living is really fun. Thought the whole thing was sequenced really well, ends strong.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Late 60s early 70s funk might very well be my favorite genre, and Sly and the Family Stone's Stand! epitomizes it. This album is probably the best representation of Sly at his peak, before the drugs really started to turn him inside out as he watched the Civil Rights Movement crater. Its such a shame cuz this album is bursting with so much energy and ingenuity (the arrangements are brilliant musicianship, the sociopolitical commentary is a perfect balance of biting and idealistic) that we can only imagine what would have been had that momentum been sustained consistently over a longer period. In fact even in spite of this, some of my favorite Sly songs are from the later, darker period.
Random note: I love how the production changes 10 minutes into Sex Machine. But yeah there isn't a single song on this album that I don't fully enjoy from start to finish. I'm really jealous of those who were alive when this came out. It must have blown people away.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This album should score a Wes Anderson stop motion animated, lightly trippy film about a curious seahorse voiced by Elijah Wood. Having heard the hits from this album ad nauseum, at first I was kinda meh on this re-listen, but I feel like the fact that this came out in 2002 is critical context. It sounded SO different from anything else that broke through into mainstream appeal in the early aughts (apart from the Shins and even then I would argue this is more audacious and imaginative) and it would take another decade for this bubblegum gritty electric acoustic alt soft rock mélange to hit its mainstream saturation point. I definitely hadn't even heard of The Flaming Lips until high school. I will also admit to being largely unfamiliar with their catalogue outside of this record. And I guess that's what stops it being a 5 for me. For whatever reason, as impressive as it is, it doesn't whet my appetite for more. Which seems odd given just how out-there it is. It may just be because they largely eschew catchy hooks in favor of lushly layered textures and loops, which are really pleasant - but it makes it harder for tracks to stand out as memorable just hours after listening. It gets relegated, rather unfairly in my brain, to background music. Which is to say, a larger reflection of my relationship with a certain kind of modern art. There's a layer of remove I can't get past. On the scale from undeniably raw to deliberately constructed, its so much the latter that I lose the sight of the forest for the trees. I can appreciate what it's doing, but try as I might, I don't connect with it on an emotional level.
Talking Heads
4/5
One time when David Byrne was on SNL, John Mulaney told Loren Michaels he'd be performing Once in a Lifetime and Loren dejectedly went “awww I was hoping he would do Letting the Days Go Bye" and that cracks me up. Anyways I love this album. Well, the first track is a little underwhelming to me, the repetition doesn't add much substance, but the entire rest of this record is a total boogie. Besides OIAL I really enjoy the great curve. David is a total kook but unlike Zappa his kook connects much more than it misses. Indelible sound. I think this album also marks an elevation in the nuance of his trademark sound. There's more depth. Would go 4.5 if I could
Tito Puente
4/5
I don't know why, but one of the very first artists my parents showed me was Tito Puente; I actually took a course on the congas in high school because of that influence. I'd likely suck now if I tried but I still remember some of the patterns for things you hear most often throughout this record. The man was insanely prolific, churning out close to 100 albums before he passed. Which also makes judging just one of his albums in isolation an almost impossible task. He's not like Prince where despite being prolific you can get a really wide range of sounds. Steady and danceable is the point. Given that this came out in 91, it probably was one of the records I heard over and over, and listening again I enjoyed all of the songs. He's a legend in latin jazz and hand percussion in particular, and certainly deserving of a spot on the list, but I struggled to determine what sets this particular effort apart from the rest of his catalogue.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time. Used to play Chameleon and Watermelon Man in jazz band almost every year. We didnt even come close to doing it justice. I also feel like its pretty accessible for those not super well versed in jazz? I dont know how anyone couldnt love it.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
I've heard of Suzanne Vega but never actually listened to anything outside of the big radio hits, so I appreciated the deeper exposure. Really interesting style. Love the guitar work, really crisp production. Chord changes felt very Jeff Buckley. Clear similarities to the Indigo Girls, and songs like The Queen and the Soldier remind me of Taylor Swift from a lyrics perspective - narrative-heavy confessional and lots of "I" statements. Vega herself seems directly inspired by Dylan and Leonard Cohen. I like that she played with styles and instrumentation to match songs - Knight Moves used medieval structures effectively. Not sure if this album is particularly stand-out but always appreciate hearing a debut. I think what prevents this getting a higher score from me is the talk-singing - I never really jive with that style, and I'm glad her later efforts discard it. And I think knowing where she would head, with catchier tunes like Luka, made this feel a little underwhelming.
Sigur Rós
4/5
This was nigh unlistenable through my laptop speakers (I really couldn't distinguish any depth of sound at all), but once I got off my lazy ass to grab the good stuff it was a much more rewarding listening experience. In fact, the louder you can make this album, the better. The impact really scales. I had a lot going on today so looking up the English translation of the lyrics wasnt in the cards, so I'm reviewing everything but. Sigur Ros are the masters of ambience and as far as accessibility goes, I can digest a whole lot more of this than I can Bjork. Surprising range of sounds and textures and genres they pull from but still sounds cohesive. Great album to fall asleep to. I liked this album the longer it went on - this is the first where I was blah on it at the outset but by the end it had truly won me over. I know the tracks are fairly long but I didnt feel like they got boring before they ended. I genuinely think it helps that I was physically exhausted and overheated when I first started listening to the record - it was really soothing. I think the 6th track was my favorite, Hjartad hamast (just pretend that is using the correct letters from Icelandic).
Primal Scream
2/5
Never heard of them in my life, and as the album went on I think I get why this didn't make it across the pond. This was a total mixed bag for me. Opposite experience to yesterday, I liked it less and less the longer it went on. I think it's supposed to mirror the journey of a night out on drugs. We get one pregame rock track, then a bunch of house stuff as you ride the high, and then you come down on low key ambient rock and dub tracks. I wish it worked for me but in general I feel like I saw the seams more than I felt like I experienced a cohesive idea and it felt more self-indulgent than adding substance. First track was nice. Kind of a Joe Cocker vibe, love a rock tune with a gospel choir. Interesting mix of influences overall - we've got house & psychedelia in the U2 inspired Slip Inside this House - band name makes sense. This certainly screams 90s - I could easily imagine any of the middle songs used as a needle drop in Zoolander or Bridget Jones' Diary. Third & fourth tracks specifically remind me of the odd, industrial/electric casio keyboard sound of the Goldeneye movie score. Overall feels dated to my ear, and as the record goes on I can't shake the feeling if I'd need to be high to get something out of it - as it is I got bored. Inner Flight kind of sucked, sounded like an unfinished demo. Would have liked to have heard the Beatles cover. Loaded sounds like someone just removed the vocal track from George Michael's Freedom '90 and added some old movie samples and a fuzzy guitar. Damaged didn't feel like much beyond a Stones rip off. Did not enjoy Shine Like Stars. I couldn't be bothered to listen to disc 2.
R.E.M.
