Aug 10 2023
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
Quite good, a ton of variety. I always knew queen to have a lot of variety within their songs, but the variety within this album was also immense. Bohemian rhapsody and you’re my best friend are the obvious standouts on this album. Death on two legs was a great start to the album, and the prophets song a nice treat in the middle.
4
Aug 11 2023
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MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
I’ll preface with I’m not much of a fan of Nirvana. I find most of the time the unplugged guitar tone just didn’t sound very good. Maybe I don’t like unplugged concerts or their tone just wasn’t what I was looking for. I don’t like Cobain’s vocals that much, he also mumbles a good bit which I find frustrating at times. The writing often feels simple to me, simple chords with nothing too special structure-wise as far as I can tell or feel. It didn’t have a great start. The first song sounds like a grungy early Beatles song. There were a couple songs I enjoyed throughout the middle, with catchy guitar hooks of decent melodies. The banter between tracks was funny, especially Cobain’s “shut up”. I think Nirvana just really isn’t for me and this album couldn’t convince me otherwise.
2
Aug 12 2023
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
I know and understand the cultural impact that Jimi Hendrix had on rock and guitar, but I've never had the chance to actually listen to him. It amazes me that this album came out in 1968, it just feels so far ahead of its time. However, it isn't really my shtick, I think. It feels a little sloppy a lot of the time, like the drums, bass, vocals and guitar are all playing different time signatures. It might be some of the blues or jazz influence there, where I am looking for a tighter form of rock. I'm not the biggest fan of Jimi's voice, it's not bad, just again not my thing, I think. Jimi's tone and playing on the guitar is spectacular though, and the recording is fairly high quality with nice dynamic range and soundstage width. All around, would listen to again.
3
Aug 13 2023
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Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
I just don't really like Bruce Springsteen's voice or songwriting all that much. Many of the songs sound very similar to me. I'm especially not a fan of the upper harmony over dubbing that he uses on almost all of his choruses. All that said, I don't know that I would ever be upset to hear his music, it's just that I don't particularly like it. All in all, I would listen to it again.
3
Aug 14 2023
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In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Very interesting. I don’t normally listen to jazz. But, I really enjoyed this album. It was soothing, entertaining, dynamic, and atmospheric. It almost feels like they’re taking you on a journey The piano, drums, and bass provided wonderful grooving backing. Miles’ trumpet is spectacular and the guitar and saxophone fit in perfectly. What can I say, I think I’d be willing to buy this.
4
Aug 15 2023
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
I mean what can I say that hasn’t already been said about this album. It is an amazing album with an amazing story being told. The song writing is varied and beautiful. The differences in Waters' and Gilmour's vocals provide different emotions throughout. Each instrument is written for wonderfully and executed perfectly. Truly a favorite album.
5
Aug 16 2023
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...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
I've never heard of this band before. They have a very interesting sound, kind of reminds me of some psychedelic rock. I really don't dislike it, although it isn't my normal style for sure. It uses some repetitive aspects to the songwriting, but I don't think that's a mistake, it does add to the effect the songs seem to have, it kind of assists in the groove. I really like the use of the synth in a few of the songs. I'm struggling to think of whether this would be something I would just be willing to listen to again, or buy, mostly because it really just isn't my normal style. Due to the songs being catchy enough though, I think I can classify this as an album I would buy.
4
Aug 17 2023
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Live!
Fela Kuti
Eh, I wasn't super impressed with this album. It had a lot of repetition, without being super interesting. I wasn't a big fan of the vocals. For me the best thing on this was the recording quality, which is pretty good. All in all probably wouldn't listen to this again.
2
Aug 18 2023
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Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, especially the recording quality. I think it the issue that I’m having with it is that almost the entire first half of the album is just saxophone soloing. It feels cramped more in comparison to the silent way, for instance. Part of that might be that there is a lot of saxophone, which doesn’t have a ton of dynamic range at least the way they played. When the trumpet does come in, in those earlier songs and with blue in green, it is significantly better in my opinion. So I don’t think I’d buy this, but it is good enough that I would listen again.
