608
Albums Rated
2.99
Average Rating
56%
Complete
481 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
18
5-Star Albums
23
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pieces Of The Sky | 5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
| Hysteria | 5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
| ...And Justice For All | 5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
| 1984 | 5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
| Natty Dread | 5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
| Moving Pictures | 5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
| Superunknown | 5 | 3.66 | +1.34 |
| Slipknot | 4 | 2.67 | +1.33 |
| Moondance | 5 | 3.71 | +1.29 |
| Lam Toro | 4 | 2.72 | +1.28 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blonde On Blonde | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Violent Femmes | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Hail To the Thief | 1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
| Amnesiac | 1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
| Songs Of Leonard Cohen | 1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
| Songs Of Love And Hate | 1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
| If You're Feeling Sinister | 1 | 3.18 | -2.18 |
| Loveless | 1 | 3.17 | -2.17 |
| I'm Your Man | 1 | 3.1 | -2.1 |
| Hunky Dory | 2 | 4 | -2 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 4 | 4.25 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 1.5 |
| Randy Newman | 2 | 1 |
| Belle & Sebastian | 2 | 1.5 |
| Radiohead | 4 | 2 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (18)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Frank Ocean
2/5
I'm sure people love this for many reasons, but I am not sure what they are. This album was just meh for me. Sounds like old school R&B at times, but with a rapper who can't sing and tries to be "creative" with voice effects and sound effects.
10 likes
Ian Dury
1/5
This is the most British album I have ever heard. Hopefully I will never hear another.
4 likes
The Verve
3/5
Decent, but it got overly monotonous after a while. All the songs started to blend together in one long forgettable musical arrangement.
2 likes
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
This sounds like the musicians were told to play as quietly and with as few notes as possible while the singer talked into and had mouth sex with his microphone. Garbage.
2 likes
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I can't think of a world where I would find this album remotely enjoyable. 80's casio keyboard music and spoken word vocals that overwhelm everything else on every track is just god awful. A dumpster filled with diarrhea and cat piss would be too good of a trash receptacle to throw this away into.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (23)
All Ratings
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Radiohead
3/5
I feel sad :(
Eagles
4/5
Great overall album with a surprise orchestral piece that was outstanding.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Not bad, but not a regular listen for me
Steely Dan
4/5
Good album overall. The fucker is older than I am
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Not a bad album. Blues is a mood
k.d. lang
4/5
Much better than I anticipated. KD had a fantastic voice.
The xx
2/5
A slow droning album full of the same song over and over. Won't be listening to this again.
Linkin Park
3/5
Solid album.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Surprising enjoyable
John Grant
2/5
OK. He has a definite inclination for 70s & 80s soft and synth pop.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Nice change of pace. Enjoyed it.
Queen
3/5
Solid Queen album before they really skyrocketed into international acclaim
Sigur Rós
3/5
Nice. Mellow and heavy orchestral sound.
3/5
Not too bad
Iron Maiden
3/5
Solid Metal album.
Genesis
2/5
Not my bag, but not that bad. Glad I listened to it.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I've never understood why Springsteen is so revered by people. After listening to this album, I still don't.
Parliament
2/5
It was ok. Not my bag.
Kanye West
3/5
It's creative and I enjoyed the layered music underneath. Rap just isn't my bag even when it's more enjoyable like this album is.
David Crosby
3/5
Pretty chill. overall enjoyable
Bob Dylan
1/5
One star for the music sans harmonica. I can't fathom how people listen to Dylan's voice and go "Yeah, that's the shit." I'd rather set fire to my face and then try to put it out with a fork than have to suffer through his voice again.
The Cure
3/5
Not bad. A bit gloomy
Elton John
3/5
Solid album. Enjoyed it
Small Faces
2/5
Ok for what it was
The Pogues
3/5
Good Listen. Not sure i'd listen to it outside a pub, but I definitely listened here.
The Replacements
3/5
Straightforward rock album with a few songs I know and like.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Pretty good. Decent listen if you're in the mood for it.
Miles Davis
3/5
Decent background music, but nothing I would sit and listen to on purpose.
The Cramps
2/5
Not my bag. I'm sure it's good if you're into the edgy and weird vibe and listening to the same song over and over again.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Fine. Just fine
Sister Sledge
3/5
Enjoyable overall
Paul Simon
4/5
I've always enjoyed this album. Happy to hear it again.
Frank Ocean
2/5
I'm sure people love this for many reasons, but I am not sure what they are. This album was just meh for me. Sounds like old school R&B at times, but with a rapper who can't sing and tries to be "creative" with voice effects and sound effects.
Pearl Jam
5/5
One of the best albums in the last 30 years.
Miles Davis
2/5
Freeform jazz just isn't my thing. It's difficult to listem to.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Solid. Enjoyed the listen.
3/5
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Ok. Not good, not bad.
New Order
3/5
Decent but nothing is listen to repeatedly
The Blue Nile
3/5
I enjoyed this overall.
Baaba Maal
4/5
Upbeat, good vibes album. I enjoyed listening even though I had no idea what was being said
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Just a great rock album.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Decent album though pretty folksy.
Deep Purple
3/5
Solid rock album from a 70's icon.
Duran Duran
3/5
I'd only heard the radio hits until now. I really enjoyed this album all the way through.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
The Who
3/5
Solid concept album. I enjoyed it more than I anticipated.
Dr. John
3/5
This is music that people were obviously not ready for at the time. Dr John is an acquired taste and though not the best album it was an Intriguing and interesting listen
The Verve
2/5
Meh.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
The super chill coffee house vibe and ethereal vocals make this a fantastic album. It perfectly fit my mood for the day.
Nirvana
3/5
Decent but they've never been my cup of tea.
Marty Robbins
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. This may be the most inoffensive music ever created.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Knew nothing of this album or any of the songs on it. Overall an enjoyable listen. Would probably listen again if I was in the mood for that bluesy southern folk riock vibe.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Not my vibe at all.
Van Halen
4/5
Great album. I wish there was more of it.
Talking Heads
3/5
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Surprisingly enjoyable. Good mix of rap, hip hop, and reggae with none of them being too overbearing
The Pharcyde
3/5
This was a pretty good listen. late 80s/early 90s hip hop is way better than what's rolling around today. Get off my lawn!
Can
3/5
Ok background music, but nothing to wrote home about.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
Just not something I'll ever listen to again hopefully.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Little Richard
3/5
Fun listen, though repetitive.
Richard Thompson
2/5
Nothing exciting or altogether interesting here. Too folksy for my tastes.
Garbage
3/5
Solid vibe. I dig it.
2Pac
3/5
Better than expected. Overall good listen
Cream
3/5
I'm sure this was a landmark album in its time, but it was just OK for me. Some good bluesy rock
Otis Redding
3/5
Solid.
Green Day
3/5
Fun little romp through the pop-punk landscape.
Slint
2/5
Eh. It was ok. I can see how it influenced some later bands, but not going to rate it very high on my list
Joy Division
2/5
This album really spoke to me. It told me to never listen to it again.
Steely Dan
3/5
Technically sound, but it's so unexciting to listen to.
The Police
4/5
Great album. I've always loved the Police.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I was hoping for a more upbeat album, but this wasn't that bad.
Van Morrison
3/5
Good, but kinda somber and introspective.
Orbital
3/5
Really enjoyed the nostalgia this provided. Good album overall
John Coltrane
3/5
Not too bad save for the freeform sections eliciting madness
Janis Joplin
4/5
I thought I was going to hate this, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good album
Khaled
3/5
Decent, but difficult to find streaming
The Doors
3/5
First time through an entire Doors album and I thought it was pretty good. More eclectic than I expected.
OutKast
3/5
Not bad, but overly long. These guys were trying way too hard to be different and do odd things.
Arcade Fire
3/5
This was OK. I am rarely in the mood for melancholy hipster rock.
Beck
3/5
Really enjoyed this album. Low-level grooves suit my mood sometimes.
The Vines
3/5
Average rock album. Nothing great, nothing bad.
Roni Size
2/5
Meh. This was not some sort of groundbreaking album for me as all the people in the UK thought. It was just repetitive, uninteresting background music.
Public Enemy
3/5
Better than I expected and always happy to see an Anthrax song.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Solid boring easy listening album.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Pretty damn good blues album. I had no idea Duane Allman was part of this group.
Buzzcocks
2/5
OK. Not my thing
Mudhoney
3/5
Actually enjoyed this more than I thought it would. I prefer this kind of sound over Nirvana to be honest.
The Doors
4/5
Great album with many familiar songs.
Beatles
5/5
Fantastic album back to front.
Various Artists
3/5
Solid Christmas album
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This was fine. I've never been a big fan.