4/5
Always appreciate a debut. While this likely isn't the REM album I would choose were I to only pick one (I'd probably go Document or later), it's an enjoyable listen. The biggest sin of the record is just knowing what would follow. All the elements that make them great are here, they have such a unique sound, but outside of Sitting Still, I'm not sure most tracks ever kick into second gear the way their later, bigger hits resonate, and to my ear some songs end rather jarringly. That being said there's still plenty to love, and it sounds so far ahead of its time for 1983. What stands out to me on this listen is how good they immediately were at sustaining momentum - every shift between verse and chorus builds upon what came before it. Stand outs: Pilgrimage, Moral Kiosk, Sitting Still, Shaking Through (though that ending is bizarre)
Elvis Costello
5/5
Now THIS is a debut, bursting with creative energy. Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Marshall Crenshaw all embody a really nostalgic, punk-laced classic rock and roll feel that really jives with my overall sensibility.
Honestly I think my biggest critique of this album is with the cover art. My Aim is True is so hard to read I felt like I was having a stroke trying to decipher it. All he needed was a drop shadow or embossing on the characters and the legibility issue disappears without sacrificing the aesthetic checkboard appeal. On the other hand, this is the first time I noticed on each black square there is a letter and together it spells out "Elvis is King" over and over again, which is cool.
But I mean, album itself? Chef's kiss.
Miles Davis
5/5
Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Tony Williams, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, and Dave Holland are the CSNY of jazz. Despite the gigaton of talent, nobody shows off - and that's kind of the point. So many of the conventions of jazz thrown out the window, just absolute pros at the top of their game given the freedom to lock into a groove with one another and make something extraordinary. This is the epitome of "you gotta know all the rules before you can break em." This first track is literally just one chord and it's electrifying. The title track for me starts to really get exciting around just after the 11 minute mark. A masterclass in minimalism, tone, and sharing the stage. Controversially I enjoy this more than Bitches Brew!
Mudhoney
2/5
Granted, I listened to this while trapped in a crowded subway car with no a/c, so listening to this on my commute only added to my agitation. It's definitely not BAD musicianship, but no track stood out as something I'd want to revisit. For me, that's the greatest sin of a list called "1001 albums to hear before you die." Nothing I experienced was something I haven't and couldn't have heard from another artist. If I'm being generous, it was interesting to hear a band at the exact midpoint between post punk and grunge. If I'm not, there's a valid reason I'd never heard of Mudhoney before today. You know its a head scratcher of a choice when listening just reminds you of the underrepresented genres, geographies and artists (cough cough women) from this list.
Baaba Maal
4/5
I'm no expert on this genre, and what little familiarity I have is with South African contemporary artists and bands, so this was really cool to explore how West African music differs. I obviously have no idea what he's saying but the chords and rhythms are just innately compelling. I guess we've heard him before if you've seen the Black Panther movies. Hamady Boiro is a groove. Some production elements are a little dated but make sense for '92 (would have preferred if Gidelam used a real sax or woodwind vs a synth). Disappointed to find very little English language context for the album. Would go 3.5 but feeling generous
Beck
5/5
This is a perfect choice for this list. While albums like Guero, Modern Guilt and Mellow Gold might be more obvious choices, Sea Change is a snapshot of Beck at a pivotal moment in his career. A departure from a celebrated artist's then-signature production style that proves he's no one-trick pony. Post-breakup Beck strips it all back to plumb the depths of melancholia and psychedelia and yet nothing here feels plodding or tired. String arrangements on Paper Tiger are incredible, which makes sense given that's what his dad did for a living. B side of the record introduces elements more atmospheric like Sigur Ros, harmonic like the Beach Boys, and grungy like Nirvana alternatively. I thought I would enjoy this but I didn't anticipate it holding up THIS well.
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
Idk why this listening experience irked me so much when Andrew Bird and others in this space don't provoke the same reaction. I haven't listened to much Sufjan Stevens in general, so I didn't have much of a bias one way or the other going into this, but today for some reason he really got under my skin. The honeyed vocals, cutesy arrangements and swelling strings added up to a cloying atmosphere that, in his hands, never struck me as entirely earnest, and I'll say it, his voice annoyed me. Listening to this felt like chewing one of those old timey fudge candies that tires out your jaw. I recognized individual noteworthy elements but it never came together in a way that made me feel anything besides impatient. This felt like style over substance in a 2020's era Wes Anderson kind of way.
If anyone else feels similarly, Gabriel Kahane (who often collaborates with Sufjan) put out an album called the Ambassador in 2014 that does this sort of thing but for LA, and IMO he used that decade to blow the former record out of the water. There's a poignancy to his work, imbued with more variety in mood, texture, and tone within a single song than you get on all of Illinoise. Listening to it again after today's pick made me also realize how much more easily I could pay attention to the lyrics in the hands of another artist. The Ambassador feels authentic and substantive where Illinoise feels contrived and packaged. Maybe if I hadn't ever heard The Ambassador I would rate this album more generously, but it's hard to go back to store brand when you've had the real thing. Confession - I could not make myself finish the entire hour and 16 minutes.
Gang Starr
4/5
I enjoyed this! Was not familiar with Gang Starr. Some great samples utilized by DJ Premier that he cut really cleanly. For 1991 I'm surprised the sound wasn't more dated-feeling. Don't get wrong it reeks of the 90s but it didn't feel that stale - maybe a bit formulaic by the end, but it's an especially tricky genre to stay relevant in, and yet both the overall production and Guru's lyrics were easy to get on board with. Guessing groups like the Roots and Jurassic Five are inspired by their sound.
AC/DC
4/5
How do you fill the void left by Bon Scott? Brian Johnson does his best, and yes he sounds like if Elmo smoked a pack day but I love him for it. The first time I listened to AC/DC as a kid I honestly don't even know that I registered the difference. Yeah its mostly the same 3 to 4 chords but I couldn't care less - these riffs are all timers. Every track is still really fun
Scott Walker
1/5
I get that Scott Walker is supposed to be this rogue crooner who earned the respect of the gritty auteurs, but everything about this felt dated to my ear. I will admit a bias - even Tony Bennett and Tom Jones do nothing for me, so he was fighting an uphill battle. For every song that had moments that drew my attention, songs like The Girls and the Dogs would come along to make me cringe. I just can't get on board
5/5
Mustache era!!! This is an easy 5 and I have nothing to say that hasn't been said about it ad nauseam so instead I will just add some random personal thoughts. First I gotta confess I never noticed that those wax models are of the Beatles themselves standing next to (also the Beatles) in the center. Hilarious. I thought it was just another similar group? Also I think Shirley Temple is on here 3 times, and her sweater name drops the Rolling Stones?! They truly went wild here hahaha
As a kid I wanted to be cooler than I am and I said George was my favorite but in my heart its always been Paul. Pretending A Day in the Life doesn't exist, my favorite song on the record is Getting Better. She's Leaving Home has risen the highest for me since my last listen through. Insane that my cat has been alive longer than the Beatles were together.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Absolutely swamped with work yesterday no time for coherent thoughts. Marley is the GOAT of reggae though
Thundercat
4/5
I've returned to this album every few months since it came out. Definitely my favorite of his. While I don't always identify with the lyrics I absolutely see where he's coming from, and songs remind me of specific people in my life. Storytelling is both humorous and pointed. Grooves are absolute fire.
Neil Young
4/5
Revolution Blues holds up, crazy that he actually met Charles Manson? Awesome to recognize Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Graham Nash, and David Crosby's names in the liner notes. Vampire Blues is also great.
