900
Albums Rated
3.2
Average Rating
83%
Complete
189 albums remaining
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2010s
Favorite Decade
Britpop
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
157
5-Star Albums
72
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shleep | 5 | 2.51 | +2.49 |
| Bright Flight | 5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
| m b v | 5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
| Medúlla | 5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
| The Infotainment Scan | 5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
| My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts | 5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
| Tago Mago | 5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
| Whatever | 5 | 2.82 | +2.18 |
| Second Toughest In The Infants | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| This Nation’s Saving Grace | 5 | 2.89 | +2.11 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Doors | 1 | 3.95 | -2.95 |
| Cosmo's Factory | 1 | 3.93 | -2.93 |
| Appetite For Destruction | 1 | 3.74 | -2.74 |
| Master Of Puppets | 1 | 3.73 | -2.73 |
| Van Halen | 1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
| Hotel California | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Morrison Hotel | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Ramones | 1 | 3.58 | -2.58 |
| 1984 | 1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 7 | 4.86 |
| Radiohead | 5 | 5 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 4.8 |
| Björk | 4 | 4.75 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 5 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 8 | 4.25 |
| Brian Eno | 4 | 4.5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.67 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.67 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Fall | 3 | 4.67 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 |
| Genesis | 2 | 5 |
| PJ Harvey | 2 | 5 |
| Peter Gabriel | 2 | 5 |
| Can | 2 | 5 |
| Oasis | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 5 |
| Prince | 2 | 5 |
| Joy Division | 2 | 5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Billy Bragg | 2 | 5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.25 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 4.25 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 4.25 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 4 | 1.25 |
| The Doors | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Band | 2 | 1 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 1 |
| Eagles | 2 | 1 |
| U2 | 4 | 1.75 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Police | 2 | 1.5 |
| Love | 2 | 1.5 |
| Sepultura | 2 | 1.5 |
| Aerosmith | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Byrds | 5 | 2.2 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | 3, 4, 1 |
| Tom Waits | 4, 5, 3, 2 |
5-Star Albums (157)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Nanci Griffith
5/5
I've never really been a country music guy, but every so often an artist allows me to appreciate the genre. This was great; I enjoyed both the songwriting and the delivery. Nanci Griffith's voice suits the material perfectly. I can see a direct through-line from here to another country artist I enjoy; Waxahatchee
8 likes
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Had almost forgotten how great this album is. Others have noted that it's stylistically all over the place, but I don't have any problem with that. Really enjoyed listening to this again (I had this on vinyl at one point). Solsbury Hill and Here Comes The Flood are the best tracks.
4 likes
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1/5
Pretty dreadful stuff. I really dislike Fogerty's voice. Travelin' Band is a straight rip off of Good Golly Miss Molly. The version of Grapevine adds nothing to the Marvin Gaye version. Sorry Dude, I'd be relieved if my Credence tape was stolen (though I agree about the f'n Eagles, man)
4 likes
Small Faces
3/5
The title track sounds pretty modern. Some good music here, although the (affected?) cockney delivery is a bit grating, and I could have done without the Stanley Unwin bits. A bit overly English twee.
3 likes
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Intruder is the birth of the "gated reverb" drum sound that was ubiquitous in the 80s. Kate Bush's backing vocals on "No Self Control" are brilliant. Best songs "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers", but the whole album is great (the next one, aka "Security" is even better IMO).
3 likes
1-Star Albums (72)
All Ratings
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Boogie On Reggae Woman is great. Awesome vibe, lovely fat synth sounds. You Haven't Done Nothin' is another high point, with a strong horn riff. Overall a good album, but not at the peaks of Innervisions
The Band
1/5
To Kingdom Come borderline unlistenable. By track 4 I'm trying to white knuckle my way through the rest of this. Sorry, couldn't do it. Bailed at track 7.
The Clash
3/5
This is good, but it doesn't quite grab me in the same way London Calling does. A strong 3.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
There are some fantastic songs on here, especially the ones where Christine McVie leads. The title song is excellent. Not as consistently hit-filled as Rumors, but still a five star album
Black Sabbath
3/5
I liked this more than I expected to; it was quite bluesy for the most part, and the drumming had a jazzy touch to it that I quite liked
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Ok, so who cares if Flight Test is a rip off of Father and Son, it's still great. Standout track for me is "In the Morning of the Magicians". Great album thematically - it almost feels like different movements of one long song.
Genesis
5/5
It's hard for me to be objective about this album, given how into it I was when was 14 years old. Admittedly much of it is self indulgent prog rock bollocks, but what magnificent bollocks! The guitar solo from Steve Hackett in Firth of Fifth is worth the price of admission alone.
Mudhoney
4/5
I liked Mudhoney when i was in college, but haven't listened much since. To begin with, I felt this hadn't aged that well, but I admit it grew on me as I listened more. Decent proto-grunge. Cate will hate it!
Note: listened to the 6 tracks on the original EP plus a few more. 2+ hours of this is too much in one session! Fave track probably "You Got It (Keep it Outta My Face)"
This is a 3.5 for me but going to generously give it 4
Santana
5/5
This was released the day I was born! And it's my first major surprise of these reviews, because I'd never heard this album before (though I recognized two of the songs), and loved it way more than I would have expected. "Hope you're feeling better" is the only slightly weak spot.
5/5
Probably PJ Harvey's best album, along with "Let England Shake" (Maybe that one edges this out for me). This is an easy 5/5 for me; could listen to it on repeat. Best tracks: A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, We Float, but I don't think there's a weak track on it.
De La Soul
5/5
I bought this on vinyl when it first came out; no idea where it is now. Glad to see it finally on streaming services, even if they had to lose a few samples to allow it to happen. The skits have not aged as well as the music, but the music still earns its five stars.
Gram Parsons
1/5
Thank God I never have to listen to this again
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Art Garfunkel's angelic voice in "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The horns in in "Keep The Customer Satisfied". The harmonies in "The Boxer". The choral sections in "Only Living Boy in New York". All five star moments, from an unimpeachable album.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Intruder is the birth of the "gated reverb" drum sound that was ubiquitous in the 80s. Kate Bush's backing vocals on "No Self Control" are brilliant. Best songs "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers", but the whole album is great (the next one, aka "Security" is even better IMO).
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I listened to this a couple times in succession to make sure I wasn't missing something here. There's potential here that was later realised, but this album isn't special in the same way that "Back To Black" is. There are some solid tracks though; "Take The Box" is probably one of the best.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Not my cup of tea, although I recognize the significance of it (no Crickets, no Beatles).
Fats Domino
3/5
Interesting to compare with Buddy Holly which we got yesterday from the same year. Despite the fact that many of the songs on both albums have similar structure (most are twelve bar blues), I find the Fats Domino ones much more listenable and engaging.
Minor Threat
5/5
A refreshing change after two days of 50s music. This is proper punk, as it's meant to be. The bass solo in "Think Again" rocks.
Hole
4/5
I enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun. Best tracks; "Credit in the Straight World", "Rock Star"
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
A strong start with some classic songs ("It's Tricky" the best of them) but it tails off in the second half of the album. The flow seems pretty dated by modern standards.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
When I was in school, there was a kid who got called "echo" because he had buck teeth (he was a "bunny man").
Anyway, Cutter is a solid song, as are a few others on this album. It does get a little samey though.
Big Star
3/5
I liked some of the songwriting but the production did not seem great. Perhaps it was unfair to listen to this on a plane. I hear the obvious influence that Teenage Fanclub have got from this, but I have to say I like Teenage Fanclub far more.
New York Dolls
2/5
I found this quite boring. I know it's proto punk, but it's really closer to the Rolling Stones than punk. I didn't find the songwriting very interesting.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1/5
Pretty dreadful stuff. I really dislike Fogerty's voice. Travelin' Band is a straight rip off of Good Golly Miss Molly. The version of Grapevine adds nothing to the Marvin Gaye version. Sorry Dude, I'd be relieved if my Credence tape was stolen (though I agree about the f'n Eagles, man)
Queen
4/5
I only knew 3 songs on this, but there were quite a few other winners. Apart from the obvious Killer Queen and Now I'm Here, I liked Brighton Rock and Misfire, which was really short, but good. A solid 4, maybe even a bit more.
Talking Heads
4/5
"Psycho Killer" an obvious high point here. Don't Worry About The Government is also great. A solid album, but Talking Heads hadn't quite hit their stride yet.
The White Stripes
5/5
What an opener; Seven Nation Army is sooo good. But immediately followed up by Black Math which also kicks ass. Love the understated guitar solo in "I Want to be the Boy". Amazing that twelve bar blues went from Fats Domino to "Ball and Biscuit". The Hardest Button to Button might be the best track on the album. Easiest 5 stars since PJ Harvey.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was OK, but it wasn't particularly memorable. A few decent tracks (I liked "Under Wraps" especially); maybe it would grow on me.
Stereolab
5/5
Love this (and all other Stereolab - surprised Dots and Loops is not in this list). This still sounds completely fresh. So good! Listened to this about three times in the past day.
R.E.M.
2/5
I don't quite like this as much as I remember liking it; it's actually kind of boring. End of the World is overplayed. The sax in it Fireplace is a decent change of pace. Lightnin' Hopkins is pretty bad, especially Stipes' vocals.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Ding dong ding dang indeed.
Pros: Flea can play the Bass.
Cons: Anthony Kiedis' awful voice and attempts at rap.
Pretenders
5/5
Chrissie Hynde's voice is great - just effortlessly cool. Tattooed Love Boys is a classic - I love the 7/4 (?) time signature giving it an unsettling vibe. Interesting to compare Private Life with the Grace Jones cover (I like both).
Jacques Brel
3/5
This is an object lesson into how to roll an R.
😂 at the end of Tango Funebre, where he goes mental.
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
This is not really my thing, 3 stars. But the gulf between this and the 2 I gave RHCP is quite large; this is way better.
Good songs: Take the Power Back, Know Your Enemy
Pink Floyd
3/5
Highly variable album; too long by half, with several filler tracks that could easily be lost. On the better tracks, Dave Gilmour's guitar is excellent. But its so histrionic. Cleansed my palate afterwards with some Stereolab.
3/5
Can spot that Trevor Horn production a mile off; some tracks sound like Frankie Goes to Hollywood songs but with a different singer. There are a couple of decent songs here, but most of them are pretty bland. I quite like "All of my Heart"
Dire Straits
4/5
What guitar playing! Sultans is the obvious standout track, but the rest is pretty good too. About as Dad Rock as Steely Dan, but then I am a Dad, so fair enough. Going to give this a four, but its on the upper end of 4.
New Order
4/5
Great stuff! No major hits on this album but its still consistently good. Favorite track: Sunrise. A strong 4.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
This album was not what I was expecting at all. The first track, "Broken English" , was a great piece of New Wave synthpop that I really enjoyed. But most of the subsequent tracks seemed to be in different genres and were nowhere near as good, until "Why'd Ya Do It" at the end, which was great again. 3 stars, but they're almost entirely for the opening and closing tracks.
Arcade Fire
5/5
Had this on heavy rotation in the 2000s, but hadn't listened for quite a while. Still stands up as a top notch album. Probably Arcade Fire's best, the next couple of albums were great too, until Reflektor went downhill. Also, shame Win Butler turned out to be a creep.
The Offspring
1/5
Ugh, not my thing at all. Had to skip forward on many of the tracks. I'd rather punk stayed punk rather than staying into pop territory.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits' voice is definitely an acquired taste. And he's only 30-odd when this was made. Was he born sounding like a veteran chain smoker? Several enjoyable songs on here - Jersey Girl the standout.
The Smiths
5/5
Top tracks: Headmaster Ritual, What She Said, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Barbarism Begins at Home. Barbarism really showcases Andy Rourke's bass playing. Enjoyed this so much that I listened to The Queen is Dead immediately after, which is a better album. Does that mean this is only a 4, or is it a 5 for making me want to listen to more Smiths?
Nirvana
5/5
Fond memories of moshing in the student union. This holds up really well. First half of the album is hit after hit, but that doesn't mean the second half is bad. Head and shoulders above any of their grunge contemporaries.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I have not listened to this album before, and was only familiar with the two hits (Sympathy, Street Fighting Man). Of the lesser known songs, they range from Dear Doctor, which is pretty poor, to Stray Cat Blues, which I liked quite a lot. Jigsaw Puzzle is basically Sympathy for the Devil over again but less interesting. Overall, this is fine, but not something I'd choose to listen to.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Second Bunnymen album on this list, and about the same as the last. A couple of decent songs , but overall fairly boring.
The Slits
4/5
I'd heard of the Slits, but never listened to this album. Turns out it was well worth listening to - fun post-punk. Strays slightly too close to reggae sometimes for my tastes, but not overly so. Highly enjoyable. Some great percussion too.
AC/DC
3/5
Cheesy Spinal Tap-like fare - but "what's wrong with being sexy?" as Nigel Tufnel would say. Actually quite fun, TBH, though it gets a bit samey after a while. Favorite song Shake a Leg. Giving this a 3, but its a strong 3.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
So good I listened to this twice in a row beginning to end. "Good Times" probably my favorite track outside of Respect. Holds up really well, and Aretha's voice is just incredible.
Eric Clapton
2/5
Clapton's voice is not strong enough to take on material like this. Let It Grow is pretty boring (it improves in the instrumental section), and I Shot the Sheriff is overplayed. There were a few tracks I enjoyed more, but overall this is not my cup of tea.
Baaba Maal
4/5
I greatly enjoyed this. I suspect you have to be in the right mood for it, but I found myself to be in the right mood twice 12 hours apart. Repetitive and hypnotic, but I consider that to be a positive. A very strong 4/5.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
Stereo mix is like from the early days of 3d movies where they'd put in pointy fingers etc. just to show off the technology. I was begging for a mono mix halfway through Monday Monday.
This is really dated sounding - compare with Aretha from the same era, which sounds fresh. Do yourself a favor and go and listen to Aretha's version of Spanish Harlem (🔥) and compare it with this insipid version.
The Zombies
2/5
I really tried the give this a fair chance, but like other 60 psychedelic rock we've encountered, it's really not my thing. Better than the Mamas and the Papas, but not by a huge margin.
The Band
1/5
Just as dreadful as Music From Big Pink
The White Stripes
4/5
Good stuff as usual from the White Stripes. Not quite as good overall as Elephant.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I feel a little conflicted about this album. It's great in parts, with some excellent songwriting. But the Casanova persona conceit is not as funny as Hannon thinks it is, and it hasn't aged particularly well. The song that works best is also the most sincere; Songs Of Love. I also found it all a bit much in one go; a few songs is about my limit for this.
Tears For Fears
4/5
I wasn't really a huge Tears For Fears fan back when this came out, but I really quite enjoyed it now - it has aged quite well. Best track; Head Over Heels.
Gang Of Four
4/5
I enjoyed this slice of post punk. I like the guitar tone - very trebly. Most enjoyable songs are "Damaged Goods" and "I Found That Essence Rare".
Parliament
3/5
I think the thumpasorus has a bad case of gas.
Pretty fun funk, a higher end 3/5 for me.
The B-52's
4/5
Ten years after this, Love Shack was ubiquitously annoying, but at this point, the B-52s were goofy, spiky, surfy, punky fun.
Aimee Mann
5/5
I'd always thought of this as Aimee Mann's least strong album, and it's true (IMO) that she has better ones (Lost In Space, Forgotten Arm might be the top of the list), but I enjoyed this a lot more than I remembered.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
I liked this more in 2008 than I do now. It's got some good songs on it, but it's all a wee bit self awarely cottagecore.
John Cale
4/5
I confess I winced when I saw the album cover here, and expected to hate it. But I was pleasantly surprised, and actually quite enjoyed this listen. Macbeth was a glam rock stomper, and Cale's exaggerated Welsh accent is amusing in Graham Greene.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Letting this wash over me like a wave of fuzzy distorted endorphins. Fantastic stuff. (Loveless is even better).
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Maybe it was C's reaction but I expected this to be horrendous, and it was surprisingly good. Not anything I'd choose to listen to regularly, but not unpleasant. Liked New York Time, Muleskinner Blues, disliked Grey Goose.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Tonight Tonight might be a good song if someone else was singing, but I really dislike Billy Corgan's voice. 28 songs of this I am supposed to listen to! Does it really need to be over 2 hours long? I'll cut you a deal, Billy; half the songs. First 13 + 1979 seeing as that was a hit.
This is a 3 musically. Taking a half point off for the unnecessary length, and half off for Corgan's god-awful voice.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I'm not saying this is bad - I totally get why some people love this. But it's not my thing. It just feels so bombastic all the time.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
Can't stand her voice. This album contains possibly the worst version of Summertime I've ever heard.
If you must make a fake live album, make the crowd sound consistent throughout the album. At some points it's a rowdy Fillmore crowd, at other times its a genteel dinner party. I spent half of Turtle Blues trying to figure out what they were discussing in the background.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Though not quite at the level of Bridge Over Troubled Water, this is still a five star album for me. America is beautifully melancholic, the bass in Punky's dilemma bounces along, and At The Zoo is sweetly silly.
The Kinks
3/5
Waterloo Sunset is great but the rest of the album is a little underwhelming, and I like The Jam's version of David Watts more.
Jack White
5/5
I'm starting to think this site is run by Jack White, given the frequency we see his stuff at. Anyway, good stuff as usual from Mr. W. I particularly like the skittering guitar solo (duo?) in Weep Themselves to Sleep
Little Richard
3/5
This is decent enough but it really just feels like the same song over again at different tempos. Apart from the lyrics, could you tell the difference between Tutti Frutti and Ready Teddy?
Beastie Boys
4/5
Fight For Your Right is so much fun, from "Kick it" onwards. Several other great tracks on this, but the Beastie Boys would go on to better it by quite a bit.
Circle Jerks
2/5
I'd say "not my thing" but hardcore punk can absolutely be my thing if done well (see the five atara I gave Minor Threat). This didn't reach that level though and the 15 min runtime was mercifully short.
Sade
2/5
I have to say that listening to this while in a feverish daze was probably not entirely fair. Beyond the first two well known songs, it all just washed over me. The last song seemed to have lyrics written by ChatGPT
Muddy Waters
3/5
I feel a bit bad giving a legend like Muddy Waters three stars, and individually, the songs are great. It just all gets a bit samey for the duration of an entire album.
Hole
3/5
Title track is the standout. This album feels a lot more polished than Live Through This, and I'm not sure that's a good thing; I think I preferred the relative rawness of the predecessor. If that's a solid 4, this just misses it - high 3.
Metallica
1/5
I couldn't listen to much of this. Got about three tracks in before abandoning. The Ennio Morricone opener got me hopeful, but once Metallica joined in it went downhill. I can't imagine listening to all 2+ hours of this.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
This is practically blasphemy given the regard in which Hüsker Dü are held by middle aged white indie-loving guys like me, but I found this distinctly mediocre.
Soundgarden
3/5
I expected to dislike this, knowing Soundgarden mainly from their radio hits, but it was actually a lot better than I expected. It's still not the kind of thing I'd go out of my way to listen to, but there are some decent tracks on here, especially the more upbeat ones.
Liked: My Wave, Superunknown
Didn't really like: Limo Wreck
Giant Sand
4/5
I had never heard of this album or even the band. I enjoyed this quite a lot, though (though perhaps it's a little long, even if you stop after track 16, which is the end of the original studio version). I quite liked the singer's voice - it suited the music. Will give another listen at some point.
Tom Waits
5/5
If Heartattack and Vine was a 4, this is a reasonably solid 5 for me; it elevates from "good" to "excellent". Standout tracks are the title track and Downtown Train, but the whole thing is pretty great.
David Bowie
5/5
How are there people giving this 2 or 3 stars? Maybe the Eno-heavy side 2 puts them off? Anyway, Sound & Vision alone would be enough to merit 5 stars, even if the rest of it (both sides) weren't also fantastic.