Justice
3/5
It's not s bad album, but it's super annoying in some parts
Pulp
2/5
Weird haphazard collection of mediocre and sometimes creepy songs. Not my bag
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Always an enjoyable album
The Bees
3/5
Eclectic and not too bad
2/5
Nothing spectacular for me
The Police
3/5
Always enjoy the Police
Foo Fighters
4/5
Solid debut for Dave post Nirvana. He's kept the good music flowing for decades. One of my all time favorite bands.
Heaven 17
3/5
Depeche Mode early in their basement with pre-loaded keyboard sounds. OK, but nothing special
Tom Waits
2/5
Not my cup of tea. I'm sure this kind of thing really speaks to someone... specifically Tom himself.
Q-Tip
3/5
Pretty solid hip hop album
Nick Drake
3/5
Decent easy listening. Not sure why everyone thinks this guy is the shit though
Radiohead
3/5
Fine. Just fine.
Ice T
3/5
Not bad. Had a Public Enemy feel to it at times.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Solid Album with some definite bangers.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
I think you had to be born at the right time to have a soft spot for this kind of funk. This is only marginally better than Parliament. Two stars... Will never listen to again.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Always good vibes when listening to Booker T, but the sound gets repetitive and old pretty quick for me.
Eminem
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. It's not your typical "rap" album and has great hooks, good lyrics, and a little tongue-in-cheek weirdness.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Not bad. Less a rap album and. More of an experimental R&B/Hip-hop album
Lou Reed
2/5
This album was just 40 minutes of meh. I don't really enjoy Lou Reed's music or vocal stylings.
Neil Young
3/5
Nice vibe through the whole album. Chill to listen to.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Pretty good blues album
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
A big part of my late high school life. This bastard was on repeat for a long time. In recent years the allure of the Chili Peppers has waned thanks to the nonsensical lyrics. I think I could have recounted every song without listening at all.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Ok. Kinda boring and coma inducing
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Beck
2/5
Maybe I was in the right way today. Maybe I was expecting something different. I certainly wasn't expecting so many slow, introspective, and depressing songs.
Nirvana
3/5
For me a more enjoyable Nirvana album. It was whored out after Kurt's death, but is just a great listen
The Velvet Underground
2/5
It's boring, annoying, has dylan-esque vocals, mediocre female vocals, and I have an overall desire to never hear it again
Kanye West
3/5
Ok. It would be much better without the whole rapping by Kanye thing.
Jack White
3/5
Fine musically. Not so good vocally.
Pixies
3/5
Ok. Another vocally annoying album.
R.E.M.
4/5
This was a great listen. It wasn't my bag growing up and that's disappointing. I missed out for sure.
The Cars
4/5
Just a great album with a ton of known hits. Didn't quite get to that Abbey Road level, but it was damn close.
AC/DC
4/5
Just a solid rock album from back to front. I was leaning heavily towards five stars, but realized that it doesn't really rise above any of the other rock of that era. It's still damn good though.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Fine if you're in the right mood. I was not
David Holmes
2/5
This was the most boring electronica album I have ever heard.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elbow
2/5
Slow. Somber. If you're in the mood did not feel good about yourself or life this is the album for you.
George Jones
3/5
Great 50's era country. Can't get much better.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Technically sound musicianship. Typically odd vibe per Zappa.
Fairport Convention
3/5
ABBA
2/5
This is just not a great album. There are a few hits on it, but outside of that, the music isn't great and the lyrics are subpar at best.
Coldplay
3/5
Solid album with some good tracks. Very melancholy.
3/5
It was fine, but not my bag.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Eh, it was ok. It was also the most unmemorable collected of music that I've listened to in some time.
Motörhead
3/5
I liked this more than I thought I would. Pretty tight live band
AC/DC
4/5
Another solid rock album.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Not bad overall, but not a normal listen for me
Kings of Leon
4/5
This was always a really good album. So many good songs.
The Doors
3/5
Good album. Typical of the Doors
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Pretty good album when the main guy isn't involved in singing. Definite 90's smooth jazz production techniques in play.
Jethro Tull
3/5
OK rock album, but I don't understand why it's so highly regarded by some.
Alice In Chains
4/5
If there were half stars this would get a 4.5. It's THE Alice in Chains album and solid throughout save for some odd vocal stylings on God Smack. This was a staple growing up and it still holds a nostalgic place in my life, but it's not quite 5 stars for me.
The Crusaders
3/5
Standard jazz stuff. Nothing awful and nothing great.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Good R&B album.
Eurythmics
3/5
Good album. Very cohesive and consistent vibe.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Competent and consistent blues rock, but just.... boring.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Overall good album of standards by Willie. I don't know how but his voice just slid right into each of these without being overly noticeable
1/5
Unbridled hot garbage flowing through a sea of complete ridiculousness on it's way to my foot, so I can put it in someone's ass for making this.
Billy Joel
3/5
There were a few duds, but overall a pretty good album.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I'm sure this is highly regarded in Brazil, but it's just another 60s album in another language to me
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Fantastic hip hop album
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Overall good, but definitely recycled the same musical elements on several tracks (clarinet anyone?).
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
It wasn't that bad, it's just that nothing remotely differentiates it from other music of the same style.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I can't think of a world where I would find this album remotely enjoyable. 80's casio keyboard music and spoken word vocals that overwhelm everything else on every track is just god awful. A dumpster filled with diarrhea and cat piss would be too good of a trash receptacle to throw this away into.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Solid dad rock album. This is the most I have enjoyed Springsteen at any point in my entire life.
Yes
3/5
Better than the last Yes album, but average overall.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Solid Blues album. Really dropped off after that openeing track, but i enjoyed it thoroughly.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Good.... Just low energy jazz
John Martyn
3/5
I had no idea who this was and it turned out to be okay
Slipknot
4/5
I just love the raw, angry, aggressive, chaotic, and in your face sound of Slipknot. They seem to be able to sraddle the lines between thrash metal, death metal, and straight heavy metal while throwing in turntables and melodic vocal stylings as well. This album was a fun listen .
Cat Stevens
3/5
After a dismal vocal offering from the first track, this album settled right into 70's easy listening. The album was OK, but a far cry from the polish of someone like James Taylor.
King Crimson
3/5
While I can understand why this was unusual aand attractive after the musical stylings of the early 60s, I've come to the conclusion that prog rock just ain't my bag. It's long and unnecessarily drawn out songs are more distracting than enjoyable listening.
Ride
3/5
Obvious Oasis influences aside, this is the very definition of OK. Not great, not bad, just OK.
The Offspring
3/5
OK. Never been a big punk fan and this loses a point for the whiny vocals
D'Angelo
4/5
Love the music. Ignored the lyrics for the most part
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Very polished songs from a group I've always heard of, but never listened to. Decent album and the 2 sides were very different.
Talking Heads
3/5
Good album with inventive rhythms. I always seem to enjoy Talking Heads.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Music was typical mellow synth pop. Not bad
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Beat poetry over jazz just isn't for me. The words and music often didn't mesh and that made for an uncomfortable listening experience.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
OK musically save for a few tracks with monotonous, never changing beats behind the lyrics.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Well produced and decent songs, but it was just nothing special for me.
Nas
3/5
Nas is suppoedly a great lyricist and rapper, but I pay little attention to lyrics and more to the music underneath. Pretty good rap album. I enjoyed it more musically than I anticipated.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Same vocals, same style syncopated drum parts, very similar guitar riffs on every track, but .... An ok listen somehow.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Man, Americana music just ain't for me. I dig Bluegrass (this ain't it), but this stuff is so slow and drawn out that I can't find any joy listening to it. I'm sure there's a mood that would lend itself to this symphony of depression, but I can't imagine the situation I would have to be in to listen to this on purpose.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Not for me man. This was just noise with some 90's alternative trickled throughout
Tears For Fears
4/5
Fantastic album. These guys will always be great to listen to
Beatles
4/5
Really good Beatles album and the epitome of 60s pop. I'd give it 4.5 stars if that was an option.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Loved this one more than Innervisions. There was a wide array of styles and themes that just fit my mood and the vibe for the day.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
There was some good on this album, but the barrage of freeform minor key rambling was disconcerting for me. Not a great listen.
David Bowie
3/5
Pretty good pre-80s Bowie album. The back half really took a weird turn with the somber instrumentals, but overall pretty enjoyable.
Metallica
5/5
This is one of those albums that defined my early high school years. I practically wore out the cassette on trips to and from school on the bus. Though I never liked the clicky kick sound and lack of any bass guitar in the mix, this still holds up well for me. I can't give this 4.5 stars so it gets its 5.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Solid album when Lindsey's songs don't come up. He was definitely try too hard to break away from the success of Rumours and it didn't go that well.
MC Solaar
3/5
Though I couldn't understand the rapping, it was rarely overpowering the music and complemented it instead. Nice jazzy vibe on this album.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Zappa just seems like he's trying to be so counterculture and so opposite of anything mainstream that the average listener would have a hard time enjoying any of what they hear. This album is hard to listen to. 1 star for sticking to his gun throughout his career and another star for musicianship. Outside of that this is shit garbage.
