487
Albums Rated
3.37
Average Rating
45%
Complete
602 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
71
5-Star Albums
8
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
5 | 2.46 | +2.54 |
|
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
|
Tago Mago
Can
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
Among The Living
Anthrax
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
|
5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
|
Kala
M.I.A.
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
A Seat at the Table
Solange
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Stranger
Billy Joel
|
1 | 3.86 | -2.86 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Garbage
Garbage
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
|
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
|
1 | 3.18 | -2.18 |
|
Purple Rain
Prince
|
2 | 4.02 | -2.02 |
|
Ten
Pearl Jam
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
|
Who's Next
The Who
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
|
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
|
2 | 3.87 | -1.87 |
|
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
|
1 | 2.84 | -1.84 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4.83 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 4.5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.67 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4.25 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Roxy Music | 5, 2 |
| Muddy Waters | 5, 2 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5, 2, 3 |
5-Star Albums (71)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Peter Gabriel
2/5
This will never have a revival. Please let these 1980’s production techniques stay buried in the attic. Those who actually enjoyed this at the time are allowed to listen to it with headphones only. The rest of us don’t want to be a part of this. Okay, leave the video for sledgehammer for posterity.
14 likes
The Shamen
4/5
Never heard of this. But this was great. An album pointing forward to nineties rave culture. There are way too many dismissive voices towards electronic music on this site. This is definitely accomplished dance music, with varied and surprising layers mixed into its pulsating repetitiveness. It fit perfectly for this Saturday night.
Contrary to what a lot of the commentators write, I believe this is on equal footing with the more famous acts of the era. Just look past the 90’s dance rap stuff and you’ll find a good electronic record. Stand outs: “Possible Worlds: Deep PSI”, “Hyperreal Orbit”, “Lightspan Soundwave” and “Progen 91”.
14 likes
The Black Crowes
2/5
Crowes can competently cos-play classic cock-rock.
4 likes
Boston
3/5
More than a feeling is honestly such a banger. The rest is completely ok for what it is.
3 likes
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Probably the most overrated album on this site. A lot of commenters obviously not liking it giving it fours or fives, because of its cultural significance and/or for fear of looking uncool. Folks, it’s ok to not like blaring lo-fi art-rock. Sure, it inspired a lot of great stuff that I like, but boy did I not have the patience for this. This is more about image than music. And that image belongs in a museum where folks can adore the counter culture heroes of the past without having to pretend they like their music.
Sure it inspired a lot of bands. But everything that sounds amateurish and “real” inspires people to create. Because it lowers the bar and makes it seem possible to do it yourself. So thanks for lowering the bar and paving the way for punk and other diy music I guess.
3 likes
1-Star Albums (8)
All Ratings
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Although I loved his 80’s stuff as a kid I always kept Springsteen at a distance. Partly because I veered towards newer music in my youth and early adulthood. But a big part of it is probably due to the complete cult of Springsteen in my home town Göteborg. Springsteen has been playing the local arena every summer since the eighties it seems like. Bruce has generations of people in this city worshipping him. Naturally, as a youth identifying with indie, punk, hip hop etc I didn’t want to be a part of that crowd. Although I’ve always enjoyed some of his songs I have never really went further into his oeuvre, because it didn’t interest me. Until the last couple of years that is. Maybe it’s because I just have few years left to 40 ;).
Still, I am not completely sold on Born to run although I definitely see what people love. What struck me was that it felt less dated than a lot of other 70s rock. Maybe because Swedish indie rock still sounds like thunder road almost fifty years later.
Anyway, I already have tickets to see Bruce for the first time this summer in Göteborg. Mid life surrender
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Bored by the falsetto-folk of the first half of the album. Especially disliked Judy blue eyes and Marrakesh express. But when the album takes a darker turn beginning with pre-roads down I start to dig it. Wooden Ships and Long time gone are great.
The Crusaders
4/5
Ranges from muzak to foonkeeey. Grows on me. Know the crusaders from before mainly because of the great track “A ballad for Joe (Louis)” which has been sampled excessively. Especially like My lady, night faces and carnival of the night.
The Mars Volta
3/5
I respect the craft. But where I am in my life at the moment I don’t have the time or ability to get into the exploratory mindset necessary to absorb this. It’s a bit sad that I have lost my patience for absorbing more experimental music. Or maybe this was just never my cup of tea, because I’ve tried to get into this before.
Burning Spear
4/5
Great album that I hadn’t listened to before. Almost a five. Dub version was also great.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Well produced norm-core pop centred on a young woman longing for connection, meaning, romance and magic. Longing is one of the best lyrical themes for pop and i am cautiously curious after the first track. But it soon becomes obvious that the album is dominated by very basic and unoriginal lyrics. Tasteful but safe and boring music production. First previously unknown artist for me in this project
Public Enemy
4/5
Although I’ve listened to a lot of 80’s and 90’s hip hop I never was especially into PE. I own “It takes a nation..” on CD but it never really beacame a recurrent play. Apart from stand out tracks “By the time I get to arizona” and “bring the noize” I hadn’t listened to this. Born in the mid eighties PE always was a thing of the past for me and I never really got into them as I did with other contemporary rap groups like Run DMC, Eric B and Rakim, Beastie Boys, De la soul, NWA etc.
Still, it is abundantly clear that a lot of my favourite artists have been heavily influenced by PE. Rage against the machine, el-p, wu tang and countless of rappers.
In some parts Apocalypse 91 sounds dated but in other parts it still sounds forward thinking and fresh. The brash, harsh and alarming beats are in a way singular and unique for PE. They really were doing their own thing and although they inspired a lot of artists their sound was maybe too abrasive to really become an ongoing thing. Take for instance A Tribe Called Quests “Low End Therory” which also came out in 1991. That album feels considerably less dated because their style of beats and rapping became a dominating sound in nineties hip hop.
With that said, the uniquely rough and alarming sound is both the appeal and the difficulty with Public Enemy. Apocalypse 91 is a great album but it’s not easy to get through.
Stand out track: By the time I get to Arizona
Def Leppard
2/5
80’s hard rock is like kryptonite for me. Overproduced bombastic stupidity. Can be fun in very small doses.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
Really loved this. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the band. This kind of pointers in new directions is what I am here for. First album I know I will return to a lot. Clearly inspired other stuff I like.
5/5
I am late comer to Dylan. Although I’ve always loved a few of his hits I used to dismiss him for the same reasons most Dylan doubters do: weird voice and singing style, plus the annoying harmonica and the hardcore fans.
The last few years I’ve come to enjoy Dylan but I never took a deep dive into his discography.
This double album live bootleg may not be the most obvious starting point, but I think it’s a great way to hopefully understand his genius.
The intimacy of the first half and the inspired and louder band dynamic of the second half is a testament to his greatness. Amazing stuff.
Beck
2/5
The opening track Golden Age I knew from before and love. So I had high hopes going into this. But the rest of the album is just a well produced bore.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Yesterdays sad sap album Sea Change by Beck bored me. Nick Cave on the other hand held me completely under his spell. It feels like I’ve found a new friend in this album. I had a couple favourite songs from Cave before but never listened to this.
The Boatman’s call feels timeless almost. Caves sincerity and almost theatrical delivery are at odds with the 90s zeitgeist of mumbling irony. The sparse piano based instrumentation is very effective. What a great, great album.
Bad Company
2/5
Take out the excitement in hard rock and Bad Company is what you get. Slow bluesy classic hard rock without any edge, power or fun.
Billy Joel
1/5
“And it seems such a waste of time Mama, if that’s what it’s all about,
Then Billy Joel is whack-ack-ack-ack”
Wild Beasts
3/5
Jeff Beck
4/5
This was surprisingly good!
After having the lame blues rock of Bad Company a couple of days ago, this is where it’s at.
Six years earlier compared to bad company (1968 vs 1974) you can still hear the explosion of American blues meeting British electric guitar wankery. It’s two worlds colliding to create something fresh. As all great new music it’s an exploration and amalgamation of different musical origins. In this case some European white guys stealing the African American blues rock and turning the loudness up. It’s exciting music not still solidified in its form.
Led zeppelin and the likes would soon come and take it further. In turn, like all music revolutions paving the way for watered-down followers. Such as Bad Company who stayed safely and boringly put in the new form of blues-inspired hard rock.
Rod Stewart is great in this, I really don’t get the hate. He has a power and rawness in his voice on this record that fits the equally powerful and raw music.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I see a lot of negative comments towards live albums on this site. Personally I have come to realize the last years how powerful live albums can be. Especially during the pandemic it was a great substitute to the sense of togetherness and the energy of a live audience. I think live albums like this will have a more lasting cultural significance than many of the coveted album oriented rock albums on this list.
The album as an art form had its time between the late 60’s and the early 00’s. It had about 40 years to shine. Although I still listen to the physical media of records (vinyls, CDs, tapes etc) it’s with few exceptions a nostalgic old man’s game by now.
Of course a lot of great records are still being produced in the digital age but I think songs and live performances (not on record but the real thing) have eclipsed the importance of albums.
At San Quentin showcases two of Cashs gifts. His story telling ability and his rapport with an audience. Perhaps an audience of inmates starved of entertainment is a grateful task, but it’s obvious Cash can talk the talk and walk the walk. Every song on this might not be a certified banger but I listened to the original release, saw the video recording and then listened to the legacy edition with the whole concert. Powerful and entertaining stuff. Cash’s delivery on A boy named Sue is one of the highlights. This is how myths are made.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Great album. 20 albums in and this is the first one I’ve previously listened to front to back. It’s both varied and cohesive. Lots happening. Jorgen Ben sings, chants and talks over a varied and fun soundscape. Not quite a five for me, i miss a real standout track that I want to come back to again and again, but a great album nonetheless.