George Michael
3/5
George Michael has a great voice, and there are some good songs, but the album as a while is a bit too ballad heavy for me, and is maybe a bit to "smooth".
The Temptations
3/5
I didn't like the stereo mix; this wasn't designed for listening to on headphones.
I started off thinking Runaway Child didn't feel like it needed to be 9+ minutes long, but I think I came out the other side; by the end it felt like it earned its runtime.
Also we've had enough covers of Heard It Through the Grapevine now that I'm going to start ranking them:
The Slits
The Temptations
...
...
...
...
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Solid 4/5 album with a few 5/5 songs on it. Interesting to see how much of a magpie Elvis Costello is: "Two Little Hitlers" quotes "Rebel Rebel" and "Party Girl" quotes "You Never Give Me Your Money"
MGMT
3/5
There are three great songs on this, but the rest is a bit filler-ish.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Not very exciting. Feels like a strong contender for "album you don't really need to listen to before you die"
Nick Drake
4/5
I'd heard of Nick Drake but never actually listened to anything by him. What a pleasant surprise. I liked this album a lot; the arrangements were really nice. Particularly liked Three Hours, Cello Song.
The Beach Boys
5/5
God Only Knows is every bit as good as its reputation. I also really like the two instrumentals. The least effective song on the album is Sloop John B, which feels like it belongs on an earlier Beach Boys album. Still, an easy 5 stars.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
This is not as consistently good as LCD Soundsystem's earlier stuff (Sound of Silver is better) but it's still right up my street.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
This was mostly good, but not great. A couple low points marred the album IMO; the marching bands of Parade and the kid's singing in You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. Also, I think some of these lose some of their charm when sung in English.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Really enjoyed this. It's relatively upbeat for Elliott Smith (though I also like the downbeat stuff), and I liked the arrangements.
The Smiths
5/5
Excellent stuff. Good enough to almost make you forget that Morrissey is an arsehole these days.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I liked this more than the 1960 Muddy Waters we got earlier. Some nice guitar playing (especially in "I cant be satisfied", and Muddy Waters voice sounds better with age. But it still isn't very varied, and I get my fill after a few songs.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Never heard of this guy before, but this is a fun and enjoyable album. I definitely see why he sued Rod Stewart; Do Ya Think I'm Sexy owes a big debt to Taj Mahal.
4/5
I liked this but not nearly as much as later, Berlin-era Bowie.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
Good stuff, love the guitar tone. April skies is a classic.
Air
4/5
Why is it that all it takes is a certain style of bass and some strings and it instantly sounds like Air? Moon Safari is one of my all time favorites, and although this isn't quite at that level, it's still pretty great.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Some of these songs were pretty good (I liked the vibe of Breathless) but the album was far longer than it needed to be, and the skits seemed unnecessary.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Never really been a Dylan fan, but I liked this more than I expected to. Don't Think Twice is good, as is Corinna Corinna.
Brian Eno
4/5
Points for being the originator of ambient, but by its very ambient nature, it's not something you spend attention listening to. Four stars, but not necessarily on the same scale as non-ambient music.
Van Morrison
3/5
This is too much Van Morrison for me in one sitting. I did like "Into the Mystic" though.
The Go-Go's
5/5
The singles are great, of course, but the rest is highly enjoyable too.
Can
5/5
OMG I just realised that the Fall song "I am Damo Suzuki" (which I knew was about the Can singer) musically quotes this album's "Oh Yeah".
For those not liking Aumgn; you have to push through it and surrender. Once you come out the other side, it's great.
This album passes my "listened to it twice in a row" test, five stars from me.
David Bowie
5/5
Similar to Low, I liked the "different styles on each side" approach here. Favorite track other than the magnificent "Heroes" is "V-2 Schneider".
Neil Young
4/5
I've always been put off by Neil Young's whiny voice, but maybe I'm starting to come round, because I quite enjoyed this. Revolution Blues is pretty great, but Vampire Blues is a bit of a plodder.
Queen
4/5
I only knew Seven Seas of Rhye from this one, but most of this was pretty enjoyable. I liked Some Day One Day especially.
1/5
Pretentious bullshit.
The Darkness
2/5
Putting this in a list of 1001 must-listen albums seems somewhat ridiculous, like putting in Ocean Colour Scene or the Bloodhound Gang. It seemed fun at the time, but has not stood the test of time.
Neil Young
3/5
I didn't like this as much as On The Beach. Albuquerque was nice, though.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Tuneful and easy to listen to, but completely unmemorable, and far too long - I didn't need an hour plus of this. Answering Bell sounds like The Weight crossed with Van Morrison. Oh, and add another to the count of creeps encountered here. Judging on musical merit only, though some bias may have crept in.
Underworld
5/5
One if my all time favorites, this is a very easy 5/5 for me, especially if you add Born Slippy to the end
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
This is a patchy album; some good stuff on it (mostly the Neil Young-led tracks) and some less good. "Good Time Boy" is probably my least favorite track. "Broken Arrow" doesn't quite work - too start-stop, and a little gimmicky with the crowd noises etc, but there's the core of a good song there.
Guns N' Roses
1/5
Nah, couldn't finish this. Just dreadful.
Brian Eno
5/5
Love the opening track. St. Elmo's Fire and I'll come Running have amazing guitar playing from Robert Fripp. The title track was the theme for Arena! For me, this was the perfect balance of ambient and actual songs - will go into my rotation.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Tombstone Blues feels like it ran its course after about 3 minutes, but was stretched out to 6; similarly Ballad Of A Thin Man & Desolation Row. I liked quite a few of the songs on here but it got a bit samey after a while.
Meat Loaf
2/5
Not my thing at all, but you'd have to be churlish not to admire its commitment. The fact that this is done with an entirely straight face elevates it above semi-parody like The Darkness.
Genesis
5/5
Genesis' peak - PG left after this to do his own thing, and Genesis morphed into a different band. This is some serious prog, including a fanciful concept story about Rael, but musically it really works, and Gabriel' vocals are excellent - I really like the bit in the Raven where the vocal shifts from Gabriel to Phil Collins as it shifts character. Possibly one of my favorite albums of all time, though I appreciate that's colored by my teenage self's love for it.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Two track original, or four track rerelease? I went for four, and it was largely worth it, although I do think the first track was the strongest. His back up singers seem a little sharp sometimes. Maybe it's on purpose, who knows.
Travis
3/5
I liked this at the time, and it was definitely part of the zeitgeist, but it seems a bit bland in retrospect. It's let down by Fran Healy's slightly weak vocals. "Luv" is a bit of a dirge. But some of the songs are undeniably catchy. I actually think the hidden track at the end is probably the strongest on the album.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I liked this quite a lot - the two singles (Freddie's Dead, Superfly) were both enjoyable.
Frank Black
3/5
Pretty sure I have this on CD in the garage, but I haven't listened to it in ages. Its good some good songs on it but it's overlong, and continues in the direction Frank Black was taking the Pixies, into more "conventional" rock. Not nearly as good as the first couple of Pixies albums.
Oasis
5/5
About as subtle as being hit in the face by a shovel, and half the songs are ripoffs of other songs (Cigarettes & Alcohol is even in the same key as Get It On), but it's undeniably fun.
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
I like the music more than the vocals. But overall, this is not really for me. Much as with RATM, I'm not saying this is bad, just not my thing.
The Soft Boys
3/5
A mixed bag - some songs I really liked (my favorite was the instrumental "You Have To Go Sideways" ), but others that sounded quote dated; even more dated than the 1980 release date would suggest (Queen Of Eyes, for example).
Megadeth
3/5
I fully expected to hate this, but it actually wasn't that bad. Not something I'd ordinarily choose to listen to, but bearable listening. Some good guitar, the vocals were a little annoying. A generous 3
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Better overall than Casanova, in part because it's trying less hard to be wry/humorous. Its length also works in its favor. A high 3.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Good Times Bad times felt like it could have gone longer. Dazed and Confused is great when it all kicks off. I'd never listened to this album before, having really only heard the Zep "hits" and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected to.
T. Rex
3/5
I was ready for this to be more fun than it turned out to be, as Get It On is a blast, but the rest seems a little ordinary. I find Bolan's vocal style a little annoying. I like the fuzzy guitar tones.
10cc
3/5
Like a demented British Steely Dan with a hint of early Queen. Wall Street Shuffle is the best track. Some songs have lyrics that seem a little racist to today's ears. I liked the instrumental parts/guitar solo of Baron Samedi. Stuck between a high 2 and a low 3, I'm going to be very generous and give it 3.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Appropriately for the date we got this, Halloween is one of the best songs on this album. Other highlights; Monitor, the instrumental intro of "Sin in My Heart". The drumming on the 12 inch mix of Spellbound, included as a bonus track, is quite something.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I could do without the Jaw Harp on EVERY BLOODY SONG. And is that a Swanee Whistle on "Tonight Will Be Fine" ? (If it's not, there's no excuse for how out of tune it is). I also think I prefer gravelly old Leonard Cohen to this younger version. But the songwriting is pretty great (check out kd lang's version of Bird On the Wire).
ABBA
5/5
You know, even an album of lesser known Abba is pretty damn good. I wasn't sure about the Bjorn vocals on "Two for the Price of One", but when it hit the chorus it really worked. Judging by play count, this is the least popular track on the album, but I loved it. The bassline in "Should I Laugh or Cry" is amazing. The only song that lost my interest a bit was "An Angel..."
Ash
3/5
I'm familiar with all the singles off this album but I never listened to the whole album before. "Girl From Mars" is the obvious standout - a great track full of youthful exuberance. The rest of the album is not so exciting though, at least to my 2023 ears; I think I would have liked it more in 1996. It's also let down a bit by Tim Wheeler's weak vocals.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
No thanks. Free Bird has its moments, but the rest is super boring.
Mylo
2/5
Musical junk food; enjoyable but devoid of nutritional content.
3/5
Easter Theater wears its Beatles influences on its sleeve, and Harvest Festival sounds like it could be a Paul solo track. Still, I suppose its not startlingly original to say that XTC sound like the Beatles, and I rather enjoyed this set of songs. A high three, on the cusp of four.
Radiohead
5/5
This is maybe the fifth or sixth best Radiohead album (IMO), and it's still a pretty easy 5/5. Favorite track is maybe "There There", but there are plenty other contenders.
Dion
2/5
Admittedly, he has a good voice, but this music is very dull. None of these songs stood out to me as noteworthy in any way other than perhaps that dreadful last track.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Good to have something non-western here for a change. I rather enjoyed this - I can see why he's such a celebrated singer. A strong 3 from me, close to 4.
The Charlatans
4/5
I liked the title track especially. This is better than I remember it from contemporary listening. I also liked the instrumental tracks quite a lot. Pretty nineties sounding, though.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I just don't get Bruce Springsteen. I feel like must be missing something. Maybe I'll have a damascene moment at some point and love his work.
The Clash
5/5
London Calling is an amazing start to an album. Lots of other great songs too. Lost in the Supermarket is another strong one. Much more variation in this album than you might expect from (supposed) punk.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
QOTSA never really clicked with me before, but I enjoyed this a lot; I guess I was in the mood for it today. Some great sounding guitar in here, and I actually think Homme's voice suits the music well.
Billy Joel
2/5
These are undeniably super catchy songs, and the album is full of hits, but it's so cheesy. I can't bear it for too long. Going to listen to yesterday's album again to detox.
The Byrds
2/5
I had to skip "I come and stand at every door". The rest wasn't quite as bad, bit still not an enjoyable listen for me.
Saint Etienne
3/5
A strange one for me. I absolutely loved this album when it came out; had the CD and played it to death. But perhaps I played it too much or my tastes changed, because I went off it quite substantially, and I haven't listened to it in ages. A relisten puts me somewhere in the middle. I like it, but don't love it - a fairly strong three.
Donovan
1/5
Add this to the pile of 60s psychedelic folk rock that I don't like. He is horrifically out of tune on "Ferris Wheel" . And you can't sing the word "foreboding" and put the stress on the last syllable (Guinevere).
The Allman Brothers Band
1/5
I couldn't finish this album - 80 minutes of rambling jam band is way too much. Not for me.
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
Couldn't finish this either, making this the third one-starrer in a row. The singer's voice is dreadful. "Used" sounded like a bad Elvis Costello ripoff.
Peter Tosh
2/5
Soporific reggae, decent enough if you like this kind of thing, but not really my taste.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
I enjoyed this - she has a great voice with an interesting tone, and the songs have aged quite well, and sound good in a contemporary context.
Cream
2/5
My God there's a lot of psychedelic rock from the late sixties on this list. Pretty bloody awful for the most part. A couple of bearable songs on there
Stephen Stills
3/5
Pleasant enough listening but ultimately mostly unmemorable stuff. Cherokee probably the best of the bunch. Didn't really like Black Queen.
DJ Shadow
5/5
This is an old favorite - I love this album. Great to have this turn up after so much sixties psychedelia
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Just brilliant stuff. I love Q-Tip's voice; I find it highly mellifluous. Subsequent Tribe Called Quest albums were even better, but this is still a five-starrer.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Over and Over is good. Farmer John is pretty awful. But overall I liked this, despite it ticking several boxes that would normally predispose me not to. The guitar sound was really nice. Just edges into a four for me.
M.I.A.
3/5
I like the individual songs in this but there's not enough variation to make it a great album. Paper Planes is a banger though.
Adele
3/5
It's undeniable that Adele has an incredible voice, and some of these songs are really strong, but it's not something I'd typically listen to. There are also a few "truck driver's gear shift" key changes here that I don't feel were necessary.
Robert Wyatt
5/5
Never listened to anything by Robert Wyatt before, but I loved this! Heaps of Sheeps pulled me in immediately - can really feel the Brian Eno production here. The rest of the album was pretty amazing too - I think this might be my favorite "previously unknown to me" discovery since starting this project.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Not really my kind of music, though I appreciate it is good quality in its genre. And Dolly is a singer/songwriter legend. There were a few tracks here that stood out for me - especially The Way I See You / Here I Am.
Roni Size
3/5
I bought this on CD when it first came out and it seemed pretty groundbreaking stuff at the time - I guess the first exposure of drum n bass to mainstream culture. But I'm not sure it holds up that well in a modern context. It's fine, but it's a little samey, even if you restrict your listening to just the first disc of what is now a 5 hour deluxe release on streaming.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I liked this significantly more than the early era Cohen we got a few weeks ago. The songwriting is strong here, and although Cohen's voice is not necessary an easy listen, it suits the atmosphere of the music well. A pretty strong three.
Harry Nilsson
2/5
I really can't stand "Without You". It's so schmaltzy and overblown. And Coconut seems a bit racist these days with the fake Jamaican accents. Overall I'd say that something about this album rubbed me the wrong way.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Not quite sure what I feel about this one yet; I think I need more time, and more listens for it to settle in first. I'm going to give it a 3, because I quite enjoyed it, but I think that could change by +/-1 in the future
Nas
5/5
Wow, I thought this was just fantastic - can't believe I've never listened to it before. Totally see why it's so acclaimed. The complex rhymes here must have been a revelation in 1994.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
This was nice enough to listen to but it didn't really grab me in any way.
Fiona Apple
3/5
This album is brilliant and infuriating in equal measure. There are portions of it that are quite wonderful, but other bits that I find quite annoying. Giving this a three, but unlike most threes, it's not because it's "pleasant but unmemorable", but rather that that's the only way to average out the fact that this albums is both 5 and 1.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
As other reviewers have noted, the level of vibrato here can be a bit tough going. But its not excessive on all songs, and the music is otherwise very good. A solid three.
Elton John
5/5
This is the second album in a week where a white guy in the seventies puts on a dubious Jamaican accent. Oh dear.
Other than Jamaican Jerk-Off (which is truly awful) and Roy Rogers (which is a bit weak), every other song on this is great. Elton certainly knew how to write them in the seventies. Favorite one I hadn't heard before was "All The Girls Love Alice". 4.5 stars (minus half for JJO), but rounding to 5.
Bill Callahan
4/5
I'd never heard of Callahan before this listen. He's got a soothing, pleasant baritone voice that fits the slightly dark tone of the music - like a more tuneful Leonard Cohen. I liked this quite a lot.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Excellent songwriting (though some of the chord progressions in "My Old Man" feel a little odd). "A Case Of You" is a wonderful song.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
The musicianship on this album is incredible; the drumming is so tight, the bass locks into the groove. The keyboard solo 12 mins into Chameleon is excellent.
Al Green
3/5
Solid stuff, especially the title track. I enjoyed listening to this. A pretty strong 3.
Rush
3/5
I'm not a huge fan of Geddy Lee's voice (though I don't hate it either), so the instrumental YYZ is the best track for me. Second best morse code rythymed song (after the theme tune to Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em).
The Stooges
4/5
Over 50 years old, but still sounds pretty fresh. The mix is pretty bad; I preferred the Bowie mix over the Iggy one, but neither are great. But the underlying material is solid, and there's some great guitar on the record.
David Bowie
4/5
I still prefer later Bowie over the glam rock era incarnation, but this is still very enjoyable. The piano, especially in the title track, is fantastic.
Rod Stewart
3/5
I quite like Rod Stewart's voice here; it quite suits the material. Some of the songs on this album are pretty good. It's quite bluesy for several. A high 3.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
Visions Of You is a fairly boring song, but Sinead O'Connor's voice elevates it significantly. The rest is pretty terrible.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I like her voice (although there were a few Cilla-ish moments on one of the tracks). Son of a Preacher Man is the standout here - a classic. Everything else is good, but not super memorable.
Paul Simon
4/5
I love the title track from this album; it's beautifully melancholic. Similarly "Train In The Distance". Not so keen on "When Numbers Get Serious", and who allowed "Cars Are Cars" onto the record? 3.5 (there are better Paul Simon albums) but rounding up to 4.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
The excessive talking at the start of "This Is What She's Like" was irritating, but I like the song once it finally got going; its probably the highlight of the album. In general, this record has too much chit chat on it.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Oh shit, do I like Dylan now? First Neil Young, and now this? Anyway this is pretty good, perhaps my favorite of the three Dylan albums we've had so far.
The Doors
1/5
I dislike this quite a lot. I especially don't like Jim Morrison's voice. It's not bad, or out of tune, just one that I find displeasing. Maybe the rest wouldn't be quite so bad without Morrison. Ok no, "The End" would be just as interminable.
CHVRCHES
3/5
I like this but I don't think its particularly memorable. By The Throat is the best song here - it sounds like Let's Eat Grandma (though this came first)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
I'm not averse to a bit of prog, but this is pretty fucking dreadful.
Various Artists
3/5
Pretty good as Christmas albums go. Darlene Love is the star.
Ray Price
2/5
This all sounded pretty much the same after the first song. Good for what it is (and definitely better than modern pop-country), but not really my thing.
Kate Bush
5/5
I thought this was pretty great - she could teach Fiona Apple a thing or two. Best tracks; Suspended in Gaffa, Night of the Swallow.
Kings of Leon
2/5
I find the singer's voice to be annoying. This is fairly unexciting stuff.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Another good one from Arcade Fire, though not quite as good as Funeral.
Ice T
3/5
This is decent but longer than it needs to be. Body Count is interesting, but sounds pretty dated.
3/5
I'd only really known them for Lowrider. This was perfectly passable funk/soul. I liked City, Country, City
Pixies
5/5
A New Years treat! I've listened to this album more times than I can count. I possibly love it even more than Doolittle. 35 years old, and still holds up.
2/5
Great title. Impressive how she manages to fit so many syllables into ni-i-i-i-ight. Good in its genre; not for me.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Another album of listenable but not exceptional Elvis Costello material. 20% Amnesia is a little annoying. Overall I could have done with a shorter playtime; an hour of Costello's voice is a little too much to bear.