3/5
This inoffensive and upbeat 80s music that just kind of puts you in a happier mood. Overall a good album with a few odd lyrical choices.
The Smiths
3/5
This was OK moody 80s synth-pop. My first full listen to anything by them.
Fela Kuti
3/5
OK. Nothing to scream about. Good rhythms and sound overall.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Overall a good album, but man did it just have this neutered vibe. It always felt like it was going to go hard and be big and grandiose only to just slink back into the corner and softly play music hoping you'd like it. Everything felt timid and unassuming and that was frustrating to listen to.
Pixies
2/5
Another Pixies album, and additional proof why I just don't enjoy it. While the back half of the album was somehow more enjoyable, it still didn't move the needle.
Massive Attack
4/5
Really good chill electronica album with great blend of musical styles.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Man this is the blandest 90's rock i've heard. This album is so quiet and demure... as if it's trying to ride a harley and all it could muster was a 3 year old's my little pony bicycle complete with training wheels. If you look up the word "Meh" in the dictionary there's a picture of this album cover.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Just a whole bunch of meh for me. I can understand how this sound influenced some later artists, but it's just haphazard and really not my bag
Love
3/5
OK. Better than some psychedlia laced rock of the time, but nothing to write home about.
The Temptations
3/5
Bob Dylan
2/5
Better musically, but I still hate Dylan's voice. Every one of his albums is hard to get through because of this.
CHIC
3/5
Pretty damn good album for the disco era. More centered on rhythm and instuments than other music of the day.
The Specials
3/5
Enjoyable Ska album for me. Nothing bad about it.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Just a really enjoyable AOR/Blues album. Another one that just sounded in the background and kinda bland, but I liked everything i heard.
Method Man
3/5
Not a bad album, but one that wouldn't be on my frequently played list.
Charles Mingus
3/5
This wasn't too bad. Kinda liked it as background music.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. Such a groovy chill sound and something I could listen to all the time.
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Spacey electronic goodness.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Melancholy as fuck
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
I am no rap connoisseur so I will never be able to notice the differences in styles, but this just sounds like another 90's rap album to me. Better than the solo efforts by ghostface and RZA, but only marginally.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Fantastic chill jazz club vibes. Really enjoyed this.
Violent Femmes
1/5
I have hated Blister in the Sun since I first heard it, but I decided to give this an objective listen because that's what this list is all about for me. After some thought, I have decided that I hate the rest of it too. The music is uninspired, the vocals are from a whiny 5 year old and why is there acoustic guitar in every damn song that's front and center in the mix? My disdain for this musical style runs deep. Here's hoping this is the only album on the list.
Throwing Muses
2/5
Whiny female 90s alternative just ain't my bag baby
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Really enjoyed listening to this one. It was a nice surprise to hear many genres melded into an underlying country vibe.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
This was extremely OK. It kind of felt like I was listening to a musical. The crescendo of the album (the final two songs) we're way better than anything that had come before.
Eagles
4/5
Another solid album from The Eagles. Points taken away for Earlybird, which completely ruined the cohesive vibe the rest of the album had going.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This may be a nostalgia thing, but I enjoy this album quite a bit. That low, grungy doom sound is one of my favorite vibes on an album.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
This was ok for a 60s blues rock album. Joplin's voice is an acquired taste, but the backing band was pretty good.
The Monks
3/5
Pretty good 60's rock album with a heavy anti-war message.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This ok. Boring, but ok.
Television
3/5
This was just OK.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Another melancholy entry for this guy. I'm not sure why he's on this list twice
Screaming Trees
3/5
Pretty good album overall. It had this oddly mellow tone overall and that's an oddity for me.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Solid 3.5 for me. I love the new wave of synth-pop.
Slayer
4/5
Slayer entered my realm of music with South of Heaven and I would often visit earlier albums of the bands I was listening to, so this was part of that process for me. I haven't listened to this in years and I still really enjoy it. Add a little nostalgia in and this is a solid 3.75 for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Better than I was expecting based on what I had heard from them prior
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Solid fucking R&B album that was really more bluesy to me. This was an unexpected pleasure.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
What you expect from a bossa nova album. It was surprising that one of them turned into a John Philips Sousa march, but overall a nice chill album.
Björk
4/5
I went into this only marginally aware of Bjork's musical style. I was pleasantly surprised by this album and its eclectic sound. I enjoyed it much more than I would have expected.
The Who
3/5
I enjoyed this much more than the last album. Live Who is much better than album Who.
2/5
Repetitive, boring, and super whiny vocals. The back half of the album was better, but just not good enough to get that 3rd star for me.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Solid funk/R&B album. I've always enjoyed the sound and vibe of EWF
Scott Walker
2/5
Kudos to this guy for getting more than one album under his belt. I cannot fathom how this guy was remotely popular with his haphazard songs and lounge lizard singing, but you do you Britain.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
This was a nice somber chill album. I enjoyed it.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
It was better than expected, but not something that I would ever listen to again.
Ray Charles
3/5
Solid 50's "country" album. No complaints.
The White Stripes
3/5
Repetitive, boring, whiny vocals..... All the things I just love to death. This is occasionally OK.
DJ Shadow
3/5
This was fairly chill to listen to although there was a bit too much scratching in parts and a few spots where the vibe was interrupted by uncomfortable musical phrases.
Meat Puppets
2/5
This album was just meh. The voice was off putting and the music wasn't all that great.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Just an average blues album for me
The Smiths
3/5
Melancholy as always from Morrissey's vocal sound, but the music was good.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Just a great album through and through. I love the beasties playing their own instruments and there are just masterful sound drops throughout. It also hits my nostalgia card since I had this on repeat for a long time in the 90's
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Good album back to front. CCR was tight and had catchy songs that are hard to disparage.
Peter Frampton
3/5
Middle of the road rock album. Nothing great, but nothing bad either
Pink Floyd
3/5
It's fine.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Good album and I can understand why it's considered one of their best ones. Just not my cup of tea unless I wanted to maintain a depressive episode.
OutKast
3/5
I understand why people enjoy Outkast. The music is more creative and isn't just straight forward rap/hip-hop.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
I wasn't sure what this was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised by the chill nature of the music.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
This is an album whose sound is very indicative of its time. This was a very simple, and unfortunately repetitive album. You better hope you like the first track because every other track sounds almost exactly the same.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Portishead
3/5
This is a definite vibe that you have to be in the mood for. Overall a good album, though a really homogeneous sound.
Neil Young
3/5
Decent mellow rock album with an overall melancholy vibe. To be expected from Neil Young
ZZ Top
4/5
Overall just a great cohesive album of his and blues rock. Really enjoyable
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
Decent electronica album. Nothing groundbreaking and nothing awful
Fiona Apple
4/5
Tidal is a vibe. Man it's a sensual rich tapestry of foreboding, but groovy songs. I found it to be a bit repetitive on a full listen, but it didn't detract from the experience.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Decent album overall. Typical bluesy rock of the time with the usual Hendrix flair along with some weird sonic choices.
Calexico
4/5
Pretty wide ranging blend of musical genres on this album and it was more enjoyable than expected.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Great classic Cash album. The stage banter and off the cuff interactions with the inmates make this album so good. Really enjoyable.
The Zombies
3/5
Middle of the road 60's bubblegum pop that seems to want to be psychedlic rock, but couldn't pull it off save for the last track on the album
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Overall this is a great album back to front. If I could give half stars this would be a 4.5, but here we are rounding up
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Good album, but not as solid as the others on this list.
Lorde
3/5
The music is fine. The vocals are fine. It's fine. That is all this is.
The Stooges
3/5
Definitely a very raw sound. No technical prowess on display here. Just hard driving rock. I enjoyed it more than I expected, but some of it was a little odd.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
80's synthpop. Nothing of note.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
This album is musically unremarkable and the vocals are...... not good. I'm not sure how this is considered some sort of seminal work from her. If it is, then the rest of her catalog must be shit garbage.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Solid album back to front and a nice nostalgic ride for me
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Excellent overall. Really shows how much range and emotion she had when at her best
The Only Ones
2/5
The music was just fine. The vocals were hot garbage. I don't know where they found this Lou Reed wannabe, but they should have just left them there
The Young Gods
1/5
This album was better in the back half, but it's still not great. It was definitely the worst impression of ministry/rammstein/nine inch nails that I've heard. There was absolutely no reason for some of these songs to be more than 3 and 1/2 minutes.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
As popular as the book and Wikipedia make this album sound, I never heard this growing up. I'm guessing this was due to the overwhelming scope of Nirvana's Nevermind. Listening to it now, it's just very pedestrian '90s alt rock.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
This is the stereotype for hippie flower child music. It was ok
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Decent songs and good harmonies as you'd expect. It was however, an extremely slow and depressing sound for me.
