519
Albums Rated
2.89
Average Rating
48%
Complete
570 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
34
5-Star Albums
40
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
|
5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
|
High Violet
The National
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
|
5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
|
Achtung Baby
U2
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Either Or
Elliott Smith
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Graceland
Paul Simon
|
1 | 3.74 | -2.74 |
|
Arrival
ABBA
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
|
1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
|
Risque
CHIC
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
|
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
|
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
|
1 | 3.16 | -2.16 |
|
Street Life
The Crusaders
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
|
1 | 3.08 | -2.08 |
|
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
|
1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
|
Ray Of Light
Madonna
|
1 | 2.99 | -1.99 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 4 | 4.75 |
| Beatles | 3 | 5 |
| U2 | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Slipknot | 2 | 1 |
| Sepultura | 2 | 1 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 1.67 |
| Motörhead | 2 | 1.5 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 |
| Madonna | 2 | 1.5 |
| Paul Simon | 3 | 2 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 2.25 |
| Tom Waits | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Brian Eno | 4, 3, 1 |
| Neil Young | 2, 5, 3 |
| Pink Floyd | 2, 5, 4 |
5-Star Albums (34)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Joni Mitchell
2/5
He voice alternates between beautiful and absolutely terribly annoying. She shoots up too high very often.
5.8/10
8 likes
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Wonderful Rainbow might be the worst possible description for this album. There is no colour, no joy, nothing beautiful about it. It’s droning noise and distorted screaming.
2.7/10
6 likes
Sleater-Kinney
5/5
This is what this project is all about. Dig Me Out is the best surprise I’ve gotten so far. Corin Tucker’s vocals are incredible. So raw, her natural vibrato conveys some urgency it’s almost panic. Add in blaring, frantic guitars and you have a borderline masterpiece. This album is unrelenting from start to finish. Dig Me Out, One More Hour, Turn It Out are a stellar opening, Jenny is an incredible closer. Just to take a few
9.1/10
6.2/10
5 likes
Jimmy Smith
2/5
Easily the most hilarious album I’ve come across so far, other than that, it’s jazz. Can’t hate it, can’t love it
4.5/10
2 likes
The Stranglers
2/5
Mix of punk and classic rock. Lots of organ, reasonably accessible and melodic but all very average. Nothing stands out other than the low organ jam in Down The Sewer. As the kids would say, it’s very mid.
5.2/10
2 likes
1-Star Albums (40)
All Ratings
David Bowie
4/5
Heroes starts as chaotic rock and somehow transitions to a movie soundtrack without you even noticing. Normally the 2nd half wouldn’t hold my attention, but Bowie is able to. It’s ambient but dramatic. Requires more listens
8.6/10
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
The John Lennon of samba…. Is what I would say if I knew anything about samba, but it’s pretty good. But I have no idea what’s going on
6.7/10
Happy Mondays
3/5
Pills n’ Thrills and Bellyaches sounds exactly how the cover looks. It’s wild and chaotic. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band attempt to combine more different genres into one sound. To their credit they were pioneering much of those sounds.
I had never heard of the Happy Mondays before today and they deserve more listens before I should judge but I’m going to judge anyways.
At its peak (Kinky Afro) this album is brilliantly creative brit rock. The album in general is ambitious and very dense. It combines funk, new wave, brit rock even grunge but for me there is just too much 90s electro pop/dance. I can’t stop hearing MC Hammer.
Respect the effort but 6.3
Donovan
3/5
Sunshine superman is opens both sides strong with the title track and the stand out The Season of the Witch, in between it floats along with stories about medieval times with acoustic guitar, sitar, tablas and strings. It’s a pretty album
6.5/10
Minutemen
2/5
No album should be 75 mins long. At that length you’d think there would some semblance of melody somewhere, but not here. I get that in 1984 that Double Nickels on the Dime must have hit hard for some people, but I’m not sure it’s aged all that well.
5.1/10
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Are we as society ready to discuss the fact that Snoop Dogg is wildly overrated. Everything that’s great about this album is Dre.
All snoop does its rap about bitches, weed and booze. It’s mediocre and best and we’d all have never heard of him if it wasn’t for Dre’s beats.
6.1/10
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
I had low expectations for Bug but it’s much less shoegazey and more grunge than I thought it would be.
The Post is a stand out, here you can most hear the influence Dinosaur Jr had on the moody alt rock of the 90s.
Don’t is terrifying closer. Pure screaming with the band fading in and out.
6.7/10
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Few albums are as truly revolutionary as The Message, literally creating one of the most popular genres of all time. The title track is so iconic. It’s instantly recognizable and a huge part of pop culture.
7.2/10
Queen
4/5
Queen, often imitated, never duplicated.
It’s literally impossible to duplicate the greatest male vocalist of all time and one of the greatest guitarists.
A Night At the Opera is an amazingly produced extravaganza. The opening trio go full throttle. Then the classic My Best Friend before May breaks into a sci-fi folk/Americana foot stomper. The second side has some filler but also the incredibly insane Prophet Song and arguably the most famous song ever recorded Bohemian Rhapsody.
8.7/10
Morrissey
3/5
Straight up, this isn’t the Smiths. Not that they were the most dynamic band but almost any dynamics they have are gone.
The opener, Alsatian Cousin gives promise with its borderline blow out soloing background, Little Man, What Now settles into the pretty sadness, bitterness of the album. Everyday is like Sunday bangs. But not much else does. The true only hit in the closer and it’s pretty offside. But I will say when his lyrics hit, it’s a home run
But overall 6.6/10
Coldplay
4/5
Most of the albums I’ve gotten so far have been cutting edge, complex and difficult to digest. Parachutes is the opposite. Nothing here is revolutionary, but it’s beautiful.
I thought this would be my first 5 star review but Parachutes doesn’t have the intensity I remembered. I think I combined it with a Rush of Blood in my mind. However, if you don’t feel it when the electric guitar hits in Yellow’s intro, you might be dead inside.
8.5/10
Iron Butterfly
3/5
I feel like this will be disrespectful to a very important album, honestly this is like a doors cover band on acid. There are som3 moments on side A that are good but it’s all overshadow by the title track which very good but in a word unnecessary. 17 mins for what? A bad drum solo? Its the first time on the album the anything but the organ drive it.
I’m giving 3 stars cause it’s fine. But if you like this, just listen to the doors instead
5.7/10
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This album has only 1 negative. It’s too long. The first 11-12 songs are an absolute masterpiece. Incredibly produced, everything still holds up today. You can hear melodies ripped from Stevie in multiple songs.
8.9/10
OutKast
4/5
For the 2nd day in a row, I desperately want to give out a 5, but the album is just too long
Stankonia is a 50 min masterpiece in a 75 min album. I get that it is intentionally wild, free flowing and unpredictable but it’s a little too loose for me. It’s incredibly creative and innovative. A fusion of just about every genre you can think of. It’s potentially the best hip hop album of the millennium. Andre 300 is genius, unquestionably
8.7/10
The Monks
2/5
Unfortunately Apple doesn’t have the album so I listened to as many songs off it as they had.
Sounds Beach boys/esque but with more organ
4.8/10
Al Green
4/5
Al Green is just sooooo damn smooth. The title tracker is the opener and probably the highlight but the rest of the album is very consistent. Fantastic vocals, the guitar groves from start to finish.
8.0/10
Tears For Fears
4/5
Songs from the Big Chair usually has some HUGE 80s pop anthems. Shout, Everyone Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels/Broken are massive. The stuff in between are growers.
8.0/10
Kings of Leon
3/5
Youth and Young Manhood is Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy if it was Southern Rock tinged and without any truly great songs.
What this album does have is a ton of raw punk, alt-rock energy which I’m a sucker for. Red Morning Light, Joe’s Head, Molly’s Chamber, Genius are good. Everything else is slightly middling
7.5/10
Elton John
2/5
Madman Across The Water has one of the greatest opening tracks of all time and progressively gets worse.
At one point, Elton John sings, “ I went to see my chieftain” … I just can’t do it.
He wrotes get piano melody and sings well but it doesn’t seem to all come to get together even. When it does though it’s the elite of the elite, in this case that’s Tiny Dancer.
5.9
The Who
2/5
What do the point of this? Did they just want to pretend to be a radio station? Is it commentary on commercialism. Either way, it’s not good. There are moments where the clanging guitars that The Who are known for take over but it’s rare. I Can See For Miles is the only thing to take from The Who Sells Out. The fact this album is so universally loved is shocking.
4.8/10
Pixies
3/5
Boss’s nova is greater than the some of its part but still doesn’t hold up to their previous two albums. Velouria is the only song that really stands out. Everything is else good. The album flows.
6.8/10
Roxy Music
3/5
I had heard of Roxy Music but not sure I had ever heard a song, definitely nothing from Country Life. That makes context hard. It sounds like it’s way before it’s time. It sounds very 80s with its synths and spacey blow out guitars. You can heard their influence on late Led Zeppelin.
I love Out of the Blue and the opener. But most of the album doesn’t stand out. Overall it’s still strong.
7.0
KISS
1/5
Rock n’ Roll is supposed to be raw, authentic and energetic. Kiss is none of those things. They are very possibly the most overrated band of all time. I cannot stand them.
Destroyer very inoffensive music. 2 stars would be fair but I can’t separate this bland, boring, gimmick rock from the literal clowns playing it.
3.9/10
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Raitt has a great voice. She has just a tiny bit of rasp, I love it. She sings earnestly but the music is just the most blend, boring shit that’s ever been recorded.
I have no doubt she is an extremely talented musician and song writer and out there somewhere there are some incredible Bonnie Raitt songs but this album is in a desperate need of a defibrillator.
4.3/10
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the biggest pieces of shit to ever walk the earth. But that piece of shit sure can put on a show. If you are into 1950s cover bands Jerry Lee Lewis is best of all time.
6.5/10
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Rust Never Sleep is Young’s admit to push rock and roll music forward and yet it opens with one of, if not his most classic acoustic riffs/melodies. It’s quintessential Neil Young. Trasher continues this, an amazing acoustic story about pushing forward.
The 2nd side is completely electric and where Young really moves forward. Powderfinger is a master class in song writing. But the punkish songs miss the mark.
Hey, Hey, My My bookend is another masterpiece.
6 of the 9 songs are fantastic or better. This is very close to being an absolute masterpiece. The albums theme is iconic, Roll n’ Roll can never die.
8.5/10
Elastica
2/5
I was really excited to give Elastica a try. A 90s Alt/Punk band that I’d never heard of?? Amazing.