Kanye West
2/5
I'll be honest I have very little patience for this Ye era. Even before all the anti-Semitic shit became more widely known, as much as I appreciate the production and the blending of genres and musical ideas that go into his tracks, the lyrics and POV are a big turn off for me.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
A debut that may as well be a greatest hits part 1. SJBE, Marrakesh Express, Guinnevere, Wooden Ships, Helplessly Hoping, AND a rough version of Teach Your Children right out the gate? Out of my personal faves of the CSN configuration, the only track missing here is Southern Cross. Still worthy of 5 stars.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
After hearing from Mother's Little Helper to Out of Time (both tracks I enjoyed) I decided to switch to the US version instead of the UK version because it seems insane to omit Paint It Black and the other tracks weren't doing much for me. Did the Brits only get PIB as a single? I am so confused. This doesn't rival what the Beatles were putting out around at the same time (Rubber Soul and Revolver are both much stronger overall) but it was still fairly enjoyable. Going Home was way too long - I don't think it did enough interesting things with its length to merit it.
I'm surprised I didn't like it more but it might be a case of exposure - my parents didn't have this album growing up so I'm less familiar. Tattoo You, Sticky Fingers, Let it Bleed, Hot Rocks and Exile On Main Street were my records. This one felt more dated to my ear than other Stones albums, given its reputation.
Jane Weaver
3/5
This was pretty fun! For having no prior knowledge of this artist I thought it was a good balanced sound, and I enjoy when tracks bleed into the next. Ethereal vocals and synths paired with a twangy guitar - I guess folktronica is what they call it? I'm not sure this record falls into must-listen territory (let's be honest that's half of these) - but it was chill to have on in the background while I worked. The Architect stood out as a track representative of the whole record, seemed to have a bit more verve. The spoken word on Ravenspoint threw me.
Overall I wish the curators of this list had put more thought and effort into their selection of records from artists who either a) aren't male rockers or b) released something within the last decade. They play it far too safe with the modern stuff especially
Minor Threat
4/5
Gotta appreciate an album that clocks in at just over 20 minutes! I had heard of Minor Threat but not ever given them a proper listen, hardcore and punk not being genres I gravitate towards often. That being said, thought this was a great example.
Things I liked - the drumming is top notch and the riffs were more fun than I expected. I don't know how often I've ever heard the bass mirror the guitar lines but it worked well in context, and whenever the bass deviated things really opened up in a cool way. Ian MacKaye brings exactly the right kind of energy to the vocal performance - the way he says "Fuck it, man" in Look, Back & Laugh really worked for me.
Things I didn't - Over half the time, I have such trouble understanding what he's shouting! For a genre so focused on getting a specific message across, said message was hard to hear at times. I had to REALLY focus. I'm not saying he should've done it differently, but they should have put him louder in the mix. He was competing with the guitars most of the record. Could be the fault of my speakers though.
The last two tracks were my favorite. This felt like a perfect musical palate cleanser.
Motörhead
4/5
Really surprised how much I enjoyed this! Never been a big motorhead guy, so I thought I would only like Ace of Spades and the rest would be meh for me, but if anything I was digging the other tracks more having never heard em before. The other songs all did kind of bleed together so I don't have specific comments but this general vibe was fun.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
At first I found this kinda sleepy and underwhelming, I didn't grow up on them though their legacy looms large, but the second half of the album won me over. Listened to it a few more times this weekend and it continued to grow on me. Some stuff still hits me at odd angles but overall I really appreciated it.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Appreciating this a lot more now than when it came out. I thought maybe it was too Tom Waits adjacent and my experience was colored by his recent death. I drew unfair comparisons to Bowie's farewell album. This time around I'm surprised how eminently listenable it is and how immediately easy it is to connect with the lyrics. Maybe part of it is you need to be in right headspace to enjoy it, but something about a gloomy Monday worked for me. The truth is I did want it darker, Mr. Cohen.
Paul Simon
4/5
where the hell did the solo on allergies come from? Love it. Cars Are Cars...what the hell is going on there? Is it a joke? Confusing. Not sure its must listen as its not wildly different from what he generally does but generally really enjoyed this.
Aerosmith
3/5
You can't be a 12 year old from the Boston area and not have a big Aerosmith phase. After your Boston phase, that is. We don't have many bands! I don't know how much they hold up for me now, they kind of give off the vibes of theater kids playing rockers, it feels a bit dated now, but it's still pretty fun to hear Walk this Way and Sweet Emotion in context. Big Ten Inch in between them is a bit cringe, just a standard blues track behind an extended dick joke. I'd go 3.5 for nostalgia's sake but 4 is too far for me 18 years later haha. Man, Steven Tyler loves songs about crying lol.
Van Halen
4/5
Hadn't listened since high school, had way more fun than I expected! I actually heard this version before the Kinks version of You Really Got Me. Eruption is still great, especially knowing that people didnt know how he did it for a while. This almost got to 5 from me, especially in contrast to Toys in the Attic.
Ryan Adams
3/5
ahhh the guy who Phoebe Bridgers absolutely eviscerated in "Motion Sickness" - I liked the one big hit on this album but the rest didnt stand out very much to me amongst the backdrop of your Jeff Buckleys and Elliot Smiths. I saw the potential but not sure it lived up to it. It was on in the background while I worked though so I will admit to only half listening to the lyrics. Would go 3.5
John Lennon
3/5
My opinion of this album swung wildly depending on the song. Was originally gonna give this a 4 after listening to the first half, but coming back from my lunch break I gotta say Well Well Well is absolutely torturous. When solo Paul makes a song that doesnt resonate, it just meh - it doesn't completely spoil the vibe. It's not like I don't get it, it's a very Yoko dada-ism adjacent effort - I just truly don't see the merit in that here at all. Thank god the songs that follow bring me back, but 3.5 is as high as I can go here.
Aimee Mann
3/5
I like Aimee Mann, probably the most out of her contemporaries, but I was surprised that this was the album chosen. It was pleasant but didn't really stand out much to me, melodically or lyrically. I feel like it's becoming my catchphrase but I do always appreciate a debut, cuz it gives me interesting context in which to place the artist. In this case it did more make me want to listen to her more popular stuff to try and discern where she evolved to earn her cult status as a songwriter.
Meat Loaf
5/5
Fun fact, my friend's mom doesn't listen to any music WHATSOEVER with one exception - Meatloaf. Needless to say she was distraught when he passed. And honestly, I get it. Do we get Jack Black or Matt Berry without him? It's so theatrical and cartoonish in the best way, and I love how transparent they are that he didnt write the dang songs. Like the dish itself, Meatloaf is a sometimes food for me but boy does it hit the spot when the mood is right. Infectious energy. There was nothing quite like this before it (rocky horror was the same year, something was in the air in 1975 apparently), and so much like it after, and it feels like the fact that it even came together in the first place was a real "against all odds" situation. The dialogue at the beginning of YTTWROOMM makes me laugh every time. Easy 5.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Interesting! Not really my cup of tea but it was a pretty different sound from what I would have expected
Sonic Youth
3/5
Every time I listen to Sonic Youth I want to like it more than I end up doing, and this is no exception. It's definitely good for what it is but not my taste.
