Like: Huge guitar, tight rhythm section, great vibe
Dislike: Vibe is very one-note and gets stale, Johnny Rotten is bad and it ruins the great band sound, album overstays it’s welcome and should’ve been a killer EP
Overall, I can see the importance but it isn’t for me
Likes: Chill vibe, gritty 70’s NYC sludge, droning discordant melodies
Dislikes: A little too consistent sonically, could use some more colors in the palette
Vibes on vibes on vibes… Slow dripping like honey.
Likes: Diverse sonic palette, some jazzy bits I really enjoyed, great instrumentation and jamming
Dislike: Repetitive nature of the score, not always interesting
Overall solid. Fun, good vibes. A little too repetitive since its more of a soundtrack than a traditional album, but there are some great moments here. Would score higher if it was a more focused album rather than a score.
Likes: Groove and rhythm section are great. Guitar is fun, if a little simplistic. Keys getting in with the rhythm is neat
Dislikes: A little boring and repetitive. Constantly sounds like the band is getting ready to go on a jam that never comes
It’s fine, but not for me - I think this is one of those scenarios where it sounds cliche to me because it influenced and was borrowed by so many future artists
Likes: Drumming and rhythms reminiscent of In Utero at times, solid band, fun vibe that stays consistent
Dislikes: Vocals and melodies don’t do anything for me at all, songs feel a little too similar/one-note
Overall, this is an album where if you like one song, you’ll probably like the rest. But I don’t, so it was a bit of a slog for me.
Likes: Gripping hook lyrics, calm and easy-to-listen vibe, feels like there’s a world waiting to be uncovered in the lyrics
Dislikes: Kinda monotonous/droning, not a lot going on musically, boing-ing spring reverb
Not something I’d listen to for the music, but something I’d deep dive for the lyrics
Likes: The Edge is a fucking wizard, bass and drums that are epic without being over-the-top, absolutely anthemic choruses
Dislikes: with so many 10/10 songs, the other songs feel more mundane than they are by comparison
Holy shit this is good - makes you immediately understand how U2 became the biggest band in the world. Head and shoulders above the other albums so far. Very strongly considering revising rating to a 5 if the album sticks in my rotation, would’ve been a 4.5 if it was an option.
Likes: Hypnotic rhythms, chill for casual listening with more depth if you want it, secondary vocals and samples add a ton of richness to the record
Dislikes: hard to dig deep on the poetry on a first listen, not a circumstance I can relate to
Overall a good listen. Can see adding it to my rotation of occasional hip hop listen
Likes: Vocal attitude/tone, lyrics that pop out are provocative, arrangements are fun
Dislikes: Execution of the arrangements feels so sterile and anemic it comes across closer to circus music than rock and roll. Almost on the verge of parody
Overall, this was a slog to get through. If this is an all-timer, it’s because it combines the all time worst qualities of McCartney’s granny music with Springsteen’s overwrought exposition. It takes the worst things of the best artists and puts it together, and it does not work for me at all. Almost couldn’t finish it.
Likes: Drums sound good from a production standpoint, bass is always moving and doing something interesting
Dislikes: They seem to think that repeating bad lyrics will make them less bad. Guitarist is often offbeat, and not in a good way. Mike Campbell needs to have a talk with the synth player about serving the song, and tell him he’d do the band a favor by fucking off instead of playing about 85% of the time
This one was rough. Gave it a few chances, and that made me like it less. It’s like a mix of The Police, The Cure, and The Killers that is somehow barely listenable.
Likes: propulsive drum tracks and rhythm; high energy and hype; makes Aerosmith palatable; some truly iconic tracks that transcend genre
Dislikes: a little droning in some tracks if you don’t dig the groove; made Aerosmith cool again
Overall not my cup of tea, but you can absolutely hear why this was so groundbreaking. Some of it sounds rudimentary because it’s foundational for everything that comes after
Likes: Easy to listen to, very well produced for its time
Dislikes: Too much… I get that it’s a valuable listen, but why is a three hour boxset on the list when there is surely a more concise way to hear these songs or this singer. It all blends together, and nothing stands out.
Overall, not bad and a didn’t mind it at baseline, but it’s just too much. If it was three hours of compelling material, that would be one thing. But it’s just not, unless you’re already a big fan of Ella or the Gershwins.
Likes: Huge sounding production, soaring guitars, intriguing bass, locked in rhythms, vivid lyrics
Dislikes: Not much; lyrics can be a little blunt at times; the knowledge of what this band becomes haunts the album’s greatness
All in all, an undeniable and great album that illustrates why Metallica deserved to become the biggest band on the planet. I’m not often in the mood for something this aggressive these days, but I loved this album growing up and it has a deserved place in my all-time list.