Doves
5/5
Part Indie Rock, part Dreampop, part Shoegaze, part Madchester, part Triphop. Makes for a absorbing combination. I'd missed this (and Doves entirely) when it came out, but really glad to catch up with it now.
U2
2/5
I feel like Bono is the weak link in the U2 chain for me; they don't sound so bad without him singing. The two hits off this are decent songs but everything else feels like filler. I especially disliked "Like A Song".
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Good harmonies but every song sounded more or less the same. Listened to the original album but not the bonus tracks; couldn't take any more.
Kelela
2/5
Pleasant enough to listen to, but utterly unmemorable.
The xx
3/5
I like this, and there are several decent songs on it, but the vocals are weaker than the music.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
The title track is a classic, obviously, and I liked Do Your Thing, which just about earned its 19 minute runtime. But in between those there was a fair bit of filler.
Stephen Stills
3/5
About the same as the last Stills album we got. Some pretty good songs that I quite enjoyed, but also some that were extremely irritating, especially the violin heavy ones.
Chicago
2/5
This is not what I expected from this band; I thought it would be like the Peter Cetera 80s ballads, but it was jazzier and funkier than that. However, it's a thin line between jazz and jam band, and this crosses it a few too many times. There's a good 45 minute album in here somewhere. Also, the freeform guitar track is fairly dreadful.
Pixies
4/5
A solid Pixies album, but not up to the heights of Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. Still, there are some great tracks here; Velouria, Allison, Havalina etc.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
I steeled myself for an unenjoyable listening experience here, but the first track wasn't too bad. Even the version of No Woman No Cry was bearable, at the faster tempo than the live one. But it got really samey pretty fast. I can only take two or three songs worth of this.
4/5
Only vaguely heard of this band before, and never listened to them. This was pretty good stuff, punky and fun.
Funkadelic
5/5
The musicianship on this is excellent. Fantastic bass playing. I greatly enjoyed this album. The Parliament album we got recently was pretty good, but this was a notch above it.
Death In Vegas
4/5
I rather liked this - shoegaze-adjacent/trip-hop. Iggy Pop's vocal was good.
This is unbelievably bland. Listening to this was like having teeth pulled.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
Bangers.
Blondie
5/5
So many hits on this album! And the rest of the songs are pretty damn good too
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
This was a whole lot less "weird" than I expected it to be, given Beefheart's reputation. It turned out to be fairly run of the mill blues rock. I actually liked the more off-beat tracks best, like Abba Zaba. Maybe I'll love Trout Mask Replica once we get to it.
The Bees
2/5
Offensively unremarkable.
JAY Z
2/5
This is a bit too bombastic for my liking. Jay Z is kinda boring. Eminem turns up on Renegade and instantly makes it more interesting.
Guided By Voices
2/5
This has all the elements of the kind of stuff I like, but for some reason doesn't quite do it for me; I'm not sure why. I wish they'd taken 12 of the most promising of these 28 songs and developed them further. As it stands it's a pretty mixed bag.
Sam Cooke
5/5
His timing is incredible. The audience participation in Sentimental Reasons made me smile, imagining how much fun it must have been to be in the audience here. Great sax, especially in Twistin' The Night Away. Amazing stuff.
Happy Mondays
4/5
This held up a whole lot better than I thought it would - OK, sure, Sean Ryder doesn't exactly have the best singing voice, but it works in context. Loose Fit has a great riff, Step on takes me right back to the nineties, and I enjoyed Harmony a lot.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Yet another CSNY release, to go along with the seemingly dozens that we've already had. More of the same stuff; not super exciting, but a couple of good songs on it. In this case they are "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Helpless".
The Who
3/5
The standouts here are My Generation (obviously), which is just phenomenally good, and The Ox. Everything else is decent mid sixties blues/rock. A high 3.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
WTF is going on with "Diamonds in the Mine"? Avalanche is the best song on here, but maybe that's because I'm familiar with Aimee Mann's version (which I prefer). Still prefer his later stuff. Low 3.
Public Enemy
4/5
This is good stuff. I like Chuck D's rhymes, and the samples are brilliantly put together. Welcome to the Terrordome and Who Stole the Soul were the standouts for me, but the whole thing was pretty enjoyable.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Distilled essence of 90s. Good stuff though - I enjoyed this back then, and it still holds up.
Duke Ellington
2/5
Technically extremely impressive, but overall this style of jazz doesn't really do it for me.
The Sugarcubes
5/5
I bought this when it came out, loved it, and still do. I know people complain about Einar's voice "ruining" it, but for me it's an essential part of the Sugarcubes experience.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan album #4 for us, this was generally pretty good, though I preferred the electric front half to the acoustic second half. Upper 3
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
This was a blast! A crazy mishmash of all kinds of musical styles, but done with such verve. A really fun listen.
Calexico
3/5
This was pretty good - I liked the instrumentation. Close Behind and other mostly instrumental tracks were my favorite. A high 3.
George Harrison
4/5
Five stars for the generally excellent discs 1 & 2. Minus a star for the self indulgent disc 3. Loved "Art of Dying" - sounds like a James Bond theme song.
Radiohead
5/5
Another excellent album from Radiohead. Love Knives Out, Pyramid Song. Didn't realize till today that it's Humphrey Lyttelton's band on Life In a Glasshouse.
Ramones
1/5
The least interesting band to come out of CBGB. Soo boring.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Ok, Mo' Onions is just (as the title implies) another version of Green Onions.
Other than those two, the rest are a bit weaker. I don't think you can make good instrumental songs simply by taking a song with a vocal and playing the vocal line on an instrument; I think good instrumentals tend to be designed as instrumentals from the ground up.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Ok, I agree it's lyrically problematic (apparently Dionne Warwick took Snoop to task over this), but the beats are great. Could lose the skits though.
Motörhead
3/5
I genuinely love Ace Of Spades - a five star song. The other stuff on here was fun too, but not in the same league. A strong 3 overall.
Wilco
2/5
This does nothing for me. There are a few decent songs on it, and the rest are unobjectionable, but it doesn't stir me in any way
Stan Getz
4/5
Smooth bossanova; standout tracks are obviously Ipanema and Desafinado. Better than the Astrud Gilberto solo album we had, in large part due to the presence of Getz's sax.
Prince
5/5
It's incredible that so much talent could be concentrated in single person. Of the non-singles, I most enjoyed Computer Blue, but every song on here is a banger.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
This is the kind of punk I like. Spirited energetic vocals, and the sax adds a lot of texture to it. Fun!
The Temptations
4/5
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone is such a vibe.
Funkadelic
4/5
This was great but not quite as good as the other Funkadelic we got ("One Nation ..."). Personally I quite liked the last track with all the strange noises.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I liked this on the whole. Twisted is the weak link on the album. A fairly solid 3.
5/5
Another album that I'm probably too close to to be able to evaluate objectively; at one point this was my favorite Beatles album, but now I think I would rank it fourth. It's still an easy 5/5 though. I love George's solo on Fixing a Hole. Ringo's drumming on A Day In The Life is masterful.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
Funny to get this the day after we got Sgt Pepper. That was a fairly easy 5*, this might even be better IMO. Consistently excellent stuff from Paul here.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
I enjoyed the singles from this when they originally came out, but the album as a whole feels pretty empty and soulless.
Laibach
1/5
Unbearable listening. I guess parody fascists make just as bad art as the real thing.
John Lennon
4/5
It's bean a Beatle-y kind if week, what with Sgt Pepper, Band on the Run, and now this. I love the guitar tone in Hold On. Well Well Well is another highlight. I like Mother a fair bit less. A low 4.
Johnny Cash
3/5
The audience certainly seemed to enjoy it! While I recognize the quality of this, it's not really my thing though.
Method Man
2/5
I don't really like Method Man's delivery and the beats here were a little dull.
Django Django
3/5
Never heard of this band or album before - somehow completely passed me by. I liked this a fair bit. I'm going to give it a strong 3, but intend to listen to it more, and suspect that with repeated listening it could end up as a fairly solid 4.
The Black Keys
2/5
Somewhat forgettable stuff. Sounds well produced, but it doesn't evoke significant emotion in me.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Cave is unbearably out of tune at times. It's a shame, because i like other aspects of this album. Except the first song, which I really disliked - I almost gave up during it, but was ultimately was glad I didn't.
Van Morrison
2/5
I definitely didn't need this to be a double album. I listened to about two thirds of it and had my fill. Band is undeniably very tight, the performance is good, but it doesn't really stir me.
Mudhoney
4/5
I feel like I slightly overrated the last Mudhoney album we got in retrospect, so I was prepared to rate this lower to compensate. But I actually enjoyed it quite a lot, so I'm going to go with my gut and rate this one a 4 too.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I thought this was pretty great. Cash's voice is pretty compelling. I definitely prefer old Johnny Cash to the younger version.
Violent Femmes
5/5
This takes me back. I had this in heavy rotation during college years, but haven't listened to it in a long time. It holds up really well; still sounds quite fresh.
The Police
1/5
This is not for me. i don't like Sting's voice. The reggae tinged tunes are not good. Mother is an abomination so bad it made me laugh put loud.
N.W.A.
3/5
There are some pretty solid tracks on here - the title track, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself. But I didn't like it quite as much as the Public Enemy album we got a while back.
50 Cent
2/5
I found this pretty boring. Not as good as most of the other hip hop we've had on this list.
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
This may well be the lowest 1 star rating I've awarded so far. Appalling stuff, of absolutely no merit whatsoever. Dimery must have been out of his mind to put this on the list.
The Mars Volta
1/5
Wikipedia claims this is progressive rock, but I know emo when I hear it. Couldn't bear to finish it.
Nick Drake
5/5
Beautifully melancholic. Favorite song: "From The Morning".
Portishead
5/5
Been a favorite for thirty years; still holds up. Easy 5 *
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I enjoyed this, very chill listening. A solid 3.
Beck
4/5
Always up for a bit of Beck. I like the guitar tone on Black Tambourine. A strong 4.
The Stooges
4/5
The Stooges sound quite ahead of their time. Great stuff for the most part. I'm not sure how I felt about "We Will Fall"; I don't think it quite worked for me on today's listen, but I could see myself really getting into it on another day.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I love some Big Beat. This is not quite as good as Fatboy Slim's later offerings though. Standouts: Going Out Of My Head, Michael Jackson. A high 3, close to a 4.
System Of A Down
2/5
I feel like Serj Tankian was a theater kid. Some of this (like CUBErt) reminded me of Dead Kennedys. Anyway, overall not my thing, though I see the general quality of it.
John Coltrane
3/5
I like it but it's generally busier than I like jazz to be.
The Birthday Party
1/5
This is one of the worst album covers I've seen in a long time. The music isn't much better; couldn't make it all the way through.
Soft Machine
4/5
Is it prog or is it jazz? Or maybe both. Either way, it's pretty great
Songhoy Blues
4/5
This was a joyful breath of fresh air.
Sonic Youth
5/5
I love Sonic Youth. Favorite song on here is Tunic, but the whole album is very much my thing
Wild Beasts
4/5
People seem to have really taken against the singer's falsetto here, but I have no problem with it at all. I enjoyed this a fair bit, a pretty solid 4.
Beach House
2/5
This is ok, I guess. I'm not super excited by it though
Johnny Cash
3/5
Not very different from the San Quentin one, so I guess I'll give it the same score.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Best songs here are Starpower and Expressway to Yr Skull (aka Madonna, Sean and Me). The whole album is good though. Giving it a 4, because there are SY albums I like more, but it's a pretty strong 4.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
Not entirely sure I would call all of this music. However some of it wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting - the more ambient tracks were somewhat passable.
5/5
This was Oasis' peak - nothing subsequent to this was in the same class. Some genuine bangers here, even though they wear their influences on their sleeves (and some "influences" are straight lifts). Carried by Liam's charisma.
Deep Purple
3/5
Old heavy metal is basically blues - see e.g. Maybe I'm a Leo on this album. Highway Star is pretty good on here, as are a few of the others. Smoke On The Water is probably the least effective of the bunch, maybe just because it's been so overplayed.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
I disliked this quite a lot. I found it particularly frustrating because I kept hearing slivers of things that sounded like I might like them, but it would only be fleeting.
David Bowie
5/5
Up there with Bowie's best. Can definitely hear the krautrock influence here, but it's also quite funky. I particularly love Stay
Joy Division
5/5
Peter Hook's bass is amazing. This album is wonderful, in all its misery.
Slade
2/5
Workaday glam rock, competently executed, but nothing that stands out as overly memorable.
The Hives
3/5
This was pretty decent punk/post punk. First two tracks are the best. But why not just include Veni Vidi Vicious on the list rather than a compilation? Strong 3.
Björk
5/5
I have this on CD. Haven't listened to it in some time, but it still holds up really well. I really like Venus As A Boy, but the whole album is good.
Bon Jovi
1/5
Hated it then, hate it now. Spinal Tap without the jokes.
Solange
3/5
I rather enjoyed this. A solid 3.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This didn't grab me as much as I remember Led Zep I doing. Not sure if that's because this album is less to my taste or because I'm in less of a Led Zep mood today. I liked "Tangerine".
The Who
2/5
Underture is nowhere near interesting enough to merit being 10 minutes long. Pinball Wizard is the only memorable song on this album and saves it from a lower score.
Radiohead
5/5
I remember listening to this on repeat on my first ever flight to the US on my discman. Been a firm favorite ever since. Only just edged out by Kid A IMO, but an absolute classic.
Madness
3/5
I love a bit of Madness, but let's face it - they are a singles band. I can't in all conscience give this more than a three. I would probably put their debut on the list before this.
The Doors
2/5
I hate Morrison 's voice so much. Some of this might be bearable with a different vocalist. Riders on the Storm is a pretty good vibe, especially the instrumental bits and saves this album from a 1.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
A couple of these songs are actually pretty decent - I liked Sweat Loaf and Graveyard pt 2, for example. Some if the others are fairly hard going though, like The O-men. This is a two, but it's on the upper end of it - I was quite tempted to score as a three.
Weather Report
2/5
I thought I only knew Birdland, but on listening I realized I've listened to this whole album before. I think only Birdland is really memorable though. Jaco Pastorius' bass playing is next level, but it doesn't translate into an engaging whole for me.
Miles Davis
4/5
Two Joe Zawinul days in a row. This one much better than the last. Loved the repetitive groove of the first track especially.
The Stone Roses
5/5
I loved this album when it came out, listened to it a lot subsequently, but not recently. I wondered if it would still hold up, or if I'd find I no longer loved it. Happy to report it still sounds awesome - a very easy 5.
Supergrass
4/5
"Alright" is such exuberant fun. The rest of the album is pretty good too, but not at the same level.
Ride
3/5
I like a bit of shoegaze. This is solid but not as good as MBV or Slowdive. A high three.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
This didn't grab me as much as Fulfillingness' First Finale, though Superstition is fantastic - if more of the album were like this, it would be an easy 5. "I Believe" is another highlight for me.
Paul McCartney
5/5
I think this album is underrated. Maybe I'm Amazed is a classic. Every Night is great, possibly the best on the album. Love the guitar tone in Momma Miss America. Swithering between 4 & 5, but I really enjoyed listening to this today, so I'm going with 5.
Steely Dan
3/5
Twenty year old me wouldn't have been seen dead listening to Steely Dan. But there are some decent songs on here; the title track and Rikki especially. I didn't particularly like the Duke Ellington cover though.
The Stooges
4/5
This is the third Iggy/Stooges album we've had. This one much like the others; which is to say an enjoyable listen, feels ahead of its time.
Nick Drake
5/5
Hazey Jane II sounds like a lost Belle & Sebastian song - you can see they were influenced by Nick Drake.
Similar to the last two albums we got by Drake, this caused me to want to binge on his whole catalog immediately afterwards. Great stuff.
Richard Thompson
2/5
His voice sounds like the stereotypical voice that people do when taking the piss out of folk singers, with their finger in their ear.
Some decent songs on this, but also some dire ones (e.g. Beggar Girl). Overall not really my thing.
Steely Dan
4/5
Two Steely Dan's in a week! I liked this more than the last one (Pretzel Logic). The sitar solo in Do It Again is pretty great. A high 4.
Green Day
2/5
This is good at doing what it intends to do, which is melodic pop punk. But it's not got the bite that I like in punk.
Nice of them to let Kermit the Frog sing the last song.
The Only Ones
3/5
Another Girl, Another Planet was familiar. Interesting that this shares both stylistic and lyrical similarities with Ash's later Girl From Mars.
They sound a bit like Television at times, especially on "The Immortal Story".
I quite like some of this, but only about half the tracks. Low 3.
Bad Brains
3/5
I liked this. Would be interested in hearing more if their earlier stuff too. Particularly enjoyed Let Me Help. A strong 3
The Boo Radleys
2/5
I like the instrumentals more than the vocals here. The individual songs are fairly good, but not good enough to merit a 64 minute runtime; I was ready to be done after half an hour.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Better than The Wall, mainly because its a more appropriate length. Again, the musicianship is excellent, but it's still a bit highly strung. A low 4.
Meat Puppets
2/5
This isn't what I expected from the band name. Some of the music is not bad, but the singer has a pretty poor voice.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
I've complained in the past about overly long albums, but Illinois totally earns its running time. This is an easy five stars for me.
Beatles
5/5
Best Beatles album or second best, pipped by Abbey Road? Either way, an amazing record. Incredible to think this was a mere three years after "Love Me Do". Tomorrow Never Knows is up there with the best songs the Beatles ever did (brilliant drums from Ringo), as is For No One. George also really starts to come into his own on this record too.
Common
3/5
This was fairly good - the production was good, although sometimes it felt a little too smooth for my tastes
Primal Scream
2/5
This seemed groundbreaking at the time (to me, anyway), but only Moving On Up. And Loaded stand out here; the rest seems kind of dull to today's ears.
Jurassic 5
5/5
This was very much my kind of thing. Great beats, interesting flow, good contrast between the voices. Break and High Fidelity were a couple of standouts.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I think I need more time with this album. I liked some of it a lot - Last Goodbye and Lover, ... For example. Other songs did less for me, and I'm afraid Hallelujah is so overplayed now that it loses all power. But I think it's plausible that if I listened to this multiple times I could grow to love it and maybe it would be a four or even five star album.
David Bowie
3/5
This underscores to me that I prefer later Bowie to the earlier stuff. Changes is great, but the rest is nowhere near the highs of Station to Station or Low.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Works best on the riff-heavy tracks like Supernaut. I quite liked most of this. Wasn't so sure about the slower tracks. A pretty strong 3
The Velvet Underground
3/5
It was fine, I guess, but not especially memorable. I liked Murder Mystery the most
Carole King
5/5
I'd seriously overlistened to this in the past and as a result had kind of gone off it - and haven't listened in quite a while as a result. Relistening now, its clear what a masterclass in songwriting the whole thing is. (But yes, Aretha's version of Natural Woman is the canonical one)
The Beach Boys
4/5
A four star album with a couple of five star songs on it. Feel Flows is fantastic, and Surf's Up might be my favorite Beach Boys song from their whole catalog; beautifully melancholic.
Milton Nascimento
2/5
In general I wish there was a bit less US/British music on this list, and a bit more from other countries. But this album didn't do it for me.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
A mixed bag. Some great stuff (WLL), and some some well executed but otherwise run of the mill blues (Lemon Song)
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
Greatly disliked this misogynistic claptrap
Turbonegro
2/5
I had pretty low hopes for this given the terrible band name. It marginally exceeded them; some of this was ok despite the sophomoric lyrics. Some of it sounded a bit like the Hives.
Metallica
2/5
Not my thing. Far too long.
Deep Purple
3/5
Liked this quite a bit more than yesterday's Metallica. Not something I'd typically listen to, but I did quite enjoy it.