4/5
Third live album in a short time. And another great one! Cool to debut with a live album. Seminal band just for the mix of politics, pure energy and loudness. Previously listened a bit to MC5 (love the track “looking at you”) but never listened to any albums. Electric energy but I probably won’t return to this a lot.
Supertramp
3/5
It was alright. Feels like an album that might grow on me. On the other hand I don’t feel I need this in my life. I’ll take along some songs I liked for further listening, school, ruby and the title track.
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Second Brazilian album in a week. Almost as good as Africa, Brasil. Very enjoyable and pleasant. Perfect morning music. The kids loved to dance to it as well. I like the classic romanticism of the lyrics. Flowers, birds and love. A warm breeze of naïveté and positivity. A nice break from the male rock lyrics about wanting to love a woman that have dominated this project so far.
Best tracks: Stay, The Face I love, beach samba, You didn’t have to be so nice, Nao Bate O Corocao
Fela Kuti
5/5
Chanting and drumming. The base for so much good music. A primal need. Even my two year old sung along with the Fela and the audience on the last track. At the same time that the music speaks to me on a bodily level with its repetition, chanting and jamming it is utterly complex and exciting music that tickles my mind. Fela Kutis music always feel like it’s live. No surprise that this proper live album is great.
James Taylor
1/5
“I am a napalm bomb for you baby”.
James, you are barely a firecracker. You ain’t got an ounce of blues in you.
The Band
5/5
So much soul and warmth. It’s music that is living and breathing.
Only knew the intro break of “Up on cripple creek” from Gang starrs sample for “beyond comprehension”, but what a fantastic track! I might be overreaching with five stars, I don’t love every track, but there is just something magical in the dynamic between the musicians on this album.
Supergrass
2/5
I probably would’ve enjoyed this more if I’d heard it as a teen. In retrospect a lot of 90s rock seem overrated to me - especially the Brit pop. Even though those were my formative years I have a hard time getting into it now. A terrible head cold might have took a star off.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Big surprise that this was more than tolerable. Fun, stupid, sleazy glam rock/punk. Thankfully closer to the Ramones and New York dolls than classic hard rock. First half much better than B side.
Marty Robbins
3/5
Knew the great track Big Iron previously. Although I like the heart on your sleeve seriousness of the songs and the storytelling , it gets a bit weary after a while. Kind of miss some humour in between, the way Johnny Cash did great.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The highs of Paint it black and under my thumb weighs up for some of the really crappy songs. A selection of pretty good tracks inbetween the highs and lows. It feels like Stones is one of the most uneven of the giant rock bands of yore. Tried both versions and prefer the American. It has paint it black and lacks the terrible “Take it or leave it”. First time I enjoyed a stones album. I’d previously listened to some of their first albums without finding anything worth returning to.
The Sonics
5/5
More wow screams pls
Don McLean
2/5
American Pie: a soaring eagle
Everything else: subpar
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Coldplay
4/5
First record that I own a physical copy of. Listened to this a lot when it came out. It came out in a time when I almost exclusively listened to rap music but this still hit me, like the rest ow the world at the time. Haven’t listened to this album or Coldplay in general for almost twenty years now. But this still holds up.
Suede
3/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Little Simz
4/5
Great album. Little Simz is a technically accomplished rapper but it is the producer Inflo who really makes this stand out.
Little Simz raps like it was the year 2000, and she explicitly references Jay-Z in the first track in the best line of the album. It somehow feels fresh with the old school exaggerated bragging. It’s obvious she is a fan of the turn of the century New York hip hop. Little Simz lyrics as a whole are alright but not interesting enough for five stars.
The production by Inflo though is definitely five stars. Dynamic, organic and banging.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Great album. Little Simz is a technically accomplished rapper but it is the producer Inflo who really makes this stand out.
Little Simz raps like it was the year 2000, and she explicitly references Jay-Z in the first track in the best line of the album. It somehow feels fresh with the old school It’s obvious she is a fan of the turn of the century New York hip hop. The lyrics are alright but not interesting enough for five stars.
The production by Inflo though is definitely five stars. Dynamic, organic and banging.
ABBA
3/5
Method Man
3/5
Method Man often outshines everyone on wu tang tracks and on guest verses. He has charisma and a unique flow. But I just can’t get down with his records. And although I respect RZA as a beat maker I think his murky dark beats on this are a bit one note.
I even own the album on CD. Sits in a box in the cellar. But I never really appreciated it. I can’t help but feel Tical is a bit dreary. It’s hard hitting classic New York boom bap, it just lacks stand out tracks and variety.
Compared to other classic rap albums from 94 it doesn’t hold up (in an admittedly extremely tough competition). It lacks the poetic imagery and beat variety of Illmatic or the stand out tracks of Hard to earn. There are even albums in a similar style like O.Cs word…life that I like way better. Tical does not even make the top 10 of rap albums of 1994 for me.
For all the negativity above, it’s still method man and rza. 3 stars
The Avalanches
5/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
Rush
3/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
Beautiful album. Just a bit too long. I’ve been listening a lot to Sprawl II the last couple of years. Arcade Fire has always been a singles band for me. But this time it clicked in album form. Listened through it three times. The three first tracks are really great. New favourite: Ready to start
Spiritualized
3/5
Underworld
4/5
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
Incredibly defining album for rap. Opens with four absolute bangers. One of the strongest side A:s ever? Only “perfection” brings it down. Together with their debut the absolute high point of their career.
The minimalistic beats are banging and the back and forth between Run and D.M.C is incredibly enjoyable. Ah, the good old days when rap lyrics was all about who is the realest rapper. I don’t care that a lot of the lyrics are basic, this slaps.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I’ve been debating myself if this deserves a five as the album is a bit uneven. Missed it when it came up and had plenty of time to listen again. And again and again. I just keep want to come back to this terribly silly but wonderful album. It just feels like they’re having a blast exploring different ways of writing songs. Beautiful stuff.
Radiohead
4/5
Alice In Chains
1/5
Good droning sabbath-inspired guitar work. I just can’t stand this type of singer. American power rock masculinity contest type of thing. It’s the same with pearl jam (even though I like Vedders later solo work), I just can’t get into it because of the singing style. A singing style that really plagues American rock since the 90’s.
I previously stated that large parts of the 90’s Brit-rock wave leaves me cold. But I am starting to realize that the whole grunge movement (except for the aesthetics and nirvana) was complete garbage. I was a bit too young to appreciate it at the time and in hindsight it just seems terribly stale.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Came into this with a curious mindset based on the description. But left disappointed. It’s just too eclectic and lacks coherence. Music fitting different film genres stacked on top of each other. It’s also often over the top and would be a hard fit as soundtracks for most films. I’d hoped for a more coherent approach and not just a portfolio/showcase. And as history shows, Barry never became a prominent scorer of movies (although he has some tracks on the soundtrack of Lynchs great Lost Highway, I’ll give him that).
Santana
4/5
Surprisingly good! Sure, it is masturbatory guitar noodling, but its nicely accompanied by organ and great percussion. Incident at Neshabur is a stand out for me.
Haven’t yet bothered to listen to the Santana-records passed on by my father. Time to do some crate digging.
Nick Drake
2/5
Since I like some of his tracks I’ve tried before to get into Nick Drake. Just like the last time I tried I just get too bored.
It’s the same with modern acts in a similar vein such as Jose Gonzales. Nice guitar picking never did anything for me on its own.
The orchestration doesn’t add anything for me but annoyance.
Saturday sun I knew from before and like, but the rest of the tracks won’t enter any playlist.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Skottlands svar på Papa Dee. Från ljum svärmorsreggae till rätt skönt dub-gung. Väldigt svag trea.
Robert Wyatt
4/5
First listen left me cold. Had no patience for experimental, sonically challenging music with a singer who seem to be improvising. It seemed rather ridiculous at first. But the lines between madness, genious and tounge in cheek nonsense are thin here. I gave it another shot in the evening, and then another. And this cacophony of madness really grew on me. It certainly isn’t something I will listen to often, and it’s not suited for regular playlists. But when in the mood for exploring more difficult sonic landscapes Rock Bottom really does the trick.
Neil Young
3/5
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Great versions of good songs. I prefer Dustys version to the original in many cases. Dusty’s “Twenty four hours from Tulsa” has a lot more power and heart in it than Gene Pitneys version. And “When the love starts shining through his eyes” is almost on par with The Supremes original recording. The crisp expansive production makes it such a enjoyable listen.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
This will never have a revival. Please let these 1980’s production techniques stay buried in the attic. Those who actually enjoyed this at the time are allowed to listen to it with headphones only. The rest of us don’t want to be a part of this. Okay, leave the video for sledgehammer for posterity.
Nirvana
4/5
The xx
5/5
A revelation when it came out. Melancholic minimalism. Jamie xx is one of defining artists of the 2010s. Apart from the xx I love his Gil Scott Heron album, his solo album and his production in general. The xx are great live as well.
Death In Vegas
3/5
Harry Nilsson
2/5
An album and artist i really want to like, but just don’t. I like his voice and unpretentious persona but the songs do nothing for me.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Obvious five-star album up front, but I had almost forgot just how good this album is. Marley’s best album and a likely contender for my personal top ten.
Everything comes together brilliantly on this album. The band, the back up singers, Marley’s delivery and lyrics. The album has an amazing vibe. Major hits and great deep cuts. Every single track slaps and the album works as a whole.
Joe Ely
3/5
Throwing Muses
3/5
2Pac
4/5
Freudian death drive: the album.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
Tasteful well-sung big band boredom.
Joy Division
5/5
What makes this album so great is that the full on desperation is kept on a tight leash. Constantly threatening to explode but just keeps desperately pulsating.
Make sure not to miss the amazing live version of Shadowplay on the collectors edition.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Maybe it’s the laconic hedonism or the all-encompassing seriousness of the music - but once again DP fails to fully reach me. Never let me down slaps though. But so many songs feels at least a minute to long - building up to nothing.
