933
Albums Rated
2.66
Average Rating
86%
Complete
156 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990
Favorite Decade
Electronica
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
16
5-Star Albums
67
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Destroyer
KISS
|
5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
|
A Walk Across The Rooftops
The Blue Nile
|
5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
|
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
|
5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
|
Scum
Napalm Death
|
4 | 2.07 | +1.93 |
|
Closer
Joy Division
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Cross
Justice
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Sulk
The Associates
|
4 | 2.36 | +1.64 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
|
5 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
|
1 | 4.05 | -3.05 |
|
American Idiot
Green Day
|
1 | 3.76 | -2.76 |
|
Moondance
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.7 | -2.7 |
|
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
|
1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
|
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
Parachutes
Coldplay
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
|
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
|
1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
|
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Byrds | 3 | 1.33 |
| Run-D.M.C. | 2 | 1 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 1 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 1.75 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 1.67 |
| The Fall | 3 | 1.67 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 1.67 |
| Tom Waits | 5 | 2 |
| Spiritualized | 2 | 1.5 |
| Kanye West | 2 | 1.5 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 1.5 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1.5 |
| Green Day | 2 | 1.5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 1.5 |
| U2 | 4 | 2 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2 |
| The Rolling Stones | 5 | 2.2 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 2 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 2 |
| Madonna | 3 | 2 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 2 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 2.25 |
| Metallica | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Tim Buckley | 1, 2, 4 |
| Björk | 1, 4, 3 |
5-Star Albums (16)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Rahul Dev Burman · 15 likes
3/5
Guessing the plot to this film, I’ll go -
A police constable is on a holiday cruise, stopping over in India somewhere, he’s not adverse to other cultures, such as dancing the cha-cha-cha early in the film but does see himself above it. Gets himself embroiled in a local crime of passion falling for the daughter of the victim as they have to combat someone bringing back colonialism to the region. They succeed, but he has to go back to his life and they share an emotional farewell on the docks as he boards. As she cries and waves him off, he comes up Behind her, choosing to stay. It’s never explained how he got of the boat. They embrace. Credits roll.
Stevie Wonder · 4 likes
2/5
Beside the occasional killer baseline, this confirms that Stevie Wonder is not for me.
Oasis · 3 likes
4/5
If you allow me to be indulgent as always…
I was always Team Blur during the great Britpop wars but have grown to enjoy Oasis now the dust has settled, similar to the Bret Hart v Shawn Michaels debate of the sane era, being Team Bret it took to the 2000s for me to appreciate Michaels…
…and similar to Michaels, Oasis are oft imitated and probably much more influential but Oasis still seem completely unique.
This was a great album, I can see why it got so much hype at the time and can see too why it became such a weight round their necks thst they could never surpass.
George Michael · 2 likes
2/5
I thought half was decent and the other half was pretty boring
The Zombies · 2 likes
2/5
Which Partridge quote is it going to be
‘Shitty Zombies’
Or
‘I’m not having a pop at the undead’
It was neither. Probably more like the scene in Shaun of the Dead when he goes to the shop and doesn’t notice the zombies.
Until the last song which I had no idea was them and was Gods gift to film and tv montages.
4-Star Albums (114)
1-Star Albums (67)
All Ratings
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Fugees
3/5
I was really enjoying it until Wyclef turned up
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
Not my genre or style. Too soft. She had a nice voice though.
The Clash
2/5
London’s calling to say this wasn’t my thing
Massive Attack
3/5
I didn’t know what I though Massive Attaxk was but it wasn’t this
Listening to this I distinctly feel that yes, this is the sound of 91. How do I know this? Was I a six year old who was big on the scene at the time and just forgot?
I think what I mean by this is if I’d discovered this album when I was still musically formative, I’d easily made this my entire personality but alas, not this lifetime.
One Love kept threatening to be a track of add to my eternal playlist but just couldn’t commit to those dirty brass beats.
Blue Lines - sleepy spoken word rap was an interesting choice but again was just kidding that kick
Unfinished Sympathy - justifiably seen as a classic
Lately - I always enjoy a baseline that means I have to turn my volume down for self preservation
Hymn of the Big Wheel - excellent closing track for the priors
3.5
MGMT
3/5
Got this album close to release on the back of Time to Pretend and Kids and remember my horrified dissapointment that nothing else came close and was a slog to sit through. I haven’t listened since do this will be a good experiment…
… turns out i was overreacting like a disappointed man, the rest of the album is perfectly solid but just not to the heights of those songs above.
Beck
3/5
Was dreading this but it was ok. Just ok.
Run-D.M.C.
1/5
Awful.
Probably inspired a lot of stuff I’ve subsequently like but I didn’t think much at all of the blue print.
Duran Duran
3/5
Familiar songs that got a bit samey towards the end
4/5
If you allow me to be indulgent as always…
I was always Team Blur during the great Britpop wars but have grown to enjoy Oasis now the dust has settled, similar to the Bret Hart v Shawn Michaels debate of the sane era, being Team Bret it took to the 2000s for me to appreciate Michaels…
…and similar to Michaels, Oasis are oft imitated and probably much more influential but Oasis still seem completely unique.
This was a great album, I can see why it got so much hype at the time and can see too why it became such a weight round their necks thst they could never surpass.
Dion
3/5
Completely new artist for me, nothing seemed even vaguely familiar.
Really enjoyed Born to be With You and added that into a rotation playlist of mine, and found myself enjoying the next few tracks too though a little less each
After halfway it became a bit of a slog and I think whatever track 1 was would have been my favourite as it was a case of new skin bias
Overall a decent listen but not one I’m likely to remember much about in a few weeks
The Beach Boys
4/5
This was an excellent slice of fun. Basically nostalgia for the summer special episodes of Mork and Mindy and the like.
Pixies
5/5
Yea sir, my addiction is dirty bass and chaos.
No sir, I’m not looking for a cure.
Van Morrison
1/5
My enjoyment of that was like a roller coaster, but one of those ramshackle rickety wooden ones that doesn’t get very far off the ground. Will probably end up rated 1 star in lieu of 1.5 being a rating.
Elbow
1/5
The first of these albums I had to skip partially played tracks.
Some influences and technical skills similar to what I used to like when I listened to heavier stuff, but I really didn’t enjoy what they did with it.
One Day Like This is an excellent song in isolation though.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
This was like a tray of choice cuts and blueprints for other people to take inspiration or plain steal for something later/better.
Realistically, to enjoy this I’d need to cut the songs down to 4 mins max and scale way back on Robert Plant which probably makes me a philistine.
I appreciate your service Led, no I do not want to make a donation.
Throwing Muses
3/5
I quite like the wackadoodle song construction. Not hugely, but enough.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Murder Mystery was fun, the rest less so
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Not my pick for listening to someone pick pickers.
CHIC
3/5
A fun romp
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Good production and the title track was excellent, the rest however very forgettable.
Magazine
3/5
The middle got a bit bogged down with filler, but the start and ending were pretty good.
I do like to think I like post-punk but it might just be the self indulgence I gravitate to rather than the actual music.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Great to listen to in the background, with the already famous songs the standouts
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I waved goodbye to death metal a long time ago to take on this style as my jam, so stuff like this is always a treat.
I like most of this, finding it to be something if a mix tape in terms of styles.
Ray Charles
2/5
Very beautiful but very dull, like being dragged through a museum of exhibits I have no stake in.
Nirvana
3/5
I hadn’t thought I’d heard this before besides the obvious ones, but I must have years ago in the background of parties or gatherings and not realised.
So it can be said that it’s memorable, although it’s only really the classic tracks I enjoyed, the rest felt very filler, so as I suspect Nirvana are not really for me.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
I think I’ve been predisposed to think that Wings are corny, which I found to be mostly true however 1985 and Helen Wheels were both excellent.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Souvenir being the stand out though the rest was simply ok
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Love Perry Farrell’s voice but not a big fan of the music itself.
Talking Heads
2/5
I found the quirks to be more annoying than interesting
The Flaming Lips
3/5
There was a lot going on in the song construction which impressed but ultimately it was another one I’m unlikely to listen to again
Jacques Brel
1/5
Not my tempo
2/5
A band I never thought I had heard before, just assuming they were Duran Duran.
Around about in line with some of LeBon and groups average stuff.
The Avalanches
4/5
Frontier Psychiatrist was an MTV2 classic, so nice to hear the rest of the album that spawned it.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
This was one of the legendary albums thst I’ve heard about for so many years that it could never live up to the hype.
And it didn’t.
Lyrically it was excellent but musically I found my attention drifting.
Fiona Apple
3/5
I was always a bit intimidated by Fiona Apple. She always felt like an art house boogeyman who was hung over as a threat to little boys and girls who casually said they liked all music.
I think the weakest part is her voice which was a bit generic when surrounded by terminal quirk and an instrumental album I might have preferred, certainly for the first couple of tracks but ultimately this was pretty decent.
Motörhead
3/5
Weird that Lenny and Motörhead are now basically dad rock. Fine for what it was though.
David Bowie
2/5
Sacrilege I know, but I’ve never really got Bowie in any of his eras. Aside from a few songs that are usually associated with other things that I’ve liked he’s just not an artist I’m interested in.
Same goes for this one, though the last track is probably one of the best songs I heard in this challenge.
The Byrds
1/5
This album has a near 60 year legacy and I doubt I’ll remember anything about it after 6 minutes.
Santana
3/5
Solid background ambience
The Who
3/5
Ray Price
2/5
After track 2, I was ready to proclaim this to be the best thing since sliced bread before it settled into the honky think.
There is something mysterious about the dude, even down to the vaguely sinister sort of neon slasher movie cover art before that was an actual aesthetic
Pavement
2/5
Sounds like a band I’ve never heard before.
Sounds like a band I’ve completely forgotten before.
Lorde
1/5
Very samey with the framework being quite dull itself.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Each individual aspect (the vocals, the production, especially the bass) was great, but put them all together and it didn’t leave any kind of blended impression.
Bad Brains
3/5
I’m not a fan of punk usually but this was quite enjoyable. Genuinely might be my second favourite album from the genre I’ve heard. I think it being only 30 minutes helps.
Kraftwerk
2/5
I appreciate it walked so daft punk could run, but the tracks were mostly grinds.
k.d. lang
3/5
Not at all what I was expecting.
Very lush sounding
Adele
3/5
Familiar with a lot of these but ‘I Miss You’ was the stand out
Beastie Boys
3/5
Sounds exactly what (I think) it was, some mates making an album of the favourite genre. Pretty fun listen but nothing I’ll revisit.
David Bowie
3/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Reggae always just sounds like the intro forgot to bind to an actual song. I wait for the kick and it never comes.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Sister Sledge
3/5
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Jimmy Smith
3/5
I like how silly the whole thing is. Definately sounds like it’s been licensed out to channel 4 for all their kitchen related idents in the 2000s
Stevie Wonder
2/5
This was pretty bland but Boogie on Reggae Woman was the stand out.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Avalanche is an all timer, but that put the rest of the album in the shade.
John Grant
3/5
An odd time capsule of a sound I completely forgot about.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
I think the 60s was the first era that music production wasn’t regimented by tyrants called stuff like The Colonel or actual Mafia men, hence we get this bizarre concoctions swinging wildly within itself.
I think I’ve narrowed it down for 5 categories
Great and will listen again: Dark Side if the Street
Started off not really caring about but When I think about it, actually enjoyed it : my uncle, hot burrito 2
Music i imagine the people from Tremors listened to : Christine’s tune, Sin City, hot burrito 1, do you know how it feels
Abysmal: Do Right Woman, Juanita , hippie boy
Has a boat horn or something that caused Physical pain : Wheels
Neil Young
1/5
The Killers
5/5
Loved this on release, loved it still now
Small Faces
1/5
The jangly 60s stuff was tolerable but the quirky storytelling stuff was utter garbage.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
The definition of fine and forgettable
The The
2/5
What is this?
It’s like the B52s are doing a soundtrack for an experimental Disney movie.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Not sure what was linked was the actual album but if the guy wants to make it hard to listen to his stuff so be it.
Spiritualized
1/5
I didn’t like this. I think the genre space rock should be much more exciting than what that was.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Beside the occasional killer baseline, this confirms that Stevie Wonder is not for me.
The Police
3/5
Weeding the back garden listening to and enjoying The Police really makes a guy realise they are no longer a young man.
SAULT
2/5
The most interesting dull album I’ve listened to, can’t really explain what I mean by that though.
Hugh Masekela
1/5
Abandoned in favour of some electro
Doves
3/5
Sea Song was the stand out, the others range from solid to inoffensive.
Justice
5/5
This is one of my all time favourites. Stress a song I listen to regularly to this day.
Cream
3/5
I enjoyed this one, …Ulysses and Take it Back (which might be the first song with a harmonica I didn’t instantly hate) being the stand outs.