Gillian Welch
3/5
Nice voice and some great guitar playing. Some of it veered a bit too close to full on country for me, but I liked a good deal of it. A strong 3.
Neu!
4/5
Always up for a bit of Krautrock. I liked side 2 more than side 1
Gorillaz
3/5
A few great high points (Clint Eastwood, 19-2000) and a fair bit of filler. Plastic Beach is a stronger album IMO
k.d. lang
3/5
Music that's not particularly to my taste, elevated by kd lang's incredible voice. I see that Ingenue is on this list too; when that comes around it'll earn an easy five stars. If I'd been given the option to choose a second kd lang album beyond Ingenue, I'd have chosen Hymns of the 49th Parallel, which I love.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
I wouldn't go so far as to say I loved it, but I didn't hate it either. In fact I might listen to it again sometime. Actually, I think it merits a three.
R.E.M.
3/5
I liked this a fair bit more than Document. Radio Free Europe is a good song. A few samey tracks though. A solidly high three.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Well, I guess this project has taught me that I like Dylan way more than I thought I did. After a rocky start (Rainy Day Women offends me in its obviousness), it quickly gets a lot better. Visions of Johanna a standout. Even when Bob is being very Bob, this is good stuff.
Small Faces
3/5
The title track sounds pretty modern. Some good music here, although the (affected?) cockney delivery is a bit grating, and I could have done without the Stanley Unwin bits. A bit overly English twee.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I liked a lot of this; especially the last track, a slowed down version of "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)". Disliked Space Cowboy a lot, but overall here more to like than not. A strong 3
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
This might be sacrilegious, but this doesn't do a whole lot for me. Sure, I can appreciate that it's _good_. But it's not my thing.
The Prodigy
3/5
Sounds very much of its era. I prefer other electronic acts from that time (e.g. Chemical Brothers, Underworld). This is Ok, but not amazing.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
I concur with the majority of other reviewers here. This is dreadful hippy shite. What is going on with those vocals on "Three is a Green Crown"?
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Well, Frank can sing, no doubt about that. And there are some classic songs on here. But they all start to blend into one another a bit. I do like the rhyme "my indiscreet heart, how it longs for that sweetheart" though.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Better than Mellon Collie, but that may be largely because it's shorter. I quite like the music but I can't get past Corgan's voice.
Roxy Music
4/5
Enjoyed this. Virginia Plain is a cracking song, I love Ferry's delivery in it. The rest of the album also pretty great (maybe except the last doo-wop track).
How many Eno related albums have we had now? Everything that guy touches is gold.
Ryan Adams
2/5
My review of the previous Ryan Adams album we got still holds here ("Tuneful and easy to listen to, but completely unmemorable"); at least this one is a more reasonable length.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I liked this, though it's not a strong as Bookends (and neither are at the heights of Bridge Over Troubled Water). A Simple Desultory Philippic is pretty funny; a good Dylan parody.
The Human League
2/5
Don't You Want Me is the only great song on here; the rest is fairly run of the mill 80s synth pop
Fugazi
4/5
I like MacKaye's vocals more than Picciotto's. This is fun stuff, though I think I enjoy Minor Threat a smidge more.
Prince
5/5
Awesomely funky stuff from Prince. There are several long songs on here - 7+ minutes, but none of them feel long. Hard to pick highlights, but Something In The Water is great, as is Lady Cab Driver. Delirious is the only track that didn't really work for me.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
I quite like the music but I'm not too fond of Julian Cope's voice.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Music is bad and Marilyn Manson is a creep.
Adele
3/5
She's certainly got an impressive set of pipes on her. But other than her singing voice, I find the music a bit unmemorable.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Phil: Do any of you girls want a little bit more Irish in you?
Me: Vomits in mouth a bit
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Not good, but some of it not _quite_ as bad as I feared it might be. Still hippy shite though. Why is he whispering "LSD" during Bass Strings?
Tom Waits
3/5
I think you have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate Tom Waits; I'm not sure I was totally there when I listened to this. Somewhere between "Heartattack" and "Rain Dogs" for me; Rain Dogs is still the standout Tom.Waits album. On this, "16 Shells" was one I enjoyed a lot
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Super catchy, but feels a little dissatisfying, like processed food. The songs on this album (which like most double albums, is too long) tend to blend into one another; there's not a ton to differentiate them. However merits three stars at least for Mr Blue Sky.
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
One thing I think I've learned over the course of rating all these albums is that present mood is a big factor. I'm not sure I'd always give this a five, but today it felt just like what I wanted to listen to.
I don't think the lyrics here are nearly as deep or meaningful as Richey thought they were. And the music is super bombastic, which I often find a turn-off. But today, it's a five.
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
This is pretty terrible. Baby's Got Sauce is particularly egregious. Couldn't finish - toughed it out till half way through. Gave me a migraine, though that may have been coincidence.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Virtuosic sitar playing. I enjoyed the explanations on a first listen through, but imagine that on subsequent listens you'd want to skip them. The last minute of Bhimpalasi where the lower tones come in is amazing. Hypnotic stuff.
Coldplay
2/5
Chris Martin's voice is really annoying. This is bland and boring, though maybe with a different singer I might like it more.
The Cult
1/5
This album is just the same song over and over again. The version of Born To Be Wild is execrable.
Mj Cole
1/5
Sounds like it was generated by AI. Incredibly bland and flavorless. I couldn't listen to two hours of this.
Massive Attack
5/5
Really surprised that this and Protection are on this list but Mezzanine is not. I think most people would pick Mezzanine over this. Not that this isn't excellent - it's still an easy five stars (as will be Protection when it comes around).
GZA
3/5
I liked this at the start, but it wore thin after a while - too much of the same thing. Better than Method Man's album that we got earlier.
Love
1/5
"When I was in England Town"??? Greatly disliked this; psychedelic rock from the 60s just isn't my thing.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
"Let Love Rule" is plodding. So is "I Built This Garden". Just because the tempo is moderately slow doesn't mean they have to be lacking in energy, but these are limp and lifeless. A low 2.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This was a level or two better than the previous Sabbath albums we've had. Found myself really getting into this. A very strong 4.
Gene Clark
2/5
There's nothing this guy's doing that Bob Dylan isn't doing better
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Jennifer Warnes version of First We Take Manhattan is the superior one (aided by Stevie Ray Vaughn's guitar).
There's something jarring about the backing singers' voices contrasted with Cohen's. It doesn't really work IMO. Having said that, some good songwriting here and I enjoyed a fair bit of it.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Peaches in Regalia sounds like the soundtrack for an indie sidescroller game. Not a fan of Van Vliet's vocals on Willie the Pimp but its only a small portion of one track.
Most of the rest of this is jazz, more or less. I found bits of it enjoyable, but mostly self indulgent.
Tom Waits
2/5
4th Tom Waits album we've had, and it's diminishing returns. Couldn't get into this one.
Black Flag
3/5
I enjoyed this a fair bit - some fun LA punk. Minor Threat remains the punk high water mark for me though. A strong three, close to 4.
Mercury Rev
3/5
This sounded very like Flaming Lips. Decent enough; I enjoyed it a fair bit. A solid three
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
One thing I love about this project is the fact that it's challenging my preconceptions. I've never been keen on Ella Fitzgerald - especially her scat singing, which I find particularly irritating. But her treatment of this material is impeccable (one track with scat only!), and highlights the exceptional writing of the Gershwins. Yes, I listened to all 3hrs 15 mins (over a couple of days) and enjoyed almost all of it. I think that merits a five.
Pavement
4/5
Pavement are exactly the kind of band you'd think I'd like, but for some reason they never really clicked for me before. Until now, that is; this was really great, and I now get Pavement. Not sure why it took until now.
Carpenters
2/5
Karen Carpenter has a lovely voice, obviously, but this is too saccharine for me.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Pre-Dickinson Maiden - this singer isn't as good, I don't think. Some fun bits here though, overall reasonably enjoyable
Fever Ray
5/5
Fantastic stuff, dark and atmospheric. Love what they are doing vocally. If you like this you will almost definitely like Holly Herndon, who sounds quite similar in places.
Raekwon
2/5
I found this fairly dull. I also (as is usually the case) could do without the skits.
2/5
I think this is an illustration of why less is more. There's just too much going on here, and as a result it leaves me a bit cold. It's so emotive, but the emotion seems forced and unnatural.
Side note; that album cover's very Pink Floyd, isn't it? [Edit: oh, it's a Hipgnosis/Storm Thorgerson cover, that explains it]
The Rolling Stones
2/5
This is one of the Stones most acclaimed albums? Why?
Straightforward, well executed blues rock, but nothing exciting here.
Pulp
3/5
Didn't listen to this when it came out, despite having bought and been quite keen on Different Class. Knew a couple of singles off it. Overall, I quite like it, although in retrospect Jarvis has a fairly weak voice. Amused by the line "I am not Jesus, though I have the same initials". A strong 3.
2/5
I generally greatly dislike 60s psychedelic rock but there were a few tracks on here that I quite liked. Not all of it though - there were a few that grated (like Life Has Just Begun). A high two.
Beatles
5/5
Short and sweet at only 30 mins: doesn't outstay its welcome. Of course, later Beatles stuff is more interesting but these are great pop songs that catch your interest. Lennon seemed to be ahead of McCartney in songwriting prowess at this point, though both have great tracks on here. Only a couple of relative duds (the George fronted "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You", for example).
Terence Trent D'Arby
4/5
I kind of dismissed this when it first came out, partly, I think, because TTD was a bit of a blowhard in the music press. But listening to it now, it's actually pretty damn good. Funky stuff, and TTD has a great voice. Somewhere in the high three/low four range; going to be generous and round up.
Le Tigre
4/5
Like a mixture of 60s pop, the Go Gos and early B52s, I liked this rather a lot. Opening track is the standout.
Sister Sledge
4/5
This is basically a Chic album under a different name, which is no bad thing. Amazing bass from Bernard Edwards, especially on Thinking of You and We Are Family. The funkier songs work better than the slower tempo ones, but overall this is a highly enjoyable listen.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
I wasn't blown away by any of the individual efforts from Wu Tang members that we've had yet, so I wasn't really expecting to love this either. But the whole seems to be greater than the sum of its parts, because this was pretty good.
2/5
Dozed slightly on a plane while listening to this, so maybe this review isn't entirely fair; I found it to be pleasant but a little uninspiring.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I like the guitar tone in Mona. Overall a decent set of covers, but I remain a Beatles guy rather than a Stones guy. Low three.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
A major step up in quality of both songwriting and production from "Frank" - on the whole I think the Ronson produced tracks are the superior ones.of the lesser known tracks, I liked "He Can Only Hold Her". Good stuff.
George Michael
3/5
Some fun tracks on here, including some that I like a bit more than I did when this first came out. I'm less keen on the ballads, on the whole. Also, is he sniffing his oxter on the album cover?
Julian Cope
2/5
I liked Safesurfer. There's some other decent stuff here too, but this wore out its welcome long before the end of its 1hr 16 running time. The single Beautiful Love is one of the weakest on the album IMO.
Fugees
3/5
I still don't get the whole "one time" thing on "Killing Me Softly", but otherwise this is a good listen. Lauryn Hill elevates it; both her rapping and her singing sound great. Forgot how good "Ready Or Not" was. A high three, bordering on four.
Radiohead
5/5
Not as great as Kid A, but excellent nonetheless. Radiohead when they were "merely" a really great indie rock band. Solid five-starrer.
Machito
3/5
I feel like I should have liked this more than I did, but I found it all a little samey. Sounded good, with a nice vibe, but I don't suspect I'll return to it. Low 3.
Yes
3/5
Decent prog, though I think I like Close To The Edge better (and this isn't nearly as good as Gabriel era Genesis)
R.E.M.
3/5
Some (ahem) might say this is where REM dropped off, but I quite liked most of this, at least as much as some of the earlier stuff
Judas Priest
2/5
This didn't do it for me in the same way that, say, Black Sabbath did. I found it a little plodding.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
Unfocused guitar noodling. Random noises. God save us from late sixties San Francisco jam bands. If I could give this less than one star, I would.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Thankfully not too many moans and groans in here. Some masterful piano improvisation, though sometimes a little too meandering for me. When he locked into a groove, it was great.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I'd never listened to Lupe Fiasco before. This was pretty enjoyable. Lyrics were good; often amusing.
The Byrds
3/5
A mixed bag. I liked the county-ish "Time Between", and Crosby's "Everybody's Been Burned". But I really disliked "Mind Gardens", also a Crosby song. A low three.
The Dictators
2/5
I didn't particularly take to this, and not just because the lyrics were a bit dubious. If it's proto-punk, it's proto-the kind of punk I don't really like. Low two.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
More CS&N. Some decent songs on here; Judy Blue Eyes (especially segment 4) is the best, Wooden Ships also good. But Marrakesh Express is pretty grating, and much of the rest is a little forgettable.
Orbital
3/5
I'd go for "In Sides" over this, personally, so we'd get "The Girl With The Sun In Her Head". The strongest track on here is "Halcyon And On And On"; the rest aren't quite as compelling.
Joe Ely
1/5
I disliked this sufficiently that I deleted each song from my history as soon as it played.
Ray Charles
3/5
I think this proves that country is mainly in the delivery rather than the songwriting. I liked the big band songs more than the strings/chorus ones, but in all cases, Charles' delivery is impeccable.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
This is great. I love Karen O's voice, and the music is spiky and interesting. Opening track is the standout, but several great tracks on here
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Man, I wish Janet Weiss was still in Sleater Kinney. And I admit, the way she was treated has soured me a bit on the band. But this is still a great album. Aside from the music, I love an album cover that's a homage to another, like this.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
I liked tracks 2 onwards more than the opener with the disco. Overall pretty enjoyable - some excellent horn playing. But it also doesn't quite have enough variation to keep me engaged for the whole album.
Britney Spears
2/5
Holy key change! I was prepared to give this a fair chance; I'm not averse to a bit of bubblegum pop. But beyond the title track and a couple others, the rest is formulaic blandness.
Coldplay
2/5
Plodding. And I still can't bear his voice.
808 State
2/5
This aged really badly; it sounds so dated now. It's saved from a one star review by Pacific 202, which is a fair bit better than the rest (though maybe that's just because I remember it as a single back when this was released).
Queen
3/5
I liked this less than I thought I would. There are some classics on here, which are great obviously, but a few of the songs I found irritatingly twee, like Seaside Rendezvous and Good Company.
Ice Cube
2/5
I found this all a bit samey and dull. His delivery doesn't change much from track to track. And yes, the lyrical content is pretty misogynistic.
Can
5/5
It's been a rough streak, with 6 albums in a row scoring 3 or less, so as soon as i saw this come up, I was relieved. To be clear, I'd give this a five rough streak or not. Amazing drumming/percussion.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
As well as the songs that I already knew , I liked "The Girl Who Wanted To Be God" a lot. Bombastic as the Manics always are, of course, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Anita Baker
1/5
She has a nice enough voice, but this is absolutely not for me. I think my breaking point was the scatting in "Been So Long".
Van Halen
1/5
Less is more is obviously not a philosophy that Eddie Van Halen subscribes to. Kinks version of Really Got Me is far superior.
Kings of Leon
2/5
This is a good illustration of how tastes change - I used to quite like this album, but I find it a mostly tiresome listen now. Most of that is due to the singer's voice, which is really irritating. The music itself isn't too bad; some pretty strong songs, vocals excepted.
Alice Cooper
2/5
This was not what I expected of this album at all, having not listened to Alice Cooper before, beyond the hits. Not entirely sure why people were shocked by this in the seventies; it's so obviously theatrical and tongue in cheek. Some decent songs but Sick Things is pretty bad.
Billie Holiday
3/5
I like her voice, though I understand that it's not to everybody's taste. The material was a little schmaltzy for me. Overall I preferred the Ella/Gershwin album.
Wilco
4/5
I hadn't listened to this before; my only encounter with Wilco was Mermaid Avenue. I was expecting to find this bland "Dad Rock" but I ended up really enjoying it. Maybe I'm just Dad Rock demographic now.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Ok, I agree that there are too many Elvis Costello albums on this list, but I think you have to review each one in isolation. As such, I'm giving this a 4; I liked this quite a lot. I enjoyed the two note guitar solo in I Want You.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
The mixing here is really bad; some instrumentation fully in one channel. I thought this was mostly sorted out by 1969. Anyway mixing aside, this is still fucking terrible .
Billy Bragg
5/5
Huh, just had Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a few days ago and said there that the only Wilco I'd previously listened to was this album. Bought this when it came out largely because of Bragg, and I'm finding I like the Wilco aspects of it more now than I did then. You know what, maybe it's because I just had to endure Alexander 'Skip' Spence, but this feels like a five. Highlight: "She Came Along To Me"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
TBH I'd be happy if this album was just 20 minutes of "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" followed by 20 minutes of "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)". The rest is decent but not outstanding, but those two songs (or two variants one song?) are just fantastic.
Syd Barrett
2/5
I expected this to be fairly dreadful, but it was a bit better than that - yes, that's clearing a low bar. What a mess "If It's In You" is, though. What possessed them to include that on the album in that state?
Buzzcocks
3/5
Solid 70s British punk. A lot of Buzzcocks best stuff wasn't on studio albums though; given that compilations seem to be fair game on this list, maybe "Singles Going Steady" would have been a better inclusion.
Randy Newman
2/5
No denying that he's a good songwriter, but there's not enough variation in tone here to keep my interest, and I don't particularly like his voice.
The Beta Band
3/5
By all accounts I should like this more than I do, but for some reason I've never been able to get into The Beta Band. It's fine, and reasonably enjoyable, but it doesn't really grab me. Maybe I'll have a revelation at some point in the future.
Japan
3/5
You can draw a line directly from Roxy Music to this then on to Duran Duran. The guitars in Alien reminded me of "Girls On Film". Overall I liked it, though I think Duran Duran were better with a melody. First track is standout with its Moroder style synth line.
Public Enemy
3/5
I liked it, but felt it wasn't quite as strong as Fear Of A Black Planet. Good beats though, and I like the contrast between Chuck D's and Flavor Flav's voices.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Kashmir is outstanding, but I also liked some of the less heavy songs here like Bron-Yr-Aur and the rest of side 3 & 4. Of all the Zep albums we've had so far, I think this might be my favorite.
Paul Weller
3/5
I said on the Wilco release that I was ready for Dad Rock, but maybe this is a bit too far. I liked it but it all felt a bit too safe; I doubt it's something I'd return to. Side note; I remember when this came out thinking Paul Weller was old, but he was only 35!
Pearl Jam
2/5
I can't get past Eddie Vedder's voice, which though not a _bad_ voice per se, is one that is absolutely not to my taste. This drags an album which would have been a three (or even possibly a four) down to a two for me.
The Libertines
5/5
Highly enjoyable. Love how shambolic it is. Sure, Pete Doherty doesn't have a strong voice, but it sounds just right for this material. Feels like a five to me today.
Digital Underground
2/5
Far too long, and though some of it is amusing, lots is just cheesy. Could easily have dropped everything from "Packet Prelude" onwards
The Residents
1/5
This is horseshit. Making bad music and calling it art isn't clever or profound.
Boards of Canada
3/5
The highlight here is Roygbiv, but maybe that's because I've heard it before and built some familiarity. Otherwise, I generally like it, but it's a bit background music-y.
The Verve
4/5
I expected to be less into this than I was back in the day, but I enjoyed it a fair bit; there are some good tracks on here.
Moby
4/5
Rating this on the music alone, this is a pretty solid four. I do have some discomfort with the fact that he sampled all this black music from the 30s and cashed in majorly on ad licensing etc. It feels a little close to cultural appropriation, even if that wasn't his intent.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Not the album with "Bohemian Like You"! I generally liked the more uptempo songs than the slower ones. "Every Day Should Be A Holiday" sounds like it could have been made by a bunch of baggy trousered Mancs.