M.I.A.
5/5
Infectious, banging and annoying (in a good way). Pure brilliance. Listened to this a lot in 2007. Switch and Diplo really managed to create a global unique sound for MIA. They went on to create great things with Major Lazer. It’s the effortlessness both in MIAs rap and in the continuous experimentation with sounds and influences that makes this stand out.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Beatles
4/5
First time I’m listening to this milestone. The main reason for me to do this project is being pushed to listen to the classics. Been anticipating my first Beatles and i guess I am starting at the end. Enjoyable but mixed bag that doesn’t really hit my buttons. Mixes total stinkers (Maxwells hammer) with amazing pop songs like Come together and Something.
Fats Domino
3/5
Was expecting something more rowdy. This was a bit too reserved and held back to really itch the rock’n’roll nerve. But it was definitely “nice”!
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Fun danceable rock.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Too misanthropic for my mindset. Obviously written from the pov of a very depressed person with nothing but hatred for mankind.
Suzanne Vega
2/5
Good cop: moody folk with some decent songs not marred by 1980’s overproduction.
Bad cop: no real stand-out tracks. Too many weak metaphors obscuring real emotion and the blandest instrumentation of the eighties.
Pretenders
3/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Black Sabbath
4/5
First time listening through Vol 4 I thought: a testament to why even great bands need a proper producer. It sounded murky and uneven. Full of subpar sabbath-tracks. But that might in part be the 2009 remaster.
Subsequent playthroughs of the 2021 remaster considerably brightened my mood towards the album. It has some real heavy hitters like “supernaut” and “under the sun/every day comes and goes”. But also some complete duds (FX, Laguna Sunrise) and some more mid tracks. And the production really is a bit murky and uneven, but the dirty sludginess is also part of the appeal.
John Cale
4/5
I was previously familiar with the great title track but still struggled with this at first. But like a lot of these albums, especially the quirkier ones, it grew on subsequent listenings. New fave: Graham Greene.
Roxy Music
5/5
I had previously dismissed Roxy music as not for me based on one of their other records. But this was such a continuous surprise of jazzy, unhinged rock music. Loved it! The biggest positive surprise of my 1001 project yet.
Al Green
4/5
Van Halen
3/5
Going into this I had only negative feelings towards Van Halen and the type of hard rock they represent. But this was pretty fun. You can really hear eighties hard rock in formation here. It’s plastic and over the top but the guitar shredding also has some lasting power. Highlight was “Ain’t talkin bout love”
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Costello comes off as a total douche. But that’s not always negative when making rock music. This album really has some great songs (the beat, I don’t want to go to Chelsea, lipstick vogue) and it is especially well arranged and produced. It still sounds great.
The Who
2/5
No rock operas for me please. Get back to the three-minute pop song format. Some lyrics are darker than black metal.
The Shamen
4/5
Never heard of this. But this was great. An album pointing forward to nineties rave culture. There are way too many dismissive voices towards electronic music on this site. This is definitely accomplished dance music, with varied and surprising layers mixed into its pulsating repetitiveness. It fit perfectly for this Saturday night.
Contrary to what a lot of the commentators write, I believe this is on equal footing with the more famous acts of the era. Just look past the 90’s dance rap stuff and you’ll find a good electronic record. Stand outs: “Possible Worlds: Deep PSI”, “Hyperreal Orbit”, “Lightspan Soundwave” and “Progen 91”.
Metallica
2/5
Too overloaded. No leaf clover is a stand out. It’s the only track where the orchestra adds something transformative to the heaviness. Otherwise it’s too much of everything all the time. For me the orchestral power doesn’t translate to record easily. I am not much for the grandiose. But in a live setting it sure can be powerful.
Muddy Waters
5/5
Feet: stomping
Head: nodding
Mojo: working
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Dated digital soul. Although it has some fairly bopping beats now and then I don’t think this will have much lasting power. As a rap fan I enjoy clever bragging, but this is just boring braggadocio all the way through.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Great album title. A shame the best track (title track) is missing on Spotify. Well worth it to seek up the full version on YouTube. The album is uneven with some strong tracks and some weak.
Joan Baez
3/5
There is no denying that Baez is a very accomplished performer, but this was a bit too high strung for me. Best track: Mary Hamilton
Nico
2/5
Cat Stevens
2/5
Too preachy. Basically every song is from the perspective of conceited man who has “figured it all out” and can’t wait to bless the ignorant people surrounding him with his profound life lessons.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Small Faces
3/5
George Harrison
4/5
ZZ Top
3/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Janis Joplin
4/5
Richard Thompson
4/5
Turbonegro
5/5
Ah, the soundtrack of my youth. In their heydays Turbonegro had a sizeable cult of followers in Scandinavia. The die hard fans all had denim jackets with Turbojugend patches. Some friends of mine even had a tribute band.
I saw them live a couple of times in the early 2000’s but most of all i remember the many singalongs while partying with friends. Turbonegro is the sound of young male camaraderie.
Although i might even prefer the trashier, dirtier and even more idiotic punk rock of their previous album Ass Cobra, my pants are bulging from the riffs and shout-along-friendly lyrics of Apocalypse Dudes.
When so much fast and heavy rock takes itself way to serious Turbonegro brings back a juvenile excitement to rock’n’roll with their homoerotic punk rock.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
4/5
Goldfrapp
2/5
Sounds like an album intensely insipired by “The Beach” soundtrack. Completely decent but I probably won’t ever return to this.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
Lupe is an accomplished student of rap. He has the lyricism and technique of his idols. He just lacks personality as a rapper. Just like J Cole he can imitate the greats but it just feels like a pale afterthought. There is no acuity, no urgency, no boundary pushing. Food & liquor has the production values of a Kanye album but it lacks the rewards.
I really like the self referential world of hip hop, but some artists are *just* references. Lupes from the generation who grew up on rap, forming their whole persona. This makes him feel like an echo of the 20 years of rap that came before his debut. Sometimes Lupe successfully transforms that echo into fresh point of view, but oftentimes he comes off as an amalgamation of his inspirations. Who is to blame him though, aren’t we all?
The National
3/5
I like The National. I even own Boxer on CD. Even then, their albums are never stronger than 3 out of 5. Same for High Violet. No real stand out tracks here. It’s nice and Matt Berninger keeps brooding. Then I go listen to something more exciting.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Queen
3/5
Elbow
2/5
PJ Harvey
4/5
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Funky musicianship marred by sub-par rapper spouting the most overused rap-cliches.
Talking Heads
4/5
Jurassic 5
4/5
I would say their debut (J5 LP from 1998) is essential listening. Power in Numbers is also great hip hop record.
On Power in Numbers they’ve expanded on their signature sound of harmonising rap over break beats. With top notch turntableism, a surpring amount of great flute samples and archaic record industry samples. Power in Numbers has a fuller more radio friendly sound than their previous releases. But it has also lost a little bit of freshness of the debut. Still a lot of great tracks here.
2/5
Aggressively ok. Boring like a lot of 90s rock. This is like the middle road of the era. A bit noisy and snarky with no real feelings apart from dejection and cynicism. I much prefer the romanticism and pop sensibility of the eighties (cure, smiths etc) or the more dynamic, fun and danceable rock of the aughts. This got some good lyrics though and I completely agree with the title and the thesis Damon Alburn delivers here.
The Black Crowes
2/5
Crowes can competently cos-play classic cock-rock.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
80’s Cohen is all about his dark voice. Contrasts well with female backing on a lot of songs. Better than I remembered but still too eighties.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Good album. But I enjoyed The Suburbs a lot more.
John Lennon
3/5
The album ends on an high note with the wonderfully twee “Oh Yoko!”.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Manic, soulful, accusatory. Rhythmic but undanceable. Difficult but rewarding listen.
Pentangle
2/5
Interesting listen but definitely an acquired taste that I am not going to give further chances to grow.
John Grant
2/5
Can’t stand this or Father John Misty which a lot of commentators compares to. It’s like a terrible time capsule to the sloppiest of beatles/Nilsson/Billy Joel songs, with the added spice of more explicit lyrics. If you think the last 50 years of music was a mistake, and just want some sassyness added to your silly pop songs of 1973, this might be for you.
Nick Drake
2/5
Oh great. Another instalment of depressed Norah Jones.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Mudhoney
4/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Anthrax
5/5
Liked this way more than expected. More punk and hardcore than other thrash metal, which suited me. Also more fun than the other overly serious big four thrash acts, and metal in general. I like this better than every Metallica album I’ve listened to.
A lot of surprising turns and speed shifts in the songs and less indulgent guitar wankery than feared. Powerful, tightly packed bursts of thrash.
I also like the political lyrics and varied singing styles, especially the hardcore-styled back up vocals. Even veers into rap rock territory and does it right. Surely inspired hardcore I like. Chuga-chugg-chugg have a surprise five!
The Who
4/5
My Generation and (new for me) I don’t mind are really great. Strong non-polished jangly rock sound.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Probably the most overrated album on this site. A lot of commenters obviously not liking it giving it fours or fives, because of its cultural significance and/or for fear of looking uncool. Folks, it’s ok to not like blaring lo-fi art-rock. Sure, it inspired a lot of great stuff that I like, but boy did I not have the patience for this. This is more about image than music. And that image belongs in a museum where folks can adore the counter culture heroes of the past without having to pretend they like their music.
Sure it inspired a lot of bands. But everything that sounds amateurish and “real” inspires people to create. Because it lowers the bar and makes it seem possible to do it yourself. So thanks for lowering the bar and paving the way for punk and other diy music I guess.
Ali Farka Touré
5/5
This was amazing. Full of rhythm and emotion. Slow but with a driving pulse and beauty. Dreamy but never boring. Varied but also really takes its time to explore sound-paths.
I’ve listened a bit to Ali’s son Vieux Farka Toure. I especially enjoy his album Mon Pays (2013). But I never got around to any deeper dives into the discography of his legendary father Ali.
