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Tue Aug 01 2023
xx
The xx
As much as I loved this at the time, something about it hasn’t aged great. The singles are awesome; crystallized is a 10/10. Some of the deeper cuts on the album get a little tedious. Still solid though!
(I was going to say 3.5 but I can’t so… I’m rounding down)
3
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Wed Aug 02 2023
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5
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Thu Aug 03 2023
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
Christ, I really hated this. Sounds like Billy Joel doing a Bowie impression. Derivative crap that was forgotten for a reason.
“Marz” is one of the worst songs I’ve heard in a long time. Imagine being influenced by Savoy Truffle but ending up with a song that sounds like a slowed down Porcupine Pie…
“Golden champagne, juicy grapefruit, lucky monday High school, football, hot fudge, buffalo, tulip Sunday” 🤮
1
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Fri Aug 04 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Damn bro this is like that effin movie la la land dude
Yeah forreal though I’ve never been a jazz guy so admittedly a lot of this goes over my head. I did enjoy it but Im honestly just too big of a jazz dummy to have anything meaningful to say about it. It kinda just IS a five, objectively speaking. Yknow?
5
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Mon Aug 07 2023
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
This is another one that hasn’t aged that well imo. It has its moments. There’s a lot of care in the production but after 15 years it sounds stale and passé.
But honestly even amongst their contemporaries, this is mid. They’re not as bad as The Lumineers, but they sure ain’t as good as Arcade Fire
3
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Thu Aug 10 2023
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
More like 1001 albums that make me want to die.
Seriously though, why the eff is this on here? I skipped down the track listing to be fair, and surprise surprise, it’s terrible. Sounds like every pub band in the country. Like a rich suburban dad with a ton of money to professionally record ZZ Top covers. Devoid of original thought at best, grating on the ears at worst.
If we have to scrape the bottom of the barrel like this, I think 501 albums would have been enough tbh. Justice for Lightning Bolt!!!!
1
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Fri Aug 11 2023
When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
Pretty bad. Kind of like a UK Sugar Ray with no hits.
Every song feels like it’s stretching 30s of good ideas into 5/6min. And all those boring instrumental cuts? Half this thing is like Britpop elevator music, what a snooze!
2
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Mon Aug 14 2023
2112
Rush
Kicks ass. Pretty much the coolest prog nerds have ever been. The performances are airtight and every song brings a little something new to the table. A risky album that saved their career, love to see it
4
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Tue Aug 15 2023
On The Beach
Neil Young
4
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Wed Aug 16 2023
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Great stuff. Not their best but definitely a blueprint. Pulled up is underrated!!
4
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Fri Aug 18 2023
Who's Next
The Who
3
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Mon Aug 21 2023
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
One of the most influential albums of all time for a reason. It’s kind of wild to hear a genre get created so abruptly. It would only take another 7 months for them to perfect the sound on Paranoid, but this album was the guidebook and it came out fully realized.
The performances are amazing, the experimentation is exciting, and the wizard is an instant classic
5
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Tue Aug 22 2023
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
“[we] nicked a few ideas”
Credit where credit is due blah blah blah this probably the Beatles’ worst record and easily their most overrated. They listened to Pet Sounds and tried to make something better and they failed.
It seems to me that a lot of what is considered “avant-garde” and “experimental” about this is in most cases, completely derivative. In a way, the LHCB alter ego is a perfect cover - hollow, phony, a band playing music that sounds like someone else’s ideas. When you strip away the first couple layers you’re left with a few classics and a lot of cornball junk.
3
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Wed Aug 23 2023
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
Just another one of these shitty forgotten albums that clogs this list. Brings nothing to the table. Completely average, boring, unremarkable pile of crud. Bargain bin-core.
1
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Thu Aug 24 2023
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Dang idk this is probably more like a 3.5. Rounding up because the production is pristine and Stevie sounds great, but there are a lot of snoozers on this. Never would have guessed this album was so boring
4
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Fri Aug 25 2023
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
Couldn’t make it very far. Would make great hold music, which is better than elevator music, but by no means does someone have to listen to this before they die. #clogger
2
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Mon Aug 28 2023
Transformer
Lou Reed
This was always an album that I knew by the singles, but never realized how good it was as a whole until now. in terms of producing other artists, this might be Bowie’s best. He’s got my guy Lou sounding like T. Rex and it rules; it’s a makeover that shouldn’t make sense but it does.
Side note:
I’m with mister tunes - perfect day sucks. Compared to everything else, it’s a stale song that just doesn’t work. While the glam compliments Lou, perfect day almost goes out of its way to make him sound bad. Unless it’s the version he did with Paravotti lmao that was hilarious
5
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Tue Aug 29 2023
Logical Progression
LTJ Bukem
I almost don’t want to admit this but… I don’t hate it?
I’ve been playing Neon White lately (a must play imo, check it out) which has a lot of D&B on its OST, and I didn’t realize how much of an impression it made on me until now.
Not something I would casually listen to, but I get it. It’s vibey. Can also appreciate that it’s a defining album for the genre.
3
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Thu Aug 31 2023
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
Not into it. There’s a quality to the vocals that I can’t fully put my finger on, but more often than not it sounds at odds with the arrangement - clashy, underwhelming. Like a bargain bin Donna Summer.
I like some moments on this but they’re fleeting. Flips between mid and irritating
2
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Fri Sep 01 2023
Be
Common
“I was rollin around, in my mind it occurred // what if God was a her?” 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Went into this cold and within 10 seconds I was like “oh shit I didn’t know Kanye produced this”. His name is written all over it, and it’s the best part of the album - it upstages Common constantly.