David Bowie
4/5
Standout song here for me is The Stars, which is excellent. A solid return to form for Bowie, though I think Blackstar is even better, by quite a way. (Is that on the list?)
Neil Young
5/5
I may have already said this; but since the start of this project I totally come around on Neil Young. This is among his best. Title track is excellent, and probably the best on the album, but the whole album is solid. I like the guitar tone in Southern Man. Yep, I'm giving Neil Young five stars. Nobody's more surprised than me.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I didn't like this as much as Blue. The Jungle Line is fairly irritating. Harry's House is my favorite track on here.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot. Great drumming from Tony Allen in Soldier's Tale. The title track is excellent; I love the guitar tone. Also, really obviously a Danger Mouse production (that's a good thing). A high 4
a-ha
2/5
A couple of great singles on here, but the rest is completely forgettable.
Beck
4/5
Bought this on CD and played it to death. Still think it's great, but maybe not quite as much as I once did. A high 4 stars. Some days I'd probably give it 5.
The Associates
1/5
Some of this might have been bearable (e.g. Skipping), but I found the singer's delivery really irritating. First track's drums seem off.
Lambchop
2/5
Less than 24 hours since I listened to this and I'm not sure I could remember a single thing on it.
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
If there turns out to be a hell and I am sent there, I imagine they'll have a scat version of How High The Moon played on a loop 24/7.
Band sounded decent though.
Billy Bragg
5/5
I love the lyric "How can you lie there and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team". This is good stuff; I think I prefer Billy Bragg with a band to his earlier stuff with just him and his guitar. A strong four, but I'm raising it by a point because of the presence of the wonderful Kirsty MacColl.
Pantera
1/5
Made it just over half way through but couldn't take any more. This is not to my taste at all. I hate the vocals especially.
The Pogues
3/5
Fairytale is overplayed, but it's nice to hear Kirsty MacColl for the second time in three days. The rest is good enough listening, but it's not what I would go out of my way to listen to.
Steely Dan
3/5
Maybe I wasn't in as much of a Steely Dan mood as I was for their last one we got, but I found this all too smooth. I liked Peg more when it was sampled by De La Soul. Low 3.
Morrissey
4/5
Ok, Morrissey is an arsehole. And some of the lyrics on this are so risible they made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion; I'm not sure the humor was intentional. But you know what? I enjoyed the album, quite a lot. Going to separate the art from the artist and give this a four.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
I was bored of this by track 3 of 13. The delivery
of "Baby" at the end of "Last Night" made my skin crawl. Rock Your Body is catchy but the rest of this is pap.
Goldie
2/5
Let me be the "n" th person to point out the irony of this being called "Timeless" when it is quite dated sounding. Far too long; cut down to, say 35 mins, this would be much more digestible. I quite like the long opening track, but it all sounds a bit coffee shop these days; odd to think this felt groundbreaking at one point.
Gene Clark
3/5
I didn't think much of the last Gene Clark album we got, but this was a bit better. A bit of a mixed bag though.; so e songs I quite liked (Strength of Strings) others (especially the more country ones) less so (True One). Weak three.
Eminem
3/5
The misogyny and homophobia is pretty tired sounding, even though it's all done with a "ha ha only kidding" attitude. The skits just break the flow (as they always do; why do rap albums so often contain skits?). But Eminem's rapping is fun, and often funny, and I particularly like the song that Dre and Snoop are on; the combo of voices is good.
Janet Jackson
2/5
The songs are fine, but they all sound basically the same (other than Black Cat which is a bit of an anomaly on this album). And they all seem really earnest in their subject matter.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot. I like Youssou N'Dour's voice. The music was infectious. And the whole album is short and sweet, and doesn't outstay its welcome
Simple Minds
2/5
I found this to be fairly boring. I don't particularly like the big single off this (miracle), and the rest of the songs don't do much for me either. Competently executed but unexciting.
Green Day
2/5
Nine minute suites; is this punk or prog rock? Anyway, i like this a bit more than Dookie, but it's still not really for me.
Van Halen
1/5
Mercifully short. Can't stand DLR's voice. Eddie Van Halen is technically amazing but it does nothing for me. And this album cover is terrible.
The Specials
5/5
Full of exuberant energy, this has been a favorite
for a long time. Rico Rodriguez is a legend and takes "Message" to the next level.
Ozomatli
3/5
This was pleasant enough to listen to, but for the most part didn't make a huge impression on me. I liked the contribution from Chali 2na. A lower end three.
Nanci Griffith
5/5
I've never really been a country music guy, but every so often an artist allows me to appreciate the genre. This was great; I enjoyed both the songwriting and the delivery. Nanci Griffith's voice suits the material perfectly. I can see a direct through-line from here to another country artist I enjoy; Waxahatchee
Fiona Apple
5/5
Imagine turning out an album like this when you're only nineteen! Excellent stuff; I enjoyed this more than "Bolt Cutters"
Charles Mingus
4/5
Pretty amazing jazz. A wonderful cacophony.
Missy Elliott
2/5
I thought I would like this more than I did, but to be honest, I found Timbaland's production a little boring.
Tina Turner
2/5
I Can't Stand The Rain (or a variant of it) two nights in a row, with Missy Elliott's yesterday. The cover of Help is pretty hideous; it seems to have been merged with "Do you like Pina Coladas" in a horrible hybrid. The production is extremely eighties; the whole thing is somewhat remedied by Tina Turner's compelling voice.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Pretty amazing stuff - atmospheric and dreamy. If I had one criticism, its that the album is a little longer than it needs to be; 50 mins or so seemed like the right length for this, and my attention drifted a bit towards the end.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
This isn't really my style of jazz, and I don't think the compositions hold up among the jazz greats, but you can't deny that this is an amazing group of musicians at the top of their game.
Q-Tip
3/5
I like this a fair bit; Q-Tip sounds good as usual, and the beats are good. It isn't quite as good as the Tribe Called Quest stuff though, IMO. A high end three
Nirvana
4/5
It's not really unplugged if you still use electric guitars, is it? Anyway, good stuff, especially the Bowie cover, which I think is the album standout for me.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Giving an additional point for historical significance, but there's nothing Elvis was doing here that others weren't doing better (Little Richard's version of Tutti Frutti is superior), and some of these songs are terrible (One Sided Love Affair).
Joanna Newsom
4/5
This is a polarizing album! Count me on the "love it" side of the equation. Yes, Newsom has a bizarre voice, but it fits the material really well. Strong four.
Sparks
5/5
Exuberant silly fun. Opens super strongly with "This Town" and "Amateur Hour". The rest is great, but not quite at that level. Still, into five star territory, I think.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Alice Cooper continues to confound; I didn't expect this to quote West Side Story. This is every bit as silly and theatrical as yesterday's Sparks album, but it doesn't do it for me in the same way. Low three.
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
Extremely eighties sounding, this seems pretty unexceptional. Singer sounds a bit Bowie-like, but if Bowie didn't have any good tunes.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Interesting to get this today after Sisters Of Mercy yesterday; they're not a million miles away stylistically. SoM a little gothier, but both 80's synth heavy moody music. The major difference is in quality; this is miles better than SoM. The unappealing last track (Pimpf) keeps it from a five star though.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Second time in a couple of weeks where I start the review with "I don't like country, but ...". Willie Nelson has a great voice; very listenable, and the material is suitably simple. This works pretty well for me.
Beck
3/5
When autoplay continued after this album completed, and played Missing from Guero. I didn't realise it had changed albums and thought "ah, I like this one more than the other tracks.". So yeah, I prefer Guero (and Odelay). This is good, but not great. I prefer slightly livelier Beck.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
Fairly run of the mill 60's rock. This didn't stand out to me in any way. The Monkees version of Stepping Stone is better.
Mike Oldfield
2/5
This loses its way significantly after the first five minutes or so, and just becomes rather generic and unexceptional prog rock. And what's with the caveman on side 2?
Iggy Pop
4/5
This feels like as much a Bowie album as an Iggy Pop one, but that's not a bad thing at all. I liked Iggy's stuff with the Stooges, and while this is quite different, it's also very much to my taste. I liked his version of China Girl as much as Bowie's. A strong four.
Scott Walker
1/5
Well I see now who Neil Hannon and Alex Kapranos have been listening to.
I wanted to like this but it wore on me more the more I listened to it, and by the end I was thoroughly sick of it.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I remember listening to this in 2004 and thinking I should have liked it, but could never get into it. Relistening now confirmed that its not really my thing. It's not bad - there are several aspects of it I liked (Don't Love You was good). I didn't particularly like the falsetto. A low three.
Burning Spear
3/5
I'm not super keen on reggae in general, but this was pretty decent. I liked the front half of the album more than the latter half, but maybe that's because I can only take so much reggae in one go. Maybe I'll have a listen to the dub version of the album at some point.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
The slower tracks on here (e.g. It Couldn't Happen Here) aren't nearly as enjoyable as the more upbeat ones. The singles are a lot of fun.
Depeche Mode
4/5
The strongest songs on here (Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, a few others) are good enough to lift the album into 4 territory. Some of the other tracks are good but not at the same level. But overall an enjoyable listen.
Nitin Sawhney
1/5
The album cover is terrible. The music is incredibly bland. Some of it sounds like it's trying to be Massive Attack, but nowhere near successfully. Also pretentious.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
A strong three; I enjoyed this quite a lot, though maybe not quite as much as Ritual de lo Habitual. Only song I was familiar with was Jane Says; that's the strongest on the album.
Neil Young
5/5
Not every song on here is a five star song, but there are enough of them to earn this five stars as an album. Standouts are Needle and the Damage Done, Old Man, and of course Heart of Gold.
Sepultura
1/5
Sorry, I couldn't get past the vocals here, which are very much not to my liking. I got four or five tracks in and felt compelled to bail.
Magazine
5/5
The opening bars of the first track told me I was going to enjoy this, and that turned out to be true; right up my street - not sure how I haven't listened to it before.
Elbow
3/5
I got to this a couple of years late, but some time around 2010 i loved this album and listened to it a lot. Perhaps too much, or maybe my tastes have changed a bit, because although I still like it, it doesn't quite connect with me in the same way it used to.
The Cure
4/5
If this album were just 35 minutes of an extended mix of The Forest I think I'd be happy; it's such a great track. The rest of the album is really good too, but The Forest is the clear standout.
Louis Prima
3/5
This was a fun listen; clearly a good time was had making it and the band were great. A little too much scatting for my liking. A strong 3.
Fairport Convention
4/5
I went into this being pretty sure I would hate it and indeed the first couple of tracks didn't do a lot for me. But I persevered and somewhere around the middle of "A Sailor s Life" something clicked and I started to like it; there was something krautrock-y to that track. Good Dylan songs here too.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
There are aspects to this that I really enjoy, yet at the same time I find it incredibly irritating. Strange. I suspect if I listened to this a bunch more times I might grow to love it, but I'm also not sure I want to put in that work. Low 3.
Norah Jones
2/5
This was pleasant but too bland. Also not at all what I was in the mood for today, so take the 2 score for what it's worth.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I like what he's trying to do but not how he's doing it. I just can't stand his horribly out of tune voice. I had less patience for this than I did Murder Ballads.
The Kinks
3/5
I wonder to what extent it's familiarity, but Sunny Afternoon is head and shoulders above the other tracks on this album. The rest are good, but not memorable in the same way. A solid 3.
Björk
4/5
Black Lake (all 10 mins of it) was my favorite track on here, but the whole thing is to my taste. Bjork is a true original. A strong four, I'd expect this could reach 5 territory with a few more listens.
Primal Scream
4/5
I was disappointed with my revisit of Screamadelica after having liked it in the nineties, so my hopes weren't that high for this. But I ended up liking it quite a lot - definite krautrock vibes that I liked.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Had almost forgotten how great this album is. Others have noted that it's stylistically all over the place, but I don't have any problem with that. Really enjoyed listening to this again (I had this on vinyl at one point). Solsbury Hill and Here Comes The Flood are the best tracks.
The Pretty Things
3/5
I liked some of this - the particular standout for me was Balloon Burning. But other aspects of it were a little too meanderingly psychedelic for my tastes. A mixed bag - low three.
Slint
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot. Some of it reminded me of Pod from The Breeders (especially Metal Man), but maybe that's because I'm aware they share a drummer in Britt Walford. Also see some influence here on Arab Strap.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
For reviewers complaining about the length; go look at the original track listing on Wikipedia. It's 8 tracks - 33 minutes, and should be rated on that basis. For what it's worth, I found this fun, if gimmicky.
The Replacements
3/5
This has the components of things I like, but I don't love it, for reasons that I'm not quite sure of. Maybe it's Paul Westerberg's voice. I don't _dislike_ it, it just doesn't quite click for me.
Sonic Youth
5/5
This is where I discovered Sonic Youth, so I have a hefty amount of affection for Dirty. Goo and Daydream Nation might be even better, but this is up there.
1/5
I got half way through this before giving up; I can't face an hour and a quarter of it. This is pretty awful to listen to, and the album cover is one of the worst I've seen.
Big Black
4/5
I didn't really like the first song much, but as I listened to the album, it continued to grow on me; by the time it ended I was really into it.
Living Colour
2/5
Not really my thing - some of it a bit too close to eighties hair metal - but I'd be lying if I said there weren't aspects of this I liked. A high two.
Brian Eno
4/5
Typically great Eno stuff. The first half of the album is perhaps a little stronger than the second, but the whole thing is enjoyable. Strong four, close to a five.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
What is there to say that hasn't already been said? Every song a bona fide classic.
Don McLean
2/5
Other than the title track this is pleasant but dull. But the title track drags it down for me; it's so overplayed. Low 2.
Deep Purple
3/5
For the most part, I enjoyed this. There were places where there was a little too much noodling and cheesy improv from the band, and some of the drum solos stretched my patience a little, but on the whole a fun listen.
Bobby Womack
3/5
This sounded pretty much better exactly how I expected it to. He has a good voice, but the material is a bit too 80s sounding. Low 3.
Richard Hawley
3/5
He has a nice voice but I found this to be slightly soporific stuff. It grew on me as the album progressed though.
The Police
2/5
Perhaps I was a little unfair giving Synchronicity a one star rating earlier. Tempted to score this higher than I would otherwise to compensate, but I can't do it; there's just something about Sting's voice that annoys me.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
There are some (unintentionally) laugh out loud lyrics here - so earnest! I like the overall sound of it quite a bit, but it did feel a bit like being bludgeoned.
Slayer
1/5
Every song here basically sounds the same. I'm sure these guys are good if this is a genre you're into, but I'm not, and am rating according to my enjoyment of it.
Solomon Burke
3/5
I hadn't heard of Solomon Burke before. I liked this - he has a good voice. The arrangements and songs here don't seem as strong as some of his contemporaries though.
Randy Newman
2/5
I think my review of Sail Away stands here too - not enough variation and a hard-to-listen-to voice.
Arrested Development
3/5
I just noticed that Mr Wendal samples the same song as De La Soul's Eye Know. Overall I like De La Soul more, but this is still good stuff in a similar vein. A high 3, close to a four.
The Vines
4/5
I keep getting the Vines mixed up with the Hives. Not sure why people think this is the second coming of Nirvana; there are some mild similarities, but only in a few songs. Anyway, I rather liked this.
Skepta
2/5
I didn't mind the music/rapping but the interludes got tiresome fairly quickly, and it went on too long.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
One album after giving Skepta a (high) two on the basis of interludes and excessive length, we have this which also has interludes and is even longer. But this gets away with it because of the quality of the material. Hill's voice, whether rapping or singing, is great. The singles are excellent (esp. Doo Wop). Slightly drops off in the second half, but still sneaks into a five.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Fantastic stuff. Continued listening to more Kraftwerk immediately after, which is a sure sign of an easy five for me.
Edit: listened to it all day at work and now I think I am becoming a robot 🤖
Tim Buckley
2/5
Went into this thinking I would find it inoffensively mid, but I ended up actively disliking it. Spent the whole album wishing I was listening to Nick Drake instead. Low two.
The Cramps
2/5
I didn't take to this; it sounded extremely dated.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
I am most definitely up for a twelve minute version of Walk On By. Didn't feel nearly that long. I also had no problem with the extended spoken word intro to By The Time I Get To Phoenix.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
I was apprehensive about this when I saw the band shared a member with Rocket From The Crypt, who I really disliked. But I was very pleasantly surprised - this was more punk than emo, and I liked it quite a lot.
The Byrds
2/5
More hippy shite from The Byrds - my tolerance for this was pretty low today. Some of it not too bad I suppose; there was one song I thought was pretty decent, but I can't remember which one, and I'm not going to listen to them all again just to find out.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
It's hard to judge this solely on its merits, as it's like a Tiktaalik just having left the water and starting to crawl, on its journey from fish to land animal.
Dreamin' and You Are seem really out of place on this album. The rest is fun, especially the title track.
The Damned
3/5
Well, this rollicked along at a fair pace. Inoffensively fun British punk, it's a reasonably solid three for me.
Brian Eno
5/5
Yet another winner from Brian Eno - I've loved pretty much everything he's had a hand in that I've encountered in this project. This feels very ahead of its time.
Spiritualized
4/5
I've listened to "Ladies and Gentlemen..." in the past and it never fully clicked with me. I liked this a lot, though so maybe I was particularly in the mood for this today. I look forward to revisiting L&G.
Erykah Badu
2/5
This was fairly bland and unmemorable. Reasonably pleasant to listen to, but I can't see myself coming back to it.
Kanye West
2/5
I find this very hard to rate, because there were aspects to it that were absolutely fantastic - I loved a lot of the production - but so much of it was so relentlessly misogynistic. Giving it a two on balance, but there were bits of this that were four or five stars
Doves
3/5
I liked this a reasonable amount but it didn't grab me in quite the same way as Lost Souls did.
Tortoise
4/5
I'd heard of this but not listened to it before. It grew on me as I listened. When it came to "Along The Banks ... " I realized I'd heard this track before. Good focus music.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Phew, did it, though it took me three days! Not every song on this is a winner, but that seems a bit much to expect - there are enough of them that are to merit a positive rating. Shirley Simms has a beautiful voice - sounds quite like Kirsty MacColl. The tracks she's lead on are among the strongest on the album. Merritt's voice is a sonorous bass, also nice to listen to.
M.I.A.
4/5
This doesn't have the benefit of having Paper Planes on it, but I actually preferred this over Kala by quite a bit. Some genuinely good tracks on here that worked for me.
The Cure
4/5
I like this era of The Cure. Nicely gloomy. A solid 4.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Half way through this album I was ready to give it four stars; there's no denying that Shake It Off is catchy. But the album seems to drop off quite a bit in the second half and get fairly unmemorable. Still merits a three.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
1/5
Gram Parsons was my second one-star review here, and this confirms that his music doesn't agree with me.
The Sonics
3/5
I thought this was pretty cool - particularly liked the original songs on it, which had a great proto-punk feel to them. The covers weren't nearly as interesting though. Strong 3.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Wow, the Gilberto family really has the bossa nova scene sewn up. This example is pleasant but unexciting.
Teenage Fanclub
5/5
Another album that's been a long time favorite. I bought this in 1991 when it first came out, loved it. Still do.
Garbage
3/5
The singles off this are pretty great; I especially like Stupid Girl. The rest isn't quite as strong and doesn't hold my attention as much. An upper three.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I think I liked this even more than I liked Blue. Amazing bass playing from Jaco Pastorius, who really brings that extra something to the tracks he is on.
Aerosmith
2/5
I didn't hate this quite as much as I expected to, but I really don't like Tyler's voice, and he's a creep. Big Ten Inch Record was egregiously bad.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
This is pretty soulless. It's not unpleasant listening, but there's not much substance to it.