Glad I finally took the plunge.
Stand outs: Gomni, Amandrai, Ai Du, Diaraby
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Prefab Sprout
5/5
WOW! What a pleasant surprise. Totally new to me.
Smooth jazzy pop with constant charming production surprises ‘round every corner. Obviously a lot of heart and skill was poured into this album.
Still sounds insanely crisp and modern despite the eighties-tinged synths. This is what modern producers try to emulate.
Reminds me of one of my favourite albums: Kaputt by Destroyer.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Iconic opener doesn’t fully save this from sounding a bit too much like a novelty act for much of its duration.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Maidens epic cartoonish heavy metal can be fun in small doses. They sure made a lot of kids metal heads in the eighties (and nineties). It’s metal palatable for pop listeners. An entry point to the world of fast electric guitars and head banging.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Never listened to the whole album before, but since I had an intense love affair with NY boom bap some twenty years ago, I’ve had around half of the tracks on mixtapes, mp3s and burned cds. The album is a great snapshot of the era of New York rap I personally like the most - 90s boom bap.
Django Django
2/5
A bag of almost. Almost funky. Almost interesting. Almost catchy. There are no cracks to enter into this musical world, its too hermetically produced. It’s krautrock without edge, indietronica without emotion. But my main problem with connecting with this is probably the singing style. The song is more of an instrument than a human to connect to.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Better than the average r’n’b / digital soul of the era. Dy-Na-Mi-Tee was a minor hit in Sweden at the time and it still holds up. A mix between digital and analogue makes the production still sound ok. Nothing overwhelmingly interesting though.
Steely Dan
4/5
Jazz-rock that is so polished that zoning out is a real risk despite its groovy, catchy and varied soundscapes.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
Just like their debut, it just doesn’t stick on me. It just goes in one ear and out the other. It sounds like a lamer version of The Band.
Ray Charles
4/5
John Prine
4/5
Lyrics and delivery with pathos, soul, humour and poetry. Straightforward, elegant and poignant.
David Bowie
3/5
An ok album with a couple of objectively great pop songs. But it just doesn’t move me. I am not immune to Bowies charm but a lot of his music leaves me cold.
The Killers
2/5
A couple of tracks that became hits through commercials, as was the norm for mid-00’s indie rock. But the songs never really appealed to me then, and I didn’t care for this album now. It’s completely alright music but nothing I want to revisit.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Prince
3/5
Thank you horny funk-pygmy for your advice on getting some. I’ll start with lying about my relationship status and taking bubble baths with my pants on tonight.
Beach House
4/5
A grower, not a shower.
Grew to unchastely size around the third time through.
Solange
5/5
This was great! Weird I disregarded this release when it came out. Tightly produced neo-soul with ambition and scope.
The Pharcyde
5/5
Great beats, fun banter and unique flows. Rap album equivalent of listening to a group of young men cracking jokes, trying to one up each other. Apart from all the jokes and improvising, there are a couple of tracks with genuine emotions, exploring personal failures and issues.
Sure, some content is extremely juvenile but for the most part the album has an undeniable charm in its infectious anything-goes mentality. And the beats still sounds great!
Beck
4/5
A quintessential 90’s album: detached, ironic, eclectic. Beck obviously listened a lot to beastie boys and Bob Dylan. Pauls Boutique is one of my favourite albums so as Beck brought in the Dust Brothers for this, of course I like it even if it’s a bit derivative. It doesn’t have the trailblazing feel and energizing rap-interaction of the beastie boys or the lyrical depth of Dylan, but it’s not cat shit either.
Public Enemy
4/5
Relentless sound bombardment. The Bitches Brew of rap. Difficult but bangin’
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Syd Barrett
2/5
I’ll leave this to the real connoisseurs of crazy British sad boys.
Dinosaur Jr.
5/5
Little Fury Things is worth a five on its own. The blueprint of all good rock of the last three decades. Admittedly I seldom listen to the whole thing, but the opening five tracks are top damn notch
John Martyn
3/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Så jävla, jävla bra.
Various Artists
3/5
Arrested Development
2/5
A rap album for people who don’t like hip hop. Funky but preachy. Detached from youth culture. As if your parent made a rap album that was somehow pretty tight musically. It doesn’t matter I am parent myself now and fully agree with the sentiment that children should “let go of their Nintendo joysticks and go dig in the earth”, I am not interested in music as a teaching tool.
Hole
4/5
The Stooges
4/5
The Verve
4/5
Överraskande bra! Minns hitsen, men det fanns mer att hämta här. En expansiv ljudbild som hela tiden håller intresset uppe. Albumet har både låtar och ett gött groove.
Wilco
3/5
Too constructed.
Röyksopp
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Straight-faced ballads about cars. Nah thanks. For the last year I’ve been convinced I was turning into a Bruce-fan. Reconnecting with my childhood affinity. I even saw him live last summer. But I am starting to realize my distance wasn’t some youthful music snobbery, but a genuine distaste for a lot of his music. Springsteen has made more than a handful genuinely great tracks, but for the most part I don’t connect with it. I don’t need Springsteen in album form.
Slayer
4/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Raw production, powerful, unique lyrics and vocal delivery. Only problem is there are just no songs I want to return to. I had the same feeling with Let England Shake: impressed but not hooked.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Still cute!
Paul McCartney and Wings
2/5
Never heard any of these tracks before, even though the title track has a lot of plays. Paul is only interested in crafting clever pop songs in a classic rock mould. There is no heart, no fury, no pulse, no nerve and no lust. The bass is nice and there are a lot of arrangement ideas, but I still struggle to find anything worth caring for. I liked Bluebird and the title track though. After having an album from each ex-beatle (excluding Ringo) and two or three from the Beatles I can safely say I don’t care much for the group itself or Paul or John individually. The George Harrison one was the best of the bunch (all things must pass).
The Waterboys
4/5
Completely new to me and although I am not big on folk-rock this was a real treat. A lot of pulse, emotion and a live feel.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
That sure was something. The four tracks from Cupid Come to All I Need = fantastic.
The Bees
4/5
An eclectic but inessential tribute to good music. Still good music though. Especially enjoyed the slower, jazzy beats at the end of the record.
Carole King
5/5
Amazing album. Glad to listen to it again. Full of great tracks. “It’s too late” is an all time fave.
Otis Redding
5/5
The United States Of America
3/5
Adele
2/5
Britains biggest emo since Robert Smith.
Peter Frampton
1/5
Dad rock in its most boring iteration.
Tried to listen to the LP when I took over my dads record collection. Couldn’t make it through. Same story now. Sold the lp to a man in his sixties at a yard sale event. It is now where it belongs, in the record collection of a retired man. I hope he enjoys the guitar solos and think back on a life well spent.
Portishead
5/5
The album is a bit one note moodwise and the album art is probably the ugliest in the whole book. But Roads is one of my favourite tracks ever and the album still has a moody mysterious allure.
Pearl Jam
2/5
Pearl Jam reviving 50s death rock with the cover of “last kiss”: yay!
This album and Pearl Jam in general: nay!
For some reason I just don’t vibe with PJ. Probably because it’s “big serious masculine hard rock” without any speed, fun or new sounds. Love Vedders soundtrack for Into the Wild though. Pearl Jams influence on American rock is probably a big reason why it has been terrible the last 30 years (I can’t help exaggerating like this).
Leftfield
3/5
A bit underwhelmed by this. I like the genre mix but it never really takes off. I sit there nodding along to the beats but it doesn’t get me pumped, nor is it interesting enough for headphone-sessions.
Björk
4/5
Unique in every sense of the word. I never really clicked with Björk all the way, but there is no denying the greatness of her debut.
Spiritualized
2/5
The epic sounds of drug induced boredom.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Headsplitting harmonicas, vivid lyrical imagery and god damn immortal songs. This project has made me a staunch Dylanite.
Television
3/5
Totally understandable that it was no hit at arrival but has garnered a big following down the years. Personally I am just lukewarm. They feel a bit like a less fun Talking Heads with more guitar wankery. Still kind of a unique sound for the time.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I only like the slow tracks from Cave, none of that rocking stuff. Too much theatrical loudness or loud theatrics on this album
Garbage
1/5
A burning pile of soulless toxic waste polluting the airways.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
”Full retard”-rock som hade varit kul att se live men som är helt hopplöst i lurarna. Behöver inte detta bröt i mitt liv.
Dr. Dre
4/5
An album that truly is a link between the old and new school of rap. Setting the standard and sound of west coast gangsta rap while still having a leg in the more traditional rap game.
The track “the day the n****z took over” sounds very much like the 88-91 period of rap, soundwise and rap-wise, while the following track “nuthin but a g thang” launches the laid back g-funk sound.
The beats are more well produced than anything at the time. Incredibly influential sound. Lyrically it’s mostly a very thorough exploration towards perfecting the coolest way to say “motherfucker”. Of course the kids loved it!
To be honest though, I was never comfortable with the glorification of gang violence and it’s misogyny (the album has some great verses by lady of rage though!). At the same time, for much of its duration, the beats and rap delivery are great enough to make me look past the tastelessness. I am not gonna return to it often, but I will never not nod my head in oblivious assent when I hear the intro of “Nuthin but a g thang”.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
I really like Karen O as a singer but the music don’t do anything for me.
The Pogues
3/5
I love the opening track and like some of the story telling of other tracks, but I find myself zoning out as the album proceeds. I’ve given it a couple of tries but I think the opening track is enough for me, I’ve had my fill. Kind of like the first beer tastes the best when out drinking and it’s all downhill from there.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Charles Mingus
3/5
I prefer my jazz either groovy or moody. This is neither. It’s a grand chaos, but rather unwelcoming. As if one stopped by a derailed party completely sober. Stay a bit and let the chaos seep into you, or follow your urge to move on.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
Major Gil Scott Heron vibes. And of course Chuck D. Ahead of its time on certain issues for being a rap album. Deeply political. Boomin beats.