David Bowie
4/5
Aladdin Sane, Cracked Actor, the Jean Genie and Lady Grinning Soul are still my faves off this album. Liked the opener more on this listen. Still kinda bored by Drive-In Saturday. The rest are decent enough. I don't listen to this one as much as others but it's probably worth being on the list for the iconography alone. Solid 4.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
This is one of the first albums I heard that made me reconsider my relationship with rap. I've always appreciated it, but felt it pretty inaccessible, I was so aware I was not the target audience and lyrics are a thing I don't pay attention to for several listens unless I'm trying really hard. But this was so easy to understand, the jazz samples were choice, and while I'm still not the target audience it didn't feel nearly as unrelatable to my viewpoint. So I'm grateful to ATCQ for starting me on that journey.
That being said, listening again over a decade later its age is beginning to show a bit. The 90s in particular it seems were an impossible time for someone to produce a timeless feeling record. So much has followed and our collective understanding of what's edgy and still worthwhile vs just not ok has changed - looking at you, Infamous Date Rape...
Still great, just not quite making it to 5 for me.
Britney Spears
3/5
My algorithm is so bricked now, lol. Year end spotify stats about to be wild.
Those random swedes sure know how to write a nonsensical pop track with a strong hook - or at least a couple tracks. I dont personally enjoy Britney, but I dont think it's her fault that much, and I certainly don't have the loathing I did when I was 11. She's def talented (some decent runs) and was ferreted into this hypersexualized role from the mickey mouse club days. Was surprised I still knew all the words to the first three songs (or at least the choruses) despite never actively choosing to listen to Britney til now. Its crazy the grip this subgenre of pop had on the early aughts.
The production sounds the same on almost every track: that snare sound, churchy background vocals paired with an insanely reverb-y rhythm guitar, gratuitous chimes usage, a classical guitar restrained noodling nonstop.
The album is explicitly derivative. Soda Pop had to be written for Mariah (and sounds like Baha men meets Hanson). From the Bottom of My Broken Heart is trying to channel Boyz II Men, I will be there is Backstreet Boys to a tee, etc. It's a pity its such a long album, shorter would have been stronger. You start to feel how samey it is. That being said, it was eminently listenable, if light on substance or sophistication. Would go 3.5 for the cultural impact.
PJ Harvey
2/5
Outside of the song Joe, which I thought rocked, I ... mostly didn't enjoy listening to this. Maybe I'm too milk chocolate versus dark, but the dissonance didn't work for me a lot of the time. I get throwing out the popular music rulebook, but idk for me this throws the baby out with the bath water. I need something to ground me, and this just felt like the sort of tone setting music the artsy female protagonist in a movie listens to when she's mad at her shitty boyfriend for being shitty. Even just a hint of something rooted in gospel or blues would have really elevated the material for me. I was glad of being exposed to it though, it challenged me and she's clearly a skilled instrumentalist.
Orbital
1/5
As a star trek fan, I loved the bizarre choice to open this album with a sample of Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf from The Next Generation explaining a mobius strip. As a fan of interesting music, my enthusiasm dipped after the first 20 seconds and didn't pick back up again - I will acknowledge I'm not a big fan of this type of minimalist semi industrial electronica to begin with though. I think if I had this on in the background while doing things I may have jived more with it, but in this case active listening just got aggravated as it went on. This sort of thing just doesn't stimulate me. Even with a track like Impact (The Earth is Burning) or Halcyon and On and On where a lot more things are happening, it still didn't really justify the length of those tracks. I imagine this is what some of you feel listening to some of these jazz albums we've had. And if that's the case I think you're more than generous. This is my first 1. It may have merit for others but I genuinely didnt enjoy the vast majority of my listening experience. That ending is excruciating.
Queen
4/5
Capital B Baroque rock. I don't know that it's clicked like this for me before with Queen. Haven't listened to an album in full since my teens! It also hit me more this time how solid the rest are as singers as well as instrumentalists. The hits are so Freddie heavy that I forget theyre basically if Kansas were all theater kids. Yeah Killer Queen is a mega hit but there's more meat on the bone thankfully, starting with that ripping opener. Flick of the Wrist foreshadowed some motifs they'd use more successfully later in Don't Stop Me Now and other hits, and Now I'm Here rocks on its own. It's hard not to admire a band that so fully owns their oddness. Stone Cold Crazy sounds like iron maiden before iron maiden, and they have the audacity to follow it with a short operatic ballad but somehow the sequencing makes total sense. The rest are no less eclectic. A couple tracks maybe I didn't need, but overall this felt like a tall glass of water after the desert of this week
Muddy Waters
3/5
Absolutely rock solid, if sleepy blues; nothing that I haven't ever really heard before. Is the album title a dick joke? Would go 3.5
The Clash
5/5
It's really interesting to hear a punk album that isn't predicated on the rejection of everything that came before it but rather the integration of it. There's rockabilly, reggae, dub, almost New Orleans jazz, roots and more throughout the record. Every song is so listenable, an immediate earworm. Clampdown might be my favorite this time around
The Stooges
4/5
Well this is interesting. Arguably THE proto punk record. Unfortunately because London Calling is such an incredible album, this doesn't have the same impact when juxtaposed against it. I still enjoyed it a lot more than most Iggy Pop. I Need Somebody was the highlight, heard the first two tracks too much. Between a 3 and 4 but I'll round up for the legacy
Soft Cell
2/5
I still love Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go! Interesting to hear some other tracks, I really only ever thought of them as a two hit wonder. Seems that was a valid assessment. Definitely dated and silly, arguably bad at times , but idk its so bonkers it was surprisingly enjoyable as background music. Doubt I will revisit these. Sex Dwarf is unhinged ahahaha. They should have cut... most of these. Objectively this is a 1 but this is the first so-bad-its-good record I think I've ever encountered. There is a harmony on Facility Girls that is SO cringe about 1:45 I marvel at the choice to keep it in. Fun City is the most 'first-draft demo' I've ever heard released on an LP. At least it wasnt the Deluxe Edition! I'm stoked I listened to this cuz it absolutely should never been made. What a product of its time.
Patti Smith
4/5
Sometimes it really feels like punishment followed by reward with this list. Patti Smith's debut, produced by John Cale. I had never actually heard it! It opens with a great cover of Gloria I almost didn't recognize til it got going. To call this punk feels reductive. Marry incisive lyrics with the three chord structure plus some slower spoken word contemplative pieces, free form jazz and even reggae influences? I'm in. Free Money and Break it Up were my favorites. If I'm honest I doubt I'll be in the mood to revisit this sort of thing too often but an absolutely worthwhile listen. Solid 4.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Had never heard! JLH has taste to bring in Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and George Thorogood. I think the problem for me is that so many blues albums feel SO down the middle of the road, and while that's kind of the point of good blues it doesn't change the fact that it doesn't elicit much of a reaction from me.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I only listened through Sister Ray, I didn't do all the alt takes and lives as that felt like asking too much of anyone but die hard fans, but I did enjoy the first six tracks! A little overindulgent even for my taste to have a song about a handjob that is 17 minutes long but there were some enjoyable parts otherwise. The spoken word piece was interesting
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Very weird opening track, Peter. Very good second track. Cool third. Questionable fourth - melody and lyrics are fine but the instrumentation was too far down the barbershop/carnival rabbit hole for me to get onboard. Dolce Vita was cool. Last was alright. Ultimately not sure this album belongs on the list. His album So has more of his solo hits.