I figured Mothers Lament was a secret track or something that I’d have happily kept secret though (I could look this up but won’t)
Yes
2/5
Most of my teenage years were spent with my dad trying to convince me Yes were the greatest band to walk the Earth.
I never once humoured him.
Now 20 years later a random generator has forced me to listen.
And you know what?
Dad, they ain’t all that and their best song is still Owner of a Lonely Heart from GTA Vice City.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Nice but dull
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Is it cool? Yes
Is it interesting?
Can I see why it’s held up as an all time classic? Yes
Am I ever likely to listen again? Probably not
Definition of a 3/5
Queen
3/5
I’ll be honest, I never knew this Queen existed.
The only one I was familiar with was Killer Queen. Some of it sounded quite like the other high camp Glam legends KISS too (teaser for a later album?).
Brighton Rock really stood out.
3/5
First Beatles album I’ve listened to, I think I’d get more out of it if I had listened to it as a progression from their earlier stuff.
Plus it gave me horrible flashbacks to when we had Beatles Rockband set up in Game sauchiehall street and people playing the same songs badly over and over again.
It was good though
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Started off slow but kicked it up towards the end to the point I was sad it was over.
Aerosmith
2/5
Sub par 70s rock
Iggy Pop
3/5
Off to a great start - filled with others that were equally timeless but a bit of filler too.
The Fall
1/5
This is everything I dislike about punk, post-, hardcore, where musically it just seems to be a celebration of being crap.
The Soft Boys
3/5
I wanna destroy you in cracking and I will relisten. The rest of the album was also pretty good. But I likely won’t relisten.
Dire Straits
2/5
Exactly what I expected, fine - no better
The War On Drugs
2/5
This washed over me completely, I barely noticed it. I probably owe them another listen but Spotify wrapped is coming up soon and I need to prioritise getting the embarrassing stuff out my top 5 so I have no time for redos.
Van Halen
2/5
First couple of tracks were ok (not You Really Got Me which was awful) but it died a death from middle to end.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Sleazy and creepy…but in a bad way.
Probably my least favourite so far.
Beach House
2/5
It’s sounds a bit like if Tame Impala never discovered synths.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1/5
Ehhh…I think I’ll settle on I don’t know art, but I know what i like and this wasn’t for me.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Early 2000s hip hop was a giant leap in production but that doesn’t make this particularly good.
Ramones
3/5
I used to despise the Ramones but I think that was linked to people who liked them rather than the band itself. In isolation it’s fine and Blitzkreig Bop is a great song.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
This is quite good.
Big Black Snake Moan impression (which was invariably influenced by this)
The Verve
4/5
1997 was when I first started listen to music properly so this was right in the sweet spot, I’ll probably rate it higher than it’s worth but that’s nostalgia for you. Also it was way longer than I thought it was gonna be.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Lots of ‘oh, that was this guy’ songs on this one.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Still a bit dull
Pixies
4/5
Not as seminal as Doolittle but still an excellent listen.
Manu Chao
2/5
I’ve never heard this before but it was all very familiar.
I reckon it’s from being played in those weird little independent shops thst primarily stocked incense and incense related wares just off the beaten path from the high streets of every town and when film studios realised their set dressing wasn’t quite Mexican or Cubano enough, they inserted this as soundtrack over cut aways to women standing in doorways and dogs on unpacked streets.
Fine overall but nothing to relisten to unless any of the above apply.
Michael Jackson
4/5
The run of Thriller - Best It - Billie Jean might be the best of any pop album
The Byrds
1/5
I feel like Tippi Hedren
Dr. Dre
3/5
I was disappointed in this. It’s held up as one of the all time greats but most of it is pretty lacklustre and the production doesn’t compare to what he did later.
That being said, there was three great tracks on there, however not names I wish to write out or sing along to.
Liz Phair
2/5
I found her voice pretty nondescript so wasn’t really listening to the lyrics until Flower where I realised I’d maybe misinterpreted everything before it.
However, I think I’m most drawn to the instrumental and production when listening to albums so as this was quite bland in that regard it’s not one I’m going to go back over.
Van Halen
2/5
I liked this one slightly more than the other VH, mainly through familiarity with the two ‘big’ songs near the start.
Anthrax
3/5
Anthrax are very much spot 4 when it comes to the Big 4 of Thrash, but you can’t go wrong with the original recipe stuff from the 80s
The KLF
3/5
It’s fine. That’s about it.
3/5
I was quite enjoying this until after Bullet The Blue Sky when it just became a U2 album. First couple are belters though.
3/5
Of the three Bowie albums so far, this was the better one. Took a while for me to get into it but by the end I was fully on board. I don’t think I’ll ever listen to his stuff for fun, but it’s been interesting seeing the various eras
The Rolling Stones
2/5
First track is a classic, rest pretty forgettable
Kate Bush
2/5
Some songs I’ll start to recognise from samples or such and then they’ll veer off wildly, makes for an interesting experience.
Rush
1/5
Queen Latifah
3/5
Fresh sounding 80s hip hop, decent listen, and one track going on rotation - The Pros
Tom Waits
2/5
I could sit in a blues bar and listen and enjoy…but not to this guy specifically
Beatles
5/5
I’ve never really gotten the Beatles before. They certainly had good catchy songs but there’s hardly a shortage of them…then I listened to this and I can see why the are held up the highest. I’m only about 50 years too late but I can say that this may be one if the greatest albums ever made.
I had to stop adding songs to my regular play playlists for fear that it would just be the whole album taking it over for over an hour (not Piggies though).
Martha My Dear, Rocky Racoon, Everybody’s Got Something to Hide…, Helter Skelter the stand outs for me if I had to pick.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
Our House was cracking. The rest I really couldnt tell you.
Ride
3/5
A bit of a dirge and at times sounding like drums, guitar, vocals were in different recordings but interesting with it.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
I have nothing to say on this. It washed over me and left no impression. It didn’t hurt though.
Eagles
2/5
Pretenders
3/5
Pretty solid stuff. Her voice is the obvious highlight.
Dolly Parton
1/5
Stan Getz
3/5
Fine background noise, The Girl from Ipanema so nice they played it twice.
Robbie Williams
3/5
Nostalgia is a hell of a thing.
I don’t mind this, it reminds me of driving through to that chop shop in Linlithgow as a family and it being the album that everyone in the care didn’t protest
Radiohead
3/5
I always forget just how good Karma Police is until Iisten to it, and then I listen to it loads before forgetting all over again.
The Zombies
2/5
Which Partridge quote is it going to be
‘Shitty Zombies’
Or
‘I’m not having a pop at the undead’
It was neither. Probably more like the scene in Shaun of the Dead when he goes to the shop and doesn’t notice the zombies.
Until the last song which I had no idea was them and was Gods gift to film and tv montages.
Billie Holiday
2/5
Gene Clark
2/5
Listened to most of it, got the point. A blunt one that’s not one I’m interested in further.
The Smiths
3/5
The man is an arse but he writes good songs.
The Smiths
3/5
See yesterdays comments.
Def Leppard
3/5
Solid
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Miles Davis
1/5
Didn’t ever got going, which I understand is the point but I needed a kick somewhere.
Tom Waits
1/5
Every song plays the same trick…oh this sounds good, oh tom waits has turned up to dive bomb it.
Adam & The Ants
4/5
This was 80% great, 20% naff. Spot on 4/5 album
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
I’m enjoying this, sounds like the it could obviously soundtrack any disco or less obviously soundtrack any fight…at the disco.
The Lemonheads
2/5
Big ‘bridging scene in an American Pie sequel’ energy.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Id probably rate it higher than 1 but otherwise I agree. I really liked track 1 but that probably could have been the case for any song he chose as track 1 - everything after just became a bit of a drone.
Grizzly Bear
1/5
This is another one that smacks of ‘I’ve got 978 locked in but I’m spent, just add this bunch - who cares’
Prince
3/5
I think Prince is my ‘solid’ baseline, I enjoy everything he does fine, and love the obvious highlights.
2/5
This is just annoying. I think the only reason I’ll give it more than 1 star is the audacity of it all.
The Beta Band
3/5
I did a deep dive on The Beta Band a while ago, they’ll never be my favourite band but I do appreciate they bring something different to the plate if your ever in the mood for something slower and weirder
Talking Heads
2/5
Either was fast talk singing and plinky plonk guitars or a song that sounded like a David Bowie off it.
Joy Division
3/5
Very much doesn’t sound like a 70s album. Dark broody stuff, very on brand for me but not spiky enough.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
Pretty bland 90s indie
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
This is great, but to me it is a sampler of what RZA subsequently did producing all the solo stuff that came around the same time which took the best of this an expanded it further.
The skits are rank though.
Soundgarden
2/5
I cannot be bothered with grunge or grunge affiliates for the most part, so I didn’t get much out of this. Black Hole Sun is the standout and the rest just sounded like lesser versions of it.
M.I.A.
3/5
I thought this was the album I got on release which was pretty good, but that was Kala.
This was fine, but didn’t have any real highlights.
CHIC
3/5
First track is rightly named
David Bowie
2/5
It felt like we were on an upward trajectory with the 3 previous Bowie albums but this was mince.
I couldnt tell you anything about any of the tracks.
Giant Sand
3/5
I liked the vague menace permeating through the tracks
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
Free bird is a classic, the rest fairly forgettable
Don McLean
2/5
The first two I knew and recognised, the rest were pure filler to me. At some point it rolled into some other artist and I could not tell you when.
Eminem
3/5
I don’t mind this, he does bring something different. Though this is clearly juvenile and he himself probably cringes st the lyrics too.
It reminds me of the 50 Cent game that had loads of cameos from other rappers and they were all badasses except for Eminem who was a tweaking corrupt coward cop who looked like an idiot through the plot.
2/5
Probably should be more embarrassing than it actually was listening back.
Durst’s vocals are easily the worst part.
Pink Floyd
2/5
Louis Prima
3/5
Fun, though without any surprieee.
Fairport Convention
2/5
This is fine, not something I’d expect to listen to again, but I can’t see myself listening to the full 55 minutes.
Jeff Beck
2/5
The first 3 seconds intro was the best bit, struggled to hit those heights again.
Paul Weller
1/5
Started this and quickly shut it off. It wasn’t bad it was just white noise.
Depeche Mode
4/5
4 absolute classics on here and the rest is their unique sound, an easy thumbs up
Randy Newman
2/5
Nice enough, though the even slower stuff was too much or a dirge
Wilco
2/5
Kanye West
2/5
I like the music and the production but I’ve always found his delivery to be too flat
The Associates
4/5
I’m enjoying the gothy bits and the drums mixing with the synth.
Can’t say I’ve ever heard of these guys but definately one I’ll explore further.
Napalm Death
4/5
A blast (beat) from the past.
Enjoyable as always
Mott The Hoople
2/5
I’ve never heard of this band before yet I feel I’ve heard everything they’ve got to offer already. Fine, not very exciting.
Linkin Park
4/5
Nu metal became such a vague term very quickly but whatever it was/is - this is the quintessential representative.
Random DJ scratches
People who have no right to be rapping, rapping
Drop D guitars
Superfluous band members
Token shouting sections
Still a classic with no hint of irony.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Roxy Music
2/5
Various Artists
3/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
His deep voice singing almost seems like a joke, it’s like Ralph inneson when he’s on a podcast and it feels like it’ll damage your speakers.
It was pretty good though.
Norah Jones
2/5
I remember people going mad for this at the time, pretty sure it was in the album charts top 10 for years but seems to have had no long term cultural affect. Like David Gray I guess.
Dull but harmless.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
The Flaming Lips
3/5
A fine slice of twee rock
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Not bad, just not for me
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
Garbage modern country
Charles Mingus
2/5
It’s jangly jazz, I’m still uneducated to not really get it.
Jurassic 5
3/5
Solid. Nothing flashy but good for listening to while in the office.
I think I got them confused with someone else as I was certain I’d heard them before but nothing rang a bell.
Once it finished it started up with Kool Keith which is always a treat.
Brian Wilson
3/5
While I didn’t love this - I did like the gentle menace, like the train bit at the beginning of Dumbo. I know it’s harmless but there’s something underlying there.
Common
3/5
I took a break about halfway as k found it very dull/samey. Coming back tonit for the back end was like listening to something altogether new and very very good. Do a three seems like a fair split.
Otis Redding
3/5
The Undertones
3/5
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Guessing the plot to this film, I’ll go -
A police constable is on a holiday cruise, stopping over in India somewhere, he’s not adverse to other cultures, such as dancing the cha-cha-cha early in the film but does see himself above it. Gets himself embroiled in a local crime of passion falling for the daughter of the victim as they have to combat someone bringing back colonialism to the region. They succeed, but he has to go back to his life and they share an emotional farewell on the docks as he boards. As she cries and waves him off, he comes up Behind her, choosing to stay. It’s never explained how he got of the boat. They embrace. Credits roll.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
This is great. Dicks all over that Run DMC album that I thought was going be like this but most certainly wasn’t.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Take Me Out is still an excellent track. Rest, perfectly fine.