Likes: Easy to listen to when they find a groove that works; guitar has some fun moments
Dislikes: very repetitive; lacks substance in both lyrics and music; bass is very McCartney-esque, and it doesn’t align with what the band is doing most of the time; tracks drag and would benefit from being sped up to liven them up
Overall, feels like an all filler, no killer effort. Having “Cum On Feel The Noize” and not putting it on the record feels like a ripoff
Likes: Cash’s attitude, charisma, and banter; great shuffling rhythms; feedback loop and interplay with the crowd
Dislikes: sound quality is rough; including both cuts of the song San Quentin if cool from the perspective of leaving the performance as it was, but isn’t necessary: shortened version of Folsom Prison Blues
Overall, a great record that demonstrates Cash’s greatest talent - turning casual shuffles and talkative lyrics into definitive statements of truth that resonate with many different artists
Likes: production quality is objectively rough, but very charming; atonal and erratic guitars are my jam; creamy grooves in the rhythm section; keys don’t quite match the band aesthetically, but somehow it really works for me
Dislikes: vocal style isn’t my favorite; album starts really strong, but doesn’t maintain that momentum; false starts/intro jams of some tracks are better than the actual songs
Overall, I was a little disappointed. Thought this was gonna be a 4 based on the first few songs, but it didn’t hold up
Likes: so many classic tracks; Slim Shady at the height of his audacity and insanity; incisive social critiques that still hold up today
Dislikes: some of the non-singles slow things down a bit and take away from the vibe; “Kim” is a track I really can’t stand behind anymore, with some age and real world experience in my perspective
Overall, a great record - it’s what cemented Eminem as an industry staple rather than just a force to be reckoned with. I genuinely didn’t realize how much of this record was already burned into my brain
Likes: instrumental solos are insane, when they want to be; pulls off that neat trick of sounding simple if you’re listening casually, but gets very interesting with a closer listen; grooves and timing are immaculate; guitars are fantastic
Dislikes: often stays in the same groove too long and becomes boring; a little to jazzy for my ears
Overall, not much I dislike; I can appreciate it, but it’s just not for me since it vamps in the same vibe for too long, too often
Likes: production quality was very good
Dislikes: tinker-toy instrumentation, whiny vocals, boring melodies, adlib vocals done too often and not letting the tracks breathe, painfully slow and tedious arrangements
Overall, I hated this. The only reason I finished is the short length. And even then I had to force myself through it multiple times when I just wanted so badly for it to end. It’s like the musical equivalent of your grandma’s kitschy porcelain tchotchke collection - sure, it’s not inherently offensive, but why would anyone like it?
Likes: good guitar playing and tones given the genre, good classic country storytelling and turn-of-phrase songwriting, good energy, some rockers in the track list
Dislikes: stereotypical lonesome troubadour energy on some tracks, a little too twangy for me
Overall, not bad, just not my jam. You can hear a lot of old and newer country in his sound, almost like a bridge between the classic and millennial eras
Likes: Hooky samples; solid features; good puns and topical lyrics
Dislikes: production style is a little maximalist and overwhelming for my taste; I prefer the feature rappers to Kanye stylistically in most cases
Overall, a solid record for what it is, but not a sonic aesthetic that speaks to me. It’s also hard to come at it fresh when we know how off the rails this dude is gonna go.
Likes: attitude; sonic production, drumming; poppy song structures alongside aggressive stylistic expression
Dislikes: Some songs (Teen Spirit, On A Plain) lean a little too bubblegum at the expense of having coherent lyrics - a Beatle-esque prioritization of melodic phrasing over lyrics
Overall, this is an example of one of my totem albums not quite holding up for me now. I still love it, and what it did for me. But it’s not something I come back to often, and when I do, it’s songs like Lithium and Drain You.
Likes: ridiculousness; high energy
Dislikes: big fratboy energy; no sense of dynamics or chill; samples are so on-the-nose that it takes away from the song - if I want to hear Zeppelin, I’ll listen to Zeppelin
Overall, disappointed by this one. Thought I’d really dig it as one of the first albums to combine punk and hiphop, but I just didn’t care for it. It’s a little to juvenile to warm up to if you’re hearing it for the first time in your 30s
Likes: Girls who Rock; instrumentation is solid across the board, and is really interesting without getting in the way of the song; high energy on most tracks
Dislikes: Some songs are lower energy in a way that doesn’t match the rest of the song’s vibe; some of the tracks get a little boring and same-y; singles don’t match the other songs
Overall, a solid record that I enjoyed listening to. I preferred the tracks where they step away from pop and get a little more weird with it, like Automatic.