Missy Elliott
4/5
I do appreciate that she just tells us the entire context of what's to follow. Kill it with a skillet, baby. Work It is still fun, and I think the album really kicked into second gear starting there and continuing with Back in the Day. "Pussy don't fail me now" is a great line. Gotta love Austin Powers in Goldmember era Beyonce. Overall still pretty solid and enjoyable, despite the fact that I'm clearly not the target audience.
Lucinda Williams
5/5
Love me some Lucinda, and this is absolutely the album to pick. Roots, country, blues and folk blended together perfectly with her trademark lyricism while escaping the trappings of so many now-dated sounding 90s albums.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Oooh now this is not what I expected. Are KoL like Maroon 5 in which they had a really solid debut before immediately pivoting to vapid arena rock? I still wish the lead singer didn't sound like that (he crossed the threshold into incoherent and whiny at times), but I appreciated the southern fried guitar licks and minor key harmonies over frenetic drums. They're synthesizing some pretty disparate ideas from groups as varied as the Strokes, the Clash, Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones, Queen and maybe even Jeff Buckley in moments? I could use more Southern garage rock for sure. Would go 3.5 if I could but yeah the vocal unfortunately really took some points off for me. Molly's Chambers still rocks though!
Saint Etienne
3/5
I had previously only heard Only Love Can Break Your Heart! Not sure how I feel about it tbh, some friends of mine love this album but I wasn't so taken with it. Good background music, I wonder if I were in an altered state and not at work if it would be more impactful. Stoned to Say the Least for example, right now just sounds like pretty good on-hold music. But if I were stoned, to say the least, maybe its transcendent?
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
An absolute vibe. Two of my fave genres blended together. Definitely will be playing this next summer.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
This is an easy 5 All timer for me. Grew up on it, love those swirling strings and horn arrangements under Mayfield's falsetto. He saves the best for last. This soundtrack and Across 110th St are unimpeachable funk records.
Ice Cube
3/5
I love how much 90s rap references the Arsenio Hall show. It's a shame we don't have a contemporary equivalent. This is fun but a bit long. Couldnt pay as much attention to the lyrics as I would have liked today, some of it problematic but not as egregious as some others at the time?
Alice Cooper
3/5
Not my personal taste but solid enough!
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
The Wainwrights are an interesting musical family dynasty - critically beloved but only ever surfacing into mainstream appeal as fits and starts. I still haven't found a Rufus track I love as much as I have singles from his sister (like Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole) or albums from his dad Loudon III (like Unrequited) and he always feels a bit too Andrew Bird/Sufjan adjacent for my taste for me to actively seek out his music, but I think this is a solid effort. I Don't Know What It Is and Go Or Go Ahead remind me of the sensibility later fine tuned by contemporaries like Keane, and I think he's stronger when he doesn't lean so heavily into baroque elements and lets the powerful sustain in his voice take center stage. Would go 3.5 but I'll round up to balance out the diversity of opinions on the merits of Rufus's music within our group. No shade though, I get it, I feel that way about Death Cab for Cutie
Fleet Foxes
4/5
All around really solid. They never quite click with my sensibility on the level of forming an strong emotional connection to the music but I can't find much to actually fault.
Queen Latifah
4/5
Love a debut! Hoping this means Black Reign is also on this list, which has more depth, she had something to say post death of her brother, and charted higher too. These tracks are pretty fun but dont blow me away, most lyrics follow the same general idea of "respect me, I'm legit!" which is fair, a lot of the genre is posturing, but knowing she's capable of more, a little underwhelming? Her flow is great. Cool to hear some De la soul. Ladies First has an awesome sample, gotta be the highlight. Liked the sample of Queen of Royal Badness too. Evil that men do had some substance! The lyrics are hilariously wrong on Inside Out on spotify
50 Cent
3/5
Had a really similar reaction to James on this one. Irresistibly fun in a group setting, but from a more critical POV, the bar for rap has just been raised so high since this era that it feels a bit sophomoric, they really loved the F-slur in the 2000s huh. I enjoyed the tracks where he was joined by others the most, besides PIMP and In Da Club etc. At the end of the day, I do feel like a bit of a clown/poser listening to material that's speaking to experiences I'll never come into contact with or fantasies I don't share (violent interpersonal conflicts driven by poverty or wild parties) so it's hard for me to fully embrace it.
Fugazi
2/5
This did nothing for me - melodically this was pretty uninteresting to me. Would not have finished this album if I was listening on my own accord.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
The melodies are solid but nothing I haven't heard before, and the lyrics are thinner on substance than anything I've heard in a long while - like icing without the cake. I liked the muscular riffs on muddled guitars, don't get me wrong, but after a little reading I still just don't see why Kobain himself called them the best band in the world when they toured together. Nevermind and In Utero blow this out of the water by every metric. Besides the song Star Sign, I felt myself wishing I was listening to Big Star or the Raspberries instead, both of whom did this style earlier and to greater effect. Whatever their 'it factor' is here was entirely lost on me. Even the hooks of tracks didn't grab my attention, felt sleepy if anything. If I had to guess, the late 80s were starved for anything like it so maybe it felt like water in the desert in 1991. Now it just feels like an also-ran. Totally fine but no tracks made their way to my 'liked songs'. Very light 3
Love
3/5
I wanted to like this more than I did. Lead singers voice was not for me. Kind of sounds like the forerunner to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, but the latter has really taken it to the next level. The main issue for me was that I forgot each song after it happened, besides the last one. I was missing any sort of hook or structure to key me in to the emotional journey of the song. So it really just went in one ear and out the other.
Paul McCartney
4/5
For years I said George was my favorite Beatle (and I do like him quite a lot) but I was kidding myself, goofy bouncy Paul will always have my heart. I don't even know how to articulate what the difference is between his noodling and Da Capo yesterday, but for example more meandering, lyric-less tracks like Momma Miss America work for me where that album just never clicked. Even Teddy Boy has chord changes that force me to pay attention. Every song here is listenable, and Maybe I'm Amazed is the 'cherry' on top.
Lou Reed
5/5
The late 60s/early 70s truly loved to put a tuba somewhere prominently in the mix hahaha. Lou Reed is such a gifted songwriter, but like Bob Dylan I wish I enjoyed the timbre of his singing voice more, or at least was less distracted by it. That being said, that's really the only criticism I've got for this record, which I don't even think is a fair one to take off any stars for, and is in fact arguably the secret sauce to the success of Walk on the Wild Side, which I could have easily listened to for several minutes longer; that speak singing delivery works perfectly in context. Perfect Day and WOTWS aside, the rest of the tracks have much more variety to them than McCartney's eponymous record yesterday, and I enjoy Lou's solo sound generally more than I do the Velvet Underground. The sequencing was spot on. Are we finally getting a solid week of worthwhile listens?
Guided By Voices
3/5
I had this on in the background and the songs were so short it was really hard for me to keep up with coherent thoughts about an individual track before it had already ended, though I did catch the usage of the f slur on the song Hit, which was unfortunate. I liked the overall vibe of it but I'm at a loss for evaluating how worthwhile it was - this sounds like a demo tape to me. Jangly hissy and tinny, which can be good, but the fact that the songs were also so short made it seem unfinished. Almost reminded me of Kurt Vile if he had gone a different way?