Grateful Dead
2/5
An hour and a quarter of aimless meandering. Feedback especially pointless. A generous two.
AC/DC
3/5
Pretty much the same as the last AC/DC we got - hard to dislike its exuberance, but gets a bit samey after a while. I prefer Bon Scott's vocals in this over Brian Johnson's. High three (but marginally higher than Back In Black)
Maxwell
2/5
Like being bathed in warm treacle.
Brian Wilson
4/5
I had a bootleg version of Smile on cassette that I practically wore out in college. I think The Beach Boys (later released) Smile Sessions are actually more essential than this - Brian's 2000s era vocals are not as strong as the originals (especially Carl's). But I can't give an album with Surf's Up less than four.
The The
3/5
I like the instrumentals, even if it sounds a little dated. But there's something about Matt Johnson's voice that doesn't work for me, even though he's not a bad singer by any means. Liked the addition of Neneh Cherry on Slow Train, though.
The Waterboys
3/5
Listened to the non bonus version - thirteen tracks. Even so, a wee bit too much tweedle-dee-dum for me. I like the title track, but much of the rest doesn't stand out to me. A low three.
Public Enemy
4/5
Yeeeaah Boooy! I especially liked Night of the Living Baseheads. There's a few reviews here calling out Flavor Flav as a weak point, but he's an essential component IMO.
Venom
2/5
Teacher's Pet is pretty terrible. The rest not quite so bad. I don't like the vocals, but the instrumentals are not too bad. A low two.
The Auteurs
2/5
Haines' weedy sounding voice was an irritant to me on what was otherwise reasonably decent sounding music (exemplified in Junk Shop Clothes)
ZZ Top
3/5
I can't imagine ever _choosing_ to sit down and listen to this, but, for the singles, at least, it's undeniably fun. The deep cuts aren't as strong and it tails off significantly in the second half. Billy Gibbons is a great guitarist though.
Manu Chao
2/5
I liked this a bit at the beginning but it got tiresome as it wore on. Not for me.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
There's some good stuff here, interspersed with a fair bit of filler material. Ant Music is great, and I liked Killer In The Home with its Link Wray sample. The whole thing is pretty camp, but for the most part that's fun. A low three.
Cat Stevens
3/5
He has a nice voice (perhaps _too_ nice for my taste) and there are some decent songs here but this doesn't quite do it for me.
The Cardigans
4/5
I listened to (and IIRC bought) Gran Turismo back in the day, and rather enjoyed it. This is also good, though perhaps not overall as strong other than Lovefool. I quite liked the cover of Iron Man; I like seeing a cover that's so dramatically different from the original. Low four.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Come On Eileen is of course horrendously overplayed, but within the context of this album it's actually a cracking song. And there are several other great tracks on here; Jackie Wilson Says, The Celtic Soul Brothers and more. I really enjoyed this (and don't really understand the folks objecting to Kevin Rowland's voice, which I quite like). A strong four, close to five.
Pentangle
3/5
I liked this more than I thought I would. I preferred the female vocalist's voice to the male's - he seemed a little out of tune sometimes. But I liked the overall vibe. Solid three.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Wow! This blew me away. Really impressive on multiple fronts from the flow to the inventiveness, and the funk/jazzy feel of many of the tracks. Really strong stuff.
Talking Heads
5/5
This is great; Talking Heads have really hit their stride by this point. Side B not quite as strong as side A, but still an overall 5. (Also; another Eno win; I think my average score for albums he's been involved with is close to 5)
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I liked this more than Born to Run, but maybe it swung too far the other way; while that was too bombastic, this was frankly a bit dull. A low three.
Lorde
3/5
It was fine; I certainly didn't dislike it, and she has an interesting voice. But the Antonoff production isn't especially memorable, and I don't see myself returning to it.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Gimme Shelter is the Stones' best track by a country mile. You Can't Always Get What You Want is pretty decent. Most of the other tracks in between these bookends are fairly run of the mill.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I really like the guitar tone in Cinnamon Girl. Down By The River is great. Yet another album that demonstrates I have really warmed to Neil Young.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
As I was listening to this I started jotting down every track that stood out to me, then about half way through I had way too many tracks to add a list here. Insane hit rate on a double album - Stevie Wonder was really on fire here.
The Byrds
1/5
Ah, Gram Parsons, my old nemesis. He's the anti-Eno for me; everything he touches turns to dogshit.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
I enjoyed this a fair bit. Some great drumming on here from Max Roach.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Never heard of this previously. I saw some of the poor reviews, but quite enjoyed the vibe of the first track, and found myself thinking it might end up with a four star score. But as it wore on I got more and more tired of it. By the end of an hour and a quarter I was thoroughly fed up of it. Two stars.
Cypress Hill
3/5
I didn't dislike it but it's not my favorite hip hop by a long way. A low three.
Joan Baez
3/5
I quite liked this for the most part, although her voice does get a bit much sometimes, especially in the higher parts where she amps up the volume.
The Lemonheads
4/5
I could see how this might get a little tiresome if it were long, but at barely over half an hour, it doesn't overstay its welcome. I like the title track a lot; i think it was a single. My Drug Buddy also good, and the cover of Mrs Robinson has some great bass playing. I think this merits a four.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Back To Life was ubiquitous in 1989, and it's still pretty good. And Keep On Moving is OK. But the rest of this does not hold up to time at all. Holdin' On is painful. Most of the rest is fairly bland. I also hate whatever Do'Reen is doing with her voice.
Steve Winwood
2/5
Super cheesy eighties stuff; this doesn't hold up. Steve Winwood's voice is another of those which, although a decent voice, is one that doesn't work for me.
Destiny's Child
3/5
I liked this more than I thought i was going to, though it's ridiculously front-loaded and tails off a bit after that. The first three tracks are pretty great though.
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
Brings back nostalgic memories of sitting hunched over my ZX Spectrum while this plays on a double tape deck. A solid four, though I appreciate some of that may be the nostalgia.
D'Angelo
1/5
This was unbelievably boring to me. Couldn't wait for it to be over.
Traffic
2/5
More Steve Winwood, this time with flutes. My gripe about Winwood's vocals in the last album stands here as well. This is also an annoying stereo mix, with the piano fully in the right ear and guitar fully in the left. Low two; pretty close to 1 territory.
John Lennon
3/5
The title track is so overplayed that it's lost any power it once had, and now just feels trite. I don't wanna be a soldier is a dirge. I like the George solo on Gimme Some Truth. I really like the music of How Do You Sleep, but those lyrics are just embarrassing. "How" and "Oh Yoko" are nice songs to close out the album. All in all a mixed bag. McCartney's Ram is a better album that's not on this list, IMO.
Jethro Tull
4/5
I liked this quite a lot. Far better use of flute than the Traffic album from the other day.
Scott Walker
3/5
I liked this a lot more than "Scott 2", but I still have reservations about Walker's voice which is too rich/smooth for me. I liked the instrumentation a fair bit though.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
I gave Exit Planet Dust a five star review with only the text "Bangers", and I could really just do the same here, TBH. But I want to add that Setting Sun is amazing, captures the vibe of Tomorrow Never Knows and amps it up.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
It's just not that good, right? Maybe you had to be there. Was going to give this two but the self indulgence of "It Can't Happen Here" tipped me over to 1 and Monster Magnet confirmed it.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
This is ok, bit not particularly memorable; I prefer their later stuff that's more electronic; I'd put Walking Wounded on the list over this. Their recent album was pretty great too.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Another classic from Stevie at the peak of his powers.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
I admit I groaned when this came up yesterday; the thought of an hour and twenty of early 2000s pop didn't appeal. But I split it into two sessions (disc 1, disc 2), and was very surprised how listenable I found this. She's got a good set of pipes.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
There're a lot of people in reviews saying that there's only one good song on this album, but TBH even that feels a bit generous; the title track kind of plods along. A very low two; borderline one.
The Zutons
4/5
Haven't listened to this in twenty years, and I think I like it more now than I did then. Singer's voice works well for me, I like the sax.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
There's so much to love about this. Kiwanuka's voice is great. I like the production (which has those Danger Mouse fingerprints all over it - that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned). I don't think there's any weak material on here.
Morrissey
3/5
We'll Let You Know is a bit of a drag, and has vaguely racist overtones. National Front Disco is a better tune, but again, worrying lyrics ("England for the English"). Musically this was fine, though I liked it less than "You Are The Quarry". Can't in all conscience give this more than three .
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
I liked this at least as much as It's Blitz, perhaps even more. I think the inclusion of Maps pushes it over the edge into five territory for me. Terrible album cover though.
Silver Jews
5/5
I'd.previously heard of Berman but never listened to Silver Jews before. So this is a fantastic find for me; I really liked it. I think Berman's voice really works well with the music, but I actually thought the instrumental Transylvania Blues was the standout. Was in the mood for this today, so I'm going to give it a 5.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
What a talent! Imagine having a debut album this fully formed in concept and execution. Loved it!
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Track listing for this on Spotify and YouTube music is weird - only eight tracks of the 13 and in a different order. But it is available as the first 13 tracks on this album: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m9BT71MRj_rhoIBDCTV5NRovhrq-pJD-w
Wanted to give this a low score because, you know, JLL being such an asshole. But this was an exuberant lively performance that was hard to dislike.
Marty Robbins
2/5
He's got a fine voice, and it's a good representative of its genre, but this isn't really my kind of thing.
The lyric "He's about the worst bucker I've seen on the range" made me double take when I (mis)heard it.
Slipknot
2/5
I hated it, obviously, but by and large that's because of the vocals. I recognize that there's something there otherwise (hence a two not a one) - in particular I admire the skill of the drummer, even if the tracks are hard for me to listen to.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
I feel like anyone complaining that this is repetitive is entirely missing the point. Best listened to in a sweaty frenzy at a live venue, another long time favorite that gets an easy five.
The United States Of America
2/5
There were little snippets of things I liked in here (Coming Down was pretty good and sounded a bit like a Stereolab predecessor), but on the whole this was an unfocused mess and I found it annoying.
Air
5/5
Maybe in my top ten favorite albums; I've listened to this more times than I can count.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Overall, a lot of fun. Nicely funky. I admit that the bonus track duelling drum solo (duo) lost me a bit after a while - 16 mins is a long drum solo!
The Triffids
2/5
This guy has a similar vocal delivery to Matt Johnson, and I find it similarly dissatisfying. Songs were pretty unmemorable.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Super dated sounding. It's a long way from here to Kendrick Lamar. Largely earns its three on the basis of It's Like That.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Didn't really pay much attention to Skunk Anansie after their debut album and "Weak". Maybe I bought the debut on CD? Anyway this was fine, but probably not something I'll come back to.
Fishbone
2/5
I'm not saying this was bad, but it didn't do it for me at all. Stylistically couldn't seem to decide where it was.
Cheap Trick
2/5
The sound is really muddy, but to be honest even if it were pristine and sharp this still wouldn't be my bag.
Michael Jackson
3/5
There are two or three decent songs on this (I liked Another Part Of Me), but quite a few one-star efforts too. Jackson's delivery on Man in the Mirror doesn't suit the song at all. Overall, a massive drop off from earlier Jackson material.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Roughly the same rating as Dusty In Memphis; good delivery of songs that are mostly somewhat unmemorable songs, or exist in other equally good or better versions by other artists (e.g. Anyone Who Had a Heart, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow)
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
I've been holding off scoring this for a few days to see how it sits with me. I think I've arrived at a conclusion, having listened to it end to end three or four times.
I hate it; it's one of the worst things I've heard, but it's oddly compelling. I love it, but it drives me crazy. Possibly deserves five stars just for the phrase "fast and bulbous" which makes me giggle each time. Fuck it, four stars. I may amend to five in the future.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I liked this about the same amount as the last Sly album we got, which is to say, enough to score it a high three but not quite four. Funky fun, but doesn't reach the heights of (e.g.) Funkadelic
Sabu
3/5
For anyone as annoyed as me about the stereo mix on this; if you're on Android, search in your settings for "Mono audio" and have Android mix it back to mono for you. I found it much more listenable that way .
Anyway, I liked this more at the beginning and the end than I did in the middle, where it dragged on a bit. Low three stars
The Who
4/5
Absolutely cracking opener and closer, and although nothing in between is quite as good, they're still good enough to be decent listening and the standout tracks earn it a four. Also, the drumming here is top notch.
Elastica
5/5
I don't give a shit if it rips off Wire. I like these songs better than the Wire originals by a mile. This album is brilliant.
2/5
This album is ridiculously front loaded - the first three tracks are the big hitters while the rest is largely unmemorable. Even though the first tracks are completely overplayed, I have to give them some credit; they're overplayed for a reason. But I can't imagine ever choosing to listen to this.
The Byrds
3/5
I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better is the best song on here by quite some distance. The Dylan songs just made me wish Dylan was singing them. A low three; marginally better than other Byrds efforts.
Kid Rock
1/5
Fuck this shitty guy and his shitty music.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
Thia is absolutely not my thing, but unlike yesterday's garbage offering, I respect it, so I can't give it one star. I wish I'd been able to find the German version.
R.E.M.
4/5
Ok, I liked this more than I remember, actually, which is the opposite of the Document effect. Enjoyed quite a lot today. Maybe it's nothing to do with the specific album, and I just have to be in a REM mood.
N.E.R.D
3/5
I liked this quite a lot, although I think it could have afforded to be ten minutes shorter. Strong three.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
I enjoyed this a fair bit, but it got a little samey after a while. A fairly solid three.
Steve Earle
2/5
Too country for me. I didn't hate it, but I won't ever listen to it again.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
This is great; already a favorite. I love the interplay of Q Tip and Phife Dawgs voices.
Suede
4/5
Had listened to the debut album before (and saw them live around then), but never this. Most of it is pretty great, though there's a couple of tracks that don't quite work for me (Still Life was one). The Asphalt World had a nice krautrock vibe, and is the standout track for me. I liked the guitar tones a lot in (e.g.) This Hollywood Life.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
Ugh, not sure how to score this. The lyrical content/story is odious, obviously. I particularly hated the squealing/giggling in one track, which gave me the creeps. But on the other hand, I really liked how the guitar sounds on this album, and the musical content overall was pretty great. Going to go down the middle.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
It's weird because I would say I don't particularly like Led Zep, but I keep getting these albums which, individually, I think are generally very good, and merit high scores. This one's up there with the best of them.
The Fall
4/5
I see there are three Fall albums on the list, which is a pleasant surprise, though I'd include Hex Induction Hour over this. This one probably deserves a four, but This Nation's Saving Grace will get a five when it comes around.
Soft Cell
3/5
I actually thought I would enjoy this more than I did. Tainted Love is great, obviously, and there are a couple other decent tracks (Say Hello, ...), but on the whole it's a little less memorable than I thought it might be.
Eels
3/5
I bought this when it came out, but I don't think i ever listened to it beyond 1996; I quickly tired of it. It's not that bad in retrospect, but it sounds quintessentially 90s.
Hookworms
4/5
I had never heard of this band, but I quite enjoyed the music. Yikes on the description on Wikipedia, but will SAFA.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
I really like Desmond's sax tone. And loved the fact that all tunes on the album had a common "playing with time signatures" theme. Great stuff.
Elis Regina
2/5
I've come to the realization over the course of this project that i don't like Bossa Nova as much as I thought I did. I don't dislike it either, but this, like a few other examples we've had, is pleasant but kind of washes over me without getting me overly interested. A high two.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Really disliked his vocal delivery and the content of the songs is pretty dubious. Some of it sounded not too bad musically. Low two - pretty close to a one.
Eagles
1/5
I'm with the Dude on this one.
Slipknot
2/5
It's the vocals that I can't get behind. They're marginally better than the previous Slipknot album we had, but there's still too much growling for me. Some of the instrumentals are fine.
Sepultura
2/5
Oof, two growled metal albums in a row. I can't take it. The second half of the album was better than the first.
George Jones
2/5
He's got a good voice, but this is not my kind of thing at all. Every song started to sound the same after a while
Sex Pistols
4/5
This singles off this are fantastic. Johnny Rotten's delivery is great. But the album suffers a bit from being a little longer than it needs to be without a huge amount of variety. Weak four.
Throwing Muses
5/5
Back in the day I bought my first Throwing Muses album sight unseen (The Real Ramona) on the basis of it being on 4AD, same as other artists I loved. I think Kristin Hersh is great, both here and solo. Going to give this a five, though there are probably other TM albums I like even more.
Note: not available on streaming services. I found this playlist on YT: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDIxWXRU4UDo6zvUgDsqL4R94CyK9oTRT
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Ehh, this didn't really do it for me. I think PSB probably peaked at West End Girls. This felt pretty generic and forgettable to me.
The Black Crowes
2/5
Feels like I could walk into any local pub on a Friday night and hear music that sounded just like this.
The Coral
3/5
It's a bit all over the place, and Skeleton Key crosses the line from Beefheart homage to pastiche. Some of it is not too bad though. A low three.
Suede
4/5
Holds up pretty well. I think I might just like Dog Man Star a tad more. Some of the production is a little muddy.
Taylor Swift
3/5
This is perfectly serviceable folk/indie. It doesn't blow me away, but I can't say I dislike it. I think some people's reviews here are a little unfair, and if this were by someone with more indie creds, there might be fewer one star reviews. Anyway, a strong three for me.
David Gray
3/5
Yes, agreed that this is a little bland. But it was huge in the nineties, and there are several pretty catchy songs on here. It's perfectly listenable, even if it doesn't set your heart racing.
Femi Kuti
4/5
I gave both his Dad's albums four stars, and this is in the same ballpark. I liked it quite a lot. Standout for me was maybe "No Shame".
The Doors
1/5
I haven't heard much (any?) of this album before, which confirms it's not overfamiliarity that causes me to not like the Doors
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I liked this, though it's a high three for me rather than a four. I suspect it would grow on me if I listened to it a few times though. Liked the Welsh accents!
The Icarus Line
3/5
I quite liked it, though it did seem quite derivative of various other things (quite Hives-ish). And it went on a little longer than I had patience for.
PJ Harvey
5/5
Probably my favorite PJ Harvey album. Listened to it twice in a row. Hard to pick out a favorite track here, but I love the guitars in "In The Dark Places".
Eminem
2/5
Pretty much the same as the other Eminem album we had; some reasonably good production, talented rapping, but let down by the subject matter. Is this a different mix/edit of My Name Is than the single?
Big Star
5/5
I gave Third/Sister Lovers three stars after listening to it on a plane, and now I'm thinking I might need to give it a other listen to see if I stand by that. I enjoyed this (in a non-plane situation) way more I did that one. Great harmonies, catchy song. Either a high four, or sneaks into five. Will decide after another listen.
Edit; went back and listened to Third and I stand by my three star. I like this way more.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
Souvenir is by far the best song on this album; brings it up from a high three to a four. The rest of the songs are good - I definitely enjoy them - but none quite as strong as this.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I enjoyed this. I liked his vocal style. I did find that there wasn't quite enough variation to keep me totally invested for the entire duration of the album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I think I have to accept that Nick Cave and I just don't see eye to eye. This one was in the upper tier of Cave material for me (the Birthday Party album is still the low point), and his tuning seemed to be a bit better here than in other outings. Some so far pretty good, but the last song was hard to listen to.
