One of my favorites that I haven't heard in a LONG while. I think this is going to hit harder for me these days.
Fuller realized version of Mellow Gold. Varied, fun, and creative.
Coldplay frustrate. They are able to craft and perform some nice music but seem afraid to push into the unknown like their influences and contemporaries. They may occasionally flirt with unique ideas, but will rarely, if ever, surprise the listener opting instead to pull back and stay safe. This has been my response to Parachutes. It is a good album from start to finish but it lacks creativity and ends up falling flat in places. It is frustrating because you can hear the possibility of whatever is lacking below the surface but it never quite comes to fruition.
I do, however, enjoy the second half of the album a bit. From the song Trouble, to the record's closing "hidden track", Life Is For Living, each song in this set seems to function as moody personal reflection which shows a certain level of authenticity and vulnerability. These two qualities, coupled with some earnestness, might explain this debut's lasting appeal among fans. However, if the band had discovered what they needed to be more interesting and unique, then I would gladly rate this album higher.
I can imagine this album came to Hank Hill's mind when he discovered Peggy brought charcoal into the house. Any sensible Texan who preaches and proselytizes the gospel of propane would be devastated by such betrayal and could easily mirror the actions of the protagonist in the narrative of this album.
All kidding aside, this is a really great record.
Willie's audacity pays off with a concept album that demands attention. I was excited when this popped up but I had no idea how much I would enjoy it.
I was familiar with this band in name only so I wasn't sure what to expect. Glancing over their influences and the album cover, I slightly assumed this would be a selection of alternative pop rock arena anthems. This isn't quite that. Instead, I discovered something that seems to defy easy definition. Yes, Doves had a big sound, but they created it behind a veil of effects and experimentation, influenced by shoegaze, and, to my ears anyway, neo prog. A small chunk of this actually reminds me of post Fish Marillion when they riff on the Beatles or even if the album 'Brave' was geared more as hangout music. Another surprise was the amount of Mark Hollis and Talk Talk touches with the use of keys, harmonica, and some guitar tone. This group seemed more content creating texture than hooks which might leave some feeling put off, but for me it was welcome despite not always being an easy listen. Multiple plays seem to reward the listener.
A great introduction to Tishoumaren and creating an itch to explore more of this style of music. I really got absorbed into this.
The band plays tightly, but I wish the music leaned heavier into power pop and fully embraced the hard rock aesthetics heard sporadically. I also don't personally care for Peter's vocals and have never been a fan of the talk box. Despite enjoying a few songs more than I thought I would, I have very little desire to revisit this. One positive, I suppose, is how this album drove suburban kids crazy enough to learn some guitar licks and form punk bands. Thanks for showing us the way.
Pretty engaging. I found myself really invested while paying attention to the lyrics and the overall theme. Wyclef Jean provided some of my favorite moments, but it's Lauryn Hill who is the real star here.
The whole album works pretty well as a single piece despite dipping a little toward the end and I could also do without the Chinese take-out bit. But I will definitely return to this.
Honestly, this is hard for me to rate because I feel it would change with my mood.
3.8
One of my absolute favorite albums.
Having not listened to this from beginning to end in a long while, I was thinking my enthusiasm for it would falter a little. I was wrong. I found myself enjoying this even more now and with a deeper appreciation. Something more apparent to me is the urgency and intensity of each song, which each flows so well together.
This was a push back against preconceived expectations, excess, social norms in the backdrop of late Cold War policy.
You can hear the frustration, anger, sadness, and dissolution poured out even within the albums brightest spots, which lies a darkness. Something murmured. Something esoteric.
I think these lyrics from 'Broken' really sums everything up: "Between the searching and the need to work it out. I stop believing everything will be alright. Broken, we are broken.
Solid 5
Mott the Hoople became a little history lesson. Before hearing this album, I had only been familiar with their song 'All The Young Dudes' but I had no idea David Bowie wrote it for them. I also didn't now the guitarist of this group would eventually form Bad Company.
Mott is a fun, cheesy album with some interesting ideas and decent 70s riffage which I wasn't too sure about at first, but it started to grow on me. 'The Ballad of Mott the Hoople' and 'I Wish I Was Your Mother' were instant highlights. I appreciated the band's focus on experimentation and their cynicism. I think this band deserved more attention.
3.5
This was one of my favorite albums when I was about 16 years old. John Entwhistle and Keith Moon were big influences for me.
A brooding, bluesy, hard rock n roll album with art-rock leanings that eventually exposed me to prog and more experimental music. Go give 'Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air & Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band'.
I'm actually glad the Tommy sequel didn't quite work out for this album because what happened instead is a tighter and more focused set of songs. There is a spiritual theme going on fueled by the influence of Meher Baba from Townsend as part of the original Lifehouse project. You need to dig for it a little but when it pops up it's encredibly heartfelt.
I really enjoy the ballads, The Song Is Over and Getting In Tune, which make great use of piano. The latter gets into gospel territory by the climax. Behind Blue Eyes seems to be a cry for help (all the band members at this point were in terrible emotional states) and really hits hard.
If I have to fault this album, then I wish they had decided to use another Lifehouse song in place of Going Mobile.
Overall though, I had a lot fun coming back to this.
4.5
Solid garage(ish) rock group I was not aware of with a nice swagger and punch to their sound. The production reminds me of Pixies and late period Smiths with most songs being driven with shimmering guitar chords against sharp crunchy leads all while keeping a dark playful tone. I really liked the different directions much of the songs would take so I was surprised quite often.
Perhaps some John Cale influences going on?
I feel as though I've heard all of this before, either in passing or from other music that has probably been inspired by it.
Thoroughly enjoyable, marked by a calmer tone than the bop I'm familiar with and at times, more akin to classical music. They did things differently on the West Coast I suppose or it's just a product of its time.
This is a very calculated yet fun record which feels very seemless, especially considering the varies time changes. As a drummer I would love to try playing along.
I would recommend listening with headphones and no distractions, while paying attention to how each instrument compliments the other. The recording quality is also impressive.
A lot of great songs on this which really grab. This feels very concise and thought out to the point where you may not realize how lengthy some of these songs become. I want to spend more time coming back to this album to look closer over the lyrics and let it saturate further.
Not really my thing despite sounding familiar to or influenced by things I really enjoy such as Steely Dan or Jeff Beck's Fusion albums. Yet, this is fun listen. I was impressed by the incredibly tight rhythm section and the bass grooves are the kind of thing I would want to learn to show off.
A good starting point for CAN and arguably their best album. I would occasionally put this on when I would go to sleep, not because it's boring but because you can get lost in it.
I'm always struck by how subdued this feels, particularly the title track and the album closer, at least in comparison to the previous two albums. Even Damo Suzuki sounds like he's restraining himself, vocally at least, either intentionally or from the input of the other band members. Whatever the case is, the end result creates a very focused, fuller realized, set of songs open to more texture and atmospherics in line with their aspirations for writing music for film. In a way, this is CAN at their most mysterious, weird, and adventurous.
A 5 rating from me for the albums weight but really more of a high 4 because it doesn't always stick in my head the way I would think.
Deerhunter has been a band I've known about but had not really listened to until this. It took a minute, but I was pleasantly surprised. They have a lot of great influences and mesh it together into something truly unique and genuine. This album has some beautiful, catchy guitar work with really interesting keyboards and experimentation that carry the songs in ways I didn't expect. (I like the sax, too.) A few songs are taking some time to sink in but this is a keeper for sure.
This surprisingly hit me harder than I thought it would. The real strength of this album is not so much the music, but the emotion in her voice and the conviction in the lyrics. I also just enjoy the way some of these old recordings sounded.
First Impression: "Oh! I think this is the guy who's song was used in the movie Elf."
A Few More Songs In: "Oh it is!"
This was absolutely great. A unique talent that seemed to carry that sort of Larger than Life persona, possessing serious discipline in musicianship and showmanship, and yet never taking things too seriously. I imagine live performances were quite a spectacle. Listening at work, I was holding back laughter when the song
'(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You' came on.
It's Ok. I really wanted to like this more, but it's hard for me to connect with it. Much of the songs plod along with not much standing out to me until about halfway through the album. And maybe it's not Sinatra per se but rather Nelson Riddle's direction.
And maybe I need to be in the right mood.
Interesting. I was not familiar with grime and really not sure what to make of it. Dizzee's rapping style is a little fast for my taste, preferring something a little slower and less hard, allowing room to absorb a little easier, but this is probably characteristic of the genre. However, I did really like the use of synth and beats. From a first time listen, I was really interested to hear what the next song was going to sound like.
I tend to find psychedelic / AM pop from this era a little irratating but this was good mainly for it's ambition. I also found it serves as a sort of "proto-prog" document similar to The Moody Blues and reminiscent of what the Strawbs would end up doing only a few years later. It's surprising how much this band was able to pack into shorter song lengths and with less conventional structure. This is also a weakness as the album can be a lot to digest and it breezes over quickly. Also, some songs are definitely stronger than others.
3.7
I was prepared to be more critical. I don't consider myself big on the Beatles, despite enjoying Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's, and Rubber Soul (I've been thinking of taking a deep dive of their discography for a while to fill out the gaps). When I first heard the White Album years ago, it more or less glazed over me. I thought it was intriguing but was ultimately messy, overblown nonsense. This time, I gave it more of a chance, listened more intently, and found I was beginning to get sucked in and really enjoyed all of it. And not because I felt I was supposed to but legitimately found something worthwhile. It IS a weird and broken mess, but it's also oddly appealing and beautiful in a certain way. Even the goofy Yellow Submarine like stuff has a charm to it.
A fun thing I noticed, too was how much of this must have been influential on Bowie, Zeppelin, Jeff Tweedy, Kiss, Elliot Easton, and probably Alex Lifeson.
Maybe I am a bigger Beatles fan than I thought or I've grown to appreciate this for what it is: A broken, bleeding collection of songs birthed from exhaustion and inner turmoil.
I wonder if this album was helped or hindered by the fact that all the band members at this point were going through serious issues. With this in mind, it is really quite tragic.
4.5
The covers are the main highlight here. Seemed forced by mtv, resulting in Kurt pushing back with their particular set list and possibly compromising with the inclusion of 'Come As You Are'. My speculation of course. I've always liked this recording of 'About a Girl'. 'Dumb' also sounds excellent. This album would have been better though if they had performed alternate arrangements of their songs to compliment the "unplugged" concept.
I've only listened to this a few times in the past because of the lack of Bruce. It's a solid debut but not as memorable to me as later albums, but this still packs a good punch and has some nice raw production. Kind of fun hearing them figure out their sound and try a few different things, resulting in a few really classic songs.
3.8
Pretty outstanding. It's hard to pick out a favorite song from this as all of them are truly great. Parts of 'Chain of Fools' and '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' had been buried into my subconscious.
A prog rock behemoth performing music written and inspired by a 19th century Russian composer? Naturally.
I've heard this before but didn't really know the background. If you compare alongside the original work, ELP takes some creative liberty but captures the tone fairly well, and surprising to me, Greg Lake slips a few original songs in. Ranking this among their other albums of this period, it feels a little odd, almost more of a novelty than anything else. I wouldn't suggest this to anyone new to ELP or wanting to get their feet wet into the world of prog rock, but firm fans will find a lot to enjoy here. Several moments throughout I caught myself laughing at the absurdity of it while at the same time getting caught up in it's exuberance.
Carl Palmer seems completely unhinged and I forgot just how goofy Nutrocker was.
3.8
I like this more than Born In the U.S.A. It feels warmer, more consistent and personal. A good progression from Born To Run as well.
Overall, not too big on Springsteen but I like hearing his music occasionally and I enjoyed this.
One thing for sure...Max Weinberg is seriously great.
https://youtu.be/0fTs5o9UjMI?si=2NOfzt7kigUQxt8H
There isn't much here redeemable and that's the point. Will I revisit this? Probably not. Is it a bad album? Not at all.
Like a film or a book which is intended to shock, or make you feel uncomfortable and disgusted.
A healthy dose of positivey and serious intensity still very relevant today. I love how noisy this is and how they decided to include live clips to enhance the participatory nature of the album. This hit a lot harder than when I first heard it years ago.
After hearing this and Chic, I realize I really like Nile Rodgers as a guitarist and a producer. I was immediately caught by how familiar this felt, particularly 'Lost in Music'. I simply thought Daft Punk was heavily influenced by this album, but then discovered Rodgers was a guest musician for a few songs on Random Access Memories. Anyway, I thought that was a neat connection.
For this album, We Are Family, I thought this was really fun, focused, and had some surprising moments and makes me want to revisit Chic. Also, this is very influential on Future Funk, the less nihilistic cousin of Vaporwave.
I really like Traffic because I've always felt they were unique and smart in their instrumentation and song craft. This self titled album was one I had placed on a list of music to check out and purchase years ago back before streaming had really taken off. I had forgotten about this and I'm glad I had the chance to check it out. Only really being familiar with John Barleycorn Must Die and onward, I was a bit surprised by how their sound had evolved. Dave Mason providing more psychedelic pop with Jim Capaldi and Steve Winwood focusing more on moody, introspective jamming. What I loved was hearing how these two dynamics (including voices) began to converge and take shape into places I didn't expect. It's a bit long winded, but this is a great collection of songs.
For some reason this made me think of Robert Wyatt a little.
Fun to revisit but a little odd. Decent bluesy garage rock with strong pop sensibilities with Jack White channeling less Page and Plant and more Cobain and Corgan. Elephant has great production with a consistent set of songs but something about it feels fractured and a bit awkward in places. Perhaps there was increased tension between Jack and Meg due to their recent divorce or they were both wrestling with their increased fame and visibility without knowing too well how to navigate. Both may have factored in because the album seems unsure of itself and some lyrics and song titles come off a bit pointed. The album closer feels very odd with the inclusion of Holly Golightly, which I imagine was the point, but it probably would have ended things better if the song was a duet between Jack and Meg instead. And then the listener is teased with the possibility of a hidden track.
Elephant is a fine album with some songs I really enjoy but I wouldn't find myself coming back to it very often.
I haven't heard this from start to finish in a long while. It really works well as a whole and extremely influential.
Calexico was a group I was only slightly familiar with and was not expecting what I ended up hearing. I really enjoyed how varied this is and was struck by how well written and recorded each song was with each track offering something special. I was also surprised by the amount of instrumentals ranging from really fun to really weird. I wouldn't mind going back to their previous albums to capture a bigger picture of this one.
Taking everything that made 'It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' great and cranking it up to another level. This is a heavy and challenging album that takes some surprising turns and is well worth the listen. The use of sampling and audio snippets are really good and Flava Flav shines a lot more here, too.
For whatever reason, I always thought this was the followup to Loveless but now knowing that wasn't the case, it puts things into a different perspective. And trying to compare it too much to Loveless, I failed to give Isn't Anything the attention it deserves with only recently finding out how much it stands out on it's own. Sure, it's pretty disarming and unsettling with the level of energy and layers of sound, but give it some time, and you'll find a collection of songs that will leave a mark and are quite beautiful in places.
Put your headphones in, crank it up a bit, and let it absorb you.
4.5
Goes beyond jazz and classical. This is the sound of pushing through frustration while exploring within limitations.