3
Aug 19 2023
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Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
I really didn't like this one very much. It just kinda sounds amateurish, frankly. The mastering often felt very jarring, the tones on the guitar were never very good, a lot of the songs sounded very similar to me, especially with her vocals. Yeah, all in all, I wouldn't listen to this again.
2
Aug 20 2023
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Hypnotised
The Undertones
Entertaining, catchy tunes, unique vocal tonality. I enjoyed it overall. Would listen to again.
3
Aug 22 2023
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Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
I liked this a decent amount more than I thought. It was quite chill, I don't know what Jimmy Smith was on, but the keyboards stood out most to me and was my favorite part of this album. Overall would listen to again.
3
Aug 23 2023
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First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
I’ve enjoyed this one a decent amount. She has cute, pleasing vocals and the writing supports her well. There is nothing to complain about with the instruments, they usually have a nice tone and are played well. The writing overall is pretty simple, but fits the style well and is quite catchy. I had heard the song lovefool, although I don’t think it was their version, it represents their style well, a very catchy tune with pleasing vocals and overall simple but good writing. Overall would listen to again.
3
Aug 24 2023
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Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
I really just don’t like the beastie boys, they are not my style. The vocal tonality they choose to use is just shouty and annoying to me most of the time. I’m not big on rap or hip hop as a genre, if I was to like it I would be more likely to like more classic styles like this, but this band in particular just really isn’t for me. I really don’t see myself listening to this again.
2
Aug 25 2023
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Reign In Blood
Slayer
Eh, I kinda already knew that I didn't like Slayer much. This album was enlightening for sure since I've not listened to much Slayer before this, but it did just confirm what I already figured as much. It's rather shouty, the drums are way too similar each song blasting the snare over and over again, I feel like there is practically no melody in the vocals. Maybe I'm being too reductive or harsh, but I do still feel Slayer is just not for me. I can respect the guitar playing a decent amount, but I generally would still prefer most other types of metal over thrash I think. All in all, would not listen to again.
2
Aug 26 2023
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Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
I really quite enjoyed this one. Kind of folky, good instrumentation, writing, and the vocals were fairly unique. All in all, I don’t think I would buy this one but I would listen to it again.
3
Sep 02 2023
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Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
Very unique sound and writing. Not my absolute favorite, but I respect the hell out of it. The chords and progressions used are very interesting, they stand out a lot to me. The drums and beats again are rather unique. While I don’t think I’d want to own this album, I’d listen to it again.
3
Sep 03 2023
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Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Really like this one actually, unique writing, interesting instruments, good vocals, etc. I think I’d buy this one.
4
Sep 04 2023
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Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
I’ve listened to and liked The Beach Boys before, but really not a fan of this album as a whole. The recording quality is dubious at best, the writing is, the best I can describe it at least, weird, the lyrics are rather simple rhyming scenes most of the time. So yeah, I might find myself enjoying a song here or there, but as an album I don’t think I’d listen to this again.
2
Sep 05 2023
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Green
R.E.M.
It was okay, I don’t think I like most R.E.M. I like a select few songs and sections of songs. This album has a few good ones for me, but not enough to rate this super well as a whole. Probably wouldn’t listen to this album again, maybe just a select few songs.
2
Sep 06 2023
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Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
A fairly inoffensive album, but just nothing special as well. I would never be upset that this was playing but could also see myself never looking to go out of my way to listen to it. All in all, could listen to again
3
Sep 07 2023
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Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Eh, it was really just okay. I wouldn’t be upset if this were on or anything, but the song writing didn’t do it for me. It was often very repetitive and where it wasn't it didn’t catch me. So, all in all probably wouldn’t play this again.
2
Sep 08 2023
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James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
It was okay, I respect James Brown's work a lot, but I don't think I really want to listen to it very much. That said, I would not be upset to listen to it again. All in all, would listen to it again.
3