Ray Charles
3/5
The better of the Ray Charles albums we’ve done so far
Ute Lemper
2/5
Too odd
Arcade Fire
3/5
Pantera
3/5
Walk is an all time great, the others follow the familiar pattern but never to the same heights.
The Beach Boys
3/5
State of this album cover. Music is pretty good though.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Listening to this was great, just some soft background country.
I hope the Highwaymen appear on this, I never get round to actually listening to it myself and now I use this list as an excuse to keep holding off on new stuff too.
Carole King
4/5
This is very good. I think I just assumed it was going to be an Eva Cassidy style softness, but she’s got some grit in her lungs. The unpolished 70s production really makes it stand out too.
Mylo
3/5
Solid stuff. A lot of songs I’d completely forgotten about snd s very good outro track.
John Cale
2/5
I listened to this this morning and have left it to marinate. My only memory is how annoying the organ was in the first song so I can’t say I enjoyed this.
Al Green
2/5
It Ain’t No Fun to Me is worth holding on for. That bass/beat is something else from the rest of the album.
fIREHOSE
1/5
Mostly just annoying. Short though.
Dr. John
1/5
This is not the worst album we’ve had but it’s the one I engaged with least. I just could not get into it at all.
Dire Straits
2/5
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I think I just assumed this was all going to be ballads for the boys, but it’s very like the Manic’s rock opera style. An eye opener.
MC Solaar
4/5
All brand new, really enjoyed it
Johnny Cash
5/5
A stone cold classic
The Gun Club
3/5
Felt like generic punk but I did find myself getting into it as it went along.
The Shamen
3/5
I enjoyed this, acid house was an interesting little pocket that didn’t last long.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
The classics are just that. The fillers are just that.
Brian Eno
2/5
AC/DC
2/5
I think whichever of kiss, ac/dc, Judas Priest etc I listened to i was likely to like abd the other just felt like worse versions so I couldn’t get on board.
3/5
It’s a good mixture of what seems like would be bsides on later stuff and some early experimentation.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Having never listened to a Bob Dylan album this is exactly what I expected. I think I lose a lot from not really being a person that particularly listens to lyrics. But it is undoubtedly good.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Sebadoh
2/5
I’ve heard this comment recently, so I may have even stolen it from this chat…but this sounds exactly like the kind of forgettable rock that would be playing in The Bronze in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to a group of bored extras.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
This was not too bad. It’s no phonk, but then nothing ever will be.
Maxwell
2/5
I liked the beginning but it drifted off and got a bit too ‘boy band’ towards the end
Buzzcocks
3/5
This is pretty good. Like being stuck in a loading screen for Tony hawk pro skater and not being that bothered about it.
Sex Pistols
2/5
This suffered from following the day after the Buzzcocks, which seemed a higher tier of 70s punk.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I don’t know if the version I listened to was a remaster or rerelease but the ‘wall of sound’ was impressive for time.
I’ve never been a huge fan but they influenced a lot of bands/genres I grew up loving so this gets a big thumbs up
Cee Lo Green
3/5
His voice is the worst part but the music itself is pretty good.
Funkadelic
4/5
King Crimson
3/5
As album covers go, I was expecting something different.
As band names go, this was exactly what I was expecting.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
I fully appreciate that riot grrrrl is not made for me, so all criticism is moot. Musically it’s not bad, vocals are too messy.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Nowhere near as seminal as the last one, but still a decent listen.
Safe to say that this version of Changes was significant better than the duet Ozzy did with Kelly
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
I really enjoyed the first half, a lot of great songs I’d never heard before but as Ben said, twists on more famous sounds, but it dropped off in the back end.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Bruce Dickinson’s vocal are so distinct that listening to these guys without just feels like a cover band (appreciating that this was pre-Bruce)
Some hints of what was to come make this worthwhile though.
Travis
3/5
I’ve never listened to this as a whole album but have likely listened to most of this just over time as singles and at peoples houses/in cars/radios etc.
Overall it’s a bit too soft but I find turn to be an all time great track.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Another one of the weird hand drawn faces cover arts that lead you to expect something different from the music.
Some decent indie on there.
Elliott Smith
2/5
The music is fine but his voice seems really put on, I ditched out after 5 tracks
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Much better than the other Joni’s ones we’ve had.
3.5 really but rounded down to be mean for no reason.
1/5
It’s on YouTube as a 47 minute long video, which is probably its perfect form as just a meandering weird single entity.
Free form jazz, much like all the other jazz we’ve had here so far, not for me.
The Bees
3/5
I really wanted to dislike this so I could pithily post this, but alas, it was actually ok.
Still, I’ll post it anyway.
https://youtu.be/UatQsjjOIAc?si=0fNbPRJQLt9QWEXQ
Elvis Costello
3/5
Probably a 2.5, aka solid, but I’ll round up.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Too much jangling.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Nick in different
Keith Jarrett
2/5
Very talented pianist but it’s not engaging me at all
Janet Jackson
2/5
A lot of the 80s sound has come back in fashion but this Casio keyboard basic drum beats hadn’t yet. Probably for good reason as it all sounds way too basic.
Billy Bragg
1/5
I can’t stand his voice and the deliberately crap style.
N.W.A.
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Dre’s production on point and the MCs all distinct, only a few bits of filler.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
A little tip for listening to Jerry Lee Lewis, is to do so without ever checking his Wikipedia page in detail.
Would have been a fantastic gig to be at too.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
David Crosby
2/5
Made no impression
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Didn’t leave much of an impression
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I like the rubbish production. Solid stuff.
I prefer Depeche Mode’s version of Route 66 though.
Tricky
3/5
This was fine. Not what I was expecting, I think he got more drum + bass later.
I’ve listened to one of his later albums (pretty much only because he was cool in The Fifth Element) and really didn’t like it at all.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Adele
3/5
Solid
Tim Buckley
2/5
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
To echo what others said, I thought he was more spoken word soul man but obviously not. I enjoyed it.
He was massive for a very particular moment in time so maybe another album will come up as I’m probably not going to listen otherwise though.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Nice enough but a bit forgettable
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
A great listen, heavier than I expected.
The Waterboys
2/5
Ive got through disc 1. I don’t think I’ll continue on with disc 2 as it was all a bit samey and bland, with the exception of We Will Not Be Lovers which felt like it sneaked in from a much darker album.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Another one that I’ll stop after disc 1.
The cover of Book of Love is great as Izzy says.
The rest, a bit subpar Divine Comedy.
Deep Purple
3/5
everything is just in the way until Ash Williams favourite song Space Truckin’ comes on
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
only shallow is a fantastic track, the rest of the album can’t match those highs.
I feel I say this too much, but I can’t imagine listening to this in ‘91 and not been blown away, as if I’d just seen a new colour.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Fine, but not leaving much of a footprint
Derek & The Dominos
1/5
I didn’t like this. It seemed like something that you’d hear at an open mic night rather than some all time album.
The Pretty Things
2/5
I really liked the final track Pretty Big Mouth…which turned out to be from another one of their albums that had auto played. Everything from the above album completely washed over me unnoticed.
Björk
1/5
I didn’t last long, thought I was halfway through and looked to see that was the end of track 2.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
Same as the last zeppelin album, lots of good bits that have been covered or sampled elsewhere but altogether, not amazing.
George Harrison
3/5
Little Richard
3/5
He’s got a formula, fun one though.
The Cure
3/5
The Cure trying to confuse me further by sounding more like The Cult than ever.
Violent Femmes
2/5
This is a bit rubbish.
Meat Loaf
2/5
Sometimes I feel quite disconnected to the rest of culture.
This was in the charts for some insanely long period and I have no idea why?
There is nothing on it that’s really stand out and it’s quirky enough not to be middle of the road. enough to be a coffee table album. Was it just the cover?
Elastica
3/5
This could really do with a tidy up rerelease, but given how bad the production was the master tapes were probably misfiled somewhere daft like the centre of the sun.
Connection was the stand out track which was a theme song for Trigger Happy TV (a much better clearer version too)
Laura Nyro
3/5
This is the definition of ‘nice’
It’s probably also the definition of ‘won’t remember it’ and ‘won’t listen again’ but it was a pleasant soundtrack while walking in the rain.
Stan Getz
2/5
This veers from sounding like nice background restaurant music to ‘is this from arrested development’ from track to track
The Band
3/5
This was fine. I thought it would be lazier given their efforts bending the band and promotion in general but it has a few decent tracks and a few thst were forgotten as soon as finished
Sheryl Crow
2/5
The White Stripes
4/5
First time I’ve listened to this (although tons of songs I’d heard before no realising they were from this) - it was great, the first half especially.
The Streets
2/5
This is going to sound stupid and contradictory given I love the song Blinded by the Lights, but
I appreciate it’s a concept album made for entertainment but it comes across as so disingenuous, it may well all be true but it feels very fake.
But Blinded by the Lights is cracking, I can’t reiterate this enough
John Martyn
2/5
Supertramp
2/5
James Brown
3/5
I was looking forward to this but I should have known nothing will ever live up to his performance in Rocky 4
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Middling jazz
The Darkness
2/5
Naff.
Definately the band loses a lot of its effect by it not being the live performances and the look of ‘I cannot believe this is a success’ that drove those appearances.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Rolling Stones have some all time classic songs (in this case Gimme Shelter) but from what I’ve heard so far by them, they are all spread apart on different albums , so you don’t get that amazing streak like the Michael Jackson album we had earlier.
So there was a lot of filler between the classic in track 1 and the well known closing track.
So to go full Alan Partridge I think my favourite Rolling Stones album would probably be the best of
Wire
2/5
Not the worst post punk we’ve had.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I’m enjoying this. A name I only know from The Simpsons lollapalooza that I guess I just wrote off as being smashing pumpkins lite.
The distortion adds to it instead of just seeming like a gimmick.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
It can’t possibly live up to the back story but it wasn’t bad.
Kate Bush
4/5
I’d listened to this before and really like it. Cloudbursting is great on top of the more famous tracks. A great weird listen.
Elis Regina
3/5
Didn’t listen to it all but it was nice enough
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Sounds very much like Blur off cuts, but there are worse bands to be slightly worse than.
Oasis
4/5
Goldfrapp
3/5
I thought this was going to be more dance-y than weird folk ghost-y, I must have confused it with something else.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Hadn’t heard of these guys before. Sounds like they have influenced a lot of stuff later on. Not really something I’ll revisit but decent enough.
Coldplay
1/5
Tried a couple of tracks but feared for my algorithm too much and binned it
The Police
3/5
2.5 rounded up
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Bland
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Love and Affection is a brilliant track, stops this from being fine but forgettable. The funk that sneaks in towards the end is a highlight too.
Neil Young
2/5
I thought it was fine, nice background music I should probably give another chance.
Tortoise
3/5
I think that 18 year old me would have been all over this, probably made it a pillar of my personality for a few months.
Whatever has happened in the ensuing 2 decades, I’m become now just a husk who listened to it, thought it was ok and promptly moved on.
The Kinks
2/5
KISS
5/5
This is their most heralded album but it’s not my favourite. I find Great Expectations and Beth to be too naff but the rest is just good time bouncy rock and showcases their various talents, most sing and have very distinct sounding voices and Ace is a great guitarist.
Detroit Rock City is an all time great rock and roll track as the stand out,
I’ll give it 5 more for their whole catalogue than this album in particular as I’ll be surprised if any others turn up.
Nina Simone
3/5
Beautiful for sure but not real stand outs.
Coldcut
3/5
Barry Adamson
2/5
I don’t know what I thought this was going to be, but 90s templates and layers was not what.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Good listening for the morning
Funkadelic
2/5
David Ackles
2/5
Ryan Adams
2/5
The second track is decent rockabilly but too over produced for me, but the rest is pretty bland
Gorillaz
3/5
I was looking forward to this one as I loved Clint Eastwood and the other singles back when it first came out but the rest was just filler.
The Day of the Dead sample was pretty cool though.
Primal Scream
3/5
Gang Starr
3/5
The Black Keys
3/5
Pretty solid stuff. If I ever needed an album that at least 70% of the people in the room would enjoy I reckon this is the pick. Probably a 3.5 rating overall.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
I’ve never gotten Bruce and his popularity, I think he’s just on a different wavelength from my taste and this did nothing to convince me otherwise.
Cat Stevens
2/5
Least shocking hot take ever said: Father and Son is still a brilliant song.
The rest was fine but don’t ask me to recall anything about it.
2.5
Prince
4/5
Great album with some absolute classics on it.
The associated film is a fun watch too.
The Kinks
3/5
Mj Cole
2/5
Blue Cheer
2/5
Radiohead
2/5
Beyond odd songs, I can’t really get into Radiohead.