I picked this up some time ago on the strength of Sultans Of Swing. The rest of the album is also pretty solid with a nice live feel and the band sounding incredibly tight. Even though it may not stand out as well as I want, I do enjoy putting this on occasionally for it's cool and calm tone, even in its upbeat moments, which gives off a weird vibe between the jazz-rock of Steely Dan's early 70s albums and the Eagles warmer, more digestible soft rock.
Just gross. Granted, I don't care much for this style of music, but even still, there is nothing remotely good or interesting about this album. This does not belong on this list
Imagine if ZZ Top came from the UK, cranked up the distortion, sped up, and influenced a slew of punk, metal, and hardcore bands. A big fun, dumb hard rock album that has some raw production, which sounds way better coming from a pair of headphones than from the car stereo. The first half is stronger than the second half with a few exceptions. The weaker songs have way better live versions.
Very interesting how this reminds me of Sting and Red House Painters at the same time.
I've never really listened to Joni Mitchell before and I really dug this. Everything feels carefully calculated yet effortless as the instruments weave around her voice with an unusual quality. The inclusion of Jaco Pastorius was a perfect touch.
A very cool recording I otherwise probably would never had known about.
I don't know if it was a lack of sleep and driving to work in the rain, but I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Fairly dark with sparse instrumentation and some Beatles influences. A bit too much pop for my taste, but I was surprised by the amount of interesting turns a few songs made showing more ambitious territory and texture.
Maybe an example of the background being more interesting than the product. I knew nothing about "Madchester," nor did I realise how much influence it had on early 90's britpop only to be overshadowed by shoegaze and grunge. This is lazy psychedelic dance rock built on the strength of new wave where my only point of reference was The Cure, Talking Heads, New Order, and the song 'How Soon Is Now'. The latter being more related than I realized.
Anyway, with the use of ecstasy, these guys were completely somewhere else which in my opinion was a detriment. Compare this to their first album which is more tight and focused. And yet, Bummed has some strong material which I found oddly alluring despite being marred by weird production and off putting vocals.
A 3.5 rating?
I've always enjoyed the Byrds for the cryptic jangly guitar work, vocal harmonies, and keen pop sense. I've never heard his but seen the album float around in various places for a long time. I loved this. The inclusion of Gram Parsons, Jay Dee Maness, and Lloyd Green was a perfect, and logical, fit. Mostly covers, and a traditional tune, this 60s psychedelic pop group made a really solid and genuine country (or country rock/Americana) album. You would think it would get old after a while, but Sweetheart of the Rodeo does a great job of keeping the listener interested with each song introducing some other element or variation with the best of it blending the bands older style with the western twinge.
This brought to mind Grateful Dead's American Beauty and, ironically, David Crosby's work on Deja vu.
Pretty dumb but also really great. Here is one where I was definitely more interested in the deeper cuts. Maybe I'm a Leo has a great groove and I like how Pictures of Home showcases each musician. The Sword are fans for sure (and so is Koji Kondo). Overall, I was impressed by the level of musicianship and could tell they had a bit of fun.
Ritchie Blackmore would go on to some great stuff with Dio a few years later.
I've been building a playlist of music which came out in 1985 and Suzanne Vega's debut was listed as an album to check out. In the middle of post-punk and synth pop, this one is a bit of an outlier. I had recently listened and quite enjoyed it. So when this popped up, I got excited and it felt very timely. In all honesty, I think this is one of the best albums I've heard in while. Suzanne Vega's music captures a certain delicate intensity that feels unique and uncomfortable. I really like the instrumentation with the subtle use of synth and her vocal style. I realize it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I believe this holds a ton of weight.
Solid Daft Punk/Nile Rodgers like jams and maybe a tad darker. 'Now There is Nothing' has an interesting Paul McCartney feel and 'Let Me Be Him' sounds like something Chris Martin may have stolen.
Angry, moody, therapeutic. Love the sound and feel, and I'm a sucker for the lap steel. This album's so good you might slide around like a lizard on the floor with the lights out like Rusty Kershaw. I'm glad this was on the ol' trusty iPod.
Really good performance with some serious standouts, particularly Newport Up, I Got it Bad, Jeep's Blues, and the drum solo on Skin Deep is pretty remarkable. Hoever, I think I'm more inclined to hear mellower, more piano driven music from Duke Ellington rather than Big Band, but this was good to hear. I found the audience responses interesting, too.
N.W.A. and Public Enemy is the reason Uncle Phil's hair went grey and thinned by the second season of Fresh Prince.
Really strong despite slacking a bit in the middle.
Hüsker Dü are one of the early alternative groups I've been interested in checking out. Prior to this, I had listened to New Day Rising and a song or two from Flip Your Wig. Songs from Zen Arcade pop up occasionally as well. I enjoyed a lot of this with the fuzzed out near power pop and overall weirdness but this may not be the best starting point if you're unfamiliar with this group. The band was falling apart at this point and given the background behind this album and the resulting tour, I suppose there is a legendary status to Warehouse among certain circles. I wonder how different things could have been had Bob Mould and Grant Hart had worked out their issues.
For me, there's really not a bad song here despite it's length and a bit of "sameness", it just takes a minute to sink in. Regarding the length, I suppose it was a way of getting out every idea and probably another middle finger to say: we're going to do what we want to do.
For fans of Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr., Superchuck, Wire, or anyone wanting a little more aggression to their Jangle Pop.
For whatever reason, I've never paid too much attention to this group, but I've always been interested in this album. It's much folkier than I thought it would be with some shorter, more compact songs and the harder elements giving off near glam rock vibes. Similar to Gentle Giant in places. Not an immediate go to for me for this type of music but this was an enjoyable listen.
It's a little odd to me how Aqualung (the song) became so entwined with heavy classic rock radio rotation. It seem to get lumped in with more AOR "dad rock" material, but I think people forget just how weird it is.
They weren't kidding about the album title, were they. These guys seemed to have a pretty bleak outlook on life and had some surprisingly heavy themes. I suppose that was the concept and also a product of its time. It's good, but I was ready to move on to the next one.
Aggressive yet positive.
A very heartfelt passion project recorded by someone processing the loss of a close friend. A friend who's shadow wraps around it and offers himself as an additional musician.
Feels very dense. Really requires some headphones and a little time to digest and to pick up it's nuances.
Based on the album title and the cover, I always thought or wanted this to be heavier. This is guilty pleasure material... but not really anything that falls into that category for me other than to put on to joke around with friends. I do like the Springsteen sounding elements, but this is really an anomaly and very novel. I personally would never go out of my way to revisit this. Seriously, does anyone really listen to Meat Loaf on a regular basis? Hats off, I guess, to Marvin Lee Aday for the conviction in his performance (the guy could sing) and also Todd Rundgren for his unique fingerprints on the recording.
In the end, what am I going to rate this? What's it going to be?...Let me sleep on it.
The double album. Some strong material, lots of filler, experimentation, an interesting listen but doesn't grab me as well as I want it to. In all, a modest positive that makes me want to visit/re visit the previous albums.
Feels inconsistent but holds some very strong and smartly written music. And while some of the arrangements feel busy, Hearts And Bones remains a fairly relaxed listen.
I've always liked Neil Young. Going through the other albums popping up on this list so far, my taste has been confirmed. He may not be the best singer or guitar player, but that isn't the point. This guy can make some very meaningful music that seems to swirl around in some hypnotic way. Some of the jamming feels a little half baked, but this is absolutely perfect to chill out to.
I'm not a fan. Much of this feels directionless and monotonous. They could seriously benefit from having a bassist especially if they wanted to make music that was more dance oriented.
Maybe this is a case of a band still trying to get their bearings but I'm not sure.
Ironically the best track is "Modern Romance" which is not present on this UK version.
The progression of songwriting is a step up from NEU! 2 and a very good listener from start to finish. I really like the use of piano and dips into some nice meditative ambiance.
It's Ok I suppose. Really more of an artifact of its time than anything else but nice to hear side 'A' even if it's a bit fluffy. The inescapable 17 minute title track is cool I guess if you think of it as proto-Sabbath. From my understanding, it was called 'In-a-gadda-da-vida' because the dude couldn't physically say In the garden of eden...That LSD must have been some wild nonsense.
Nothing terribly striking and a bit repetitive, but I like it. Varied and interesting enough. I would probably listen to this if I was a passenger on a long car drive and I wanted to doze off. It's really intended as background music for a Summer afternoon on the back porch while grilling and getting high or buzzed.
Tiny Dancer holds some weird nostalgia. Getting to hear it pumped out on classic rock radio in my teens, misheard lyrics, that one scene from Almost Famous, ...Mark Kozelek...Thinking about it...It's not impossible to think he likes this album as it harnesses a bit of murkiness and is quite an emotional showcase which may have influenced the Painters slightly. Anyway, a lot of solid stuff which was good to hear beyond Tiny Dancer and Levon. The latter I still think is one of the saddest songs I've ever heard for various reasons. This album is really good due to its overall quality in musicianship, songcraft, and ambition. The second half is a bit weaker but it closes out nicely.
Great to finally listen to this. David Bowie had a way of taking something that sounded familiar but twisted it in an interesting way, truly making it his own. This seems to stand as a great example. A schizophrenic blend of raunchy glam and loungy experimentation with a timeless quality which is a mark of an excellent album.
This is what Chef puts on the record player when he's about to make sweet love by the fire.
It's good but I might like it more if I was familiar with the film. The nearly 20 minute 'Do Your Thing' was surprising and some of the orchestration reminded me of Sinatra. This makes me wonder if Black Ceaser will eventually pop up on this list which I would argue is a better soundtrack.
An interesting bridge between Sixpence None the Richer like alt pop into more twee indie pop merging into some baroque Stereolab like territory. An enjoyable album with some nice lyricism and arranging while wishing it leaned heavier on the punk spectrum. Some surprisingly dark moments sprinkled throughout and an oddly sexy/alluring version of Iron Man. The mild radio hit is good but I personally like the rest of the album better.
I've never personally been a big fan of the title track so going into this I thought I would have a pretty rough time. It turns out I was pleasantly surprised by most of this. As an album it's a little odd but it has a few really solid songs looping in themes of post 60s disillusionment and melancholy.
Depeche Mode are very good at doing two things: Creating music that is intriguing and finding ways which cause the listener to feel uncomfortable. With Violator, it seems the band had captured the sound they had been chasing and building up to from the beginning. On previous albums, at least what I'm familiar with, there seemed to be moments of disconnect. Either song elements didn't land very well or they may have felt slightly distasteful. Perhaps that was always the point but in contrast, everything about this album feels very concise, even relaxed. It still creates an uncomfortable space but it does so in a more artistic and refined way which intends to challenge. I'm sure this was due to changing up how they wrote and recorded but it's also the presence of Flood, which helped pave the way for groups like Nine Inch Nails. The atmosphere and attitude of this album definitely points to things such as The Downward Spiral. And similar to said album, Violator's selling point is the mood it paints. Curious thing though...
Am I the only one who feels like the songs on Violator, with the exception of a few singles, don't always stick? What I mean is once one song is over, I almost immediately forget what the previous song sounded like. Perhaps this is a mark of an album which works very well as a singular piece or it could be my brain focusing on the details of the current song while it works to compartmentalize and compress the details of the previous. I have a growing consensus this is due to a collection of songs that have hooks but focus more on building layers rather than relying on usual song structure.
Let me be clear, in the brief time spent with this record, every song hits in a special way, and I think each one seques perfectly into the next. I really enjoyed this album and believe it deserves the praise it receives.
One final note which I find interesting. Personal Jesus, possibly their most recognized song, and probably sung by a good number of evangelical Christians, may have assumed the song advocates the importance and freedom of a personal relationship with Jesus. If you simply read the lyrics, it's easy to make that connection and definitely holds some ambiguity. However, Dave Gahan's vocal delivery, the samples used, and the darker instrumental passages should queue you into a deeper and more challenging purpose. Disquiesed as a dancy pop song, Personal Jesus seems to address a concern of how easily we make God into our own image, feeding our insecurities, leading to damaged relationships, and fueled by corporate greed and power. To think Depeche Mode wrote a "Christian" song might come from someone unfamiliar with songs like Blasphemous Rumors. I believe, however, this was Gehan's and Gore's attempt to caution their listeners to be mindful when it comes to religion and relationships rather than to blatantly reject a benevolent creator. It's also probably about herion, too.
Summing up. I was really glad to finally hear all of this. A solid Gothic synth art pop album that is successfully engaging in it's ambiguity and texture.
The sound of 80's nihilistic excess or is it supposed to be ironic? Possibly a bit of both. An album built on the strength of it's singles but I enjoyed some of the deeper cuts a little more.
Over the top but appealing in it's charm and eagerness.
Classic. Wildly influential and unique in it's aesthetics. I'm not sure of another album that captures so well the eccentric world of adolescence and grappling with feelings of inadequacy while also feeling mysterious yet deeply personal.
For those who enjoy this, check out Pylon, another Athens Georgia group from the late 70's and early 80's, who influenced this album's punch and unusual nature.
Pleasant with nice sampling. Rapping is a bit odd, though. Stratus right up front was a surprise. Good background music for mundane tasks but that's about it for me anyway. Maybe I haven't heard the right Trip Hop album yet or I just don't get into this style of music.
For a double album, this doesn't feel as long as it really is which is a positive and probably due to their sticking with shorter songs. A very consistent and laid back album that holds some of my favorite Stones songs and some that I've grown a bigger appreciation for, particularly the more gospel and country flavored stuff. Here, the hit songs are apparent and some of their best, and after several listens, the whole thing sinks in with it's charm. Also, I've always liked the way this sounds, too.
I was prepared to give this a 4 but thinking about it I'll go ahead and round up.
I hold an unpopular opinion that the song Layla is pretty terrible, at least this version. The jump from the choruses into the verses feel very jagged and out of place, the guitar "solo" is uninspired, and the ending section is obviously tacked on (though the piano is nice). It's a complete mess. It might seem cool the first time you hear it, but after getting pumped through repeated airplay, the hand is ready to change the station as soon as it comes on. There is a live version that floats around that is infinitely better because it dials into the songs more jazz and blues elements and feels more natural.
The rest of the album is fairly decent, especially early on, but the excessive blues guitar soloing becomes redundant after a while.
Some of the electronic flourishes feel a bit repetitive, but this is a very interesting and unique album where the best songs goes much deeper than just new age background music. This reminds me a little of Yasunori Mitsuda, particularly his work on Xenogears and Chrono Cross. I'm rating OK a little low because some songs fall a little flat for me.
It took me a minute to figure out what I was seeing on the album cover which is very fitting for this album's mood. One could argue La Revancha Del Tango is just detailed background music, but I think this has a lot of depth and is a throughly enjoyable listen blending a lot of different styles of music together which never feels boring or mundane. Maybe this is the type of Trip Hop I can get behind.
Instead of experiencing something cold and repetitive, I ended up experiencing the very opposite. This album gave me some serious chills and succeeds in feeling very warm and thoughtful. It's also very compact (the nearly nine minute Neon Lights seems much shorter.) Maybe a little dated, but there's no doubting the impact and influence and definitely sounds impressive coming from '78. My overall scope of Kraftwerk's discography is very limited, so I will want to visit their previous albums.
Really only being familiar with the songs 'Why Can't We Be Friends' and 'Low Rider', neither which have I thought too much of, this turned out to be a surprise. I was familiar with 'The Cisco Kid', too but never knew it was this band. The blend of soul, Afrobeat, jazz, and psychedelia leads to some really interesting stuff and some solid jamming creating a unique tone throughout.