Beatles
5/5
Sure, it's all over the place, with a few lesser songs. But there are still more than enough absolute gems on this to merit five stars. Listening to this reminded me how good George's writing could be; I really love Long Long Long.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
Some of this is pretty corny, though I liked it more than I expected to. Definitely see the comparisons with the Stones.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
I liked this at the time it came out (and I think bought it on CD?), but it sounds a bit dated now. Still pretty fun in places, though, especially Buffalo Stance. So Here I Come is good too
Shuggie Otis
4/5
Mildly disappointed that Shuggie is a nickname for Sugar rather than Hugh, and that he's not a Weegie. Pleasantly surprised by the music though. I actually thought the final four bonus tracks were some of the strongest - discovered these were from previous album of his, so not sure if they should factor into my score. Anyway, a reasonably solid four stars
Miriam Makeba
4/5
The African songs on here work better than the Western ones (and what's with the laughing guy?). But that version of Mbube is amazing.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
I was certainly prepared to give this a go, and thought I might quite like it, but I have to say I found it rather grating. It doesn't help that she has pitch issues, particularly noticeable in the slower songs.
Tim Buckley
2/5
I feel like Buckley should have given Miles Davis a writing credit for Strange Feeling. Anyway, marginally better than the other album we had by him, but still doesn't work for me.
Beatles
5/5
John really has the edge on this album, with some amazing songwriting, though the Paul entries are also not too shabby, and If I Needed Someone is underappreciated.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Does what it sets out to do, but not in a particularly exciting way - this has none of the magic of Nirvana. I like it well enough, but can't see myself seeking it out.
Ministry
2/5
Another case where the music isn't too bad (if not exactly my thing) but the vocals completely ruin it for me.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I liked this a lot, though maybe not quite as much as Juju. Hong Kong Garden possibly the standout.
Madonna
4/5
I would have imagined Ray Of Light would be the mid-period Madonna this list would have chosen (maybe that's here too?). Hadn't listened to this in its entirety before, and was pleasantly surprised. It may not seem to be super groundbreaking now, but in part that's because it was heavily copied.
Mariah Carey
1/5
The more I listened to this the less I liked it. Sure, she has a great voice (while the material doesn't hold up). But she also makes stylistic choices while singing that really don't appeal.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Almost wilfully difficult. Half expected John L to start shouting "Exterminate!" during Chant. But I really enjoyed it. Quite a departure from the Pistols. Socialist is the standout track for me.
T. Rex
3/5
Telegram Sam is basically a rewrite of Get It On. This album is pretty much the same as Electric Warrior. I don't dislike it, but it doesn't do a lot for me either.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
The last one had ding dong ding dang, this has Doobley doo. I thought this would never end. Ding dong diddly shite.
Beyoncé
2/5
Despite this being huge when it came out, none of the songs rang a bell with me, which I was surprised at. But then again, none of them seemed very memorable to me either. If I had to choose a standout, I quite enjoyed Blow. My goodwill with this song was eliminated when Drake turned up later in the album though.
The Jam
4/5
Pretty great. The second side grabbed me more than the first, though both were good. Down In the Tube Station is a fantastic song. High 4, pretty close to 5
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I liked this rather a lot. Pretty close to a five star album. His voice seems to annoy folks here, but I liked it, for the most part (there was one song where his audible inhales were a little annoying). Waiting for a Dream reminded me of Elbow.
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
I think Double Dutch is a great song but it never occurred to me in 1983 that it ripped off someone else's work without credits :(
Anyway I like quite a lot of this, largely due to the infectious South African music. Would give an album of the originals 5 stars (I went and listened to the Mahotella Queens after this) this loses a couple of stars for the shamelessness of appropriating without credit.
Michael Jackson
5/5
The Girl Is Mine is fairly terrible - in general the slower songs on here are the weakest. But how can you give an album with Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller less than five stars?
Frank Sinatra
3/5
The material is a little soporific in places, but this album really demonstrates the masterful level of of control Sinatra had over his voice. Not a note out of place, perfect timing. The guy could sing, no doubt.
SAULT
4/5
I liked this quite a lot. Some of it sounded quite Danger Mouse-like in places. Bow was my favorite track, I think.
U2
2/5
It's weird, when this came out, it felt like a huge departure for U2, maybe because the music press said it was. But in retrospect it doesn't seem that different from their previous stuff. One is decent enough, but I still don't really like Bonos voice.
Talking Heads
5/5
Fantastic album. Once in a lifetime obviously the standout. But a bunch of other great songs on here. Love the afrobeat inflected sounds.
Jamiroquai
2/5
This all has the "easy going" vibe, but it feels a bit forced and fake. Got a bit boring after the first couple of tracks
Frank Ocean
3/5
A little samey but overall I liked it. Suspect it could be worth more listens.
Stereo MC's
2/5
Connected (the song) has the nostalgia factor, but the rest of the album sounds like a warmed over rehash of the same song. A low two.
Metallica
1/5
I know people love Metallica, but I just don't get it. Musically competent, and I'm sure this is great I'd it's your kind of thing, but it's not for me.
Linkin Park
2/5
I really don't like nu-metal, and this is no exception. I admit I dozed a bit during this on a plane journey. Low two; I didn't hate it quite as much as I expected.
Beatles
5/5
I have probably listened to this album more times than any other on this list (or at all). So, naturally, an obvious five stars. What a masterpiece; the medley gives me tingles all over.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
This goes on far too long, both as an album and some of the individual songs; I thought Key to the Highway would never end. But there are some decent songs on it, and the playing quality is good. A low three.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
This was pretty much down the middle of the road for me; didn't dislike it at all, but didn't really excite me either.
The 13th Floor Elevators
1/5
God this was awful. 60s psych rock is really not my thing. And the electric jug really got on my nerves.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I enjoyed this. Mayfield's voice is pleasant to listen to, the tracks were funky, and it didn't overstay its welcome.
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
I respect what it's doing, but I can't say I would gladly listen to it again. The odd track worked ok for me, less so the ones which were just power drills and screaming. Still, better than Justin Timberlake.
Madonna
4/5
This is as much a William Orbit album as it is a Madonna album. Solidly fun electropop. Some of it reminded me a bit of Beth Orton in places, perhaps because of Orbit producing both. The title track is really good IMO.
The Smiths
5/5
"There is a light that never goes out" is such an amazing song. Five star album; probably the Smiths best one.
Devendra Banhart
1/5
His wavery voice is intensely irritating (strange - doesn't bother me at all when Joanna Newsom does it, but drives me crazy here). Shame, as it ruins instrumental music I suspect I would quite like otherwise.
Leftfield
5/5
I have a ton of nostalgia for this album which I bought and intensively devoured when it first came out. I'm not 100% sure I'd give it five stars if I came to it fresh today - it's not as good as, say, Massive Attack's best. But I greatly enjoyed the revisit, so five stars it is.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot; super funky. I loved Happy Feelin' - amazing bass playing.
Liz Phair
4/5
This wasn't what I expected at all; I thought it would be indie folk-ish, but turned out to be grungier and rawer than I expected - that's a good thing - this was a great listen. My only minor complaint would be that I felt the album could afford to be a little shorter.
The Yardbirds
2/5
Near the beginning of this album I was ready to give it a three, but it wore on me as it went on and the I try to Ever Since The World Began tipped me down to a two.
Merle Haggard
2/5
Not really my thing; I find the vocal style pretty cheesy. Still, I don't hate it, so it's not a one.
The Cure
5/5
This is just really good, isn't it? Atmospheric and moody, with some killer tunes. Among the Cure's best.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
I like Lana Del Rey's languorous voice. I enjoyed this album, though I don't think it's her best - I like NFR or There's a Tunnel more. Solid four stars.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
I thought this was reasonably good. I liked her voice more than others here seem to (she sounded a bit like Laura Marling on the first track).
CHIC
4/5
Bernard Edwards' bass makes this for me. Of course Nile Rodgers is no slouch either.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
This was my favorite of the Wu Tang solo projects we've had so far. I liked the production a lot.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
This was pretty decent, but not as good as yesterday's Ghostface Killa. The beats were pretty good, I was less excited by the rapping. A middle-to-high three.
Kings of Leon
2/5
He just has the most irritating voice. If they switched out the singer, this could be a higher score, because I quite like the instrumentals. Edit to add: it would be nice if the drummer would learn more than one beat.
Deerhunter
4/5
Was trying to place where I knew Revival from, then realized Aldous Harding did a (great) cover of it. And Desire Lines outro reminded me of Pixies No. 13 Baby. Overall, this was the kind of thing I like.
Björk
5/5
Not easy listening for sure, but absolutely worth the effort. Mouth's Cradle was amazing, and I really loved Triumph Of A Heart too.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Fourth of, I think, six Elvis Costello albums on the list. Much like Blood & Chocolate, I like this when reviewing in isolation (but 6 is definitely too many)
The Beach Boys
4/5
This is a precursor to the greatness of Pet Sounds, especially on side 2. In fact I think you could Please Let Me Wonder on that album without it feeling out of place. Brian's arrangements are starting to show a maturity that wasn't there in previous Beach Boys releases. A very strong four. RIP Brian.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Love a bit of Kraftwerk. Europe Endless is the best track on here, but they're all good.
New Order
5/5
I liked this even more than Low-Life. Several great tracks on here, and Hooky's bass is great.
Ute Lemper
2/5
I always said of Nick Cave songs that I'd like them more if someone else was singing them, but that's not true in this case. This is too theatrical for me; I don't like Lemper's delivery. Split was the least objectionable.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This is a fantastic album; in the top tier of Beastie Boys albums. Love the mixture of hip hop, punk, and jazz-funk.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
My problem with this is that it's too close in sound to the things it's parodying (which I also tend not to like), so it's not satisfying musically. And it's not funny enough to succeed on that front either.
King Crimson
5/5
I deliberately held off on scoring this for a while as I wanted it to sit with me for a bit, and relisten a few times. After having done so, I think it crosses the border into a five. I find the vocals to be the weakest point - some minor tuning issues, but musically, this is excellent.
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
I think I would enjoy any of these songs in isolation, but an entire album of it was simply too much for me. I like Margo Timmins voice, but I longed for a little variation.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
When the electric piano kicked in on Inner Crisis, I found myself involuntarily exclaiming "oh yeah!". I also love the little bends the bass is doing in Maesha. I kind of wish more of the tracks had a South African feel like the last track does. A strong four.
Franz Ferdinand
5/5
Been a while since I listened to this, and I feel I've drifted away from Franz Ferdinand a bit, so I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded what a banger this album is - not really a bad song on it. Nicely spiky.
Beatles
4/5
I love the Beatles, but although the musicianship is there, this doesn't have the composition strength of later albums. Standout song is All My Loving, which is great (Hold Me Tight is a bit of a stinker though). Serviceable covers played with verve (Money is among the best). A lower end four.
Gang Starr
3/5
I like this a decent amount; nicely jazzy production. I was slightly less excited by the rapping, but overall a pleasurable listen. Solid three.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Harris has a beautiful voice and there were some tracks on here that I really enjoyed; Boulder to Birmingham was a standout. A few of the tracks were a little too country for me; the Merle Haggard cover among them. But definitely some strong moments; this gets a high three but is close to a four.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Relaxing and pastoral, but perhaps a bit too much so. I liked the faster portions more and wished there had been more like that. Enjoyable listening, but I've liked other Indian music on this list more.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
This album is inoffensively pleasant, but that's actually the problem; as a result it's soulless and boring.
ZZ Top
4/5
I liked this more than Eliminator; maybe I was just in the mood for some blues rock today. La Grange is solid, I also liked Master of Sparks a lot. Sneaks into a four, I think
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Fantastic stuff. I liked this just as much as TPAB. The man's a poet.
The Young Gods
1/5
Title track almost drove me to give up. But I persisted and ... hated the rest just as much. Singer's voice is unlistenable to me.
Röyksopp
3/5
Huh. This is an interesting one. I generally like Royksopp quite a lot. But this came hot on the heels of Nightmares On Wax, which I found dull, and it made me realize that perhaps this album is not a million miles away. It's definitely better than NoW a fair bit. Eple is a strong standout. And there are maybe days where I'd feel more into this (and I also think I like later Royksopp a bit more). But today this is a strong three, not quite a four.
The Cars
5/5
A delightful slice of power pop. Short and sweet at only 35 mins, pretty much every song worth listening to. Great use of synths.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
This was very enjoyably melancholic, and I liked Dennis's slightly ravaged voice. A pretty solid four.
Baaba Maal
3/5
I liked this, but not quite as much as Djam Leelii. A couple of the songs were a bit too synthy in a way that didn't work for the music; similarly with the guitar solo on the final track.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Pleasantly listenable, if a little unexciting. I like her voice. Maybe this might be higher than a three on repeated listens. I think I liked Happiness best.
Faust
4/5
The opening track, Krautrock, is so much to my taste that I could quite happily have extended it to forty minutes and had it be the whole album. I liked the other stuff too, but not to the same extent.
Paul Simon
3/5
I like this a fair bit, but it feels that for the most part, Simon had not yet found an independent voice that was distinctive from Simon and Garfunkel; this feels very much like Bridge Over Troubled Water II at points. This means it feels like Garfunkel is lacking from the record; I would have welcomed his voice. The exception here is Me and Julio, where it feels like Simon is covering new ground, and is the strongest track on the album by far. A strong three, almost a four.
Aerosmith
1/5
Dreadful stuff. Soulless juvenile cock-rock. Is the joke that the trucks are humping on the cover?
k.d. lang
5/5
kd lang's masterful voice suits this material so well. I really like the arrangements too (the shimmery guitars in So It Shall Be!). This album has been a long standing favorite, and easily earns five stars.
Minutemen
4/5
I liked this quite a lot; I admired its scrappy nature. Marginally overlong at an hour and a quarter, but the music was enjoyable enough to compensate. A solid four.
Morrissey
3/5
Much of this feels like filler, but I think Everyday is Like Sunday is the match for all but the very best Smiths songs, and Suedehead is pretty good too. Plausibly.deniable anti-immigrant sentiment in Bengali in Platforms :(
Elvis Costello
5/5
This is is my favorite of the five Elvis Costello albums we've had so far. Several great songs on here. Maybe just sneaks into a five for me.
Thundercat
3/5
I expected to like this more than I did; I feel like the whole is less than the sum of the parts here. I liked the individual tracks, but they all got a bit much for me. I liked the various guest additions, and there's no doubt there's a lot of skill on display here, but it all got a little too samey.
Mekons
1/5
This was not to my taste. Although I'm not averse to a bit of tuneless shambolic music if done right, this version of it doesn't work for me.
Tricky
4/5
I like this a lot, and generally I'm a fan of the genre, but this isn't quite at the level of Portishead's Dummy or Massive Attack's best. Still, I like the claustrophobic nature of it.
Korn
1/5
The bass sounds like they forgot to plug it into the amp and just held a mic really close to it. Can't stand the vocals. This is, if anything, worse than Limp Bizkit. Couldn't finish.
Bee Gees
2/5
There are a few truly dreadful songs on here; Remembering, When Do I, Dearest. Title track is not bad, though seems inspired by Across The Universe. Schmaltzy stuff; Bee Gees would get better later
Janis Joplin
2/5
I genuinely don't get the appeal. Lots of people here praising her voice, but although it's undeniably powerful, it's also pretty hard for me to listen to. The grating tone in Mercedes Benz is awful. This is musically a bit better than Cheap Thrills though; the band is pretty tight. A higher two.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
"Fast Car" is a fantastic song, but it's far from the only one on this album. The bass tone on "Across the Lines" reminded me of the bass on Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street"; turns out both were by Larry Klein. Chapman's voice is top notch.
Kate Bush
5/5
Running Up That Hill is so good, and it's not even the best song on the album (I'm partial to The Big Sky). I really like side 2 as well; Kate Bush really is one of a kind
The Fall
5/5
Man, I love this album. Probably The Fall's best. Yes, Mark E Smith can't sing. Yes, it's repetitive. But it does something for me that I can't quite explain.
Animal Collective
3/5
I feel like I listened to this in the past and didn't particularly like it, but I found it reasonably engaging listening this time around. A fairly strong three, close to a four.
Spacemen 3
4/5
Very obviously a predecessor to Spiritualized. I really enjoyed Revolution and Suicide on here; repetitive and hypnotic in a way that worked for me. I liked the rest too, but not to the same extent.
Aphex Twin
3/5
I liked this, but to be honest, I'd have liked it more if it had been 40 minutes long
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
I like the intention here, and Sullivan's voice is good, but ultimately I did not find the music here to be particularly memorable. Price Tags was the track I enjoyed most.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I thought I was going to dislike this, especially given the dreadful album cover. But although I wasn't that sold on the first track, I liked it more and more as I listened. Although this is nominally grunge, it's doing something quite different from most grunge bands. I thought Lanegan's voice suited the material well.
Pere Ubu
4/5
It took me a couple of songs to get into this - Thomas's voice is not a particularly easy listen. But I adjusted to it and by the end of the album I felt like I'd thoroughly enjoyed myself. Would listen again.
Love
2/5
The trumpets helped some of these tracks (eg "Maybe the People ..."), and this is better than Da Capo, but still isn't really to my taste.
Napalm Death
1/5
As with Sepultura and the like, I just can't get past the vocals here. Side one had some minor redeeming musical qualities, but side two was much worse. You can't really tell where one song stops and another starts.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I enjoyed "Want Two" when it came up a while back, and this is very much along the same lines. I like this about the same amount; a solid four stars.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Proof that the sixties didn't start in 1960. This isn't _bad_ and I didn't hate it, but it's decidedly not my kind of thing.
Buck Owens
2/5
Hey, it's Ringo's song! Other than that little surprise at the end, this wasn't for me. I'm going to be generous and say it's a low two, not a one, but maybe that's just because I had Napalm Death recently.
Blue Cheer
2/5
I like the immediate sound of this more than the overall end result. In other words, if you took a random two second snippet, I'd say it would sound like it would come from a song I'd like, but in this case, it doesn't. I like the fuzzy guitar tone, but the songs are too unstructured.
Klaxons
3/5
I generally liked this; Golden Skans and It's Not Over Yet were standouts. A strong three
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Liz Fraser's voice is wonderful. This album is great - a five star, even though Heaven or Las Vegas is even better.
Ice Cube
4/5
I gave the last Ice Cube album on this list a two, but I really enjoyed this one. The beats were jazz inflected and the rhymes made me laugh on more than one occasion. Maybe I should go back and listen to AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted to see if I stand by that two - this is a strong four, almost a five.
Tori Amos
2/5
I liked this well enough at the beginning but as it progressed I had less patience for it. I liked the slower songs least. She also has a few vocal idiosyncrasies I'm not super fond of.
Blur
5/5
There are a bunch of great songs on here. "To The End" is maybe my favorite, or "End Of A Century," or "This Is A Low", though obviously the big hits (Girls & Boys, Parklife) are fantastic too. I really like Coxon's guitar so in "London Loves." Lots of reviews here saying, in effect, "I guess you had to be there." Well, I was, and this is a five.
Sonic Youth
5/5
This is probably Sonic Youth's best album. Effortlessly cool; Kim Gordon's detached voice really suits the material.
Culture Club
2/5
This is pretty bland stuff. I also think Boy George doesn't have a very strong voice.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Tracy Thorn's voice is great, and I think suits this material better than their earlier folky stuff. I like this, though I appreciate it's a little backgroundy. Going to generously give this a low four, because I was in the right mood for it today.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
The Indian songs on here were far better than the sitar versions of rock/pop numbers,.which were frankly terrible, especially the Light My Fire cover. Would be a stronger score if they'd skipped these. Going to average a four for Sagar and similar with a one/two for the western music to get three
The Avalanches
5/5
For some reason I had it in my head that Avalanches were an indie guitar band. Not so. This is great, really enjoyed my first listen and looking forward to listening again and becoming more familiar with this.
Ronnie Lane is a perfectly adequate singer, but the juxtaposition with the songs where Rod Stewart leads shows what a compelling frontman Rod is. Three stars for the Lane stuff, four for the Rod stuff. Going to give a four as there is more of the latter.