That’s not to say this is bad, far from it, but it’s not something I’ll seek out again.
2.5
The Yardbirds
2/5
I’m trying to remember anything about this from yesterday … I think I liked it?
2.5
The Coral
3/5
Underworld
3/5
John Coltrane
3/5
3 feels high but 2 feels too low.
Love
3/5
Pretty fun
M.I.A.
4/5
So, I had this album and completely forgot (hence my confusion over paper planes). I remember not really liking it at the time but on this relisten I thought it was great. There is something about modern musics played on lesser heard instruments that I really enjoy.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
The yeah yeah yeahs are great, I’ve slept on them far too much.
Soft Machine
3/5
This is interesting. Would make for good ambience but not sure if listen to it by choice. Also not convinced that what Spotify has is wholly accurate.
Mudhoney
3/5
Not bad/not great - just fine
Death In Vegas
4/5
This was cracking. Completely missed them as a band but will check out a bunch more now.
Radiohead
2/5
Brian Eno
4/5
This was great. I’d heard of him but assumed his sound to be completely different
Orbital
3/5
Heard one orbital song pretty much heard them all, but it’s a pretty good song.
Talking Heads
3/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Another group thst has a very obvious formula but also one thst is quite good
Red Snapper
3/5
This didn’t leave much of an impression, was fine though.
The Stooges
3/5
I liked this, in out 30 minutes, perfect time.
The Clash
2/5
Soft Cell
4/5
One I listened to regularly prior to this. The single version of tainted love and where did our love go have one of the best transitions ever (not seen on this version sadly)
Herbie Hancock
3/5
A curious one. Interesting but not one to listen to again. 2.5
Stevie Wonder
3/5
He’s obviously good, and Superstition is obviously an all time great song. But I just can’t get into him.
Richard Hawley
2/5
Everything about this is nice, but not something I can get into
The Replacements
2/5
A bit all over the place. instrumentally it was interesting, vocals were the weakest aspect.
I enjoyed the cover of kiss’s black diamond though.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I always get Sonic Youth mixed with Smashing Pumpkins because of that Simpsons episode, and this album has not helped
Cool sound though, would listen again.
Coldplay
1/5
Aretha Franklin
2/5
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This was a better Jane’s Addiction album, first half anyway. Been Caught Steaking is great of course.
Pink Floyd
3/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I’m really enjoying this, the famous songs (tonight, zero, bullet…) really stand out but with every double album there is too much stuff on there thst could just be cut and left for later.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
I do quite like the jangly 60s guitar sound but not enough to really like one artist exceptionally. I think I’d probably get a kick out of something like Now! That’s What I Call Jangle so nothing feels too samey/state.
I appreciated that this was only 30 mins though
Boston
3/5
This was pretty fun. Just a hint of prog stuff there to change it up so it wasn’t all just 70s rock sound.
Nick Drake
2/5
Nice enough but not really for me
Incubus
1/5
Very back loaded, and not with particularly good songs only more recognisable ones. One I wouldnt have been gutted to miss.
Joy Division
5/5
This was really good. The songs were his voice got pushed back in prominence to being an additional instrument it elevated it all. A Means to an End and Decades both stand outs.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Not very exciting but fine
Ice Cube
3/5
Great production, solid everything else. No real stand out tracks.
2/5
I thought this was going to be naff and while it was, it’s was pretty listenable.
FKA twigs
2/5
Judas Priest
3/5
It’s was fine. Music was pretty fun though his voice was the worst part for me.
Carpenters
3/5
Very nice stuff, never gonna listen to it again.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Nowhere near as good as the other one, shame
Supergrass
3/5
More rocky than I remember and really well produced. Not particularly iconic though.
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
This was great, familiar at times too. Probably a 4.5
Big Star
2/5
This wasn’t really my thing. The sudden appearance of rocky Dont Lie to Me was very jarring, especially as the next song is almost Xmas folk music, then back to rock hooks after that.
Then In The Street literally rocks up at the end.
Common
3/5
Really well produced, not very exciting though.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Good listen but I thought I’d recognise more, definately a good primer for what he did later.
John Martyn
3/5
If they’d all been as weird as the first track I’d have given this a higher rating.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Nick Drake
2/5
This one was a bit bland.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Not bad
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
1/5
I might be outing myself as a philistine but I found this to be utter garbage.
George Michael
2/5
I thought half was decent and the other half was pretty boring
OutKast
3/5
High quality hip hop but even at half the time it’s too long
Jack White
3/5
Jack White has a formula and this is very much that. It’s good though, but if you’d told this this was white stripes or from a different time period I’d have believed you.
The Doors
3/5
This wasn’t bad, but it did over stay its welcome. Quite high on the jangle scale.
Johnny Cash
5/5
The joke review is that he could have released Hurt and then 12 tracks of static and it would still be seminal.
The real review is that even the songs that start off without you really enjoying them slowly turn into something brilliant just because of his voice.
Highlights-?Hurt, Personal Jesus, …Rose, Man Comes around
Lowlights if any - Danny Boy and Laredo
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Not for me
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Neu!
3/5
Pretty good ambient stuff, sounds like it was quite ahead of it’s time.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
A bit meh
Megadeth
5/5
One of my faves from back in the day.
Eric Clapton
2/5
The Smiths
3/5
Turns out i like the smiths
Lucinda Williams
1/5
Middle of the road 90s country is not for me
TV On The Radio
3/5
Probably the most in need of .5 ratings here.
Probably a 2.51 though so I’ll round up.
Vaguely familiar but definitely new of that makes any sense.
Foo Fighters
2/5
They got better later at least
Deep Purple
2/5
I think I always knew that deep purple utilised the organ…but not this much.
The Band
2/5
One of those albums that probably influenced a lot but on its own is nothing special.
Miles Davis
3/5
Green Day
1/5
Pretty much the only thing I like by Green Day is the song Basketcase and on first full listen, this did nothing to change that.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
The first track was amazing…but it was one of those albums where any album could have been track 1 and had the same response as the rest were all derivatives of the same style, albeit a very good one.
Spacemen 3
1/5
I put this on expecting hip hop, alas I was disappointed and out it off after a few boring tracks
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
Steely Dan
3/5
I thought this would be heavier and much worse. It was fine. Dirty Work is a great song.
3/5
Fruit Nut and The Last Balloon are the highlights. Wish it was on Spotify so I could revisit it later/easier to see if they were growers
Solomon Burke
2/5
Solid 2.5
Fats Domino
3/5
Fun little in and out listen
David Bowie
3/5
Quite liked it, but of a lil tracks 2-3 and then it picked up to the end
Dead Kennedys
1/5
It’s probably wrong to complain about a band being formulaic when they invented the formula but apart from Holiday in Cambodia (which teases doing something else), everything was just ever decreasing circles of the same muddy songs and crap singing.
The Crusaders
3/5
I liked this, never gonna listen to it again, but I liked it
Beastie Boys
3/5
Fine
Sam Cooke
4/5
I’m really enjoying it, it probably sounds great on vinyl too
Eels
2/5
Just blah 90s sound
The Doors
3/5
This is not bad, not as overwrought as I thought it might be
Aimee Mann
3/5
This was ok. Just a nice easy one off listen, Jacob Marley’s Chain being the stand out.
2.5 really but rounding up.
Talvin Singh
4/5
Really enjoyed listening to this. Added Light to my rotation.
Absolutely one I’ll listen to again.
The Undertones
4/5
Second in a row I wasnt expecting much from and really liked it
Elton John
3/5
Shack
2/5
Pretty bland, but not dreadful
UB40
1/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Enjoyed this, couple of stand out tracks but the rest were solid too. I imagine there is a lot more PJ in this list too so I’m looking forward to those
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
Solid stuff, closing track the one track I’ll regularly listen to again (I thought it had rolled into auto play when that baseline kicked in)
Björk
4/5
This is great. At places It’s like a chill out Balearics album with a random Icelandic girl chatting loudly over the top (track 4 is literally this)
3.5 but rounded up to 4
The Incredible String Band
1/5
Not sure how this list is compiled but if it’s by votes then this feels like a ‘Boaty McBoatface’ style troll. Absolute tosh.
Morrissey
4/5
Good stuff. I remember hearing Irish Blood… when it first came out and really enjoying it as it was quite different lyrically and stylistically from the rest of 2003/4 but never investigated further, wish I had. It’s a lot more accessible than I’d have thought too, I can imagine he’s been approached by people to cover stuff here and because hes Morrissey just telling them to do one or just not replying.
Korn
3/5
Not the best Korn album but them at the peak of their powers.
3/5
Oh man, the hype at the beginning got me pumped and then he started singing…
The rest of the album recovered and was pretty decent
Nico
2/5
Nice. Weird. Ultimately not for me though.
Madness
3/5
Bizarre. Their whole thing has become ‘yer uncle loves these guys live and has seen them 87 times’ but listening to this I can’t imagine anyone thinking it’d be a vibrant live experience, it comes across as very low energy as if Suggs is sitting on a stool knackered going through the motions.
I was expecting it to be quite formulaic but some of the music is actually quite interesting in a ‘Jolly ironic haunting’ kind of way.
Removing Suggs sluggish nature and this was really good
Thundercat
3/5
Pretty cool stuff. Like the next evolution of OutKast but without any of the stand out songs.
Admittedly I said this before I got to Them Changes
Ice Cube
4/5
I think discounting the misogyny and homophobia et al (a big ask I know!) and the cultural commentary that isn’t something aimed at me (also a big ask), I think production wise and musically this is the best hip hop album we’ve had, helps that It Was a Good Day is one of my favourites
Roxy Music
3/5
Decent guitar pop which veers into strange a few times. Another one id like to have listened to in context, as it does seem quite different to watch else was around this time, to get its full impact.
Björk
3/5
Sad that she seemed to abandoned the tranc-y Ibiza style here. Good stuff though.
The Specials
2/5
Better energy from the singer but not quite as interesting musically, put it off about 3/4 through
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Simon & Garfunkel
1/5
I was gonna abandon this one early but it’s only 30 mins so I powered through and some of the tracks later (the Dylan one) were good but overall I didn’t really like this.
(That Scarborough one is abysmal.)
Michael Jackson
5/5
An unrelenting hit parade - 5/5
(I enjoy that some of the synths sound like they are from Sonic the Hedgehog, as if we were all psychologically trained to love this by our youth)
Public Enemy
4/5
Top quality hip hop.
It really shouldn’t work, with Chuck S’s rap tempo bearing very little relationship to the track beat , but his voice and presence is so strong it makes it even better.
Flavor Flav gets written off by a clown, but actually is very good too.
The tracks themselves really full sounding.
Only downside is it’s way too long so has a lot of filler in the middle.
Metallica
2/5
There is something soulless about Metallica and I’ve never warmed to them
The xx
3/5
Nice ambient stuff, won’t make much of an impression but that seems to be the point.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Nice to hear their stuff before they fell into comedy parody. It’s a 2.5 but round up to 3.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Pretty much my wheelhouse
Guided By Voices
3/5
Definately the best album I’ve heard recorded inside a bin.
I think there is some pretty dodgy lyrics on there but is so muffled I can’t really tell.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This is probably sacrilege but I feel like this guy is the ultimate one trick pony, that trick being a deep voice almost spoken singing style that doesn’t always match the tempo of the often identical plinky plonk guitar. If you love that then this guy is for you, if you don’t then it’s not. It’s not for me.
On one of them I liked the song Avalanche.
On this album twice I’ve thought there was alternate versions of that song only to realise they are different with either exact same guitar or exact same vocal harmony.
It must have been weird seeing him play live, cheering for your favourite song only for it to turn out to be another one.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
28 minutes of sozzled Frank, perfect.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I was a bit bored by this when I was really listening it, however as I just let it play in the background it got more enjoyable as white noise.
Not a ringing endorsement though.
Titanium Expose was the one I’d listen to again
2.5 but rounded up to 3
Ananda Shankar
2/5
A curiosity for sure, but I didn’t hear anything there to make it stand out.
Sepultura
4/5
Loved this album as a youth, Brazilian death metal band bringing in a tribal sound to their recordings.
My neice recently got into Megadeth and other 80/90s metal so I got her this, perhaps a little too much for her yet.
I still very much enjoyed it which I cannot say about a lot of my old cds
Kings of Leon
3/5
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
This was a drag at the start but picked up. The last couple of live tracks were really good,
2.5 rounded up
Everything But The Girl
3/5
In my head I always thought Everything but the Girl were regional pop for parents who couldn’t move past cassettes so im intrigued that this is here
So it turns out it’s a very 90s sounding tranc-y effort, which was pretty good.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
First track is awful but after that it’s some pretty fun funk
Bob Dylan
3/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Probably as nice an album from a genre I have no interest (modern country) in, so I can see why it’s here but it’s not made me want to listen to anything else she’s done.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
As everyone has said, it’s nice but not very exciting. Give the masters to RZA he’ll sort it out.