Ash
4/5
I see what they did there. Starts with the sound of a tie fighter from star wars whizzing by, which debuted in, you guessed it 1977. I do think this is the most consistently worthwhile week of listens we've had since I joined. Had never heard these guys but I was immediately down. This is the first album I've added to "liked" before I finished it in a while. It just feels like something that fully understands what it is. The tracks all lead into each other really well, and there are some lush textures. Will need to revisit to evaluate the lyrics, the only one my brain latched on to for some reason was Kung Fu where they were encouraging Jackie Chan which seems fun. I guess in comparison to Dinosaur Jr or Sonic Youth you could say Ash maybe veers more into catchy hooks and poppier major chord structures with tracks like Angel Interceptor but tbh I prefer accessibility over dissonance in this context even if it's a bit saccharine at times.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Yup this seals it, great week of albums. Didn't know Solomon Burke outside of a featured track on a soul xmas album I enjoy and this was really pleasant. Great example of the genre and the era. Incredible voice. Up there with Sam Cooke. 2nd track wasnt my cup of tea at all but the rest age really well, if a bit samey.
John Cale
5/5
What I'm learning about myself is that I enjoy the members of the Velvet Underground solo much more than I do together. There wasn't a track on this album that wasn't both enjoyable and memorable. Great lyrics like "her schoolhouse mind has windows now." Excellent orchestral pop taking up where the Beatles left off and creating something new. No notes
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
I really wanted to like this but I just couldn't form any sort of emotional connection to the music. I feel like its more my own fault that I couldn't appreciate it though, I don't have an objective issue with it. Just so at odds with the styles and general chord movements that I grew up on that the listening experience felt like a chore, so maybe its an exposure thing.
Randy Newman
3/5
This one is tough to evaluate for a few reasons. Just like with Short People, we know that his usage of the N word here is to indict those who use it earnestly, but man does he really lean into it on several tracks. Overall I think I appreciated it but this isnt the sort of thing you can listen to without headphones, especially when he brings in midget and whore again. So odd that the Toy Story guy mostly wrote these biting social commentaries. Like James I struggled to differentiate the songs other than via the lyrics.
The Beach Boys
5/5
really slacking this week boys sorry!! this one is easy
Shuggie Otis
4/5
I've loved Strawberry Letter 23 since I saw Jackie Brown (granted the Brothers Johnson version not the orig), and the Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings cover of Inspiration Information is often on repeat. Had only listened through this album once before, and it was only last year! Shuggie is kind of the epitome of flying under the radar with nothing to prove to anyone, a one man Velvet Underground of the funk world. So many took inspiration. Aht Uh Mi Hed still really works for me. Second half of the album may be my favorite? Ice Cold Daydream really hits
ABBA
4/5
ABBA was corny and weird when I was a teen, but since the advent of the movie adaptation of Mamma Mia (its been a stage musical for way longer) the tide of public opinion has truly turned, and I'm no exception. While I don't really ever go out of my way to listen, ABBA is undeniably fun when I do. I feel like we should be allowed to pick compilations for this list besides LPs, but since we can't, this isn't a bad choice - 4 big hits and no real duds, launching them to mainstream global success. Personally I could do without Money Money Money but I know I'm in the minority. Benny and Bjorn know how to write a hook, and Agnatha and Anni-frid know how to sell even the weirder lines that don't quite work in English convincingly. I watched a doc about Swedish songwriters a few years ago that really warmed me to them. Sweden was SO mad they did Waterloo on Eurovision for a long ass time (Swedish culture was and is about being an inconspicuous lil guy), and they did the crazy costumes to exploit a tax loophole if I remember right. Also, like Fleetwood Mac they had two couples that split acrimoniously and then just kept going as a band for a long while. Mad respect to them for the hologram show where they don't even have to perform but still get to rake in the money. They feel like a band that is came together against all odds, but everyone is generally glad they do. Its a really dated sound but its en vogue, baby! Also, Dum Dum Diddle is underrated.
Dire Straits
4/5
Sultans of Swing is an all-timer. Legendarily difficult solos, and even he doesn't nail it 100%. I also enjoy Setting Me Up and Southbound Again. Down to the Waterline feels really SoS adjacent to me but I don't mind really. Mark Knopfler has his peculiarities but boy is he a guitarist who really understands and utilizes rhythm like no other lead axeman. Love a Honky Tonk album. I think I still enjoy Brothers in Arms the most and hope its on the list, but the impact of this record is undeniable. Some songs definitely blur into one another but that's kind of part of the deal with Dire Straits. They have a sound that's theirs and they don't divert from it much.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Admittedly I've never had much of a palate for early techno but I love German goofiness, unfortunately that didn't redeem it for me. The first were alright, but tracks 3-6 made me want to jump of a bridge it was so repetitive. I guess if its the mid 70s and you've never heard anything like this before its revolutionary, but with 2023 ears to me this wasn't really a worthwhile listening experience. Notable exception is the track Franz Schubert, which seemed a real expansion/evolution in their sound. That being said I can't see myself revisiting this.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
This may very well be one of the greatest albums ever made. A thoroughly thought out concept album (the tracks seamlessly fit together) of a vet returning home to utter disillusionment, executed perfectly by one of the most brilliant vocalists there's ever been, backed by the legendary Funk Brothers. Nevermind the poignant lyrics that have aged even better than I'd like, to be honest, given the themes. With the death of Andre Braugher fresh in the news, it's a wild coincidence to be served another massive talent gone far too soon. I get goosebumps every time I listen.
Cat Stevens
4/5
Cat Stevens' voice may not reach the heights of his contemporaries but his songwriting really makes up for it, and this is probably the most accessible you can get for Yusuf, though a little dated sounding in places. The Beatles, the blues and even Dylan and Paul Simon influences feel obvious but not in a bad way. Wild World has an all timer chorus. Miles From Nowhere has infectious energy. Longer Boats could be a CSNY track. Father and Son is a classic. High 4
Fela Kuti
5/5
Fela Kuti is a name I'm familiar with but whose body of work I hadn't actually explored until today, but I loved what I heard. I had known he was a major influence on the Talking Heads, but not being able to speak the language and knowing so much of it was about being critical of the regime in Nigeria, I hadn't made time for it. These polyrhythms make the momentum of each track unstoppable and the band's energy is just kinetic, talk about a pocket. Seeing them live, if the last track is any indication, would probably have been incredible. This feels like one perfect set, to me. Eminently listenable.
Kuti is the definition a complicated figure - a genuine hero of the poor in his home country, he was an outspoken critic of the junta, for which he was constantly harassed, jailed and nearly killed - this album alone resulted in 1000 members of the military raiding his compound, cracking his skull, and tossing his mother out the window to her eventual death. Unfortunately he was also deeply, wildly sexist in his views towards women. But back to the music, this is very much my shit and I don't see any reason to not award it the full 5.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
Wasn't sure if I would be onboard til about midway through the third track and then I gave myself over to it. Not sure whether this is considered their proper debut or if that belongs to the chase suite, but this is such a confident, locked in record. Stevie's influence obvious (and welcome) in Locked Inside. Got a diverse mix of styles overall, from slow and psychadelic to retrosoul to dancey rock to bedroom pop to the theatrical, tied together with the afro futuristic Metropolis narrative framework. Monáe's vocals are strong as hell. A little weird how often they call themselves a schizo, even if in character? This is a light 5 for me, no one track completely blows me away but as a cohesive album I can't really fault it. It knows what it is and executes on that - I doubt I'm squarely in their target audience anyway
Joni Mitchell
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
Couldn't finish this. Maybe it's my own deficiency but I've yet to hear a grime song I genuinely enjoy
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
This live Whipping post is astounding, remember the first time I heard it.