The Electric Prunes
1/5
Yes, it is possible for a 29 minute album to feel too long. Was going to give this two stars, but side B knocked me down to one.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
I gave the last SFA album a high three stars. I'd say I like this a bit more; I think it's in four star territory for me.
LL Cool J
2/5
Some of this is a little creepy. Maybe it seemed fine in 1990. Some of the beats got a bit samey too; I swear multiple tracks sampled Funky Drummer.
Hot Chip
3/5
I generally liked this, although I thought the vocals were a little uninspired. By the end of the album I was begining to tire of it. A low three.
Khaled
2/5
I had some of the same problems with this as I did with the Ananda Shankar release recently. I didn't like the versions of Western songs (Imagine was pretty bad), or the Algerian songs with more Western production and would have just preferred Algerian music. Khaled has a listenable voice, though.
American Music Club
2/5
I thought I would like this. But it turns out I didn't care for it at all. I'm not entirely sure why; it has components I like (and I'm not averse to "depressing" music). But it didn't grab me.
Bad Company
2/5
Competent but uninspired 70s rock.
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
O'Connor's voice is great, and I especially loved the more uptempo tracks on here (Emperor's New Clothes was a standout for me). I'd almost forgotten how powerful Nothing Compares 2 U was. A solid four. I still think Mandinka is my favorite track of hers (off the previous album).
Eagles
1/5
I see everyone else has made the Lebowski joke, so I'll leave it this time. But I find this to be terribly bland.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
I like this a lot but it's not quite at the same level as ATCQ or De La Soul. "Good Newz Comin'" was a jam. "Doin' Our Own Dang" was the best track on the album, but the collabs on that track highlights how important the contributions of De La Soul, Q-Tip and others were. A strong four.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Deserves all its accolades. Gaye's voice is beautiful, lush arrangements and social conscience. Mercy Mercy Me is my favorite track.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time. Had the pleasure of watching MBV play it live a while back. Transcendent.
Hawkwind
4/5
There are bits of this that are dangerously close to jam band territory, but it manages to walk the knife edge quite deftly. Feels driving and repetitive in a way that works for me. I liked Lemmy's bass playing especially in Lord Of Light. I didn't really mind the spoken word bits, though Sonic Attack sounded like a Monty Python skit :) All in all, there's a lot more to like here than dislike.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
Two Weeks is (even if overplayed) a great song, with lovely Beach Boys style harmonies. I liked Ready, Able too. But for every decent song, there were a couple of unlikeable ones, and on the whole I found more of this irritating. The wavery tone to the singer's voice is less noticeable on the faster songs, or those with harmonies, but is a little annoying on the slower numbers. A high two.
Def Leppard
1/5
Oof. Joe Elliott's vocals are not to my taste. And the music is run of the mill hair metal.
Holger Czukay
4/5
I wasn't totally sold on Cool In The Pool, where I found the vocals a little too comedic, but the other tracks made up for it for me. Generally good stuff, although I prefer the straight up krautrock of Can. A solid four.
4/5
This is good stuff; I like Blur. I don't like this quite as much as later (more Pavement-y?) Blur. Still a solid four though.
Kate Bush
5/5
I guess this is my third five-star review for Kate Bush. Some great songs on here; as well as the title track and This Woman's Work, I liked Love and Anger and Deeper Understanding a lot. I love the bass sound on this album.
Simply Red
2/5
Hucknall can clearly sing, but I don't care for his voice. The production doesn't help; it all comes across as a bit soulless. Also the Talking Heads version of Heaven is vastly superior.
John Martyn
3/5
I liked the music quite a lot, but I wish he would enunciate a bit more when singing. The excellent final track boosts this album, almost into four territory.
Common
3/5
I like the beats, but there doesn't really need to be over an hour and a quarter of this. I liked Macy Gray in Geto Heaven Part 2, and the last track with Pops was also a highlight.
Pixies
5/5
Man, I love this album so much. This was my intro to the Pixies in 1989, and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say this changed how I thought (and felt) about music.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
I liked this, in smaller doses; I had to break up listening over two days, as it was all getting a little too much for me. Standout track was 2 Far. I like the energy and abrasiveness, but an hour is a little long. A low three.
Tito Puente
4/5
This was joyful. The marimba solo on Hong Kong Mambo is fantastic. I listened to the original 1958 track listing, which at less than 40 minutes didn't outstay its welcome. A strong four - pretty close to a five.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
This was quite a surprise to me, because I fully expected to really like this, but for some reason it didn't quite vibe with me. Liked the spoken word H2Ogate Blues more than the rest. I liked elements of the others (including some nice bass), but the whole wasn't quite what I was expecting. Low three.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Any one of these songs individually is fine, but they are too samey to grab your attention, especially over the course of two hours plus.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This might be my favorite of the Stones albums we've had so far, but it's still a high three rather than a four. It seems to me the Stones aren't really an album band; there's always one or two great songs on each album, but also quite a lot of less outstanding work. Best consumed as a greatest hits package.
Donald Fagen
2/5
I liked the opening track, but the rest was too smooth for me, though I appreciate the musicianship. A high two.
Patti Smith
4/5
I loved Birdland, and the scratchy guitar sound on Land is great. Definitely see the lineage here to later singers I like, like Kristin Hersh and PJ Harvey. Strong stuff, a very high four.
Björk
5/5
The top review at time of writing says "She tries too hard to be weird for the sake of being weird", which I take issue with for two reasons:
" This is not "weird for the sake of it" - I think Björk just does whatever she feels is interesting.
* It's not even that weird. This is pretty accessible stuff as far as Björk goes.
Anyway five stars from me.
Sebadoh
2/5
I quite liked Sacred Attention , but then really disliked Elixir is Zog. Overall there were moments I liked here, but also plenty that was just ok. High two.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Was there ever a bigger glow-up than Hazard's version of "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" to Lauper's? This album is a lot of fun, even if it tails off a little towards the end. A strong four.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Competent, even highly skilled, but doesn't move me.
The Beau Brummels
1/5
The first Temu Dylan track wasn't too bad, but the rest was pretty annoying. Not sure whether this is a low two or high one. Will go with the latter
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
I feel like I was overly harsh on the Beau Brummels yesterday, because although I disliked it, I can see the difference between mere dislike and the reaction this instills in me. I gave it a solid try but had to bail just past the halfway mark.
John Prine
4/5
This was in general more country than I typically like, but I recognize the quality of the songwriting, and there were a few songs that I thought were excellent: Hello in There and Angel From Montgomery were a couple of standouts. A very strong three. Actually, no, I think the songwriting sneaks it into four.
The Gun Club
3/5
I don't this is especially memorable. But I quite enjoyed it. Low three.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Gallops along in a rather fun way, even if it is all a bit of nonsense. Dickinson is a better singer than Di'Anno, but he's a bit too operatic for my tastes.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
Phew! Finished the gauntlet of six Elvis Costello albums! And the last two (this and My Aim Is True) were the best. Pump It Up is probably my favorite Elvis Costello song.
Nirvana
4/5
I like this a lot, but it's not quite at the highs of Nevermind. Maybe some of that is familiarity, though. Some great songwriting on here; Heart-Shaped Box and All Apologies are the highlights, and I liked Radio Friendly Unit Shifter.
Gary Numan
4/5
I like this a lot; obviously Cars is the standout, but M.E is also great (as recognized by Basement Jaxx), and the general vibe is very much to my taste. Maybe one or two slightly filler-y tracks, if I had to find a criticism.
Little Simz
5/5
Already a fan of Little Simz (Lotus is fantastic); this is great. I love the production on it; very varied, and her flow is inventive and interesting. One of my favorite rap artists.
OutKast
4/5
This is definitely longer than it needs to be, and at the two thirds mark, I was ready to give it a three on that basis. But it continued to win me over, and I think somewhere around Dracula's Wedding I tipped me over into four. Big Boi half good, Andre 3000 half better. (And I loved the version of My Favorite Things)
Tangerine Dream
3/5
This is adjacent to stuff that I like a lot, but I found it too aimless to be compelling. I don't dislike it, but it doesn't have enough forward momentum.
King Crimson
5/5
This is pretty familiar to me as I had the cassette tape of it in college days. Excellent musicianship, and I see some of the ideas here being used by other prog bands later (there's a section in Moon child that influences Genesis circa Lamb Lies Down IMO)
Kraftwerk
4/5
Title track is great. And I like Kometenmelodie 2 a lot too. A very solid four, close to five.
James Taylor
2/5
Taylor's voice is too smooth for my liking. Overall this is bland and forgettable.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
At an hour and a quarter this is too long, and I don't think it's quite as strong as Back To Basics, but again, I enjoyed this more than I expected. A pretty high three. Pretty shameless Sugababes ripoff though!
Jeff Beck
3/5
I didn't mind this, mainly I think because I find Rod the Mod to be a fairly compelling rock vocalist. Some of it was a bit run-of-the-mill blues, but there were moments I liked a fair bit. Lowish three.
Kanye West
2/5
Too many skits on here, and it didn't need to be an hour and a quarter. I like this about the same as Yeezus, which is to say there were moments I liked a lot, but the whole was just too much for me.
Madonna
3/5
There are a few great songs on here, but also quite a bit of filler. This isn't as consistently good as Ray of Light or Music IMO.
Supergrass
4/5
I don't think I've ever listened to this album before, so I was surprised how many songs I knew - I guess there were a lot of singles from it. And with good reason, because there are a bunch of catchy songs on here (though perhaps still none quite as good as Alright).
XTC
2/5
XTC is another of those bands that you'd think I'd like more than I do. Generally I think this is because I don't really like Partridge's vocals. Dear God is the strongest track here, though.
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
This sounds incredibly dated. In no way is the sample (actually interpolation) of Kraftwerk better than just listening to Kraftwerk in the first place. This is a low 2; pretty close to a 1, TBH.
Yes
3/5
Wow, the bass is really high in the mix here, though that's fine by me. Having said that, this is an album of decent material with one standout great track - Roundabout. Strong three.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
I have a huge reggae blind spot. I'm sure this is good, even great, if reggae's your thing, but it doesn't do it for me. I quite liked "Waiting in Vain", and actively dislike "Three Little Birds", but overall, I find the album to not have enough variation.
Stan Getz
3/5
Much like other samba, I like this generally, in that it's easy to listen to, but it doesn't overly grab me. I do like Getz' sax tone though.
Red Snapper
3/5
I liked this well enough (The Rough and The Quick was a standout), even if so e of it was a bit backgroundy. Some was a bit like a less good Massive Attack.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I didn't particularly like Electric Ladyland, so I didn't expect to like this either. But surprisingly, I found it a very enjoyable listen. Little Wing is great and there are several other strong songs on here. Felt much more focused and rock/R&B oriented than Ladyland. Giving this a very solid 3, almost a four.
The Specials
4/5
I didn't like this quite as much as the debut album, though oddly it was the tracks most like the first album's tracks that maybe worked least for me. I liked the stuff that showed the direction headed towards Ghost Town, like Man at C&A.
The Who
3/5
For every song of the caliber of "I Can See For Miles" (a sure fire 5-star song), there's a stinker like "Silas Stingy". Overall there's some decent stuff on here, although I found the "ad jingle" interruptions an annoyance after a short while. Low three.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
Soulful and funky, very enjoyable. The guitar solos in "That Lady" and "Summer Breeze" elevate those already great songs to the next level - I love the guitar tone in particular in both of those. The rest of the tracks are not quite at that level but still very good. I think the inclusion of those two songs pushes into a 5/5
Pere Ubu
4/5
I liked this quite a lot; more than the debut Pere Ubu we got a while back (which I gave four stars). This is catchier, almost poppy in places, though Thomas's voice is still a love-it-or-loathe-it oddity. This is in the upper echelons of four for me; I suspect it could go to five with repeated listens.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This was pretty great, although, predictably, I feel it would be improved by being a tad shorter. I liked A Funky Space Reincarnation.
Bee Gees
1/5
This is pretty bad. From the mock orchestral sections to the excess vibrato, there's not much to love about pre-disco Bee Gees
The Blue Nile
4/5
Growing up in Scotland in the eighties, it felt like generally accepted fact that this was one of the best albums of all time. But for some reason, I never connected with it. It's been a long time since I last listened, though. And I have to say, on relistening, it's pretty damn good. I have some minor reservations about the vocals that keep it from a five for me, but it's a strong four.
Alice In Chains
1/5
Half way through Sickman I said "this is a slog", them looked and discovered that was only track five of thirteen.
Miles Davis
4/5
This is good, but not quite as good as Miles Davis would later get on Kind of Blue. Still, pretty solid and Davis' trumpet tone is amazing as always.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
There are glimpses here of the greatness that was to come with Loveless. It's still really good in many places, though, even if not quite at that height.
Ray Charles
3/5
He has a great voice, and I enjoyed side one quite a lot, but I found the tempo of side two less compelling.
Sonic Youth
5/5
Feels like Sonic Youth were already in the nineties in 1987. This is one of their top ones for me. Particularly like "Pacific Coast Highway."
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
I think some later B&S albums are even better (Sinister, Arab Strap), but this still an amazing debut, and an easy five stars
Os Mutantes
3/5
I thought I would hate this, based on the description, and although there were moments that were too close to San Francisco psychedelia for my liking, generally I found it to be a fun and interesting listen.
3/5
This was pretty fun. Seems somewhat ahead of its time. I liked the raucous energy.
Massive Attack
5/5
Still surprising to me that Mezzanine isn't on this list, but TBH I think Protection is its equal. I love Tracey Thorn's vocal on the title track.
Ian Dury
3/5
I think you have to be British and of a certain age to get this. But for those of us who are, it's a nostalgic listen. Shame that some of his biggest hits missed being on this album, instead being released as singles only. "Reasons To Be Cheerful" would probably have knocked this up to a four.
The Killers
4/5
I like pretty much all of this, bar the closing track, "Everything Will Be Alright", which never really did it for me. Some of it has suffered a little from overexposure, but it's still pretty damn good.
David Bowie
4/5
Some of the production on this is a little dated-sounding. "Fame" is a five-star song, and the rest is good, but later Bowie albums are better.
The Undertones
4/5
A lot of pretty decent songs, a couple of very good ones, and one exceptional one (you know which one). I like its youthful exuberance.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I liked this a lot. Sounded ahead of its time, just like Sonic Youth's Sister, which it somewhat resembled. Raisans was my favorite track.
2Pac
2/5
I didn't dislike this, but I also didn't really find it very engaging or interesting. A high two.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
I like this, but I much prefer (early-to-mid) Arctic Monkeys - this seems to be trying a little too hard.
Radiohead
5/5
This, for me, is the peak of all Radiohead albums. I remember when it came out, it took me a while to get into, but when it clicked, it really clicked. Favorite track is hard to pinpoint, but I love the beautiful cacophony of "National Anthem."
Sheryl Crow
2/5
There are a few decent songs on here, but also a few stinkers (Na Na is one of them). And Crow seemed to ditch these guys that collaboratively made this music as soon as she was famous, which doesn't seem entirely cool
The Saints
3/5
Fun, if slightly unmemorable. A low three.
White Denim
4/5
I'd never heard of these guys before, and I was pleasantly surprised. Some of it reminded me somewhat of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (not quite as good as that though). still, a solid four; very enjoyable.
Laura Nyro
1/5
Like a less catchy and more shrieky Carole King. This was all a bit much for me; I found it quite a struggle to get through.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
"Marlene on the Wall" is a great song, and there are several other really good tracks on here. I like Vega's voice a lot too.
Joy Division
5/5
Even better than Unknown Pleasures, I think, though it's really close. This is excellent stuff.
Dolly Parton
3/5
This isn't really my kind of thing, although I will concede that their voices sound really good in harmony together. Actually, I liked this more than I thought I would.
The National
3/5
I kind of go back and forth on The National. Berninger has an excellent baritone voice, but sometimes it doesn't sit 100% right with me; it's almost too good. Overall, I like this though; it's at least a strong three, and there are days I'd give it a four.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Despite the fact that I've listened to Yoshimi many times, I'd never got round to listening to this. I'm glad I did, I like it a lot. Maybe not quite as much as Yoshimi, but that's probably familiarity.
4/5
Good stuff, even without the big hit of Whip It. I liked this a lot.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Did little to dispel my feeling the PSB never bettered West End Girls. High two
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I did like the guitar work on Worlds Apart, but other than that, I found this a little tedious.
Pink Floyd
1/5
This is horrendously twee. The worst offender is the Gnome song, but it's far from alone. Interstellar Overdrive had brief moments that reminded me of bands I like a lot more, like Can, but lost me with the drastic left/right audio panning.
The White Stripes
4/5
I like the White Stripes. This is slightly atypical for them, what with the marimbas, etc., but it's still just as listenable. Perhaps not quite their best, but a solid high four.
OutKast
4/5
I liked B.O.B. a lot. Gangsta Shit was a lot of fun too. Solid stuff from OutKast, I think I liked this maybe slightly more than Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (though, like that, this was marginally too long).
2/5
I hated some bits of this, maybe most of it, but I actually enjoyed other bits of it quite a lot. "Ecars" was pretty great, for example. But on the whole, pretty hard listening.
Metallica
1/5
I'd rather listen to "Spy Vs. Spy: The Music of Ornette Coleman" by John Zorn, TBH. I liked the "lick my love pump" bits in "To Live Is to Die".
Roxy Music
4/5
I remember being somewhat scandalized by this album cover when I saw it in record stores as a kid :)
This is enjoyable stuff, even post-Eno. "Out of the Blue" is a highlight, but I enjoyed pretty much the whole album.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I don't really care for "Sunday Morning," nor, actually, any of the other songs with Nico vocals. The Lou Reed ones are generally excellent though. I loved European Son.
Haircut 100
2/5
This is almost the definition of inessential; what is Dimery thinking? Bubblegum 80s pop that didn't even stand out among its contemporaries at the time. A low two.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Man, this is so much fun. The sample of "The End" in "The Sounds of Science" is inspired. The Dust Brothers suited the Beasties way more than Rick Rubin did.
The Undertones
3/5
Enjoyable, but didn't quite connect with me to the extent of their debut album; whether that's a judgement of the album or just my mood on the day, I'm not sure. Anyway, a solidly high 3.
Dire Straits
4/5
This is a four star album with a few five star songs on it. Title track in particular is really great. And Knopfler's guitar playing is impeccable. I think there are Dire Straits albums I like more, but this is still a high four.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The title track here is probably the worst track on the album; it's such a dirge. The rest is okay, I guess, but I still fail to see the appeal of Springsteen. Low three.
Pulp
5/5
A 90s classic; ubiquitous at the time. Several great songs on here; have it on CD somewhere in a box in the garage.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Another album that feels thoroughly inessential. Not unpleasant to listen to, and I remember a few of these from the radio of 1996, but doesn't need to be on this list.
Bob Dylan
2/5
"Make You Feel My Love" doesn't work with Dylan's 1997 voice. This was hailed as a return to form for Dylan, but I didn't find it nearly as interesting as his earlier stuff.
Duran Duran
4/5
The three big hits on here are 5/5 songs, the rest are enjoyable but not quite as strong. I love John Taylor's bass playing on here; I don't think I'd noticed before how good it was.
Deee-Lite
2/5
"Groove Is in the Heart" is a classic, of course, but the quality gulf between this and everything else on the album is huge. The rest seems a little mundane. Perhaps I would have liked it more contemporaneously, but it doesn't seem quite enough from this distance.
The Fall
5/5
This is the best version of Lost In Music ever. I love the Fall.
The Monks
3/5
I didn't think this was bad at all, actually, even if a bit of an oddity. Several enjoyable tracks on here. Solid three.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Several of these songs started and made me think the production was dated and bad, but then each one of them warmed up and won me over, mainly because of Olomide's voice and the repetitive rhythm. I enjoyed this quite a lot, though it could have perhaps done with being 15 minutes shorter. Solid three..