Turns out I have heard Elastica. Connection is as bad of a 90s radio rock song as you’ll ever find. Half way thru my first listen I was positive I’d be giving it 1 star. But the second side of the album is actually decent. When they simplify and just lean into more of an Alt rock/punk style the album actually has some energy
Still Elastica peaks at mediocre 90s Alternative and bottoms out at terrible (Car Song, Indian Song)
5.3/10
CHIC
1/5
Good Times is an iconic song has been sampled over 200 times and deservedly so. The rest of the album does not get sampled and deservedly so
3.7/10
Bon Jovi
2/5
Slippery When Wet is one of the albums I was forced to listen to when I was a kid in the late 80s. Overall my opinion of it hasn’t changed. The singles are good, everything else is a poor man’s guns and roses. The closer Wild in the Streets is a poor man’s Bruce Springsteen, they are better when impersonating Bruce than GnR. Maybe that’s only cause Bruce is better.
All that being said, if you don’t sing along to Living on a Prayer at the top of your lungs, you are dead inside.
5.5
Brian Eno
4/5
As with Roxy Music, I don’t have much context with Brian Eno, as I was born 10 years after this release and have never listened to any of his music, minus Country Life which was given to me here.
I wanted to not like Another Green World but I do. There are only about 3 actual songs on this album, the structure reminds me of Radiohead’s Kid A but much brighter and upbeat. It really is a beautiful album, particularly the aptly named Becalmed and everything after it.
The production is way ahead of it’s time as expected and to me this feels like the invention of ambient music that many credit with his next album, yet still has some pop elements.
8.4/10
Bob Dylan
4/5
It’s amazing what just a man, his guitar and a harmonica can create. A great mix of classic love and lost songs and some of the most powerful human rights and anti-war anthems ever written. All by a 22 year old.
Blowin’ in the Wind feels like it wasn’t written by anyone, it’s just always existed, truly one of the greatest songs ever. The album does drag a bit at the end but for the most bit it’s surprising how well these classics have aged.
8.7/10
Paul Weller
2/5
Paul Weller may be the king of Dad Rock. There are elements that are good. He has a great voice, though maybe a little too smooth. The production is good, though maybe a little too smooth. There are a few great chord progressions but it in the end it’s all just too smooth blues pop dad rock.
I want to like it, probably because now I’m a dad but good taste in music is strong. Shadow of the Sun is a great song especially the outro
5.7/10
The National
5/5
The National are one of the best bands of their generation. Maybe THE best. Berninger paints the most vivid pictures of mundane life. Dessner a genius at building the slow tension, Devendorf unquestionably one of the greatest drums of all time. No they don’t all have to be mental drummers.
Brilliant from start to finish, lyrically more inward turned, neurotic even. Musically subtlety gorgeous and melodic.
9.1/10
The Temptations
3/5
Three songs into Cloud Nine I was convinced everything I believed The Temptations were was wrong. Cloud Nine starts as a funky energetic album. I heard it through the Grapevine is that version we grew up hearing those raisins sing. Running Away Child, Running wild is a psychedelic funk jam. Unfortunately after that the album becomes what I expected, a bunch of very nice Motown songs that all blend together and nothing stands out
6.2/10
Neil Young
2/5
I am a big Neil Young fan but Tonight’s The Night is not one of his best. Is it raw and full of pain? Sure but everything he has ever created is and this set of songs is unfortunately mediocre
5.8/10
U2
5/5
Context gets lost when an album has been out for 30 years. For those who weren’t around it’s hard to overstate what an incredible achievement Achtung Baby is.
4 years earlier U2 created a phenomenal album that made them the biggest band in the world and then completely reinvented themselves. For the most part everything that made U2 U2 is gone on Achtung Baby. The delayed guitar and soaring stadium rock anthems are gone replaced with gritty, industrial beats, distortion and noise. Gone are the overwrought lyrics (mostly) replaced with darker more personal songs.
Hearing the The Fly in 1991 when it was released to promote the album was shocking. It was like Bono was singing with another band. The Edge is the clear MVP on Achtung Baby. His guitar doesn’t sound anything like previous work but you can still instantly tell it’s him.
Achtung Baby is start to finish U2’s baby album
9.3/10
The Waterboys
3/5
Every once in awhile you come across a song that you become instantly obsessed with. The opening and title track on Fisherman’s Blues is one of those songs. We Will Not Be Lovers which follows it as another one. Two absolute bangers open the album.
These songs give a U2/Dave Matthews/Traditional Celtic vibe. The rest of the album falls more on the traditional side. It’s decent but nothing else holds up to the opening.
7.1/10
Marty Robbins
2/5
I can’t imagine the world in which this a popular album. House wives at home listening to Marty Robbins croon about his big gun.
I’ll give Robbins some credit, he’s got a great voice and tells vivid stories. This album is a time capsule of a different world, one I can’t relate to in anyway and I don’t want to.
4.1/10
R.E.M.
4/5
Automatic For The People is one of the best produced albums you’ll ever hear, there is so much space in the record. Do yourself a favour and listen on headphones.
The album starts incredibly strong with Drive, Try Not to Breathe, Everybody Hurts. And closes strong as well. For me, the medium holds the album back a bit, it’s not very dynamic but still has nice songs.
Automatic For The People is very good, likely R.E.M. best but I’ve been grading very hard on my project so it falls just short of 5 stars.
8.7/10
The Verve
3/5
Having only heard Urban Hymns, right off the bat, this is not what I was expecting. Initially I was very happily surprised. A New Decade and This Is Music are a raging start, noisy and raw. The weakness of the album is the slower tempo songs. History is a great song that foreshadows Urban Hymns
30 years later you can still hear A Northern Soul’s influence on bands like Fontaines DC.
7.6/10
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Deja Vu is a solid album with some very iconic songs that somehow I didn’t realize were CSNY (Teacher Your Children, Our House, Woodstock). At times the harmonies can be a bit much, especially the opener Carry On.
7.7/10
Neu!
2/5
Neu was so busy trying to see if they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.
The A side is interesting. They create some beautiful soundscapes almost punk/electronic/ambient mix. The B side is more pink or post punk. It’s a bizarre mix.
4.8/10
Isaac Hayes
1/5
40 something albums in and this first one I didn’t make it through. What are we doing here?? How is this an album I need to listen to? I’m sure there is some cultural context that I’m not aware of. Either way I’m not interested in instrumental music to a guy walking to and from regio’s.
1.5/10
5/5
The Joshua Tree has likely the greatest intro of all time. If the intro to Where the Streets Have No Name doesn’t give you goosebumps you should check your pulse.
The first third of the album might be the peak of stadium rock, the definition of anthems. As iconic as those early tracks are, Side 2 is often underrated. In God’s Country, One Tree Hill and Exit are fantastic.
The Joshua Tree is U2 focus and refined, it deservingly so made them the biggest band in the world.
9.2/10
The Crusaders
1/5
I don’t get it. Who listens to this? It’s fine, but who would search this out and put it on. Sounds like it was written to be the menu music for Gran Turismo. Is there some super cool saxophone technique I’m missing?
Isn’t jazz supposed to be free flowing, unpredictable? Street Life is as predictable and bland as anything I’ve ever heard
I don’t get it. 3.7/10
Blur
3/5
The whole Oasis v Blur debate is laughable. First of all they aren’t even the same genre. But if we are going to compare them it’s not close. Oasis by a mile. Oasis’ energy dwarves Blur. Sure Blur is more complex but that aren’t exactly Radiohead either. I do appreciate the vivid snapshot of British life in the 90s. I’ll give them extra points for that but overall Britpop in general is very overrated.
6.3/10
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Dad rock: very polished, soft rock which features treats of blues, funk, etc, has tons of instrumentation that goes nowhere and makes you feel nothing.
See Pacific Ocean Blue
4.0/10
Radiohead
5/5
I will never forget listening to Ok Computer for the first time. It was like music from the future. No hyperbole, it changed my life. It changed the way I listened to music. It changed what I believed was possible. 25+ years later and I’m still in awe every time I listen to it. The moment Thom’s voice splits in Let Down, the chaotic screaming climax to Climbing Up The Walls, We are one in everlasting peace …. those moments still give me goosebumps every time.
I could write one of those thousands of words reviews you see on here, but it’s all been said already. There are masterpieces and then there is Ok Computer
10/10
Soul II Soul
2/5
This brings me way back to the early 90s. While I was listening to Nirvana, this stuff also existed. It’s fine. It all blends together. Feeling Free (Rap) is the best song because it’s Rap and not dance but that’s about it
The Clash
3/5
My understanding is that The Clash were punk. London Calling is not a punk album, it’s much more than that. Pop, jazz, piano and obviously reggae influences are all over the album
7.4/10
Joan Armatrading
3/5
She has a great voice that she restrains a lot. Rarely doesn’t get let it loose. She has a trill that reminds me of Florence Welsh at times.
6.0/10
The Black Crowes
4/5
Shake Your Money Maker might be the great American Rock album before Grunge took over. Somehow I had never heard it start to finish but it’s bangers all the way through. Lots of energy, great guitar.
8.1/10
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
Psychocandy is mostly a lot of noise, noise that doesn’t seem to go anywhere. A lot of the songs are completely lifeless. I respect that the distorted, washed out guitars were a big influence of many of the late 80s/early 90s bands that I did love but the lifelessness is just too much
3.7/10
Alice Cooper
3/5
School’s Out is not what I expected. It’s much more eclectic than the straight rock I assume Cooper played. This isn’t the sound I imagined from the guy with eye liner on.
It almost feels like a musical at times. Blue Turk is fantastic and full blown Jazz Rock. Public Animal #9 is more of what I expected. Overall it’s theatrical, energetic, diverse.
7.8/10
Gorillaz
2/5
Gorillaz is mostly a jumble of lifeless hip hop beats, a guitar once in a while and some strange but signature sync sounds.
Clint Eastwood is by far the best song on the album, it has what very few songs on the album have, life and energy… actual rapping.
It’s not awful but it’s also very overrated.
5.7/10
The Pretty Things
3/5
Imagine Sgt Peppers mixed with Revolver except played but an average band instead of the Beatles. It’s decent because it sounds almost identical to the Beatles but that’s it
6.2/10
Yes
2/5
It’s a long with lots of interludes. There are good moments but didn’t hold my attention. I like South Side of the Sky
5.5/10
Genesis
3/5
I really loved the opener Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, a beautiful medieval prog folk song, one of my favorite new discoveries from this project.
7.7/10
5/5
The godfather of progressive rock, the album that turned music into art.
Sgt. Pepper’s is a masterpiece of production. Its songs are eclectic and beautiful. It’s the first of its kind. It’s greater than the sum of its parts, aside from the closer A Day In The Life, which can make a strong case for being the greatest song ever written.
9.2/10
Sex Pistols
3/5
Sex Pistols have the energy, passion and angry you want from a great punk band but lack almost any melody. It’s there in a few songs, Liars, Problems and obviously Anarchy in the Uk but overall the lack of melody leads to the songs blending together
6.2/10
Joni Mitchell
2/5
He voice alternates between beautiful and absolutely terribly annoying. She shoots up too high very often.