Hooky but not landing as well as I hoped lacking a little bite and dragged on a little. An album where I liked the deeper cuts a bit more than the singles.
Definitely concocted by a couple of bell heads. (Don't google that)
Maybe fairly decent in places.
6/10
Here is a prime example of why I wanted to start this project: To discover some unique hidden gems like this mini album. It's definitely niche, but 'a short album about love', and the Divine Comedy, is a real treat. Imagine a Bryan Ferry/Paul Banks like crooning on quirky songs about love running through a familiar vien of Jens Lekman and the Magnetic Fields backed by some impressive orchestration with a crisp brit pop sheen. This is my crude attempt to describe what I hear. And no, this isn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's supposed to be a bit campy and definitely fun, helmed by what I can gather is a bit of a savant.
Excellent vocals and delivery with some very tight and creative sequencing, sampling, and blending of unique elements. Definitely a product of it's time but there are some really solid songs here and some which don't resonate so much with me. I feel like this album would take some time to sink in.
I've heard it said once that the Beatles are best in the morning. I can get behind that opinion. For Abbey Road, however, try listening late in the evening with a good pair of headphones and the drink of your choice. This one is easily rated high in my book, but why? To simply say, "Well, it's the Beatles. Of course" is not a good enough answer. To avoid lazy cop-outs or make eyes roll, I'll attempt a better response. Abbey Road is all at once chill, smooth, biting, emotional, experimental, and fun without a dull moment and nothing feeling out of place. It really feels like a sequel to Sgt. Pepper's and builds on the quirkiness of the White Album to great effect. A lot of small details pop out in this recent listen such as little rhythmic things from the drum and vocal work, how much the keys and eclectic elements create and complete the symphonic atmosphere, how well each song on side Bs suite fit together thematically with it's various leitmotifs and overall seems to borrow a bit from side A. The guitar work is also very tasteful and every song on the album flows very well together. Abbey Road also contains possibly the greatest love song ever written in 'Something' with it's simplistic yet honest lyrics and music which seems to float along but feels deceptively complex. And 'Here Comes The Sun' could be the greatest pop song ever written, with its infectious chorus while even jumping between different time signatures. I've also always been struck by more of the odd stuff such as 'Because' and 'Sun King'. Perhaps it's an age thing.
Definitely an improvement from the previous album on this list. Tighter and more memorable with the inclusion of synth being a good move. Some interesting ideas throughout but some songs stretch out a little too long and I'm just not a big fan of the vocal style.
I really enjoyed the Mike Patton carnival weirdness and how up front everything is with the anger and energy. Though not my go to, this album, and band, has a lot unique and interesting things to offer and engage the listener. It's hard to deny how strong of a debut this is.
I'll admit it. This was a little rough going in, and it feels a little vulgar in places for the sake of it, but I ended up digging this. It's possibly a situational listen, but I think this is some solid anarcho rockabilly (for lack of better name), which shares some similarities with Beck, Captain Beefheart, and Jack White. Overall, I picked up on some very weird vibes like they would have thrown up a projector and played Herschell Gordan Lewis films while they performed live. This is further exemplified by the radio ads on the expanded version which I found amusing. The original album ends after 'Sticky'.
Out of the gate and never relenting, a brutal onslaught magnifying the worst of human suffering and depravity. A reminder that death is eminent. This set the framework for things to come and set the bar high with drums and guitars that thunder and scream like the marching and wailing of the Harbinger's Mares
- Revelation 6: 1-8
Reign in Blood Rips
These dudes were fried out of their minds when they performed and recorded this and it absolutely shows. For instance, Bill Ward nearly got fired because he was often drunk during sessions and had trouble recording his parts on 'Cornucopia', Ozzy sounds increasingly paranoid due to the band's excessive use of coke, and unless I'm mistaken, 'FX' came into existence because Iommi recorded the sounds his guitar made when the crucifix hanging from his neck struck it. This is a wild album where I think the disfunction and murkiness only adds to the mystique, housing some of their heaviest and most creative stuff. Personally, I've always liked the guitar tone and playing on this, which I can guess Iommi worked in some weird magic during the recording process.
I didn't care too much for this at first, but after finding a good audio rip and getting time to relax and actually listen, I enjoyed it a lot more. It's definitely weird and the mix seems odd in places. Much more mellow than I was expecting.
The early albums are good, but it was Bruce Dickinson who solidified Maiden's sound with the rest of the band honing in on their craft. From here, they continued to make a string of excellent albums that progressed very nicely.
This album is very consistent, which blends a dark and weird tone with defiant anthems and aggression veering into the positive. A good starting point if you want to get into this band with maybe the only filler track being Gangland, but even that one has some cool stuff going on. I wonder how many people notice (it took me a while) how the guitar and vocal melody on the song Number of the Beast borrows a little from the song When the Saints Go Marching In. It's a funny touch.
The vagina on her chest represents the gaping hole where her heart once existed. A fitting image for an album tackling multiple layers of emotional loss, gleaning from the experience, and moving forward. Having an idea of what to expect, I still was very surprised by this album's depth which does not fully reveal itself requiring the listener to take some time and peel it apart. Vulnicura is definitely a slow burn that works very well as a whole to the point where I couldn't tell you which song would be my favorite as all of it is excellent. I was most impressed by the arrangement of strings and synth in which Björk seemingly conjures and bends to her will, while managing to be relatable, conversational, and yet very alien. I would seriously like to know how some of these songs look on paper, how they were conceived and measured out. In all, I want to embrace the poor woman but stand in fear that she would devour me like a terrifying monster.
Building from an older style, I feel this was forward thinking. Consistent, concise, with solid playing. The songs on this album do a great job of both being energetic and relaxing.
I haven't uncovered why this album has been heaped with so much praise and I'm left feeling empty. After listening several times, I experienced a continual disconnect like I'm missing a puzzle piece leading me each time with increased frustration. Part of the problem was my own faulty perception to hear something more driving and upbeat. But the other element I picked up on, though perhaps I'm being a bit jaded, save for Beth Gibbons, is how lifeless this feels in places or even forced. It seems as though Portishead is so reliant on samples and setting a mood that the elements of memorable song writing/craft suffer. This isn't bad. There are interesting things happening with the music, but I hoped and expected more and found myself feeling exhausted trying to enjoy it.
https://youtu.be/oLTN7tsiMN8?si=HKvNYLPEliVhA2bd
Dated and dumb for sure but fun and made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed the more funk and r&b grooves and jazz touches. Oddly refreshing, but considering the play time, it didn't quite stay as engaging throughout as I hoped. The tone also seemed to change a little as the album progressed.
This album was a good listen and has some very tight playing and interesting vocals. It has a near cinematic feel with most songs segueing into each other or carrying similar themes. This could also be a negative as it could create a sense of sameness. Still, this is obviously well crafted and it also just sounds excellent from a recording stand point.
Another band I've only heard in name only and wound up enjoying a good deal. I would describe this as solid synthwave with maybe some chillwave undertones. At times, I wanted the songs to push a little harder or be a bit darker, but still, they remain catchy and are very beautiful in places. I particularly like the synth sounds that mimic distorted guitar. It's either an actual guitar getting filtered in or it's something manipulated and placed in a bank. Whatever is going on, it's put to good use.
The bonus tracks are very good, and I would highly recommend listening to the 10 year anniversary remaster.
Each song is a self-contained story, and at the same time they all work extremely well in sequence and thematically. Coming from 1997, this album feels eerily prophetic in 2023.
It's refreshing to hear Christmas songs from 60s girl groups rather than old crooners, in my opinion. Well performed and produced with even the songs I typically don't care for are enjoyable.
It might feel a little underwhelming, even jagged in places, but I love the simplicity. Being very familiar with The Velvet Underground & Nico, I had not heard this but I'm glad I finally did. It feels as though this album will grow with the listener over time.
This takes me back to another time and place. Belle And Sebastian songs made there way in heavy rotations in the early to mid 00s, and though I never spent too much time listening to their albums in full, I think this one was always my favorite. Coming back, this was a serious joy. Each song offers something special with some subtle quirks that may not be apparent at first, and they all flow together very well. It does hold a reputation for some pretension and maybe some of the music blends together a little too much, but I find this album very warm and inviting. "Precious", but as the title suggests, there is a dark side under the surface which in the end, brings emphasis to something feeling very human and tangible.
A bit polarizing but I suppose that's to be expected with Nick Cave. By the end of the album I say: "I think I like this? I'm not sure." It's good but maybe not as striking or impactful as it could be. Here, the macabre feels turned down a bit to make room for more gospel flavored material but with less fire and brimstone, and so I would be more inclined to listen to some of the older albums or later ones such as Let Love In or Murder Ballads.
One thing for sure, Nick Cave is a good story teller and builds mystique and morbid curiosity.
From a first time listen, I found this album very pleasing and holds some really good songs I've never heard which are interesting and has some intricate and biting guitar work. Just solid ambitious music, particularly for the time but still sounds very fresh, and excellent power pop. I'll never be a big fan of Yellow Submarine but it's not awful and it makes some sense in the context of the album.
I can imagine this is what the White Album would have sounded more like if the band members had been able to work better together and had been in better mental shape at that point.
Simply plays like the derivative of the Marshall Mathers LP. An album that I was probably a bit generous toward. Even if it sounds good production wise with attention to a particular craft, it really feels immature. I have little to no desire to hear this again.
It's hard to deny how good this is even if you may not care much for this style of music. Most will probably find something worthwhile here. Great recording quality, amazing playing, and high level of professionalism. However, due to the length, I probably won't listen to this in full again for a very long time, opting instead to pick and choose a few songs.
A modest 4 rating for me. It's a good album with the band stretching their legs and finding a sound even if they seem to fumble around a bit.
Until starting this project, I hadn't heard much Björk. I'm finding that I'm continuously wowed by this woman's music. Very absorbing, dynamic, and in places, intense. The second half feels like it floats (but not aimlessly) along a bit before coming to a strong close. It only askes for deeper listening.
Good blend of different styles with some interesting guitar work and nice polyrhythms going on. A good listen, but I was hoping for a bit more variety, and it felt a little repetitive in places.
The strength of this album is almost less about the music and more about the fury and bombast of it. To some degree, I forgot how weird this band was/is. A lot of this set a certain pathway for punk and the influence on those early Rush recordings is also pretty obvious.
Maybe the most consistent Replacements album I've heard so far. Excellent in its rawness and emotion, blending nicely into more experimental territory. It's also fun but not overly goofy and still serious enough to leave a lasting impression. The inclusion of the KISS cover is interesting but it works and makes sense. I would call this another landmark album for 90s emotional hardcore.
Very solid which I found very enjoyable throughout. The jazz and funk elements are great, creating a nice laid back feel and approach, but still holds a lot of urgency and potency in its themes.
Good, but in all honesty, there's really not much here that stands out.
Another fantastic discovery since starting this project. Powerful and mesmerizing with each song feeling similar but each uniquely different.
Has the potential to be repetitive and become tiresome, but it manages to leave a lasting impression, and perhaps the pros outweigh the cons.
Big Yuzo Koshiro vibes.
Being a fan of prog and art rock as well as anything punk adjacent, I'm surprised I've never heard this album with the exception of maybe 'Cindy Tells Me'.
In all it's oddness, and perhaps harsh elements, I found this album pleasing and even calming. This really blends the experimental, pop, and ambient together very nicely to the point that even if I didn't like some songs as much as others, it's all very unique and worth digging into.
For me, it seems the inclusion if this album on this list works as possible form of enlightenment? I don't think I realized this band had been putting music out this early, nor did I know they sounded anything like this during this period. What I determined pretty quickly is I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. The baroque pop elements are good with interesting flourishes here and there, but it just doesn't quite get into areas that feel very deep. I also didn't care much for the vocals in places which is a big part of their sound. As an album, this feels like a dirge and lacks direction sort of leaving scraps behind.
Also, Edison was not a good person, even though this song about him is pretty weird, and I kind of dig it.
Growing a serious appreciation for this guy. I've always liked this album but it's another one that hits differently as I'm older and I would easily rank it alongside On The Beach. I really like the ambition here even if it feels a bit strange in places. Specifically, 'A Man Needs a Maid' and 'There's a World' are the kind of songs I would like to know more about and what was going on at the time that put them together. Really, the whole album seems to make itself painfully obvious about a rich story and narrative and it does a great job of sucking you in while keeping things very concise. Sad, but in a good contemplative way.
When this one popped up I threw my head back and laughed while making some remark such as "Oh dear God, this!" Then followed by a groan but then feelings of weird excitement. In all it's heavy cheese, this one is and always has been a serious guilty pleasure. In all honesty, despite its over exposure and over the top nature, this is a solid album which hits a more emotional chord these days and feels very genuine. Some of these songs have a weird gospel flair to them which I like, thanks mostly to the use of Deep Purple/ELP like organ parts and the vocal harmonies. It makes complete sense that Michael Sweet fronted this band for a while. In this recent listen I definitely noticed some serious power pop going on which made me draw a possibly odd comparison. Take a moment to imagine someone like Alex Chilton performing more striped down versions of these songs, particularly Peace of Mind, Hitch a Ride, and Something About You...
You're welcome.
Ironically, as a staple of corporate rock FM, the story of how this album came to be is seriously DIY with some punk attitude. I'm not going to actively listen to this, but at the same time, it's hard to deny. Still very enjoyable.
Excellent. The influences are obvious but something about this album and the songs presented here seem to transcend genre, bridging things you otherwise might not think would get along. What I really wasn't expecting was the certain level of energy, intensity, and mysterious quality I've only encountered from Jeremy Enigk. I will definitely revisit but perhaps occasionally as it does have an overwhelming presence, primarily regarding the vocals.
Manic is a good word to describe this band which has a really unique sound. This almost has an angular post hardcore DC feel but is difficult to nail down. As an album, it starts to wear me down a little past the halfway point, but the songs are varied enough and hold plenty of surprises to keep me intrigued and wanting to come back and definitely has some depth. Richey Edwards was an interesting figure for sure.
Serious baby makin' Dad Yacht Funk, so you'll probably need to be in the right mood, but this is excellent even if it feels a little front loaded. A very tight and fun album with some nice surprises with the kalimba and keyboard work. Forgetting this was a soundtrack, I was hoping to hear vocals on 'Afrocano' but oh well. Gonna go ahead and round this one up.
Pulp is such a strange anomaly. My experience with this band is probably not much different from most, which was hearing a few songs occasionally, usually on someone's mix cd, or in various places and always left me with an impression of curiosity. That curiosity leads me wondering if this is the ultimate britpop album. If not, then it would be way up on the list. At first listen, I wasn't sure how this was going to unfold, but then something clicked. Not a bad song here and it holds some interesting depth that seems wholly unique to this band.
Exceptional in the mood it sets and in the simplistic, or deceptively, simple songwriting which has a mysterious air. Delivery and tone are key, and I'm personally a big fan of the recording quality, too.
I can see why this album is important and how it could be on someone's list of favorites, but didn't do much for me. My review is a little jaded however because this simply wasn't what I wanted to hear today. I knew what I was getting myself into but it definitely lacked substance. On the positive, though. I do like Snoop Doggs vocals and delivery and liked the inclusion of Dr. Dre in places.
