682
Albums Rated
3.89
Average Rating
63%
Complete
407 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Shoegaze
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
179
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chore of Enchantment | 5 | 2.63 | +2.37 |
| Let's Get Killed | 5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
| Atomizer | 5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
| Phaedra | 5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
| Isn't Anything | 5 | 2.74 | +2.26 |
| Group Sex | 5 | 2.74 | +2.26 |
| Roots | 5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
| E.V.O.L. | 5 | 2.89 | +2.11 |
| Music Has The Right To Children | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| Lazer Guided Melodies | 5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make Yourself | 1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
| Definitely Maybe | 2 | 3.52 | -1.52 |
| Imagine | 2 | 3.45 | -1.45 |
| Different Class | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
| Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs | 2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
| S&M | 2 | 3.26 | -1.26 |
| Thriller | 3 | 4.22 | -1.22 |
| Permission to Land | 2 | 3.14 | -1.14 |
| Rubber Soul | 3 | 4.12 | -1.12 |
| Close To You | 2 | 3.11 | -1.11 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 5 | 4.8 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.75 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 5 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 8 | 4.25 |
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4.33 |
| Sonic Youth | 4 | 4.5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.67 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 4.67 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 5 |
| Iron Maiden | 2 | 5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 5 |
| Yes | 2 | 5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| Funkadelic | 2 | 5 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 |
| Spiritualized | 2 | 5 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 2 | 5 |
| Tom Waits | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 6 | 4.17 |
| The Who | 4 | 4.25 |
| Björk | 4 | 4.25 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 4.33 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.33 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.33 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
| Brian Eno | 3 | 4.33 |
| PJ Harvey | 3 | 4.33 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.33 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Metallica | 2, 4, 5 |
5-Star Albums (179)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Beach Boys
5/5
This was the first time I listened to this thing. Great album! Influential, good songs, production, instrumentation, deserves all the praise it gets.
5 likes
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Irish shoegaze band My Blood Valentine’s iconic second album, *Loveless*, is often considered to be the seminal album of the Shoegaze genre and one of the best albums of the 90s—sometimes of all time. After a first time listen, it’s not hard to see why. This album is abrasive, dense, fuzzy, and raw in the best way possible. This album made me feel things that an album hasn’t made me feel in a long while. It felt overwhelming with its walls of sound but it also brought a sense of comfort at the same time. There’s so many things I adore in this album. The hazy, dreamy, and drowned out vocals of Keith Shields and Bilinda Butcher, the absolutely killer guitar moments and tones, and the atmospheres it brings are a few. *Only Shallow* is an absolutely incredible opener and hits you like a truck when it starts. *To Here Knows When* is just so dreamy and full of atmosphere, it’s great. *Sometimes* is more calming and more heartfelt with its seemingly subtle and gradual build up. However, in an album with many standouts, *I Only Said* has to be my favorite track out of all of them. The dreamy and hazy vocals, the dense instrumentation, the effect drenched guitars, it all adds up to a timeless track on an ultimately timeless album. This album still hits as hard as it did back in 1991. While it may not be for everyone, this album is a classic and is essential listening. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a classic and/or something to lose your mind in.
2 likes
Boards of Canada
5/5
I’ve been wanting to listen to this for a while now, and i’m glad that i’ve finally gotten to it today. Creepy yet iconic album cover aside, this album is just chill, sometimes off putting, electronic goodness. This album is just superb. The sequencing of tracks here just makes the album flow so nicely. The short tracks and interludes going into the longer tracks gives the album a sense of cohesion that I really appreciate. The production is stellar here. Rich synths, interesting vocal samples, great drum beats are found all throughout this thing. It’s so good at setting a mood as well. “Wildlife Analysis,” the opener, is a good example of that. It’s a good short ambient song that’s just a vibe honestly. There’s a lot of tracks that i’d like to mention, but i’d take up too much space. Please, go listen to this album for yourself. It may be a bit long buts it’s so worth it in my opinion. I loved this album, and i’m glad that I did! I highly recommend this one. :)
2 likes
Doves
5/5
Pretty good! Firesuite is an amazing intro. Every song here is good, and had heart into it. Memorable tracks, cool lyrics, cool atmosphere. Very cool!
2 likes
Bob Dylan
5/5
Other than some track lengths, this was pretty good! Many people don’t like Bob’s voice but I think it’s great here. Great lyricism in every track, every single one is stacked. The backing tracks were amazing as well with the tone and mood they brought to the table. I liked this a lot!
1 likes
1-Star Albums (1)
All Ratings
Isaac Hayes
4/5
This is my first ever soul album, so I went in with an open mind. Isaac Hayes has a beautiful voice, it works well off of the instrumentation of the album. Speaking of instrumentation, it’s great! Everybody has a part and it fits together perfectly. However, I think some parts while having some merit, are a bit monotonous and some parts go on for a bit too long and are a bit unnecessary.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
While having some questionable lyrics and production decisions, I still had a fun time with some tracks.
The Beach Boys
5/5
This was the first time I listened to this thing. Great album! Influential, good songs, production, instrumentation, deserves all the praise it gets.
Oasis
2/5
Not my cup of tea. Lyrics are cliche and so are most of the songs. I get why people like it, but I don’t sadly. It had its moments though, wasn’t down right terrible but it was kinda bad to me.
David Bowie
4/5
This is my first David Bowie album for this project. The production on this thing sounds like it was made 5 years after it! Sounds great. Good songs and David Bowie has a good voice. But it’s not his best work.
Blur
4/5
Aphex Twin
5/5
I love this thing. First listened to it a while back and it has stuck with me since, and I’m glad I revisited it here! Not a single bad track on here for me. A classic for the ages!
The Byrds
4/5
Your average 60s psych rock record. There’s not a lot of memorable moments here. The mixing of the guitar in some parts is weird as well. But, I enjoyed ur even if I don’t remember all of it. Good, but not THAT good.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Iconic indie album! Good guitar and drum work plastered everywhere on this thing. Very influential and has no tracks I’d consider BAD. It’s pretty good, but not very good.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This is my first listen to this. Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of the greatest songs I have ever heard, period. They’re not a single miss on this album. I love this album. Straight to the playlist!
Bob Dylan
5/5
My first Bob Dylan album, and another folk rock album! I’m not complaining though. Shelter From The Storm is an amazing song. Amazing album front to back! Bob writes great lyrics and his voice is soothing. Instrumentation is top notch here. This album isn’t for everybody, but if you give it a chance I’ll guarantee you’ll love it!
Barry Adamson
4/5
I have a weird niche for weird music like this. While monotonous and not that interesting at times, I found most of it good and having a nice atmosphere.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Fantastic live album! Practically the felt like one of the prisoners. Johnny has a wonderful stage personality.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Highly energetic, and influential punk record! It helped launch it into the mainstream. Short and catchy songs with staple vocals from John Lydon. However, I might just not get it, it sometimes feel like they’re just saying offensive shit to be offensive.
Jane Weaver
3/5
Meh. Not much to say honestly, good tracks and singin
Queen
4/5
Back when Queen was more of a prog band! Freddie is stellar as usual, and we have a good track list here. It’s good Queen, but not the BEST Quee
Guns N' Roses
4/5
I wasn’t expecting much from this, and I was pleasantly surprised. In reality it’s just ok, but it has fun energy, and memorable tracks. More of a guilty pleasure. Cool!
T. Rex
3/5
Eh, it was ok? There’s some cool tracks, Get It On was cool. Not the best lyric wise either. It was just ok.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Cool indie folk! Cool vocals and lyricism to be found. Also kinda sad in its instrumentation and lyricism :(. Good album, nonetheless.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Funk! Pretty cool. Good songs are to be found, catchy and fun to listen to. Not the most astounding lyrically, but it’s still good.
Doves
5/5
Pretty good! Firesuite is an amazing intro. Every song here is good, and had heart into it. Memorable tracks, cool lyrics, cool atmosphere. Very cool!
Paul Simon
4/5
Folk again! Another cool album from Paul. Some tracks are more forgettable than others, but it’s still good and has its moments. Chill and relaxed. Cool!
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Great! Everything I’ve heard about this album is true. Joni’s singing and guitar work is awesome. Very cool!
Joe Ely
3/5
Eh, it was ok. Catchy songs, playful (sometimes questionable) instrumental (shout out to the slide guitar), but not the best lyric wise. A bunch of lyrical cliches. It’s not bad necessarily, but there is room for improvement.
Nick Drake
5/5
I really liked this one. Nick’s guitar playing is great, and the instrumentalists did a good job. The chill atmosphere throughout along with Nick’s vocals and lyrics make this an amazing experience. Amazing!
Johnny Cash
5/5
Wow! Johnny Cash defied my expectations with this one. I thought it couldn’t get better after I listened to San Quentin. I prefer this over that now! The songs might blend together at times, but the tracks are memorable that it balances that out. Amazing performance from cash, I applaud!
Pretenders
4/5
Cool punk record. Has the high energy n stuff I like about punk. Has good songs, but some of them feel a litttlr one note.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
There’s definitely things on this album you need to get used to. I like the Indian influences on this thing, but there’s a lot of moments with the genre fusions and other things I feel are out of place. It’s ok, not the worst but not the best.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Kinda cool. It has good songs and production, but it has a lot of questionable production decisions. Still good regardless. Not much to say otherwise. Good, but didn’t blow me away.
The Triffids
3/5
Eh, Not much to say. Bland 80a stuff. It’s ok, I guess.
Primal Scream
4/5
As the reviews show, you either like this a lot, or hate it a lot. I’m in the latter category. Trippy stuff and just a vibe. Might be vibe over substance sometimes, but that’s not all the time. Although the rock and electronic music fusion is cool, it has been done better. Not perfect, but I liked this one!
Beatles
5/5
Amazing! Not a track I consider bad here. At worst, it gets questionable. So many good cuts! The praise this thing gets is deserved. Fabulous!
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Sorry but not my thing. It isn’t particularly boring at least. It has its moments though. But the mix is muddy and sounds off, which makes it uncomfortable to sit through for me. Songs can be a bit monotonous sometimes. Maybe it’s the 80a sound? I don’t know. I understand why people like it, I don’t.
Queen
4/5
Amazing stuff! Everything you’ve heard about this album has already been said. Besides the car song, album is awesome to sit through.
Alice Cooper
4/5
Pleasantly surprised with a bit of variety here. Last two tracks are cool as well. It has highlights for sure. Good album with good tracks.
Ray Charles
5/5
Feels like something I’d play to relax. It’s Ray Charles, baby! Beautiful arrangements and somber tunes. A tiny bit of variety on here I didn’t expect. What else is there to say?
The Black Keys
3/5
I didn’t like this one a whole lot. It’s a shame because I heard good things about The Black Keys. Most of the first half sounds like car commercial music. Bland and boring. It redeems itself in the second half though. I see the appeal, but I think it’s just ok.
Neil Young
4/5
This feels like stuff I’d hear at an old and gloomy run down bar. I like that feeling. It’s good, Neil’s voice is weird though at parts, and there’s some mastering issues, but it was still good. Didn’t blow me away or anything.
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
This is the stuff you play when you’re fucking sick of the world and everything around it. Love it. Lyrics are deep and very interesting, good vibes as well. Praise Richy!
Eminem
3/5
Wowee, this thing aged like milk. The parts of misogyny makes this uncomfortable to listen to when you get to them. Plus there’s a bunch of whack ass bars in this album. It has good moments and wasn’t boring anyway. I had fun with most of it. The highs were fun, the lows were annoying and corny. It’s ok, has some ok tracks.
Beatles
5/5
Magnificent! Every good thing about this album has been said. There is nothing to add! Simply amazing!
Skunk Anansie
4/5
This album isn’t bad, but it is largely forgettable. While it has good tracks n such, I could not retain much upon first listen. This album still has its moments though. However, while still having these good cuts and moments I don’t think I will be revisiting this.
Beatles
3/5
Early Beatles… yeah.. a bit bland. Most of the songs here are a bit bland and tacky. The songs sound ok, it’s just that most of them all have the same theme of love / break ups. There’s good cuts on this, but they’re few and far between. It’s ok.
DJ Shadow
5/5
This is stuff I could hear playing in a lounge to relax / do work in. I want to be in that lounge. The songs are fun while still not needing all of your attention. Production is wonderful as well, the sampling is crazy on this thing. Great album, perfect study music.
The Undertones
4/5
Cool little punk record. It’s a little bit forgettable, but the simple and more uplifting lyrics were a nice change of pace to me. The songs are also short and sweet, nicely paced album! It’s good punk, but it’s not the BEST I’ve ever heard. Still pretty good.
Beatles
3/5
Some of the criticisms I have for With The Beatles apply here as well. All of the songs have the same theme of love / breakups. This could work, if the lyrics weren’t very cliche / the same. Most of the lyrics here aren’t the best lyrics the Beatles have written by a mile. Most of the songs are a bit forgettable, but the ones that aren’t stick very well. It’s good at best, a tad annoying and cliche at worst.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
Wow, this thing is bloated. This thing is a chore to sit through because most of the songs are three minutes longer than they need to be. Those extra three minutes just sound like noodling. Just very generic dad rock from Clapton. Not saying it sounds bad, there’s some ok songs in here, but it’s just a drag to get to them.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Cool! These are some catchy songs with nice production. Even though the songs feel better as individual songs sometimes, and some weird moments, this one is pretty cool! I’d see myself coming back to some songs here.
The Libertines
4/5
This one is nice, actually. I was taken back by the cover art at first. But, aside from a song or two, this one was pretty cool. Rather than being a bit one note and forgettable, this one is still fun to sit through. Cool!
Elton John
5/5
I LOVED this one. Elton’s voice does wonders on the ears. The genre bending here was unexpected as well. So many good tracks here. It has a good pace for an album thats an hour long. Very fucking entertaining to listen and sit through. I applaud!
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Thank god that this isn’t the normal sound coming out of the 80s. I like how noisy it is here. The energy on Sludgefest feels like my body is melting, and Poledo is a hell of a closer. However, while songs are good, they’re a bit forgettable once the music turns off. This isn’t to say it bad, it sounds great.
Peter Tosh
4/5
Relaxing reggae tunes. Pretty cool. Legalize It is fun. Good, but didn’t blow me away.
Incubus
1/5
No. Sorry, just no. This thing drags like hell, three minutes feels like five. The vocals are annoying, instrumentation is bland, and it is a bit pretentious. Only one ok song here. Will not be coming back to this. I really just don’t like it.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Amazing! Nearly every song here hits. The soft songs bounce off nicely with the louder songs. The experimentation is nice as well. However. I think The Murder Mystery drags on a bit. Other than that, superb album! I applaud.
Garbage
4/5
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Buck Owens
4/5
While it is just fourteen songs that sound the same, it was fun to listen to. I love the slide guitar here. It has its charm. Cute little country record!
Miles Davis
3/5
It was ok. The instrumentals are always good from Miles Davis. The playing is great, but something just felt a bit annoying about this project. Maybe it was just a bit bland? Don’t know, it was ok.
Iron Maiden
5/5
At first, I was very skeptical because this was metal from the 80s. This album showed my skepticism the middle finger and exceeded my expectations. High energy, good flow, AMAZING riffs and the lyrics solidify this as an instant classic. I can see the influence this had in here as well. Anybody who likes metal needs to listen to this at least once. Outstanding!
Talking Heads
5/5
This is my second Talking Heads album, I love this as well. The grooves are great and the lyricism is very interesting. David Byrne and all the bandmates are stellar as well. This album is really good! I’d recommend iy.
Ramones
4/5
First things first, I understand how influential this is. Literally one of, if not, the first punk albums ever. The high energy and simple lyrics are an ok change of pace, and the 29 minute runtime makes this short and sweet. However, it was a tiny bit annoying at points and the tracks started to merge together. Good, but not GOOD.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
This album is mostly a bunch of folk acoustic arrangements. It’s meh, it’s been done way better. The songs are rather bland, as is the whole album. It kind of picks up by the end though
John Grant
4/5
I was put off by the album art at first. That one review was right about this sounding like Bo Burnham, it’s like his style but way more serious. The songs here are great as well, the melodic piano bits are awesome. Love the sound here! Pretty good.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Cool! Pretty good ballads on this one. I Mike the closer particularly. Fun to listen to!
Public Enemy
5/5
Quite possibly one of the best Hip Hop albums I’ve ever heard. The catchy, and awesome lyrics and beats are endless on this thing. The commentary is very well said and acts as a call to action. I can very well see the influence this had. A must listen for anybody who likes / wants to get into Hip Hop. Party for your right to fight!
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
Honestly, just kind of bland. This one isn’t really anything special aside from a couple tracks. Just one note and monotonous. It’s meh.
Minutemen
4/5
It’s amazing how an album with this much songs and long runtime can still bring fresh stuff to the table. Cool! Songs are short and sweet, but it can feel a bit tiring with how many songs there are to get through. Still a good album with some neat ideas though!
Parliament
5/5
The Funk-O-Meter is off the charts with this one. This was thoroughly enjoyable all the way through. The vibes were amazing as well. There wasn’t a single song that had me like, “Yeah, this ain’t that good.” Unfunky UFO? My ass! This shit slaps!
The Temptations
5/5
Cool! Old Motown almost always doesn’t disappoint. This is not an exception. Very catchy songs that equally stand out from each other. I was slightly surprised by this being as good as it was! Awesome.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Wasn’t a big fan of the last Leonard Cohen album I got. This is a step in the right direction. The bass and acoustic guitar are amazing. The Melodie’s from both guitars are nice to hear. Lyrics are also better than the last album. While it is better than my last outing, this doesn’t mean it’s not flawless. Some of the songs are not that memorable. Still good!
Cocteau Twins
4/5
This album doesn’t at all sound like something you’d normally hear in the 80s, really unique. However, most of the songs are monotonous and a bit one note. The last two songs have great soundscapes in there though. It’s ok.
Little Richard
3/5
Most of the song structures here are the same. I understand that these songs and Little Richard himself are very influential, but they are a bit bland compared to todays standards, and a bit bland.