Alice Cooper
3/5
He looks so much like Steve Carrell its crazy. Cooper never really gets there for me but it's definitely not bad.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Nick Cave has always felt very Tom Waits meets Leonard Cohen meets Tim Burton for me, this Murder Ballads album especially so. Unfortunately that means there is a ceiling for how much I'm gonna enjoy versus appreciate it. The storytelling is great but the music itself doesn't really grab my attention.
The Who
3/5
I don't know what it is but I'm always really underwhelmed by The Who albums. The idea is cool but the execution - none of these songs really got me excited or that engaged
Radiohead
4/5
Ah Radiohead, the answer to "what if a band like Coldplay had listened to Pink Floyd records and channeled that into making something actually interesting?" They're another band I appreciate more than I enjoy, but I enjoy them significantly more than The Who. I don't think I was really aware of them until In Rainbows came out in 07, and then I only really went back to the biggest hits for previous albums. Actually hadn't listened to this one before, probably my biggest blind spot in their discography, so I thought this still really worthwhile to get a glimpse of an album without a smash #1 single that still is really strong on its own merit. Feels super cohesive. Really solid 4, songs like We Suck Young Blood pull it down, but there's still plenty of tracks like There, There or Myxomatosis that are really melodically & harmonically interesting
Miles Davis
5/5
Absolutely legendary but notoriously inaccessible jazz album. A bit like trying to read Ulysses without a giant book of footnotes and a class to explain the context/why it is good and important. While even I personally struggle with its accessibility and enjoy other Miles albums more, to give it anything less than a 5 knowing what I do about it would be an insult. If you think of Jazz as a spectrum from milk to dark chocolate, this is like 99% cacao. Def not for everyone and not an easy one to have in the background. You really gotta be keyed in and have some knowledge of the conventions being broken to eke something from the listening experience. Miles Runs the Voodoo Down is my favorite of the tracks.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
I got into a real east meets west kick about a decade ago, was surprised at just how much western influence was evident here. Using ragas but sticking almost exclusively to western scales makes it super accessible, if a little less interesting than I was hoping for. There's virtually no dissonance to the western ear; I wanted to be challenged more. Just a little too easy listening to sustain my interest, verging on patronizing smooth jazz (or marvel movie takes brief detour to south asia) territory for an ostensibly classical album. Probably really out there for 1967 so its hard to judge the impact in its proper context, but yeah was overall surprised by how light it felt.
The Band
5/5
Had a super stressed busy day so my notes here are totally insufficient but I absolutely love this album
Funkadelic
4/5
George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic is one of my earliest and strongest musical influences. Shame this album is not really widely available for streaming outside of the generosity of one youtuber. I think it's also one of the only genres that integrates humor really well without sacrificing the artists being taken seriously. Fried Ice Cream IS a reality!! I think the first half of the album is stronger, and the album Maggot Brain remains my fave (unless you count Parliament's Mothership Connection - I prefer the p funk to what here sounds more like funk-infused psychadelic prog rock), but its a really solid album regardless that manages to showcase a wider range of musical ideas.
Paul Simon
5/5
I love this album dearly. Diamonds is still my fave, but they're all fantastic. If someone had never heard this I think it's a perfect fit for albums to hear before you die. First time I heard it, it opened a whole new musical world for me. Last track is underrated!
Adele
3/5
Incredible voice. Ok songs.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
If you're gonna pick one basie record this is probably the one. Outstanding and so smooth. Basie got his big break two decades before this and people were starting to count him out. At the time of its release, jazz was now dominated by the small groups, with bandleaders like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane that were taking the the genre forward at an insanely breakneck pace. They rewrote the rule book. Then basie quite literally comes out swinging with this and people were gobsmacked. He incorporates so much more complexity into the big band arrangement, learning from the new generation but without compromising the signature sound he pioneered. This is a flawless record
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
I don't know nearly as much about wu tang as likely I should but this blew my gourd the first time I heard it. Watched the movie it referenced and many more, then a doc about Kung fu and hip hop, which only left me eager to learn more. Maybe the best thing Staten Island ever gave us? High 4
Van Halen
3/5
Jump and Panama are great and pull the weight for the album. Hot for Teacher I guess has a legacy of sorts. If youve heard the debut album though idk that this is needed to hear before you die, EVH's innovative guitar technique doesn't go through a distinct further evolution or anything as far as I can tell. Solid 3
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Psychadelic rock is really hit or miss for me! The opening track is clearly the hit single and again pulls most of the weight, has a catchy hook. The orchestration and synths are fun. The rest of this album was pleasant if a bit sleepy and forgettable. The King in the Counting House was tough to listen to and take them very seriously...
Nirvana
5/5
Grunge is not a genre I typically revisit all too often but every time I listen to Nevermind I'm blown away.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Not sure why spotify repeats 3 songs?
Fred Neil
3/5
This was nice! Didn't blow me away but eased me into Monday. Had no idea Nilsson's was a cover.
Elis Regina
4/5
Really enjoyed this and could have listened for longer! I enjoyed the hybrid of afro cuban jazz, funk and bossa nova. Had never heard of her.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Thought this was pretty interesting garage/post punk rock for 1978. That being said I wasnt ever really blown away by any individual track. I liked that it was darker and kind of pyschadelic inspired in places, but the lyrics were impossible to decipher the way it was sung and mixed. I'm guessing a lot of this is due to the Seinfeld effect though, as I gather this was the first time a lot of these sonic textures were used like this and it likely had a big impact on more commercially successful bands who appeared later. Even like REM, I could hear influences from. Personally I need a bit more melodic movement to emotionally connect, I couldnt really imagine myself dancing to it, but it was by no means a bad listen and I was glad for the exposure.
Sugar
4/5
Had no idea Bob Mould had this other band. Only seen him live once but loved it. This is a lot more accessible and REM adjacent than I would have expected. Def good to have in an alt rock rotation!
Elton John
4/5
Elton John was an artist I devoured as a wee one. Tiny Dancer and Levon are all time classics for me but I never saw much in the rest of this album then. Now I appreciate it more. With the exception of Indian Sunset which aged terribly, Madman showcases a lot of what makes John great.
Rush
4/5
I will fully admit I mostly ignored Rush, and progressive rock in general, until the movie I Love You Man where the two characters are obsessed, and then I gave the genre a try. If youre gonna pick a Rush album this has gotta be the one. Tom Sawyer and Limelight are absolutely killer, in fact the first 4 together are rock solid. The rest of this album is fairly accessible for prog rock though the other tracks dont ever stick in my head as much.