Maybe I'll give more attention to this on another day.
Songs about girls, pervs, weirdos, and dweeby cousins. Solid pop punk that is a product of its time but I think has aged very well and even feels modern in some ways. I dig the guitar work which I thought was creative and fun (a little more surfy, which is to be expected), and a lot of the cuts are nice standouts. I found I enjoyed this album more as it progressed and fits nicely between and alongside Camper Van Beethoven and the Descendents.
Hobbiton, Cricket, and Randy Marsh are treasures of New Zealand
I'm not really on board though, but I do find it intriguing. It's weird too, because I can't determine if what I do enjoy about this album is really Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor or just Jack Antonoff. But as the kids would say, this has a few bops on it.
I see and hear what you're doing there, Adams. A stab at Bryan Adams and an inversion of Born in the U.S.A.. I get you... Personal issues aside, really good album I thoroughly enjoyed. I was expecting this to plod a bit but that was the most striking thing to me about Gold. Even the slower songs had some pep, creating an experience that was very catchy, melodic, and very beautiful in several spots. Anything that makes me want to sing or play along is a winner in my book.
In pure Spinal Tap fashion, I once had an image in my mind of Zeppelin performing 'Ramble On' in an old auditorium with a toilet bolted to the center of the stage. ..Stay with me.. So the band starts playing. You can hear Rober Plant singing, but he can't be seen. It is later discovered that he is under the stage on a lift, which slowly pushes him up through a hole where the toilet sits. By the time the song is closing, Plant is singing "doo de doo de doo de" as his head is sticking out of the toilet.
Despite the self-absorbed, hedonistic, butt rock and some questionable lyricism, I dig this album and I dig this band. The grooves and riffs are absolutely crushing. I really enjoyed coming back to this after some time.
Without question, Aja is a desert island album that hits all the right buttons. Funny enough, I don't know if I would say this is my favorite from Steely Dan, but this would be their most consistant and immaculate record with some incredible playing and songwriting which perfectly encapsulates what Walter and Fagen were up to. And like any good Dan album, underneath the buff and polish, there hides an alluring dark underworld that showcases a cast of freaks and weirdos behind a backdrop of music that has some serious grit baked in. I may not understand the lyrics, but dear God do I ever feel it.
Verges on the bland but considering the circumstances it's impressive and has some interesting ideas and good songs. I would revisit even if the soaring choruses tend to wear on.
Really cool album which is hard to describe. A very unique blend of sounds with each song providing some serious surprises.
I've always enjoyed the boldness and experimentation of this album. On most double albums, bands tend to throw everything at the wall to see what sticks, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. What we have instead is a solid LP for the first half on par with their previous two or three albums, (Kashmir I could give or take), and the rest comprises of b-sides or outtake like material which has some Zep III vibes.
Though I question the direction of the album cover, and probably think too much about the album's overall purpose, other than to glamorize excess, this band possesses some weird charm. I've never been big on them but I enjoy their music, at least in doses and what we have here is a very good, consistent album that perhaps calls for a deeper dive of their earlier material and for the remainder of their 70's output.
Fantastic and also very strange. Perhaps serving as a gateway album because it includes a good helping of different ideas and approaches to songcraft found throughout Bowie's career. Until today, I'm not sure I had heard this album from front to back, since I was a little surprised to encounter the heavy ambient cuts which are really cool and operate almost as couterpoint to side A's upbeat diso-y art punk, which also feels disarmingly catchy and unusual. Expecting another ambient work, I was pleased by how things almost reign in to a close with 'The Secret Life of Arabia'. In a way, this is also very much an Eno and Fripp album who's contributions make this album special.
Digital release from '95 with bonus tracks:
https://youtu.be/dPBY3vBFWmA?si=53pY4fECAS43cCyw
Vinyl rip:
https://youtu.be/yFWfF3Zow74?si=fd65ONw0GCMHa2Q8
I'll admit, this style of music is not the easiest to get into but this album is excellent and has a particular quality. I would easily purchase a copy if I could find it. It's also important to understand and see how these instruments function and are played which might give a greater appreciation and enjoyment of this.
I imagine this was more impactful when it first released but I still find it enjoyable. The album floats along without pushing too many boundaries, with it's chilled out, light atmosphere (with a dash of irony), probably always being the point. To be fair, Moon Safari accomplishes what it sets out to do, creating a mood that is more inward and immersive. Personally, this is occasional listening, whereas an album I teeter between positive or neutral.
Fun Fact:
Dave Depper of Death Cab recorded a nearly 1:1 recreation of this album worth checking out, which I think I like a bit more. As a guitarist, he adds a bit more edge.
Not bad but nothing truly remarkable, ultimately becoming rather forgettable. This sounds like a very good bar band who are still trying to gather their bearings and have some good ideas, but they rarely land. And maybe this band sounded great live but this recording doesn't capture the same energy.
Not bad for a lazy weekend. I like the stripped down feel of this one which seems to share some connection with what may be considered "outsider music". Where this album falters for me would be an issue of track sequencing and having a handful of songs which sound too much like one another or can just be left off the album entirely.
After nearly 150 albums in since starting this project, I'm starting to think a little differently about how I approach things. I need to ask myself a few questions: What is this album's purpose? What is the artist's vision? And how does this album make me feel? This can then be broken down further based on the album or artist and honestly, I may not be able to answer those questions fully.
Regarding Blonde On Blonde, it seems clear Bob Dylan, while taking some chances, was looking for the perfect backing band as a vehicle for his poetry. Poetic lyricism which never fully gives itself away and leaves an openess for discussion and wondering. Perhaps a mark of successful storytelling. This album is another slow burn for me where it is not immediately apparent of its depth. In an age of instant gratification and consumption, Blonde On Blonde calls the listener to really sit down and let it sink in slowly which is a challenge. I don't feel this album is built on the weight of any singles or favorite songs but rather to be slowly digested. Thankfully, it never feels completely overwhelming.
Only knowing this band in name only, this was a pleasent surprise, reminding me a lot of stuff I like. Very solid, melodic power pop with some real beautiful moments with some weird teeth. It starts to run out of steam a little by the final quarter but the less memorable songs could grow on me. Not a huge fan of the Simon & Garfunkel cover but still fun in the end.
I'm feeling very conflicted about enjoying this guy's music. Knowing what I know now, it really puts a damper on the whole experience.
These electric Dylan albums of this period are very enjoyable. The playing here is confidently loose and the songs have a lot of depth. Like a previous album on this list, it needs to be slowly absorbed and meant to be taken in full. If I am to fault this one, the harmonica does get pretty shrill in places, but that also gives things a nice live feel.
I mostly enjoyed the more soul and R&B material as well as the increased input from Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding. Some stuff doesn't always sound as realized or work very well for me, but this was good to hear.
Impressive, this came out in 67.
Good album with great players, but I've never really gotten into this band, though I've tried in the past. Sonically very pleasing with incredibly tight playing and Dave Krusen doing a phenomenal job. It's primarily Vedder I don't particularly resonate with.
3.5
Truly bizarre. Makes me think of a fictitious anime film soundtrack composed by a 4AD band. Picking up on heavy Dead Can Dance vibes.
I wouldn't give this any overwhelming praise but it's a positive for me purely on its uniqueness.
Good energy and nice guitar work. Solid early punk that I'm slightly indifferent toward for some reason.
Bigger fan of the second half, but this album is a winner because of the vocals and the overall feel.
Early Sabbath was the soundtrack for those days spent with friends in a shed out back while restoring BMX bikes and trying to keep CLR off our hands. And while Paranoid and Masters of Reality probably spent heavier rotation in the tape deck, I remember quite a bit more of this than I realized. A decent debut with some weird touches.
That harmonica and juice harp...
They understood and nailed the assignment. I don't personally care for the finished product.
Paints a picture of a world where I want to stay in for a while.
This was interesting. For almost anything considered trip-hop or related to it, I have struggled to connect with the genre. This album, I feel, might be an exception. This was good with the blend of folk and electronica being quite unique. I do think some of these songs have some busy arrangements, becoming a distraction and not allowing things to flow naturally, but the best of this reminds me of Van Morrison, particularly 'Sweetest Decline', both in delivery and feel. I'm going to mark this album and revisit because I think it has some layers worth exploring.
OK. You got me you silly vikings.
I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. This band had some serious talent and I'm not surprised they blew up the way they did. The vocals and interplay between the members is done very well, and the songs presented here stay interesting throughout even if I may not be crazy about all of them. I don't think it's a stretch to say this band is much more than a glitzy disco group, and they possess some strange edge. I'll be glad to dig into more of their discography as well as Anni-Frid Lyngstad's solo work.
Not having the nostalgia factor, Oasis exists for me rather than leaving much of an impact. I do think this is good and I like the ambition with a chunk of songs having some nice hooks. What pulls me away are the vocals and they tend to lean on their influences which hurt originality. By the last quarter of the album I'm honestly ready for it to be over.
I like the spoken word and much of the subject matter, but musically I didn't find this nearly as engaging as I hoped.
A surprising treat. The songs on this album feel transcendental, all at once joyful and melancholy which depicts the time and space in which they were written.
Short, sweet, and to the point with a nice punch. Encompasses everything I enjoy about alt country, the Heartbreakers, and Springsteen.
I'm sure it's touched up, but for a live bootleg from the 60s, I think the recording quality is quite good. I really enjoyed the intimate acoustic set, and the electric set has some great energy, fueled by more ways than one to drown out heckling. The set list feels carefully constructed, and the band is obviously talented and road tested. I dig it.
I've always enjoyed how unique this album sounds and feels. Varied and uncomfortable.
The dissonance on Hedphelym is truly unsettling.
When you don't really notice or care how long some of the songs are, shows how engaging it is. I really liked the ambition, the cinematic nature, and the psychedelic touches of this album. The backing band is very solid. Also, I loved finding what would later become the sample used on Public Enemy's 'Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos.'
Just beautiful and other worldly.
Prefab Sprout and this album has been a fun recent discovery. Paddy McAloon is definitely an eccentric figure and an interesting songwriter, in my opinion but I can also understand some of the criticism. I personally enjoy this album but I also want to enjoy it more. The first half is very strong but the second half, while also good, has taken a little more time. What this really represents is a time stamp to a certain era. Fans of Aztec Camera, The Go-Betweens, Blue Nile, and Talk Talk will find much to enjoy here even if the approach to songwriting here might feel needlessly overwhelming.
Definitely take some time to listen to the acoustic versions of these songs.
This stayed in the car stereo for a good while years ago, and the more I listen to this, the more I enjoy it. It's varied with good drive and sweeping anthems but also feels subdued because of the production. It's weird. Also, surprisingly emotional and I enjoyed the heavy Blondie inspired material more this time around. I do wonder if it feels bloated by the weight of its own ambition?
The production and instrumentation are very good and unique throughout. I also find the gospel elements and social commentary in the lyrics pretty striking. It takes a minute to sink in, but it's a solid album.
Great voice, production, and direction.Though for some reason, I'm not grabbed by this much. Maybe it requires more listening.
Some of the best albums I have experienced are the ones which defy categorization and genre bend. Prime example, this one. I love how everything weaves around her vocals and narrative. This holds some very unique experimentation, too.
This was interesting. Home to some really cool songs and ideas but as a whole it's very strange.
If anything, I would add a few songs to a playlist and check out some other albums by this group or at least dig into their history.
I didn't think farting sounds would make for required listening before I died, but you know, I've been surprised by many things.
Really, this is a jam throughout with the title track being oddly satisfying.
I'm pretty torn, really. Absolutely influential, but this seems to be a case of the history being more memorable than the music itself.
A challenging listen which I don't think is just a jazz album. With the dissonance and odd rhythm choices, I'm reminded of Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring'. The big band approach is taken and turned on its head with the instruments seemingly communicating with each other, depicting different voices and personalities and coming to a cacophony by the close.
I don't think there is a soul who wouldn't be moved by this in some way.
It's good. Some very solid and chill songs while some I found to be either a bit silly or not as memorable.
OK. More repetitive and less melodic than I was expecting. Good for the morning commute but I won't plan to come back to this.
I'm giving this a modest 3 for it's influence.
Present on this list to confirm my distate for this band. So here's the deal. I like the individual players, to an extent, particularly Chad Smith and Flea. The band plays well and most of the songs have some really nice grooves and some cool moments, but it's Kiedis who comes in and ruins things with his immature lyrics and gibberish vocals. This album is also really long and I think suffers from a weird track listing. You can easily shave twenty minutes off of it.
But no matter what, BSSM and RHCP is dumb, unnecessarily vulgar, frat boy rock now turning into dad rock with some nice moments but way too little and too far between.
Only previously listening to Leisure, which I thought was good, Parklife feels like a big step forward. A pastiche of different things which creates a fun and unique experience I think would reward with repeated listens. Definitely lengthy but it never feels overblown. Very much similar to Pulp but less dark.
Sort of funny how this is the same band who did Song 2.
This one is weird. I had a good idea of what to expect, but as a fan of Traffic, I still found myself a bit disappointed. I was even thinking the negative reviews were harsh, but quickly realized there was some justification. Most of these songs sound and feel like they needed a little more time to bake. They have strange mixing, texture choices, lack some good grooves, and ultimately feel flat. Perhaps the sound of someone trying too hard to do something different with too many (at the time) new tools but not knowing how best to put the pieces together.
Some positives: Gotta give Steve Winwood for essentially doing all of this himself, Night Train is kind of a jam, Slowdown-Sundown, sounding the most like Traffic, is pleasing, and in all it's cheese, I like the title track just enough.
I'm probably being a bit more critical because I was hoping for a bit more.
Definitely an interesting listen which I liked, but I need to be honest. It's good but I didn't find it great. Some solid moments but not quite enough for me to give a seriously high rating.
In all it's cheese and sleaze, I've always really liked this album and honestly have a hard time finding any real fault with it. I don't consider myself a big fan but this is a solid album from start to finish. I really like the lack of overdubs and the raw feel of this.
Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but Michael Anthony is my favorite member of this group. He gets overshadowed, but his bass playing is very tight and tasteful. And his backing vocals add so much flavor.
As double albums go, very dense and sprawled out with various ideas and experimentation, however, this album feels very tight and not nearly as long as it truly is with not a song feeling like filler or out of place.
As I've stated previously, pop music of this era can tend to grate on me, particularly of the earlier psychedelic period as I don't think some of it has aged very well. The Mommas and the Pappas and almost any group adjacent or connected to them all tend to fall in this heap. Though, I was hoping to be a little surprised by this, and granted I was caught off guard a little, as a few of these songs, either directly or inadvertently, seemed to be templates for much later acts of baroque indie pop rock which emerged about 15 years ago or slightly earlier. The song 'Do You Wanna Dance' remarkably sounds like the blueprint for Jens Lekman's 'Maple Leaves'. So going through this and spotting those elements was fun, but this album is fairly bland and safe.
A little funny this is, including considering the band was unhappy about it. Pretty interesting sound, though, with some nice use of fuzz and tremolo, but it fizzles out fairly quickly with some odd song directions. I also felt like my brain was trying too hard to process it all.
Here is another one I wanted to enjoy more. It's fine. For some reason, this album doesn't do much for me. It lacks some drive and I didn't find it very memorable. I'm not going to dismiss this band, though because I kind of see what they were going for and I might enjoy their earlier albums more.