White Denim
5/5
This blew my expectations out of the water. Wonderful jamming, easy to listen to yet interesting. It’s noodling that’s actually good! Bravo. This slaps.
Mudhoney
4/5
Dude, early grunge kicks ass. Why did nobody tell me? Powerful riffs and drums galore here. Very cool and moody. Might come back to it.
Paul Simon
3/5
While I like most of the songs here, they don’t really do much. They are one note and don’t have much to offer. Goodness, Cars are Cars is annoying and is probably the worst example of this. This isn’t to say the album is bad. It’s ok. Probably my least favorite outing with Paul Simon this far.
Metallica
2/5
Classical infused with metal is something I didn’t know I didn’t want. Like seriously, the genre fusion isn’t good. It’s ok at times, but it is VERY out of place with the metal sound. It’s been done better. It has its moments, but the live songs just don’t compare to the studio versions. Bad live album.
David Bowie
5/5
This blew me and my expectations away. Banger after banger on this thing. Amazing production and catchy tunes. Early to Mid 70s Bowie sure is a treat, huh? I’d highly recommend this to anybody who wants a good glam rock record. Instant classic!
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Tubular Bells Pt 1. is interesting and fun to listen to, albeit tedious and a tad monotonous. The opening is fun, as I like the exorcist a lot. Tubular Bells Pt. 2 IS tedious and monotonous most of the time. If you like 70s proggy stuff then you might like this album, I think it’s just ok.
The White Stripes
3/5
This one didn’t do that much for me. There’s good songs and moments (The piano was unexpected but cool), but the mediocre songs level them out more. It’s kind of boring and not that fun to listen to. It’s just mid, not much else to say.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Not much to talk about. Good rhymes / lyrics, nice flows and beats, and pretty good production. Also, it did not age that well, ouch… it’s good but not GOOD.
Weather Report
5/5
Very good jazz fusion. Easy and fun listening to this. Good performances as well. Very cool! Will come back to this.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Some standard funk / soul. Good and catchy tracks as expected with the genre, and energetic. This is a fun time, good grooves.
Radiohead
5/5
Even if this was a bit overhyped online, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one a lot. The electronic elements are done very well and kept me interested through out, along with the production and lyrics. Very good! Might see myself revisiting this.
The Black Crowes
4/5
I liked this one more than I expected to. The opener and closer and killer. They set up and end off the album perfectly. Otherwise, there’s a few bland tracks in there as well. Good! I could recommend.
Carpenters
2/5
Meh. There’s ok songs here, but most are bland, bad, and uninteresting. There isn’t much else to talk about.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
This one it lit as hell. People complain about it being repetitive, but it’s literally dance techno. What did you expect? This album’s repetitive beats and samples are amazingly put together and make an energetic atmosphere I groove with. I liked this a lot!
Lambchop
4/5
This one’s not too bad. While it feels a bit repetitive and samey throughout, it brings nice vibes, vocals, instruments, and lyricism to the table. The higher pitched vocals may be a bit much, but this one’s chill. A good album for the morning. :)
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This album is so unabashedly 80s. The production is filled with its sound. It’s ok. The songs are fun and catchy, but they’re mostly rather monotonous and longer than needed. Still cool.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
This album is unexpectedly same-y and repetitive. Along with cliche lyrics. Stevie’s vocals, and Superstiton are great, but even Superstition gets a bit repetitive by the end. Most of the songs are meh. Some are just good. It’s ok, at least it isn’t terrible and boring.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
There’s more to say than I expected. This website takes me to the UK version, when the US version has Paint it Black. Makes me mad. Anyway, I didn’t expect the acoustic song Lady Jane, and the song Going Home is definitely filler (still sounds good). Everything else is 60s (maybe psychedelic) rock. There’s definitely some good songs here. It’s good, but by far not the best Rolling Stones album.
King Crimson
5/5
This album isn’t accessible, I get it. But, I love weird shit like this, so this was right up my alley. Listening to this with headphones was a great call. This album has amazing production, and had so many highlights and standout moments for me. The two-part title track was one I loved. It was noodling, but I thought it was fun. Loved this one a lot! Will see myself coming back to this.
The La's
3/5
Meh. Not a lot of stand out songs. It wasn’t that bad, but the songs blended together and most of the time didn’t feel like much. Good tracks but the rest are mediocre.
The Who
5/5
Do I even have a choice? All of these tracks are amazing. You just can’t beat Baba O’ Riley and Won’t Get Fooled Again in the same album. Not to mention room other tracks. The musicianship here is amazing as well. This album is a 5. There is no argument.
Silver Jews
3/5
Meh. Most of the songs on this thing are bland and don’t really do anything for me. This isn’t boring at least. This album is forgettable, and I probably won’t see myself coming back to it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Sweet. This is what I needed to wake myself up in the morning. Amazing production and musicianship all around here. Nick’s vocals are a stand out. The Lyre of Orpheus has great spoken word passages. It does kind of drag a tiny bit, but it was still very good. I think i prefer the second half over the first. Nice!
Thelonious Monk
4/5
This one had me in the first half. The piano wasn’t my speed, and it brought me down in the first half. The songs also just weren’t that interesting to me. But the second half was a major step up. The last two songs in particular were amazing. While half of it isn’t that good, it’s worth it to see the second half. Cool!
Michael Jackson
3/5
This album is like a time capsule of pop music from the 80s. It reeks of its sound. Other than that, it’s mostly just a weird 80s pop record. Didn’t age too well.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
It’s impossible to rate this anything but a 5. Everything and everybody is killer in this thing, and this track list is INSANE! Perfect album! Everybody who wants to get into music should listen to this at least once. By everybody, I mean EVERYBODY. Listen to it!
David Bowie
4/5
I really like the chill vibes with this. Bowie is great, as usual. Even though I like Bowie, I don’t think this is him at his best. It’s still very good. It’s just that some tracks are kind of duds compared to the rest of the tracks. Anywho, good album! You can’t go wrong with 70s Bowie.
The Stone Roses
5/5
Wowee, this one is a treat. The vibes and aesthetic with this are immaculate. Makes me think I’m in an old roller rink / arcade. The instrumental work is great as well. Even though it’s very 80s, I appreciate the drums the most. Very cool! I very much recommend this if you haven’t heard it.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Meh. This one is forgettable. Nothing that special about it and it’s rather bland. It’s also plagued by weird production choices on every other song. It doesn’t sound terrible, and the lyrics are meh, but it just isn’t that special enough to get a higher rating. There isn’t really a lot to admire. Still has good moments though. Was NOT expecting that mandolin though..
Billy Bragg
4/5
I liked the instruments on this one a lot., particular the synths. Pretty neat! The accent threw me off at first but you’ll get used to it. While it certainly lacks in areas, it’s still worthwhile for the most part.
Ice Cube
4/5
Essential 90s hip hop, right here. Is what a good rap album should be. Great bars, great beats, MEMORABLE bars and lyrics, it’s amazing. The things Ice Cube is raising hell about are still happening today, says a lot. There’s things that big it down (misogyny, homophobia), and a few tiny things that throw you out of it, but they’re minor problems. Loved this a lot and may come back to it.
Pink Floyd
5/5
As soon as this popped up, I knew it was gonna be a 5/5. It’s hard to give this anything but a 5 for me. Amazingly produced, amazingly played out, amazing performances, amazing lyrics, amazing everything. Amazing! I’m glad I revisited this. An album everybody should listen to.
Suede
5/5
This thing exceeded my expectations so god damn much. I was genuinely surprised how good this was. Amazing songwriting throughout, blunt and deep lyrics, the depressing sound, it all wraps itself in one for a sad masterpiece. Amazing!
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This one is just bland and unremarkable. The only reason this is here is because it was made by The Rolling Stones. There isn’t really a stand out to speak of. These are all sleepers and just meh.
Nirvana
5/5
Literally THE 90s album. I can’t rate this anything but a 5. You can’t really say anything new about it, it’s so iconic and influential. Everybody should listen to this at least once. Amazing album.
The Doors
4/5
This one is good, amazing groovy opener and psychedelic closer, but there’s less memorable songs on here than other Doors projects for me. I like it, it’s just not The Doors at their best.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
I don’t have a lot to say for this one. Nice catchy songs and cool production. It loses me a bit as it goes on and it’s a bit bloated though.
SAULT
4/5
I don’t really have a lot to say with this one. Nice tracks and lyrics, even if it gets repetitive. It’s good but has imperfections.
Lou Reed
5/5
Neat tunes and lyricism. Good easy listening as well when I need ti calm down. Pretty good! I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would have.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
An amazing album that’s grew at easy listening on a weekend. The title track and Old City Blues are amazing songs as well as the entire track list, even if it can sound same-y (not really). A classic for the ages!
Miles Davis
5/5
Love the vibes from this a lot. Very chillaxed and serene. While it sounds kinda same-y it still manages to be interesting. Playing is great as well. Good for background music. Liked this one a lot!
Various Artists
4/5
Fuck Phil Spector, but this goes hard as fuck. Merry Christmas!
The Jam
5/5
This thing is relentless! Banger after banger, very solid and consistent throughout. “Monday” and “Set The Housr Ablaze” are amazing in particular. Very catchy tunes and fun to vibe to. Awesome record! I’m sad I didn’t hear this sooner.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Just uninteresting and bland techno / electronic music. Meh.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I don’t really have much to say. I like it! It’s cheesy and I love it. Reminds me of Jeff Wayne’s Version of War of the Worlds. Sweet.
Foo Fighters
3/5
This one’s ok. In the first half it’s cookie-cutter bland rock music, but it gets better near the end of the second half. I don’t want to have to sit through the first half to get to that point though. It’s just meh.
Radiohead
5/5
I liked this one a bunch, even if I don’t have a lot to say. I like the electronic and rock fusions. I liked this just as much as Kid A. Great one!
Willie Nelson
5/5
This one reminds me of Pink Moon in a way. With the striped back instrumentals, it’s kind of like it except in the country genre. In fact, I like the instrumentals a lot. Lyrics as well. Even if it blends together a bit, this is still a cool little concept album!
The Killers
3/5
This one was slightly overhyped. 80% of the songs here are just bland and not that fun to listen to. There still some good songs though. I wouldn’t want to sit through the whole album to get to those songs though.
Giant Sand
5/5
There’s a lot of songs that sound the same here, but the style, aesthetic, and neat little interludes of the album is enough to keep it interesting for me. It’s the little details that make this for me. This one is really tight and solid, even if it may blend together and drag in the second half.
2Pac
4/5
I liked this one more than I thought I would. The smooth beats and blunt lyricism are great. It starts to drag in the second half though.
Mylo
4/5
A few memorable electronic pop songs you can vibe with. It was good, but most of the songs after the first five are basic and bland electronic music. However, There’s good songs in the latter half of the album, and I’d be ok with listening to this again to get to those again. It’s good.
Elbow
4/5
I liked the production on this one a lot. Feels grandiose and moody when it needs to be. Great instrumentation as well. While it is good. I don’t think it’s worthy of five stars. Cool album nonetheless!
5/5
holy shit.
Mariah Carey
3/5
Sorry, but not my thing. I see other people liking it though.
David Bowie
4/5
Great songwriting, production (sounds like it was made 5 years after it came out), and singing all through out. The first half of this one is AMAZING. It’s banger after banger from Bowie. However, the ambient works on Side 2 are rather self indulgent and uninteresting. It never really picks itself up again after Sons of the Stone Age. Still amazing just for the first half ALONE.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This one is alright, but I feel like I would have felt more if I understood Portuguese. Otherwise, some nice chill out music.
Screaming Trees
3/5
It’s ok, I like the guitar work, it’s just unnotable. Good songs and all but it doesn’t stand out.
The Jam
4/5
There are some bangers on this one. There isn’t really a track I’d consider bad, at the very worst it’s just meh. The pop Rock is catchy and enjoyable as well, sounds amazing as well. Sounds like it was made four years after its release! I could recommend this to somebody. Cool!
The Flaming Lips
5/5
One of the best albums from the 2000s I’ve listened to so far. It’s just so playful, fun, and enjoyable. It’s banger after banger, so many highlights! I loved the vibes and production (the fuzzed out drums are lit). I will definitely return to this. Very cool!
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Ahh, Trout Mask Replica. This is gonna sound pretentious, but I don’t know what it is about this, but I love it. It’s definitely not an easy listen for most people, and is 100% an acquired taste. But I think it’s fun, and hilarious. The writing is good on some songs. The spoke word passages can be tedious though. It’s definitely not for everybody, but I like it for what it is.
Spacemen 3
3/5
This one is ok, I like the soundscapes and mood of some songs. There’s also some cool lo-fi guitar and lyricism. But some of the buildups go nowhere, and the songs can feel a tiny bit repetitive. This album is one note and unremarkable, and is the first one where I don’t really see why it’s on this list.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Other than some track lengths, this was pretty good! Many people don’t like Bob’s voice but I think it’s great here. Great lyricism in every track, every single one is stacked. The backing tracks were amazing as well with the tone and mood they brought to the table. I liked this a lot!
The War On Drugs
3/5
Eh, I don’t have a lot to say. It’s meh but not terrible.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
The instrumentation, the vocals(mostly), the riffs, the bass, it’s all great for the most part. But, the lyrics.. they can be unbearable at parts. This one is one I MAY come back to but not for the song writing.
Pink Floyd
5/5
It’s Dark Side of The FUCKING Moon, everybody and their mother knows this album. As soon as it popped up, I knew it was gonna be a 5. I was right. It’s so amazing, every detail. There’s nothing new left to add.
Radiohead
5/5
- OK Computer pops up on screen-
I’ve heard good things about this album, it’s my first time listening as well, let’s see if they’re right!
54 Minutes Later:
…
holy shit.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
This was an interesting one. It’s repetitive and boring… but not boring. That’s sounds strange, I know, but the energy of it throughout keeps you entertained all through out to at least some degree. While that aspect alone is amazing, it doesn’t carry the entire album. The first half had the better songs. It was ok. However, that energy alone gives this an extra star.
Scott Walker
3/5
There honestly isn’t too much to talk about. The vocal style isn’t really my thing and can take a while to get used to, and the lyrics can be a bit much at times. Its backing tracks are fun though. This one is just ok.
Iron Maiden
5/5
Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it outdated? Yes. Is it immensely charming? Damn right. This thing kills with its style and guitar riffs and solos. The lyricism has some small low points but it doesn’t really affect the experience of the album. Very cool 80s metal!
Shuggie Otis
4/5
This one is funky and laid back. The vibes here are good to relax to. The vocals are especially helping that. I also think that some of the instrumental tracks are better than the ones with lyrics. Anywho, this one is cool. It’s rather unremarkable though.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
While I think the poetry like lyrics are good for the most part, and the backing tracks are fun instrumentals, this style CANNOT carry a song for the lengths of these tracks. It’s not that good honestly and gets boring.
Bauhaus
4/5
Apparently, this is goth rock before goth rock, and I’ve never heard goth rock. This one is a weird and dark listen, striking lyrics and dark production. Vocals definitely need a minute to get used to though, as is the same with some small things. This is cool, I can see the appeal.
The Cure
4/5
Dark instrumentals, and dark lyrics, mwah, pretty good! The vocals are great, and sound like post punk vocals. The dark lyrics are cool as well, sounding like there’s an impending doom. This one’s pretty good!
The Roots
4/5
Amazing production, beats and lyrics! Not much else to compliment.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
This thing is so 80s that it’s unreal. It’s kind of a relic of the past in a way. It really gives it some charm. The dark and gothic undertones are fun, with the thundering drums and deep vocals. This one is fun, even if it has a few problems, songs can blend together and it can cheesy (not an entirely bad thing though). Cool unexpected surprise.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This thing is amazing, there’s so much memorable songs and moments here. Lou Reed and Nico’s vocals, the lo-fi like sound, the lyrics, it’s all great. Not to mention it’s huge influence? I can definitely see it here. Great project all around!
Cat Stevens
5/5
I liked this one. The dreamy and sometimes energetic folk is very fun, calming, charming. The acoustic guitar, playing is intricate and overall very good. The same goes for the vocals, which are also very good. This one’s one I didn’t know if I’d like or not, but I’m glad I did!
Guided By Voices
3/5
Meh.. just very full throughout most of its runtime. I appreciate the lo-if sound, and the vocals are nice. The mixing needs getting used to as well, as it’s all over the place. There’s some things I appreciate here, but most of this album is dull with most of the time basic lyrics. That F slur was uncalled for to..
Baaba Maal
4/5
Im about to travel to Senegal if the music is this fire. This was a neat listen! It’s like a look into a different culture in a way. It’s a fun listen, even if it may sound repetitive. But I don’t have a problem with that. The vocals make the instrumentals better than they already were. This one’s cool! Nice playing and all. Felt like I could appreciate more if I understood him though.
Neil Young
5/5
This is what country boys listen to after a break up. This one’s good! A nice sadder themed album to get sad to. The lyricism is great, which cannot be stressed enough. This is so much better than the other Neil Young album I’ve heard so far.. great album!
Orbital
3/5
The first half is some nice chill electronic music, had chill vibes and the vocal blips are fun and fitting. The second sounds way worse though, weird production decisions, I suppose. It’s ok.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
It was some cool 80s stuff. Not much for me to say, it’s better than On The Run.
Beastie Boys
5/5
The this thing is so full of energy in its production and performances, both are superb. It’s also banger after banger here! Sabotage is amazing, perfect example of the energy I mentioned. I didn’t think I’d like this, but here we are. Amazing album!
Germs
3/5
Meh, I like the energy and verocity and all. But it gets repetitive and old quickly, even with a shorter run time for an album. Neat lyricism here and there, but it doesn’t carry the album on its shoulders. This one was ok.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I like her voice and all, but these songs and style don’t carry an album as long as this one. The songs all blur together. Meh.
The Kinks
5/5
This one is very unique from the other rock music coming at this time. I’m very glad that this wasn’t just another boring rehashing of 60s rock cliches. The vibes are immaculate with the 60s retro charm. These songs are catchy, fun, and have great creativity throughout. Theres also a lot of fun and weird experimentation for its time. A lot of highlights here, and a song I would consider bad. Great album! I applaud!