Beth Orton
2/5
Very 90s sounding, I liked the odd jazzy moments that would pop up but otherwise a bit bland.
Morrissey
3/5
Solid to good stuff but after three smiths albums and two solos I think that’s probably enough of this mad lad
Van Morrison
2/5
Everything about it is fine but I’m not sitting through 90 minutes of it.
Air
3/5
Billy Joel
2/5
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
The Prodigy
3/5
I like The Prodigy. I don’t think I’d be able to tell their albums apart but I like their sound.
Arrested Development
3/5
This sounds exactly what you’d think hip hop from 1992 would sound like, even if you had no prior knowledge. It’s fine.
The Beach Boys
3/5
This is much more garage rock than having fun on the beach rock, than I was expecting. Also fine.
Van Morrison
2/5
Same as previous comments, nice but does nothing for me
Grateful Dead
3/5
I always forget that grateful dead are some wee hippies instead of original punks. This was fine fir what it was, just distorted self indulgence, not something I’d listen to again though.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Blue Turk is a real direction switch, dodgy lyrics and all
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Enjoyed this, some classics on there
Bon Jovi
2/5
Forgettable stuff outside of the anthems.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Happiness is a great track. The rest were decent but I think that’s three Goldfrapp albums we’ve had now and that’s probably enough.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Nice example of genre, absolutely I’ll forget this entirely in a few days though. Except the cover.
ZZ Top
3/5
Fun stuff but another 3 star
Bob Dylan
2/5
Sounds exactly like you’d think it does
American Music Club
1/5
Looked up the tracks on YouTube. Just sounds like generic indie from the 90s but from 88 so must be influential. Not one to dig out if you can’t be arsed.
The Pogues
3/5
Pretty fun but an hour is more than enough
Tangerine Dream
4/5
Perfect background music
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
This guy is talked about as one of the all time greats even being new/current but I found this quite generic. The content was pretty standard too, so while technically impressive it’s hardly unique and a bit of a disappointment.
Picked up towards the end though.
The Cramps
4/5
Jesus, What did this sound like before the remastering?
I do like the Cramps, they are 1 of 1 when it comes to deconstructed honky tonk with a singer who seems to be perpetually on the run from vengeful ghosts.
Primal Scream
3/5
I think we’ve had a few of primal scream in the 1001 and the SAY lists, this is the best one. Some familiar ones, some forgettable but overall a fine album.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
Surprised I’d never heard of these guys before. Like others have said, great stuff.
The newly minted conspiracy theorist in me now things big media subdued them but hopefully didn’t imprison them.
Only downside is it’s too long and some of the later tracks feel like restored off cuts.
Cornershop
3/5
Miriam Makeba
2/5
I really liked the first track. The rest, not so much.
Portishead
3/5
I like Portishesd generally. Machine Gun is the stand out.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Hated the first track, almost put it off, then powered through and loved track 3. Stayed on board for the rest which was a wacky ride (no idea when Spotify radio kicked in). Will listen to Autopsy (typical) again for sure.
Miles Davis
2/5
It’s more long form jazz, I don’t have the sophistication to be able to differentiate it from the others we’ve had.
The Fall
2/5
The cover of Lost in Music is abysmal, but it does start to pick up around the middle with Paranoid Man…, but your enjoyment will be based on whether you like the gimmick of solid guitar hooks underlaid, the singer’s witty poetry, which after a while - just feels utterly pretentious.
T. Rex
2/5
I was looking forward to this. But once you hear one T Rex song is pretty much all the same after.
Madonna
3/5
The 90s was the decade of grunge, britpop, acid house, girl power and a whole other bunch, but this sound is what I consider to the the defining style, where pop producers got a bit more involved, so ultimately this was pretty good.
Saint Etienne
3/5
Solid
Gary Numan
3/5
The Mars Volta
2/5
Found this quite dull. But it take take me about 20 years to get into the band they spawned from so maybe one to relisten to in the 2040s
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
Never really warmed to these guys. Wake Up is great though
2.5 rounded up
Frank Zappa
3/5
I’ve never heard Frank Zappa before but I think if I had to guess I’d have expected it to be exactly this
Taylor Swift
4/5
I know it has sort of swung all the way round from her not being cool, to being cool to now no longer cool again, but this is a genuinely great album.
I was prodded into listening to Folklore and was floored by how good it was, and while this one doesn’t quite match it, it’s still a great listen - both being musical highlights of the pandemic era of nothing to do but listen to new music.
What really stood out is the production, I found myself googling the instruments used in the songs as some I’d never heard/noticed before.
The title track with Bon Iver is the stand out for me.
Simply Red
2/5
He’s got a nice voice but this is boring
Peter Tosh
1/5
Jane Weaver
3/5
I liked this. Though I have absolutely no memory of it now
Talking Heads
3/5
Good music, weird vocals. Pretty much their tagline.
The Cars
3/5
Perfectly fine, reminds me of Kiss with less energy/pomposity
George Michael
3/5
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Cypress Hill
3/5
Formulaic, but good formulat
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
This is a bit naff
Isaac Hayes
3/5
It’s a pretty nice change of pace, but realistically I’m only ever gonna listen to the title theme and even then, probably the Bart and Lisa Simpson version.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Liked this, sounds similar to Editors.
And now I don’t get them confused with Eels and iggy pop and the stooges which I always did (no musically, just the names)
Snoop Dogg
3/5
He’s not amazing at anything but overall it’s good and he’s really important to the scene. He’s basically rap’s Claude Makelele.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Two classics (Hurt, Closer), everything else feels a bit incidental but it’s a cool sound and genre I don’t hear often
3.5 rounded up
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Sounds like the promising kid in high school released their final project and the teachers were devastated.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Ryan Adams
1/5
I don’t know what this guys appeal is
Bad Company
2/5
I like Bad Company, the song. Bad Company the album was fine, nothing special. Bad Company the band I think I always thought were Bad Religion
Jethro Tull
2/5
I finally understand the ‘hey aqualung’ reference in Anchorman
No other thoughts
R.E.M.
2/5
Never really gave these guys much of a listen before and this did nothing to convince me otherwise.
The famous songs are decent but the rest were filler
King Crimson
3/5
This was fine. I reckon you must need to be a very particular kind to give it 5/5 but I was expecting the worst and it was far from that.
Thelonious Monk
2/5
I think everytime jazz comes up I say the same thing.
Nice ambience, not got enough of a palette today I like it or not
Bee Gees
2/5
The high pitched gimmick is a bit corny but without it like this it’s a bit bland.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Interesting to hear him not song all ballads but I do t think his voice suits anything but.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
I like some good ambient stuff so this was a solid listen.
The Pharcyde
3/5
I like some good ambient stuff so this was a solid listen.
ABBA
2/5
I always had the impression that ABBA were ‘a good pop outfit’ but this was pretty dull.
I do fancy the Voyage hologram show that has an installation in Geeenwich still though, but I think that’s just because it’s the closest I’ll get to being like Tron.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
The back story is pretty interesting, with the torture and starvation. And him sitting just bashing the piano to find his melody is again, something interesting to listen to.
But, with a fan saying it takes 7 listens to really love it…I’m not ever doing that and I’ll go with my first impression, which is this is either too weird or too stupid.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This was daft, but I found myself enjoying it and it’s a rare one that’ll I’ll probably relisten to
Basement Jaxx
3/5
You can see why these guys were big for a while, super accessible dance/world music when that wasnt all that common, but when everyone got online everyone also moved on. Fine enough though, a 2.5 if ever there was one.
The Style Council
3/5
This was fine, lulls you in with a bit of jazz then goes a bit off piste. Decent listen and some tracks I had no idea were them.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Movies of Myself was really good, the rest were interesting if not memorable. Overall a decent listen though.
Elvis Presley
3/5
It’s hard to rate Elvis, it’s such a specific sound/style. 5 Elvis’ out of 5. Good for what it was
The Cult
3/5
Reading the wiki blurb, and knowing that they fell off hard I was a bit worried this was going to be crap and a complete cash grab (I love Love)…but it’s pretty good. The classic vocal style is still there though the distortion effects have been scaled right back, so it still sounds like The Cult (with a bit of AC/DC in there)
Portishead
3/5
I like portishead, it should just be good ambiance but you couldn’t put it on with company, too omninous. The kind of thing I imagine Toni from Peep Show puts on when she’s trying to woo.
Fred Neil
3/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Either I can remember of every Eno album is something different.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
2.5 really
Ms. Dynamite
1/5
Crap then, crap now
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
This was solid, though the lyrics are a bit embarrassing - A bit ‘did ye aye?’ but he probably did.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
This is really annoying, I’m not sure if it’s pretentious or just stupid…but saying all that - I do quite like it as a one off listen.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Biggest takeaway is how long it felt, really dragging. I didn’t hate it - it was a bit of everything but nothing special. Feels like an album that made an appearance in one list because one compiler was a fan but then was removed the next year.
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
This was rubbish. It’s gonna be harsh giving it 1 star but it’s not as interesting even as latest 2 stars
Gotan Project
3/5
I realise that the perfect time to listen to this is while sitting in a pompous cinema lobby, as I sit in a pompous cinemas lobby listening to this.
The Only Ones
2/5
2.5
Green Day
2/5
Never really got on with green day, Basket Case is their best work though
Solange
3/5
I initially thought this was on here by contrarian type voting it to say they prefer this lesser celebrated Knowles sister, but it was pretty interesting in itself. One I would relisten to sans all the interludes.
Like she knew Beyoncé was nailing the main stream so she could just make whatever she wanted without pressure.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
I’ve always found reggae quite samey and quite dull.
The Verve
3/5
This was ok. Less formulaic than the Verve I’m familiar with (I also forgot that we’d had the other one). Track 1 was the highlight.
Kings of Leon
3/5
The Temptations
2/5
I was hoping for the psychedelic funk to be more psychedelic and more funky
2/5
Living Colour
3/5
I’d never listened to Living Colour outside of the big opening track before. I liked it - a good mash up of styles, though all the additional tracks at the end I should have skipped as they brought it down a tad.
Kid Rock
1/5
Embarrassingly I have one of these songs on my main playlist already -
Fuck Off (feat Eminem)
-
Which even more embarrassingly I always thought would be a good fit for a wrestling theme
—————
If you’d told me this was a concept album where a rich kid bully got his emotionally distant father to fund him a shitty rap rock album recording and during the release party a sewage truck sprayed the popular kliq. I’d easily believe you. Rubbish.
The Thrills
3/5
On my personal enjoyment scale it’s a solid 3/5
On the jangle scale it’s a whopping 5/5
Alice In Chains
3/5
I never really enjoyed grunge, so always wrote these guys off as number three on the grunge totem pole but it’s definitely my favourite of what I’ve heard in that genre so far.
Eagles
2/5
The more rocky songs were decent, but the slower ballady are very boring and by the end that’s all that’s left.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Didn’t have time to listen to all of this, but it’s pretty good. I am stuck in a 3/5 death spiral though.
Buck Owens
3/5
That was a lot of fun…another 3/5
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
As Ben said, better to listen to actual Prince instead. I Got bored halfway through and put it off
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
Leaving aside the sleaze, it’s a nice chill out listen…But you absolutely cannot leave aside the sleaze and that’s not something to chill to.
David Bowie
2/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Lambchop
3/5
This grew on me
Destiny's Child
2/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
My only takeaway is that this is an album full of the screaming music heard during the Hot Fuzz transition scenes.
Aphex Twin
3/5
Exactly what it aspires to be. But with Aphex Twin I want it to be weird.
Radiohead
3/5
Probably a bit generous
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Scott Walker
2/5
This guy obviously had a heavy influence on The Divine Comedy (the band, not the poem), and to be honest I’d rather listen to them
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
Blah
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Fine but I don’t think I’ll ever be a ‘fan’
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Pretty fun
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Enjoyed this, probably a 3.5 but rounded up as it’s been a while where I’ve been stuck in 2-3s
Spiritualized
2/5
This was mostly dull
Scritti Politti
2/5
Sounds like they were feeding off Janet Jackson scraps. (No idea who came first - I’ve done no research)
Finley Quaye
3/5
Always put off by his voice but when it’s part of an album is just nice coffee table ambiance
The Stooges
3/5
In/out 30 minute porto punk that the roller skate kids in The Warriors probably based their personality on.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
If you liked Girl from Ipanema then this album is for you.
It sounds nice but the talk singing isn’t very special.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Really grew on me, looked into him further and he’s the guy behind Thin White Duke and Jacques Le Cont remixes that I love.
Tina Turner
2/5
No Goldeneye? No The Best? No party.
