1001 Albums Summary

Highlights: We Do What We Can, Solidify, Strong Enough, I Shall Believe Leave Em's: The Na-Na Song, No One Said It Would Be Easy, What I Can Do For You Overall Thoughts: I found this album relatively boring and shallow off the bat and it didn't really redeem itself until the final two songs. I liked Sheryl's voice over the slower more R&B sound of those last two songs much better, despite the feeling that they may not belong on this album given the sound of the rest of it. Until that point I found her voice unemotional and frankly annoying. You can go ahead and count me out for Tuesday Night Music Club. Score Breakdown: 3.09 & 2 -> 2.545

Highlights: Someone Great, New York, I Love You..., Watch the Tapes Leave Em's: Sound of Silver, Us V Them Overall Thoughts: There seems to be a degree of nostalgia associated with this album that I can't relate with. Basing my feelings solely off the music, I found that many of the songs were much too long and would have been much more enjoyable if delivered in half the time, while maintaining the layering of the song. I am not a huge fan of the album as a whole and am likely not going out of my way to play specific songs but it is easily comprehensible that this album could be cherished. Score Breakdown: 3.16 & 3 -> 3.080

Highlights: You Can Call Me Al, I Know What I Know, The Boy In the Bubble, Graceland Leave Em's: Under African Skies, That Was Your Mother Overall Thoughts: This is my second time around reviewing this album and it did not disappoint. I love the fusion of sounds that Paul, as a singer songwriter pulls together. There are some clear African influences throughout the album, but he manages to blend them with an infectious and memorable pop sound on several songs. I would maintain the claim that this is one of the best complete albums that I have heard so far in this project. Score Breakdown: 3.82 & 4 -> 3.910

Highlights: When Doves Cry, I Would Die 4 You, Let's Go Crazy Leave Em's: Darling Nikki, Computer Blue Overall Thoughts: I have tried this album in the past from front to back and couldn't get very engaged with it, however this time around listening with a critical ear I finally get it. First off, it is always exciting to recognize an artist and album that pops up, and even more exciting when said album is lauded as a top 50 album of all time. A lot of the music throughout feels like it embodies 80's pop and rock music and as a young person I can see the inspiration that this kind of music provides to artists like The Weeknd. Darling Nikki was the only song I could really do without but I still feel like there was a place for it on the album. The fact that he played the guitar on his own stuff is truly impressive and adds to the impression Purple Rain provides. The smash hits are so good and in my opinion they somewhat carry the rest of the album in listenability. I'm now planning to go watch the movie; which along with making good music was probably the point of the album right? I guess that would make this album a success... Score Breakdown: 4.189 & 5 -> 4.595

Highlights: Sutrix, OK Leave Em's: Traveller, Vikram the Vampire Overall Thoughts: If I were a movie producer creating an action movie set in India then I would be all over this album. But alas, I am producing no such movie and I can only imagine getting chased down the side streets and alleyways of Mumbai for so long before I start to lose interest. The added elements of electronic sounds to more traditional Indian music is interesting although I am not convinced that it makes the music any more approachable or appealing. As background noise, which is the only way I imagine I could ever listen to this album again, nixing the heavy electronic elements would have been less distracting and more soothing and increase my likelihood of trying Talvin's album again. It felt like this album just carried on for a whole hour without providing much inspiration or disgust, almost like Singh was aiming to be just OK. Score Breakdown: 2.052 & 1 -> 1.526

Highlights: Escapade, Lonely Leave Em's: The Knowledge, Rhythm Nation Overall Thoughts: The album started out sounding like High School Music for social justice warriors. Despite some of the corny lyrics there are very danceable songs and Janet's intentions are seemingly pure. I attained more personal enjoyment out of the album throughout the middle portions where she transitioned to love song variations. Some of her songs did seem to drag on a little bit too long without much variation, however there are worse voices to be subject to listen to for an hour. She really showcased her vocal through the end of the album with the R&B songs which offset my negative feelings for the beginning of the album. I don't think this is one of her most popular albums and I hope to do one with a larger profile later on in the project but I doubt I'll be coming back to this one a whole lot. Score Breakdown: 3.375 & 3 -> 3.188