Violent Femmes
4/5
There isn’t a song here that I’d say is bad. Plenty of bangers across the board. First half is a strange case, as a few songs are like acoustic punk, which is kinda fun. The electric guitar tracks are great also. I didn’t expect that xylophone near the end as well, lol. This one was fun! Pretty good.
The Strokes
5/5
I wasn’t sure at first if I liked this or not, but I eventually warmed up to it and it clicked for me in the second half. This album is amazing. The lyrics paired with the distorted vocals are fun. The instrumentals, while samey, are very energetic and fun to listen to. The distorted percussion on some tracks sounds great as well. Good production as well. All around good
The Bees
4/5
Relaxing chill out vibes here. This one was fun with its sound and lyricism. It isn’t really anything that special, but it had highlights and was fun to listen to. Cool!
Jimmy Smith
5/5
This was perfect for a Monday Morning. The chill jazz was amazing! So easy to relax to. I liked the organ in particular, so jazzy with its tone and playing. The tracks, while long, are perfect instrumental tracks. The amazing playing and vibes from here carry the project. This is really good! I could recommend this to somebody, cool!
The Offspring
4/5
The momentum, the energy, it’s unstoppable! The lyrics can be iffy at points but they’re bearable for the most part. Very fun to listen to! This thing just doesn’t let down for a second. Very cool!
Duke Ellington
4/5
I’m not the biggest fan of live albums, but this was cool. The performances are amazing here and carry this thing on its shoulders. The calm and vintage feel to this is amazing too. Perfect for what I need in the morning. Cool album!
The Damned
5/5
The energy, lyrics, production, all of it is amazing! I was very pleased with this one. Very good punk album.
The Clash
5/5
Literally amazing. You’ve heard everything about this thing that makes it good before. The lyricism, instrumentation, all of it is great. Excellent!
The Fall
2/5
Just not that good. I like the instrumentals time to time but that’s about it.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Why are there uncomfortable skits of fucking? 😭 Other than that, this album is amazing, albeit a bit outdated. The beats and lyricism is amazing. You’ve heard it before, but it’s true. This is a Hip Hop classic. It’s still a five because I don’t want another 4 Star album rating.
David Bowie
3/5
There were some good tracks here and there, but it was mostly just generic sounding rock music. I love ya Bowie, but this didn’t really hit this time around. Heat is cool though.
The Who
5/5
Short and sweet, this one has good tracks with great highlights. The ending tracks of the live versions of My Generation and Magic Bus are amazing. The other tracks are cool as well, all the tracks have this young and careless energy. I understand why people don’t like live albums, but this is lit.
XTC
5/5
Reminds me of They Might Be Giants a little bit. Very coo! This one was very playful in its sound. It creates this fun and happy tone throughout. Very cool &0s pop record!
The Smiths
5/5
I liked this one a bit more than I thought I would. Catchy Runes, Dark Lyrics, the oddly playful tone with the songs, it’s great. The 80s sound actually sounds good here.
Also fuck Morrissey.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Just a bunch of good songs here. Sympathy For The Devil was great, good instrumentation and lyrics all around. It does kind of wanes a bit in the second half, and Mick Jagger’s voice can get a bit irritating. But then they close off with Factory Girl and Salt Of The Earth. Amazing closer! This is probably the best Rolling Stones album I’ve listened to so far, even if that bar is pretty low.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Despite some small problems (out of whack vocals), this one was still enjoyable. The sound of this is raw as hell and with a bit darker lyrics. This one had a lot of thoroughly enjoyable tracks. Cool!
Duran Duran
4/5
Cool little 80a synth pop. The bass just great here, along with some bangers on the track list. Not much else to say, just a very solid album.
5/5
Seminal pop rock album. Theres no song I consider bad or terrible, the tracks are so catchy and fun. The instrumentation all around is very good, especially that rhythm guitar. I can get the appeal to this, I enjoyed it a lot.
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
This was a fun time. I didn’t understand a word they were saying, but the music was awesome so does it really matter? The energy through out is relentless and keeps you going till the end. The slower paced songs are great too. The instrumentation is amazing. Good album!
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
Ethereal soundscapes and atmosphere. This was a great way to start my morning. So relaxing and calm. I might come back to this just for how relaxing it is. Very good.
Brian Eno
5/5
Just an amazing record. Quite want to buy it myself! The poppier songs and ambient music are an amazing blend. Sky Jaw is a great opener and sets the tone perfectly. I love ambient, and the final trio of ambient tracks are an amazing bunch and it showcases most this album’s strengths well. It’s an atmospheric and ethereal ear massage like every song on this album. Spirits Drifting is an excellent farewell that feels heartfelt and personal. The amazing production is all throughout staple of Brian Eno, and that applies here as well. The lyricism is simplistic but amazing as well. I just love everything about this. The shorter tracks, the longer tracks, it’s all amazing! Easy 5 stars.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Very beep boopy. I’m not complaining though, this a fun record to listen to. Interesting how this was made in 1978. Fun early electronic instrumentals and lyrics all around, must have been weird listening to this back then. The (sometimes) robotic vocals add to the novelty of this album, I love it a lot. I can imagine the influence this had on later electronic musicians and groups. Fun album! Very good. The Robots, Man-Machine, and Neon Lights and all the other songs are amazing btw.
Donald Fagen
3/5
Just meh. Not terrible but there wasn’t much to it.
Björk
5/5
Great! Amazing production and lyrics. I applaud.
The Verve
4/5
Not really anything special, but it’s good for what it’s got. The opener, Bitter Sweet Symphony, was cool. After that however, the tracks are less memorable. This isn’t saying they’re terrible though, some are good for what they are. This was was ok.
Soundgarden
5/5
Everything about this is amazing. The vocals and lyrics are gritty, the instrumentals go hard asf , Chris Cornell’s vocals are a god send. Amazing album and a really fun listen. 5/5.
The Go-Go's
4/5
I’m surprised that there isn’t a lot of cheese here, just a really solid album. The new wave sound can get repetitive after a bit, but this is still a fun and cute record to listen to. Cool!
Death In Vegas
3/5
This thing is abrasive, and melancholic all the way through. It has good atmosphere going for it. The track list is a bit of a mixed bag though, it loses me a bit in the second half. Some tracks are great while some are meh. It’s ok, I had some fun listening to it.
Moby
3/5
This album really was just ok. There’s some bangers, but you have to sit through the first half which is a real mixed bag. The second half is way better, even if it still has a few downsides. One of them is that the samples can get annoying at times, and the songs start to sound same-y, which really sucks because there’s some stuff this album has to offer. It’s ok.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
It has nice backing tracks vocal performances. However, I like you Frank but your voice doesn’t really match with the Bossa-Nova Stylle most of the time, in fact my favorite moments were when Antonio was singing. But those moments were few and far between to really make this record for me.
James Taylor
4/5
A bunch of little country-esq songs for the morning. Nice album to listen to in the morning, Taylor’s vocals are nice. Good vibes all around, cool!
Charles Mingus
5/5
One of the best jazz albums I’ve ever heard, end of story. This was great!
Big Star
4/5
This one was good. Yes, it is dad rock (kinda), but that’s not necessarily a bad thing there. There’s plenty of things to appreciate here, the acoustic songs / bits (Thirteen is great), instrumentation on most tracks, some lyrics, and vocal harmonies were great. It was good, but not like one of the BEST things I’ve heard. There’s some good hits on this!
Grateful Dead
3/5
Just noodling for an hour. Really on one ear and out the other. Sometimes it’s just ok, other times there’s ok sense of cohesion whatsoever. It’s meh, a real mixed bag.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
One of the best hip hop albums of the decade. Nuff said, this was impressive and excellent.
Yes
5/5
Prog rock that’s accessible!? Impossible!
But jones aside, this was really good.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I used to love Pink Floyd a lot, I have to at least contribute this album partially to that. An excellent psychedelic experience to say the least. Syd Barret’s influence and simplistic writing style is very apparent here. It’s both interesting and intriguing. The psychedelic songs are playful, sometimes ominous, and intriguing. There’s not a song here I’d consider bad, all these songs are a good time. Excellent debut album!
The Adverts
3/5
Generic punk rock, kinda. There’s good songs, but the rest are just mediocre. It’s meh.
Funkadelic
5/5
One of the best funk albums, and one of the best albums ever made. Sick as hell!
Richard Thompson
5/5
Pretty good country / folk album! Catchy tunes mixed in with sadder and more emotional songs. I couldn’t tell which I prefer, haha. The pacing, the writing, the instrumentation, it’s all great. This just really good, honestly.
Slade
3/5
It was ok, I liked the opener a lot. It had good songs, but overall I ‘d say this was just ok.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I would come up with a joke to describe how sexy this album is, but I can’t come up with anything. So I’ll just say this was pretty good, albeit a little bit repetitive.
MGMT
4/5
Good little electronic synth pop. That intro was amazing, but none of the songs after that really match up to it. Songs are still fun though. A good listen, good album.
Don McLean
3/5
American Pie (the song) is great, but after Till Tomorrow it just gets uninteresting and most of it doesn’t have a lot to offer. It gets a bit better with the songs at the end (The Grave and Babylon are fun). This was ok, honestly.
R.E.M.
4/5
A collection of catchy rock tunes, not the worst thing I’ve heard. At worst it just sounds generic. Maybe I’ll come back to a few songs. This was good.
Pulp
2/5
No. At first it sounded ok, but then the songs started to all sound the same. The tracks don’t feel all that special. The singing is terrible as well. It tries to be weird with its lyrics and vocals, but it just doesn’t work. Other people might like this, but I don’t.
The Who
4/5
A classic. Lots of good 60a rock. I think it’s kind of funny to see what people thought was heavy back then. Regardless, My Generation and a few other songs are great. Only one song (I’m A Man) is holding this back from a 5/5. Still pretty good.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Why is this here? The vocals are so annoying and get unintentionally funny at parts. Also every song sounds the same. Just bad.
Animal Collective
4/5
I didn’t like this at first, but it got better as it went on. Amazing production and interesting lyrics. Might not come back to it but this was still pretty good.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Really really good! Plenty of good songs. Respect is amazing (obviously) and iconic. Aretha’s voice is heaven like. It’s probably all been said before. Excellent album!
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
Not AS bad as the reviews made it out to be. But that doesn’t make it any less ear grating and nonsensical. But isn’t that kind of the point? Whatever man, I don’t know.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
A bit melodramatic and tacky at times, but cool soft tunes and melodies. The Lyre Of Orpheus is still better though.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
One of the best movie soundtracks. It’s just so energetic and fun to listen to. Very good!
Cheap Trick
4/5
This has some good songs and highlights, just that it isn’t really anything that special. Doesn’t mean it isn’t as good as it is.
Napalm Death
3/5
Grindcore. Not terrible but I don’t think I’ll be coming back to this. The vocals need work, but drumming is killer though. It’s ok.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
There’s cool things on this record, the songwriting is good, but it starts to feel a little same-y as it goes on. Still good though
Sam Cooke
5/5
This is an amazing live album. The pace and energy do not let down once it gets started. Songs are fun too, Sam Cook is great here! Excellent.
PJ Harvey
4/5
The first album by a woman in how long? Besides that this was still very good, haha.
Moby Grape
3/5
Not the most memorable thing in the world, some solid tracks here and there. Don’t think I’ll be revisiting them though.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Tracks are fun and energetic all throughout, but it still feels same-y by the end of it. It’s good but not the best.
The Human League
5/5
Excellent synth pop record. The catchiness is unmatched here, 8makes me wanna move a little bit Makes it a very fun listen. It’s all just great. Very cool!
Gene Clark
4/5
Cool little country folk record. The mellow sound and tone / mood was perfect for a morning, honestly. This has some good songs, but to be honest, it’s not the most memorable album. Doesn’t mean it’s bad though.
Röyksopp
5/5
I liked this one a lot! There’s actually quite a bit of variety here. The mood can go from dancing to chilling in two songs. Very good electronic record! More like this please!
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Amazing! The variety here was something I didn’t expect. It’s very consistent as well. The vocals are amazing as well! It’s all great, honestly. Excellent!
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Eh.. it’s a fun album but it gets very repetitive and monotonous to listen to. It’s meh.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
It was alright. Felt like it dragged a bit though.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
Fun album. Had me moving a bit. Very danceable album. Fun to listen to as well! Will definitely come back to this.
Very good.
The Go-Betweens
5/5
Amazing pop record. The 80s sound might sound outdated to some people, but the 80s sound adds so much to me. Everything is so addicting here, the vocals especially. This was a very pleasent suprise! Very cool.
Louis Prima
5/5
This album has so much charm to it. It sounds like everybody was having fun! The catchy tunes with Louis Prima’s voice is a great combination. Excellent record that’s fun to listen to. I’d recommend! Very cool.
Green Day
5/5
Just a classic. It’s fun and momentum just doesn’t slow down! The pace is great, it just keeps on going. It’s catchy and fun to listen to as well? This album is a classic, it deserves its reputation IMO. Very cool.
Radiohead
5/5
Pretty great, honestly. It’s like the brother to Kid A. It has all the positives of Kid A IMO. But is it better than Kid A? I don’t think so. While it has all the positives, it pails in comparison to it. Still pretty good listen though.
Elton John
4/5
A small collection of ballads and prog rock tracks. It’s pretty good actually. My only issue is that it can drag in a few songs. Other than that, great record with good writing from Elton. Very good.
Boston
4/5
Yes, it’s cheesy dad rock. However it’s very grandiose when it wants to be and is generally a fun listen, don’t kind of cancels it out.
Prince
4/5
The 80s feel and aesthetic is both a blessing and a curse here. On one hand, it can make a song fun and catchy as hell. On the other hand, it can make songs drags and seem very good outdated. And yes, the cheesiness is something I like a bit. It’s good.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Sappy little love songs all over this thing, the 80s country sound almost masked that for me, it’s fun and has that feel about it. (I like it a lot ). On “I Sang Dixie” it feels like he’s saying being a Confederate is a good thing. Is he saying that explicitly? Not really but it feels like he is. Buck Owens was good, but please leave him out of this.. :(
2/5
Well, that certainly was an album. So many cringe bars and lyrics. It has a few good moments but those are once in a blue moon. Don’t think I’ll be returning to this any time soon.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Pretty good. The songs go hard as hell. Reminds me of the Matrix soundtrack or The Prodigy. Cool!
R.E.M.
5/5
Just a classic. Every song and its writing is amazing. Catchy songs and great performances as well. Very good!
Sepultura
5/5
This shit fuckin RIIIPS.
Scritti Politti
2/5
A slog to get through, outdated 80s pop songs that all sound the same, doesn’t that sound amazing? Shocker, it really wasn’t.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
A fun album, has some cool rhythm guitar and polyrhythms at times, but it gets a bit repetitive after a while and the songs blend together. It’s ok.
The Style Council
4/5
80s music with jazzy undertones and instruments? Don’t mind if I do.
Gary Numan
3/5
It’s ok. It has a fun sound that sounds ok, it has neat lyrics. But, it doesn’t really try to sound all that unique most of the time. Some songs are just meh while others are just Ok. It’s not bad but not terrible. It’s alright.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
This would be good if it wasn’t two hours long and the songs didn’t sound the same. There’s some ok songs anyway though.
Talking Heads
4/5
Ah, good old talking heads. The first half is alright, but the second half is KILLER man. Pretty good album, but it’s not the best Talking Heads album.
M.I.A.
2/5
Why.
David Holmes
5/5
Really good. The beats go hard and the production is great. The interludes are nice breaks from the album as well. Very cool!
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
This is awesome, haha. John Fogerty’s vocals are a classic, and the southern feel of the whole thing ties it together quite nicely. Almost all of the songs here are classic. Very good.
TLC
3/5
Eh, didn’t really do anything for me. We don’t talk about Let’s Do It Again.
The Specials
4/5
This was a fun album. The variety here is something I didn’t expect. You’ll be listening to reggae then punk. But, the reggae songs aren’t BAD, but they don’t really do much for me. That doesn’t mean they’re terrible though, they have a fun mood. This was good, has its moments. Very quirky as well. Cool!
Janelle Monáe
3/5
You see, it’s not bad pop music. Just not my cup of tea.
Bob Dylan
4/5
The songs on this are great wither amazing writing, but bob’s voice can be a bit much at times. Other than that, great album!
Lucinda Williams
4/5
That was good. Catchy and fun country tunes. It gets a bit repetitive, but it’s still fun nonetheless.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Soft spoken, beautiful, and well written. Joni hits it out of the ballpark. Blues still better though..
Beck
4/5
Half of this album is truck month rock while the other is cool sampling. Ehh.. not bad but not terrible and it has its moments.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
A fun, strange, quirky, and weird listen. It’s hard to believe this was made in 1966. Pretty good album!
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This is a pretty stacked tracklist. Pretty much all of these songs are great. Down By The Seaside and Kashmir are amazing. Great album.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Very beep boopy. I like all the synths n stuff here, very danceable: The Man Machine had competition with this one, honestly. Pretty good album!
Eminem
4/5
Aside from the f slurs being thrown around, this was pretty good.
Iron Butterfly
4/5
Cool little psychedelic rock alb, I don’t really have a whole lot to say. The title track is amazing.
T. Rex
3/5
I don’t really have a lot to say with this one. It’s ok.
Nirvana
5/5
One of the best albums of the 90s hands down. So raw, visceral, and emotional. There is also great production and songwriting to boot as well. This album is amazing.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Cool little Swamp Rock album. There’s some good songs but Green River is still better.
2/5
Repetitive and boring country. Not my thing, some ok songs and moments are here but they’re outweighed by a lot of things. Meh.
The Slits
4/5
Pretty good actually, fun quirky punk and reggae songs. It’s meh at first but it picks up steam eventually. Cool!
Led Zeppelin
5/5
An amazing track list. Amazing album, but the only thing holding it back is that I think The Lemon Song doesn’t really have as much to it than the other songs. Other than that, amazing record. A classic.