Likes: smooth flow, easy to vibe to, good samples
Dislikes: doesn’t necessarily stand out or speak to me
Overall, I can see why the album was such a big deal, especially with some of the older rap albums I’ve reviewed - it’s a big step forward. But it doesn’t do much for me
Likes: Lead vocal, some of the more analogue instrumentation
Dislikes: Industrial instrumentation, noise elements, lack melody in most songs
Overall, I found little to enjoy here. Too noisy/jarring to fall into a good groove, and I dislike the industrial/digital sonic aesthetic. Reminds me of The Cure’s “Wish,” but with bad instrumentation and no charm.
Likes: Springsteen-esque conviction in the vocals; slow, crooning vocal over the synthy staccato instrumental creates a really intriguing discordant vibe; feels like its capturing the feeling of being aware that you’re in a dream
Dislikes: can be a little rambling/winding
Overall, not something I expected to like as much as I did. I don’t love the songs as songs, but they’re really great as an atmosphere you can float in
Likes: choice of songs is perfect; while not truly unplugged, it is emotionally unvarnished and raw; very tight and focused sonically; Kurt’s vocals showcase the idiosyncrasies that define him
Dislikes: Kurt’s vocals also show some weakness that remind you why producers often double tracked him - it usually works for the song, though
Overall, a record that is greater than the sum of its parts. There are likely Unplugged sessions that sound better, are more hit-laden, or are more electrifying. But whether as a last statement of a dying man, or simply the biggest band in rock making a record that sonically at odds with their breakthrough album, it’s hard to imagine the Nirvana legacy without this album.
Likes: Massive, perfect guitar tone; drumming and rhythms are next level; angsty lyrics; no bad songs at all, no skips
Dislikes: Billy’s vocals are an acquired taste
Overall, easily one of my favorite records. It’s Pumpkins at full power and strength, but neither the record nor the songs themselves overstay their welcome. Focused perfection.
Likes: drumming, groove, drive
Dislikes: vocal tone and melodies are screechy; songs all sound the same
Overall I can see why someone would want this, but it’s not for me. When I can’t connect to the vocals at all, I can’t find much joy in the songs.
Likes: singles are good, some songs have a Roxy Music vibe
Dislikes: overly repetitive, grooves don’t go anywhere, and I don’t like some of the sonic texture choices
Overall, I don’t like this. Most of the tracks sound less like finished songs and more like a bored guy fucking off with his new keyboard. The tracks that ARE SONGS don’t save the rest of the album.
Likes: First half is just classic after classic; Lennon-McCartney in one of their most focused efforts; sonically cohesive, but musically distinct
Dislikes: great tracks are front-loaded, which leaves the back half feeling flat by comparison; Lennon-McCartney at their poppiest
Overall, a great record. Not my preferred era of Beatles, but so many of the tracks are undeniable classics that it doesn’t matter
Likes: some good hooks; light-hearted poppy vibe
Dislikes: front half is too sing-song; some of the hooks make me cringe; back half didn’t register much
Overall, I know what the Kinks represent in rock history. But I don’t hear any of that on this record. Victoria is a good track though
Likes: Chaotic parts of the jams remind me of later noise jams by bands like Nirvana; high energy
Dislikes: they don’t quite sell me on the idea that the chaos is intentional, and not just a result of everyone being high and fucking their parts up; not particularly interesting to me
Overall, similar to my review of Arthur by The Kinks. I know what this band is supposed to mean in the broader context of rock, but I don’t feel like I get it.
Likes: Energy reminiscent of Iggy Pop; fun and quirky vibe; atonal jams
Dislikes: nothing in particular, just not my vibe
Overall, it’s alright. Very listenable, but didn’t do much for me
Likes: Jammy, chill vibe; instruments are usually doing something interesting, rhythms, timeless lyrics
Dislikes: sonic aesthetic doesn’t do much for me; arrangements are pretty sparse
Overall, not my vibe and probably won’t listen to it much, but hard to find anything to objectively criticize. Good jams, for people who dig it
Likes: lush synth arrangements; droning instrumentals that some work; desolate, moving lyrics; gothrock aesthetic
Dislikes: very little; if I’m nitpicking it’s a little long in some songs. But given the songs where the brooding length works well, its hard to complain
Overall, it’s very difficult to be objective with this album. It means a lot to me, has gotten me through some very tough times, and is an easy 5.