George Jones
2/5
Once I’d heard Johnny cash, Charlie feathers and Kris kristofferson, all other country pales in comparison
The The
4/5
What the, The The? This was great. I don’t remember much of the other The The album we had but it wasn’t a patch on this. Real surprise.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Sounds like an album he made in his home basement for the girl he liked. She didn’t respond well.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Sounds very false, like he was making music for soundtracks of films thst don’t exist to try hook that cash avenue.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Bob Dylan
2/5
Sounds like his voice is shot to shit and he’s doing his best Tom Waits. Not a fan.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Listened to them for the first time last year after Cherry Coloured Funk appeared in a music league. It became my most listened to song and these guys became my most listened to artist. Love this album, easy 5/5.
Pavement
3/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
Sounds like every song released in
01-06 which is impressive given it was released in ‘97. Solid.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Pretty much the whole album is naff but fun, added benefit that it doesn’t sound like anything else except this era of the band.
R.E.M.
2/5
Soul II Soul
3/5
I liked this…perfect early 90s upwardly mobile movie montage music with some wild jazz fluting.
Turbonegro
3/5
Can confirm, this would be fun to listen to in a boat. Or even not in a boat.
Julian Cope
4/5
This guy is like if Leonard cohen, the stooges and beta band accidentally all fell into the transporter from the fly.
4 is probably overrating but I was very much thrown by how much travelling of styles was here and it did interest me.
The Specials
2/5
This one is pretty much less good than the one that was better than madness
R.E.M.
3/5
I’d this the third or fourth REM we’ve had? Definitely my favourite
The Cardigans
2/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
This was generally good, but only a couple songs (Faster and Die in the Summertime) really stood out for a relisten.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Always thought these guys were a bit fake, with the dungarees and aesthetic seeming very prepared, but giving the full album a listen it’s solid.
Raekwon
4/5
I did a deep dive into WTK and their solo/side projects last year or the year before. This is held up as the absolute best of it all but only one track criminology really stood out, so I’m looking forward to giving this another go and already I’m enjoying it more
Rounded up to 4
Pere Ubu
4/5
I liked it, couldn’t say why but yeah I’d listen to this again
Kanye West
1/5
I can separate the man from the art. Or I think I can.
I usually find his stuff ‘ok’ but this was tiresome
Gene Clark
4/5
Tracks 2/3 were great, the rest was solid. I’ll probably listen again.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Might be the worst album name (sounds like something Graeme high hip hop icon WAK47 would drop) but the music itself was perfectly listenable scratchy beats
Johnny Cash
5/5
Another easy 5.
Even covers/performances of him are top tier.
In the recent Dylan biopic Cash and the Tennessee 3 have a shirt musical cameo (not even a full song) and it blows all the other music performances out the water.
I enjoy when he plays a song about how shit life in that prison is, gets thunderous applause, has a laugh at the guards expense, then plays the same song again.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
A few have nice instrumental openings - Bluebird Wine, Before Believing,
And For No One is a nice song for the most part.
Otherwise not really my thing
Television
3/5
Very modern sounding, had to double check it was from 2007
Ministry
3/5
‘Just One Fox’ clearly launched a thousand Industrial band ships. Every genre song since has basically tried to sound like this.
The Saints
3/5
Metallica
2/5
A naff gimmick by a band, who after their four album deal with the devil expired just could not escape naff-ness
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Yesterday : Not sure how i feel about this yet, so not sure where my rating will land tomorrow.
Nick Cave is someone I always thought I’d like (I like his books and films) but the music up until recently I couldn’t get into.
This strange gothic western theme was definitely interesting but was it good? I’m not sure so fresh from listening to it.
Today: playing it safe and giving it 3/5
Muddy Waters
2/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
Elvis Costello
2/5
The better of the Elvis Costello ones we’ve had.
‘Still too soon to know’ being the highlight.
2.5 rounded down
Meat Puppets
2/5
808 State
3/5
Mudhoney
3/5
Randy Newman
2/5
Nick Drake
2/5
I feel like whoever we get this guy, Buckley Snr or Brian Zeno it’s never what I remember the last one being like
either the albums by the same artists are very different each time. Or that I just simply delete them after it stops.
Was Nick drake always country?
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Too soft and clean for me.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
An album 3.5 ratings were made for, rounded down.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
I like it. He got lobbed in with nu metal and rap rock types but there was always more going on musically.
He is a villain though, so hopefully the £0.0001 per song spotify gives out goes to the band mates and not his legal defence.
R.E.M.
3/5
Is that 4 or 5 REMs we’ve had?
Liked that this one was slightly heavier but I think I’m done and will just skip anymore we get.
Eurythmics
3/5
Dagmar Krause
1/5
This sounds like a musical OST gone rogue, escaping its physical performance and escaped into another universe. With all that said, I didn’t like it.
Patti Smith
4/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
First couple of songs - I hope the brass section lets up soon.
They didn’t.
Def Leppard
2/5
Just perfectly servicable dad rock - not essential by any means, pretty sure this their second entry here? That feels excessive
Neil Young
2/5
Sounds like someone modern that I can’t place. Not interesting enough for me to go back and try to find out
Stereo MC's
2/5
Early 90s dance all sounds like they got the same Casio kit and ‘for dummy’s’ book for Xmas. It’s interesting the first time at least.
De La Soul
4/5
This however, was very cool
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Elvis Presley
4/5
I love that ‘50s Memphis sound. I’m pretty sure every producer and manager was a villain (if biopics are to be believed ) but I do want to do a deep dive some day.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
I liked this, big long loopy funk
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Slipknot
2/5
I’ve flip flopped on slipknot since they first appeared. This is a bit formulaic but it’ll be interesting to hear other people’s opinions who are less familiar with them
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I’ve always liked Divine Comedy, the guy steadfastly sticks to his own thing.
Always enjoyed when they would pop up on the indie Shine albums
Pixies
4/5
I wish I’d gotten into pixies earlier. Great stuff.
3/5
Pretty cool stuff, like the Sepultura album with all the metal stripped out.
John Lennon
2/5
I found it a bit dull, was expecting some yoko Ono madness but she was well behaved.
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
Sounds exactly as what the term ‘world music’ envisages.
Moby Grape
2/5
Sounds exactly like you’d expect from the description. Not very exciting and not one I’ll revisit.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
If this was a film, I’d probably like it. However my tolerance for pretentious wank doesn’t extend to music.
Neil Young
2/5
‘Critics were not immediately impressed; the 1970 review in Rolling Stone magazine by Langdon Winner was negative, with Winner feeling that, "none of the songs here rise above the uniformly dull surface." ‘
Agreed
4/5
This was a fun listen. I’d never heard them before but reckon I’ve heard hundreds of bands that were influenced by them.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Not my favourite of theirs, but solid goth work.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I might have been made biased because I quite liked the recent movie, but this was a great example of folk which I don’t normally give much shrift, I can see why he crossed over and quite quickly grew his fandom. Probably will revisit.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
I’m only one track in, but I’m getting the back to the future vibe of him playing this at an ‘under the sea’ school dance to no reaction but Timmy Reznar holding the phone up for his cousin
The later cowbell section stops that comparison dead
Fela Kuti
3/5
The Monkees
2/5
Aerosmith
2/5
Pulp
3/5
Always wrote them off as B tier Brit pop but there was more going on here. More artsy that I expected. I would listen again.
Ice T
3/5
Not a word I use often, but this was a lot more ‘groovy’ than I was expecting. Not bad.
Syd Barrett
1/5
Hate to say it, but everything Pink Floyd touches turns to bland.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Haircut 100
3/5
A bit of several other 80s sound in here, dexys, Depeche, Duran, etc, pretty good primer.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Orange Juice
2/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Pretty cool. I should listen again and focus on the lyrics a bit more.
Q-Tip
3/5
This was pretty good a times, but the times where it was trying to be more poppy/accessible were real weak spots. Norah Jones, looking at you.
Digital Underground
1/5
Naff
Milton Nascimento
2/5
I expected a bit more liveliness from this.
The Who
2/5
I like the gimmick of the concept album, but ultimately is just sounds like generic forgettable who off cuts.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
New York Dolls
4/5
Really enjoying this, just left the radio playing after it finished. Something about that low quality 70s New York sound I really get on with.
U2
2/5
The songs I recognised didn’t sound the same as the big music video or radio productions, I wondered if there was a rights issue ir re-recording so I ended up on the u2 Reddit page, when it was proclaimed as the greatest thing ever and to doubt that was insanity. Colour me insane, because this was a bit bland.
Paul McCartney
3/5
This seemed exactly what it was, a guy just jamming in his house having fun. Really picked up towards the end.
The White Stripes
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
Found this quite dull, my only recollection being thinking thst if they stuck on Editors’ weird effects peddle it’d be infinitely better. But as I’m not musical myself I have no idea if that peddle exists or if they even sound like a stripped back Editors
Stephen Stills
3/5
Simple Minds
4/5
I enjoyed this, was like a slightly more timid Depeche mode. Promised You a Miracle the stand out but after the 3rd or 4th version I was done with it.
TLC
2/5
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Everything before that closing track just feels like filler. Never mind that shit, here’s comes 2 minute drums solos!
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Was sure I was gonna enjoy this but I must have been in the mood for it, decent, wouldn’t mind listening again
N.E.R.D
3/5
Hole
3/5
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Method Man
3/5
I listened to their solo stuff all at once and some of their bigger projects didn’t stand out at all, but I’ve enjoyed going back and letting them breathe a bit more.
Ozomatli
2/5
Even the Wild West of YouTube doesn’t have much. Of the four I could find, one was ok, two were average and one was bad, so not something I’ll try seem out later.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
Ghostface is regarded by those in the know as the strongest rapper/mc in the group but I think in that case, because he’s so imitated his stuff doesn’t stand out at all. The highkights were when others like GZA and ODB showed up
Blur
3/5
CHVRCHES
3/5
I dont think I’ve ever realised that this is who Chvrches are, pretty good stuff.
Marty Robbins
3/5
The Strokes
4/5
Garbage
3/5
Steely Dan
2/5
Not a band I’ve ever understood the hype for. Two albums we’ve had now and only one song has stood out as ‘good’. Although Parker’s Band stood out for sounding like it was from the Peanuts Christmas special.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot, first half especially.
Stephen Stills
2/5
First song giving Fraggle Rock
Pretty bland inoffensive stuff for the most part but the guitar solo in Go Back Home was worth a listen
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Instrumentally this was really good, some tracks having a real dark ambience. But thst vocalist is horrendous. I’d have probably gone 5 otherwise.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
The Byrds
2/5
A phrase I’ve had rattling about my brain for a while and finally a chance to use it - Generic biddle.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I’ve never really got Springsteen, but his big tracks are usually good - Lonesome Road in this case.
Love
2/5
around 700 albums in, there are no new mountains to climb.
Love was fine but nothing special
Stereolab
2/5
ThI first couple of tracks were ok, but it’s a bit bland/samey later. Could have done with some pruning.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Steely Dan
3/5
This steely Dan album really makes their last milquetoast one feel even more out of place on this list, with this one having something about it - lounge rock with a bit more going on behind the scenes, Bodhistavva and Your Gold Teeth being genuinely good songs.
Beck
3/5
Missing is the stand out
Songhoy Blues
4/5
This was cool. Fresh sounding, I’d be interested to hear more.
Chicago
4/5
I definately confused Chicago with Boston, I was expecting some American da rock but this is pretty cool. Beginnings being the highlight, Poem 58 too
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Bit of a selection box here. Guy seems like he was having fun (between all the divorces and being a mad drunk).
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Inspiration for Robert Smith and Nick Cave
Glad it left an impression on them but it barely registered with me
Ash
2/5
Powerful memories of MTV2. I didn’t realise Ash were around as early as that.
Bit bland.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
Succeeding at being rubbish on purpose.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Another I think they suffers from not being heard at the time with context. Big tracks are great
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Not a fan of how it lurches from one genre to the next, with the banjo picker(s) the most naff . On its own though, Expecting to Fly is a fine song.
U2
2/5
Same as the last U2 album we had, the singles are good anthems but are smothered by the less good filler tracks. Probably why they were such a stadium band ignoring the obscure stuff.
Jamiroquai
1/5
Jamiroquai being on here makes me worried that some other wishy washy nothingness like Toploader is going to show up.
Suburban dinner party mom music
Muddy Waters
3/5
This offered absolutely no surprises, it was fun though.
AC/DC
3/5
Lou Reed
3/5
Three good to great songs I knew already which is great for any album but the rest left no impression.
The Blue Nile
5/5
The longer this went on the more I liked it. Heatwave is one my favourite songs from listening to all these albums.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
This was dull. I can see why Saboo the Shaman vetoed it.
Deep Purple
3/5
Rock or fast paced live albums are a bit of a cheat code, they always come across well to me regardless of actual content
Prince
4/5
The Offspring
1/5
Never liked them, but I gave it a go.
Garbage.
It’s his voice but also everything else.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Beatles
3/5
Nice listen, but I’ve definitely been spoiled by White Album being one of their first I listened to
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Beatles
3/5
I like this, except Yellow Submarine which gave me horrendous flash backs to working in game when people would only ever play thst on Beatles Rockband.