The Pogues
4/5
Drags and feels samey in some places, but this is a fun listen. Celtic music is fun and something I didn’t know I needed.
k.d. lang
3/5
Ehh.. not really my thing. It’s ok, has a few moments.
Rush
4/5
It drags in a few places and the lyrics aren’t really at their best here, but this thing fuckin’ ROOCKS.
Mudhoney
4/5
This is a pretty good album, fun listen and nice early grunge. It starts to wain a bit in the middle and end of it though. Not terrible, but not the best out there. It’s good.
Taylor Swift
3/5
I’m just gonna say that I’m not the biggest pop fan, so I went in with an open mind. Eh, it wasn’t terrible. It’s has a cool synth-pop sound and there’s a few good pop tunes and lyrics here and there. But to be honest, while it is probably THE pop record of the 2010s, most of this is too sappy for me. Most of it didn’t really do anything to me. It’s not my thing, but I can see why other people like it.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
My god, this thing is a trip and a half. This album is one of the best rock records of the 90s. Very emotional songwriting and amazing instrumentals. That guitar tone is AMAZING. It kind of wains near the end, but it doesn’t drag down the rest of the album with it. Even with a few issues, this still is an amazing outing. Amazing!
Fats Domino
4/5
I had a good time listening to this. It had a few issues but it was fun.
Ian Dury
3/5
Ehh, not the best thing in the world. It’s meh.
Spiritualized
5/5
I ascended to this album.
3/5
It’s ok, I guess it’s better than Definerly Maybe. I guess I just don’t like Oasis that much, but whatever.
ZZ Top
3/5
Ehh.. repetitive and not that good of lyrics. The two hits (Gimme All Your Lovin’ and Sharp Dressed Man) are fun to listen to, but for the most part this album doesn’t really do anything for me. It’s meh.
Throwing Muses
4/5
This was a fun listen, there’s much better post punk albums though. Still pretty good though.
Genesis
5/5
A prog rock classic to say the least. A fun and engaging listen. Deserves its reputation!
Neil Young
4/5
It’s not the best Neil Young album, but it does have highlights. Ambulance Blues is amazing!
Radiohead
4/5
Not the best Radiohead album by any means, it’s can get a bit repetitive but this still had good tracks. Pretty cool!
Black Sabbath
5/5
The first ever heavy metal album. It’s surprising how well this thing holds up after fifty years of metal music. A fun listen as well. Very cool!
George Harrison
5/5
George is really being himself here. It might be long but it’s a good listen. Very good!
Dr. Dre
4/5
A west coast hip hop classic. Snoop was fun to have around, as well with most of the other features. That didn’t make it perfect though, there’s some misogyny sprinkled throughout and the skits can take me out of it a bit. Other than that, classic album. Very cool!
The Lemonheads
4/5
It’s an ok album, short and simple. But it doesn’t really separate itself from others with this sound. Doesn’t really do much for me. It had a few good tracks though. It’s ok.
The Young Rascals
4/5
Eh, did not have a lot of expectations with that album cover. Turns out it was alright! Pretty cool.
Eagles
4/5
It’s ok Dad Rock, it has its moments. Life In The Fast Lane is better than the title track though.
Can
4/5
This was a cool album. A really experimental wacko weirdo shut album. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t work. It’s good but not the best.
Gil Scott-Heron
5/5
Cool poetry and instrumentation, it’s just what I needed actually. Very good album.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
A very solid album, a fun listen. Rather inoffensive but it doesn’t really get in the way of the album. Pretty good!
Anita Baker
3/5
She has a good voice, but other than that this doesn’t really have much to offer.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Actually very good.It has that lingering sense of melancholy all throughout, and the writing is incredible for the most part. Very good album.
Miles Davis
5/5
One of the best and most influential jazz records of all time. Amazing record.
Nina Simone
4/5
Amazing performances from Nina here, she totally kills it. Pretty good album.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Eh, not really anything that special. Not really any songs I like in particular. It wasn’t terrible though.
The Saints
4/5
Cool little punk album. Good album, not a whole lot to say.
Fugees
5/5
Very good actually. Lauryn Hill absolutely kills it. Amazing album.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Funky! I guess it was ok. It was fun to listen to though. I guess it’s cool.
Pixies
4/5
It’s a cool listen. Very fun guitar and vocals. It’s good!
Tricky
3/5
Didn’t really do much for me, I guess it’s alright?
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
This was an ok album. Janis Joplin is great, but her vocals can be a bit much at times. The songs are good though for the most part. Pretty good album!
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
A pretty weird and out there album, a few songs had me moving but this didn’t really do anything for me. It’s meh.
Dolly Parton
4/5
This is a fun one. Rather repetitive but it’s fun, and has great vocals and harmonies from our three singers. It’s a good album, very cool.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Not my first outing with the Beastie Boys, it’s a bit enjoyable but Ill Communication is the better album. This album still has some good songs though.
3/5
That.. sure was an album.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
AMURICAA!!!
Primal Scream
5/5
Really good actually. Very good electronic bits and very good psych bits. Just an amazing project. Very cool!
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
It was a good album, I suppose. Feel like it dragged a bit in places but it was good.
Sparks
4/5
Sweeet. That first song was stuck in my head all day. Good little album.
Talking Heads
5/5
One of the best albums of the 80s, and ever made. It’s an amazing album. I’d highly recommend it. Very cool!
Gorillaz
5/5
This was great! Aside from a few tracks that are just eh, this album has amazing tracks (Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, 19-2000, etc.) Great album.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
MC Solaar
3/5
I feel like I could’ve connected with it more if I understood what they were saying. :(
Morrissey
3/5
Fuck Morrisey but this was ok.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Very good album. Rivals their debut. Very good and very cool!!
Bob Dylan
4/5
Not my favorite Bob Dylan album so far, but this was pretty good still.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
This one was ok. You can really see the influence that came from this thing. There’s a few good songs, but it didn’t really make me feel anything throughout. It’s good but has its flaws.
Van Halen
5/5
Very good album actually. Sick ass guitar playing (RIP ✌️) and kick-ass music. Great listen and great album.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
Damon Albarn jumpscare.
Jacques Brel
3/5
It’s cool, I suppose. I don’t know any French.. D:
Air
4/5
I feel like I would’ve enjoyed this more if I’ve seen the movie. Still pretty good nonetheless.
The Prodigy
4/5
The Soft Boys
4/5
A few flaws, but this was pretty good. Cool psychedelic undertones here.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
This was an AMAZING experience. At first I was having trouble with it, and then it just clicked. Absolutely fantastic. 5 stars.
Frank Zappa
5/5
Amazing tracks all throughout here, not one stinker. Cool!
The Cardigans
4/5
There’s good songs here, that’s a good Black Sabbath cover, just not like mind blowing it whatever. Vocals and lyrics are great though.
The White Stripes
4/5
Cool rock songs, Fell In Love With A Girl is amazing. I’d recommend. :)
Killing Joke
4/5
This is a dark one. Surprisingly good! Very moody and atmospheric. Cool! :)
Marty Robbins
4/5
A bit repetitive but has fun and engaging lyrics and stories.
Arcade Fire
4/5
It was ok, felt dragged out in a few places. It was still good.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Not the best I’ve heard from LCD Soundsystem, it was ok.
John Coltrane
5/5
A jazz classic. Good inatrumentation, well performed, great playing, it’s all good!
Orange Juice
3/5
It was ok. Has its flaws. I like the African influence in a few songs, and the instrumentals were cool. It was ok.
Bad Brains
4/5
While I prefer their debut,
this one was pretty good. :)
Little Simz
4/5
Good bars, beats, n’ lyricism. A nice refresher.
Arcade Fire
3/5
A little bit cooler than The Suburbs, i guess. Doesn’t really say much though.
CHVRCHES
4/5
This one had its highlights, especially the closer. But it wanes in the middle with ok tracks. It’s good, but not one of the best things I’ve heard.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
An absolute classic. Amazing production; lyrics, etc. Very happy to see that this still holds up. 5 stars.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
A 90s classic to say the very least. Glad to have listened to it.
John Martyn
4/5
This was good for the most part. Very cool instrumentals (especially Small Hours), and good vocals for the most part. There were bits where the vocals put me off a little bit. This album has its issues but it has stuff to offer.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
It’s ok, not one of my favorites but it wasn’t that bad. It’s alright.
5/5
This was great, glad to have finally gotten to PJ Harvey. Very good album!
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It was ok, I suppose. Some tracks didn’t really do anything for me. It was just alright.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
A few tracks near the end bogged it down a little bit for me. Still a great debut record from Led Zeppelin.
The Replacements
4/5
Honestly pretty good. Only a song or two were kind of duds to me compared to the rest. Very cool!
Solomon Burke
4/5
Sick. Cool performances.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Good performances from Amy. Not my favorite thing in the world but it was alright. Cool!
AC/DC
4/5
It can get repetitive but this was a fun album. Second half is a bit meh though.
Kid Rock
2/5
Why.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
A hip hop classic, truly amazing.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Eh, it was ok.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Not the most thought provoking thing out there, but I had fun listening to it. It’s alright.
The Cars
4/5
This one was cool. Cool synths and stuff, the two closing songs were good as well.
The Cramps
3/5
Ehh.. it’s alright. Has its moments.
Pere Ubu
3/5
I guess I can appreciate most of what they’re doing here.Don’t think I’ll be coming back to it though.
Pulp
3/5
It was ok, not the best. Has its moments I guess though.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Pretty good!
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Ehh, a but boring and it’s too long.
Eagles
4/5
Not as good as Hotel California, it was alright though.
Kanye West
5/5
Good album, and fuck Kanye. ✌️
Sonic Youth
5/5
Joan Baez
5/5
I’m getting Pink Moon vibes from this. A bit repetitive but it’s cool.
Ray Price
3/5
Repetitive and sometimes boring country. Cool introduction with a few good songs though:
Van Halen
5/5
Pretty fun time. Goes against their debut pretty well
The Icarus Line
3/5
Happy Mondays
3/5
Billy Joel
4/5
Prefab Sprout
4/5
You can tell this was made in the 80s, lol. It’s not really a bad thing though. There’s good tracks here but most of them don’t really do much for me, especially near the end and middle.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Cool collection of songs, feels a bit repetitive by the end. It’s still good though!
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Just felt like random stuff slapped together. Had its moments though.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
An absolute classic, amazing record. Jimi was a god.
Cream
3/5
It was ok I guess. Some tracks are ok while others are just meh.
Nick Drake
5/5
Wow. Emotionally heartfelt lyrics and vocals with intricate acoustic guitar playing. This is amazing, not much else to say
Norah Jones
4/5
Cool guitar and voice. Nice lyrics as well. Can feel a bit same-y though.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
Cool little electronic record. There’s a few duds and meh tracks. Georgia and Joan Of Arc are great though.
The Hives
3/5
Most of these songs didn’t do anything for me. Rather bland songs with a few ok ones. Meh.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
A cool genre mix here. A few songs are just ok though.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Ella, you’re great singer, but I don’t want to listen to three hours of this. I’m sorry.
Deep Purple
3/5
I had some fun with this, even if it is Dad Rock. Most of the songs were just ok to me. Cool guitar though.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED, WE ONLY WANTED TO BE LOVED.
Saint Etienne
3/5
It was ok, a few good tracks here and there. Most of the songs were meh.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Not much better than their other album I listened to, I guess it’s more miserable. It’s still just meh.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Pretty good, can feel a bit monotonous at times though.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
Very cool. I like the chill-out vibes here. Maybe I’ll come back to it.
Supergrass
5/5
Super cool actually, really solid britpop album.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
HEY YO, IT’S JUST ANOTHER BOMBTRACK!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Not my favorite Neil Young album so far but it still had its moments, kinda cool.
Elis Regina
4/5
A nice album to relax to in the morning, it was pretty cool! Maybe I’ll come back to it.
Dire Straits
4/5
This one is so gooood. I feel like some tracks might overstay their welcome, but that isn’t a big issue as they don’t overstay for too long to me personally. There’s still some killer tracks on this thing.
Talking Heads
5/5
Ah, good old Talking Heads. This is a great and fun listen as expected. Might not be my favorite record by them but I still like it a lot.Talking Heads doesn’t disappoint! (Doesn’t disappoint me at least, lol)
Public Enemy
5/5
FIGHT THE POWERS THAT BE!
Mercury Rev
4/5
Cool little album to start my morning. Cool vocal and instrumental bits as well. Pretty good if you ask me.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I liked this one a lot. Joni is great here and has amazing lyrics. That with the folky jazz makes a great combo. Maybe I’ll return to it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Cool 80s stuff, Elvis’ vocals might need some getting used to. There’s still good stuff to be found here though, pretty solid.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
One of the best rock albums of the 60s. Jimi, Noel, and Mitch do Ana amazing job ob their debut. Although it is no Electric Lady land, this is still great and a classic for a reason. RIP Jimi, Noel, and Mitch.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
My mother told me she loves Cyndi Lauper’s music, I can see the appeal I suppose. It IS cheesy 80s pop, but it’s fun and done well.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This was a fun listen, as expected with a Beastie Boys album. Great production, performances, writing, and sampling to be found here. Among the Beastie Boy’s best work, and this probably is their best. I recommend it!
Björk
4/5
Ah, Björk. This is a weird yet intriguing blending of classical and electronic music. The string arrangements are great, and the same goes for the electronic stuff. The real highlight though, as expected, is Björk’s performance. Her lyrics are striking and emotional, and her recognizable and amazing voice adds to the emotion. While there’s good things to be found here, to me the songs can feel a bit same-y sometimes, and some parts aren’t really for me. Still pretty good!
The Flaming Lips
4/5
The Soft Bulletin is a little bit similar to Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots with its sound. I love that album so that’s not a complaint, haha. This album has a good production! Mark Coyne’s vocals, while good and memorable, can sound a bit off at times, and some tracks are more memorable than others. However, that doesn’t take away from most of this album. The performances are something to admire here. The lyrics are simplistic yet intriguing. While I may prefer Yoshimi, I still appreciate this album and many songs on it. I’d recommend this one (and especially Yoshimi, that album is amazing)!
The Stooges
3/5
You can rally see the influence this had just buy hearing it. it was just ok but I appreciate what this album did and how influential it was.
Culture Club
3/5
When I first showed this to my parents, my father said this was “terrible” and my mother said I would hate it. What a great first impression! Parents aside, this album is unabashedly 80s sounding. Reverb drums and all, it’s a good example of pop music at the time, however that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have faults. It’s sappy and very cheesy sometimes, and some tracks aren’t that memorable. The vocals from Boy George, a few catchy songs, and the lyrics save this from being a loss though. If you like the 80s sound and cheesy stuff, i’d recommend this. :
Pavement
5/5
Until recently, I had only heard of Pavement and a few of their albums. I’m glad I finally checked them out today! This album sounds great. The production is something to admire. I also love the drums and percussion on this thing; they sound so clean! There are also tons of good songs here, especially “Cut Your Hair,” “Range Life,” and the closer, “Fillmore Jive.” “Fillmore Jive” is amazing! “5-4=Unity” is a fun little jazzy instrumental as well. The piano is a nice touch on it. I like the guitar and bass work on this album too; the guitar tones are clean and distorted when they need to be. A good example of that is “Hit The Plane Down,” which is really raw with its sound and themes. The vocals are cool and memorable, albeit a little iffy sometimes. The lyrics are emotional and abstract, and they can pack a punch sometimes. The album also flies by; it did not feel like it was over forty minutes. Even if the songs can feel the same sometimes, I’m looking forward to listening to more from Pavement in the future. This was a fun listen! This is an indie classic for a reason, and I’d recommend it.
Björk
5/5
More Björk! I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It feels more different than Björk’s other work that I’ve listened to. It’s much more accessible and fun to listen to. As per usual, Björk is great on this album. Her singing really helps sell the album. This album is just fun to listen to, its electronic and dance elements are fun and great. Like from most of what I’ve heard from Björk, it can get a bit out there sometimes. I don’t have a problem with that on this album though. The poetic, emotional and abstract lyricism are still prominent from the last Björk album I listened to, which I appreciate. I’ve come to respect Björk and her work, and this helps me respect her more. Her music is good stuff, and I really enjoyed her international debut here. I really recommend this one! I like the other Björk albums I’ve listened to, but this might be my favorite from her so far. I hope to see more from her. She’s really one of a kind!
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Ehh.. I really don’t have a lot to say about this. It’s old pop music from the early 60s that really sounds like it’s from the 50s. It sounds nice and has a few decent tracks, but this album is rather unremarkable. It doesn’t really stand out. The lyrics are passable, but most of the time they don’t really offer a whole lot. Springfield’s voice is what makes most of this album, along with a few backing instrumentals. But, they don’t carry the album. This album has its moments, but with it just being (sometimes nice) covers of songs with a 50s - 60s pop sounds it doesn’t really have too much going for it. It’s just rather unremarkable.
The Fall
3/5
Genre: Post-punk
This album’s first half is really overshadowed by its second. Most songs on the first half aren’t that great, and most of it wasn’t really striking to me. The second half has more decent songs I don’t mind though. The closer, Music Scene, while having its moments, doesn’t feel like it has to be the length that it is, which is eight minutes. I’m fine with long songs but this one was mostly a chore a get through. This album has okay performances and production most of the time thankfully, I think the bass, synths/keyboards, and drums sound really nice. The “recorded-in-one-day“ fact is a bit apparent sometimes though. The vocals could use some work in places and most of the time the music isn’t the most striking. While good stuff can be found here, most of this album feels a bit annoying to sit through. It has its moments, but most of the time it doesn’t really set itself apart from other post-punk albums that i’ve listened to. It’s meh, just didn’t really do a lot for
Funkadelic
5/5
The funk machine is off the charts with this one, as expected from George Clinton and Funkadelic. This is an amazing funk record! The songs are very catchy with amazing choruses throughout. The lyrics definitely play a part in that, and in the whole album. The performances here are amazing as well, the instruments just feel like they fit so well with one another. The bass on this album is so good dude! The vocals are also a definite highlight, they’re very memorable. I don’t have an issue with the long song lengths! It lets me groove to the songs more. While I may not have a lot to say about this album, it’s an amazing funk record that i’d recommend. Stay funky y’all.