Femi Kuti
4/5
3.5 overall. Enjoyable to listen to all the way through even though the songs were long.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I could hear some motifs that reminded me of other bands, so I don't doubt that this had some influence on future groups, but the music was just mediocre for me.
Coldplay
3/5
The album is fine and has good songs. It just has the most dull, monotonous, and uninteresting sound ever placed on wax. Nothing about these songs is exciting. It's like the band all had a head cold, took some nyquil, and made unusually boring music in that Nyquil-fueled haze like zombies. The lackluster vibe just drags on and on and never changes.
I understand the draw of Coldplay for people, but I only really enjoy this era of their work when I am feeling down and need a soundtrack for that mood. Their more recent work has more life and energy and is way more enjoyable.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I can hear the talent on the album, but unfortunately I can also hear her voice. It's very inconsistent and goes to places I feel it shouldn't. This is not something I'll ever listen to again unless forced to.
Ian Dury
1/5
This is the most British album I have ever heard. Hopefully I will never hear another.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Middle of the road southern rock. Nothing much to it
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Fine although a bit odd at times.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Now this is why people must like the Stones so much. Good overall blues and rock album
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
It was decent at times and I understand why he is so revered. This genre just isn't my favorite
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Better than I was expecting. Good beats and solid lyrics
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Nothing to hear here..... Move along.
Don McLean
3/5
Fine. Boring and repetitve, but fine.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
I enjoyed the shit out of this one. Good arrangements, vocals, and musical vibes. Too bad he didn't get to make more music.
Dire Straits
4/5
Overall great album. Super cohesive groove all the way through.
Duke Ellington
4/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Straightforward jazz. No complaints here.
Jane Weaver
3/5
Not sure what this was, but I listened to it.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Through and through just a masterfully produced album.
Yes
3/5
Typical Yes.
The Associates
2/5
What was this? I am still uncertain.
TLC
3/5
Huge album when it came out. This is a solid R&B album when you remove the stupid interludes.
The Pogues
3/5
If you like a consistent, never changing sound throughout your whole album, this is the one for you.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Surprisingly good album. Eclectic and ever changing genres and they were all handled very well
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Well, Franz Ferdinand has a sound and they stick to it. This is a good album if you like that sound, but it's not overwhelmingly awesome or anything.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Not bad. Not great. Just average alt-punk rock.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Bill Callahan
2/5
If you're into someone doing an impression of singing under their breath and/or spoken word over pseudo country-folk then this album is great. For me, this is just someone's dad that thinks they have a great singing voice and rents a studio to put the horror show onto tape. It's god awful and boring. I'd rather listen to Dirk Diggler's unreleased studio album on repeat than listen to this.
Arcade Fire
3/5
To me this sounds like they're trying too hard to be unusual and avant-garde and they are overreaching big time. The music bed underneath is extremely basic
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Standard Neil Young. Not much else to say about that.
3/5
There's something so comfortable and enjoyable about 50s & 60s country, like a warm blanket on a cold day.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Classic upbeat jazz record. Really enjoyed it
Goldie
3/5
If the Hackers soundtrack had less enjoyable music riddled with poorly sampled drum sounds, this is what it would sound like. There were a few ok spots, but I can't fathom how people could ever have listened to drum n bass as a primary musical style.
Ray Charles
4/5
Great album from Ray. Much more enjoyable than the country one on this list.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Being the first time I have ever heard this in its entirety, I found it pretty enjoyable. It's a solid 3.5 for me. The last 4 tracks were definitely leftover filler tracks judging by how good the front of the album was. Well produced and slick catchy songs even decades later.
Paul McCartney
3/5
I enjoyed this one more then his wings debut. This one felt more personal and honest and real
Adele
4/5
Though the subject matter is consistently about pain and loss, this is a well produced and arranged album. You can't deny how talented Adele is.
Korn
3/5
Good Korn album, though the 1hr runtime felt like 5hrs. There are some classic songs here, including one with possibly the heaviest breakdown I've ever heard (Freak on a Leash). I get chills every time I hear it. I had never heard this one in it's entirety and it wasn't anything groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Decent soul/R&B/funk album. The last track was like audible blue balls. There's no need for a 13 minute track telling some story while playing the same chords over and over.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Well, this Dylan album is musically better, but you still have to listen to Dylan sing, so still just an awful listen
Simple Minds
3/5
I found this to be the most unassuming and subdued collection of music I've heard on this list. Nothing stood out and had I not KNOWN I was listening to it, I may not have noticed it was even there.
T. Rex
3/5
Unexciting 70's bluesy rock.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Decent early electronic music though extremely repetitive
Santana
4/5
Great rock album wrapped with latin jazz flavors and some notes le radio hits. Would listen to this album again.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Good homespun country music from the Queen of country.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Better than expected, but not something I would listen to often.
Buck Owens
3/5
Pretty enjoyable county twang. Would listen again.
The Stranglers
3/5
Fine for what it is. It's not really much though.
George Harrison
4/5
Just a mellow and good album through and through. 3.5
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Better than I was expecting. It has a nice mellow 70s rock sound throughout
Megadeth
4/5
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
This sounds like the musicians were told to play as quietly and with as few notes as possible while the singer talked into and had mouth sex with his microphone. Garbage.
Crowded House
3/5
Beastie Boys
4/5
The heavy misogynist and frat boy vibe is a bit over the top, but was welcomed by many back in the day. Still a nostalgic and fun romp through what was rap back then.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Better than the last Joni Mitchell album, but this still isn't enjoyable for me.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Fine blues rock if you ignore the lyrics
The Darkness
4/5
Solid rock album. I wish the vocal stylings weren't so distracting, but it was a fun listen.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
I have always enjoyed this album since its release. This listen has not swayed that opinion. Though the album gets slower and more melancholy as it goes, I still dig it.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
This album is not my thing. Some of the music and beats are good, but i can do without the rapping and conversational vignettes at the end of seemingly every song.
Funkadelic
3/5
Fine P-funk stripped of its ridiculousness and gimmicks.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
Fine if you're in the mood to continue your depressive episode with music.
Suicide
2/5
The same synth sounds on every track made this album very boring and very repetitive
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Whoever suggested that they cover Pink Floyd should be smacked in the face with a raw fish. Otherwise this album was odd but fine.
David Bowie
2/5
Most of the music was fine. It was the vocals that often seemed out of sync and not really connected to the music.
Meat Loaf
3/5
I'm sure this was the bee's knees when it came out and it seemingly bridges 60's rock with 70's glam. This is a ridiculous and over the top album with songs that go on way too long for their own good. While Meat Loaf carries the weight of the songs well, I felt like he would collapse at any moment from the sheer energy he's belting out the lyrics with. This wasn't something I grew up on and only heard sparingly on the radio until now. I understand it's draw for people of a certain era, but listening to it fully for the first time has me convinced that it will also be my last.
Elton John
4/5
Many good songs on the album and very cohesive vibe throughout
Queen Latifah
3/5
Often repetitive late 80s to time capsule.
Def Leppard
5/5
Where to begin with this iconic album? This is definitely a different sound than their previous albums, but that worked to their advantage in a giant way, making it more accessible for mainstream music fans and not just die-hard rock stans. This album is tightly produced and meticulously crafted to produce a cacophony of sound that envelops your ears. The most noticeable of these techniques being the liberal use of reverb and the layer upon layer of vocal overdubs. I also noticed how far back the drums are in the mix because of this. Still, this is one of the biggest and most fun albums of that era and it deserves the full compliment of stars that I have to give it.
Iron Maiden
3/5
The music was what you'd expect, but the vocals were lacking the flair I've come to expect from Iron Maiden. Having only been exposed to Bruce Dickinson's vocals this left me wanting something different. Overall still a decent album.
Air
4/5
This is an easy 4 for me. I love this kind of shit. Lo-fi esque, chill shit like this is just so enjoyable
William Orbit
3/5
Can't complain about this one either. Nice middle of the road electronic
Sade
4/5
Solid soft rock/pseudo-jazz album. Sade's vocals are always mesmerizing and her backup band is as tight as it gets. Even the non radio hits are well done.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Man this one was slow and melancholy to me. Not bad, but not someone I would listen to on purpose.
The Black Keys
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I would have enjoyed it more if the vocals didn't have effects on every damn song.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
It started off as some sort of electronica, but then pivoted into an eclectic alt-rock sampler. It was OK, but it's not joining my library anytime soon.
The Verve
3/5
Decent, but it got overly monotonous after a while. All the songs started to blend together in one long forgettable musical arrangement.
Blur
3/5
Best britpop album on this list so far. Overall an enjoyable listening experience.