Highlights: Bad Moon Rising, Green River Leave Em's: Wrote a Song For Everyone, Cross-Tie Walker Overall Thoughts: Just classic rock music out of this album. Their country orientation throughout made the album more appealing then some other soft rock explicit records from the time. My one negative comment is that the songs start to sound a little too similar towards the back end of listening, however as someone who enjoys the sound and content that they are delivering I am okay with that shortcoming. My leave em's for this album were really just the songs that I liked the least of the nine. Maybe they could have cut it down to seven or so essential tracks, but I think Wrote a Song For Everyone does deliver a needed break from the fast paced album. I could use this album as background music for a car show or anytime I would like to be transported to 1969. Score Breakdown: 3.911 & 4 -> 3.956

Highlights: The Scientist, Clocks, A Rush of Blood to the Head Leave Em's: Daylight, A Whisper Overall Thoughts: Coldplay have mastered a sound that is unique and crafted to their music. I just wish that not every single song used the same formula, flow and instrumentation which is what it seems like their discography contains. I really enjoy their massive hits and even some of these album cuts. I was just hoping for a little more variety in a full project however. This review sounds harsher then the score because I do like the sound of the music and I did find some new songs to listen to, I just hoped for more. Overall, a good album that I think reflect Coldplay very well. Score Breakdown: 3.727 & 4 -> 3.864

Highlights: Venus as a Boy, Crying Leave Em's: Violently Happy, Aeroplane, The Anchor Song Overall Thoughts: This is one of the most abstract musical projects that I have ever heard. I'm glad that I have heard it, but I have no inclination to come back or save any of these songs. I enjoyed how variable the sounds were throughout the album, as well as how Bjork uses her voice in different pitches. It managed to hold my attention pretty much throughout by remaining interesting and variable, but I often found myself turned off by the lack of rhythm and melodies that are traditionally more pleasing to the ear. I didn't hate it, but it is surely not for me. Score Breakdown: 2.618 & 2 -> 2.309

Highlights: It's All Over Now, Lady Day, Gasoline Alley Leave Em's: Only a Hobo, My Way of Giving Overall Thoughts: This was my first time listening to Rod Stewart and he strikes me as a hit making artist. His really successful songs seem to be very good and there were three or so songs on the album that I thought were just that; very good. The rest of the songs really didn't stand out, nor did they have much to offer. I enjoyed that there were some slow songs (i.e. Lady Day, Jo's Lament) that served as breaks between the classic rock songs. I wish that all of the songs were on the level that he clearly demonstrated he can reach, however much of the album felt like filler. Rod's voice is raspy and unique and provides a cool sound but it doesn't contain much variation and it becomes somewhat bothersome after 45 min. I likely wouldn't search out this album again, except maybe the couple that I liked. Score Breakdown: 3.489 & 3 ->3.245

Highlights: Won't You Give Him, Goodbye Baby, He'll Have to Go Leave Em's: Beautiful Brown Eyes, You're Good for Me Overall Thoughts: This album was perfectly named Rock 'N Soul. I don't recall ever hearing any of these specific songs before, but this album captures the essence and the sound of the times in 1964. I have always been a big fan of this style of music as I find it easily enjoyable and seemingly difficult to do wrong. I was not looking to skip through songs or waiting for them to be over. Some songs I liked more then the others, but I didn't truly feel like the album would be better off without the ones I didn't like. If there were a few more recognizable tracks on this album I think it would flirt with a perfect rating in my opinion. A great voice over classic instruments and backup vocals is a recipe for enjoyable music. Score Breakdown: 3.983 & 4 -> 3.992

Highlights: We Are The Pigs, Heroine, This Hollywood Life Leave Em's: Daddy's Speeding, Black Or Blue Overall Thoughts: This album did the least for me of any album I have heard so far. There were some decent songs that weren't that good and some poor songs that I didn't feel were too bad. The indie orientation of this album feels like it was an excuse for poor production and some questionable vocal performances. I don't have much to complain about on the album, it just left me feeling apathetic and not all that inspired. I wouldn't mind hearing many of these songs again but they won't be on my playlists. Score Breakdown: 3.092 & 3 -> 3.046