The White Stripes
4/5
The raw energy of good rock n roll. Loud and unpolished. Almost balances between image and honesty but ultimately feels a bit too acted. Mostly because the heavy retro leanings I suppose.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Lots of really good songs but none truly great (which can be found on all five previous efforts).
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
It rocks. Timeless sound that could have been made any time the last thirty years. Great voice also. But I have no interest in listening to this self professed asshole no matter how self aware.
The Doors
5/5
Undeniably great
4/5
A solid three-star album of tight grooves elevated to a four by the fantastic title track.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
A showcase of the pros and cons of the pretentioussness of new wave synth pop. I’ve listened through it a couple of times and have mixed feelings - sometimes about the same tracks. My enjoyment seem more mood influenced than usually. Some of the extra material is better than the original tracks. Sacred Heart sounds like something that inspired The Knife.
Dire Straits
3/5
I am 39 with two kids. Time to finally sit back and enjoy some mark knopfler guitar licks.
Talking Heads
2/5
Talking Head sounds like a stiffer Roxy Music here. I gave remain in light a four as that was a more dynamic and exciting experience. But this album doesn’t speak to me. There are no real memorable tracks here. Just a steady, stiff attempt at a groove.
OutKast
4/5
I like the fearless experimentation of OutKast (or to be honest Andre 3000. Big Boi will probably continue to rap fast about being a womanizer over smooth beats for another three decades). Their sonic explorations brought us some of the finest rap and pop songs at the turn of the millennium.
But the wild experimentation also means a lot of duds. Their albums are impressive but incoherent.
The highs of Stankonia are incredible but there are also plenty of skips here. I feel boring for punishing risk taking here. But I prefer a shorter coherent album than a sprawling, ambitious mess.
Culture Club
1/5
Stuff me full with Stilton and cheddar, but this is too much British cheese to handle.
3/5
A lot of ideas here but not really any memorable tracks.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Så det är här The Ark snott allt från.
Janelle Monáe
2/5
Overstuffed. It just never breathes. Monáe is self confident and talented enough to take a stab at several genres and styles and succeed. But in the end it feels like a relentless collection of pretty good pastiches. It feels too much like a showcase rather than a genuine piece of art (which is perhaps unfair when considering the obvious time and talent put into this). But I’ve given it a lot of chances and it just doesn’t open up to me.
Stan Getz
5/5
Iconic sound and album cover. Not all music needs to bite, sometimes you need that smooth caress.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Every time I read a Stevie Wonder write-up I think I am going to love the album. I never do. He is an incredibly gifted musician and somehow both timeless and ahead of his time. But i just don’t fall for his sweet soul and sexless funk.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
The Prodigy
5/5
I was twelve when this came out. It hit right in the solar plexus of my formative years. It had it all: image, an air of danger and a new sound. Shook me out of the eurodisco-phase of my childhood and pointed me towards drum’n’bass, big beat, punk and hiphop
The menacing all-encompassing deep bass in these tracks was next level for 97’. It still sounds fantastic
Coldplay
4/5
A really good album. I have warm memories of cozying up with others listening to this album. All the haters just need a hug.
David Crosby
3/5
Chill hippie session music.
CHIC
4/5
So in love with the pulsating groove and the instrumentation of “I want your love”.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Stevie Wonder
2/5
This finally cements that I just don’t care for Stevie Wonder. I love funk, soul and jazz but I just don’t understand the appeal of Stevie. There are moments of funkiness I enjoy (“Too high” is a standout here), but in general it’s a bore. With Stevies annoying wailing as a cherry on top.
Neil Young
3/5
A frail earnestness towards life and music. Almost naive, but at least it feels genuine. Harvest is better though.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Discovered Cohen and this stunning debut through one of Werner Herzogs weirdest documentaries (which is really saying something) Fata Morgana (1971) . Several of the tracks feature in the film, set in the desert. The sparse instrumentation with guitar and minor add ons from other instruments is the sonic equivalent of the warm desert and some sporadic oasis.
The female accompanying song is like the Fata Morgana. Ethereal. A shimmering incorporeal longing. It constrasts so well with Cohens desert-dry voice.
Although my favourite songs of Cohen are found on later recordings, his debut is maybe his best album of his career. Tastefully produced and not as bare or overproduced as some later albums.
Mylo
3/5
I bought the CD when it came out. It was a three star album then. Same now. Drop the pressure, sunworshipper and in my arms are pretty good tracks. The rest are ok.
Manu Chao
3/5
Just like 25 years ago when “Bongo Bong” was inescapable i feel that it has a pretty good vibe but I don’t need bigger doses of it. I like the global, found sounds approach though.
The Doors
4/5
Morrison channels his blues heroes and makes it work. His voice and delivery really has weight on this album. Great groove throughout. Lyrically there is a lot of sexually frustrated laments about how he wants to get laid. As is the tradition in the classic rock era.
The Temptations
3/5
Boy band with funky backing musicians. The longer instrumental funky parts are the best parts here.
Tricky
3/5
Murky beats with rather anonymous female singing. As a longtime enjoyer of hip hop beats I can dig this. But it lacks the moodiness and beauty of better trip hop releases.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
I like the prominent new wave bass lines, but there’s too few really memorable tracks. Best track: second head
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Leans heavily on other alt rock/metal acts of its era, but this was surprisingly effective. Great singer and dynamic but a bit anonymous sound. Maybe a bit overproduced. Probably won’t return to it.
Crowded House
2/5
Pop rock lullabies for adults.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
Never cared for G’n’R. Cartoonish version of Led Zep mixed with the vulgarity of hair metal.
Deep Purple
3/5
Peak ”gubbrock” or dad rock in English. I sure heard my father repeatedly play this in the car growing up. It’s alright for what it is but the singer is a bit bland.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I remember being immensely bored by “bridge over troubled water” as a kid when my friends mom was raving about it. That song still is a bore. It made me wrongfully dismiss this album. Because then comes “El Condor Pasa” and “Cecilia” and plenty of other pop gold nuggets.
Le Tigre
4/5
An intoxicating cocktail of raw punk energy, drum machines and feminism.
Sade
3/5
Boppin bass lines.
Kate Bush
5/5
Beautiful avant-garde pop music. Timeless and unique. There’s something exciting and unexpected hiding around every corner.
Frank Zappa
2/5
There are some real good grooves hiding under the screaming guitar. But Zappa just can’t let the guitar breathe even for a couple of seconds.
Paul Simon
3/5
I like Simon because of his open minded and exploratory approach to music. Like all the best artists he is good at stealing and making something of his own from it.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Noice!
Beatles
2/5
If the Beatles ended after this album they would be a cute curiosity today, known only by a few record collectors. This is quickly produced boy band music with inane lyrics. Pretty catchy but it’s an album that doesn’t grow with further listening. It starts to annoy me third time through.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Solid early psych but not mind blowing.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Got enough really great songs to warrant a five.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Prince
2/5
Purple rain is full of ideas. Some work, most don’t. First two and last two tracks are terrible. But there are a couple of songs in the middle I enjoy parts of. But all song structures are weird. No track work as a whole. As soon as I find something I like there is the next moment or track to ruin it.
Prince is a burst of creativity lacking cohesion. His ideas are everywhere but they are just so fleeting, never fully explored, always on to the next thing. ADHD in music form.
Purple rain feels both extremely dated and uniquely weird. I understand that some people love him. Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, star quality etc. But I can’t understand the near universal acclaim. There must be a lot of people NOT liking Prince? I mean, thin drum machines, eighties synths and electric guitar wailing can’t be everybody’s cup of tea?
Although I have started to understand that funk with pop appeal has maintained a huge mainstream audience for decades, and that Prince fits the bill for a renaissance in contemporary American culture I still don’t get it. For example, his contemporaries Madonna and MJ have a lot more big hits that still work today. I’ll just have to accept that I’m in the minority here, that this is not for me.
Beck
2/5
I see no reason for the inclusion of this album. Beck does the same things he did ten years earlier but it doesn’t feel fresh anymore. This batch of detached musings over pretty ok break beats are on the wrong side of the millennium shift.
Talk Talk
3/5
I respect the craftsmanship but the songs don’t have sonic claws to stick in me.
David Bowie
3/5
Joan Armatrading
2/5
Middle of the road folk rock with some blues and funk inspiration. Strong voice (which I personally don’t care for), weak lyrics. Background music for grownups. File under: vaguely soulful music that bores the shit out of me.
Common
5/5
Be (intro) is probably my favourite Kanye beat of all time, and that is saying a lot. (Number two is probably jay-z - this can’t be life). I never got past the opening on earlier listens of this album as it’s too hard to follow. It’s such a perfect track. But after keeping this on rotation several times today I see my mistake. It’s a great album from Kanyes golden era when everything he touched became gold. I’ve always liked common but never loved him. Although he is technically a great rapper his voice register is rather monotone. But Be is a treasure trove of soulful jazzy hip hop productions topped with good lyrics and delivery. Such a nice vibe.
Talking Heads
3/5
I like Talking Heads and their debut is pretty good and influential. But I am fairly certain I’ll never think: “I am really in the mood for a Talking Head-record”. The type of band I respect a lot but never get the itch for (at least in album form). Their debut is better than “More songs..” but not as good as “Remain in light”.
Radiohead
5/5
Not as cohesive as I remebered but the highs are really high.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
Uninteresting mix of retro sounds.
Pavement
4/5
Nice lo-fi indie rock. A keeper.
The Cars
4/5
Don’t let the new wave tag fool you, this is dad rock in disguise. But damn, this still has an effective pop punch I can’t resist.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Pixies
5/5
Such a fun album!
Manages to constantly surprise.
Love the prominent bass.