Kelela
3/5
Fine yet planned R&B that all melts together into one long song.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I'm sure the poetry/lyrics resonate for a lot of people, but I'm just not one of them. The music is also nothing special and typical of the time it was released. This album was just completely uninteresting to me.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Pretty damn enjoyable 80's pop rock. Consistently upbeat and solid throughout
Tracy Chapman
3/5
The vocals fit perfectly into the music. Though this is a pretty Singer album it was a good listen.
Common
3/5
Rap would be a much more likeable genre if it was more like this. Enjoyed the beats and music and the rapping wasn't about how much better than everyone he was because he had more money, guns, or bitches.
Gang Of Four
2/5
Sounds like dudes who were in a a punk band 15 years ago, got back together, and wanted to change their sound but don't know how to. It's a pseudo-clash style band and they're not pulling any of it off.
The Clash
3/5
These guys are heralded in the music world, but when I hear them it just isn't exciting for me. It's just standard post-punk rock with heavy British accents singing lyrics. It's fine occasionally.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Solid early rhythm & blues album. He has a great voice.
Hawkwind
2/5
Rock + Poetry. Meh.
Machito
4/5
This was a really enjoyable rhythmic fiesta. It didn't let up the entire time and provided a happy upbeat vibe for the day.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This was a more enjoyable Elvis Costello album for me. The tighter pop-rock production really hit the right vibe for me
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Another solid outing from the Stones. The songs always sound like covers of other songs to me, but that doesn't stop the enjoyment.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
The beats and music were great, the interludes and skits unnecessary, and rapping was unique. Typical.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
4.5 stars for me. For being the first album on his own it's such a great one. He would only get better, but this is a solid outing. The addition of the I-Threes rounds out an already tight group and it would be hard to hear his music without them.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Fair music, though uninspiring. The vocals seemed like someone who had no idea how to sing and was just emulating what they thought was singing. Forced vibrato for the fail.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Good, soulful music but the format of this record was a bit weird. I wish they would have let the concert just play out instead of adding pauses in between songs. That ruined the flow a bit. It also seemed a bit forced and rushed. I'm not sure why that is, but I just couldn't get past that.
David Bowie
3/5
Pretty good album outside all the weird free-form jazz vignettes. Much more cohesive and pop-centric which is what made it more bearable.
Carole King
3/5
Good 70s soft rock.
The Beach Boys
4/5
There are definitely a few straight bangers on this album. I appreciate the experimentation, but on some songs it was completely out of the blue and took me right out of the vibe. Some of the other instrumental songs were fine, but I'm not sure what their purpose was or why they were included at all. Those points lost it a star for me.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
There is obviously a large contingent of the population that enjoys Lana Del Rey. I can't see how this can be in anyone's regular rotation unless they were constantly living in a sea of disappointment and pain. This would only be useful music if I was in a depressive state and wanted to force myself to stay there.
Having no expectations going in, I just wasn't impressed. Her voice seems average and she doesn't really have to stretch it since the pace and range of the music is so minimalist. She just puts off an air of indifference and boredom, making it seem as if she really doesn't want to be singing.
I was hoping I would hear at least one upbeat song at some point but its just track after track of dejection and melancholia. The album is tiring to listen to and has nearly shut the door on me ever listening to her voluntarily again.
Madness
3/5
This was fine. Not great, not bad.... Just fine.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Just a fantastic album from beginning to end.
Beatles
4/5
Another fine Beatles album that gets a little long in the tooth after a while. This is good, but not Abbey Road good.
The KLF
3/5
If you want to feel as if you were part of a montage from the film Hackers, then this is the album for you. While not a bad listen, it was definitely locked in time to that era.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Man there were some tracks (I'm looking at you track 2... you're straight up a U2 song) that emulated other artists pretty damn well. I enjoyed this album though. It's got that late 80's early 90's vibe when the rebellious alt-rock genre was morphing into the adult alternative genre.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This album was so uneventful and bland I don't even remember what it sounded like yesterday.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Just exceptional for a debut album. So many great tracks.
Prince
3/5
This was what I expected from Prince. It was fine to listen to, but I wouldn't go out of my way to ever purposely listen to it again. Prince is just a weird cat and that is reflected in the music.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Punk has never been my thing. This album is OK. I enjoyed a few songs more than I expected to.
Fugazi
3/5
Pretty good overall. Takes me back to my Helmet listening days, which oddly enough was 2 years later
The Everly Brothers
3/5
50s pop. Nothing exciting.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Fine blues rock album. This is what I expect from my middle of the road 70s rock.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Every song on this album is great and nearly every song on this album is a rock classic.
Neil Young
3/5
Fine for Neil Young. A bit too slow and whiny for me, but overall OK.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
This is OK to listen to. There are some fun songs, but man the sound is the same for every one of them. It got old quickly for me.
N.W.A.
3/5
Good beats and rapping and well produced overall. I liked it more than I thought I would.
Soundgarden
5/5
This album is a 4.5 for me. 4 for the album itself and another .5 for the nostalgia attached to it. Growing up when this album entered the world was just fantastic musically and this one was in my rotation. I had friends who took to this right away and loved every second. I wasn't so immediately smitten, but this has grown on me over the years to be a very solid, dar, and complex listen.
Oasis
3/5
The second Oasis album on this list and it's just as boring as the first one. It's just one bland song after another and they all sound the same.
k.d. lang
4/5
I have come to really enjoy K.D. Lang thanks to this list. This album wasn't quite as good as Ingenue, but still really enjoyable.
Stereo MC's
3/5
There's just something about this that's missing. The music was fine, but it was just too subdued and missing a punch or soul. Hard to put my finger on it honestly. it's just kinda boring
Iggy Pop
3/5
This was an ok Bowie album with weird vocals.
The Who
3/5
Fine. The better who albums are live albums.
Adele
4/5
Solid. Adele's voice elevates the sometimes bland and boring music.
Alice Cooper
3/5
I guess you had to be there? This is just middle of the road '70s rock to me. It's nothing groundbreaking or particularly interesting.
The B-52's
4/5
While I don't go out of my way to listen to the B52s, it's always a good time when I do. There's something so fun and happy about listening to this cacophony of sound that always puts you in a good mood.
James Brown
3/5
While I usually enjoy James Brown when I hear it, this album seemed underwhelming to me and very short. I couldn't feel the energy that usually comes from a JB album
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Pretty good overall and better than I was expecting.
Ramones
3/5
It's the Ramones. You know exactly what the album sounds like.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
100% Stones clone. 1000% List filler.
Brian Eno
3/5
There was some odd stuff on this album, but overall not bad.
King Crimson
2/5
There is good prog rock and bad prog rock. This is the latter.
The Smiths
3/5
Nothing to report here. Typical 80's pop from the Smiths
Pretenders
4/5
Pretty solid and enjoyable album. Pleasantly surprised.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Did the distortion knob get stuck on 11 for this album? It's overbearing and ridiculously annoying for most of the album. For the tracks where you're not getting sonically abused by that the standard 80s pop songs are OK.
Moby Grape
3/5
This was just fine for a late 60s rock album. Better than I was thinking it would be.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
This album is straight up 90s. Lots of grungy riffs. I would totally believe it if i read an article saying Chris Cornell heard this album while writing for Superunknown.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
This album was just fine. Nothing too great and nothing really bad.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
This group is revered but I still don't know why after two albums. This album was the same ambient music with poetry for every track. Extremely slow and depressing.
John Lennon
3/5
Much like Paul McCartney & Wings' Band on the Run album, this one is just bland.
From my Wings review: "It always felt like it was going to go hard and be big and grandiose only to just slink back into the corner and softly play music hoping you'd like it. Everything felt timid and unassuming and that was frustrating to listen to."
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
I don't like and I don't hate this. It's completely ineffective at producing any emotional response from me
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Average glam rock. No one should ever try to make a violin or saxophone sound rock n roll.
Sepultura
4/5
4.5. I really enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It's a solid metal album with some tribal rhythms interspersed throughout. It loses half a star because of the vocals. The gutteral singing style wasn't quite for me.
The Stooges
3/5
Better than expected, but still really fucking annoying screeching guitars and monotony in the longer songs.
Can
2/5
Well, it started off fine and devolved into madness. The longer tracks were just pure experimentalism and not enjoyable. I can see doing that for yourselves as artists, but to actually put it on an album and expect people to eat it up is just wishful thinking.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
This album with its one long run on song certainly does set a specific vibe. If you want to wallow in your own self-loathing this is the album for you.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
Meh
Everything But The Girl
4/5
This kind of downtempo & chill electronica really hits all the right notes for me. I'd abandoned this genre for some time and I loved re-engaging with it. I enjoyed this from beginning to end.
Willie Nelson
3/5
This was the slowest and sleepiest country album I think I've ever heard. For it to be this bare bones and have this much impact is pretty telling.
Os Mutantes
3/5
This is like an attempt at a Psychedelic Brazilian Beatles. It's not a great one either.