Everything I have enjoyed about Roxy Music, Eno, Bowie, and then some. An excellent blend of the experimental and accessible, and yet their doesn't seem to be any clear "hits" to be found making it feel like a weird animal meant to be taken as a whole or in chunks. I love the keyboard/synth work, which gives some heavy prog/fusion vibes and the guitar lead lines are flat out wild. Each song has some twist or serious surprise while looking in the rear view mirror while simultaneously pointing to the future. Such a great discovery.
Great energy with smart pop sensibilities held together by solid musicianship. Jam Band-y
Objectively very good. The arrangements, performance, and recording quality is exceptional. I've discovered while doing this project, I tend to struggle to dig in and enjoy any form of vocal jazz or big band albums. So I recognize the importance and quality of this album but I have a hard time feeling drawn to it if that makes any sense.
Perhaps a bit saccharine but a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging album with well crafted and creative songs. A surprise for me.
Off putting for sure but might grow on me. Seems influential on a lot of stuff I enjoy.
A very good debut from one of my favorite groups. I'm glad they ended up going into stranger territory with later releases.
Fractured with some silly lyrics in places, but I've always enjoyed this one and it was good to revisit. Until today, I'm not sure I've ever paid much attention to the latter portion of the album which turns out to be pretty rewarding. Also, Jerry Garcia played some beautiful lap steel.
This group should really have been named: Crosby, Stills, Nash, Mitchell, Garcia, & a lot of Young.
Makes me awkwardly want to drink a Pepsi and fire up the Sega Genesis.
Low tier guilty pleasure and with fresh ears feels like a template for Phil Collins. Wish it was more weird...in a good way.
Exciting and adventurous as it is relaxing. From a first time listen, it seems obvious this is an important album for jazz enthusiasts and anyone who studies music. Deserves to be on this list.
On first Impression I'm thinking this was a step back from EVOL, but after a few listens it eventually snuck in like being lured into a strange and horrific film or book. I really enjoy the playful deconstruction of glam rock and new wave, which lacks a mocking tone. Rather, it's an adventurous exploration looking back to 'Bad Moon Rising', and forward thinking in the more accessible. I'm still very impressed this is coming out of the 80's, and I do wonder what Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley thought about 'Master-Dik'.
Here is another album I want to hang out in for a little while.
I've enjoyed this album and have grown an appreciation for Petty's Americana power pop and recognizing how tight the Heartbreakers were. I realize, too, this debut is good but just shy of being great. It suffers from being a little awkward.
Hard to deny. This album is very solid with some great talent, nice layers, and pleasing to the ears on the production end. Cheesy, but well done.
Now I'm off to the Catalina Wine Mixer. I'll take the white.
Maybe there's a gem hidden here but it takes a while to excavate and I find it straddles an awkward line between wistful indie pop and glossy britpop.
I don't hate it but don't particularly care for it either. Dumb to the point where I think it's meant to be ironic but the ballads might suggest otherwise. My enjoyment is also hindered by how repetitive or similar it all sounds.
Some strong material among some filler. Breaking up the monotony are good instrumental sections and tasteful, thought out drum work. I feel It goes on longer than it needs to.
I know this is not meant to be particularly deep, but it could stand to be clever and more sincere. By the end of this album, I'm left feeling exhausted and a little gross while thinking of other albums that better represent this genre.
Starts out promising with some good songs sprinkled throughout. I like some of the ideas and layering of different textures but it lacks some bite and the vocals don't really land with me. A serious mixed bag.
Yeah, I'm good. I'll take these instead:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Tvw2YNOLrcxATPGnFVTzz?si=09RUTmDTSBGLdNG_qxTyYQ
Great flow, great beats, some nice ideas. Too much boasting with little substance. I wanted to like this more, but eh..
Enjoyable. I like the variety but that's also a weakness. This album has a scattershot approach with two or three songs feeling out of place. My favorites being the mellower cuts.
Solid listen which keeps one engaged and surprised. Enjoyed the guitar work and odd rhythm choices the most.
Good if not a little sterile.
This feels like something Tarantino was listening to while his friends paid attention to more mainstream rock music of the same era. But it was this band which ended up on his movie soundtrack in order to showcase something more punk or obscure.
Great first half with the second half dipping a little. The bonus covers are done very well.
Pretty solid.
I really enjoy the aesthetics of this album. Haunting is a fitting descriptor and reminding me of Talk Talk's last two albums. Perhaps a bit dry in places, but it still strikes a great chord for a particular mood.
It took a minute, but I realized Transformer tickes all the right boxes for me. Representing several things I find appealing with the art-rock and singer-songwriter elements and then coated with a good dose of Glam Rock. The latter genre I'm growing an appreciation for. I really enjoy how this album is not afraid to double down on the odd and still maintains it's strong pop sensibilities.
Only knowing the title track, which is a total jam, (thanks Tarantino), the rest of the album was good to hear and maintains similar energy and tight playing I was expecting. By the end I tell myself "this sounds an awful lot like Talking Heads" followed by an immediate face palm moment.
While I like the abrasiveness of Psychocandy, it was nice hearing something that felt cleaner and more restrained, resulting in some nice pop songs. A strange counterpart to their debut, which in places here, feels like it falls heavily on the singles while a few other songs fade into the background.
Nonetheless, this is indeed a pleasing listen.
Calming album with some odd flourishes here and there with John's voice and delivery being pretty unique and pleasing even if I did not always connect with it. I might need to revisit this one on a different day, allowing it to sink in a little more. For now, as far as ratings go, it sits in a weird spot between a high 3 and low 4.
This one and the other Style Council album which came out the following year, seem to suffer from similar issues. Absolutely no consistency with songs that don't feel convincing to me. A positive for the amount of ground covered, but very little lands in a solid way.
The Flaming Lips more or less succeeded in providing a pseudo concept under the influence of hip hop and electronica soundscapes to express the fear and wonder of emerging technology and reiterating the frail, yet defiant, nature of humanity.
It's goofy, but endearing in its charm. I enjoyed the eclectic and essentric nature of these songs which flow very well together and reward with repeated listens. Great headphones album, too.
Nice alternative to the Beatles and the Stones subverting my expectations a little.
Positive: South American folk elements Negstive: Blended into a template I personally don't care for.
Punchy, creative, and feels fresh. If there is an album marked as an origin point for emotional hardcore and post hardcore from the 80s and early 90s, I'm pretty sure this would be it.
Nostalgia probably plays a small factor but this was great to revisit. These songs, while not all their best in my opinion, have rightfully been engraved in my subconscious, and works really well as a whole. Interesting transitional album.
I set my expectations a little too high. It grew on me, and definitely has some bright spots, but it doesn't quite have the bite or weirdness I enjoy from early metal/hard rock. At least a possible invite to dig deeper into their catalog.
What a strange audacious and surprising album. One in which I'm really not sure what to make of. I did enjoy this more than I expected, never quite thinking it wasn't for me.
Could stand to be shorter and maybe more cohesive.
This one is weird because it does deliver as an important album, I just don't carry the nostalgia factor for it. I also, realize I don't care for her vocal style which is very rough in places.
I remember when this came out. It was a big deal and I thought that was funny. I didn't care for it then and I don't particularly care for it now. Monotonous vocals and dumb lyrics. To be fair, I kind of like what they were trying to do, but as an album, it doesn't land for me.
The production is very dated, even for '88, but against the vocals and lyrics, somehow it works? Almost ironic, I found myself getting absorbed. Give this one a chance and some time.
Personally really enjoy this one. I love how raw, emotional, and experimental it is. Yeah, as you would expect, the track listing is a little strange but that's also part of the fun.
Enjoyable. Of the garage rock revival of the 00's, I would place this high on the list. I don't know if it stands out as much as it could, but I thought it was good.
Reminds me of SpongeBob for some reason which doesn't count as a negative.
I found this surprising. It starts as a fairly typical pop album, but as it progresses, you can tell something else is going on. While I did miss the more RnB elements from the previous album, it seems muted here. Overall, I enjoyed this album more. To me, it feels fuller and more realized.
In honesty, this is not really my style, but she is obviously very talented.
Loses a bit of steam toward the end, but I liked this a lot more than I thought.
This is a great album for how it came about and for it's tone. Haunting, sad, and absolutely love the jump scare.
I have always enjoyed this one. Just a really good, fun album, which is very consistent. It documents a band that was starting to stretch their legs to great results. The only knock I'll give is the creepy lyrics on Run for your life.
So far, one of, if not the most insular and alienating set of songs I've ever heard. As such, I personally found myself interested and engaged but it was pretty rough. Will I revisit? Yes, but not too soon.
This is an album that is focused on sonic exploration and I like that about it. Definitely striking, but I personally wasn't grabbed by it in the way I thought I would. I'm led to believe Siouxsie would go on to release stronger material but not as shocking as this. Maybe I need to give Scream some more time.
You can definitely here what's to come with punk and new wave and this also presents a story worth digging into. An impactful and fun album.
Not really my thing but I'll say I've enjoyed this more than the trip hop and most other electronica albums popping up on this list so far. I was also surprised by how chill some of this is.
A real shame I haven't listened much of T.Rex until now. Fun as it is weird. Strangely accessible.
One that I think needs to grow on the listener for a bit, but it turns out to be another solid outing for Neil. This has a live feel that I enjoy.
An infectious exploration of sound and feeling that is deceptively complex.
For me, sits somewhere between Born to Run and Darkness. The blue collar working class elements with the 80s country production always made me think about my granddad.
And no. That's not a MAGA hat in his back pocket despite what you want to believe.
A defining album in some ways, though it's always been weird to approach. These were some of the first Radiohead songs I was exposed to and for me, set the tone and expectation for what this band was up to. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to give this one a higher rating but coming back to this collection, or whatever you want to call it, was quite enjoyable and even relaxing in a strange way. I think it helps to hear this in conjunction with Kid A.
Another personal favorite. I grabbed this album years ago on the weight of 'Message in a Bottle', and 'Walking on the Moon' to discover the rest of it had the same punch and exploration of sound. I really like all of their albums, but later on I would realise how well each of the band members are represented here, who were not separated, but actually working together as songwriters. The end result is a strange mixture of melancholy and energetic quirkiness that I personally appreciate.
Some strong material mixed in with material that is less memorable.
Pros: The Cars Greatest Hits
Cons: The Cars Greatest Hits
This one has been an interesting experience. I'm not sure I've ever heard an album where I enjoy it but almost simultaneously grow fatigued by it. I think I'm able to unpack this a little. I really enjoy hearing the meld of influences and can track where and how this album influenced acts that would follow. Much of the guitar work is really well done, and the songs themselves are fun with some impressive hooks.
What I've personally experienced with this album, however, is I almost begin feeling overwhelmed by it. Maybe it's a little over the top with a bit of overproduction. A great example would be 'This is the One', a definite highlight but does it need to be drenched in reverb? It also doesn't help that much of this album, though varied just enough, sounds very similar, so by the time the record comes to an end, I feel like I shouldn't return to it for a while, at least in whole. Perhaps I'm nitpicking, too much.
This is still a good album, though, with great moments where I wished it was more dour as the opening track would suggest. I think it just takes a minute to sink in.
Personally, I have always enjoyed Leonard Cohen's uniqueness. It's the sort of thing that I have appreciated more as I've grown older. In a way, this album is confounding and draws you into a strange place. On this recent listen, I found myself getting caught off guard by some phrase or an instrumentation element or some bizarre touch which only led to further listening.
Here is another example of an album that is good but isn't really my thing. I did like some of the background touches, though, such as the use of brass and flutes.
I'm left wondering if the sound of this album is a product of its time or it helped define it. Probably both but whatever the case, does it really matter? What I do know is this one is a very fun and exciting listen throughout. I've been really struck by the tightness of the rhythm section and the inventive guitar work. The whole package is wrapped up nicely by Joe Strummer's unique vocal styling and poignant lyrics.
I like this one and will play this on seldom occasions. Lots of melancholy good for a rainy day.
So... I was born a few years after 1982 and this is one of my favorites and it would be a serious oversight if it didn't make an appearance on this 1001 list.
Is this Peter Gabriel's best album? Maybe. It's easily one of his most important and emotionally charged, despite feeling a bit uneven. I always thought it was strange how this ended on two, more experimental/ambient songs (totally fine songs by the way) but later reissues would place 'In Your Eyes' as the final track which was probably the right choice.
I think the real success of this album is the way it bridges gaps into a more accessible territory while not compromising the familiar art rock of his previous work and became a benchmark moving forward.
And yes, 'Big Time' is cheesy but that's the point. In fact, that one has some nice Eno/David Byrne quirkiness that makes it fun.
Casts a wide net of sounds and style while dripping of personality.
Solid even though 'Papa' feels like the centerpiece. I like the more upbeat songs over the ballads.
This reminded me of my dad who recently passed. Not just a guitar album but also a pretty groundbreaking rock album.
Also, reminds me of SpongeBob because the kids are watching it and Buddy Holly looked like Tom Kenny...
Rush's make it or break it album. I love how they pushed back against their management and continued with the longer song format. Here, the guys successfully found out how to make it work on both an ambitious and accessible scale. In general, I really like the dynamics on this album, going from very aggressive to very beautiful at the drop of a dime. Alex really shines here and I always found his switching from folky arpeggiation to heavy power chording really interesting. I'm a big Rush fan, so I'll gush a little..
2112 Suite - Loosly based on Anthem by Ayn Rand, it's a very geeky concept that exemplifies youthful individualism against a controlling establishment. It was a recurring theme for much of their early period and really set the tone for much of their material to follow. It took a while for me to realize that Overture instrumentally set up most of the song chapters, creating motifs to return to. They would revisit this idea again on later songs. Musically, there inhabitants an interesting blend of anger and frustration but also a wild exuberance of exploration and fun. At times, this was a very serious band, but they knew how to have fun and they were goofy as hell.
A Passage to Bangkok - I really like the live version they refined in the late 70s and early 80s where Geddy would use the double neck guitar so that during the guitar solo, he could hit the power chords while playing the bass on his Taurus Pedals. Good stuff. Anyway, kind of goofy one but a fun fan favorite that would have fit pretty well on a previous album.
The Twilight Zone - A song that's actually about the TV show. I like the contrast between the bouncy verses and the shift into the creepier coruses complete with the whispered vocals.
Lessons - One of my favorites from this album. It sort of catches you off guard going from a more poppy acoustic feel into some pretty hard rock.
Tears - Beautifully haunting and a bit strange. I really like this one. Great acoustic guitar work and love the mellotron
Something For Nothing - Closes out the album with a bang which essentially bookends things nicely as Geddy wails some of my favorite lyrics from Neil during the bridge:
"What you own is your own kingdom. What you do is your own glory. What you love is your own power. What you live is your own story.
In your head is the answer, let it guide you along. Let your heart be the anchor and the beat of your song."
- Neil Peart (September 12 1952 - January 7th, 2020)
Roxy Music is great. They stood in this weird crossroads of glam and prog (definitely with Eno and Pete Sinfield) and seem to create the framework for Post Punk. Or is it Proto Punk? While this is a striking debut, I think they went on to put out even better music. This one will sneak up on you, though.
Also, I really like Ferry's over the top nature and croon.