Nico
4/5
Most of this was nice. There were some songs that sounded really nice. I didn’t really care for the avant-garde stuff. Most of the songs sound the same as well. And while that’s the case, I still think there’s some worthwhile stuff here. The strings and wind instruments are nicely done. Nico’s voice is nice for most of the time as well. This has its flaws, but I still think this is decent.
Laibach
3/5
This one was epic in scope. The thundering drums and instrumentation are pretty cool. It can sound a little bit goofy sometimes though. The vocals could use some work as well in places. I can respect what they’re doing here, but it’s not really something I’d just put on and listen to. It’s ok.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
This one is very influential for Hip Hop. The title track for this album is iconic to say the least, it’s one of the best parts of the project (aside from a certain line in that song). There’s also some nice funk and soul influences here. The first two songs are probably the best examples of this, they’re catchy and fun to listen to. Most of this album is nice and fun to listen to! It’s rather short and doesn’t really overstay its welcome. Its lyrics are actually pretty cool, the main example being the title track. Its performances are pretty good as well! You can tell they were having fun making this. That being said, I think some tracks are rather weak. Scorpio is a bit weird, even for me. This album has its faults, but it still has a few good songs to be found. It’s pretty nice for the most part.
LTJ Bukem
4/5
There’s a certain thing about this album. It’s a two hour long compilation album with twenty songs. It’s not an easy listen for sure, haha. The songs included are nice, they really are. It’s just that since this album is so long, and considering the song lengths, the songs can start to feel the same as it goes on. I feel that these songs would work more as individual songs. These worked really well as background music during work though. I liked most of the songs here, I just don’t think I’d sit through two hours of this again. It gets a bit tiring. I still love the vibes this brings though, this is a straight vibe. If you like electronic stuff, and don’t mind something this long, i’d recommend this. While some tracks may be better than others, there’s defiantly good electronic stuff to be found here.
Steve Winwood
3/5
I honestly don’t have a whole lot to say about this album. It’s ok. This album is very 80s for only being made in 1980, haha. I think the album art is nice, it has this certain feel to it I like a little bit. Winwood does a good job on vocals, they really help bring the song to life. I think my favorite part of this album was the instrumental bits though. The performances, bass in particular were really nice. The intro to “While You See a Chance” has really nice synth work. However, a few of the songs were just meh and didn’t really do much for me. There’s still a few decent songs to be found. This was just okay, it was nice but not particularly special, to me at least.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Some nice tracks are here, and I can appreciate what they’re doing here. It’s just too lengthy and sounds the same. It’s ok.
Metallica
4/5
Ah, The Black Album. This was one of the first cds I ever got! I honestly haven’t listened to it at all since then for a while. This is the first time i’ve heard this all the way through, which is a little bit surprising. I’m glad to say that I enjoyed this quite a bit. The production is amazing here. The drums sound really clean. That guitar is so crunchy and yet so crisp, if that makes any sense, lol. There’s quite the bunch of classic songs to find here. “Nothing Else Matters” and “Enter Sandman” are legendary tracks in their own right. “Wherever I May Roam”, “The Struggle Within”, “Holier Than Thou”, and other songs are also great. James’ vocals are great, and are really just iconic. While I think this album can a LITTLE bit cheesy and a bit much sometimes, this album is still a metal classic, even if I don’t think this is Metallica’s best. This is a nice entry-level metal album, i’d recommend this one for new metalheads. There’s good stuff to be found here.
Michael Jackson
3/5
One of the most iconic albums of all time. This album stayed at the #1 spot on charts for 37 non-consecutive weeks. All of the singles from this album reached the top 10 on the Billboard 100. This is the best selling album of all time with over 32 million copies. That’s absolutely insane! With that record, this album had at least a little bit of a reputation to live up to. I didn’t know what to expect for the most part coming into this. There’s definitely some good tracks here, but the other tracks just don’t do anything for me personally. This album is very 80s, and that’s for better or for worse most of the time. Some songs do great with the sound, while other songs I think make it sound more of its time. To me the album really wanes in the beginning and end. The Paul McCartney duet on “The Girl Is Mine” was unexpected and nice, albeit a little bit cheesy sometimes. “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean” are some of the most iconic songs of all time, and for good reason. They’re iconic and still fun to listen to after being released over 40 years ago, which is impressive. Micheal’s performance is stellar, as expected. I think he does better on some songs more than others though here. His voice really adds to what makes this album special. While I do respect this album, how iconic it is, and how much of an impact this had on music, I don’t think it’s perfect. I completely understand why people may like this more than I do however. If you like some good old 80s pop tunes, this might be for you.
Burning Spear
3/5
Eh, I think it got to sound a little bit samey? That could just be me though.
Fairport Convention
5/5
Very nice!
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
To be frank, I don’t have a whole lot to say. It was nice, however nothing really stuck with me a whole lot. The riffs are energetic and good, however they’re kind of generic. Most of the time. They don’t really give me anything to look into. I guess this can go for the lyrics as well.The opener, “Regular John,” was decent though, along with a few other songs. This debut was just okay. I’ve heard good stuff about Queens Of The Stone Age, I hope I can enjoy the other albums from them on this list.
Milton Nascimento
5/5
Good god, this is great. To be frank, I didn’t understand a single word being said since I don’t know Portuguese, lmao. I think it says a lot that I still found a lot to appreciate and enjoy here. There’s so much beauty in this album. The different genres to be found here are all nice. The vocals are amazing and angelic at points. That along with the phenomenal instrumentation and performances make this such a great listen. It’s just a really fun ride all the way to the end, and that says something since this album is an hour long, haha. This is a Brazilian classic, and one that i’d highly recommend
Wire
5/5
Kanye West
4/5
Alice Cooper
4/5
I haven’t heard a lot from Alice Cooper, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect here. This was a fun time, i’m glad to report. There’s just this feel to it that’s great. The campy lyrics add more fun to the songs, however the campiness can be for better or for worse sometimes. Cooper’s energy here really carries that, Cooper’s performance gives these songs more of a soul in a way. There’s plenty of stand out songs as well. “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is iconic, it’s fun! The piano song “Mary Ann” was unexpected haha. That also goes for the big outro of “I Love The Dead.” There’s some good brass sections on that! The guitar solos on this are nice as well, I might prefer some more to others though. This review might be short, but I still had some fun while listening to this. It was pretty nice, good job Alice Cooper!
Underworld
3/5
Decent songs, but this being an hour long is a bit much.
Alice In Chains
5/5
This is raw as fuck, pardon my french. Right off the bat on “Them Bones,” it starts off with a bang. It just emanates angst, frustration, and pent up energy in a way. That’s how this album feels to me in a way, and I love it. Everything just sounds great. The raw as all hell guitar and bass are amazing, and the clean sounding drums just add a chef’s kiss. This is produced very well. Layne Staley’s vocals are SO good. He really makes an impression here. His screams are amazing, haha. Rest in peace man. The lyricism here really sets that grunge-y tone. The angst emanating from it is such a vibe. Dirt is an essential grunge album, and very influential. I can see why! This is a great time. If I had one complaint, I guess the songs can feel the same sometimes? That’s not a massive issue though, the songs are amazing. This is excellent, just a really good album when you feel like shit, haha. I’ve heard pretty good things about Alice In Chains, and i’m glad I enjoyed this. I highly recommend it!
Steely Dan
4/5
When I showed this to my father, he said he really liked it and thought it was really good. To say the least this is certainly Dad Rock, haha. That doesn’t mean it’s not good though. It sounds really good! The production here is REALLY good. I really love the bass here. Good performances and instrumentation all around. I really do love the extended instrumental segment on the title track. Very good songwriting and lyricism all throughout. This album just has a certain vibe with it that I really like. You can really feel and hear the Jazz influence. I really liked this one, despite how small this review is. This is a classic and I can see why it’s regarded that way, it’s in the Library of Congress! This is a very neat album, i’d recommend it.
ZZ Top
4/5
Fun! There’s a dud here and there but this has a lot of good cuts. La Grange is iconic. The guitar work in this album is really nice. This album is way better than my first ZZ Top album, haha.
George Jones
4/5
I’m happy to say that this is one of the better country albums that i’ve heard recently. George has a great voice! He really is nice to listen to. Paired with that slide guitar, this album is a good one to just sit back and unwind to. I like the lyrics here as well! This album is actually rather short, just under thirty minutes. This album doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and I really do appreciate that with an album like this. The songs can sound the same and be a bit repetitive at points, but it doesn’t become this massive problem when the album is this short. This album is not perfect, but I enjoyed my time with it. :)
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Kanye West
5/5
Just impeccable to say the least. Amazing lyricism and rhymes, beats and production, features and performances, etc. This is definitely the most fun i’ve had with a Kanye album that i’ve heard. This album just keeps on bringing when you’re listening to it. It’s just iconic, and amazing 2000s hip hop. I really respect Kanye and his craft here, this does NOT excuse him being an idiot though. I don’t have a lot to say except that I encourage that people listen to this for themselves. It’s just a great listening experience, to say the least. Excellent hip hop record, one of the best i’ve heard so far.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Cool little jazz album.
Ice Cube
3/5
This album is rightfully aggressive, angry, and conscious. Ice Cube’s performance here is full of confidence and angst. You can tell he’s giving it his all. However, a thing I can’t really excuse is the misogyny on this album. It did not age well and it is very of its time. Yo-Yo on “It’s A Man’s World” does a good job at confronting that though. Having Chuck D. and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy be featured here was unexpected and nice as well! The production from The Bomb Squad is also really good most of the time. There’s some times where it sounds a bit outdated though. There are still plenty of highlights on this album though, even if the songs can come to sound a bit repetitive. That’s not a really big problem though. The lyricism from Ice Cube is nice, despite what I already mentioned. This album is a Hip Hop classic, however its outdatedness takes a bunch of it away from me personally. I’d still recommend this if you like Hip Hop.
The Auteurs
4/5
Buzzcocks
3/5
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Sebadoh
4/5
Os Mutantes
3/5
Kraftwerk
5/5
Autobahn is genre defining genius. I love Kraftwerk and I’m very happy to have gotten to this. Kraftwerk are electronic music pioneers, and hearing music like this that was made in 1974 blows my mind. This sounds modern despite being the fact that it’s 50 years old, happy anniversary by the way! I think that shows how ahead of their time and influential Kraftwerk were. The title track of Autobahn is an odyssey into electronic soundscapes and atmospheres. It really is such an amazing track. It’s really hypnotic with its arpeggios and synth work. The chorus is in the song is memorable as well and is still stuck in my mind, haha. Wir fahr'n, fahr'n, fahr'n, auf der Autobahn! While listening to this, I was afraid that the behemoth title track would overshadow the other tracks here. I’m very happy to say it doesn’t! The electronic atmospheres and soundscapes are carried over from the title track. Kometenmelodie 1 is a moody electronic ambient song, and Kometenmelodie 2 is a fun dance song! Mitternacht is an interesting experimental track, a little bit like Kometenmelodie 1 but more moody. I dig it! The flute, piano, and guitar were really unexpected on Morgenspaziergang, haha. I still really like it and I thought it was a fitting end to the album. Autobahn is a revolutionary and influential album in music, Kraftwerk really hit it out of the ballpark here. Even if you don’t like this sort of stuff, you still have to appreciate what Kraftwerk were doing here and what they contributed. I highly recommend this one if you like electronic stuff. Rest in peace Florian Schneider. 🫡
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
This one was nice to say the least. I’ve surprisingly haven’t heard a whole lot from Bob Marley and The Wailers. I’ve only ever heard the hits from Bob Marley, and I’m glad that I checked out an album that he was involved in. The chill vibes here are immaculately done, it’s what I expected when listening to something like this and those expectations were greatly met. The playing here is great, there’s great performances all around. Catchy songs and choruses also fill this album. Bob’s recognizable vocals, lyrics and the group vocals greatly contribute to that. However, like most Reggae, it can start to sound and feel the same after listening to it for a bit. It can feel repetitive at times, in a good and bad way. While this album has its problems, it’s still a good and easy-listen. I’d recommend it, as a beginner album for reggae and in general. Very well done album. Rest in peace Bob Marley. 🫡
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Kings of Leon
3/5
Bill Callahan
3/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Wow. This just has so much emotion to it. There’s a lot of variety in that aspect to be found here. Paul’s lyricism and Art’s vocal mix amazingly well together. The lyricism is just so moody and meaningful. There’s so many highlights on this album. The track that consists of old folks speaking even hits, I think that says a lot about this album. “America” is about Art’s trip across America with his girlfriend, it’s amazing and very heartfelt, like a lot of this album. “Mrs. Robinson” is just iconic. After watching The Graduate and revisiting this song, it helps me realize how great it really is. This album just sounds so great. The guitar arrangements just sound so moody and calming. “Bookends Theme” is a great example of that. The fact that all of this is just under thirty minutes is incredible. This album is just a classic, in folk music and music in general. Simon and Garfunkel really did hit it out of the ballpark here. This is some of the best that i’ve heard from them.
Pere Ubu
3/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
The Smiths
5/5
Boards of Canada
5/5
I’ve been wanting to listen to this for a while now, and i’m glad that i’ve finally gotten to it today. Creepy yet iconic album cover aside, this album is just chill, sometimes off putting, electronic goodness. This album is just superb. The sequencing of tracks here just makes the album flow so nicely. The short tracks and interludes going into the longer tracks gives the album a sense of cohesion that I really appreciate. The production is stellar here. Rich synths, interesting vocal samples, great drum beats are found all throughout this thing. It’s so good at setting a mood as well. “Wildlife Analysis,” the opener, is a good example of that. It’s a good short ambient song that’s just a vibe honestly. There’s a lot of tracks that i’d like to mention, but i’d take up too much space. Please, go listen to this album for yourself. It may be a bit long buts it’s so worth it in my opinion. I loved this album, and i’m glad that I did! I highly recommend this one. :)
Gram Parsons
3/5
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
The National
3/5
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Traffic
3/5
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Holy shit, what an album, pardon my french. There’s just so much to unpack here. Its amazingly well done arrangements and songwriting evoke so much emotions. The brass, piano, and string arrangements are just so well done especially, the production on this album as a whole is just so clean and concise. This album is just so emotional and beautiful. Its lyrics are so meaningful and have so much context, and can be very emotional and heartfelt when they want to be. This album is about the state of Illinois, and it delves into its history while acting as a way of self reflection for Sufjan. Sufjan’s vocal performance is absolutely breathtaking, they’re so gentle and heartfelt. This album is an experience to say the least. It’s just beautiful. I was truly was at a loss of words for a moment after finishing this. It’s so emotionally resonant. I had to keep this review short to keep room for the things below, but I truly highly recommend this album. It is truly amazing and one of a kind. Sufjan really did hit it out of the ballpark here.
Brian Eno
5/5
I’ve been waiting for this one! I have a lot to thank this album for. This was the first ambient album that I ever heard, and I fell in love with it instantly. It made me branch out my tastes and helped encourage me to try out new music, especially ambient and other genres. Ambient has become one of my favorite genres. But with that out of the way, is this still a good album? Yes! Brian Eno got the idea for this album from hearing music in actual airports and thinking it stunk. I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this in an airport with headphones, and it really does capture the atmosphere. Brian Eno coined the term ambient with this album, and described it to be, “as ignorable as it is interesting.” I think that fits this album really well. This album is just so meditative and calming. Its atmospheric loops, simplistic synthesizers and piano melodies evoke such a sense of serenity. 1/1 is just so iconic, and in my opinion one of the best ambient songs ever made. It perfectly encapsulates ambient music as a whole. 2/1, while being my least favorite track, has minimalist vocal samples and harmonies that are angelic and ethereal. 1/2 vocals combines those choir-like vocals with the soothing piano and synthesizers of 1/1, and it’s a fantastic combination. The final track, 2/2, has layers of soothing synthesizers that evoke a sense of wonder, like the other songs on this album. It’s an example of the fantastic minimalism to be found on this album. Ambient 1: Music For Airports is genre defining, and a pioneering work of ambient music. I highly recommend this for people who want a calming atmosphere, and want to get into ambient music. It’s a true classic, and I love it.
Q-Tip
4/5
Sheryl Crow
3/5
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Ash
4/5
Coldcut
3/5
Ray Charles
3/5
Motörhead
4/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
If the name of this album is familiar, it’s probably because this is a Prog Rock reimagining of the iconic classical piece of the same name, “Pictures At An Exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky. Progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, recorded a live performance of their take on the piece. To my admittance, I think it’s an interesting concept. This album wasn’t boring, despite its flaws, and it definetly has its high points. The musicianship is great and you can tell they’re having fun. This album flows really nicely as well, the segues and transitions are amazing. The *Promenade* parts were nice interludes in-between the bigger songs and suites. Even if the last side of the album didn’t have them, it was still fine without them. However, despite the good stuff this album brings, as with some Prog Rock it can feel pretentious at times. It takes the album down a bit for me. There were parts I didn’t really enjoy, *The Gnome* and *The Old Castle,*and parts that I really enjoyed, *The Baba Yaga Suite and The Great Gates of Kiev.* The encore of *Nutrocker* was a fun take on The Nutcracker as well. In all, while this album isn’t perfect, it still makes for a nice and interesting listen. I’d recommend it if you’re interested!