5.8/10
The Kinks
3/5
One thing this project is teaching me that I was pretty unaware of is England’s obsession with not losing them selfs to America. This is a reoccurring theme that spans decades. As a Canadian I get it.
The opening 3rd of this album is fantastic. Overall it’s definitely a little folkier Beatles. As usually the 2nd half blends together. I don’t know the kinks, so I don’t know the context but this feels like the “true fans” fav album.
It’s good 7.4/10
Boston
4/5
This is album you want to hate but you can’t it’s undeniable. Banger after banger. A stadium rock classic.
8.3/10
The Yardbirds
3/5
Elitely talented band but in the end it doesn’t quite come to together for me. It’s amazing guitar but it’s just standard blues rock
6.1/10
Nick Drake
4/5
One of the best surprises of the project so far. I’ve heard of Drake, mostly as an influence to so many modern artists I love. I was excited to listen to this one and it did not disappoint.
Short and sweet, dark, raw, naked, beautiful. In a rush to have to review this one, I only got 1 listen. I have a feeling I might regret not this 5 stars a few years from now.
8.9/10
Gary Numan
2/5
Extremely new wave, completely devoid of guitar, sounds like it’s completely devoid of humans. I appreciate the cold, futuristic sound. Observer and Cars are well known and sampled many times. The rest blends together
5.5/10
John Prine
4/5
Let me first say, I truly hate country music. For the most part we’d be way better off if it didn’t exist. John Prine is the exception. Hello in There, Sam Stone are borderline masterpieces about war, growing old, drugs. A times there is too much twang for me. But still very strong
8.1/10
Solomon Burke
2/5
No one is going to listen to a Soul record and say “That was terrible”. That’s true for Solomon Burke. It’s fine, it’s nice. It’s just so slow, it almost reminds me of Christmas music
5.0/10
ZZ Top
2/5
There have been some albums from this genre I’ve been pleasantly surprised with. Eliminator isn’t quite one of them. It’s fine. I don’t hate it but it’s not special
5.5/10
Grizzly Bear
4/5
What I love about Veckatimest is that it really tries to be great and for the most part it hits. Every sound is considered. Nothing sounds like an accident. It’s beautiful produced. Two Weeks, While You Wait for the Others are incredible. It’s very very close to 5 stars
8.8/10
Tortoise
1/5
Tortoise is apt name for the band, the music is slow and plodding. Glass Museum is decent, but the opener Dejd isn’t and it’s 25 mins. Most won’t get through it
2.7/10
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
The most noted thing about this album is the ridiculous name of the band. It worked, I won’t forget it.
It’s a decent album, a blend of country and rock mostly, some folk thrown in. As is often the case with this old albums I haven’t heard before, nothing really stands out and it’s time to move on
5.6/10
Fugees
4/5
From the first verse of How Many Mics, it’s blatantly obvious Ms. Lauryn Hill is by far the best rapper in the Fugees, by the next track Ready or Not, it’s obviously she’s an absolute superstar.
The Fugees diversity is their greatest strength, each offers a very different style…. But what if it was just Hill … would this great album be every better?? History suggests it’s possible, maybe likely.
Regardless, it has that east coast 90s hip hop we all love plus soul
8.6/10
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Everything Must Go is my style of music. 90s guitar rock. However it’s very unspectacular 90s guitar rock.
6.2/10
Scritti Politti
1/5
Of all the synthy 80s pop on I’ve gotten so far, this is my least favorite.
3.1/10
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Everyone I know who likes music I like, loves My Bloody Valentine. Bands I love, love My Bloody Valentine. Never in my life have not got something has hard as I don’t get My Bloody Valentine.
3.7/10
CHVRCHES
2/5
Electronic rock, bland, vocalist Lauren Murray is good but unspectacular. She sounds very similar to other currently female vocalists. Lack of guitar really takes the soul out of the music for me.
5.7/10
Sleater-Kinney
5/5
This is what this project is all about. Dig Me Out is the best surprise I’ve gotten so far. Corin Tucker’s vocals are incredible. So raw, her natural vibrato conveys some urgency it’s almost panic. Add in blaring, frantic guitars and you have a borderline masterpiece. This album is unrelenting from start to finish. Dig Me Out, One More Hour, Turn It Out are a stellar opening, Jenny is an incredible closer. Just to take a few
9.1/10
6.2/10
Funkadelic
2/5
Apple only had the title track and not the full album sadly I got the just of it. It’s funk, has an African feel a bit. It’s fine. It’s not my thing
4.5/10
Jacques Brel
1/5
This will be a tough one for non-French speaking people. I will say Brel sings with passion but the culturally this one is just too difficult to get into. Considering this was released in 1964, it seems culture and music has already past it by then
3.4/10
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
Someone once said there is music all around us. Throbbing Gristle set out to disprove that statement.
This album is a must listen to before you die, just so you can hear most unnecessary “music” ever created.
0.3/10
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiona Apple has a beautiful voice but it’s almost too smooth, too good. It creates a dad rock/jazz feel to it which I truly hate. Yet somehow I loved Tidal, there is some unnamable quantity to it. It’s sad and soulful. I absolutely love Sullen Girl. I’m positive this will be my highest rated album of this genre
8.1/10
Butthole Surfers
1/5
Another day another album without a songs on it. Sounds like Pixies just fucking around trying to sound as awful as they for the most part. I’m not above laughing out loud to a middle eastern vibed song called Kuntz but overall I don’t need to listen to this album
2.9/10
FKA twigs
2/5
Pop music created 90% with computers. Think The xx with more brutal “instrumentation”.
4.1/10
Lambchop
2/5
Nixon starts as dreamy chamber pop, switches to soul and then switches back. Who is this for? Who listens to this on the regular? There are so nice sounds, I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack of a very boring movie at times. Overall, what are we doing guys?
4.2/10
Big Black
1/5
I love punk music, but cleanly not 80s punk. I need some semblance of melody. Just a tiny bit. This is all dissonance, as usual
3.5/10
Ray Charles
2/5
It’s ironic that the album is called Modern Sounds…. there is nothing modern sounding about it. Being released in 1962, music had already changed with the invention of Rock n’ Roll and The Beatles would arrive the next year. This just sounds like Christmas music to me. I respect Ray but I just can’t get into it
4.0/10
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
This was actually significantly better than I expected, lots of energy, especially the first couple tracks, Apache is fantastic but I can only rate a bongo cover album so high.
5.5/10
Don McLean
3/5
American Pie might be the most overplayed song of all time, it also might be the best singalong song of all time. The rest of the very low energy, other than Everybody Loves Me, Baby which is almost a rip off of the title track melodically. It is a pretty album, but the music is mostly dead.
6.1/10
Fela Kuti
3/5
Give me energy or give me death!! This album was way better than expected. It was energetic all the way thru. Which is more than most albums apparently
6.1/10
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Anything with Noise in the genre typically isn’t good. Venus Luxure No 1 Baby it’s terrible. But it’s not great. Mostly bland and lifeless. Very unremarkable
5.1/10
Cream
3/5
There is so much talent in this band, one of the most talented of all time and lot of time it almost seems wasted. Strange Brew, Sunshine of your Love, Tales of Brave Ulysses ads great, the rest often sound like really bad Beatles songs. But when they are good, they are great.
6.3/10
The Sonics
1/5
The Sonics would be fantastic if you heard them in a bar in 1965 but on a list of must to albums?? No. The 4 original songs aren’t bad but we don’t need another bad quality recordings of Roll Over Beethoven and Good Golly Miss Molly.
3.8/10
The Who
4/5
Who’s Next might have the greatest intro/outro combo of all time. Baba O’Reilly is probably The Who’s best song. But the middle of the album drags. As usual with The Who went they are good they are incredible, but they aren’t it’s very mediocre.
8.1/10
Wilco
4/5
Yankee Foxtrot Hotel is everything I hate, which in this case is very low energy, Tweedy’s voice is unspectacular but somehow I like it. The album is greater than the sun of its part. The middle is great. Jesus Etc, Heavy Metal Drummer and I am The Man Who Loves You are highlights. The rest is good enough.
8.1/10
Elbow
3/5
The Seldom Seen Kid is a good album, but it never seems to reach the heights you think are coming. Everything is good, nothing is great. Stuck somewhere in between Ok Computer and Coldplay but it’s neither. Even One Day Like This, which is very good grand song seems like it’s slightly missing something.
6.5/10
Gene Clark
3/5
I expected just a standard 1970 country/folk album and that’s basically what this is. The opener, The Virgin is probably the best track with its deep melody, that sounds like the intro to True Detective. Overall the album does keep a bit more energy than a lot of these types of albums. Clark comes off as a bit of a poor man’s Dylan
6.5/10
2/5
Devo, I don’t like you but goddamnit do I respect you. They are a bit too much for me, but you can hear the influence on 80s new wave and even 90s nerd rock music.
4.9/10
Kanye West
3/5
Kanye’s last very good album.
7.3/10
Nas
5/5
Very simply put, Illmatic is the greatest hip hop album of all time. Few albums ever are so tied to a time and place that you truly feel like you are there. Nas is a master lyricist, killer beats on every song, iconic hooks. If you don’t like Illmatic, you don’t like hip hop
9.4/10
Various Artists
1/5
This album is the worst thing Phil Spector has ever done
2.5/10
Bee Gees
2/5
Trafalgar is the Bee Gees desperately trying to sound like the Beatles. They succeeded at that, however not a single song would have made the cut on any Beatles album.
3.8/10
Tom Waits
3/5
Tom Waits is much more than just a singer. He is truly one of a kind. I think he does create the vibe he was looking for with Nighthawks At The Diner, even it’s a bit over the top. The live audience works. This would obviously be much more enjoyable in a dark bar with pints and friends, but it’s a good effort and deserves to be on this list
6.1/10
Arcade Fire
5/5
Arcade Fire is the most complicated punk band around, but strip it down it’s just great punk music and Funeral is their masterpiece.
Funeral is full on, heart on your sleeve from the opener. Even when it slows down, the emotion and intensity doesn’t. Tunnels, Laika, Power Out, Crown of Love, Rebellion, Haiti, In The Back Seat are all 10s. Easily one of the greatest of all time and the best of their generation
9.7/10
Motörhead
2/5
Lemmy created an entire persona millions of people copied. The problem is Lemmy was not overly talented and also a pedophile.
The title track is good, I liked Fire, Fire also. I thought the last few songs were decent. But overall this has not aged well, Lemmy did not age well. Motörhead’s greatest accomplishment is influencing Metallica, for that alone it gets a low 2 star rating
3.9/10
The Young Rascals
3/5
A mix of soul and 60s rock. Almost everyone from 1965-69 sounds like a bad Beatles cover band and The Young Rascals aren’t unique in that aspect but the soulfulness they have gives them a bit more than most bands. There are some bangers on the album, like the title track and How Can I Be Sure. Overall not bad
6.3/10
Love
3/5
My expectation of Da Capo by Love would be another terrible Beatles cover band. But they exceeded those expectations. Stephanie Knows Who is a great energetic Proto-Punk opener. For me that’s when they are at their best but the album also rolls thru folk with The Castle and psychedelic rock. They can at times sound like a bad version of the Doors however.