3.5 not sure if I’ll round up or down (as if that really matters)
Slint
3/5
Solid sad 90s rock
Justin Timberlake
2/5
He’s a strange one in general. At one point he was the biggest star in music, then he was one of the biggest film draws but he’s left so little footprint.
Album was ok but not one to revisit.
Dirty Projectors
4/5
Every song starts out sounding a bit basic, then I feel a bit like Super Hans listening to Barney’s demo ‘oh, he’s done something there’
Really enjoyed it. I added Temecula Sunrise to my rotation playlist.
Lou Reed
2/5
The Black Crowes
2/5
I was thinking it was a washed out Aerosmith in places. Mostly forgettable.
Tom Waits
2/5
Janis Joplin
3/5
Nice surprise, I did not expect Janis Joplin to sound like thst.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I’ve enjoyed shoegaze a lot when it’s been here or in music league but this was just ok
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I don’t see what this one does that’s any different from the others we’ve had.
Fugazi
3/5
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
Dull
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot, channeled my Doctor Gonzo. The big two are the stand outs but the rest was an interesting listen, not a sound thst really exists now.
Talk Talk
3/5
I imagine if Depeche Mode didbt exist, I’d have loved this, but this is a decent enough alternative if DM ever fall out with Spotify
Richard Thompson
2/5
Nice enough jangle heavy folk. Not very memorable though.
I had no idea they had duelling vocalists, though thst might have been more of a thing for this album. Interesting that Rod’s vocals are the worst of the two, sounding shot to bits even 50 years ago. Overall, i thought this was decent but I’ll never listen again.
Sparks
2/5
Traffic
2/5
Very little memory of this but it wasn’t ‘bad’
Mercury Rev
4/5
I liked this. Every song teasing being vaguely familiar before going a bit off kilter. Will listen to more.
Steely Dan
2/5
Weird band, never know what I’m gonna get but it’s neve mr great with the exception of a few songs
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
The Zutons
2/5
Another album who’s sole legacy seems to be soundtracking channel 4 mid 2000s cooking documentaries
Madonna
1/5
Title track does a lot of heavy lifting here, the rest was quite empty sounding
Black Sabbath
3/5
First time I’ve heard Ozzys vocal before they were shredded by time, coke and bats. Pretty interesting listening to proto-doom.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
2/5
I liked original recipe muse. Secret sauce aural explosion muse never interested me and still don’t.
Supergrass
3/5
Always wrote these boys off as simple basic indie but there was a pretty good guitar sound in here. Too long though.
The United States Of America
3/5
Lots of skill checks daft tracks (including track 1) to see if you still want to go ahead and listen, but aside from these it’s an interesting trippy 60s listen.
Pretty sure I heard a sample of the Billy Boys though which I’d never have expected in a million expectations
The Adverts
3/5
Was dreading this during the first riff but it was a false crap dawn and ended up being a good listen. Bits of KISS and that New York sound in there.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
This is getting silly, I’m starting to think one of the contributors is Elvis Costello’s mum.
If this has just been an instrumental by The Attractions I might have liked it, but his goofy voice ruins it
XTC
3/5
Like a not quite alternate 80s tasting menu. some of it good, nothing really bad but nothing I’ve added to relisten lists so pretty much the definition of a 3/5
a-ha
3/5
Nice poppy 80s synth but I feel like there are much better examples out there
2.5 rounded up
The Roots
3/5
Beck
3/5
Some good sadboi stuff but needed the occasional increase in tempo now and then.
Beatles
3/5
Similar to the movie of the same name, a fun way to spend time but doesn’t feel essential.
The B-52's
3/5
I like their wacky style. Never would have guessed that Rock Lobster was 46 years old though.
The Kinks
3/5
I had these guys are heavier and punkier in my head.
I liked Rainy Day in June, rest was fine but agree that Dandy was complete crap.
Nirvana
4/5
All artists should do this, acoustic versions of songs and interesting covers, shows a different side. This is probably the most I’ve enjoyed Nirvana.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
If I never see the full movie I at least want to see the Junkie Chase scene as that song was ace. Rest was good too.
Run-D.M.C.
1/5
Everything about this was so basic : the cadence, the scratching, the samples*, everything really.
*some of them sound like sound effects in a PS2 pause menu
(That said, Walk this Way is head and shoulders above the rest)
I’m sure it was great at the time but there is a reason we dont still fly in biplanes.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
The Triffids
1/5
What is this doing here?
Magic fm off cuts.
Not for me.
Doves
2/5
Three songs I recognised but genuinely thought they were by Elbow
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
4/5
Stupid name aside, this is a cool listen. At times it like an improv variety show where the band are asking for genres and styles and produce something a bit weird and a lot interesting.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Slayer
4/5
An all time great metal album
Metallica
3/5
The Slits
4/5
Less spiky than I was expecting but I liked it a lot.
Scott Walker
3/5
Nick cave clearly loved this boy
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
Just sounds like any other lounge jazz I’ve heard
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
‘You don’t love me, you love the idea of me!’
That’s Nick Cave talking to me
I really like the idea of misery-core Australian art rock ambiance
But usually when I actually listen to it it’s very much ‘shrugs - it’s fine’
I’ll keep trying though Nick!
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
This album entirely fits in the ‘music I imagine people from Tremors’ category. Pretty perfect representation of this kind of country - I’d probably listen again too
David Bowie
3/5
Some really good stuff on here. This era of his music I know next to nothing off. Probably a 3.5
Can
3/5
Not what I was expecting, good background stuff.
k.d. lang
4/5
I completely forgot we had her before. This felt like an impressive introduction. What a voice
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Pretty good but feels like it’s here just to be a historical tidbit
LL Cool J
2/5
The song Mama Said Knock You Out holds up, but the rest is like the Run-DMC stuff we had recently. It’s too basic. Some of the lyrics are pretty crap too.
Django Django
3/5
Interesting listen, I enjoyed it. Reminds me a bit of Beta Band if they had recently licked a toad.
D'Angelo
2/5
Pere Ubu
3/5
White Denim
2/5
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
It’s nice enough but too ambient to make an impression for me
Scissor Sisters
1/5
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
It’s fine for background muzack but I don’t understand why it would be singled out as anything special
Minutemen
4/5
Is punk : an all time great bass performance, guitarist experimenting and inspiring a generation of math rock and hardcore artists, solid drumming, Jackass
Not punk: learning to sing
Without the vocals it’s probably an easy 5/5 but he does bring down a lot of songs (not all).
(Wish I could back and change ratings, The Blue Nile album has really stuck with me and I should have given it 5 and now I’m essentially Gatekeeping myself)
Kings of Leon
4/5
I have normally given them short shrift but I really enjoyed it. Must be the beard alliance
Tears For Fears
3/5
Blur
3/5
John Prine
2/5
Going by my usual country scale - I don’t think the characters in Tremors would listen to this. I feel the inhabitants of Perfection need a bit more kick.
Culture Club
2/5
I enjoyed the Alan Partridge Easter egg near the end.
I feel like I’ve hitched my wagon to more interesting (to me) 80s stuff so this suffers big time in comparison, but there are hints in here that it wasnt completely by the numbers.
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
First track was incredibly boring and had me considering abandoning, but stuck it out to Blue Moon which was excellent and sort of helped me ‘get’ the rest of the album.
2.5 rounded down
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Found this a bit dull. Stones albums usually have one stand out track but nothing i remember
Tracy Chapman
3/5
I was familiar with 3/4 or her singles. Always appreciated her voice and the stripped back music itself without ever really having any affinity to it. While it was nice to hear the rest of the album and k absolutely can see why it’s here (I don’t think there has ever been a successful imitation) I still don’t see myself choosing to listen to it.
I’ll probably give it a three, but it’s a 3.5
Tom Waits
2/5
Everytime I give these a go thinking this might be the one where I get his voice and everytime I still don’t.
Klaxons
3/5
Always in the shadow of that one Crystal Castles remix but a solid representation of a solid indie era
Wild Beasts
2/5
Aretha Franklin
3/5
The Go-Go's
3/5
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Julian Cope was previously in this with a solo album that sounded like a big mix of other artists.
This is palatable, but again just sounds of nothing original.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I really enjoyed The Gift, utterly pompous but fun with it. I Heard Her Call My Name too.
I wasn’t sure I was gonna like this as his solo and other VU hasnt left much of an impression but this was a pleasant surprise
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
Feels too produced and homogenised for me (but thst could be the remastering). Prefer the genre called swamp rock to be much dirtier sounding.
Sepultura
3/5
A strange pick. The previous Sepultura we had is something unique and worth a listen by non fans. This one is perfectly adequate example of death metal but there is much more interesting ones out there.
Mekons
4/5
I enjoy when stuff like this comes up. A sort of post-folk sound I wouldn’t have thought existed.
Most of it was pretty fresh and while there was a few bits that sounded like Dexy’s off cuts that dragged it down - I’ll go 3.5 and round up.
Germs
3/5
A whopping 10/10 on the Tony Hawks Pro Skater OST scale.
Probably about 2.5/5 on my scale. Each band member has one setting and they stick rigidly to it so it all just sounds the same. Fun though as a one off listen. Rounded up
The Stooges
4/5
Really liked how dark and weird this was. Many proto-goths must have been born listening to this.
Iggy Pop/Stooges have been an artist I’ve really found myself liking thanks to this list
3/5
I was at a wrestling show years ago where the bad guy wrestlers were giving everyone the middle finger as was the style. And my non-wrestling fan friend was there too and pointed out how silly it was for grown men to do that, and I’ve never been able to look at them doing it the same.
I feel like A Complete Unknown acted as my friend here, pointing out it’s quite a silly voice and persona and as such I found this album hard to take seriously.
Anita Baker
2/5
Pentangle
2/5
I don’t hate this but I cannot be arsed with any more than 4 songs
1.5 rounded up
2/5
Queen
3/5
Interesting in that it doesn’t really sound like Queen, but not really interesting enough to listen to again. I’ll go 2.5 rounded up.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Right, my aural palate is obviously crap because this sounds exactly like the last sitar one we had.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Sade
4/5
The musical equivalent to a safe pair of hands, it’s never a bad thing to have Sade on in the background
3.5 rounded up
Burning Spear
2/5
Had a few good hooks but otherwise forgettable.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Interesting novelty, amazed that Tarantino hasn’t been all over it for his films.
Brian Eno
3/5
ZZ Top
3/5
I thought this was alright, fairly standard dad rock but Sharp Dressed Man is a stand out.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
This isn’t an amazing example but I do quite like that 90s jean advert sound where guitar bands sound like they are in space. But I reckon Babylon Zoo and Babybird are probably not going to appear on this list so this’ll do as a solid 2.5 rounded up to 3.
The Libertines
2/5
I’ve mostly avoided this band because I find Pete Doherty to be a complete tool. Having listened to this, I have no regrets.
Can’t Stand Me Now is a brilliant song though and rest of the album suffers horrible by trying to follow it.
2 but only because of the opener.
Faust
3/5
The Jam
3/5
Pretty good stuff though A Boy About Town feels wildly out of place. Opening baseline of opening track was the highlight
Calexico
3/5
Heaven 17
2/5
David Gray
4/5
I think for what it is, it’s great and holds up.
SZA
2/5
Good production but I’m not a fan of her vocal style.
Prom is pretty good though.
2.5 rounded down
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
Binned it half way.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Weird. Not what I was expecting.
Alife sounds like Bjork falling through a trombone factory.
Can’t say I enjoyed it or would listen again but being weirdly experimental and odd, it feels more at place on this list than some of the more forgettable inoffensive stuff we’ve had.
2.5 rounded down
Pulp
3/5
Solid
Le Tigre
3/5
Not what I had on my head as Le Tigre.
Liked the punky sound.
Dreading to find out they’ve done an advert for Matalan.
3.5 rounded down
Eminem
4/5
Liked it at the time and like it now.
Drugs Ballad I still listen to regularly, really illustrates the Dre production with the speed change.
Roni Size
4/5
Presumably here as ‘the best drum and best album ever’(tm) and you know I could believe that, first couple of tracks were a bit generic but it really picks up and as a whole it’s great.
Prefab Sprout
5/5
A all timer for me
Track 1-5 is as good a streak as any album.
To my ear - interesting that they took modern recording techniques and mixing to folk, country and other traditional instruments and made a wholly unique sound that others occasionally dabbled in but I’ve never heard anyone else ever make their identity.
If you only listen to a few tracks, When Loves Breaks Down, Goodbye Lucille #1 (some amazing vocals in this one) and When the Angels are what I’d recommend.
I think they were probably influential to a lot of bands people hated like Roxette and Savage Garden so got guilty by association
My mum used to play it in the rare times she got control of the (actual) ghetto blaster around Christmas so nostalgia may be doing heavy lifting here.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
2.5 rounded down
Beastie Boys
3/5
I think if it was just sabotage 11 times it’s be 5 stars.