Black Sabbath
3/5
Paul Weller
3/5
Beck
3/5
Haircut 100
4/5
The Byrds
4/5
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Sonic Youth
5/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra is a British music group founded by musician / composer Simon Jeffes in 1972. The album I listened to today is their debut. While having experimental segments and elements mixed in throughout, this album alleviates them with calming and more accessible chamber jazz, with elements of ambient and minimalism. I really like the calmer portions of this album, they’re such a mood if that makes sense. The strings on this album are amazingly well done and are so serene. I also love the keyboards on this album, they just have this texture that I really dig. The best example of both is the longest song on the album, *The Sound of Someone You Love Who’s Going Away and It Doesn’t Matter*. When a song has a name like that you know it has something to deliver, and it surely does. The ambient elements I mentioned certainly shine through here. This track is amazing, and it never drags for a second to me. On the experimental stuff on this album, I’m sad to admit that it’s kind of hit or miss to me. Sometimes it does stuff that keeps me interested, and other times it kind of turns me off. An example of that is the track *Milk,* it’s rather out there and silly. However, it didn’t really sit right with me for whatever reason. The lyrics on this album, which are very few, didn’t really reel me in as well. Despite what I said, this album is a nice little experience. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something’s chill and/or experimental.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
A great debut. I might prefer Loveless but this still has its merits!
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Irish shoegaze band My Blood Valentine’s iconic second album, *Loveless*, is often considered to be the seminal album of the Shoegaze genre and one of the best albums of the 90s—sometimes of all time. After a first time listen, it’s not hard to see why. This album is abrasive, dense, fuzzy, and raw in the best way possible. This album made me feel things that an album hasn’t made me feel in a long while. It felt overwhelming with its walls of sound but it also brought a sense of comfort at the same time. There’s so many things I adore in this album. The hazy, dreamy, and drowned out vocals of Keith Shields and Bilinda Butcher, the absolutely killer guitar moments and tones, and the atmospheres it brings are a few. *Only Shallow* is an absolutely incredible opener and hits you like a truck when it starts. *To Here Knows When* is just so dreamy and full of atmosphere, it’s great. *Sometimes* is more calming and more heartfelt with its seemingly subtle and gradual build up. However, in an album with many standouts, *I Only Said* has to be my favorite track out of all of them. The dreamy and hazy vocals, the dense instrumentation, the effect drenched guitars, it all adds up to a timeless track on an ultimately timeless album. This album still hits as hard as it did back in 1991. While it may not be for everyone, this album is a classic and is essential listening. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a classic and/or something to lose your mind in.
Queen
4/5
Snoop Dogg
4/5
GZA
5/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Due to how much links I put below, I’ll have to keep this rather brief. Before Kendrick’s masterpiece, To Pimp A Butterfly, he made the masterpiece of a concept album that is *good kid, m.A.A.d city.* The production, story telling, lyricism, songwriting, and performances are all top notch here. The themes of violence, gang culture, redemption, innocence, faith, and other things are so eloquently spoken and touched on here. The music really matches the themes that this album touches on. The emotional depth of this album is outstanding and truly remarkable. The immersiveness of this album is something to behold as well. The ongoing storyline throughout and the skits to me are really thought provoking, kept me engaged, and added much more emotional depth. They really helped to keep me interested, and were really well done. With so many stand out tracks, I couldn’t possibly list them all here. *good kid, m.A.A.d city* not only serves as a masterful concept album about growing up in Compton, but it also serves as a way for Kendrick to reflect upon himself. Whether I prefer *To Pimp A Butterfly* or this one is very hard to say. *good kid, m.A.A.d city* is a cornerstone of modern Hip Hop. I highly recommend giving this a listen, especially if you’re into or looking to get into Hip Hop. It’s a stone cold modern classic.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Black Flag
4/5
Coldplay
4/5
After only ever hearing about Coldplay and only having heard to Vive La Vada, I’m glad that I opened my horizons and were able to listen to their debut album, *Parachutes.* *Parachutes* is a nice adventure into dreamy, emotive, and rather mellow indie rock. I feel as if this description is best fit by the album’s fantastic closer, *Everything’s Not Lost.* This seven minute epic is so full of atmosphere than I can’t help but lose myself in its spacey guitar sounds and lyricism. Its piano, while being rather simplistic, is a good driving force of emotion. This brings me to the vocals of Chris Martin.They’re very emotive, gentle, and really drive said emotion of the songs home. I dig them a lot! That said, the lyricism is full of emotion as well. A very good example of this is *Sparks.* I love its acoustic guitar and emotional vocals from Chris. It’s a definite highlight of the album for me. Another good example is *Spies.* It’s one of the best songs on the album, is one of the longest songs on the album, and yet it didn’t drag and it kept going forward. Its lyricism plays a big part in that. This album also has some variety while still having a consistent mood, which I appreciate. An example of this is *Yellow.* It is a much more raw song compared to the rest on the album, and it’s a nice change of pace in the middle of the album. *Parachutes* is a good debut album, and I now understand where Coldplay originally got their popularity. If you’re looking for something chill while still having energy, I’d recommend this one.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
The Zutons
3/5
Massive Attack
5/5
Faith No More
3/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
The The
4/5
Nick Drake
5/5
I’ve always had a soft spot for Nick Drake ever since I first heard his music. His third and final album, *Pink Moon,* is one of my favorite albums and I highly recommend it. That said, I can say that i’m glad that I was able to check out this album of his. This is Nick’s first album, and i’m glad to say that it’s as great as I thought it was going to be. One of the things that has always stuck out to me with Nick Drake is his songwriting abilities. His lyricism has always been amazing and thought provoking to me. His lyricism and songwriting are on their own great, but paired with his soft, gentle, and recognizable vocals has always been a combination for the ages. *River Man* ais a perfect example of this, and is also a perfect example of how amazing this album’s production is. It’s just so serene while also having a small sense of melancholy. This album has plenty of highlights, but i don’t think I could get to them all. Nick’s guitar playing is gentle, delicate, and excellent. It’s simple and intricate when it needs to be. Nick’s memorable guitar playing paired with other instruments on this album, including flutes, strings, guitar, and on occasion drums, really just soothes me and my soul. Nick Drake’s discography truly is excellent, despite it being very short due to Nick sadly passing at a young age. He struggled with depression, and I see his music as a way for him to express his struggles. If it wasn’t clear enough, I highly recommend this album and Nick Drake. His work and this album are excellent.
John Lennon
3/5
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
The KLF
4/5
Taylor Swift
3/5
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Kelela
3/5
5/5
Ah, we’ve finally gotten here. Honestly, what is there left to say about this album? It’s mothafuckin’ Ziggy man! This is considered one of the best albums of the 70s, one of David Bowie’s best, one of the best concept albums of all time, and is still considered one of the best albums of all time. After giving it another listen, I can see why. For those unaware, this album is about a bisexual and androgynous individual from space called Ziggy Stardust, who comes to save Earth when it has five years left. They try to save earth by becoming a rock star, and they launch themselves into stardom. However, their rock and roll lifestyle catches up to them, as they become washed up and a shell of their former self. With the unique concept of this album alone, Bowie’s writing is amazing here, there’s many memorable lines on this album. His storytelling on this album is great. It helps sell the thematic feel of this album, which is also really well done. The flow and sense of cohesion between songs is excellent. It really helps sell this album as an experience. The instrumentation and performances on this album are great as well, *especially* from Bowie himself. He sheds so much emotion in his voice, it’s so excellent and memorable. With that said, there’s so many highlights on this album as well. One of the best openers to an album ever, *Five Years,* starts the album off with a bang. Its slow crescendo is great. The guitar solo on *Moonage Daydream* is superb. The emotionality of *Starman* makes it among the best songs of all time. *Lady Stardust* and *Ziggy Stardust* is a nice look into Ziggy himself, his androgynous looks, and his past. *Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide* ends the album with a bang, showing the state Ziggy has ended up in. It’s an amazing closer. In short, *Ziggy Stardust* still holds up over fifty years after its release. It’s an amazing concept record and a must listen. It’s one that I HIGHLY recommend. It’s a true classic.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Deep Purple
3/5
Simple Minds
2/5
Deep Purple
3/5
The Prodigy
4/5
TV On The Radio
3/5
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
The xx
3/5
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Wilco
5/5
While often considered one of the best indie albums of all time, I’m happy to say that I can see why *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* is considered such a thing. It is an often gloomy and melancholic journey about love, breakups, disillusionment, and other things while sounding at times beautiful in the process. I adore the production and instrumentation on this album, it’s full of emotion and a certain atmosphere. It sounds like the album cover a little bit, haha. It’s crisp, but isn’t afraid to get more experimental when it wants to. The guitar and drums are good examples of this, I like them a lot. The occasional vocal samples are a nice add-on too. However, the vocals from Jeff Tweedy are a standout. They’re weary, full of emotion, and unique. A good example is the intro track, *I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,* with its melancholic atmosphere and abstract lyrics. *Jesus, Etc.* is a nice moodier track with great strings. *Heavy Metal Drummer* is a nice energetic poppy track, which Tweedy described as being about “the sweet yearning for an innocence that has passed.” *Reservations* is the closer and has amazing writing, and verges on ambient music. However, what I appreciate the most about this album is its lyricism and songwriting. It’s magical and pulled me in while listening to this more often than not. In short, while this may not click for everybody, I’m glad I liked this one and I’ll definitely come back to it. I’d still highly recommend it.
The B-52's
4/5
Being a forefront of early new wave music, The B-52’s self titled debut is fashionably campy, eccentric and kitschy, and that can be for better or for worse. For the most part though, it’s for the better. The B-52’s don’t take themselves seriously and it shows, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. They just want to make good, fun, and strange songs, and they entirely succeed in that. The opener *Planet Claire* sets the stage of what to expect, and like most of this album is gloriously tongue-in-cheek. The absurdist lyrics to be found throughout this song and the album add to their eccentric charm. The guitar riff from Ricky Wilson on *Planet Claire* is great, however the guitar is good throughout the entire album. The more heavy and eccentric guitar sounds on *Lava* is a good example of this. The song is full of innuendo and it’s still catchy in the process. *There’s a Moon in the Sky* is a fun song inspired by older Sci-Fi. However, the mainstay of this album and the definite highlight is the nearly seven minute epic of *Rock Lobster.* Everything great about this album comes to a head here. The surf rock and almost punk-ish vibe, the vocals, the instrumentation, lyrics, it’s all so fashionably weekend. Once you hear the riff on *Rock Lobster* it never leaves your head. Fred Schneider’s vocals are strange and unique, and really help with this album’s vibe. In short, while this album’s eccentricity can be a bit much sometimes for me, I still had a fun time listening to this. I’d recommend this if you want something more out there, if you know what I mean.
The Sonics
3/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
The Monkees
3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Being one of the most iconic bands in all of music, The Rolling Stones have achieved a discography of over 30 studio albums, which is insane. Out of all of those albums though, many people consider this their best. And I have to say, I think I agree. This was the most fun I’ve had with a Rolling Stones album, and there were few moments that took me out of it. Right off of the bat, the opener *Gimme Shelter* is absolutely killer. Mick Jagger’s loud vocals add to the feeling that something is coming that the song encapsulates so well. Merry Clayton’s guest vocals are stellar as well, and help make *Gimme Shelter* one of the best album openers there is. *Gimme Shelter* also encapsulates what makes this album great. Enthusiastic performances, clean production, and a fun and engaging tone and atmosphere. Another example of this is the title track, *Let It Bleed*. Its catchy and alternating chorus is great. This album is also a bit tongue-in-cheek, with some more raunchy songs thrown in like *Live With Me* and *Let It Bleed*. However, one of the best tracks is the closer, *You Can’t Always Get What You Want*. Its choir makes it feel angelic when it’s present. That combined with the blues rock fusion makes this an absolutely incredible closer. Mick’s performance and presence in the song is excellent. The one song that didn’t sit right with me, *Country Honk*,felt like a watered down version of their single *Honky Tonk Woman*. However, this album is still a classic in its own right and for good reason. It’s among The Rolling Stones best. I’d recommend it.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Lana Del Rey
3/5
De La Soul
4/5
Wilco
4/5
Having listened to Wilco’s acclaimed album *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* and being a fan of it, I was happy to have this album come up today. And after giving this a listen, I’m glad to say that I like this album as well. Being a double album, this album has some nice variety to it that I didn’t expect. There are energetic tracks, then mellow and soft tracks, and more experimental-sounding tracks. The intro track, *Misunderstood*, was an amazing way to start this off. I like its vocal effects and combination of soft and energetic bits. However, it also brings aspects I really appreciate about this album *and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot*, which is the lyricism and songwriting. They’re both really immersive, atmospheric, and set the mood of the songs so well. The song also showcases Jeff Tweedy’s vocal abilities, which are great and unique. Another thing I didn’t expect was *Someone Else’s Song.* Surprisingly, the song played on guitar by Engineer in Meet the Engineer is based on this song, and I knew it as soon as I heard it, haha. I love its soft guitar playing and vocals. As I said earlier, this is a double album, and that can be for better or for worse. This album has great tracks to be found, however, it does drag on a little bit for being over an hour. I felt like some of it could have been shaved off. However, that doesn’t detract from this album being pretty good. I still recommend giving this a listen, especially if you want some nice indie music or liked *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot*.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Stevie Wonder was 26 when he made his magnum opus, *Songs In The Key of Life*. This was also his 18th album, which is insane. This album is just so beautiful and astonishing to say the least. The name of the album is accurate! What sets it apart from other “happy” albums for me is that there’s this feeling of authenticity from Stevie. His vocal performance is just great. The intro track, *Love’s In Need of Love Today*, is an amazing example of this. While having great background vocals and vocals from Stevie, it just brings nice vibes like so much of this album. It’s one of many amazing ballads on the album. There’s so many stand out moments that I can’t name them all here. The production on all of the songs is excellent, and the fact that Stevie produced and played a lot of the instruments on this album is crazy. It’s impressive, and it really shows on tracks like *Isn’t She Lovely*, which is a song about his daughter. The harmonica solo played by him is just amazing, and adds to the feeling of excitement and happiness the song has. Another example is *Sir Duke*, which is a tribute to Duke Ellington. The brass on it sounds amazing! There’s also *As*, it’s simply excellent to say the least. In short, being regarded as one of the best albums of all time isn’t easy to live up to, but this album did. I HIGHLY recommend giving this a listen, it’s amazing. Bravo, Stevie.
Doves
4/5
King Crimson
5/5
With its iconic album cover of the red screamy man, *In The Court Of The Crimson King* is one of those albums that’s widely considered a landmark in music. I can say with confidence that I agree with that statement. The influence of this album cannot be overstated. Its fusion of rock, jazz, and classical were hardly ever seen in popular music before this album was made, if at all. Those fusions come together to make an album that truly is an experience to say the least. The opening track, *21st Century Schizoid Man*, is a stone cold classic and is gloriously erratic and deranged. Greg Lake’s distorted vocals really help set the tone of the track. The instrumentals are also amazingly well done and fast-paced. *I Talk to The Wind* is a great contrast to Schizoid Man, with its serene and dream-like woodwinds and poetic lyrics. The next track however, *Epitaph*, is the definitive highlight of the album. Its symphonic sound and progression make for a truly captivating experience. Greg Lake’s vocal performance, Peter Sinfield’s lyrics, and the instrumentals are so emotional and poetic. The crescendoes on this song though are just so cinematic and breathtaking. It all makes for a true masterpiece. *Moonchild* is mostly a dreamy improv avant-garde jazz track. I find it interesting, however it does drag a bit for being twelve minutes. The title track though is an amazing send-off. The lyricism is so immersive and the harmonic chorus is iconic. In short, *In The Court Of The Crimson King* is a monumental classic that deserves the praise it gets. I HIGHLY recommend it.
Maxwell
3/5
Goldfrapp
4/5
Beck
5/5
Lorde
4/5
Very much to my sister’s delight, I can say that New Zealand singer-songwriter *Lorde’s* second album *Melodrama* is a great modern pop record. Going into this I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, as I’m not the most familiar with Lorde’s music. However, this exceeded my expectations. Normally I’m not a big fan of pop albums like this, as more often than not they’re not my thing, but something about this album just felt right and captivated me. The pacing of this album is great, and it really felt like it flew by for being 42 minutes. With so many amazing tracks as well, this really made for quite the experience. This album is very well produced, and the choruses and hooks on this album are immaculate. I think good examples of this are *Green Light* and *Perfect Places*, both being excellent opening and closing tracks respectively. However, she isn’t afraid to get more sentimental when she wants to, with tracks like the piano ballad *Liability*, which is one of the best tracks on the album. Its emotionality is very well put together, and its lyricism can hit at points. Lorde’s songwriting and lyricism are great, and it really shines here. There’s a ton of highlights on this album I wish I could go over. However, I can’t as I have to make room for links. I still really recommend giving this album a listen, especially if you like pop music. There’s plenty of good to be found here, and I can see why my sister likes it a lot, haha.
Thundercat
3/5
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
The Monks
3/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Bob Dylan is one of those artists who’s acclaimed for good reason, but isn’t for everybody. With that said, *Highway 61 Revisited* is a seminal album from the 60s. It’s among Bob’s best work and is considered his greatest by many. It’s not hard to see why. Bob’s songwriting potential is on full display here. His lyrics verge on surreal while still being grounded in reality and up to interpretation. It’s my favorite thing about this album. The best example of this is the closing eleven-minute ballad, *Desolation Row*. It’s among the best songwriting I’ve ever heard, and like most of this album it just swept me away while listening. Bob’s vocals here are emotional and heartfelt, while many don’t like his vocals I really appreciate them. An example of that is the iconic opening track, *Like A Rolling Stone*. Bob’s performance on this song is one standout of many that I wish I could cover. The chorus is memorable, emotional, and certainly stuck with me. I also loved the dark instrumentation and thundering snare on *Ballad of a Thin Man*. That said, the few shorter songs on the album, like the title track and *From a Buick 6*, are playful and unwind a little bit. They’re fun quicker bursts of energy. With that in mind, I highly recommend giving this a listen, Bob is amazing here. It’s a folk rock classic in every sense of the word.