6.6/10
Steely Dan
2/5
Steely Dan, the kings of Dad rock. So smooth it’s just blends right in with the sound of traffic.
Steely Dan seems to be incredibly well respected, maybe they have some legit albums, but Pretzel Logic ain’t it
4.4/10
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
1960s albums often fall into one of two categories, trying to be the Beatles or sound like a music for a distance time before the Beatles (and the music that influenced them) existed. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears in the latter.
California Dreamin’ is great, one of the most famous songs of all time. The rest sounds like it could be from WW2. Even Monday, Monday isn’t good.
4.3/10
Fiona Apple
3/5
Emotion is the main requirement in music for me. Fiona Apple does not lack emotion on Fetch The Bolt Cutters. It’s one of the most powerfully raw records I’ve ever heard.
The problem is, it’s so dissonant it’s bordering into Yoko Ono territory. Avant-garde for the sake of being an avant-garde. It takes 7 songs for the first melody to appear.
The second half of the album strikes the right balance of melody, dissonance, raw emotion. Cosmonauts is incredible
7.1/10
Neil Young
5/5
Harvest is at times incredibly simple and other so huge. Young’s melodies so strong, simple and unique. He mixed his classic Neil Young electric guitar in with his unique acoustic playing style and adds in grand strings on songs like A Man Needs a Maid.
Heart of Gold, Old Man and The Needle and the Damage Done are all masterpieces
9.0/10
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Dear god …. Since I’ve Been Loving You, the guitar, Plant’s vocals. It could be the greatest song of all time. That’s not hyperbole.
Overall III has a lot of different styles. Immigrant Song is one of the best openers there is, you can literally hear the Vikings coming for you. But really I think the album shines most with it slows down. Gallows Pole, Tangerine are incredible as is That’s the Way and of course the aforementioned Since I’ve Been Loving You.
This is Led Zeppelin at their most varied and maybe their best
9.2/10
Minor Threat
4/5
I love what I thought was punk. Then this algorithm gives me 80s punk and I fucking hate it. And I think fuck, I’m a poser. I hate the “real punk”.
Out of Step is the first time that I realized no, I’m not a poser. The rest of it is poser shit. I don’t know the context. Is this the first of its kind? If so it’s a 5. I’m going to give it a 4 because it needs just a touch more melody for me. But this album, I believe, without knowing, or ever having heard it or of it, is the basis for everything I love.
I will keep listening and it will likely become a 5.
8.7/10
Violent Femmes
4/5
This was way better than expected. First of all, I often say, overplayed songs are overplayed for a reason, this is the exception, Blister in the sun might be my least favorite song on the love. I love everything else. Very bass driven.
8.8/10
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I went into this thinking it’s a 2. Maybe a 3. But Aretha is in fact the Queen of Soul.
Chain of Fools and Natural Woman are obviously truly incredible songs. But everything in between is also fantastic. Her voice is second to none, the energy is more than expected.
8.4/10
3/5
I had never actually listened to PJ Harvey which I think is a big miss on my part.
Stories From The City…., is up my alley. I love her voice, her vibe. There is an energy to it but it is a bit restrained. Big Exit, One Line and Mess We’re In show her potential. Overall it runs together a but I look forward to hearing more of her
7.4/10
Beastie Boys
4/5
Licensed To ill might be the most shockingly impressive debut in Hip-Hop history, in all of music.
Tons of energy, raw and exiting. There was nothing like it before and nothing like them after.
8.8/10
The Cardigans
2/5
Putting a band on the moon would be revolutionary, this album isn’t. It’s nice but that’s about it
4.9/10
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
How is this must listen to. It’s perfectly average, at best. I like On The Rope but there are 100s of albums just like one
4.8/10
Talking Heads
3/5
More Songs About Buildings And Food is a good album, I definitely need more listens, it runs a bit together have only 1 listen. Big Country is my favourite track.
6.2/10
Fleet Foxes
4/5
What a stunningly beautiful album. Fleet Foxes moves from music you’d hear on the American frontier to music for a beautiful winter walk thru the forest to music that could have come from the renaissance.
8.5/10
Ian Dury
1/5
New Boots And Panties is alllllllllll over the place, synthy rock that was probably slightly ahead of it time to 50s rock to something you’d here at a high school dance to funky jazzy bizarre stuff and on top of it all is Dury’s truly horrendous vocals.
2.7/10
Deerhunter
2/5
I just don’t get the appeal of this dreamy indie. It’s pretty boring, there are times with a bit more energy like Desire Lines and I like He Would Have Laughed.
4.3/10
The Kinks
2/5
The deeper I get into this project, the more I truly realize how influential the Beatles really were. The Kinks are a very poor man’s Beatles.
The music is fine, Death of a Clown is a good song, but The Kinks best is at best a mid Beatles song
5.3/10
Beatles
5/5
Rubber Soul is the reason this project exists. It the first real “album” ever created. I don’t think it’s the Beatles best and I’m torn on a 5 star rating. It is the bridge between the early Beatles stealing African American music and actually changing music on their own.
Yesterday I had the Kinks, it makes me wonder how the kinks could even release Something Else By The Kinks, which is basically a rip of the Beatles but with worse songs and production.
There are some masterpieces on Rubber Soul, Norwegian Wood, You can’t see me, I’m Looking Though You and obviously In My Life but overall Rubber Soul is more important as an album then it is great. Rubber Soul why we are doing this
9.0/10
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I love listening to American Conservatives even 35 years later singing Born In The USA with pride with it really about their country being a shithole.
I do appreciate Springsteen’s subversiveness and the pictures he paints of regular American life but unfortunately lyrics might be edgy but the music isn’t, bordering on dad rock.
I do love the last 3rd of the album. Dancing in the Dark is phenomenal
6.1/10
Morrissey
3/5
I really liked the music but even for Morrisey lyrically this is overwrought bullshit. It’s so over the top, even for one of the biggest cunts on earth, that it might actually for a parody of himself.
I wanted to hate this album, but I didn’t. Goddamn Morrisey. It’s so lush and beautiful melodic. Lyrically ridiculous but so unique.
7.1/10
Michael Jackson
3/5
Bad is obviously iconic, it has some great beats. It’s more 80s synthy than I remembered. The middle of the album is weak but it picks up at the end. Jackson’s 2 best songs are Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal. Leave Me Alone is a good closer
6.7/10
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from Mitchell. I fully expected flower in your hair happy 60s folk. It was more than that. Very jazzy and I think there were even analog synths on Jungle Line. I don’t necessarily like it but I respect it.
5.9/10
The Youngbloods
3/5
Elephant Mountain has a little bit of everything, folk, psychedelic, jazz, blues, soul. It also doesn’t have a single song that stands out, Quicksand is likely my favourite. It’s a decent album, another that blends into the seeming hundreds of other 60s albums but it gets an extra because I think The Youngbloods achieved their goal of fusing together almost every genre of music that existed at the time and it’s done well
6.0/10
Alanis Morissette
4/5
When Jagged Little Pill is good, it’s fucking awesome. I don’t think people remember just have huge Alanis was for a period. She was literally god, it was all due to this album. You Outta Know is the breakup song Taylor wishes she had in her. I love the album but slightly too much filler for a 5.
8.6/10
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Fever To Tell is simple driving indie punk. Karen O’s vocals are fantastic. The first half to 2/3 is very intense and the last bit slows down but doesn’t lose its intensity, mostly due to the vocals. Maps is obviously incredible but so are the songs around it Pin, No No No, Y Control etc.
8.3/10
6.0/10
Buzzcocks
2/5
Fever To Tell is simple driving indie punk. Karen O’s vocals are fantastic. The first half to 2/3 is very intense and the last bit slows down but doesn’t lose its intensity, mostly due to the vocals. Maps is obviously incredible but so are the songs around it Pin, No No No, Y Control etc.
8.3/10
6.0/10
Slipknot
1/5
When I signed up for weekend albums I knew it was a mistake. Here I am, sitting in the parking lot waiting for my kids dance class to end, listening to Slipknot.
A lot of All Hope Is Gone is much more radio friendly than expected. Coming from someone who likes sad music and heavy music…. This is too much. It almost feels like a parody of itself. I truly feel bad for anyone can relate to this, which I imagine is only teenage boys. Hope you get some help
2.5/10
Sebadoh
3/5
When I started this project I was hoping there would be a lot more albums like Bubble And Scrape, an album I had never even heard of but that I liked. Doesn’t have to be a 5 star album but ever unknown to me albums that I’d get 3 are pretty rare.
Bubble and Scrape is a low fi version forbearer of 2000s indie. Think is one of the best songs I had never heard. Love Homemade as well.
6.7/10
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
Trout Mask Replica sounds like everyone playing on it doesn’t know how to play their instrument.
2.9/10
John Grant
3/5
Queen of Denmark is fairly middle of the road. Lyrically Grant can be pretty awful. Childish almost. Marz is especially bad.
But overall there is a strong Beatles crossed with Father John Misty and I don’t hate it. KC Hates Faggots is shockingly vulgar but who doesn’t like an anti-Christianity song.
6.0/10
The Incredible String Band
1/5
So this psychedelic folk apparently? It sounds something was would be considered cutting edge in 1469, not 1969.
The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughther, even the title comes from the Middle Ages. At times it was something you’d hear eating a giant turkey leg after a war, sometimes monks chanting in a 1600s church and then sometimes a guy doing a baaaadddd George Harrison impression.
2.3/10
Eminem
4/5
Eminem is the greatest lyricist of all time, add in Dre’s beats and unrelenting rage and you have yourself an incredible album, and it’s not even his masterpiece. I got that many will not enjoy this, even hate it so to the violence, misogyny etc…. But you realize it’s not real right? Like he doesn’t actually kill Kim on his record. The fact people feel that way is the point he is often making, if you’ve had a nice, easy good life, you can never understand him.
Slim Shady LP suffers from the same issue many great hip hop albums do, it’s slightly too long.
8.9/10
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Wonderful Rainbow might be the worst possible description for this album. There is no colour, no joy, nothing beautiful about it. It’s droning noise and distorted screaming.
2.7/10
The Monkees
2/5
The Monkees were one of the many Beatles cover bands in the last 1960s.
Inoffensive, poor man Beatles.
4.3/10
The Stooges
4/5
This is it, the start of punk. An album that spawned thousands of bands, including The Sex Pistols and The Clash.