Highlights: Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown, Tonight's the Night Leave Em's: Tired Eyes, Mellow My Mind Overall Thoughts: I have heard some really good things about Neil Young and his music, but I was underwhelmed by this album. On several of the songs his voice sounds pretty rough and off-key. I imagine that this 1975 album was released in his "heyday," yet it sounds like it could be a live performance in his farewell tour 40 years later. While the songwriting on some songs was somewhat redeeming there were also plenty of songs that felt shallow. Neil's voice simply fits so much better on louder more rock sounding music, and there was not very much of that on this album which served as a detriment to it. I couldn't even convince myself to like the song named Albuquerque... I hope to head an album that suits his voice better and contains some of his hits. Score Breakdown: 2.767 & 2 ->2.384

Highlights: American Girl, Breakdown, Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll Leave Em's: Strangered in the Night, The Wild One, Forever Overall Thoughts: This album falls into a genre that I have dubbed "Classic Car Rock," which growing up hearing and being around has made me very fond of. I gravitate much more to the rock sound of the 1970's as opposed to some other genres in the same decade. American Girl is a song that has served my generation as something of a flagship or earmark of the time it comes from, and it has been in my music library for quite a while. As a whole album, it could have been better in the middle section but the hit songs and recognizability went a long way for my appreciation of it. The choruses of most every song had something interesting that provided an ear worm, which makes listening nice and easy. Score Breakdown: 3.600 & 4 -> 3.800

Highlights: Take Me Out, The Dark Of The Matinee, 40' Leave Em's: This Fire, Michael Overall Thoughts: I had a lot of fun with this album. This album embodies what I wish most indie albums sounded like. It sounds like they took their time with balancing the production and tried to make it sound good, which I can't say for all the indie/rock albums I have heard. It caught me somewhat off-guard too since I haven't really enjoyed any of the non-American albums I've listened to so far. Despite liking the experience as a whole, there were surely songs that I didn't love and detracted from the overall rating of the album. All in all, I can tolerate some of the repetitive and not so interesting songs in exchange for some of the compelling and awesome stuff on this record. Score Breakdown: 3.309 & 4 -> 3.655

Highlights: Born In '69, On A Rope Leave Em's: Misbeaten, Salt Future, Fat Lip, Burnt Alive Overall Thoughts: I walked away from this album after making it nearly halfway through. Somehow, in the hours that I was gone the album got significantly more listenable... now I'm not saying it's great, but I was ready to write a one star review for it. Some of the songs, especially in the first half actually kind of rock out. It did start going down hill again in the second half around the mid point, and I'm thinking I would've enjoyed this album more if it were twenty minutes shorter. The lack of variety and space is expected from a rock album but it would have been welcome. Upon second listen I do think the bad still outweighs the good, but there is at least something I can point at to appeal for a rating better then bottom of the barrel. Score Breakdown: 2.421 & 2 -> 2.211

Highlights: Intro, Crystalised Leave Em's: Shelter, Heart Skipped A Beat Overall Thoughts: I imagine that this duo, or however many members are part of this group, set out to be edgy and were self-proclaimed "not like the rest of pop music." They were successful in their mission, being that I have never heard a whole album whispered before. The lack of variation really killed my appreciation for the album overall. That being said, the instrumentals are fantastic, and I think they set a beautiful and epic ambiance that unfortunately is not matched by the vocals. Part of me is curious if you stripped the vocals from the album and focused solely on the unique production what you could come up with. I think that approach may yield a more desirable product to my ears and I could see the tracks being used in movies and epic travel videos to set powerful moods. I would not love listening to this experiment from front to back again. Score Breakdown: 3.155 & 2 -> 2.578

Highlights: Beechwood Park, A Rose For Emily, This Will Be Our Year Leave Em's: I Want Her She Wants Me, Butcher's Tale Overall Thoughts: A British rock group from the 60's that is not the Beatles? Yes please! This album was very enjoyable for me. Ranging between slower and more up-beat songs but maintaining a strong independent sound made it a fun listen. They do sound a lot like the Beatles to me but there are worse things in the world of music. There are hardly any songs that I would prefer to be left off the album, despite the wide variety of sounds provided. I was surprised that I had never heard of these guys but I am impressed with this record and am excited to hear more like it. Score Breakdown: 3.817 & 4 -> 3.909