He’s not terrible or anything, but there isn’t a single bar on this album that stood out to me (except the one above, technically lol). All the highlights are Kanye. Common is passable but tends to be a little corny, often failing to be the introspective artiste that he’s trying to be. Very light 4.
4
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Mon Sep 04 2023
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
The sound they captured is unreal, but it feels like they don’t know what to do with it yet. There are high highs, and a handful of meandering songs as well. The 4 star rating comes more from what they’re doing sonically, not so much from the compositions themselves
4
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Tue Sep 05 2023
1984
Van Halen
lol it’s not very good but when it hits it hits.
3
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Fri Sep 08 2023
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
Even by ska standards this is awful
2
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Tue Sep 12 2023
Permission to Land
The Darkness
Looking at the critical reception for this album on Wikipedia and I’m floored - everyone loved it. Pitchfork gave it a fucking 8.4!!!
Objectively speaking, this album is dogshit. They were all tricked, somehow. It’s hard to even say this album is “catchy” because no - Queen and AC/DC are catchy. The Darkness didn’t come up with any of this. It’s the uncanny valley of dad rock.
They are the Greta Van Fleet of the early 2000s and they deserve to be treated as such.
1
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Thu Sep 14 2023
NEU! 75
Neu!
Still fresh after almost 50 years. Neu! is a building block for so many of my favorite bands; I feel like if anything, their influence on psych/experimental music has only gotten stronger.
Really have no complaints. This thing is phenomenal and covers so much ground.
5
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Fri Sep 15 2023
21
Adele
This might sound jaded, but a classically beautiful voice on its own is not impressive to me. Look, I’ve heard a million beautiful voices in my life, so what? This is not an anti-pop take either, because I would even argue that other pop artists (like Ariana, Beyoncé, and Gaga for example) either have unique qualities to their voice, or just use it in a way that’s more effective. Adele’s voice does not make up for this albums shortcomings.
The singles are pretty good, the non-singles are rough. Most of 21 is very boilerplate and impersonal. Production is hit or miss, and on songs like “I’ll be waiting” the track is so thin it sounds like she’s singing to a karaoke track.
All filler no killer. Strong 2, like a 2.8
2
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Mon Sep 18 2023
Abraxas
Santana
Always hated having to play black magic woman on guitar hero, what a bloated hunk of fudge that song is.
In adulthood, it’s not bad, but not impressive. If you came up to me and said “my uncle just recorded an album, check it out!” And then started spinning this, I’d simply say “oh that’s cool” and then go on my phone
3
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Wed Sep 20 2023
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Wow. I did not expect to hate this, but I seriously hate this. What’s the vibe here, Circus rock? Sgt. Pepper’s bloated farts club band? What a tedious pile of crud. Skipped halfway through almost every song, and there’s no way in hell I’m making it through the whole album. Terrible!
1
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Fri Sep 22 2023
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
Everything sounds decent I guess, but the whole thing is a little forgettable. This is one where I’m surprised how regarded it is, to me it’s a dime a dozen.
3
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Wed Sep 27 2023
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
Trying to keep my bias in check because I really can’t stand Zappa. Putting all of his goofball crud aside, I think the pop elements on this are mid and the “experimentation” is insincere and uninteresting.
2
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Thu Sep 28 2023
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
4
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Thu Oct 05 2023
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
Not to be contrarian here but… I think this album is misunderstood! It’s giving diarrhea planet, it’s giving liquor store. Some songs sound so much like Jeff the Brotherhood it’s kinda crazy.
Nothing groundbreaking, but it’s a party rock album that’s weirdly timeless; it could easily get released tomorrow. It’s catchy and fun!
3.5/5 tbh, would go see Fidlar open for them
3
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Tue Oct 17 2023
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Never really liked this and probably never will. Not going to come out here and say that it’s poorly made or anything, I’m just not really impressed with the concept or the songwriting. I have always kinda felt like this was well traveled territory by 1973; to me it’s less of a revolutionary record and more like one that exposed a wider audience to this kinda headass music. Which isn’t a bad thing, but let’s just say that the album art has dominated the Kohl’s graphic tee rack for a reason.
3/5, it’s well crafted but very overrated
3
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Wed Oct 18 2023
New Forms
Roni Size
Take this with a grain of salt because 1) I know next to nothing about be genre and 2) sitting on the train listening to this is definitely not the ideal experience for it
Much prefer the LTJ record on this list. For me these cuts are too minimalist; 7-8 minutes of drum track with some light sampling just isn’t enough for me. I’m 1000% sure it would be a better experience if it was played in the proper setting ( a club, etc)
2
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Fri Oct 20 2023
Tommy
The Who
Not really a hot take to say Tommy sucks but I’ll take it one step further - pinball wizard also really fucking sucks.
2
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Mon Oct 23 2023
Different Class
Pulp
4
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Mon Oct 30 2023
Machine Head
Deep Purple
Kicks ass. Highway star is one of the best rock tracks ever idgaf
4
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
There are moments on here where I am pleasantly surprised, but at its worst this is a truck commercial soundtrack. It’s a stepping stone for discovering better things, the missing link between popular and good. See also: black keys, foo fighters, coldplay. Really a 2.5, will round to 3 cuz I’m such a nice guy
3
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Wed Nov 01 2023
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
5
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Thu Nov 09 2023
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
2
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Fri Nov 10 2023
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
5