Raw Power has exactly that, raw power. Search and Destroy, Gimme Danger are incredible openers. The album is relentless, has great riffs and just enough melody to keep you listening
8.2/10
4.3/10
The Adverts
4/5
Crossing the Red Sea is good… very very good. I dare say, it’s probably the best British punk album I’ve got in this project, and I’ve got London Calling already. It’s much deeper than the Clash’s famous album.
One Chord Wonder is a perfectly self deprecating opener. Boredom Teenagers reminds me of the 90s California punk I grew up listening. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes is a punk version of 60s pop. Great British Mistake is a great closer to a great album
8.2/10
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Primal, frantic. The Scream is the forebarer of all good post-punk/indie. Siouxsie Sioux drives the album from start to finish Jigsaw Feeling and Helter Skelter are incredible but nothing stands out, front to back it’s a great album
8.5/10
The Undertones
3/5
The Undertones self titled debut is shocking for a band coming from Derry, Northern Ireland in 1978. It’s so bright, the first comparison it brings to mind for me is The Beach Boys. But they are not The Beach Boys, they play hard and fast.
Everything is very tight and simple, teenagers playing for teenagers.
7.4/10
Dusty Springfield
2/5
My first impression was, wow Dusty is one of the greatest songwriters ever, but no, these are all covers. However, they are very good covers. Still we can’t be having cover albums on this list. It’s a nice, pleasant album
4.5/10
Marvin Gaye
3/5
This is one I’ve been looking for too. It’s incredibly hyped and I haven’t really heard it. I found it a little underwhelming. It’s good. It’s light and airy, yet thematically important. But lyrically it’s pretty simple. Not necessarily a bad thing. The album kinda just floats along which I guess is what many love. For me it’s not exactly my jam.
7.2/10
10
Marvin Gaye
3/5
The algorithm is failing me. Back to bs k Marvin Gaye. What’s Going On yesterday and Here, My Dear today. Gaye’s talent is undeniable. The quality of the production is undeniable. It’s more jammier than What’s Going On. It’s also much much longer. Too long. I respect Gaye but it’s too smooth, runs together for me
6.1/10
Radiohead
5/5
Has there ever been a more fitting opening track. Radiohead released the greatest album of all time and then completely deconstructed themselves, put themselves back together and Everything’s In It’s Place.
Kid A is a masterpiece. The coldest, darkest album I’ve ever heard and yet at times the most beautiful. How to Disappear Completely is the prime example, potentially the greatest music ever recorded.
9.9/10
Fred Neil
2/5
The first half of Fred Neil’s self album gives off big Johnny Cash vibes but the energy fades. He was definitely ahead of his time with his love of cocaine though
5.2/10
David Bowie
4/5
David Bowie is proving that I might not hate electric synthy rock like I thought I did. Low is so sparse. Side 1 is very German synth rock, abusive, industrial almost, clearly a big influence Trent Raznor. Side 2 is a dreamy soundscape, a soundtrack to a post apocalyptic movie.
8.7/10
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
This is as Prog-rock as it gets. A mix of Iron Maiden, Jethro Tull and some jazziness thrown in.
This is very mixed album, when Lake is singing it’s good, even very good, that’s the Jethro Tull part. But you can miss me with the lengthy moog and piano jams. While I’m sure this is blasphemy to their fans, you could easily cut out 15 mins and this would be an incredible album
5.2/10
The Killers
5/5
A Seminal album in my youth. There is a reason why Mr.Brightside was on the Billboard Top 200 for 20 years. The first side is straight bangers. 10/10. Side 2, I love, it’s not as good but still tons of energy, great melodys
9.0/10
Big Star
3/5
This album isn’t on Apple, that isn’t helpful. I didn’t get a great listen. It’s fair standard rock, Beatles influenced, folky at times. There is a haunting beauty to it. I liked it and need to listen more
6.2/10
Screaming Trees
3/5
Dust is middle of the road 90s post grunge alternative. For that’s not necessarily a bad thing. All I Know is a great song, there are few others as well.
6.7/10
Soft Cell
2/5
Didn’t Devo do this 3 years earlier? I guess Soft Cell is one step further down the evolutionary line to New Wave than Devo. This isn’t my thing
4.4/10
Iggy Pop
4/5
Last fall I skipped an Iggy Pop concert because “I’m not really into him”. I’m starting to realize I was wrong. I loved Raw Power and despite not thinking much of the title track my whole life, I love Lust For Life. A great combination of the raw Iggy, yet more accessible.
The Passenger, Neighborhood Threat, Some Weird Sin. Success. There is a lot to like here.
8.8/10
The Stone Roses
4/5
All I can do is review the music. It’s very good, bordering on great. However, it’s meaning to Brits of that generation (slights older than me) has taken on a life it’s own, I get it, I have albums like that too. Its influence in creating Britpop can’t be under sold.
The Stone Roses is interesting a cross of 80s rock and 60s rock melodies, driving rhythm.
I Am The Resurrection is a fantastic closer, the album opens very strong and closes strong. It however, not the greatest album of all time, or close
8.1/10
Joy Division
3/5
Another colossal album out of Manchester. First of all, I truly dislike brutal, angular, cold industrial type music, yet immediately I didn’t not Atrocity Exhibition, thanks to one of my favorite bands, The Tea Party ripping off the chorus.
First time through, I aggressively hated Side A and absolutely love Side B. The raw, cleaner Twenty Four Hours with its driving bass and guitar is without a doubt the standout, the haunting synthy Eternal and Decades. With the hindsight of Curtis’ death, these songs are as dark as it gets.
Closer gets warmer and better as it goes.
7.5/10
a-ha
3/5
Hunting High and Low might be the most 80s album ever created. Saying, I’d think I would have hated it, but I didn’t. Take Me On is obviously a banger, but the title track and It’s Always Sunny on TV are also fantastic. There is more depth than just the bright synths and drum machines.
7.3/10
Pink Floyd
2/5
The Piper At The Gates of Dawn must have been shocking in 1967. The recording of a man losing his mind. A mix of instructional freak outs and childish pop songs. Surprisingly it’s the pop songs that let the album down for me. I think Barrett at his best during the LSD freak out instrumentals. Sam’s Lucifer and Bike are the best of the more conventional songs.
5.9/10
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Being a good Canadian, I really wanted to love The Trinity Sessions. Timmins’ voice is hauntingly beautiful, but the album is just too slow, there is nothing dynamic on it at all
5.1/10
5.9/10
Pearl Jam
5/5
Ten is one of the first albums I ever fell in love with. Side A is smash hit after smash hit. While usually just pegged as grunge, it really is a bridge between classic rock and grunge. McCready is not a just grunge guitarist. Vedder’s voice will be iconic forever, he is truly one of the great front men of all time.
Ten is so raw and emotional, which is incredible considering Vedder has never even met the band before writing the lyrics.
Black one of the greatest songs of all time. Side B doesn’t quite stand up to Side A but Porch and Release are both incredible.
9.3/10
Steely Dan
2/5
My second Steely Dan album in this project and I can now say with absolute confidence they are the most overrated band of all time.
I will say the production is great. But the music maybe be the blandest I’ve ever heard. It’s menu music for Gran Turismo.
3.7/10
Paul Simon
3/5
I don’t think I’ve heard a bad Paul Simon song. Here, Simon mixes just about everything (jazz, blues, reggae, Latin) with his traditional folk and it works. He has the ability to make anything he’s singing about sound light and airy, sometimes maybe too much. 4 stars would be fair, buts Side B after Me and Julio isn’t as strong as the rest.
7.8/10
Calexico
3/5
Feast of Wire is a mix of indie an mariachi. Calexico is likely the only indie mariachi band in the world and they are surprisingly good. Side A is the more traditional side with folky indie and it’s very good. Sunken Waltz and Black Hearts are fantastic. Pepitas is more latin influenced.
Side B is much more mariachi with contemporary influences. It’s good but goes on a little to long
7.7/20
The Residents
1/5
Duck Stab is currently the 3rd worst album in this project and to be fair, it’s significantly better than the 2nd worst which I’ve already got. Make no mistake, this album is absolute trash
1.9/10
Yes
4/5
Holy fuck, I think Yes influence my favorite band of all time, Radiohead. This was significantly better than I expected. Folky, Prog rock that’s very accessible. It is almost laughably 70s though
8.2/10
James Brown
3/5
James Brown is incredibly talented. The band is tight. This is no doubt the very top tier of pre-Beatles music. The recording lets down the music here. Not really bangers either but very very solid, short, tight performance
7.6/10
The Stranglers
2/5
Mix of punk and classic rock. Lots of organ, reasonably accessible and melodic but all very average. Nothing stands out other than the low organ jam in Down The Sewer. As the kids would say, it’s very mid.
5.2/10
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Reading the reviews on here and outside this site, Heaux Tales is very often compared to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I listened to both back to back. That comparison is borderline offensive.
Heaux Tales isn’t terrible, but in comparison, she’s not close to Hill as an MC, beats are tiny. It’s not close. I get that importance of the theme of women’s sexuality but musically this isn’t a stand out album at all
5.4/10
Jeff Beck
3/5
My first impression was, holy shit Jeff Beck sounds like Rod Stewart!
Obviously there is an insane amount to talent in this band. It’s pretty standard bluesy hard rock. Executed extremely well
6.1/10
The Doors
4/5
When The Doors are good, they are really fucking good. But there is a lot of them just jamming, which I think turn a lot of people off. Jim is a drunk idiot. Jim also has IT. The title track and Riders on the Storm are so elite, they carry album to a 4 star. Riders is particularly incredible
8.2/10
Deep Purple
3/5
Right from the first notes, the influence of this album is very noticeable. One the first 2 heavy metal albums (Black Sabbath beat it by 4 months). It’s definitely more metal than Zeppelin I
When it blends back towards classic rock or even Prog rock, can be very good. Child In Time is a great song, builds into intense peaks.
6.6/10
Justin Timberlake
2/5
Timberlake is clearly a very talented entertainer. He’s a musician, actor, he’s funny. I respect him despite this not being my type of music.
However, a lot of credit is given to Justified because he was just a guy in N’Sync before it. It’s fine, a couple of hits, Cry Me a River, which I like and Rock Your Body, which I don’t. I don’t think is a lot special here, future Timberlake is a different story though
5.2/10
Japan
3/5
Based on the release date, this is definitely influential. Imagine if Pink Floyd played straight forward new wave before it existed. There is a darkest to this album. I liked it more than expected
6.5/10
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
Out of the Blue certainly is grand. Everything about it is big. But nothing really stands out. The strings start to blend it all together after a while. It’s way too long. At times it is a half decent Abbey Road impression. It’s not a bad album. Half stars would be nice here.