Highlights: Son Of Sam Leave Em's: Happiness/The Gondola Man, Better Be Quiet Now, L.A. Overall Thoughts: Very uninspiring body of work that had me returning to see how many more songs I had left. Similar to some previous albums it wasn't bad, there just wasn't a single song that I could see myself seeking out and coming back to. Elliott's voice does not sound special to me and the content of the songs and instrumentation do not knock my socks off either. I have a very difficult time resonating and rallying to these soft pop albums with a lack of variety... give me something with some emotion and passion! Score Breakdown: 2.673 & 2 -> 2.337

Highlights: I Don't Believe in You, Living in Another World Leave Em's: Chameleon Day, August 5th Overall Thoughts: This album has an interesting sound and some of the faster paced song actually sound decent. I am not a fan of the slower more spacey sounding ones, and I find it a bit too experimental. As a project, I found the variety between slow and fast distracting, which is contrary to my typical opinion. I think they could have tried to focus on doing one thing well. The music on this album is decent for what it is but I can't imagine ever listening to these songs outside the context of this project. Perhaps for someone on psychedelics this is the kind of background music they would like while staring at the butterflies on the album cover, but it is not for me. Score Breakdown: 2.550 & 2 -> 2.275

Highlights: Porcelain, Run On Leave Em's: Machete, The Sky Is Broken, Inside Overall Thoughts: While this two hour project did not feel like a waste of time I was fortunate to listen to it as background music at work. As such, the album was relatively enjoyable, however I couldn't imagine sitting down and trying to deeply listen to this thing. Big shoutout to the A$AP sample, it's always fun to find the original sample for some of my favorite rap songs. I personally don't see a whole lot of replay value in these songs but I'd welcome many of the tracks as background music in the future. I preferred the songs that had lyrics the most but I did not enjoy the spoken word songs and would prefer an instrumental to a poem spoken over a beat. Score Breakdown: 2.704 & 3 -> 2.852

Highlights: Mother People Leave Em's: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music, Harry, You're A Beast, The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny Overall Thoughts: I do not comprehend what I listened to in this album. This is one of the strangest things I've ever heard. Everything from the song titles to the rip off of the Beatles album cover conveys such a crazy vibe. I didn't like hardly any of it and the stuff that was reminiscent of music was quickly cut into by either abrasive sounds, or off the cuff lyrics. This feels like a satirical album, however most satirical music that I have heard in the past has been some fun to listen to, this was not. Score Breakdown: 1.627 & 1 -> 1.314

Highlights: Let's Stay Together, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, I've Never Found a Girl Leave Em's: Judy Overall Thoughts: Al Green epitomizes soul music in its golden age. His voice is great and the dated production really works well to create the old school soul feel. He displays his musical range on this album from slow heartbreak ballads to upbeat love songs, and he does them all well. There is a reason that this album is one of his most critically acclaimed, and I don't feel like I can add a whole lot of new ways to iterate that this album is wonderful. This record makes me fond of a time that I never experienced and makes me wish that I had been there. Score Breakdown: 4.111 & 5 -> 4.556

Highlights: Wouldn't It Be Nice, Sloop John B Leave Em's: God Only Knows, Caroline, No Overall Thoughts: The Beach Boys have never been the band that captures my attention from the 1960's and I struggled to find anything all that special about this album. As a music fan, this album is known as being iconic, but to me their formulaic pop songs wear thin once you've heard the massive hits. It seems that they only write two types of songs: slow love songs and up-tempo beach songs. While that is very on-brand, most of the songs that fall into the same categories sound the same to me. That being said, the music is not bad or avoidable, and it definitely can take you back to a different time. I personally just don't see a lot of appeal in any of these songs for my personal listening outside the mega-hit. Score Breakdown: 3.639 & 3 -> 3.320