Donovan
4/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Michael Jackson is a weird case for me. He’s one of the most acclaimed artists ever, however most of his music hasn’t resonated with me that well. Though, I’m glad to say that I liked this more than my other outings with him. I think what makes this album for me, compared to his other albums I’ve heard, is that it doesn’t feel as dated. One of my main problems with *Bad* and *Thriller* is that they can both feel very of their time, however I didn’t really have that problem here. For being over forty years old, the crisp production on this album has aged better than I expected. Michael’s voice is nice as always, he always delivers. I also love the brass, strings and keyboards on this album. The brass and strings can feel angelic and energetic, which makes for a fun contrast. The keyboards feel so dreamy, I love how they sound. The best example of this is the ballad *She’s Out of My Life*. It’s simply a beautiful track. However, this album isn’t without its billboard hits, and those hits deliver. *Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough* has potent strings, brass, and vocals, it makes for a great opener. *Rock With You* also has nice brass and strings, vocal layering, and synth sounds. That said, this album isn’t without its flaws. The album can feel a bit stiff at times, both musically and lyrically. The album unfortunately starts to wane in the middle because of it. It sort of picks itself up at the end, but it isn’t really a saving grace. With that in mind, I can say that this is may be my favorite MJ album, even with its flaws. I’d still recommend this, it’s a pretty good time.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Metallica
5/5
April 15, 2025
Album #590: Master of Puppets by Metallica
Genre: Thrash Metal, Progressive Metal
Commonly hailed as one of the greatest metal albums of all time, *Master of Puppets* is an album that I’ve been eyeing for a while now. I never got around to listening to it sadly, however I’m very happy as that has changed today. *Battery* is an absolutely perfect album opener, its opening acoustic section to its sudden change to electric guitar, into speeding thrash metal is an example of the amazing song progression on this album. Although, the simply iconic title track is a golden example of song progression. Its iconic guitar riffs and melodies, lyrics on drug addiction, and rawness make for an all-time metal track. *The Thing That Should Not Be*’s chugging guitar and cultish lyrics are very foreboding. *Welcome Home*’s switch up to chugging and fast riffs is immaculate, and its opening sets the stage greatly. *Disposable Heroes* is a fast and damning criticism of war. It’s the heaviest song on the album, and it’s incredible. *Leper Messiah* is a critique of corruption in religion, and its instrumentals are great. *Orion* is an amazing instrumental track and it really does take you on a journey. *Damage, Inc.* is a heavy and fast closer that makes for an excellent finale. This album is *not* upbeat, however its takes on its subject matter are engaging and interesting. This album is an all-time classic and it hasn’t aged a day. The elaborate guitar and drums are excellent as well. I cannot recommend this enough, it’s incredible.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 10
Favorite Tracks: Battery, Master of Puppets, The Thing That Should Not Be, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Disposable Heroes, Leper Messiah, Orion, Damage, Inc.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Pantera
4/5
April 19, 2025
Album #594: Vulgar Display of Power by Pantera
Genre: Groove Metal
Keeping up with the Metal streak, I’ve only ever listened to Pantera with that one SpongeBob episode they collaborated on, haha. However, their classic album, *Vulgar Display of Power*, is my first time ever giving them a serious listen. I’m happy to say that I enjoyed myself while listening. Just listening to this I can tell the influence this had on 90s and 2000s Metal. Phil Ansemlo’s melodic yet angry and enthralling vocal performance is awesome here. His yelling contrasted with the ballads on this album show his skill, which I respect. My favorite performance from Phil here is probably on the closer, *Hollow*. It’s a genuinely touching song that only hits deeper when you understand the song’s background, and Phil’s vocals only amplify that. With that in mind, Phil’s amazing yelling being paired with Dimebag Darrel’s extremely raw guitar tone makes for an amazingly good combo. Darrel’s playing is tight, raw, and aggressive. One of my favorite songs on the album, *Rise*, shows this at its extreme, and it’s awesomely heavy. I also appreciate Rex Brown on Bass, especially on the song *Walk*, it being one of Pantera’s most well known songs. Its chorus is very memorable and catchy. That said, there were tracks I thought were just meh, like *Regular People*. However, this album is still very cool regardless of that. I’d still recommend giving this album a listen, it’s a metal classic and I can fully understand why.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 7 to a Light 8
Favorite Tracks: Mouth of War, A New Level, Walk, Fucking Hostile, Rise, No Good (Attack The Radicals), Live In a Hole, By Demons Be Driven, Hollow
John Lennon
2/5
Bee Gees
3/5
Tom Waits
5/5
The Band
3/5
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Stereolab
5/5
Jack White
4/5
LL Cool J
4/5
SZA
5/5
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
The Associates
3/5
Le Tigre
4/5
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Tom Waits
5/5
Brian Eno
3/5
The Mars Volta
3/5
Can
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Roxy Music
3/5
U2
3/5
The Who
3/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Common
5/5
Slint
5/5
May 20, 2025
Album #625: Spiderland by Slint
Genre: Post-Rock, Post-Hardcore, Math Rock
Kentucky band Slint’s post-rock classic *Spiderland* is an album that impacted me in many ways. Just from the first few seconds of *Breadcrumb Trail*, I was hooked and captivated by it. Its lyricism and storytelling are top notch, and it’s one of the greatest strengths of this album. The storytelling on this album adds so much to the atmosphere of this album, which is very dark, brooding, and cynical. Its themes of alienation, anxiety, depression, etc. are very much reflected through the lyrics. Every song here is packed with meaning and metaphors. One of the best examples of this is the amazing track *Don, Aman.* It’s very dark and brooding as it paints a very vivid picture of the song’s protagonist. I sadly kind of relate to it in a way, with how the song is about social isolation and anxiety. However, the best example of this is probably the strongest track on the album, *Washer*. It’s a *very* dark and ominous track with its sound and meaning, and it works in every sense of the word. Its slow build up is played out perfectly. The track following *Washer*, *For Dinner…* is an amazing instrumental follow up to the song. It wallows in the atmosphere built up by *Washer* and the rest of the album before it. This all leads up into the dismal closer, *Good Morning, Captain.* Its amazing writing and instrumentation build-up leads to Brian McMahan’s emotional wailing and yelling. It took me away when I first heard it, as the rest of this album did. The atmosphere of this album is something that I can’t get enough of, and I’d recommend this for it alone. It’s amazingly well put together and it complements the lyrics in a beautifully depressing way. However, this album has many other things to offer as well. This album is an experience, and I’m glad to have listened to this post-rock classic. I cannot recommend this album enough. It really blew me away, *CREEPING UP INTO THEEE SKYYYYYYYY.*
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 9 to a 10
Favorite Tracks: Breadcrumb Trail, Nosferatu Man, Don, Aman, Washer, Good Morning, Captain
Jungle Brothers
4/5
Method Man
4/5
The Pretty Things
3/5
Neu!
4/5
May 25, 2025
Album #630: Neu! 75 by Neu!
Genre: Krautrock, Kosmische Musik, Experimental Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Proto-Punk
I was a bit surprised when I first listened to this. West German Krautrock duo *Neu!*’s third album, *Neu! 75*, is an album with elements of rock, ambient music, and experimentation. The album is split into two parts, Side A led by Micheal Rother and Side B led by Klaus Dinger. Rother’s side is marked by expansive synths, and ambient works. Rother’s side opens up with the piano-lead opener to the album *Isi*. Its hypnotic drumming paired with its backing synths makes for a nice and calming atmosphere. *Seeland* is an extended and immersive ambient-like song that brims with atmosphere. Its hypnotic synth work, drumming, and guitar work are great. Like in *Isi*, this song offers a calming and relaxed soundscape which I adore. *Leb’ wohl* is one of the longest songs on the album, and it’s an ambient experience with its relaxed piano and synths, Dinger’s hazy and reverb soaked vocals, and the sounds of waves in the background of the track. Side A is the side I prefer by a wide margin. With that said, I don’t think that I find Side B the most appealing. It’s much more energetic than Side A, and very much sounds like early punk. I’m not entirely sure how to feel about *Hero* and *E-Musik* though. They’re nice but they can get to be a bit monotonous, though I find the final minutes of *E-Musik* to be interesting at least. The closer of the album, *After Eight*, makes for an energetic closer with its guitar and hypnotic drums. With that said, even if I find that this album has its flaws, I’m still glad to have checked it out. If you like an album with nice atmosphere, I recommend checking this out, it’s a nice time.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent 7
Favorite Tracks: Isi, Seeland, Leb’ wohl, After Eight
https://youtu.be/oO7w90YG3Rg?si=-9y40ixCVggxrQJa
https://youtu.be/VfLsCvLfFiI?si=8fJIyKsfrrg8z6Um
https://youtu.be/IfVHbc7LSic?si=yWNl_rUHHpQ_bc8p
The Smiths
5/5
May 27, 2025
Album #632: The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
Genre: Indie Rock, Post-Punk
Commonly hailed as one of the greatest albums of the 80s, *The Queen Is Dead* is an album that I’ve been curious about for a long time. With that said, I think that I can positively confirm that this album is great. I was immediately kind of struck by the opener and title track, with its jangly guitars and driving drums. They really have a momentum to them. This instrumentation persists throughout the album and really make an atmosphere, which I dig a lot. A good example of this is *Cemetry Gates*, which is not a typo. Its funky bass line is another thing that I appreciate about this album, the bass from Andy Rourke is great here. The thing that I like about this album the most though, are probably the lyricism and the vocals from Morrissey. His vocals are darkly soothing in a sense. Songs like *Frankly, Mr. Shankly*, *Bigmouth Strikes Again*, and *There Is A Light…* are some of my favorite songs from the albums because of this. They’re catchy, and have great vocal performances and lyrics. In short though, this album is a post punk classic which I very much appreciate. Its depressing moods make for a great experience. I recommend this one.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Light to Decent 9
Favorite Tracks: The Queen Is Dead, Frankly, Mr. Shankly , I Know It’s Over, Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy with the Thorn In His Side, Vicar In A Tutu, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Other Girls
Queen Latifah
3/5
Robbie Williams
3/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
The Beach Boys
3/5
Goldie
3/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Big Black
5/5
William Orbit
3/5
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
June 9, 2025
Album #645: Rumors by Fleetwood Mac
Genre: Pop Rock, Soft Rock
I can’t believe that I only first listened to this album today, haha. With that said though, what is there really for me to say? It’s fucking *Rumors*! It’s amazing track after amazing track. Please listen to this if you haven’t, it’s amazing and essential listening.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Light to Decent 9
Favorite Tracks: Second Hand News, Dreams, Never Going Back Again, Don’t Stop, Go Your Own Way, Songbird, The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, I Don’t Want To Know, Gold Dust Woman
Brian Wilson
4/5
June 12, 2025
Album #648: Smile by Brian Wilson
Genre: Orchestral Pop, Art Pop, Psychedelic Pop, Americana, Indie Rock
I can’t help but believe that my album choice for today was curated, due to the recent passing of the legend that is Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. With that in mind, there’s some context to this album that’s needed. After releasing *Pet Sounds*, Brian Wilson felt very pressured while making its follow-up album, called Smile, which was very ambitious. However, because of mental health issues and other things, it eventually led to the project being abandoned. However, Brian Wilson completed a new version and reconstruction of the album around forty years later. That reconstruction is what this album is. With that, this album really does sound and like feel like *Pet Sounds* and a Beach Boys album, and I mean that in a good way. This album is very creative with its concepts, execution, and experimentation. The heavenly harmonies and clever lyrics are all there, and it still works in the modern age.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 8
Favorite Tracks: Heroes and Villians, Roll Plymouth Rock, Cabin Essence, Surf’s Up, On a Holiday, Wind Chimes, In Blue Hawaii, Good Vibrations
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
June 21, 2025
Album #657: The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators by The 13th Floor Elevators
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock, Acid Rock, R&B
The debut album of pioneers of psychedelic rock, The 13th Floor Elevators, is a landmark in the genre, and one that I’ve been itching to get to for a while now. I will say, it’s one hell of a trip, pun intended. It has since helped define the sound of psychedelic rock, and you can really hear the influence that it brought to the scene. Its opener, *You’re Gonna Miss Me,* is an iconic 60s track. It tells you what to expect right off the bat. Psychedelia-inspired imagery and lyrics, raw-sounding guitar melodies, and gritty vocals. However, I feel that the second track *Rollercoaster* sets the psychedelic sound even better. Its guitar melody and lyricism are oozing psychedelia, and the way it picks up the pace sounds great. Songs like *Reverberation* showcase the gritty and often lo-fi feel of this album, with its very raw recording. However, other songs on this album, like *Splash 1* and *Kingdom of Heaven* with their more toned-down sound, show how the album also has a laid-back feel to it, like it’s inviting you to bask in its trippy atmospheres. Despite the good things about this album, I feel that there are some songs that are a bit weaker, like *Monkey Island* or *Don’t Fall Down*. They can feel a bit awkward or have some aspects that unfortunately feel out of place. However, I won’t deny that this album is considered a classic, and for good reason. I recommend this album if you want to get a bit weird, haha.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 7 to a Light 8
Favorite Tracks: You’re Gonna Miss Me, Roller Coaster, Splash 1, Reverberation, Fire Engine, You Don’t Know, Kingdom of Heaven, Tried To Hide
Elvis Presley
3/5
Django Django
4/5
The Cure
4/5
The Shamen
3/5
Devendra Banhart
3/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Björk
3/5
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
ABBA
4/5
Meat Puppets
3/5
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
To me, Axis: Bold As Love is for the weakest album from Hendrix. It doesn’t really have the same pizazz that his other records have for me. I think it has some weak songs and moments, and I thought the lyricism could’ve been better. But then again, this is by no means a bad album. Hendrix is epic on guitar as is to be expected with killer riffs and melodies with songs like Spanish Castle Magic, which is heavy and psychedelic. The iconic Little Wing, while relaxed, short and sweet, I wish was a bit longer. That’s just a me problem though. Both of these songs how well Hendrix can set an atmosphere. There’s still good tracks to be found on this album despite the faults I have with it. Even if I prefer Electric Ladyland, Axis: Bold as Love is still a nice album. It proves to me that Hendrix was a king of psychedelic rock and a god at the guitar. Rest in peace Hendrix. ✌️
David Bowie
4/5
Joy Division
5/5
July 31, 2025
Album #698: Closer by Joy Division
Genre: Post-punk, New Wave, Gothic Rock
Joy Division, to me, has been a blind spot in music that I’ve wanted to fill for a long time. I finally had the opportunity to listen to an album of theirs, and good god was I missing out. Knowing the circumstances behind this album and Ian Curtis really makes this a very dark listen. The intro track Atrocity Exhibition is an amazing showcase of what to expect, with Curtis’ dark vocals and songwriting. This album is an emotional rollercoaster of depression, hopelessness, and despair. And those themes are only made ever more potent by Curtis’ poetic and dark lyricism. The lyricism and its contents are also elevated even more by the manic and dark atmosphere of the entire album. The slow and gloomy The Eternal showcases this atmosphere at its peak, and Twenty Four Hours shows just how manic this album can feel, and they both work so well. The foreboding instrumentation of the album only adds to these atmospheres that work so well. Everything adds up into a dark force of an album, which I’m not sure if I’ll come across anything like it again. It’s so effective for me that it feels like a cry for help from Ian Curtis. This album is a stone cold classic of post-punk and music in general. I highly recommend giving this a listen, it really struck a chord with me.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent to Strong 9
Favorite Tracks: Atrocity Exhibition, Passover, Colony, A Means to an End, Heart and Soul, Twenty Four Hours, The Eternal, Decades
”Existence, well, what does it matter?
I exist on the best terms I can
The past is now part of my future
The present is well out of hand”
— Ian Curtis on Heart and Soul
Minor Threat
4/5
Santana
4/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
Motörhead
3/5
The Avalanches
5/5
August 16, 2025
Album #716: Since I Left You by The Avalanches
*Since I Left You* has sort of been this enigma to me for a while, with everybody raving about it while I haven’t heard it. However, I’m very pleased as that has changed today. *Since I Left You* is an album experience that I haven’t had in a while, that being a really fun and engaging album that maintained my interest. It’s an hour long and yet it remains very consistent and cohesive throughout. It didn’t feel like it dragged for a second. Almost every track manages to deliver with intricate and jaw dropping sampling. Oh man, the sampling on this album. The thousands of samples said to have been used for this album are used to full effect. They’re so well together that, at times, I forgot that I was listening to samples. These samples are used to make amazingly catchy dance tracks. The title track immediately plunges you into these symphonies of samples which complement each other so well. Its vocal chops and hooks are catchy, and they remain that way all throughout the album. It’s impossible to not move while listening to this thing. Tracks like *Radio* and *Frontier Psychiatrist*, some of my favorites off the album, show how intricate this album can get. This album really left me dumbfounded by its fantastic production. *Since I Left You* is a stone cold electronic classic that’s still impressive today. I highly recommend it.