It's interesting how I can like something and simultaneously found it boring. Don't get me wrong, this has some good songs and I like some of the riffs and chill atmosphere, but I get the sense this band has done better. Also, does it need to be almost an hour?
Thoroughly surprising. When an artist or band decides to release music late in their career, is it simply fan service or is there some new ground broken? In the case of Bowie, it seems to be both and I think he effectively leans toward the latter. I want to absorb these songs more and then revisit his final album, Blackstar.
4.5
Has the right ingredients for something I would really like but ends up just shy of being really good.
What would Primus have sounded like if they had signed to K Records?
It can't be overstated how important and influential this was for early indie and post hardcore. You can definitely hear traces of what would soon come from Minor Threat/Fugazi, and also stuff like Cap'n Jazz and everything that springs from the Kinsella family.
I don't think I had heard Double Nickels on The Dime in it's entirety before and found this to be quite a mood. It covers a great deal of material which deconstructs and intelligently pokes fun at pop music. Also, these guys we're just creative and talented players. Classic punk album which was ahead of the curve for 84.
A very engaging album which feels both polished and raw in a great way. I really like Smith's energy, voice, and odd delivery.
Some good cheese and sleaze. You essentially hear the same 3 or 4 songs over and over but they're done well even if everything feels dominated by Gibbons.
I admire the earnest nature of this album and they are pretty good with setting tone and atmospherics, I just personally find it a bit boring.
This will sound harsh, but I wonder if the popularity surrounding this one is because it was the U2 album most people hoped for but they got "Pop" instead.
One of those 'what's not to like/love about' albums. I got a kick out of the Merkavah reference on the title track ("swing down, sweet chariot. Stop, and let me ride."), which is based on an interpretation of Ezekiel's vision of God's throne and or chariot. Jewish mystics believed they we're able to ascend or descend into these other worldly locations, as well as various heavenly palaces, via meditation and special passwords to obtain secret knowledge. UFO enthusiasts would later refer to the same Ezekiel vision as a description of an alien spacecraft.
I'm sure George Clinton was inspired by this and used this idea to describe a place where the party was at. He succeeded.
Surprisingly minimal, which I like, and holds up pretty well as a pop album as well as just weird indie music with some obscure references and good use of drum machines. I think what makes this album standout, however, is the energy and bite it possesses. I will definitely be checking out some Bikini Kill.
In all, this reminded me of a recent conversation I had with a friend who had just watched Rosemary's Baby for the first time. Inevitably, it became a commentary on how John Cassavetes' character was a manipulative, gaslighting pos.
On the surface, maybe shock factor for the sake of it, but the use of motif and level of detail for each song should give pause. Interesting, too, is the level of noise which is done in a unique way. For instance, the drums and beats are not just rhythm but rather another voice. By albums end, it leaves an emotional and uncomfortable mark.
Good rule of thumb...if you know anyone who is listening to this on heavy rotation, you should check on their emotional state.
This could have easily stayed safe in the adult contemporary space, but instead this album takes some good chances which I thought was pretty solid and fun.
This was very good to revisit. The last time I heard this album was a few years ago and I was surprised by how much I remembered. Also, a reminder of the interesting intersection between progressive rock, glam, and post punk. Melt covers a lot of strange ground and manages to feel very consistent with much "Lamb" weirdness.
Definitely not for everyone but personally I liked this much more than I thought. Am I going to listen to it often? No, but this is some good chaos and makes me want to take a deep dive into Cave's discography.
Though a good portion has been worn out by rock radio, this is hard to deny.
I wasn't sure what to think of this at first other than being impressed by the instrumentation. After a while, it gets into you in a strange and beautiful way.
A good, surprising discovery. I knew Bob Mould continued on after Hüsker Dü, but I didn't realize he had put together something that echoed his old band as much as this. The result is a nice collection of heavy power pop songs, although a bit overproduced, that bring to mind the likes of Knapsack/The Jealous Sound, Archers of Loaf, Superchunk, and Pavement. Mould has an odd knack for melody, unique tectures, and, at times, the unusual chord changes which can make the listener feel a bit uneasy. I'm here for it. Copper Blue is a bit of the forgotten gem.
During this last listen, on the ipod no less, my oldest kid wanted to ask me a question but I asked her to wait a minute so I could focus on the instrumental section of 'Big Mouth'. I realize that might sound mean, but I meant no ill will. I guess The Smiths are "dad rock" in this house and this is easily one of my favorite albums and very influential in a lot of ways. Earnest and beautiful in its eccentricities with very excellent, intricate guitar work. This doesn't get old.
RIP Andy
If not for the industrial and shoegaze elements, this would be another bland Trip Hop album. But while this has some good songs, as a whole it doesn't move the needle much for me. Personally, I don't have any deep desire to revisit which is unfortunate because I wanted to like this more.
A bit hard to rate. Good, but overall I like much of the second half more than the first. This is one where I would skip around tracks a bit. In general it's the softer elements I enjoy the most and the piano work is really fun.
First time listening to a Pere Ubu album. I was anticipating something more off-putting, though way more avant guard than expected. Great album. Another reminder that I really like a lot of what would be considered strange music.
I'm a little surprised by the number of negative and outright harsh reviews. Maybe there is something I'm not tapped into. It's probably the scientology connection. He seems like a weirdo for sure, but this performance is a total jam.
Queen is such a strange animal. As such, I've never been sure what to make of them so it was no surprise I was a bit apprehensive going into this one. In all honesty, I had quite a bit of fun with this album and you can tell the band members had fun making it, too. Great album if not a little uneven.
Another one that I think requires some time to sink in. Feeling a bit jagged at first, these songs slowly reveal their touches and subtleties which are quite beautiful. In a way, it seems this album stands outside of time despite that much of it's subject matter still resonates deeply for today.
Several mysteries circle about the citizens of Wellsville. One such mystery was occasionally spoken of, though carefully, regarding our neighbor James "Pop" Mecklenberg. The seamingly unassuming father of my little brother's best friend. Most believe he was simply a burnout of the 1960s counterculture music scene. But legend would have it that after a series of self-destructive episodes leading to an extended stay in a mental institution, he was once revitalized by a keyboard playing sage-like figure who called himself "The Master of Reinvention". Soon after, Mecklenberg would team up with the children of Soupy Sales to form a new rock band. With "The Master" as their guide, they would find a new, abrasive and hypnotic sound which has been described by adults everywhere as playing a key role in the moral decline of western civilization. The younger generation, however, would recognize this new sound as something that changed the trajectory of rock and roll forever.
But the strangest element of this legend? Some say that over time, James "Pop" Mecklenberg developed mutant abilities, harnessing raw power and performing unnatural and unspeakable feats. Now, the only thing strong enough to hold back his powers are his tightly presses button up t-shirts. Some believe he's been waiting for just the right time to unleash his powers again which can both save and destroy.
Man, heroin is no joke. This album could either require more time to sink in or It's just fairly bland. It has a really interesting vibe and nice touches in places, but it feels like it's trying way too hard to score a hit and much of it falls flat. It also feels all over the place.
Still, I'm inclined to listen to this more thinking I could be missing something.
Seems to be very striking compared to their older albums. I was previously familiar with Treasure and the handful of eps that followed and not hearing the buildup from the mid 80s, this album feels very refined. I'm not sure I've ever noticed how good Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymond can not only play their instruments, but also operate together as a unit. The drum programming alone is really impressive, which sounds very fluid and tasteful. Elizabeth Fraser is in top form here, whose unique voice, probably overdubbed and double tracked, and intentually esoteric lyrics are about feeling rather than knowing. The result is a very beautiful and strange album which possesses a lot of potential to fill arenas, but they instead pull back, leaving room for mystery.
Oh, Steven. You're such a strange, silly human.
3.5
What I really like about this album, beyond the energy and recording quality, is how each member is giving it their all and work tightly together as a single unit.
It's like Beck has a psychotic break and writes a tightly focused singer/songwriter album. This one is really good. I like how the electronic and eclectic elements are still here, but they're used as support. I also pick up on some big Pink Floyd and Beatles vibes but through the lense of Nick Drake.
Pretty enjoyable as a historical document and has some great moments. As a whole, I'm not sure if I'll revisit.
3.5
Quite the unhinged experience. This is so over the top and absurd, I can't NOT like it.
You need to dig around to find the full recording, but it's worth it. A very solid and fun album which is not just influential in many ways but also feels very genuine.
Really liked this. Solid throughout and I enjoyed the interplay between the synthetic and real instruments. For some reason this felt more vibrant than the other LCD album I've heard and perhaps I should revisit that one.
Such a beautifully cool record
Good but a bit bland. Though, I do like some of the shoegaze elements and the Junkie song is oddly catchy.
How would I describe this? Surprising. Imagine if George Clinton, Keiichi Suzuki, "Hip" Tanaka, and Weather Report had a foursome while MGMT and Phoenix watched.
My 2024 Spotify Wrapped is going to be so weird
Not my thing. That stupid rockafeller song really brings it down and the rest of it isn't much better or even worse.
Some good songs with strong playing. As an album it does feel incomplete missing more often than hitting. Fine for a debut I suppose. Might check out the followup.
Definitely won't be a great starting point for anyone thinking about getting into Björk. This album will be a challenge no matter what. While, I feel it meanders in spots, the strengths of this album seem to outway those feelings and another I'll come back to.
Another fun surprise and a picualer bridge between glam rock and glam metal. It has the added benefit of being unpolished with touches of post-punk.
Get some good headphones and find a quiet place to listen without distraction. This is a beautiful album, almost ethereal in places. While, I personally think it falls short in places, this is deserving of your time.
Paul Ryan. You're sadly amusing. It's Ok to like what you like, but just so you're aware, Zack de la Rocha stands diametrically opposed to everything you believe in and work toward. While we're at it, you know nothing of Ayn Rand either.
Eno is to Bowie as Bowie is to Pop. If I owned a scuzzy record store I would definitely subject my patrons to this. Maybe that makes me "woke" or something like that.
Iggy is really good at offering the listener some strange gothic post-punk into that Berlin sound.
An essential progressive art rock album which also packs an unusual punch. A great mix of bombast and melancholy accentuated by Peter Sinfields imaginative, unnerving lyrics. Save for 'Moonchild', I think this album offers something for those who are not necessarily sold on Prog Rock.
It's alright. Has the benefit of being pretty chill and also marred for being a double album.
I was not terribly familiar with this band and was very surprised how unique this album is. I'll keep listening for sure.
Never been a fan. Too much goofiness and not enough substance
Has a very strange endearing quality.
I like how it seems the growing sentiment is "you know, I think I'm gonna try getting into the Doors." However, you know this will never happen no matter how hard you might try. To quote Kids in the Hall..."Doors fans aren't made. Their born." For me, I'm OK with staying put as a curious on looker making note of all the strange influences.
Excellent to get lost in and offers the listener a lot of good variety.
The comeback album. In all it's stupidity and sleave, it's still pretty great.
Generally, it is very pleasant. The more RnB elements feel forced, though
Fun but not particularly great, feeling more like a novelty than anything else.
Today, Donald Trump weasled his way into his second term. If receiving this album was not an attempt by the apps creator to ruffle some MAGA feathers, then this is quite a funny coincidence. Imagine being so famous, that a good portion of conservatives get upset when you break the silence of your political convictions. They get so upset that a portion of those conservatives make up a ton of obvious lies about you, like oh, you know, being a puppet of Joe Biden, eventually give birth to the anti-Christ, and start World War III. I wish I was making this stuff up...
Now, onto the album. I'll admit, this is not typically my thing, but honestly, this is a solid album. It's bubblegum with a capital B, and maybe the lyrical content doesn't seem very deep, but Taylor is a good songwriter and can write a hook. I also got oddly emotional with 'This Love'. This is a sleek and well executed album delivered by a strong, independent woman. And that is what scares the MAGA cult.
Pretty cool mix of pop and punk. My first thought is Propaganda (A Secret Wish), but with more guitar and more dimension, with perhaps some influence on Chris Huelsbeck. I think this is another good slow burn as the immediate appeal is not fully apparent.
In the movie Juno, I thought it was really funny when Jennifer Garner's character tells Jason Bateman's character he essentially looked stupid for wearing his Soundgarden t-shirt. I had been thinking the same thing throughout the whole movie up to that point. In a similar fashion, I was expecting to dismiss this album and move on. But honestly, despite its length and a few songs feeling a bit silly for whatever reason, this album kind of rips.
This is such a weird, wild album that feels very forward thinking. Not fitting into any neat mold, I'm hearing a lot of influences for later baroque indie rock and proto prog. I imagine people hearing this for the first time in 66 weren't quite sure what to make of it.
Just a solid, chill pop album with a lot of care behind it. If cars still had CD players built into them, I feel like every rental should come pre equipped with this in the player.
Spring. Rebirth. Another personal favorite where my appreciation for it increases as I grow older. The big 80s sound but uses synth as a mild backdrop while including more eclectic instrumentation. The esoteric religious imagery adds all the more. This is a wonderful album.
Niche for sure and the spooky psychedelia of Starship threw me off, but fans of every form of punk should check this out. I'm not sure if the people of 69 where ready
Good pop album which has a lot of potential but doesn't quite reach it's destination. Though marked by some poor production, I really like the overall themes of isolation and desperation.
Really good grit and energy
Initially, this feels slightly bland, but then you might pick up on the subtle joy and beauty expressed in these songs. Definitely dig a bit into the history and background for this and look for the title track, which is unfortunately missing from this collection on Spotify for some reason.
It's AC/DC. I've never been a big fan or anything, but I really can't say anything bad about them. They figured out a formula and made it work with the occasional surprise. Plus, Mutt's contribution punches things up nicely.
Encapsulates the essence of Springsteen and the E Street Band.
This album and Nebraska would probably mark the essential Springsteen for me.
Normally you wouldn't want to return to the chicken shack unless they serve food and beverages or it's in reference to this album.
Classy, well produced album that fits well as background but also complex enough for deep listening.
Yeah. This is really good and will hit you in just the right spots. Feeling like a lost gem of early alternative, this is just the right mix of jangley psychedelic pop, punk aesthetics, with the outright bizarre.
Another decent album I'm lukewarm about.
The tone of this album is very striking. Murky with an excellent pop sense. Harvey is an artist that has unfortunately gone mostly unnoticed by me.
Somewhere between Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and thematically similar to the Louvin Brothers, though not as grim and definitely more fun, this reminds me of my dad. I knew the title track and 'Making Plans' but not sure how. A solid classic country album even if I don't necessarily care for some of her vocal flourishes. On the surface, I like the sense that she was ready and willing to challenge the status quo.
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Double album energy. A beautiful mess that I'll admit has been hard to get into. Though, it's ballad heavy and the experimentation can be jarring, it just works in a strange inexplicable way.
Very solid and nice to actually hear a full Wailers album that's not a Bob Marley Greatest Hits. What's deeply apparent is Bob Marley is worth more time on the deeper cuts, and just how tight the band is as a group. If I have to critique at all, some songs feel like they end prematurely, but stylistically, it's a reminder that these songs are intended for long jamming.
I don't outright hate this but was hoping for more ambience and odd textures.
Plays like a sci-fi horror film soundtrack both disarming and engaging.
The missing link between Metallica and Iron Maiden I didn't know I needed.
Dorks...