Compared to other great late eighties alt-rockers like Fugazi and Dinosaur Jr, Pixies is more tongue in cheek. There is an exuberant lust for experimentation here.
So many great songs and a few duds.
Bauhaus
2/5
“Bela Lugosi is dead” has long been a fave. Their debut ”In the flat field” is also great. “Mask” is disappointing and dated post punk experimenting. Thin and annoying sound.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Grand arrangements, tame blues rock, piano ballads and faux-pink-floydisms. In a word: booooooring. Some nice horns and a general inoffensive chill vibe saves it from one star oblivion.
Metallica
4/5
Packed with powerful riffs. Impactful and iconic. There is however a limit to how much joyless masculinity-cult metal I can take in one sitting. But hey, probably their best album.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elvis is a heck of a performer on some tracks (Blue Suede Shoes) and a bumbling fool on others (I got a woman, tutti frutti). And some songs are not that good to begin with.
Nirvana
4/5
As someone who was a bit too young to register Cobains death, Nirvana has always been there. A dependable band you can be sure most people like. I found love for loud rock around the time Grohl paid homage to Cobain with “My hero”. So I was too young to really grasp the grunge movement as it happened. I’ve always enjoyed Nirvana, but never had that spark in the eye for them. But they sure influenced a lot of bands I listened to in my formative years.
Nirvana bridged the pop/punk divide effortlessly on Nevermind.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Brilliant moments mixed with plodding, crappily produced funk. Was expecting to love this based on my deep affinity for “family affair”, but this was kind of a let down.
Venom
3/5
Fast, grimy and idiotic. As it should be.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Sure, it’s calculated hit making with plenty of Elvis mannerisms. But it is also genuinely jouyous and brimming with life. Organic and tight musicianship with good writing and production.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Great fuzzed out alt-rock with sonic depth and honest lyrics. But Siamese Dream doesn’t light that spark in me to warrant a five.
Pixies
4/5
”Gigantic” is an all time top ten song for me. Not really knowing who the pixies were back then I had a very innocent conception of the lyrics. I always thought Kim Deal sang about a deep, deep love. Gigantic even. Turns out it was all about the schlong-size of black man named Paul.
Orbital
3/5
As I am sitting here in my home office nodding my head to Orbital 2 I begin to question my life choices. Why am I not completely wasted in an industrial warehouse, half blind from flashing lights and smoke, dancing to this?
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
All sane people agree that “Dreams” is one of the best things humanity produced the last century. And Rumours is a great album. But, contemplating with one foot raised on a baroque footstool, does it reeeeally tickle my freely swinging balls enough to warrant five stars? No
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Massive Attack
5/5
In the frontline of beat-oriented music in 91’. Still sounds fresh.
Bob Dylan
4/5
My fifth Dylan-album and the first not awarded five stars. Definitely prefer the follow up Blonde on Blonde.
Roxy Music
2/5
I loved the unhinged jazzy art-rock of their debut, which got a five from me. Roxy continues their sonic experiments here, but it just sounds overproduced. An overloaded heap of sounds without any strong songs. Out of the blue sounds terrible with its effects. Just found it pretty annoying in general.
Mudhoney
3/5
Fela Kuti
5/5
Fela delivers two 12-minute funky afrobeat anti-militaristic juggernauts which prompted 1000 soldiers to be sent out to crush him, tragically killing his mother. Obvious five.
Neil Young
4/5
Sound is fan-tas-tic! But a lot of Neils lyrics gives off such a whiny man-child vibe. I like his way of singing though.
R.E.M.
3/5
Pretty good. You can hear Pearl Jam picked up influence from this.
Iggy Pop
4/5
a-ha
3/5
Decent pop album. For good or worse: is this the ultimate representation of eighties pop music?
Oasis
3/5
Some undeniable tunes (live forever) and they are great at rock history pilfering (I mean it as a compliment). But I never connected emotionally with an oasis song.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
In short bits it borders on magic. But in the end I don’t really love the overall sound. And I often tire half way through a song. I prefer the darker “Treasure” to this one.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
Breakbeat samples delivered like a chocolate box: a sugary technicolor acid funk explosion.
Raekwon
3/5
Dense, murky and verbose. Never really could get into the extended wu-universe despite a general love for NY boom bap.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
In the guitar-as-phallos genre so popular among the post war baby boom generation Thin Lizzy is probably one of the better proponents. At least I enjoy Phil Lynnot as a singer. Don’t care so much for the incessant guitar wankery but this live album packs some power. Highlight: Massacre
Ice Cube
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Garage rock revival riot grrrl goodness. Still, it’s the slower tracks that are the stand outs. Way better than it’s a blitz.
Miles Davis
5/5
Still my jazz fave. Such a classic.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
I was about twelve or thirteen. I went down to the local half pipe to inline skate (as kids did in the late nineties). This other local kid were laying down sick lines while blasting rage against the machine on a boombox. I was awestruck, amazed, flabbergasted - I had never heard anything like it.
I immediately knew I had found my new favourite band. This album shaped me like no other.
I still return to it now and then for Zach De La Rochas youthful anger, Tom Morellos blasting and inventive guitar and the funky rhythm section. A shining beacon in a genre often dismissed. Ten out of ten absolute bangers. Not a weak track. What a debut.
Madonna
3/5
The glitch-country-of “don’t tell me” is pretty good. And the warm wave of electronica of “what it feels like for a girl” is nice. “Gone” is another good one.
Madonna herself doesn’t exactly shine on this album, but I kinda like the production.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Another great drama class indie rock pearl.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
First listen: three pretty good songs and that’s it.
Fourth listen: three amazing songs and the rest is pretty good as well.
Almost on par with Harvest. Best lyrics of all the Young-albums I’ve got so far. Like a dumb-downed Dylan.
The three great tracks? “My my, hey hey (out of the blue)”, “Thrasher” and “Powderfinger”.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Minor Threat
4/5
I was in a packed mosh pit a couple of days ago (The Chats). It’s an experience that often teeters on the edge between an obnoxious testosterone show-off and a deeply communal experience where everyone simultaneously pummels and take care of each other. Minor Threat is a standard bearer for that cultural experience.
Kid Rock
1/5
Beforehand I thought people were a bit harsh. But damn, this really was a crass perverted mockery-version of his obvious inspirations (RATM, Beck, rap music etc.). Actively dislike his persona. Never again.
The Stooges
4/5
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Groove world championship winner right here. This shit bumps.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Almost 300 in and this is my ninth CSNY-related album. I haven’t had a single the cure or the smiths related album yet. Whatever. However unenthusiastic I was when this popped up, I still enjoyed it. The two longer tracks especially. Almost a four.
Muddy Waters
2/5
Old timers doing their thing well. Lively and competent blues playing. Blues sure was the foundation of rock. Simultaneously it was the foundation of decades of boring blues rock. I respect the craft but I just want to move on.
Suicide
5/5
Hyperfocused minimalist darkness with bursts of manic energy. Perfect soundtrack for the pre-Christmas blues.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Stevie really got the funk. It’s a shame he mostly used his incredible gifts to make mom soul (the pendant to dad rock). There are some great tracks here between all the bland.
Miles Davis
5/5
I just can’t get enough. Been listening to this on a loop several evenings in a row.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Tight musicianship, funky drive, soulful singing. A couple of really good tracks. But I probably won’t return to it in album form.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I was ready to dismiss this as the peak of empty hipster blog house of the mid 00’s (even though I have a burgoneing nostalgia for that era of music). But this still bumps.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Groovy psych!
Van Halen
2/5
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
First impression: this maximalist pop doesn’t suit me. Weirdly enough, given that ”Mr blue sky” has a billion plays on Spotify, I don’t think I have ever heard ELO. As expansively produced music often grows on me given the chance I gave this a handful of listens. And it definitely grew! ”Sweet talkin’ woman” is a new favourite. As is ”the whale”.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Obvious five.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Tried to get into this before but it did not really click then. Same now. Its alright noise but it doesn’t scratch any itch. Actually prefer Isn’t anything” to this.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
Anohni turns into Nina Simone before our ears. Such a powerful album.
The Who
2/5
Usch vilken hemsk gubbrock. Alltid hatat Behind blue eyes. Nästan en etta.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
I love the tribe, but have not listened to their first album except for the hits. What an idiot I am. I would have had this on constant rotation. This was such a blast. Fantastic album! Maybe even better than their follow ups. Still a breath of fresh air. Amazing beats.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I am pretty big Cohen-fan but even I wouldn’t call this essential listen. It has the fantastic ”the partisan” and a couple of other good ones. Even though I have it on vinyl I barely ever listen to it in full.
Magazine
3/5
The Offspring
4/5
Ljudet av mitt pojkrum. Till skillnad från en del andra skivor som gick varma i de tidiga tonåren (typ RATM) så falnade glöden inför musiken med åren. Även om Self Esteem är en evig sing-a-long. En riktig klassiker i genren.
The War On Drugs
4/5
A warm fuzzy blanket of sprawling, melancholic rock music
David Bowie
2/5
A self-indulgent slog of an album. Like having a talk with someone on coke.
Gang Starr
5/5
Kind of forgot how great this album is. I am a big fan and have all their CDs but haven’t revisited this one in years. DJ Premier is of course the god of 90’s hiphop beats but I definitely used to underrate Guru. He is a great and unique lyricist.
Norah Jones
2/5
DJ Shadow
5/5
It’s about mood. Mood and range. A melancholic journey through beat making with a truly eclectic sample base. The vocal samples help create an atmosphere of mystery. A complete new beat oriented world filled with chopped up drum breaks, funk guitars, organs and the wish to go roller skate. It’s no coincidence the album ends with a sample from twin peaks - this is the otherworldly red room of 90’s hip hop (RIP David Lynch who just passed).