Highlights: If You Love Me At All, Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line Leave Em's: Anyway At All, Straw Dogs Overall Thoughts: Another album with less then notable vocal performances and harsh production balance between abrasive instruments and softer features. The only songs I enjoyed I will credit to shear volume on this album. The old saying "even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally" holds true to my belief about the songs here. This album felt like a waste of time, especially with some of the nine or more minute songs that just go on and on and on. I wouldn't consider there to be anything remarkable about this album but it wasn't the worst thing that I have heard throughout this project. Score Breakdown: 2.590 & 1 -> 1.795

Highlights: Old Times Good Times, Cherokee Leave Em's: We Are Not Helpless, Black Queen Overall Thoughts: This album as a whole was pretty basic and there isn't too much to complain about. It sounds like a blend of indie, pop, soft rock, and singer/songwriter music. Most of the songs are pretty safe and they're fine, but nothing really caught my ear and engaged my listening. It is pretty impressive that Stephen is still putting out music. Unfortunately I can't endorse the first record of his career as extraordinary, although I could imagine some potential for growth throughout his discography. In conclusion, this falls under the "forgettable" area from this project that it seems like a lot of these records are subject to. Score Breakdown: 3.210 & 3 -> 3.105

Highlights: Love Removal Machine, Bad Fun, Electric Ocean Leave Em's: Born To Be Wild, Peace Dog, King Contrary Man Overall Thoughts: A classic rock album that isn't trying to be anything more then what it is. I actually enjoyed this record more then I thought I was going to. The Rock and Roll sound shines through this album and I think they do a good job of not making the loud instrumentation and vocals abrasive. This album also embodies the sound that I imagine rock music taking in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Despite its predictability and lack of variety, The Cult did what they do well and produced a rock album that does rock. Score Breakdown: 3.173 & 4 -> 3.587

Highlights: Aqualung, Hymn 43 Leave Em's: Slipstream, Cheap Day Return Overall Thoughts: It felt very much like an abstract rock album and in being such there were some different concepts that I liked, and some that I did not. I was not a big fan of the windpipe solos inserted into the middle of rock songs. I did like some of the vocal experimentation and rhythms that clearly have some global influence throughout. I was surprised that I had not heard of Jethro Tull or their biggest hits on this album given that I know many of their counterparts from the same time. There is a lot of mention of young boys and girls that I may be lacking context for, but they make me feel disconcerted. I think it was an interesting album as a whole but it did not really resonate with me. Score Breakdown: 3.267 & 3 -> 3.134

Highlights: The opening of In a Silent Way, Peaceful Leave Em's: N/A Overall Thoughts: Miles Davis makes good jazz music. I don't feel at liberty to offer much more critique because I don't know a whole lot about the genre. I think there are settings in which jazz music can be more potent and interesting such as performed live or as background sounds, but I wouldn't really play this album to do any intense listening. I do prefer the slow jazz music as I think it does a better job communicating emotion. The album consisting of just a front and back side does inhibit my normal rating system of rating each song so I had to freestyle a bit for the score. Score Breakdown: 2.800 & 3 -> 2.900

Highlights: Love Is Surrender, (They Long To Be) Close To You Leave Em's: Another Song Overall Thoughts: This album was more enjoyable then I anticipated. This duo is very talented and her voice is really amazing. It's not really my style of music but I can acknowledge how quality the product is. It sounds much different then the rest of the music that I have heard from the 1970's. Their music feels very PG which is fine, but for it to maintain much longevity in my book I would prefer music that takes more risks and sounds less like a Disney soundtrack. Score Breakdown: 3.175 & 3 -> 3.088

Highlights: Alifib Leave Em's: Little Red Riding Hood Hit The Road, Alife Overall Thoughts: This album sounds like the result of putting an old man, unfamiliar with music, on vocals and a young child with ADD on production, together in a room and asking them to make an album. The vocals are not strong and oftentimes do not match what is happening with the instrumentation. I wonder how some albums like this make their way onto this list... I did not find much redeeming in this album at all and came away from it feeling like I wasted my time. Score Breakdown: 1.517 & 1 -> 1.259