5.7/10
Blue Cheer
2/5
The most impressive thing about Vincebus Eruptum is the year it was released. Before Deep Purple, Zeppelin and Sabbath and there is a lot to be said for that. But it didn’t do much for me. I can imagine in 1968 being way more impressed
5.4/10
John Martyn
3/5
The first thing you’ll notice is Martyn’s voice, a combo of a Dave Matthews and some old African American from way before his time.
When it’s good, One World is amazing. Couldn’t Love You More is a masterpiece. He’s clearly at his best when most stripped down. Dancing is great too, his influence on DMB is very clear. Small Hours is a gorgeous, spacy atmosphere closer
The Young Gods
1/5
I really tired to not give this 1 star, but I’m not a fan of industrial, let alone French industrial. It’s a very very dark, angry sounding album. Would be good for Halloween in Quebec or France.
2.7/10
Morrissey
4/5
Goddamnit I like Morrissey, I tried not to but I do. Much less melodramatic than Viva Hate. Such great melodies
8.3/10
Van Halen
3/5
The intention of cock rock, which is not my thing. But I have to admit, there are a lot of bangers on Van Halen, especially on Side A. Eddie is obviously a guitar god. His guitar riffs are cooler played alone then in the context of the band. Van Halen is the best of the genre most likely
7.1/10
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Midnight Ride is a decent 60s rock album, high energy for the part, the ballads are a bit of a let down. Kick is great opener.
6.9/10
Black Sabbath
3/5
Lately the algorithm has been giving me a lot of potential “Father’s of Heavy Metal” Blue Cheer, Deep Purple etc… they are not the ones. Black Sabbath are the ones. Vol 4 is a surprisingly dynamic album, from the originals of Metal to a changes.
7.5/10
Germs
2/5
Has I’ve said before, a key element of music is having some semblance of melody. GI doesn’t have that for 97% of it.
5.0/10
Van Halen
3/5
I don’t like Van Halen, but goddamnit I respect them … actually I’m not sure I do. A lot of songs on 1984 are cringeworthy but it’s extremely impressive that Van Halen has written so many hits of their genre. Without them there would be no jock jams, no music between face offs at hockey games. Are they a plague on society… likely
6.0/10
LL Cool J
3/5
LL Cool J goes harder than I expected, but I think a lot of the credit for that should go to Marley Marl. The beats are good but the album is a bit long. Lyrically this isn’t aged the best
7.4/20
Suede
3/5
This is exactly up my alley. Dog Man Star is so close to being something special, but it falls short. The Asphalt World is what Suede can be, but they mostly strife to that and don’t make it.
6.6/10
The Electric Prunes
2/5
The sound quality isn’t great, maybe the worst I’be heard on Apple Music.
I had to much to dream last night is an elite song title. Sadly the production quality holds the song back as well as the album
4.3/10
Michael Jackson
5/5
Sometimes artists get so big, so iconic that they become a caricature and we forgot just how talented they are.
Thriller is a world changing album. Its influence has spanned generations. The Thriller, Beat It, Billie JeN stretch is as good of a 3 song stretch as there is in any genre. It more than makes up for a less strong finish to the album.
9.3/10
Raekwon
2/5
Raekwon is a great lyricist that can paint a vivid picture. But the beats are relatively bland and it’s too damn long! Rappers, please, 75 mins is almost 30 too long!!
5.2/10
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
The Downward Spiral is brutal, harsh, abrasive and sometimes quiet and beautiful. It’s an album of extremes.
Hurt is masterpiece, possibly the greatest album closer of all time.
6.4/10
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Jimi is a guitar god. He truly unique, a style only he could play.
I don’t think Axis: Bold As Love is a mind blowing album. It’s good to very good. Little wing is the only undoubtable masterpiece.
7.8/10
Public Enemy
4/5
One of the most culturally important albums ever created. Sadly as relevant today as 1990.
It’s raw and power, musically heavily still in the 80s. As usual with hip-hop. It’s a bit too long but impressively does keep the energy up
8.0/10
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Bridge Over Troubled Water is big, grand album. The title tracker opener and The Boxer will get most of the acclaim but Only Living Boy in New York is the actual star and that’s saying a lot.
Beautiful folk rock with splashes of pretty much everything else. The live additions at the end seem unnecessary, though Bye Bye Love is great
8.2/10
The Police
4/5
At the heart of it The Police and Reggatta De Blanc is a post punk album and band. Side A is fire. Side B, like A opens with an absolute classic, but it does fade a bit.
Post punk, combined with raegge, dare I say almost ska.
8.7/10
Tori Amos
3/5
Great voice
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is a band that has influenced pretty much all the music I listen to but when I tried to get into them in college some how it didn’t work. I was instantly put off by them. I was wrong.
Side A is fantastic indie/grunge, Side B isn’t as strong. There is a beauty in the noise, I don’t blame people for not seeing it though. It certain as commercial as many indie fans make it out to be.
7.5/10
The Pharcyde
3/5
Nothing and I mean NOTHING is more of sure thing than a hip hop album being too long, The Pharcyde doesn’t disappoint.
That being said, it’s a good album, chill and grooves all the way there, it’s funny, maybe hasnt aged the best for some.
7.2/10
The Thrills
3/5
The most shocking thing I learnt today is The Thrills are not from beautiful Sunny place, they are from Dublin.
Nothing about So Much For The City is revolutionary but it’s a great summer album, so bright and poppy from start to finish.
7.5/10
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I never had Joni on the list of most overrated artists of all time but maybe I should have. While vocals on Hejira are as great or as bad as some of her other albums but everything is so bland, it’s borderline offensive
3.9/10
Ice Cube
4/5
AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted hits hard right from the start with Ice Cube getting fried in the electric chair and stop for all 49 mins. Yes finally a hip hop album under and album. Angry, hard hitting, culturally significant and album post N.W.A.
8.0/10
New Order
4/5
Technique is considered a precursor to dance music. It’s hard to tell. It’s really poppy, it’s really good. It’s clearly extremely influence. So much so it’s almost not notice. It’s just sounds like the music it influenced.
8.5/10
Sepultura
1/5
I can’t do it. I like heavy music, I love dark music, I like some metal. I love Metallica. Guess I’m a poser because I can’t imagine any human on earth getting joy out of this.
2.1/10
Prefab Sprout
2/5
The only thing memorable about this album is that I thought Steve McQueen was singing the entire time. This is as middle of the road as it comes. I only give out 1s to offensively bad music, usually I get why it’s on the list though. but it’s almost offensive this is on this list
4.1/10
Beach House
3/5
Teen Dream is a very apropo name for the album. It’s light, dreamy, beautiful. It just floats along. It’s very Band of Horses but the highs aren’t as high. Side A is very strong, side B doesn’t match it. Worth more listens.
7.1/10
Aerosmith
3/5
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I hate this oversexed 80s cock hair rock. Aerosmith does at best tread the line of that genre on Pump, but there is more to it. It’s more raw and authentic than bands like Van Halen. Songs like The Other Side, What it Takes and the Janie’s Got A Gun are legitimate great songs, the show that aren’t just that trash genre.
7.6/10
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
All Paul does is write beautiful songs. The title track is a fantastic Prog rock masterpiece. The album starts off very unbeatlesque in my opinion before slowly sliding into song they could have written. Let Me Roll It is a good example, obviously written about John. The closing 2 tracks are a continuation of what the Beatles would have become. Quirky, experimental, still great
8.1/10
The Dictators
3/5
Go Girl Crazy wasn’t what I was expecting. It was much more melodic, almost Beach Boys if they were punk. It was a bit ridiculous lyrically. It always was ahead of its time.
6.3/10
Big Star
2/5
#1 Record is a bit of a stretch. It’s very poppy, in more modern way than you’d think for 1972. It was probably ahead of its time. Big Star seems like a bit of a poor man’s Boston. Radio friendly rock but without the absolute bangers. Or really any bangers.
5.8/10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I love Blood and Chocolates production, it’s so loud and clear. This is what every record should sound like. I love Costello’s urgency, the clatter and noise. Side A is fantastic but side B drags a bit.
7.0/10
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I grew up in the 90s and love rock music, I obviously know the Smashing Pumpkins but they never made it as high on my list as other grunge bands. In fact I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness from start to finish…. It’s possible no one ever has. It’s 2 fucking hours. C’mon man.
But I gotta say, it’s really really good. Is Corgan’s voice objectively bad? Yes but he’s got a great scream and somehow for me the softer songs are often so beautiful it doesn’t matter. Tons of bangers on it as well. One of, if not the greatest double album ever. That’s being said, if it was a single, it would undoubtedly be 5 stars
8.4/10
Shack
3/5
Hard to imagine anyone will hate HMS Fable but will anyone really love it?
It’s a great sunny day driving album, very bright, nice melodies. It deserves more listens.
7.6/10
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Soul is has a very high floor and a low ceiling. Hot Buttered Soul is a good album, very accessible, despite the 8.5 minute intro to By The Time I Got To Phoenix, that’s no doubt excessive but respect to Hayes for setting the stage. All I can ever think of with Soul is how smooth it is. This album is better than most
7.4/10
Little Simz
3/5
Little Simz is a good lyricist. I don’t love the beats. It’s a lot of drum machine. It’s sounds cold and inorganic. The beats fit better on slower or less aggressive songs like Wounds. Side B is better overall because it’s a bit more chill. While a great lyricist, I think she’s best when she slows down a bit
7.1/10
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
The Smashing Pumpkins reminded me this week that no matter how old I am, 90s alternative will always be my favourite. I didn’t give this band the attention they deserved in the moment.
For the me guitar stands out. At times very shoegazy which is want held me back for years, but when Billy cracks up the tone, I love it. Cherub Rock needs more of that.
Also sneaky good at the softer songs, Disarm has always and will always be one of my favourites of all time.
8.5/10
Willie Nelson
2/5
Red Headed Stranger was retro in 1975, very retro, mostly in a good way. It’s stripped and raw, it feels like something out of different age.
In my opinion it’s best when it’s just Nelson and his guitar, the piano has makes it feel hokey.
In the end, it’s a bit to dated
5.5/10
Ryan Adams
3/5
I’ve always been mostly aware of Adams because he’s almost Brian Adams and he covered Taylor Swift.
Turns out Adams is early 2000s version of dad rock. Everything is a little too smooth and clean. I do like it more than the previous decades dad rock. Adams plays good pop/rock with a bit of country. When the Sky Blues is a great song and there aren’t really any bad songs but something is missing, it’s all very on the surface, formulaic dad rock. At least times it feels like a direct rip off of 60-70s music. Tina Toledo’s Street Walking Blues is the best example. Also 70 mins too long.
6.9/10
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
For the most part, I was fairly unimpressed by this classic band. At times it’s beautiful, the harmonies on Helplessly Hoping are incredible, as are they in other spots on the album. It requires more listens. It’s a good album, I’m not sure it’s great. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes is a good summary of the album, the last 30-45 secs are great and world famous. The first 6 mins kinda drone
6.8/10
Billy Joel
5/5
The Stranger, plain and simple is a greatest hits album. If you are into Joel’s dramatic, slightly cheesy broadview style you’d probably consider this the greatest album of all time. While it’s not my style, it’s impossible to deny the banger after banger after banger on The Stranger.