My favourite tracks were always ”building steam with a grain of salt” ”stem/long stem” and ”midnight in a perfect world” but lately it might be ”mutual slump” and the druggy slow break beat of napalm brain turning into the hectic jungle beats of scatter brain. Not to forget the closing track what does your soul look like part 1 - especially the scratching on the outro of the track.
But every song is its own little world connected to the greater universe that is this album.
My favourite album of all time. Although I like most of shadows output he never has come close to the magic of Endtroducing…
Rush
2/5
No thanks. This Rush-album is sorted into the crate of rejects from my dad vinyl collection collecting dust.
The Young Gods
3/5
The Prodigy
4/5
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
I like the sound and her voice. Some tracks are really good (closer especially), but I probably won’t return to it in album form.
Eagles
3/5
Love the cover and the music is surprisingly alright. Especially enjoyed the sexually frustrated opening track. An incredibly common theme in classic rock that is conspicuously absent in modern music. Otherwise a bit too much of inane lyrics and bland blues rock too be anywhere near higher marks.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Incredible album of jazz and funk infused soul. I mean, it has both Pusherman and Superfly! Two stone cold classics. And the rest of the tracks are equally great. I’ve been listening on constant rotation for the last few days. It’s such a rich album full of funk and beauty.
Do yourself a favour and listen to ”Makings of you” from the Curtis! Live album from 1971. One of recording history’s finest moments.
Germs
3/5
David Gray
3/5
Suede
3/5
It’s alright. But it won’t help save Brit pop from my worst genres in my summary. 90s brit pop rarely hits the sweet spot: it’s either trying too hard to be clever - like this and Blur, or it’s too dumb (Oasis). The only one I really liked so far is The Verves Urban Hymns.
AC/DC
2/5
This type of ”boys just wanna have fun” hard rock always bored me.
Kanye West
4/5
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
What a ride! Nice surprise I knew nothing about.
Ray Price
2/5
Big Star
3/5
Middle of the road music that apparently inspired a lot of other artists I don’t care about. Typical music critic nerd music - no real bangers, only well crafted pop music unloved by the masses.
Boston
3/5
More than a feeling is honestly such a banger. The rest is completely ok for what it is.
Blur
4/5
First half is strong enough to make up for the lacklustre second half. Almost to varied, but hey, at least it’s unpredictable.
M.I.A.
3/5
Can
5/5
This slaps. Got those great grooves and rhythms you can listen to for days. Thankfully the best track keeps going for 18 minutes.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Really like ”Breakdown”, and American Girl is pretty nice. Can live without the rest.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
The B-52's
5/5
Hell yeah! This is what rock’n’roll is about: dumb fun, punk aesthetics and a good beat. They’ve gone completely under my radar but their influence on music I like is obvious. Especially the whole riot grrl movement seem inspired by this. And my favourite Swedish indie rock band of the nineties, bob hund, stole from them. Just listen to Planet Claire and then put on ”Bob hunds 115:e dröm” or any other of their instrumental tracks.
Radiohead
3/5
Well-crafted unexciting alt-rock. No really memorable tracks even though it’s all fairly good.
Jack White
3/5
I enjoy the raw unpolished almost antique rock/blues sound similar to most White-projects. And the songs are pretty good. But unlike some of the mid 00’s white stripes records, this has zero cultural impact/relevance and doesn’t belong on this list.
Eminem
4/5
Fun disgusting cringe. Already as a teen when this came out I thought it was too much. But that’s the appeal of course. The depravities comes packaged in such a joyous word play that I can’t help but enjoy it. Even though I am 25 years older and should know better it still resonates with a part of me.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Wailing Wonder wears me down once again.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Fun mix of old school and futurism that holds up alright 23 years later. Missy and Timbaland were on fire around the millennium shift. But just like her other records - the hits are enough for me, I don’t need the rest.
Deerhunter
4/5
Dreamy indie pop psych enhanced by walking around in the unreality of noise cancelling headphones phones.
The xx
3/5
Agree that it’s inessential. Still really nice though! Their debut got a undisputed five and is definitely essential on a list like this. But I never really got into any of their follow up albums except for Jamie xxs solo stuff. I especially like ”in colour” and his treatment of Gil Scott Heron on ”we’re new here”.
”I see you” is almost a four for me as i dig the the whole album, but ultimately I don’t really need it in my life and would rather listen to their debut instead.
Elton John
2/5
I don’t even care for tiny dancer. I am not big on these piano men and their grandiose gestures.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Doves
3/5
Ambitious albeit anonymous alt-rock.
Madonna
3/5
Minutemen
4/5
Snoop Dogg
4/5
The Smiths
4/5
2/5
Too annoying. Mongoloid is great though.
Morrissey
4/5
Nice surprise that Vini Reilly (the durutti column) plays the guitar on this. His unique style really comes through on ”Late Night, Maudlin Street”. This is on equal footing with the Smiths albums.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
3/5
Mid noughties synth-infused rock music with grandiose gestures and mass appeal. Muse is like the more proggy British version of the killers. Somehow this reminds me more of them than obvious influences like Radiohead.
The Smiths
4/5
Supergrass
2/5
Yawn..another 90s retro rock brit pop album. Not bad, but unexciting.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Goosebumps. Dylan’s just on another level.
Goldie
4/5
Great sountrack for trail running.
David Bowie
4/5
My favourite Bowie so far. But that’s mostly due to nice funk and soul instrumentals. Bowies singing is often weirdly low in the mix.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Beatles
4/5
Ah Beatles: the soap opera for men of music. Such interpersonal drama! Aren’t the characters growth astounding? from boy band to experimental hippies. John is kind of cute, but I, a contrarian, root for the more anonymous George Harrison. The others might be holding him back, let’s see how this drama plays out. I hope no one is killed off in the following season..
Slade
2/5
From the crate of my dads vinyl collection with terribly dated rock. Some tracks has a pretty tight stomp though, a certain undeniable propulsion. Dumb rock is hit or miss for me though, and this is certainly most misses.
Foo Fighters
4/5
I’ve underrated this album. Always loved the shape and the colour, but haven’t listened much to this one previously. No big hits but some really nice riffs and an emotional undercurrent I appreciate. New fave: floaty
R.E.M.
2/5
I hear Michael Stipe, I zone out. Can’t help it.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
David Bowie
2/5
It comes down to auteur theory: is a mediocre late era Bowie album note worthy because of its place in the artists career?
I don’t even care that much for Bowies classic albums. So for me it is a hard no. I had no appetite at all for this. As a stand alone record/art piece it is of slight interest.
And this project ha made me realize I don’t really like Bowies voice and singing style. He has a pretty weak voice no? He got pretty good lyrics though. But the theme of aging and looming death was much more powerfully realized on blackstar.
Van Morrison
3/5
Great soulful live album. But probably not something I’ll return to, which means three stars rather than four.
The Cure
4/5
Fugees
3/5
Funkadelic
4/5
It slaps
The Clash
5/5
Incredible album. So influential on the music I grew up on. The Clash’s first two albums are good punk records, but they really expanded their vision here. Packed with great tracks with different vibes. From ”Rudie can’t fail” to ”Lost in the supermarket” to ”the guns of Brixton”. Love Strummer as a singer.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Pretty good sound. Live and raw. But pretty inessential if you ask me.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Cool and chaotic. Silly and serious. The singing through a box shenanigans are pretty annoying though. Production wise it sounds murky. But it’s so full of soul, funk and ideas it doesn’t matter. Imho ”Stand” is better than ”There’s a riot going on”.
Moby
3/5
As a beat afficionado I always thought Moby was ok and nothing more. That verdict still stands. He plucked some low hanging fruits mixing old blues over simple beats. Genious move as it turned out.
It’s moody, I like that, but it’s just too easy listening, nothing really exitcites.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Like all truly great albums it inspired a lot of crap that came afterwards (and a lot of good stuff too!). Disco is the genre with the highest highs and lowest lows. This album is peak disco.
I’ve always loved the rhythmic guitar, the floaty, erratic percussion and especially the buttery, creamy bass on ”Thinking of you”. It’s such a perfect song. I never tire of it.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
This hit right in my sweet spot for sensual, soulful singers of the 60-70s. Really enjoyed the last Dusty-album I had as well, but this takes it up a notch. Top notch arrangements, big sound and it all starts with a beautiful ode to morning sex - what’s not to like? A new fave.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Interesting! As a rap fan I am a sucker for this type of morbid story telling. Songs about honour, god and death. Come to think about it, this could’ve been a rap album. .
Tears For Fears
4/5
The sound definitely shines through the good part of the spectrum of eighties sound. Sounds great. Ambitious song crafting.
Love
4/5
Great stuff. Singer is pretty mid though.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Hugh Masekela
5/5
An abslolute bop!
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
If there ever existed a timeless product of its time, it’s this. Anchored in it’s contemporary world of 1966 it still transcends time thanks to its earnestness and beauty.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Eclectic and funky!
Sebadoh
3/5
OutKast
2/5
An overrated, splintered, bloated mess.
U2
2/5
I thought I was rather indifferent towards U2, but Bonos lyrics are so bad here it’s almost unbearable.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
I love the tribe almost as much as q-tip loved his pager in 91’
”Yo Phife, gravity don’t flow”
The Hives
4/5
They were (and I believe still are) an amazing live band. Howlin Pelle is a true provocateur/entertainer.
I loved their two first albums which are compiled here, but I lost interest quickly afterwards. Partly because my taste changed and partly because they became a bit robotic on follow up releases.
At their best they are a vibrant joyous echo of garage rock originators and obvious inspirations like ”The Sonics” (which in my book probably is the peak of rock music - the perfect encapsulation of youthful energy).
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Linkin Park
3/5
The less douchy version of limp bizkit, with lyrics about how relationships are hard, thus also appealing to girls, which means double the sales.