Highlights: Paranoid, War Pigs Leave Em's: Rat Salad Overall Thoughts: Hard rock executed really well. The album doesn't stretch out for too long and contains some absolute gems in its forty minutes. The group demonstrates their musical prowess with long rifts between lyrics and verses which is unique. This album makes me want to drive in a loud and fast classic muscle car which is an aesthetic that has always appealed to me. Black Sabbath like most of this project is before my time but I imagine they would have been one of my favorites if I grew up in the 1970's. Score Breakdown: 4.125 & 5 -> 4.563

Highlights: What's Going On Leave Em's: Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) Overall Thoughts: I am a big proponent for this album as a whole as I think the messages that it pushes are great. This album seems pertinent to today as well and it would be good if more people deeply listened to this record. This album lost points in my book for not having very much replay value, or my thinking that many songs individually were nothing too special. None of the songs were poor per say, but some were slightly boring musically. Marvin's delivery is really good and the instrumentation does a good job or not inhibiting the goal of the album. There is wisdom laden throughout this project but I won't be taking a lot of the individual songs with me when I go. Score Breakdown: 3.700 & 5 -> 4.350

Highlights: Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe, Money Trees, Poetic Justice, m.A.A.d. city, Swimming Pools, Leave Em's: Real Overall Thoughts: When asking my generation who the best rapper of all time is, and what albums are included in their top five, this is the answer you will get. I have spent tons of time listening and researching this album. Every time you listen to it you get a better sense of the story that Kendrick is telling. The fact that he is able to combine massive anthems with an extremely raw and impactful story is amazing. The lyricism is second to none, and this is one of many projects that makes us appreciate Kendrick Lamar and give him his flowers while we have a chance. Score Breakdown: 4.683 & 5 -> 4.842

Highlights: Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain, He Won't Go, Someone Like You Leave Em's: Don't You Remember, One and Only, I Found a Boy Overall Thoughts: An album full of songs that shaped our iPod playlists in middle school, and thus are remembered with nostalgia and fondness. Adele's voice is awesome and can reach volumes and pitches that girls would fail to replicate in talent shows across the world. Some may consider this to be a "guilty pleasure" album and I would likely fall into that group of people. While most of these albums for me are appreciating the classics, this is one that came out during my lifetime and acted as a soundtrack for my formative years. Score Breakdown: 4.242 & 5 -> 4.621

Highlights: Hotel California, Life In the Fast Lane Leave Em's: Wasted Time Overall Thoughts: This album includes one of the most interesting and great songs of all time, which shares a name with the project title. The album feels top heavy to me and once the group settles back into their soft rock, love song ballads in the back half of the album they lost some points. I think the group could have built on the mystery and themes of the song Hotel California and maintained the theme throughout the album. What we received from the Eagles is still very good and the start and the end of the album are nearly impeccable. I think if the group subbed in one more song about sin/vices instead of back to back to back soft love songs we would be looking at a perfect album. Alas, I have this album just short of a perfect score. Score Breakdown: 4.05 & 5 -> 4.525

Highlights: In Da Club, If I Can't, Many Me, P.I.M.P, 21 Questions, Wanksta Leave Em's: What Up Gangsta, Back Down Overall Thoughts: No doubt one of the biggest club rap albums of all time that I grew up dancing to at middle school dances. This album is so ladened with mega-hits that anything short of a hit gets forgotten. It is a pleasant listen for me since there is not a lot going on subliminally. Some of the songs take gangsta rap to an extreme which can get repetitive and tiring especially after a nearly 20 song album. Although, If you were going to listen to gangsta rap I'm not sure there is someone I'd prefer listening to more then 50. Score Breakdown: 4.267 & 5 -> 4.634

Highlights: Homemade Dynamite, Perfect Places, Supercut Leave Em's: The Louvre, Hard Feeling/Loveless Overall Thoughts: Some of the mega-hits on this album really carry my enjoyment of it. This is another album from my generation, and I have high school memories associated with the time that this album first came out. Lorde is a talented alternative artist and pushed alternative music into the main stream pop spotlight throughout her career. This album is another break up project geared more toward the female audience and for that reason it doesn't hit quite as hard as it potentially could have for me. There is plenty of emotion in the writing and instrumentation flips between sad and angry which makes it somewhat unpredictable. It is an enjoyable listen but it falls short of the perfect score. Score Breakdown: 3.940 & 4 -> 4.470