Simply Red
2/5
Was absolutely shocked to realize I had heard a couple of these songs before, namely Holding Back the Years. Definitely heard on the radio but completely forgot it existed til today. Wild. Such an odd mix of styles that feels both too old and too contemporary for its time? I cant wrap my head around Simply Red. I guess I was glad to remember this is a thing, definitely different. Most adjacent to Genesis maybe? Lead singer kind of reminds me of Rod Stewart in that his voice sounds like he was born at 65 years old. It feels like quite the stretch to label this as soul. Its like the music all over the original Top Gun. 2.5, exactly in the middle, will round down though cuz its just so alien to my ear.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
So many incredible tracks on this album. But damn the second and third do absolutely nothing for me. Rounding up to a 5 because the others are so strong but yeah they don't belong on the record. Whole Lotta love, Heartbreaker, Ramble On and Moby Dick are unimpeachable
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Really lovely. Like a warm mug of tea on a crisp fall day. I will add her to my cozy rotation for sure.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Chills every time. Name another artist whose last album is arguably their best, and isnt even original material? Maybe Ray Charles you could argue, but its still rarified air. Most rock legends peter out. Not Cash. I didn't fully grasp the gravity of this record when it came out in 2002, I think I just focused on the Hurt cover like every 10 year old, cuz we all got a giggle that this old guy would cover the likes of the band behind the song "Closer." Like Elvis, Cash is one of the great interpreters of popular music. This easily could have felt contrived in lesser hands. But like with Willie Nelson it soars. The arrangements are sparse, bringing the power of the lyrics (and his inimitable vocal baritone) to the fore. Comparing his Bridge Over Troubled Water cover to the one just released by Jacob Collier and Tori Kelly/John Legend with insane vocal runs - I think this version would bring me more solace if I were in a rough spot.
The Strokes
4/5
Last Nite was on the version of Guitar Hero I had lol. Havent listened to this album in ages, and I think this is the only The Strokes album I've ever listened to. They feel like the American spiritual approximation of what Oasis was to the UK imo. In both cases I definitely got a lot more out of this in the mid 2000s than I do listening now, but its still enjoyable. Just on the scale from dated to timeless this is heading a bit more towards the dated side of the spectrum. I wish there was a bit more variety in the sound, and the riffs are dead simple, which I get is rooted in punk but did have me wishing for more at time. 3.5 but will round up for the strength of Someday thru Hard to Explain (these 4 do simple perfectly).
Neil Young
5/5
One of my biggest character flaws is not liking Neil Young as much as many of my friends. Passed on seeing him in concert this year, even - tix just too pricey for what I personally would get out of it. I will qualify that I think he's a brilliant songwriter objectively, and I maybe would have gone for it if it was 70s era Neil, but just subjectively his voice I can never quite get over. I'm still giving this record a 5, shoutout to my dad for passing on the vinyl to me so I can still listen, but yeah I am flawed, ok! Only Love Can Break Your Heart is great, and Southern Man is an all timer (Lynyrd Skynyd wrote Sweet Home Alabama in response to being called out for being unapologetic racists) and Merry Clayton's cover of it gives me chills.
N.E.R.D
1/5
Like his gigantic hat, I think this falls into Pharrell's "questionable choices" category. The chords and syncopation felt really at odds with the vocal style and fuzzy guitars. Tonally it feels dated and emotionally immature with stuff like Jump. I feel like the idea had merit in exploring whatever intersection there may be between rap rock and jazz and but the execution fell steeply short of being an enjoyable listen. It felt like the sort of thing your friend who definitely should keep his day job would foist upon you, saying he's hit on something truly unique. I started to feel embarrassed listening and did not finish. On the other hand it was good to be reminded that even the greats can take big swings and miss, and it doesnt invalidate the great other stuff theyve made. Will not be revisiting.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Oh thank Christ. Yes MJ was quite literally a monster to children but hottdamn if these arent the antidote to Thursday. That being said its extremely clear which songs were not the hit singles and why lol. Speed Demon should not have been released. 4 world class tracks though with Bad, TWYMMF, Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal. The others are serviceable. 4.5
Fiona Apple
5/5
Very few artists are in a genre all their own, where almost literally no one else sounds like them, and their own sound is incredibly mutable but instantly recognizable. Fiona Apple is one. I had never given this album a thorough listen before, even after Fetch the Boxcutters came out and reminded me to go back through her catalog as she's this absolute force to be reckoned with whenever she decides to surface. What a debut!! Everything else that came out around here really just feels like imitators now. Generally more accessible than her later records (though I hesitate so claim she is still finding her voice - she already knows her sound - it would simply continue evolving as she did). She's kind of like if Bjork made sense. Wish I had had more time to listen to this without doing anything else. Will need to revisit.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
alright this is pretty chill. Not blowing me away but easy to listen to and a fun twist on what I had expected given the little summary. Fair minimal electronic hip hop with a lillllll hint of indian influence. I had a crazy work day so I only got through a few songs and the rest of this week is poised to be the same but I can't imagine this getting anything other than a 3 from me
Iron Maiden
4/5
Iron Maiden is pretty fun! I honestly don't know why/how I had missed them before this 1001 albums thing. I didn't think of them negatively, I just didn't ever really think of them outside of being the Run to the Hills guys. 80s metal guys are really just a different flavor of theatre kid, is what I'm learning. It's a fun shtick and it seems they dont ever take themselves too seriously. Wild that conservatives tried to label them Satanists and whip up a panic when its so clearly a performance, but they'll pearl clutch over anything that moves the overton window to the right. There's a humor and drama to the whole thing, real escapism. Bruce Dickinson in his debut seems to have a bit more range and power than Paul Di'Anno did, with that almost operatic vibrato. I love the unhinged Prisoner Patrick McGoohan series, that sample was unexpected. They're great at putting out consistent quality on the two albums we've heard. No energy dips!
Adele
5/5
Taylor Swift
3/5
Between this and the new COWBOY CARTER album I have realized that apparently if you are a female music icon now, your tracks must be either ALL CAPS or all lowercase, there is no other option!! T Swift's lyrics have never particularly resonated with me, which is fine, I am very clearly not the target audience, and I hate jack antonoff's production style, but I think this is the most palatable she is gonna sound for me. I wish she diverged a bit more from the pop formula when it comes to the narrow selection of chord changes used and her overall phrasing, but it does make the lyrics easier to decipher on first listen when I don't have to devote as much active brain space to processing the music itself. I understand that to those really familiar with her ouvre this is a sonic departure but to my less developed T swift ear it sounded like a difference of meters, not miles, especially in contrast with Beyonce truly going country last Friday. Well crafted but I'd be pretending if I said any one of these songs will linger in my brain for very long after listening. I felt like most sounds ended abruptly?
Kid Rock
1/5
I recently learned that Stephen Spielberg watched Borat with Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock, which insane. Even more insane, upon watching the scene where Pam gets kidnapped in the movie, Kid Rock got insanely jealous (they were dating at the time) and he blew up at her. Anyway he sucks lol
Isaac Hayes
4/5
As far as Scientologists go, I'm a fan of Isaac Hayes. What a legacy. I was more familiar with his work composing songs for others at Stax and film scores like Shaft and Tough Guys, but hadn't heard this one before! I probably have acquired the strongest taste for this genre out of our group, so it will be no surprise to anyone that I did not feel these songs were overlong (there's a single version of the last track). Loved One Woman.
Cheap Trick
3/5
Pretty fun! Nice covers too. Didn't blow me away.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time. Smile Please gives me goosebumps every time