I was 15 when this came out and my favourite bands where RATM (nu metal) and Atmosphere ( emo rap). I was in the middle of the linkin park venn diagram but I still didn’t feel it. Didn’t hate it either. Same feeling now. Lyrics are too single minded. They’re all about toxic relationships. Yawn. But their influence is obviously enormous.
Yes
3/5
In equal parts impressive and annoying. I’ve never really cared about virtuosity in music. Here it’s a bit much ”we play rock music but we’re serious musicians”. I don’t feel it. Except when I do. There are some intensely groovy parts. Especially the first two-three minutes of ”Heart of the sunrise”. And ”Roundabout” is great.
I think I am at risk of being sucked into the black hole of prog rock if I stay in it’s proximity. I should probably put on something with worse musicians quickly.
Kanye West
5/5
What a debut. Here kanyes gripes are still relatable. He is still full of himself but damn this still sounds good.
The Police
2/5
The Beach Boys
2/5
Morrissey
5/5
Surely the peak of melancholic asexual, deeply romantic, volcel rock? This is even better than those smiths records. Morrisey was never as vulnerable or as good as he is here (?).
My favourite tracks keep changing with each listen. A sign of the riches here.
Strongest faves at the moment: ”I am hated for loving” and ”Speedway”
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
The king of impeccably mid rock songs that are at least two minutes too long. A bleak uninteresting version of ”This years model”. He sounds so spiteful all the time.
I agree with the majority here. His many inclusions on this list is totally unwarranted. He has neither a big subcultural following or a broad appeal. An artist who only nerdy rock journalists care for.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
Eurythmics
2/5
Q-Tip
4/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
It surely doesn’t sound like a mix between Kraftwerk and James Brown. (That’ would be the sounds of Afrika bambataa maybe?).
It sounds like a slower, murkier and heavier David Bowie album.
Prefer Iggys other album from 1977, Lust for Life. More straight forward.
Ute Lemper
3/5
Alice Cooper
3/5
Patti Smith
5/5
Wow! Still sounds fresh. What a revelation. It’s never too late to discover great music you’ve slept on.
The Byrds
3/5
Loved the first two tracks. The Mr Tambourine Man cover is a great cover even though it’s dumbed down and sweetend. The opening guitar part alone feels like it inspired a thousand jangle rock bands. But for me jangle rock is best in small doses, before it gets too bland, which is exactly what happens here. Too many banal early Beatles sounding love songs with incredibly boring lyrics.
Saint Etienne
4/5
Great vibe! Precursor to the avalanches. Got that same nostalgia mixed with contemporary beat music. Only heard the fantastic ”only love…” before.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
”That fat-fingered fuck Thelonious really can’t play, can he?” - me
”He is a unique genious doing his thing with incredible complexity and dexterity” - people who actually know something about jazz
Boards of Canada
4/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
Willie Nelson
2/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
It’s almost really good. But I can’t really get into Lloyd’s singing style/voice. The lyrics are basically cultural name dropping in the hopes of infusing some romanticism into the void. But again, I am a sucker for the pretentiousness of 80’s new wave and jangle rock.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Title track is great. Ads on youtube kind of ruined the mood. Potential to grow on me.
Massive Attack
3/5
It’s simultaneously dub for dinner parties and forward thinking beat music. The vibe doesn’t hit me like on their debut. It’s a bit too restrained and safe, which at first made it seem a bit boring. But in the end, I keep enjoying the spins. Great work music.
The Jam
3/5
John Coltrane
4/5
Supremely cool but difficult.
The Byrds
3/5
Simple Minds
4/5
Sometimes I love eighties music. Unabashedly pretentious, dark and moody (although this rather glitters at times), with a driving prominent bass. Takes the beat from disco and twists it into synth/rock music. This sounds fantastic.
The Clash
5/5
Sepultura
3/5
Served in a bite-size it’s great. I like the sound of the first couple of tracks. But I don’t need a 72-minute three course meal with the same flavours.
The Kinks
3/5
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
The soundscape of pt 2 really echoes in modern experimental electronica . Great album!
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
String-infested brit-pop. I like their politics but not their sound.
Mike Ladd
3/5
I was extremely into experimental hip hop in the early noughties, but this eluded me then. Fun with a left field choice like this, but there are so many worthier choices of experimental hip hop from around the same time with a lot bigger influence. Some of the top of my head: ”Deltron 3030”, Aesops Rocks ”Labour Days”, and ”The Cold Vein” by Cannibal Ox.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Fun album but a bit too incoherent and on the surface.
Pink Floyd
5/5
The Birthday Party
2/5
Typical example of music that is fantastic in a live setting. Chaotic energy to lose yourself in. This needs a room of people ready to let loose. And the album obviously tries to capture that live feeling. But in album form this post punk burst of madness is unwelcoming and harsh. Would love to see them live in 82’ but I have zero interest in listening to this record.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Todd Rundgren
2/5
After the first track: where have you been all my life Todd? After the rest of the album: yeah, ok, back into obscurity again please.
As with other albums by ”geniouses” that play all their instruments themselves it lacks that certain groove tight bands can create together.
James Brown
4/5
A really powerful live album. Have it on vinyl, so I’ve listened to it plenty. Brown and his band are in total control of the crowd.
Van Morrison
3/5
Gang Of Four
5/5
Tim Buckley
2/5
I could never stand good singers. They always have to show off the range of their voice. Worse singers have to fill the songs with emotional depth and feeling instead which makes it more relatable. There is interesting music and good lyrics here, but dear Tim just has to ruin it with his oh so very competent and dorky singing.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Meh. Slightly updated formula, with some really nice beats, but it feels like a decade behind its time. And ghosts hectic delivery is a bit much in solo album form. Annoying skits as well. What a weird, terrible way to open an album with a distorted angry rant.
Primal Scream
4/5
Great dub record with some rock thrown in. Both unique and anchored in the electronica scene of the late nineties. Cool concept as well. Nice find!
Brian Eno
4/5
Really good experimental analogue/electronic beats and sample music. Forward thinking and ahead of its time. Truly enjoyable but a bit too much of a curiosity to warrant five stars.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Paul Simon
4/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
Jamiroquai
4/5
Gorillaz
3/5
Too much filler not enough killer. I feel the same about this as when it came out. Gimmicky but with a couple of nice hits. I love Del, he has such a unique flow. Prefer UNKLEs psyence fiction (1998) for a project with similar scope but with better execution
Morrissey
3/5
Sounds great as usual (apart from the two opening tracks), but Your Arsenal never touches my heart. His insufferable side takes up too much time here. I prefer Viva Hate and Vauxhall & I
Faust
4/5
Common
3/5
I’ve owned the CD since early 00s. But I’ve always been slightly bored by it. And though it might sound blasphemous considering his clout: I never really cared for J Dillas beats. They are organic with a really nice bass sound. But honestly they never really bang.
The only time this album gets a bit exciting is when a stuttering DJ Premier beat interrupts the proceeding in ”the sixth sense”. It doesn’t matter that it’s a formulaic premier-beat, it still slaps.
I gave ”Be” five stars but this is an album that I rarely want to return to. Commons lyrics are a bore: trying to be insightful and conscious but still ”hard”. It makes it all feel a bit insincere, and frankly a bit boring.
It’s an album I want to love but never managed.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Ozomatli
3/5
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Buzzcocks
3/5
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Silver Jews
5/5
Far from perfect but maybe that’s part of why it hit me straight in the gut. Raw beauty. Hope intermingled with darkness. I’ve been obsessively listening to this for the last couple of days. Maybe it’s the seasonal dip in full swing as the dark Swedish winter is coming up - but this spoke straight to my heart.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
The Neptunes and Timbaland era of pop music had a lot of really great tracks. Case in point: Rock your body. However there were zero (as far as i can recall) really great albums. Case in point: Justified.
When it’s good it really slaps, but there are too many weak points with stale beats and uninteresting singing/lyrics.
Ice Cube
4/5
Kate Bush
4/5
We should all be grateful that Kate Bush, during the 1980s (the human era defined by a ruthless conflict between proponents of synth based music and lovers of hard rock riffs) regularly left her realm of elves and imparted her advanced elven musical knowledge on us mortals. Her benevolence helped expand the mind of humans, spread potent weirdness into the world and prepared us for the new millennia. Iooo iiiooo iiooo
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Adele
2/5
Once again I was fooled to believe snobbery had made me miss out on something amazing by a strong opening. I was reminded ”Rolling in the deep” is a truly great song. But I can’t stand ”set fire on the rain”. And the bulk of this leave me cold.
Blue eyed soul or any soul or other music genre for that matter need more than heartbreak. I miss the sensuality and joy of Dusty Springfield or the attitude and rawness of Amy Winehouse.
Weather Report
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Buddy got a one track mind. All he can think about is that sweet sweeet lovin. If he’s not out cruising (looking for someone to love as he would phrase it) he wants to be sent lewd pictures. I mean, look at those pervy glasses.
Dr. John
3/5
Lana Del Rey
3/5
Christina Aguilera
2/5
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Spacemen 3
3/5
Nice and droney, slow and druggy. Suicide is the obvious high point. Uninteresting singing and no emotional content barrs it from four star territory.
Soft Machine
3/5
Louis Prima
3/5
The Adverts
3/5
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
10cc
3/5
Britney Spears
2/5
2/5
The musical equivalent of puberty voice change. Deeply cringe, but sometimes it booms.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
David Holmes
4/5
Nice beats. Varied soundscapes. Some tracks go on a bit too long, and you can tell the producer is a bit too preoccupied with being cool. But I really liked these little distinct beat worlds.
Deep Purple
4/5
It can only be said in the form of a cliche: this rocks. A showcase of why hard rock was huge in the early seventies. A testament to the power of the genre which DP studio albums can’t really live up to.
Tom Waits
4/5
”16 shells..” is a top three rap song of 1983. Up there with Sucka MCs and Renegades of Funk.
MC Solaar
4/5
Queen
2/5
Cream
4/5