Genre: Dance, Sampledelia, Disco, Plunderphonics, Art Pop
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent to Strong 9
Favorite Tracks: Since I Left You, Stay Another Season, Radio, Two Hearts in 3/4 Time, Flight Tonight, Close To You, Diner’s Only, A Different Feeling, Tonight, Frontier Psychiatrist, Etoh, Summer Crane, Live At Dominoes, Extra Kings
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
August 17, 2025
Album #717: Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
Genre: Alternative Rock, Grunge, Alternative Metal, Art Rock, Heavy Metal
To be truthful, I find it hard to talk about albums like *Mellon Collie*. It’s a very ambitious record that I was intimidated by, haha. It’s two hours long and has twenty-eight tracks. However, I was fairly impressed by how consistent and diverse it was, paired with great performances. There wasn’t really a song that I’d consider ‘bad’. Songs range from angsty rampaging metal (*X.Y.U.*), ballads (*By Starlight*), rock epics (*Porcelina of The Vast Oceans*), alternative rock (*Bullet With Butterfly Wings*), and more. I find it impressive that this album didn’t feel like it dragged at all. Despite that, I do feel that the lyrics can feel a bit melodramatic and over-the-top at times (*Tales of a Scorched Earth*). There are also some weaker tracks among them all, like the closer *Farewell and Goodnight*. You could say this album is longer than it should be, and I get it, but this thing really was an experience and a journey to go on. I feel like it used up its runtime well for the most part and I like its diversity. If you have the time to listen to this thing, I really recommend it. It’s an alternative classic that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can say I get why it’s held in a high regard.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Light to Decent 8
Favorite Tracks: Tonight, Tonight , Zero, Here Is No Why, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, To Forgive, An Ode To No One, Cupid De Locke, Galapagos, Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans, Take Me Down, Bodies, Thirty-Three, In The Arms of Sleep, 1979, Thru The Eyes Of Ruby, Stumbleine, X.Y.U., We Only Come Out At Night, Beautiful, By Starlight
Beach House
5/5
August 18, 2025
Album #718: Teen Dream by Beach House
Genre: Dream Pop
Oh my gosh. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I first approached this record, but it really floored me. *Teen Dream* really just took me away while I was listening to it, every track here is oozing with this dreamy vibe and atmosphere that I absolutely adore. The spacey instrumentation is drenched in a healthy dose of reverb. It’s produced well and is reminiscent of Shoegaze at points. It just feels so lush. This album’s sound makes me feel like I’m floating through space sometimes. Though, the hazy instrumentation is paired amazingly well with Victoria Legrand’s distant vocals, she sounds ethereal and does great. Her lyricism feels very heartfelt and intimate as well. It really helps build the vibe that Beach House is trying to achieve. This album is very consistent because of this, there’s no track that I didn’t like or thought was lesser. The quiet and fuzzy electric guitar on *Silver Soul* is an awesome add on, the ethereal soundscape of *Walk In The Park* is so majestic, the synths of *Lover of Mine* are catchy, the emotionality of *Real Love* feels so intimate, it’s all so good. *Teen Dream* was right up my alley. It really swept me away, I can’t believe I haven’t heard it until now. Its textured production and melancholic lyrics make for a good experience. I really recommend giving this a listen. *Teen Dream* is a dream pop staple and a modern classic that I really enjoyed.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent 9
Favorite Tracks: Zebra, Silver Soul, Norway, Walk In The Park, Used to Be, Lover of Mine, Better Times, 10 Mile Stereo, Real Love, Take Care
808 State
4/5
August 19, 2025
Album #719: 90 by 808 State
Genre: Acid House, Dance, Techno, Electropop
Released around the time when Acid House was starting to enter the mainstream, I wasn’t totally sure of what to expect with *90*. Thankfully though, it still has nice electronic goodness to offer. It actually hasn’t aged too badly for what it is. The intro track, *Magical Dream* sets the mood immediately with drum sequencing and Vanessa Sherrington’s hypnotic vocal delivery, even if this is the only track with lyrics. The opener gives way to some of the longer and more house oriented songs on the album, *Ancodia* and *Cobra Bora*, which flow into each other seamlessly. It really shows how this album made me feel like I was transported back to a rave in the 90s. The way the album flows makes it feel like a live rave set. *Pacific 202* is a fun, more poppy track, with its saxophone sample and quiet synths. *Donkey Doctor* has more punchy drums and eclectic sounds, and it makes for a good jam. *808080808* is a more energetic track with its beat and keyboard sounds. The longest track, *Sunrise*, almost feels like an Ambient Techno track with its flute sounds. The short closing track, *The Fat Shadow*, is a bit jarring compared to the last track but feels like a closer to the rave this album emulates. This album has fun house songs, though sometimes the sound effects on this thing can be a bit much. They kind of take me out of it. There’s some weak moments on this album in the midst of good tracks, and it can bring songs down for me. However, *90* still makes for a fun dance album with its late 80s early 90s charm. It’s a good time for what it is.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent 7
Favorite Tracks: Magical Dream, Ancodia, Pacific 202, Donkey Doctor
4/5
August 22, 2025
Album #720: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
Genre: Rock, Pop, Psychedelia, Art Rock
It’s hard for me to talk about albums as iconic as this one, because cmon, it’s fucking Sgt. Pepper. I can try though, haha. It’s only natural for an album like this to start with some of the most iconic Beatles songs. The transition from the title track to *With A Little Help..* is amazing, though the early hints of psychedelia on *Lucy In The Sky..* are amazing. The more experimental tracks make for nice romps, like *Being For The Benefit..* and *Within You Without You*, though *Within You..* sort of overstays its welcome. I also appreciate the accessible songs between the more experimental songs, like *Getting Better*. *When I’m Sixty Four* is one of these songs is just sweet and excellent. *Lovely Rita* is also one of these songs, though it’s a bit too cutesy and isn’t for me. *She’s Leaving Home* is extremely lush and emotional with its arrangements and lyricism. However, the experience this album creates leads up to the absolutely iconic closer, *A Day In The Life*. It’s emotional, reflective, and it ends with a bang. With that in mind, I can understand why this album is held in such high regard. It has its share of great tracks. Though, among those songs are ones that I feel are okay. It can feel a bit all over the place sometimes for me, but this album is still a classic. It’s an essential and I recommend checking it out if you’re interested in The Beatles.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent 7
Favorite Tracks: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help From My Friends, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Getting Better, Fixing a Hole, She’s Leaving Home, When I’m Sixty Four, A Day In The Life
The Incredible String Band
2/5
This sounds like the soundtrack of The Wicker Man (1973) if it was pretty bad.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
Public Enemy
3/5
Out of the three Public Enemy albums on this website, this one is the weakest by a long shot. However, it’s still alright and has its moments.
Ministry
4/5
The Zombies
5/5
OutKast
4/5
CHIC
3/5
Mike Ladd
3/5
Beatles
5/5
September 4, 2025
Album #733: Revolver by The Beatles
Genre: Rock, Pop, Psychedelia, R&B
I wasn’t expecting to get to this album so soon after Sgt. Pepper. And in the shoes of my review for that, what really is there for me to say? It’s fucking Revolver! It’s often regarded as one of the best albums of all time, as well as one of the most influential albums of all time. It’s weird to think that there was nothing in pop music that sounded like this when it released. *Taxman* is a fantastic opener, though the classic *Eleanor Rigby* follows in its footsteps with its melancholic strings. The following tracks, *I’m Only Sleeping* with its hints of psychedelia, and John’s nasally vocals and *Love You To’s* Hindustani influence showcase the experimentation on this album. The iconic *Here, There, and Everywhere* which showcases Paul’s vocals, and *She Said She Said*, showcases how sincere and amazing the love songs on this album are. The kiddy *Yellow Submarine* introduced me to the Beatles, so I have a soft spot for it, haha. Though, there are some songs that are weak compared to others here, like *Good Day Sunshine* and *Doctor Robert*, but it should be said that these songs aren’t bad. However, the experience this album builds leads to one of the best album closers of all time, *Tomorrow Never Knows*. It turns the experimentation up to 11, and it still sounds fantastic. This album is essential listening for any music lover. I highly recommend it, it’s a stone cold classic.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 8 to a Light 9
Favorite Tracks: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, I’m Only Sleeping, Love You To, Here, There, and Everywhere, Yellow Submarine, She Said She Said, For No One, Got to Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows
Nas
5/5
September 5, 2025
Album #734: Illmatic by Nas
Genre: East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop, Jazz Rap
Me getting this absolute classic of Hip Hop after Revolver feels a bit like a coincidence, though what surprises me more is that I haven’t heard this thing in full until now. Jesus Christ, I really should have listened to it sooner. Everything that has been said about this album has been said. It’s often called one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time, sometimes the greatest. That last assessment is very much in the question. Nas’ masterful lyricism and charismatic performances and flow, the immaculately produced beats and instrumentals, everything merges into a master class of the Hip Hop genre. All of these qualities, and more, are found throughout the album. Like on the absolutely iconic and gritty *N. Y. State of Mind*, the smooth *The World is Yours* and *Memory Lane*, the raw *Represent* with group vocals on its chorus, and with its features like on *Life’s a Bitch*. It really feels like and captures the essence of NYC in the 90s. And to think that Nas wrote this album when he was still a teenager. There’s nothing new to say about *Illmatic*, hence why this review is rather short, but it still goes down in music history as a monumental work of Hip Hop and Rap as a whole. It’s an essential listen and absolute classic in every sense of the word. It deserves all the praise, I highly recommend giving this a listen if you’re even remotely interested in Hip Hop or Rap in general, it’s a cornerstone of the genre.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 9 to a 10
Favorite Tracks: N. Y. State of Mind, Life’s a Bitch, The World Is Yours, Halftime, Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park), One Love, One Time 4 Your Mind, Represent
Carole King
4/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
September 9, 2025
Album #738: The Wall by Pink Floyd
Genre: Progressive Rock, Art Rock, Progressive Pop
Pink Floyd’s rock opera, The Wall, was and continues to be a daunting record in both its ambition and length. It follows Pink, a rock star who, starting in his adolescence, builds a metaphorical wall of isolation around himself. There’s much more to it than that though, as the theatricality of this album helps make it a special experience. Its emotionality made me feel both uncomfortable and stunned at points. The vocals from Roger Waters and David Gilmour pack so much punch. With how personal this album is to Waters, it’s no surprise that his vocals can be dramatic. These vocals pair very well with the amazing songwriting and story telling this album has. It feels operatic in its structure, and every song contributes to the album’s themes and story. The themes of isolation and alienation, the targeting of oppressive school systems in the iconic *Another Brick In The Wall Part 2*, an overbearing mom in *Mother*, the trauma left by WW2 in *Goodbye Blue Sky*, the hedonism of a rock star in *Young Lust*, the cries for help in *Hey You*, the effects of drugs and one of the greatest songs ever written with *Comfortably Numb*, and many others make an unforgettable album experience that few can rival for me. I want to write so much more, but I highly recommend The Wall. It’s a classic that I love.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 10
Favorite Tracks: In The Flesh?, Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 1, Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2, Goodbye Blue Sky, Empty Spaces, Young Lust, One of My Turns, Don’t Leave Me Now, Hey You, Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, Comfortably Numb, In The Flesh, Run Like Hell, Waiting For The Worms, The Trial
The Byrds
3/5
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
Gang Of Four
4/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
D'Angelo
3/5
Merle Haggard
3/5
Liz Phair
5/5
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Happy Mondays
4/5
Mj Cole
2/5
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Arrested Development
4/5
Super Furry Animals
3/5
The The
5/5
Jurassic 5
4/5
Bobby Womack
3/5
Stephen Stills
4/5
Spiritualized
5/5
October 3, 2025
Album #762: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space by Spiritualized
Genre: Space Rock, Neo-psychedelia, Shoegaze, Gospel
To get this out of the way, *Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space* by Spiritualized is one of my favorite albums of all time, so it’s going to be hard for me to talk about this album without bias. You don’t know how happy I was when this popped up. The album opens with the absolutely ethereal and angelic title track, one of the best album openers of all time. It dips you straight into the ethereal and crisp production of this album, matched with the very emotional and simple lyricism. My love for it cannot be overstated. *I Think I’m In Love* is a really honest song about Jason Pierce’s, the head of Spiritualized, relationship with Heroin and touches on themes of drugs and drug abuse. Its call and response vocals / lyrics are phenomenal. Allusions to drugs can also be found on *Home of the Brave*, with its honest lyrics and ethereal crescendo. The album has more energetic tracks as well with songs like *Come Together*, which taps into drug abuse, and *Electricity* with their noisy and layered production. There’s noisy and energetic instrumental tracks, like with *The Individual* with its ominous guitar drones and *No God Only Religion* with its energetic groove. There are also many emotionally impactful songs here that touch into themes of love and heartbreak, like the all-timer *Stay With Me* with its angelic build up and progression, *Broken Heart* and its beautiful string section, and *Cool Waves* with its orchestral chops and choir. However, the 17 minute closer *Cop Shoot Cop..* is a groovy blues track that devolves into a noisy mess of sound. It’s a jarring ending in the best way possible, and it leaves a very memorable mark on an album with many. With all that said, I really can’t emphasize my love for this album enough. It means a lot to me and is a stone cold classic. Its ethereal sound, clean production, ambition, emotional lyricism and songwriting, and much more make this one of my favorite albums of all time. *Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space* is truly an album experience that I’ll never forget, and one that I wish to share with more people. I really recommend giving this one a listen, it’s amazing to say the least.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 10
Favorite Tracks: Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, Come Together, I Think I’m In Love, All of My Thoughts, Stay With Me, Electricity, Home of the Brave, The Individual, Broken Heart, No God Only Religion, Cool Waves, Cop Shoot Cop…
PJ Harvey
4/5
The Doors
4/5
October 8, 2025
Album #768: The Doors by The Doors
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Art Rock, Psychedelia
Often called one of the best debut albums of all time, The Doors’ self-titled record is one I’m familiar with. I’m very glad that I got to revisit it today, as it still stands the test of time as a seminal sixties and psych record. The performances here are very noteworthy. Jim Morrison is still an icon to this day with his charismatic vocals and lyricism, Ray Manzarek’s keyboard cuts are still amazing, and John Densmore on drums really holds the sound together. Their performances come together to make an album with a stacked tracklist. There’s so many iconic songs to be found, like *Break on Through* with Morrison’s roaring vocals, the all-timer psychedelic *Light My Fire* with its keyboard solo, and the bluesy *Soul Kitchen*. There’s also the mellow and intimate *The Crystal Ship* and dreamy sounding *End of the Night*. There’s also plenty of innuendo to be found, like in the bluesy *Back Door Man*, haha. However, the epic closer that is *The End* cements this album as an absolute classic. I adore its mysterious sound and Morrison’s memorable lyricism and performance here. It’s an all-timer closer that I love. This album is so psychedelic, and it makes sense as to why it was so influential. While I do think it sort of wanes a bit in the second half, The Doors’ self-titled is a classic debut, and one that I’d really recommend. It’s truly an iconic album that I’m glad I revisited.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Decent 8
Favorite Tracks: Break on Through (To the Other Side), Soul Kitchen, The Crystal Ship, Twentieth Century Fox, Alabama Song (Whisky Bar), Light My Fire, Back Door Man, End of The Night, Take It As It Comes, The End
Faust
3/5
Suzanne Vega
4/5
Pixies
5/5
Circle Jerks
5/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Simply Red
4/5
Hole
3/5
The Cure
5/5
Dark and atmospheric, love it.
5/5
Zany, eclectic, satirical, and full of nervous energy, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! makes for an awesome debut with many standouts. I can see myself returning to this, it’s just such a fun album.
Orbital
3/5
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Roni Size
3/5
Lupe Fiasco
5/5
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Anthrax
4/5
Among the Living, while having a weaker track here and there, is a thrash album that very much leans into being fun-oriented and being less serious, technical, and fast as other thrash acts at the time. However, this isn’t a bad thing as Anthrax still brings meaningful tunes and killer riffs and instrumentals
Solange
3/5
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
The Thrills
3/5
David Gray
3/5
Jamiroquai
3/5
The Beta Band
3/5
Kate Bush
5/5
Roxy Music
3/5
David Bowie
5/5
November 8, 2025
Album #798: Blackstar (stylized as ★) by David Bowie
Genre: Art Rock, Jazz Rock, Experimental Jazz, Experimental Rock
So I’ve finally gotten to it. David Bowie’s final album before his death, Blackstar, was a little bit of a tough listen for me. Bowie passed two days after this album was released from liver cancer, and it’ll forever be engrained with this album. I greatly respect Bowie, and I wish I did more when he was alive, so this album stirred up some emotion for me. Bowie looks back and comes face to face with death on full display with this album, with allusions to and themes of mortality being present throughout the record. The title track and opener is a ten minute epic that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Bowie feels like an enigma here with his sorrowful vocals and its memorable chorus. However, after the more energetic *’Tis A Pity She Was A Whore*, Bowie really shines on the stunning and emotionally resonant *Lazarus*. The themes of mortality are obvious here, and that it can make the song very emotional. The macabre lyricism here reflects those themes so well. It’s a foreboding song that’s just stellar. After the erratic *Sue (Or In A Season of Crime)* and the disjointed *Girl Loves Me*, we get the sentimental *Dollar Days* and its fantastic morbid lyricism. The final track here, *I Can’t Give Everything Away*, feels like a swan song from Bowie, and that term really sums this album up as a whole. Bowie was a genius right up until his death. This album is one of the best of the 2010s, I cannot reccomend it enough. Rest in peace David Bowie.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 9 to a 10
Favorite Tracks: ★, ‘‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Lazarus, Sue (Or In A Season of Crime), Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Everything Away
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
3/5
Janis Joplin
4/5
Soft Machine
3/5
Digital Underground
3/5
The Everly Brothers
3/5
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Destiny's Child
4/5
Pentangle
3/5
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
Pixies
4/5
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Ananda Shankar
3/5
UB40
3/5
The Darkness
2/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Nirvana
4/5
December 10, 2025
Album #830: MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana
Genre: Alternative Rock, Acoustic Rock, Folk Rock
Being one of the most iconic live performances of all time, I think it’s safe to say that Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged session would make for a very good live album. I’ve watched the performance before, so I didn’t mind giving the live album a listen. And what do you know, it really is a very good live album, haha. There’s so many good cuts off of this thing. Kurt Cobain really sets his stage presence in the opener, *About A Girl*. It sets the tone of the live set so wonderfully. The band’s Cobain’s performance is so iconic and charismatic, and that shows throughout the set. Whether it be on the superb and catchy Bowie cover, *The Man Who Sold The World*, the melancholic and moody *Dumb* with its haunting cello, the minimalist renditions of *Penny Royaltea* and *Polly*, the assortment of Meat Puppets covers, and many more songs. There’s so many emotionally resonant songs to be found here. The band really showcases their musical abilities here. The closer though, the cover of *Where Did You Sleep Last Night*, is absolutely legendary. It’s so coldly intimate and feels so personal and emotional. It’s my favorite song here out of many great songs by a long shot. As I said, Nirvana’s *MTV Unplugged in New York* is a legendary performance. I highly recommend watching it and giving this a listen. I’m very happy that I revisited it today, it’s really something, haha.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 8 to a Light 9
Favorite Tracks: About A Girl, Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Polly, On A Plain, Something In the Way, Oh, Me , Lake of Fire, All Apologies, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
The Yardbirds
3/5
Bert Jansch
3/5