There goes Randy Newman again singn' 'bout what he sees...and I have no qualms about this
It's weird that the electric jug is or was a thing. Interesting, but a bit gimmicky. Some genuinely good songs with nice guitar work
I'm not into this. Tries way too hard to sound like the most important thing you've ever heard and suffers as a result. The muddy production adds insult to injury.
At times challenging. I really like the world elements and use of strings and successfully pulled me into a different place.
This is an old friend. In coming back after a long time, it reveals details and textures I didn't originally pick up on or know about. I really like the way Waters' more chunky disco funk, (my attempt to describe it), is sandwiched between Gilmour's more atmospheric space blues. The moment the electric Rhodes comes in for the last few sections of Diamond was and still is a real treat for those familiar with the song but not the full album version.
Really, this all hits harder for me now than it ever once did.
More excellent early alternative music that flew under the radar, at least here in the states I guess. This has some really lovely moments and I enjoy the blend of neo psychedelia and blue eyed soul. The use of strings is also used to good effect and can be surprising.
I assumed this had the potential to be boring. I was very wrong. This is also a really good progression from Big Pink.
It's hard to explain, but this album was very fitting to receive on the tail end of Holy Week and Easter Weekend.
Similarly, while I understand the criticism, I like the way Cohen's music makes me feel.
Maybe Dummy has better songs, but I like the more detached moodiness this album offers. Still, I find Portishead very personally hard to get into, mainly from particular design choices.
An oddly chill and enjoyable album. This really sounds like a group of friends getting together over an extended weekend to play and record songs and things take a strange turn.
Plus, I have a feeling this was a pivotal shift for the Dead.
I'm curious to know if this is generally accepted or simply my own opinion: This might be the earliest punk album and it's great.
Very dense and polished for a debut. It has some decent songs, but as a whole it doesn't offer much reason to come back to it.
Ok this is kind of cool mostly because it went beyond my expectations. The chance of revisiting is slim at most, however.
Coltrane trades heroin and alcohol for God. The result is pretty wild, and at times restrained, chaos. This may not be very easy to get into, but it's really solid in terms of its flow song to song and the overall thematic elements.
A bit on the fence with this one. Like the majority of brit pop, I personally find it fairly bland despite having some obvious highlights. Definitely an influence on Radiohead, and you can hear the Bowie, Smiths, and Roxy influences. The cover of Brass in Pocket is really solid, and now I just want to listen to the Pretenders.
Love these underdogs. Radio City might be my favorite, but this album holds such a sweet charm even if it has a bit of filler.
Another where I like the ingredients but the final outcome doesn't land well with me.
I was surprised how soulful this really is. That alone is this album's strength. Also, my reception is a bit lukewarm.
Not as immediately grabbing as their debut, but still a very solid, classic X album. I really like this band and their level of versatility.
First time with this album and I can easily how influential this was and still is. Here is a band that had really figured out their sound.
Jarring, intentually so it would seem. But give this a little time. Still jarring, but you might recognize a lot of depth and importance.
Way more theatrical and dramatic than I was expecting and I really like that about this. Funny to think how this is more tame than his later material. What did I experience?
Derogatory, snide, and a bit dangerous (especially for '66). This one sort of fell in my lap because it seems a little adjacent to the punk and alternative indie stuff I enjoy. Frankly, just an enjoyable and cool record even though the band would soon put out more consistent material.
A bit on the backburner for a long time and so glad I finally heard this. So infectious and so much more than a perceived 80s pop album.
Save for some solid playing, particularly the guitar work, this is really just a caricature. Rick Rubin's weird power fantasy. Interesting detail on the mix but it's about as dry as burnt toast. Gonna lose an entire star, too for the awful Steppenwolf cover. I'm left thinking I don't understand this band at all.
The instrumentals are ok to good. The songs with vocals...most of them I don't care for or I have things I like about them and simultaneously dislike about them. Some of the better "Trip Hop" I've heard, however. Interestingly, their latest album, as of writing this, Barb and Feather, is light-years beyond this album and I quite enjoyed it. Thinking on this might bring to light what Our Aim Is To Satisfy might lack. Maturity. Time necessary for a band to refine their craft with more immersive elements that doesn't try too hard to sound cool or trendy.
Another essential hardcore album
In terms of this websites rating scale, a 4 I guess for importance. More like a 3 for my personal enjoyment which wavered a bit.
My immediate reaction when this popped up..."Oh god..." Tenish songs later and I still think that response is justified.
Really horny with some interesting surprises. Was hoping it was gonna be even hornier.
2 out of 5 horns
Fun. Another album I can rate by the number of horns.
Big and dynamic with great playing and cool arrangements. You can kind of tell this is the same band that churned out pop hits from the late 70s and beyond. A bit uneven and might be better taking in as chunks rather than a whole. The same could probably be said for it's sequel.
3.5 horns out of 5
Honestly, I'm a but torn on this. For starters, not my thing but something about this is likable. It's an obviously well produced album but much of it is fairly forgettable. The Prince song is a highlight but pales in comparison to the original.
Definitely at a loss. This has it's moments but but it wears off quickly.
I don't like this band primarily because of Steven Tyler isms. I realize, however, that this album and Toys in the Attic mark a high point for Aerosmith and I have a mild inkling for the deeper cuts. I was surprised how heavy and dark this album became in spots.
This made me smile and bob my head in approval.
Started this one with some apprehension. Turned out to be fairly enjoyable but also a bit middle of the road. This is a good, confident rock album with some great moments but I'm not wowed by it either.
An excellent example of what I would call "heavy prog" - Progressive rock that has little commercial appeal but is an important and exciting listen for those who are already sold on the genre. For the casual listener, however, they will most likely have a hard time. Personally, I find this album very pleasing on multiple listens. It's surprisingly consistent and I enjoy the mix of dark, heavy tones, with the occasional whimsy.
This behemoth. Not much I can say that hasn't already been said but one of several things that have struck me over time with this album, as the name implies, is how cinematic and engaging it is.
A bit of a fever dream, innit?
Eh. Has it's moments at times
A pleasing album that dares to be a bit adventurous. While some of it doesn't leave too much of an impact, it definitely feels more intentual as an album than one of the earlier records I've heard. It almost sounds like he was trying to convey different personas for certain songs which I find interesting.
Hey Anthony. What's the most punk rock album in your collection from the mid 60s?
You can imagine Morrissey sitting down with a 4-track and building the framework for these songs, which were probably unused or rejected ideas from the Strangeways sessions. A solid debut from a very controversial figure (he always has been), which is varied nicely and has some surprising gothic turns.
A striking debut and very influential on several levels rivaling their European contemporaries. I find this album pleasing. The only thing maybe holding me back from giving an even higher rating would be a few songs that don't hold up as well as others.
Well. Mark E. Smith, man. I don't think anything would have prepared me for this, and if I'm transparent for a second, I'm really not sure what to make of it. I've been describing this one as the inverted, evil cousin of Achtung Baby. Seems to serve as a gateway into the Fall's spiraling and strange discography.
It's a shame that this is basically the soundtrack for the deadbeat dads who "go to the store for milk" and never come back. I wanted to find something to like about this album, but I grimaced more than once.
Serious question, do some women find stuff like this flattering? Funny? Charming? It's definitely not tasteful. And now I feel bad as a heterosexual male.
It's a bit uneven but you need to take it for what this is: home brew recording. In the end, I found this to be very pleasing and fun, personally appreciating the explanations. Very influential.
There was a time I would have said Disraeli Gears was their best album, but I think I was confused with Wheels of Fire. Listening with fresh ears, it's clear that this album has some strong material but it also has a chunk of weak material with a few songs being pretty bad.
An album so wild and weird I have to give it some positive praise. While at times it can veer into a cacophony, I discovered that all the pieces intentually and thoughtfully fit somehow. Fans of the Strawbs and Robert Wyatt will find quite a bit to enjoy here.
Why do these lyrics resonate so much?
"Watch the butcher shine his knives
And this town is full of battered wives."
I've been familiar with this album for a long time now and the more I hear it, the more I enjoy it. Lush, thoughtful pop music with really nice touches.
Essential early indie listening in my opinion that needs more love.
I discovered, while going through this project, that I like the Doors after all. Ray Manzarek is a unique songwriter and musician and Robbie Krieger, I feel, is an underrated guitarist, and Morrison, well...
This band does require a particular mood to really enjoy and they don't seem to have a particularly definitive album in my opinion. This album, though, is a highlight and might be their most consistent even if it may not be my go to.
Something that occasionally comes to my mind is a story I heard from someone I knew who knew someone who knew someone who attended a collage course with Norah Jones. The individual wanted to ask Norah out. I don't recall if he chickened out or he worked up his nerve and she gently turned him down. That's a really lame story and I'm wasting your time, but you know what's not lame and won't waste your time?
This album.
This gave me a deeper appreciation for Elton John. I really enjoy the blend of glam and pop with the doses of prog. While maybe the tracking can be a bit odd and some of the songs blend into each other, it's hard to deny how engaging all of this is.
Thrash with some groove!
Dorks...
This one popping up for the day after Ozzy's passing into the void. Absolutely no way this is random.
Really solid, consistent classic album. Really dig the thematic elements.
Good. Very situational. Do not listen while operating heavy machinery.
I put this on in the background and my daughter said it sounded like someone filling up milk bottles. It's an accurate description and usually I would be on board for something like that. Unfortunately, this lacks execution.
It's Motörhead. It's live. It hits like a weird, drunken maelstrom.
First time listen. Very satisfying. Smooth, funky, and really tight. Also, some cool progressive elements and surprising samples. This really feels like a benchmark for hip-hop moving forward.
Feels like a very good representation of it's style and that Janet more or less succeeded in what she wanted for this album.
There should probably be some sort of warning for this, however. I was NOT expecting to hear the sounds of school children screaming while they're being gunned down and you won't either... (Livin' In a World (They Didn't Make)
Who else listened to Daniel Johnston immediately following this?
Slightly overwhelming but rewarding.
https://youtu.be/Yy_XpN-PFNc?si=PFf8AXlr-qUkiAOm
This has that messy, double album energy. As such, it's one that I like but not one that I REALLY like. However, on repeated listens it starts to seep into you.
This album sits proudly in my collection of vinyl records. He would quickly go on to record better albums, but this is a striking debut. It's interesting how this straddles the line between contemporary pop rock and punky new wave.
Oh my god why is his mouth so big? Seriously, it's the stuff of nightmares...
Sorry Mr. Quaye, you don't need a lover, you need therapy.
Similar to Tribe, I really enjoyed the tone of this one. Overall very consistent.
Such an intriguing listen and a band, or rather collective, that has some serious lore both bewildering and disturbing. I'll actually take some time for a listening deep dive.
I always knew I liked Nas. Seriously, just based on flow, production, samples, and length, Illmatic is easily one of the best, if not the best, Rap/Hip-hop albums I've heard so far.
A Sort of guilty pleasure I won't intentionally revisit.
Excellent extension and progression from their debut. I really enjoy the flow of this album and the wide net of musical styles explored. MNLWND succeeds in taking chances and manages to be very consistent.
So you're here to tell me I didn't know Alice Cooper is the American edition of David Bowie?
Campy Glam, Proto-Punk, Zappa-esque prog, Gothic Blues, slightly conceptual album? I'm in.
Not to be taken seriously, but also to be taken seriously.
With every White Stripes album feeling like a mixed bag, this particular collection of songs is one that I think will really grow on the listener. I like the blend of lo-fi songwriting and the more accessible punch of their previous album. Overall, it's a very strange vibe with some well crafted songs. I'm further convinced that Jack White was always reaching to recreate something akin to Zeppelin III.
Love em or hate em, this is probably his best album and was my initiation into his strange world. A bit scattered, but this covers a massive swath of his entire career.
I found this to be a pretty chill and enjoyable listen. I was assumed it would be pretty sprawling but felt more diverse than expected.
A few guilty pleasure bops running on very slick sequencing. 'Absolute' is an absolute banger. 'Wood Beez' being another highlight and I think 'A Little Knowledge' has a bit of depth. The rest is decent to ok.
An extension of Graceland I didn't know about? Yes, please.
Another excellent rap/hip hop record. Huge production that is necessarily bold and serious which never really loses intensity even within it's more soulful moments. This is like James Brown meeting Trent Reznor who decide to dig into a healthy dose of Parliament/Funkadelic grooves, while successfully addressing the political climate of the day. (It's still very relevant now, unfortunately.)
Personal bonus points for predominantly, and appropriately, sampling 'Green Earings' on 'Don't Trust 'em.
Brutal Youth may grow on me, but this might be one of the few instances where I'll rate an album based almost solely on both the production and length. Often, the vocals are placed high in the mix while the instruments are shoved in the back. The result gives many songs an almost empty feeling while fighting against itself trying to deliver the punch it needs. Trimming back the 56 min runtime may have been beneficial.
Where this album does succeed, however, is in it's softer and quirkier moments.
A surprisingly unique listen that reminds me of David Gilmour and Peter Sinfield. Yes, the lyrics are overtly direct but I'm sure that's the point and, for the most part, it works.
Side note. I think more people should sing about Sigourney Weaver.
Well, friends. Welcome to grindcore.
Repetitive for some, but I find this album excellent in building a unique space, expressing various emotions. This is not merely background music.
Perhaps most impressive is how I feel as though I'm listening to a classical or jazz piece rather than something inorganic.
I want someone to help quantify how and why this album is so pleasing.
Of the early hardcore punk I've heard so far, this is a definite standout. The mixture of aggressive noise, satire, and the dash of pop hooks, ironic or not, hits a real sweet spot. I cranked this up while driving through a suburb and found it to be an appropriate and pleasing experience.
Without question or argument, Fugazi is the most important band to emerge from the DC Hardcore scene. I'm also of the opinion they are ideally the best band that has ever existed.
Honestly, I'm a bit surprised Ian hasn't pulled their music from Spotify at this point. Out of respect, I'll be streaming this on Bandcamp wishing I have a vinyl copy in my possession.
I'm thinking David Byrne might be the only other person who could out weird Eno
I recognize and appreciate the ambition, but for me I find it too often falls a little flat.
I like how we have two distinct album covers. One being an invitation to a dinner party. Elegant. Decadent. The other (the original initially rejected), being the image of a crusty old toilet surrounded by graffiti. Then you realise both are appropriately connected together.
The kingdom of Leon is not a place I want to stay.
Possibly smooth to a fault, this is a deceptively excellent record.
I had some mild skepticism at first, but this is a beautiful record. Give it some time and it will get into your bones.
Definitely another great discovery.
At this point, I don't know if I would say this was his best, but this is definitely very tight and consistent. In a good way this album feels reigned in. I guess a brush with death can do that to you.
I like the variety and the title track itself is a masterclass of pocket.
Mildly familiar with this band so far. Going in, I'm expecting this one to be another that I will enjoy while the majority will hate it.
I'm not sure what their live performances were like, but I get a sense Bauhaus was reaching for ambitious art intending to shock and confound. Though a bit scattered and seemingly messy, Mask, and Bauhaus are pretty cool and not always easy to connect with.
36 Chambers. This is an exciting, engaging, and disorienting experience brought to life by it's gritty production and often minimal sampling. Its this minimalism which adds more space to accentuate Wu-Tang's unique personalities. I was also surprised by the use of motif within the production which made me realize how this album successfully pulls the listener into the world it was cooked in.