Mariah Carey
3/5
This was ok. As always, she has a fantastic voice, but the music became less and less interesting after the 20min mark.
Kings of Leon
3/5
It was a fine listen if you like Kings of Leon. It's overall just average musically and didn't really do much for me
Daft Punk
3/5
Pretty good overall though repetitive and irritating as hell in some spots.
Tom Waits
3/5
The music was enjoyable, but his signature voice is an acquired taste for sure. That being said, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Sometimes the bongos and drums got a little out of hand, but overall it was a good one.
3/5
I enjoyed this album. I particularly like the back half more than the front. I had heard several songs off the first half, but it wasn't until Assassin hit that I really started paying attention
PJ Harvey
3/5
This wasn't all that good for me. It was a huge nothingburger full of unimportant songs and occasionally annoying music.
Giant Sand
2/5
This was one big cover version of Shawn Mullins' Lullaby. Did not enjoy this one as it was all the same song over and over again.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Not really worth even the short time it took to listen to this. The music was average and the singer was just whining into the mic the entire time.
Nina Simone
3/5
I rarely stumble across Nina Simone in my normal listening, but I am sure the Spotify algorithm will change that soon. Until now, I was most familiar her song Sinnerman, perfectly used at the end of Pierce Brosnan's Thomas Crown Affair and I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl, which I probably stumbled into from a promo jazz compilation during my time at Best Buy. Her voice is unique and at times she strains when really projecting ("MY name is Peaches!!!!"), but overall this is an enjoyable album.
Radiohead
1/5
-1 for the sheer amount of boredom injected into each song
-1 for Thom Yorke's whiny vocals
-1 for the consistent malaise that the music elicits
-1 for making me listen to 16 versions of the same song
+1 because they can play instruments well enough and giving this a 0 is not an option
Aerosmith
4/5
Solid 70s rock album. There is little to complain about here, so I won't.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
This wasn't bad. I enjoyed the eclectic genre weaving throughout the album. This was a pleasant surprise for me.
Dr. Dre
3/5
Maybe a 3 for this. Very single-minded lyrically - bitches, hos, guns, dick size, etc... without Snoop chiming in all over the place this would be a very different album
Kate Bush
3/5
This was fine. The music was generally OK and the vocals were nothing spectacular. I am not sure why it's so highly regarded, but everyone has their own taste.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
This was a darker and heavier album than I was expecting. Much more enjoyable than I would have imagined.
Anita Baker
3/5
While ultimately enjoyable, this is middle of the road 80's soul music that just happens to have a great voice over the top. It's pretty soulless and lifeless listening to it. If I asked an AI to create 80's soul music it would spit out this specific music bed.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
The opening track was the highlight for me, but I think this stays at a 3 for me. Decent to listen to but nothing amazing.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I've never specifically listened to ELP and I can say I have missed nothing by doing so. Prog rock is extremely hit or miss and this one was a big miss for me. I had it one in the background at work and I was able to completely ignore it. Nothing caught my ear AT ALL.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Rather enjoy this type of music from time to time. There were some sections that became annoying repetitive, so it was hard to listen to at times. Overall worth the listen though.
The War On Drugs
4/5
"American indie rock band" usually means I will hate it, but I really enjoyed this one. It kinda has a 70's smooth rock vibe to me, though the vocals and a few songs get dangerously Dylan-esqe a few times. Not so much that it threw off the vibe, but my brain sure as hell perked up in those instances.
Bee Gees
2/5
This was just a nothing burger. Nothing about it was altogether enjoyable and I swear Robin's vocals would have been much better on the soundtrack to Rankin & Bass' animated Hobbit. Glad to be done with this one.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Pretty good country rock album really. No real complaints.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
A pleasant surprise for this album. I loved the vibe and the African rhythms
Django Django
2/5
I'm not sure what this album was supposed to be, but it wasn't really that enjoyable. The vocals were whiny and annoying the entire time and to be honest I don't even remember the back half of the album it was so forgettable.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
This is just different Bjork. Nothing of note here for me.
50 Cent
3/5
This was fine thanks to the music from Dre and a few solid radio hits. Otherwise it's purely forgettable posturing and machismo
David Bowie
3/5
This Bowie album was overall pretty good. Less chaotic than Blackstar. It was kind of boring musically, but somehow it works for me.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
It's amazing that I have never heard of Jazmine Sullivan after all the praise and awards she's seems to have garnered since 2008. This is just nothing amazing at all. I could have never have heard any of this, but still know exactly what it sounds like since it's the same as all the other hip-hop/R&B that existed before and after it. Trailblazing lyrics like "I want to spit on it" and "I want to sit on it" really change the musical landscape.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
This was OK. It really sounds like it belongs in the movie Hackers and has nods to Daft Punk as well.
David Ackles
1/5
There's an extremely obvious reason this album wasn't a huge hit and it's immediately apparent starting at track 1. If you're a non-completist and skip albums occasionally, this should be one of those.
Julian Cope
2/5
The music was average to meh. The vocals were overly distracting.
The Who
4/5
The best things I have heard from The Who. Several classic hits and some of the other songs were good too.
Beatles
4/5
Another solid Beatles album. Some great songs all the way through, but it just doesn't hit the heights of Abbey Road.
Michael Jackson
4/5
This gets a 4 for me. You can't deny the MJ effect on popular music and this album just is riddled with big hits. Even the non-hits maintain the same feel and production for me. Overall a good album.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Not as good as some other Sabbath albums, but still damn solid for me. I just love the heavy, dirty sound they produce.
The Yardbirds
3/5
It was fine.
Belle & Sebastian
1/5
This is music that really wanted to be part of the Garden State soundtrack, but it wasn't even considered because it was so bland and lifeless. It's like that one friend that hangs with the group, but everyone really doesn't enjoy their company.
It's so uncomfortable listening to this. It feels as if they are trying so hard to make something good and are continuously failing to do so. The singer sounds so unsure of everything he's singing and you can hear the lack of confidence in his voice. It's uncomfortable to the point of eliciting pity for the rest of the band from me.
Solange
3/5
This was just OK. It had a chill vibe throughout which I mostly enjoyed. As usual, the interludes on albums are a waste of space. I'd listen to this over anything Beyonce every single time.
Frank Black
2/5
This album is just way too long to be playing the same song over and over again. Early on in the listen I thought "This is OK. It fits right into the decade it was released in." As I continued to listen the songs began to meld together into one long irritating blur with the same high-pitched vocal and I definitely soured quickly. This is 150% a filler album for this list. It has no significance for anyone outside of a Pixies fan.
Blondie
3/5
Great hits. Good vibes. Nice Listen.
David Bowie
2/5
This is what I expect from an older Bowie album. Nothing at all special to hear here.
Van Halen
5/5
This is just a banger of an album. Short, fun and every song is justa good time. Can't NOT give this full marks.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Interesting meld of African rhythms and blues. Nice listen.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
This first track made me think Meatloaf was about to bust out singing. Springsteen is a revered artist and I think it's societally implied that everyone should be able to find the brilliance just by listening. I am just not connecting with this music as expected. It's fine and I am sure people growing up in that era have a nostalgic bond with him. but I'm not going to be one of those people. This is just normal 70's rock with extra instruments.
JAY Z
3/5
This was fine. The music is more agreeable than many other rap albums on this list and the n words are aplenty.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
I get the cultural place this album has, but this is one long sitar song. It is neither good, nor awe-inspiring and is most certainly not necessary on this list.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Marginally better vocally than their follow up, but still mind-numbingly slow and bring for me.
LTJ Bukem
3/5
Not sure this is worth a seat on the list, but it was ok.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Good harmonies and good music. This is what you would expect from these iconic ladies. An enjoyable listen.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
This album is offensively happy sounding. It's almost childishly upbeat. The major chord fiesta coupled with the timbre of those vocals is so saccharine sweet it's cringeworthy for me.
Wilco
2/5
Slow, plodding, whiny nasally vocals interjected with random sci-fi noises is no way to get me to like an album. A few songs were up tempo enough to be ok, but I don't see the fascination with these guys.
The Beach Boys
4/5
How can you hate the Beach Boys?
Björk
3/5
Very quiet and unassuming. Not great but not bad either.
2/5
I've always enjoyed the music of Limp Bizkit, but as soon as you hear that high whiny Fred Durst bullshit it just makes it shit garbage.
GZA
3/5
Decent music bed and ok rapping. I was expecting to not enjoy this, but did somewhat.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Unexpected sound and vibe from the Beach Boys. Slower, and more introspective. I dig it overall.
Tortoise
3/5
This was ok. Not much to say about it one way or the other.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
Solid chill vibes on this motherfucker. I enjoyed it immensely.