I love Moving Out, The Stranger, Only Good Die Young. I want to hate over the top songs like Just The Way You Are, but it’s hard.
Whether he’s your style or not, he deserves credit for the vivid pictures he can paint lyrically
9.1/10
Rush
2/5
As a proud Canadian, it is my duty to love Rush. I have fault my country. I fucking hate Rush.
Rush is like that team of all stars who less than the sun of their parts. The band is unquestionably insanely talented (see Neil Peart) but they go nowhere with it.
4.0/10
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Wu Tang truly started the east coast rap movement for me. The rawness of it all. The beats, the haunting piano, the chaos. Everyone else are imitators.
The album might actually get stronger as it goes. C.R.E.A.M, Protect Ya Neck, Tearz are all on a very strong Wu Tang Sword side. There really isn’t a B side.
9.0/10
Black Sabbath
4/5
Banger after banger after banger. The inventors of a genre of music and a band that likely doesn’t get the credit it deserves because
“SHHHHHHAAARRRRROOOONN”
8.6/10
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
It’s definitely sounds like a riot compared to Marvin Gaye’s What’s going on. It’s a fine album, I can’t imagine there is a funk album I’d give a 4. Very low ceiling, high floor.
5.9/10
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
I love grunge guitar. I really do but I hate showgaze as much as I love grunge. There are good, even great moments on The Dandy Warhols Come Down, Not If You Were The Last Junkie on Earth is a fantastic pop song. Lot of funny funny titles in general. It’s not enough for 3 stars
5.5/10
The Roots
4/5
The Roots are band that happens to play hip-hop, not just a hip-hop group. Black Thought and Questlove are elite.
Phrenology has a lot going on, rooted in 90s hip hop. At times, pretty hardcore, at times melodic but not overly.
A great album but again, it’s too damn long. Cut the last 2 songs.
8.4/10
Tom Tom Club
2/5
Tom Tom Club is The Talking Heads meets Hip Hop. I can see the influence on late Hip Hop beats. It feels significant
Is it more bright and upbeat than The Talking Heads? Sure but still pretty drab. I picture I bunch people dressed ridiculous slightly dancing in a club wearing sunglasses.
4.0/10
Sepultura
1/5
I can not believe that there are two Sepultura albums on this list! Arise is much better than the previous, Roots, but that’s not saying much.
To me, all the trash/death sounds like shitty Metallica. I’m sure people are freaking out reading this.
Arise is a bunch of riffs thrown together. None memorable, no melody. It’s 1.5
3.6/10
DJ Shadow
4/5
Endtroducing is one of a kinda. I’m not even sure what to say about it. 30 years later and I’ve still never heard anything it.
A man telling a story through others voices. It’s probably the best background music I’ve heard. Music to put at while working.
8.8/10
The Modern Lovers
3/5
The Modern Lovers is like 2 albums in one. At times it’s very Stooges, indie punk and I like that and at times they sound like a bad Doors cover band. When they are good it sounds quite modern.
5.9/10
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
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0.3/10
Turbonegro
3/5
Based on the name of the band and album I had very low expectations. They surpassed them by far. Good 90s punk and a hint of 80s cock rock. The production is great. The album has a big sound.
The opening 3 songs are great. The Age of Pamparius and Prince of the Rodeo are highlights. Lyrically they aren’t exactly Bob Dylan.
7.8/10
Killing Joke
2/5
Killing Joke sounds like German music with English vocals. Requiem is a good start but it’s really downhill from there. By Wardance I was out. There are some decent beats but it’s cold industrial for the most part
4.2/10
Otis Redding
3/5
It’s impossible to hate on Otis Redding. Change Gonna Come, My Girl, I’ve been Loving You Too Long, these are classics. But I can only rate what’s basically a classic album so high, even if it’s maybe the greatest cover album ever.
7.3/10
N.W.A.
3/5
I was going to say Straight Outta Compton is a world changing album but unfortunately that’s not true, sadly it’s at least as relevant today as it was in 1988.
The aggression, anger and energy of the opening few tracks most have been shocking in 1988. Fuck Tha Police is one of the most iconic songs ever written.
The album drags on however, once again, a hip hop records that’s too damn long
7.7/10
Motörhead
1/5
Absolutely no need for what sounds like a bootlegged Motörhead concert on this list. Interesting that they open with Ace of Spades though
2.9/10
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Hendrix is unquestionably a god. Definitely on the Mt Rushmore of guitarists. They say he could fill a room with sound.
Are You Experienced? Is incredible at times. The title track, Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary etc are the highest of highs. But it’s too long, there are lot of forgettable songs.
8.3/10
Queen
4/5
Queen is a supremely talented band. A band I’ve underrated my whole life. Sheer Heart Attack I believe is the first of its kind, a hard rock album that’s more like a theatrical performance than a bar band.
8.3/10
The Mars Volta
5/5
Rush, King Crimson etc, can all fuck off. The Mars Volta is the pinnacle of Prog rock.
Deloused in the Comatorium is a masterpiece, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a band that builds to climaxes as big as they do. Drunkship of Laterns, Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt finales are so intense, they can’t be described.
So many people will be turned off immediately by this album, I feel bad for them.
9.5/10
Aerosmith
2/5
Toys In The Attic does nothing for me. I had never listened to the full album. I have always and will always think of Aerosmith as a 80/90s band. The 70s version is so weird to me, Steve Tyler’s voice changed so much
4.7/10
Dr. Octagon
2/5
Probably my least favourite hip hop I’ve got so far. It starts off terrible. It’s a bit to over the top for me. It does get better as it goes, of course, it’s too damn long!
4.4/10
Incubus
4/5
I was excited for Make Yourself, it had been probably 20 years since I listened to it. It did age great. Incubus is a mix of Finger Eleven (a mediocre Canadian band, no on here has heard of) and 311. Not a huge compliment. They are better than both those bands however. Drive and Pardon Me get all the glory for me the opener, Privilege is the best song. Nostalgia wins here, I’ll give it the lowest of 4s
8.0/10
The Bees
2/5
When listening to Sunshine Hit Me, I picture myself sitting on a crowded patio as the sun starts to get low, the perfect late afternoon, with a cold pint and The Bees playing live while no one listens. It’s a nice album. That’s it
5.8/10
Todd Rundgren
2/5
In a desperate attempt to create something cool and interesting, Rundgren may have created the most boring album I’ve ever heard. A combination of psychedelic rock and soul. At times it sounded like The Who as circus performers.
4.5/10
The Beta Band
2/5
In 2001 I actually saw The Beta Band tour Hot Shots II. You’d think I’d have to be a big fan right? No they opened for Radiohead who was touring Kid A/Amnesiac. In prep I tried to get into Beta Band, if Radiohead liked them they must be good! I tried again yesterday. 0/2
5.2
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Peter Gabriel’s debut album is all over the place, the most consistent characteristic through the album is the heavy dad rock vibe.
4.5/10
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Queens of the Stone Age are a decent band. Extremely straight forward but for the most part it works. Album is too long.
6.1/10
John Lee Hooker
2/5
With all due respect to Mr.Hooker and the cast of talented musicians on The Healer but it does absolutely nothing for me.
3.9/10
Paul McCartney
2/5
McCartney is fairly disappointing. I can imagine listening to this in 1970, shortly after the end of greatest band up til then was even more disappointing.
Junk is a beautiful song and Maybe I’m Amazed is a well deserved classic but at this point, it’s clear Paul needs to John, George and Ringo to elevate himself.
4.4/10
Peter Frampton
3/5
This is a tough one. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a Peter Franktown studio album, this is definitely his most famous album. It’s good, the quality is pretty good, I love his guitar sound. At times the music borders on dad rock for sure.
Live albums need to improve upon the studio versions to be any good in my opinion, more energy, more dynamic, different riffs etc… does Frampton Comes Alive? I have no idea. The talking guitar is cool, Show Me The Way is great. I enjoyed it more than expected.
6.0/10
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Rings Around The World is all over the place, from dreamy pop to electronica. As if Blur was the band at margaritaville at times. Nothing really sticks. The last third of the album might be the best part, Run, Christian Run is the highlight.
4.7/10
The Gun Club
4/5
An interesting combination of blues, rock, turned into punk. Fire Of Love is very raw and like nothing I’ve ever heard before.
8.1/10
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Emerson, Lake and Palmer are a Prog rock band that sometimes sound like they are from 2003, sometimes 1984 and sometimes 1678. If I was on enough drugs to leave the solar system, I might enjoy this
3.7/10
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I have a ton of respect for Cohen, obviously. Especially being from Montreal, he’s like a god, who literally looks over the city. At his best it’s fair to say he might be the best songwriter ever. One more than one occasion at a concert, I thought the best song an artist played was a Cohen song, and not even a famous one
All that said, You Want It Darker isn’t his most riveting. He sounds like Tom Waits. The album is so dark, virtually every song about his impeding death.
3rd star for lifetime achievement
5.9/10
JAY Z
2/5
Nothing on The Blueprint feels genuine. It’s just an hour of Jay Z talking about how gangster he is and how great he is. It’s not a good look. This isn’t someone you’d want to hang around with.
Musically I enjoy the end of the album more then Side A. Enimem has the best version on the album (Jay Z isn’t the best rapper, despite his claims). There is a bit more soul in the closing few tracks
5.7/10
fIREHOSE
3/5
Fromohio is an odd mix of a lot of different styles. They are pretty raw. My first thought was Violent Femmes but there is more punk. The start and end of the album are good, the mix is not
6.4/10
Pixies
4/5
Pixies lit the spark that led to the explosion that changed music at the start of the 90s. Doolittle effortlessly changes from harsh, proto grunge, to beautiful melodies. From the opener Bone Machine to the closer Gouge Away and everything in between, in many ways it reminds me of The White Album. They seem like throw away songs and yet are mostly amazing.
8.8/10
Super Furry Animals
2/5
It’s shocking this band has 2 albums on here. Fuzzy Logic is fine and completely unremarkable. Something 4 the Weekend is the only song that stood out.
5.7/10
The Velvet Underground
3/5
The famous Banana album. I had ever actually The Velvet Underground. This album is extremely hyped so I was excited. Sadly it doesn’t quite live up for me. It’s impressive that this was released in 1967, it definitely sounds ahead of its time. There is an indie feel mixed with a much more standard 60s rock sound. I love the building tension in many songs. I much preferred the rawer guitar sounds on the Side B, Heroin and There She Goes Again stand out
6.9/10
Van Morrison
5/5
Astral Weeks is a fantastic album. I had never listened to it start to finish. He sings with lots of emotion, it’s more intense than I expected. Maybe the best mix of acoustic folk, blues, jazz ever recorded. Astral is a fitting adjective.