Maybe this isn't the most cohesive rap album I've heard, but it might be the most influential and possibly game changing.
Doing my hardest to avoid a joke or make further comment about the seemingly intentional placement of that microphone and instead just enjoy the album.
This has always pulled me into a strange head space. Both beautiful and simultaneously macabre, the more I listen the stranger and more enjoyable it becomes. I'll admit, at times this album wears me down by the time I hit 'Cicely' or the moody 'Otterly', but as they say, patience will be it's reward as 'Domino' is a haunting and perfect close, that on this recent listen seems to callback previous songs. Yes, I am that listener who is seeking the "Mythology", but perhaps it really is dependent on the imagination of the listener.
Surprising and fun listen. Though it might lose some steam for me around the three quarter mark, this album is very well produced and thought out. It seriously stands out as excellent Art Pop alongside the likes of Kate Bush's Hounds of Love or even Peter Gabriel's So.
"My friend Good goes P.U."
A giant step from their debut. Taking a cue from Joy Division and perhaps Bauhaus, this has such an excellent blend of gloom and accessibility. The almost krautrock pulse and haunting psychedelia does it for me.
It's a little difficult to describe how this band, or at least this album, feels a bit tailored to me.
Feminist punk rock from the late 70s? Already a positive for me. Very aggressive and fun to boot. Proto-Riot Grrrl? I think so.
Huh, so very lo-fi psych country/folk rock. I'm still not sure how to feel about this, but it's kind of really cool in a scattered, schizophrenic sort of way.
A giant spectacle I have to give some pause to from a band I don't even really care about.
We should all know it's satire and shaming, but 'Rednecks' was still a choice... The rest of the album is what I've come to expect from this guy.
Another that takes some time to sink in.
If this is not the smoothest, most slick, block of velveeta, then I don't know what would qualify.
Has the potential to feel overly busy, but Love makes it work and there is some really cool stuff happening on these songs.
A very cool record that is both exciting and absorbing. I should increase my pallette and listen to more Tropicália.
Man, Prince was a wild weirdo and this album is solid.
Ignore the naysayers. This is a great album. I enjoy the minimalism and interesting touches.
Not being familiar with Blue yet, I suppose this is the moment where she shifts into more improvisational jazz territory. The blend of folk, pop, and fusion is handled well, and each song has something unique for the listener.
The Scott Walker hate is real. I personally really like what I've heard so far of his 60s period. This album feels more focused than previous outings, digging deeper into this strange chamber pop. The production alone is really something which doesn't sound, to me, like anything from 69. Timeless. Other worldly.
Another one that falls more into novelty
Nice. The TIDAL link sends me to the Coltrane classic. Listened to that for a bit before diving into this one.
The Boo Radleys Giant Step is also a cool, pleasing experience. I would enjoy this even more if it was a bit shortened and more reigned in.
Though, this is another, that if I owned a record store, I would put on for my vinyl shopping patrons.
At one time I liked this album to some degree. In recent years I realized how bland it is, and at it's worst, Mick Hucknall's performance feels sanctimonious.
Ended up skipping most of this and listened to the Durutti Column instead.
About as light and fluffy as whipped icing and yet, holds an alluring charm.
Piss and vinegar, man. Feel like this was really wild live.
Kind of pretentious BS but better than most electronica popping up on this list. This eventually falls into a good groove.
Decent mid bluesy rock and roll. Not a big fan of Stewart's vocals but Ronnie Lane might be worse. Still, this album and this band, had some nice, tight chemistry. Also, a bit notable for influencing the Replacements and reminds me of Big Star in places.
I can understand the negative reviews, but I personally enjoyed this. Haven't heard of this guy and would be willing to check out more from him.
A near constant party and so much stank face.
Definitely silly and also really great. There was some sort of weird magic between this band and Bob Ezrin.
If you happen to be at a party hosted by the Beastie Boys, under no circumstances should you eat the mashed potatoes.
I don't consider myself a fan but this one is hard to deny. It's great despite some repetition.
When someone talks about Metallica I start to feel like I'm John C Riley describing Jesus: I like my Metallica with mullets and Cliff Burton!
First time listen and a fitting follow up to Loveless. Kevin Shields doing Kevin Shields things, song titles all in lower case, obscured album art, and digging further into the esoteric and the ethereal. This has some interesting twists such as the Stereolab similarities in spots and much of it sounding like it was built around 'touched'. I like this take on inverted "pop" music.
Still sounds sexy but in a weird Cronenberg body horror sort of way.
Well, here it is. The highest rated album on this list and possibly the biggest soft dad rock record. While I might go for their self titled or even Tusk before Rumours, this one is pretty hard to argue with.
I will not give this man the attention he craves. The only thing he should crave is intense therapy.
I wrestle with Low-Life. Seems like a bold push forward and also seems to possess a bit of trepidation embracing new technology. The result sometimes makes things feel a bit stilted. Overall, some very solid songs marred by some sub-par vocals. (Sub-culture and Face Up being the worst offenders)
I feel a bit biased with this one.
I was gonna be a naysayer at first, but the more I listened the more I found to enjoy about this album. Hard to believe this is 25 years old.
Michelle Trachtenberg had a crazy, cool TV dad
I'm a little surprised to see this one pop up. It's good, maybe his best solo outing, but I've always thought this was more reserved for the heavy Steely Dan enthusiasts.
Hearing this again after a long while, I'm realizing how good it is. I like this more now than before and it really stacks well alongside Aja and Gaucho.
Experimental jazz band plays psychedelic soul and folk music. I've always known the name but never really listened to this band, save for Spinning Wheel and You've Made Me So Very Happy, although it feels like I've heard someone else cover those songs somewhere else. This really reminds me of Traffic, The Band, and Van Morrison in all the best ways. This album is absolutely wild. And it's sandwiched between Satie?
I was initially going to dismiss this one with something snarky like, 'We have Depeche Mode at home.' But I slowly realized this album has a unique charm and stands well on it's own, not just as "synth-pop", but really as something adjacent to gothic post-punk.
I do laugh a little thinking about the number of people who purchased this LP when it dropped in the states due to 'Tainted Love', to then be shocked and horrified by 'Sex Dwarf'.
I was in a pretty foul mood and this really picked me up. Lazy and awkward in it's own beautiful way while in retrospect, feeling a bit like a side project. Really more like a 4 but I'm giving an extra star for personal enjoyment and nostalgia.
I've never been one to completely gush about this album, but time and age has revealed some key elements of it's themes and production which really stand out to me. I would really like to sit down with the vinyl record with a good pair of headphones and pour over the lyric sheet for the full "experience." It's an absorbing work that embraces the harsh realities of existence like staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
Perhaps rounding up a bit, but I'm kind of into this weird blend of electronic dance and funky soul.
Good. Personally not something I would intentionally listen to again.
It's a debut. Good but just shy of great. You really get a sense she would soon go on to do better and I'm willing to explore a bit deeper.
Dumb, spoiled clown.
1 rib out of 24 ribs
This was a good discovery by an artist I would like to dig more into. As of writing this, he passed away just over two weeks ago.
This is good and has some elements that keep me back from rating it higher.
I don't know how but I called it. I could smell this one coming. In fact, this album does have a bit of memory attached to it by taste and smell. Then I realized what day this decides to pops up...New Years Eve. I really hope this won't be an omen for the year to come.
OK now for an actual review of sorts. This is Nirvana's best album, and interestingly, a fitting end for them. They did a great job of blending the messy rawness of Bleach with the accessibility of Nevermind. And personally, I'm glad they got away from the polish of their breakthrough. Getting Steve Albini was a smart choice, and I always figured that was a way for Kurt to make something akin to Jawbreaker.
Ugh. I really want to like it but it just falls so flat. This seems to be their attempt at Glam Rock but it doesn't have the fun or adventure that goes with the aesthetic. The title track is good and maybe a few others, but that's about it. And I can go the rest of my life without ever hearing Walk This Way again.
You know what? Screw this band and this album. Steven Tyler is a creepy predator. It was gonna lose a star or two just for that.
About in line with what I've heard so far from Madonna as in being surprisingly epic for "pop". Also, did I just get proselytized to for an hour about Kabbalah?
I think Froggy Fresh may have right about Jay Z. But that production though.
Yes, he's become problematic, but this is a good album. Mopey? Yes, but not as much as Vauxhall and more consistent than Maladjusted if memory serves. Dare I say this might feel the most Strangeways post Smiths.
Ironically, I listened to this while picking up McDonald's for dinner and driving home from work where I stunk up a uniform.
Well, the Dictators are no MC5, but this is worth a listen and not just for historical context.
The added bonus of it's South American origin - nice textures and rhythm. This is a good record even though some of it is a bit in one ear and out the other. Perhaps, this is a particular album to return to on occasions.
In all the noise and repetition, Animal Collective made a very memorable and consistent album.
I think I figured it out. This is a safer alternative to the Rolling Stones. As such, despite being competent rock and roll, it's just not as interesting. At worst, Stewart and company almost feel they stretch things out on purpose to fill time. At best, this has good energy that sounds live.
One of the most abrasive sounding albums I've ever heard outside of metal and hardcore punk. Could be passed off as pretentious nonsense, but it's quite beautiful and has grown on me a lot in recent years. I should give Darklands another go.
I'll gladly be another outlier. 69 is a beautiful record that, to jump off of what another user pointed out, has a great blend of melancholy and joy that hits all the usual quirkiness of this project. It's also surprisingly varied and more organic than I was expecting. And yes, it's long, but you can easily listen in chunks.
It's weird. Here is an album, and more broadly, a band, that I appreciate but have never quite connected with. A blast from the past, I suppose, it's good but with fresh ears it often feels enigmatic and drawn out for the sake of it while lacking the substance that it needs and deserves. Really, for me personally, is recognizing the eventual metamorphosis of the Mars Volta from the chaotic ATDI live performances.
I don't know, maybe this band needs a little deep dive from me but I think it might overwhelm me.
If you remove the vocals and add more melody and hooks, this could be the soundtrack for a strange fictional early 90's SNES Action RPG or Shmup called Klaxon. Unfortunately, it's no Plok!. To be fair, that's hard to measure up to.
Absolutely wild how the instruments sound like they are coming out of a ym2612 sound chip. That's not a complaint. It really goes to show how Steve Albini knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to do it. Seriously an important album.
A sort of fever dream that exists between Pee wee's Playhouse and David Lynch...such a uniquely tasty and tasteful album. And that voice. I'm shocked by the number of negative reviews. This is so good.
She's talented, but this doesn't resonate with me in a great way. I might give that other Dusty record another chance, though.
Blow, Blow jobs, hand jobs, and possible statutory r*pe(?), the Album. Oh, also all on top of a keyboard.
For a time, this felt like it was everywhere and touted as the next big thing. Hyped up as this huge sweeping record. When I finally listened to a few of these songs, I was surprised by how low-key they were. I think if you approach this without grand expectations, then chances are you might enjoy this a good deal. Its pleasing and possibly their best album.
Another Heavy (capital H) prog album and one I wasn't particularly familiar with. Particularly detached, but rewarding on multiple listens. This is a very surprising and unusual listen that covers some interesting ground.
Also, Pt.2 sounds an awful lot like Proto Primus and I love it.
A very dense and interesting record. This is a band that requires more attention.
I came in with low expectations and ended up being fairly surprised. Feels pretty cozy sandwiched somewhere between John Cale, Beefheart, and Zappa and it's all rather cohesive, too. Honestly, I was kind of hooked with the first track which might sound like the full un redacted Epstein files if set to music...
A sort of Female Van Morrison whose overindulgence leaves me feeling intrigued and exhausted.
Raising Hell is a better album, imo, but it's really interesting and fun to hear how hip-hop would quickly expand from this. In a way, too, this kind of feels like a window into what Prince was building.
Really hoping more hip-hop and rap pioneers show up on this, such as Boogie Down Productions
Starts out ok, but it's ultimately fairly uninteresting.
Two albums in '74. I get the impression this one has a lot of cutting room floor material that they spruced up. So, a bit disjointed the band makes it work. In general, it's worth some time to actually listen their albums rather than just the Greatest Hits that have pummeled our ears of the years.
Solid glam/metal/art rock thing...
Personal enjoyment fluctuates for various reasons.
May be a bit flat in places, but giving it some time, it's an enjoyable record. I like the minimalism and turns within the songs. Seems as though they were working pretty well with the technology available at the time.
The guy had a serious presence to him. Great performance that made me laugh out loud.
A very appropriate album title. This is unusually mellow but still has a lot of rough edges. Maybe a bit unfocused but enjoyable nonetheless.
Appropriately wear their influences on their sleeves and throw out a few surprises.
Ah yes, the "Lamb" parts one and two...
Even as a big fan of Gabriel era Genesis, I've found this album a bit confounding. In a nutshell, it seems to be a loose narrative influenced by the ancient trope of the hero descending, or ascending, into an underworld and emerging with a deeper understanding of some personal, esoteric knowledge. In the case of Genesis, and maybe more specifically, Gabriel, influence was probably also drawn from experimentation with acid. One shouldn't think too much about a grand narrative or you might get frustrated or lose interest.
In terms of the music and flow of the album, it's a bit messy but it's doing some interesting things. It would seem that the first half deals with the surface world and the second half describes events of the underworld with both album sides having some parallels with each other both musically and thematically. Both halves are just as weird but it kind of intensifies as the album progresses. As above, so below, one might say...
Stylistically, there seems to be a slight overall shift from the neo classical prog into something that sounds more urban, even punky with possible traces of soul. Much of this fits well with Gabriel's early solo material. And it all feels surprisingly breezy despite the 90 plus minute run time. It's a challenging listen and it probably won't win over any new fans, but I think this project is pretty impressive.
I would recommend listening to the 2025 remaster which gives the album a needed punch and better channel separation.
High marks but not without some trepidation.
The rock and roll minor leagues. A mixed bag, albeit, a good mixed bag. Giving this an enthusiastic 3 and will likely revisit.
Man, so good. Just a solid, heavy rock and roll album with great energy and a lot of fun. I suspect this was and is a big influence on the likes of the Murder City Devils, Rocket From The Crypt, and Trial of Dead.
Iconic Post Hardcore. This album is an experience which I found surprising by some of the song lengths. Seems that what they were up to was building a particular atmosphere and knew how to manipulate and tailor audio.
First time with a Kinks album. It's a blind spot for me. Man, another great record and by a band that feels WAY ahead of their time. Pop with some weird teeth and they know it. At this point though, the only draw back I can find is how the album doesn't feel completely cohesive. Really enjoyed this otherwise.
Another that gets better the more you hear it. Solid alt country with subtle detail and a unique voice.
I was basically a Sparks virgin...So many of the things that I like and the vocals are kind of wild. Maybe a tad overwhelming, but it's great.
On the surface, it doesn't seem like much but after time, I've found this album holds some unique subtlety. An intense brewing that when the band is in full, it's very satisfying. And what a powerhouse of players on this record, all showcasing an unusual amount of restraint.
What a record. Sounds like they were pioneering a lot of ideas and, to my ears, it seems more digestible for an already niche genre.
I want to play this for my cats, too.
Really great. Reminds me of Orbison and Elvis in all the best ways. Get ready for El Paso to get stuck in your head.
I would pick this up in a record store without a second thought.