The Who
2/5
Wow. This continues to prove that the only good Who albums are live Who albums. This is strange, experimental, and overall just doesn't have great songs. Not sure where they were mentally, but they weren't thinking about making good music.
Kraftwerk
3/5
This was just fine as background music. I'm not sure I would listen to it in any other capacity.
Japan
3/5
Pretty decent pop synth album. Would listen to it again if bored.
Britney Spears
3/5
This album definitely had a few bangers that shook the pop world. Overall it's pretty saccharine and cringe-inducing at times but nothing awful.
SAULT
3/5
Some decent grooves and the overall chill vibe was surprising. Not too bad really.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Pretty good hip-hop album. I dig that De La Soul vibe that's underneath this.
Black Flag
3/5
This is fully what I would expect from a black flag album. I've never been able to connect with punk music, but I can see how it speaks to people.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Solid pop album with enjoyable songs. I love the synth-pop style that flows through things. This was a pleasant surprise.
John Prine
3/5
You know when you're sitting on a chair and you lean back so you're just on two legs and you lean too far so you almost fall over but at the last second you catch yourself?
That's John Prine nearly going into full Bob Dylan voice ALL THE TIME.
This is way better than anything I have been forced to listen to from Bob Dylan on this list. It's still not something I would listen to again on purpose, but it wasn't that bad.
N.E.R.D
2/5
I found it really hard to enjoy this album. It's disjointed and seems to be trying way to hard to be avant-garde and interesting. Had I heard this prior to Pharrell's more recent successes I may have had a different opinion.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Can't NOT like a Led Zep album. This one is a little more folksy, but still enjoyable
U2
4/5
I was not into this kind of music back then, but for some reason my girlfriend at the time had this CD and I latched onto it pretty hard. This is still a damn good album
XTC
2/5
I think they created new major chords for this fucking album. It's so obscenely saccharin and gross to listen to that I can't go any more than 2 for it.
Bee Gees
2/5
This is just middling 60's rock trying to be something it isn't - Good.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Not bad, but I found it completely average throughout. Nothing was great and nothing was horrible. This was an album I heard.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Not bad actually. What I expect from Steve Winwood only having ever heard his 80's radio hits. Would listen again if it came across my radar.
Hookworms
3/5
Not much to say about this. It's completely forgettable, but inoffensive.
Paul Weller
3/5
This was surprisingly mellow and enjoyable. A rather nice find on this list.
Spiritualized
2/5
This mind numbing barrage of one bassline and sound throughout the entire album was exhausting. So exhausting I may need nap. I firmly believe that repeated listens could bring on a spontaneous coma that I might never recover from. I'm going to need to kick things up to 11 after the coalescence of melancholia and despair that this album exhumed.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
What are "Songs that could be used as a music bed for any Hollywood middle eastern action thriller?" Some of these were more upbeat and enjoyable than I thought. Having said that, this is still not bag of chips. The constant tabla and droning instruments really do wear on your sanity after a while. I appreciate his contributions to this style of music, I don't have any connection to this culture and really haven't enjoyed what I've heard.
Happy Mondays
3/5
This is a pretty middle of the road late 80's/90's album. Nothing was too good or too bad. It was just average overall.
The Byrds
3/5
This wasn't that bad if you're in the mood for middle of the road country "rock." Not going to add it to the 5-start collection by any means, but not a bad listen.
Spacemen 3
1/5
This attempt at music is just bad. There is nothing enjoyable about this unless you're really into a bass player hitting one low, droning note endlessly. I hope I never stumble across this again. EVER.
American Music Club
1/5
The book mentioned these guys compared THEMSELVES to R.E.M. and were surprised when they hit it big instead. Tt's pretty obvious why. None of these songs are big radio hits. They're personal stories for members of the band. There's no broader appeal unless you're into moody, emotional melancholia.
a-ha
3/5
This was an overall enjoyable listen. It had a bit more substance than I thought it would.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Typical psychedelic rock of the day. Nothing worth this list save for the big hit.
Rush
5/5
Iconic album. Solid songs and musicianship all the way through. Loved listening to this, so I did so twice.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This is the Bruce I grew up with. This is a good album full of really enjoyable songs. I'm not sure I connect with anything else I've heard from him on this list, but this was worth the price of admission.
M.I.A.
1/5
"This doesn't even deserve the 1 that I am forced to give it. This was just horribly awful to sit through. I can't understand the acclaim this album has gotten. It's boring. It's repetitive. From the album cover that was obviously put together by a hangry 2 year old, to the rudimentary songs and lyrics, it shows little imagination.
Hot. Shit. Garbage."
Christina Aguilera
3/5
This was fine to listen to. It was way better than the disgustingly sweet Britney album I had a while back.
Traffic
3/5
I listen to this entire album yesterday and I don't remember a thing about it. That must mean it was just nothing
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Though repetitive, this is a really catchy and enjoyable pop album.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Quirky, weird, creepy vocals, but ok music
John Cale
2/5
This album is a double bland supreme with a side of meh.
Randy Newman
1/5
I absolutely hate this. There's something so off-putting and disingenuous about the music and the vocals it makes me not want to listen very badly. It's like he's doing a parody of himself and not doing it well. This would be in the selection of music that plays on the elevator to hell
Gene Clark
3/5
This was an ok easy to listen to album. There was a bit too much harmonica in sections, but not too bad.
Stan Getz
4/5
Excellent jazz album anchored by the opening track.
Public Enemy
3/5
This was better than the last public enemy album I heard on this list. Still contains Flavor Flav so points deducted.
LL Cool J
3/5
This was silly at times, but overall a nice listen.
PJ Harvey
3/5
This album is steeped in that 90's sound. It was just fine to listen too, with the back half being better than the front.
The Clash
3/5
Enjoyed the album and I understand their musical impact, but they strayed far from the "punk" label they've been given by most people on this one. I enjoy this much more than their earlier albums.
Rod Stewart
2/5
This is a textbook example of nothing special. It could be my 6yo niece singing this and it would be about the same. It's just someone singing average and forgettable songs against average and forgettable music. Another filler album that just happens to be from..... yep, you guessed it - A British artist!
Nick Drake
4/5
I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Somehow the overall vibe of this really resonated with me.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Yeah, this isn't great. They really evolved from 1988 to 1996. If you take the vocals off this it's straight up a 90s weather channel music bed.
The Cult
4/5
This is straight up, no frills rock and roll. Ian Astbury's voice was made for this style of music. Good stuff through and through.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This is a solid concept album and has a cohesive narrative all the way through. It's dark and bleak at times and elicits some unpleasant nostalgia from me. I can't give this a 5 solely because of Roger Waters' whiny nasal voice. It's so distracting at times for me, it rips me out of the vibe.
Magazine
2/5
Meh. This wasn't anything special.
Blur
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this album. There was a wide-ranging pallet of musical styles and ideas that really kept me on my toes. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
This was just not good at all. Most of the time you can't even hear the song underneath the annoying cacophony of over-loud droning guitar effects that are on repeat. I not sure how you listen to the playback on this and go "Yeah, that's it!"
A version of this without all the over the top distortion and reverb would be much more enjoyable.
For me, it's just unsettling pure garbage front to back.
Spiritualized
2/5
The constant drone of keyboards underneath every song gets tiring and some of the tracks are pure annoying noise. Not great.
The Strokes
3/5
It's just MEH. They sure do know how to make the same song over and over again.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
This was the best album they've ever had? Wow.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
"I've never been in love with Smashing Pumpkins' sound and I really don't enjoy Billy Corgan's voice as it often alienates me when listening. Overall I find the music enjoyable. The heavier songs are the highlights here since the music is more in the forefront and his vocals seem to take a backseat. The album sound is cohesive throughout and though I am not sure this needed to be a double album, it doesn't overstay its welcome."
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Though it is mostly slow and somber, it really was an enjoyable vibe all the way through. I'm sure this is on Zach Braff's playlist somewhere and it rightfully should be.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Pretty good overall. Sometimes weird and off-kilter, but that's refreshing.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Not bad. Consistent feel and vibe throughout and some of the songs were pretty good. Nothing so good it really needed to be in this list though.
Emmylou Harris
5/5
This was an extremely warm and inviting country album. I enjoyed every second of it.... Twice. This is the way country should be. 4.5 stars overall
U2
4/5
U2 just makes solid music, man.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
Perceived rating. Will listen when able
Louis Prima
4/5
Perceived rating. Will listen when able
Weather Report
3/5
Solid late 70s jazz album. What you'd expect from these guys
Madonna
3/5
This is the epitome of 90's pop electronica
The Charlatans
2/5
If you look up boring whiny Brit Rock in the dictionary you'll see a picture of Oasis. In the footnotes, you'll notice the words "see also - The Charlatans". Just an uninspiring collection of similar songs, though one day during recording someone pulled out a harmonica. Nothing worth the price of admission here.