Highlights: Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Ramble On Leave Em's: What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick Overall Thoughts: This album suffers from the competition it faces amongst the rest of Led Zeppelin's discography. They sound like they are still coming into the iconic sound that they master in their following albums. Some of that experimentation is executed really well in songs like Heartbreaker where in songs like Whole Lotta Love, I think they could have come up with something even more special. I think in my mind the hits on this album don't stack up with some of their others. It is still a very good album and I will listen again but I don't feel like I can justify the five star rating. Score Breakdown: 3.778 & 4 -> 3.889

Highlights: Gypsy Woman Leave Em's: Dream Letter, Strange Feelin' Overall Thoughts: I didn't find anything about this record all that interesting. Several very long songs that felt relatively uninspired. The soft pop from this era does not resonate with me when there were brilliant rock albums coming out that were far more interesting and musically inclining. I don't think it was a bad album as a whole, however applying my scoring scale it would fall into the category of albums that I would prefer not to spend a whole lot more time with. The added depth of the waves on a song like Love from Room 109 At the Islander kept it from being absolutely monotone and flat out boring. Score Breakdown: 2.733 & 2 -> 2.367

Highlights: Enjoy Yourself, Hey Little Rich Girl Leave Em’s: Man at C&A, I Can't Stand It Overall Thoughts: Reggae fused with rock with hints of satire dotted throughout. At first I thought the album was going to be a drag but I actually found the lyrics entertaining and the music infectious. I don’t feel like I need to take a lot of the material with me but it was a memorable experience and some of the songs wouldn’t be bad on road trip playlists. I’m surprised this album made the list and it is inferior to a lot I’ve heard which is reflected by the score. Score Breakdown: 3.011 & 2 -> 2.506

Highlights: The Message, Dreamin' Leave Em's: Scorpio Overall Thoughts: Funky & Groovy, this album incorporates lots of the sounds that are familiar to the eighties into an album that spans genres. The songs range from beat heavy with synths to slower rhythmic tracks that maintain fun and intrigue. The explored topics also vary widely from superficial tracks to political activism anthems. This record oozes fun and creativity which made it a compelling listen for me. Score Breakdown: 3.675 & 4 -> 3.84

Highlights: More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Rock & Roll Band Leave Em's: Hitch a Ride Overall Thoughts: The musicality of this album and of Boston is so distinguishable and pumps me up each time I hear their guitar laden openings. This album has a series of some of my favorite classic rock songs of all time and I am not the only one who feels that way. The band balances their songs well between great instrumental solos and infectiously good hooks and catchy lines. A top tier album of its decade and its genre deserves a top tier rating, and it earned every bit of its perfect score. Score Breakdown: 5 & 4.188 -> 4.594

Highlights: Highway to Hell, Girls Got Rhythm Leave Em's: Get It Hot Overall Thoughts: Without having the benefit of hearing the rest of AC/DC's discography, I feel that this album finds a sweet spot for the rock band. You can tell that they are very confident in the product after several years and albums, but it is not quite as polished yet as some of their hits from later years. The album is top heavy with most of the songs that I enjoyed most at the top of the track list but there were really no unenjoyable songs. It is refreshing to hear AC/DC music that isn't their mainstream hits that have been overplayed for nearly fifty years now. Score Breakdown: 3.790 & 5 -> 4.395

Highlights: Student Demonstration Time, Disney Girls Leave Em’s: Take a Load Off Your Feet, A Day In the Life of a Tree Overall Thoughts: I think the nature of The Beach Boys is just not for me. Their music feels whimsical as if it were the fantasizing of a child with an advanced vocabulary. I see the allure of the pleasant and bubbly songs the band creates, but there is an edge missing that makes me enjoy music. Even the back to back songs that I did like on the album had lyrics that made me raise an eyebrow as if to say “you can’t be serious.” Aside from those two songs there is nothing else here worth coming back to, and the bad songs really drag the whole album down in my opinion. Score Breakdown: 2.580 & 2 -> 2.290