I liked how weird they got compared to their original sound but can’t say I can remember any other songs.
The National
2/5
They sound like more interesting bands but with the more interesting stuff stripped out.
Not a bad listen but doesn’t feel like it belongs on a ‘you must hear this’ list.
Beyoncé
1/5
I do feel a bit on an island with this one.
With Beyoncé, Crazy in Love came out and we all though this is what pop music is gonna be and then she went straight back to warbling or quite basic stuff and never reached those heights again. This did nothing to persuade me otherwise.
The Hives
3/5
Not a lot to say much about, pretty short but pretty fun.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Radiohead
5/5
Always meant to do a deep dive on Radiohead but never did, glad they are showing up on this.
I’m not sure what prejudices i had against this one from when it was released but I really thought I’d hate this.
Instead it’s a real highlight of the year. A bit sigur Ros a bit silent hill (I’m sure Kid A influenced them both).
4.5 rounded up
Crowded House
2/5
Tori Amos
3/5
Elton John
2/5
Love Levon, the rest not so much
Slipknot
4/5
Never listened to this when it came out, though did get into Iowa after it.
I think it’s pretty good. Remove his more melodic vocals and it’s not really nu metal with some good instrumentals and I like the dj stuff - though three drummers and two DJs does smack of ‘let your brother join in’. And it does contribute to quite an unique sound, no many heavier metal or nu metal bands sound like this and while the gimmick of masks was copied the sound less so (though I’ve not listened to this kind of music for about 20 years so maybe it’s rife with their children now)
3.5 but I’ll round up to 4.
3/5
This is solid stuff. I remember This Is Love from when it came out and probably hadnt listened to it since. Nice to hear it again. The Mess We’re In with Thom Yorke was another one that stood out.
Probably a 3.49 so I’ll round down to 3
Radiohead
4/5
Very different from Kid A
I don’t think I knew that High and Dry was by Radiohead
Just the standout track
Some filler but a good rocky/indie album
Erykah Badu
4/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Boards of Canada
3/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Musically it’s a bit generic biddle but I like his voice and it’s very Karl Dilkington ‘song with a story’ lyric
Roxy Music
2/5
Cover art approved by Vince Noir/content approved by Howard Moon
Pink Floyd
3/5
Metallica
2/5
I’m not a huge Metallica fan, but I do stand with the party line that when they stopped being a thrash band and moved towards arena rock their quality went down. A lot of signs of that here but One is a great song in isolation. Probably a harsh 2.
3/5
I’m never going to actively listen to yes, but this wasn’t a chore. The early track was some interesting prog. The standard Prog complaint though - way too long.
Suicide
2/5
Fine but I looked away and back again and I’d gone through the whole album without realising the tracks had changed.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
Push, Kick was a throw back to working in GAME 20 years ago, still holds up.
The rest probably better suits a summers day than a cold autumn morning.
Does get a bit samey towards the end with sprinkles of interesting production now and then.
Maybe 20 minutes too long with filler.
2.5 but rounded up to 3
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Everybody Knows has been burned in my brain for decades. I like it. Much preferred the other Divine Comedy one we had
The Who
3/5
Leftfield
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Mostly bland until the last couple of tracks where they started leaning in the effects pedals and self indulgence more. I might listen to their later albums as they sound like they are going more into The Cult.
2.5 but rounded down to 2.
David Bowie
3/5
Heroes along is a five. Probably a 3.5 all together.
Beatles
3/5
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Looking at the cover I was definately expecting some 90s juggalo style rap.
Instead we got the spirit of jazz!
The Who
3/5
I think if you’ve heard The Who and don’t already love or hate them, this isn’t going to change your mind.
I like the concept of a concept album but I couldn’t really be arsed following the story.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Fleet Foxes
1/5
I bought this thinking it was something else and hated it. So it’s going to get a bitter bias rating.
Very dull
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
See all previous comments on Nick Cave
Deerhunter
3/5
Nice but fairly forgettable stuff
2.5 rounded up
2Pac
3/5
Good stuff, probably a harsh 3.5 rounded down
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Laibach
2/5
This is the kind of thing I was expecting a lot more of. Bands I’ve never heard of from countries I didn’t consider doing weird hybrids of the music of the time and the future, like the missing link between INXS and Rammstein.
Definitely interesting but definitely not for me.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
If anything it showcases just how good Dr Dre’s production is. Lamar’s obviously a good MC but it’s elevated by Dre.
Also a solid 3 (rounding down from 3.5)
Goldie
2/5
This all feels like free to use for ambiance or background in films. A bit bland.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Hawkwind
2/5
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
The Prodigy
5/5
Could have sworn we’ve had this before but one I don’t mind listening to regularly.
I remember as a kid listening to firestarter on totp and thinking ‘if this is music I want no part of it’ and then hearing again and suddenly being all in. I must have got angrier.
Probably a 4.5 that I’ll round up
Röyksopp
2/5
I’ve heard some good remixes of Royksopp. I think they have a good solid base for that kind of thing but on their own it’s a bit dull.
New Order
3/5
This was an interesting curiosity for New Order fans but all a bit daft. Probably 2.5 rounded up to 3
The Doors
3/5
I hadn’t listened to this before as an album but recognised most of it.
I think I finally got The Doors listening to this. As it’s a pretty cool sound all together.
A 3.5 rounded down to 3 On the below basis:
There was one song I was half listening to and it seemed to be about beckoning little girls to come be seduced, which was grim.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Bauhaus
3/5
I really enjoyed the front half not so much the second. A decent listen overall.
The Cure
4/5
Instrumentally this is top notch, I really like the foreboding intro on track one and the distorted effects on most guitar sections.
I’m not 100% sold on his voice yet but it makes them something different.
Probably a 4 for now but might go back and give it a five now I’ve worked out I can do that.
Bill Callahan
4/5
Another listener in our group disliked this…so hear are some surprisingly pleased snippets as I listened and enjoyed it:
‘You gave me the fear but I quite like his voice’
‘ He sounds like a gentleman’
‘ Track 8 goes a bit mad, he must have been playing silent hill that week.’
JAY Z
2/5
I’ve never really enjoyed Jay Z much, but at least he’s a good producer…except it’s mostly produced by Kanye here.
I’m no hip hop expert but I find his flat style really boring and the lyrics are a bit Alan ‘needless to say I had the last laugh’ Partridge.
Skepta
2/5
Morrissey
4/5
I like morrisey, I liked this little venture into 90s hodge podge of sounds.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
My dad and his mates used to gather together on weekends, bring their families round and they’d just jam into the evenings…it felt like this was a turbo charged version of that kind of thing. I did like it though - a 3.25 to be way too granular.
Madonna
2/5
Odd, the dancy stuff is a bit basic but ok, the country stuff is awful and smashing them together is a weird choice.
What It Feels Like For a Girl is a great track.
The Beta Band
3/5
Two Beta Band albums feels excessive for this list. The last one was their seminal one, this is ok but doesn’t add anything new?
Maybe it’s just for the cover
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Felt like the whole album was them simultaneously trying not to sound like while also just enough sounding like Come on Aileen to not totally alienate the fanbase. Didn’t enjoy this one.
The Fall
2/5
I think we’ve had so much post punk that’s it’s no longer making much of an impression to me.
As we approach 900 I’m starting to feel the list padding, two Beta Band, three The Fall, that weird 90s morrisey one, the myriad of Elvis Costello really don’t need to be here.
Slade
2/5
A bit guff
Holger Czukay
2/5
Pearl Jam
2/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Venom
4/5
It’s very protozoan, it’s not quite thrash, not quite black metal, a bit iron maiden, a bit punky. Loved it back in the 2000s but more quietly appreciate it now.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I liked this a lot but it did like all these albums start to dwindle towards the end. Family Tree was great, surprised it’s not more popular in the YouTube montage world.
3.5 rounded down
Bobby Womack
3/5
The Residents
3/5
Not a great start to this album
Weird in general. First track was terrible but rest did grow on me.
Not a band or genre I can see myself getting into but definitely an interesting listen
The radio that came after was that kind of stuff but more refined, which I did enjoy more.
Yes
3/5
I feel every Yes album fills me with the same dread and every one has been surprisingly decent.
There was very little prog twaddle which helped.
System Of A Down
2/5
The Temptations
2/5
Suede
4/5
I love Bret Anderson’s voice.
I know a Suede mega fan who says this is their best (and maybe the best) but I think it lacks the stand out anthem of the previous album.
Easily rate this as a 4
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
This is the musical definition of a safe pair of hands. Absolute solid 40 mins or so.
Frank Ocean
3/5
I remember really enjoying Pyramids, but I think it was a slowed down remix.
Nice enough otherwise but not very exciting, a solid 2.5 (rounded up)
Tim Buckley
4/5
He has finally broken me down after what feels like the 900th of his albums put forward here.
Really enjoyed the long waffling strangeness of it all.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
I didn’t realise this guy had been around that long.
Track 3 - I can definitely hear S Club 7 Reach in there
At other times, there’s a bit of Polyphonic Spree in there too.
Enjoyed it more than I’d thought. 3.5 rounded down.
Blondie
4/5
Top pop. I didn’t realise that they crammed all their big anthems onto one album though. They’ve follow ups must have been deflating.
The xx
2/5
This was disappointingly boring
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Feels like it suffers from being so influential to other bands, that took the distortion and shouty vocal style. What stood out in the Brit pop era doesn’t now. Solid though.
The Damned
4/5
Motörhead
3/5
Hilariously one note, but I’m glad they can laugh at it themselves when he introduces a track as their slow one and the proceeds to play another identical breakneck speed number.
Fun listen and I imagine a fun gig there and then.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Partridge aside, this was a bit rubbish. The 21 minute opener is a real gate keeper
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Preferred it when it was going full weird world music rather than the 90s rnb it started with
The Dictators
2/5
Started ok, ended ok. Middle was quite the cliff falling trough.
I am also slightly worried that this is what KISS sound like to people who don’t like KISS
The Cure
4/5
Love that guitar effect. Probably a 3.5 but rounding up
Weather Report
2/5
No real impression left, could well be one song
This is turgid
William Orbit
2/5
Donald Fagen
3/5
Bee Gees
2/5
Where’s the disco and the high pitched voices lads?
Without them it’s a not very interesting country or folky or 60s guitar pop collection.
Johnny 5 would never dance and learn to be human to any of this.
James Taylor
2/5
This is how I learn he was actually a former president.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
This is crap. It was seemingly made up of a sound board which was composed of a farty trumpet, her saying the word dirty and various versions of singing ‘yeah’ with more and more syllables. 1 star.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
This was great. Absolutely flew by despite its length. In agreement that it’s my favourite of the batch of Cave we’ve had. Would not surprise me if he himself liked this the least though.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
This was really dull outside of the opener. The version of Proud Mary was utterly lifeless.
Steve Winwood
2/5
This was a bit of a honey trap with track one being really interesting and cool sounding before it mostly goes boring
The Vines
4/5
This is way heavier than I thought. I was expecting The View or The Coral or such. I did recognize one track, never realised it was them who did it. Pretty good. I’ll go 3.5 rounded up.
Moby
4/5
One of the albums I listened to when I was first getting into music, so has a nostalgic bent to it.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
I liked the singles I was already familiar with (didn’t realise he had so many) but the rest was a bit samey filler sounding.
2.75 rounded up
Jungle Brothers
2/5
Pretty basic stuff, but probably by design (I know nothing about jungle so I’ll just pretend that’s the case). MC stuff was a bit slow too but listening to it in the gym was a good metronome
Nanci Griffith
2/5
The Charlatans
3/5
Big standard indie rock, perfectly fine. 2.5 rounded up.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
This artist completely passed me by, having known the name and just assumed they were Jake Johnson or the like so this was a real surprise. Great voice simple music, easy 4 star. Probably 4.5 but not going 5 yet.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Tom Waits
3/5
While I did get something out of the earlier tracks and their wacky percussion this guys and his weird one off style feels massively over represented.
(I appreciate him for adding variety, but variety of variety would be better maybe?)
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Definitely weirder than I had expected, though the little parade of covers was a bit crap. Really enjoyed the big 13 minute epic track 2.
Queen
2/5
This was filler plus Bohemian rhapsody, and some of that filler was shockingly bad, ‘39 I’m looking at you.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Like a beta tech demo of a better album, solid but missing the final spark.
3/5
I was also quite surprised by this one, they had a formula stuck with it and even by the tail end it was still fun. 3.5 but rounded down to be harsh
New Order
3/5
Enjoyed this with Sunrise and Elegia being the standouts. The bass always the highlight or New Order, the vocals especially when he really tries to strain and sing is pretty rough though.
Duke Ellington
2/5
OutKast
3/5