1/5
Noise rock ain't my bag, baby. Noise for noise sake isn't worth the pile of shit they recorded this on. My brain just isn't wired to understand how this or anything avant-garde is enjoyable. Also, hate, awful, annoying, and witchcraft
Supergrass
3/5
Raucous, frenetic, energetic, upbeat, yet melodic brit-pop. Much better than anything Oasis or their copycats have ever done.
Roxy Music
3/5
This was a haphazard Rocky Horror/Meatloaf mashup that wasn't fully enjoyable. I'm sure there are some that think this is the tits, but I'm not one of them.
The Slits
3/5
Not sure how this is considered punk by any means, but they definitely have a proto-reggae pop/rock thing going on that probably influenced anyone that stumbled on this album..... because boobs on the cover.
Van Morrison
5/5
The most enthusiastic 5 I have given on this journey. This is a fantastic classic album I grew up listening to as I rolled through my mid to late teens. Into the Mystic is the highlight here with Moondance and Crazy Love rounding out the top three for me. The rest is immensely enjoyable as well.
Haircut 100
3/5
Enjoyed this more that I would have expected. Not sure it needs to be on this list, but as filler material it's good.
Animal Collective
2/5
Not sure why this is on the list, but I would have been fine never having heard it. It's haphazard non-cohesive songs just didn't sit right with me.
Bob Dylan
3/5
This is the best Dylan I have ever heard + no fucking harmonica destroying my will to live
Guns N' Roses
5/5
This album is gritty, dirty, mean, melodic, and pure hard rock. It's fantastic from beginning to end. It can't be anything less than a 5 for me.
CHIC
3/5
A good groove album that has been often sampled. It's definitely a product of the times it was created in, but disco-related music is generally enjoyable to listen to in small spurts. The groove drives this album from beginning to end with the running bass lines and Nile Rodgers' signature guitar strumming. I can't hate this.
The Style Council
3/5
These guys just slapped a bunch of genres into a hat and then pulled them out randomly. Most of the songs are just fine, but a few.... Like the Fresh Prince inspired A Gospel are just hot garbage.
Burning Spear
3/5
This was a reggae album. Nothing here to make me think it's seminal album that I need to have listened to, but it's a decent one.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Every Joni Mitchell album is just a vehicle for poetry. The music always seems like a secondary choice.
Joe Ely
3/5
This was fine. but nothing overwhelmingly amazing...… as are most of the albums on this list.
John Lennon
3/5
Honestly, all I hear is a lost Beatles album when I listen to this. It's not as vibrant and layered as a regular Beatles album. It's more subdued.
It's stylistically similar, but you definitely notice the repetitive sounds and lyrical themes and the glaring absence of the others.
The Temptations
3/5
Fine.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I just can't find much that's enjoyable here or with anything by Nick Cave. I have honestly tried on this journey and it just consistently disappoints. The music is just a vessel for whatever poetry Nick Cave has brought to the recording sessions and is generally just haphazardly thrown underneath it.
There's a certain type of human who enjoys this kind of music and more power to them for being able to hear it differently than I do. Enjoy it in my stead.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
"For me, these are all songs of hate. This is the 4th fucking album of his work and there is nothing enjoyable about anything Leonard Cohen. He's another poet who should not be allowed anywhere near musical instruments."
Kraftwerk
3/5
What you expect from Kraftwerk. Nothing new or exciting here.
Queen
3/5
Solid rock from Queen with a couple of notable songs. Can't badmouth this one at all.
Johnny Cash
3/5
This was fine. It didn't elicit any feels for me like it seems to for others. I enjoyed the minimal instrumentation on most of the tracks. That really put the focus on Cash's vocals and those seemed more strained with age.
Talvin Singh
3/5
The music bed is enjoyable and some of the instrumental work over the top melds well. The bulk of these songs however have overly repetitive instrument and vocal motifs, making them impossible to enjoy. Uncertain why this is included.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
To be honest, this was better than I would have ever expected hearing so little of her catalog beforehand. It wasn't off putting or annoying in any fashion to me. This will likely be the first and last time I go to this well, but it's good to know there's another album on this list I don't want to avoid at all costs.
Randy Newman
1/5
Fuck. I hate this with every fiber of my being. I feel bad for the other musicians who are playing the otherwise decent music underneath. I hope they tracked the music separately so they didn't have to hear repeated takes of the vocals. I can't understand how Randy Newman is remotely appealing to anyone with a modicum of taste. At least the songs were short so it was over with quickly.
The Dictators
3/5
Proto-punk sounds that I can hear influenced later artists. I enjoy the tongue in cheek style of the songs and the overall sound. Not too bad.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
This was fine for what it was. This would be this kind of easy listening my parents would have listened to.
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
Not sure why this is on the list honestly. There's nothing like old Indian/Hindu music with vocals that peg the input channels and distort due to excessive clipping.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Enjoyed the vibe on this album much more than I was expecting.
Sparks
3/5
This was fine, though nothing special.
Bad Brains
3/5
Pretty good near metal punk album. Had i heard it back in the day I would have loved it.
Thundercat
2/5
This is another album that sounds OK on the surface, but as it progresses the more disorganized and incomplete it feels. The songs are all so short they seem like passing thoughts instead of fully conceived ideas. This is music bordering on the avant-garde and it becomes more uncomfortable and difficult to enjoy as it unfolds. This is likely something I will never come back to.
This is a more entertaining version of the same music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuCn8ux2gbs&list=LL&index=24
Moby
4/5
I really enjoy chill electronica and this album is super enjoyable
Morrissey
3/5
Nothing much to say here. It's Morrissey. If you like this stuff, you like this stuff. I enjoyed it.
PJ Harvey
3/5
This was ok 90's alt rock. I'm not sure why she's so heavily represented on this list though. One album would have been more than enough.
Billy Bragg
2/5
The heavy English accent coupled with average music just isn't that enjoyable
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Man, there's something so satisfying about acapella harmonies like this. Such an enjoyable listen.
The Byrds
2/5
Average 60's rock. Nothing to hear here.... move along.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I've listened to this many times and it never gets old. The vibe is infectious and the groove that weaves through the album makes this one big cohesive near religious experience. Bob isn't preaching, but he makes you want to join the flock. This is the pinnacle of reggae as it moved from Jamaica into the rest of the world's consciousness. 5 enthusiastic stars.
Deep Purple
3/5
Good rock album overall. I had completely forgotten about Space Truckin.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
I'm really not sure what is up with British musical tastes. It's completely whack a lot of the time. This album is just straight awful. I really couldn't find anything enjoyable about this in any capacity. I wish I could regain the little part of my life I wasted on this garbage.
Wire
2/5
Well, it's an album on the list. Punk has never spoken to me at any level.
Lou Reed
2/5
I just don't get the allure of Lou Reed. I guess I am supposed to listen to the storytelling in the lyrics, but I find myself not caring at all. The music is the okayest music I've heard in a while and the vocals sound so blasé that I don't even think Lou cares about singing them at all. This one is just a big waste of time.
Fats Domino
3/5
Not much to say here. It's Fats Domino.
Mercury Rev
2/5
This was..... OK? It's really trying to be operatic and grandiose and not really getting there. It has very melancholy undertones and is rather depressing overall.
Traffic
3/5
This was ok 70s rock. Nothijg groundbreaking.
Radiohead
1/5
I didn't think it could get any worse for a radiohead album, but then this popped up. Garbage. Just garbage this album.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Decent bluegrass album. Enjoyed it
Turbonegro
3/5
This was an ok rock album.
The Stone Roses
3/5
I'm pretty sure this will be the best Brit-rock album on this list. There is significantly less whiny vocal here and the music is more creative and enjoyable than the 3 or 4 chord distorted guitar style of Oasis and the like. This kind of music typically tops out at a 3 for me only if it is pure amazeballs, but the back half of the album ticked that up one. This is sitting around a 3.5 for me.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Just shit garbage. This should be locked away in a bunker under the earth to never be heard again
Sugar
3/5
Sugar is basically the combination of Bush and the gin blossoms
Bad Company
4/5
This is just a really enjoyable '70s rock album. There are several big hits and if you like their sound the whole album is perfect for you.
Peter Tosh
3/5
Adequate reggae album. Nothing really good or really bad.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Just fine. No notes.
The Birthday Party
1/5
1 because there is no 0. This is just noise for noise sake. Just awful.
Kate Bush
3/5
This was fine. I can see that it was a little ahead of its time, but I don't get the extreme hype this album and opening track get. It's just average to me.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Decent goth synth pop
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Solid electronica album though repetitive and annoying in parts.
Fiona Apple
3/5
This was OK. Her music can be pretty enjoyable when she's not going off the deep end lyrically
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This was just fine yacht rock adjacent pop.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Better than I expected it to be. It's a serious contender for inclusion on the Garden State Soundtrack Vol. 2.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Just fine 50s country.