9.1/10
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
Welcome to the Pleasuredome is actually better than I expected, it’s fun, mostly but it’s a lot of covers. There is a lot of weird shit too and it’s way too long. Born To Run is such a great song but I think Bruce deserves that credit over Frankie.
4.8/10
Brian Eno
3/5
Eno is very good as filling the record with random sounds and yet it still making sense, being accessible and generally have a pleasing sound. It’s obviously well produced, has a lot going on
6.2/10
The Replacements
3/5
Good old fashion punk music. Energetic and melodic. Occasionally they branch out with songs like Androgynous and Sixteen Blue.
Love unsatisfied
7.2/10
Muddy Waters
3/5
Hard Again is very enjoyable, it’s very raw, I imagine it’s just Waters and his band playing. That being said there are only so many guitar scales and therefore only so many blues licks. Did Waters and his band create the ones on the album?? I have no idea but I assume they are riffs that are as old as time. But I’ll give the benefit of the doubt here. Blues records have a ceiling, Hard Again may be it.
7.7/10
T. Rex
4/5
If you’d tell me Electic Warrior was released in 2010 I’d believe it. Very chill, very good
8.1/10
Nick Drake
3/5
Drake is one of the best finds of this project for me. I loved Pink Moon, Bryter Layter is good but not on that level. Rambles on a bit
6.8/10
The Cult
3/5
Pretty standard 80s cock rock. It’s not terrible.
6.2/10
Jimmy Smith
2/5
Easily the most hilarious album I’ve come across so far, other than that, it’s jazz. Can’t hate it, can’t love it
4.5/10
Fairport Convention
2/5
Medievel festival music. It’s not bad.
5.7/10
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Raising Hell was better than expected. Tons of bangers and very culturally relevant. Walk this Way is iconic and one of the most songs ever written. Combining 2 cultures and changing music (credit to the Beastie Boys as well for 1986s License to Ill) my adidas and Tricky are also elite
8.7/10
Gillian Welch
3/5
Welch has a fantastic vibe. Folk/bluesgrassy. Love the guitar sound. Very simple but good
7.2/10
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
I tried to listen to this but I’m not convinced it exists in the form it’s supposed to be listened too. Could I have tried harder? Yes but I went by probably a year to just write this.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Springsteen is at his best when stripped down, so Nebraska is obviously his best work.
Uniquely American as always, songs about Highways and Serial Killers, it’s dark, raw and real.
8.7/10
Stereolab
3/5
Emperor Tomato Ketchup seemed like something I would not like but I did. It’s avant-garde trip-hop, pop rock indie. Catchy with beautiful vocals, but slightly too long
If you asked me what year it was from, I’d bet my house it was 2003-06. It’s 10 years ahead of it’s time.
7.4/10
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Springsteen does Dad Rock. the Rising has it all, soulful backup singers, saxophone, low to mid tempo from start to finish. Yet it’s reasonably enjoyable. Springsteen has a certain je ne sais quoi? His melodies are just subtle enough at times to be interesting, other times they are flat out very good. However the album is way too long, it gets bland at the end.
6.1/10
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Harris has a fantastic voice, but this version of country to just to old timey for me to get behind.
She’s talented, Boulder to Birmingham is a great song, but this ain’t for me.
4.7/10
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Superstition and the opener You Are The Sunshine of My Life are classics. Wonder is an amazing talent
7.0/10
The Kinks
3/5
The Kinks are a fantastic Beatles cover band. That’s not completely an insult. It’s 1966, if you can emulate the best band in the world this well, you should.
Party Line really sets the tone, Sunny afternoon is so deep in the playlist, it’s a bit long over
7.3/10
Rod Stewart was in a blues/rock band??? Sign me up. First of all, great album name. Second, it’s solid from start to finish. Stewart is fantastic here, not what I expected.
7.3/10
AC/DC
3/5
It’s insane to me that this is AC/DC’s 6th album. What the hell were they doing before this. Clearly this is where they found their sound. Highway To Hell is an impressive opening and over the album is good. Huge riffs, Touch too much is great, so is If You Want Blood but it’s all a bit repetitive
7.2/10
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
After the first song, I was ready to give Metal Box 1 star, the vocals alone are a non-starter for me, but I kept going. Swan Lake was interesting and I actually kinda liked Poptones. Love the guitar, still hate the vocals.
Metal Box rotates between decent at times and some of the worst sounds I’ve ever heard
3.4/10
Lorde
3/5
A modern breakup album produced by Jack Antonoff, there are certainly similarities to Swift but Lorde has more soul. Often that soul is covered by drum machines. He vocals and with the piano are her strengths. Melodrama is very good, close to elite
7.7/10
The Band
3/5
If you aren’t Canadian, you probably assume The Band is from the Deep South. When they are at their best, they might actually be the best version of Southern rock, despite being from Toronto. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a perfect example, but the rest is just decent.
7.0/10
The Soft Boys
3/5
The Soft Boys have a if The Beatles or Beach Boys were post-punk vibe. It was pretty unexpected. Underwater Moonlight is mostly very good. Tonight is the highlight for me. At times they good off on tangents a bit too much
7.5/10
Air
2/5
I imagine this would be better had I’d seen the movie. But it’s decent, mostly atmospheric background music.
5.5/10
Jurassic 5
5/5
Power In Numbers might be the most underrated Hip-Hop of all time. Incredible beats, samples, instrumentation and rhythms. It harkens back to a time when Hip-Hop records sounded like they created by actual humans.
9.0/10
Common
4/5
Be is mature, smooth, dignified even. Common is a fantastic lyrists.
7.9/20
Joni Mitchell
3/5
A 3rd Joni Mitchell album on this list is insane. Clearly she’s dramatically overrated. That being said, Court and Spark is the best of the 3 I’ve heard. Her vocals are more controlled. It’s not as usual but nothing overly special.
6.0/10
Grant Lee Buffalo
5/5
Woooahhhh!!Where the fuck did this come from!! Country meets the Pixies and somehow Fuzzy mighy better than both.
Phillips vocals are fantastic, as are his songwriting styles. Fuzzy is tight, yet expansive. The overdriven acoustic guitar gives it a very unique amazing sound. This is a spectacular album
9.2/10
James Taylor
3/5
What I like about Taylor is how clear his vocals are. They soar above his minimal guitar. He has strong melodies. Fire and Rain is an all timer.
6.3
Grateful Dead
3/5
American Beauty is significant more focused and concise then I expected having never listened to a full Grateful Dead album. A very folk, Americana album.
6.2/10
Janelle Monáe
3/5
The ArchAndroid is a huge album in the vein of Bowie and Prince. Based in R&B but so much more. Side A is really good, Side B veers into the conceptual. A valiant effort but the double album is too long. Tighten it up, the concept could still come through
6.0/10
The Everly Brothers
3/5
A Date With The Everly Brothers considering it as as release before the invention of modern music (1963).
A lot of good songs, it’s from a different era.
6.1/10
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
Bandwagonedque is a softer, a time more melodic version of grunge. When the melody hits, it’s very good, when it doesn’t it’s mediocre. Alcoholicday is an example of it working
6.8/10
Stephen Stills
3/5
Stephen Stills is surprisingly dynamic, it’s not just the soft 70s folk I expected. There is a variation of of styles that blend pretty well, it could use a remaster however.
7.2/10
Can
2/5
Can is considered “German Rock”, rock is used very loosely. It’s very rhythm heavy. It’s not bad. I don’t think driving down the highway listening to it does it justice. Headphones mandatory for Future Days.
5.0/10
The Coral
3/5
The Coral opens very strong and slowly fades. By I Remember When I was thinking could this be another surprise 5 star album. At its best, it’s very good. But the lows are low. I.e Bad Man.
6.4/10
Tom Waits
2/5
I’m really really trying to like Tom Waits’ music. I like him, but I don’t get the music. Waits is the type of artist where you hear someone playing his song and think wow that’s an amazing song, what a songwriter but when he plays it you, wtf is this?
4.4/10
Mercury Rev
3/5
Deserter’s Songs is another album that starts so strong and I slowly lost interest. Holes is a beautifully amazing song. In general it’s not necessarily dream pop, but dream rock. It deserves more listens.
6.8/10
Method Man
4/5
The first thing that comes to mind with Tical is consistency. Start to finish its very good album. Nothing overly stand out, but Method man does have great flow.
7.9/10
Public Enemy
4/5
Public Enemy has an energy like no other hip hop group. Rap with the energy of punk band. It Takes A Nation of Millions… is one of the most important records of all time. It’s importance probably outshines the actual music which highs are ultra high but it’s a bit long as usual
7.9/19
Pantera
2/5
Pantera is wanted to make the heaviest album of all time. Not sure they accomplished that but they accomplished make a record completely devoid of melody and anything actually dynamic. Metal riffs are great. But I don’t need 50 mins of the same one
4.2/10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
This is not my version of Costello. I really liked Blod and Chocolate’s urgency, it’s completely missing from imperial Bedroom. I would say it borders on yacht rock.
5.5/10
Mekons
3/5
Fear and Whiskey is more influencial than it is good. The country/punk cross is interesting and almost surely a first. I suspect mean modern alt country artists are standing of the Mekong’s shoulders without knowing. Langford is a strong songwriter but musically it didn’t interest me as much as I hoped. Requires further listens. Influence and lyric get it a 3rd star
6.0/10
Faith No More
2/5
The Real Thing is some sort of funk/rap infused metal. It’s all over place. It’s long and why is there a cover of War Pigs?
Not for me
4.9/10
The Libertines
4/5
The Libertines has everything I love raucous raw energy and clanging guitars. An album only a British band could create. There is someone about their poetry of crushing women. Not to mention the drugs.
8.2/10
Primal Scream
2/5
Vanishing Point is a mix of industrial and trip hop almost. It starts more industrial but as it goes, it moves more towards trip hop and even pop. Probably deserve more listens but didn’t catch my ear
5.6/10
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Let’s Get It On might be the sexist album of all time and for its contributions to mankind it probably deserves a 4. I think I liked it better than his other 2. I respected Gaye but he’s not my thing. I’m giving this a 4 out of respect and a bit of a life-time achievement award
7.9/10
The Go-Go's
3/5
The Beauty And The Beat is the sound of sunshine. There is a brightness to it that I don’t believe a group of men could produce. Carlisle’s vocals are great and the guitar is clean and bright, for lack of a better word
7.1/10
PJ Harvey
4/5
Rid Of Me is wild and raw. The drums particularly have a unique sound and give the finally that you watching live in the room. Wild and raw extends to everything on this album, Harvey’s vocals, the guitar. It’s grunge the way it was meant to be played.
8.3/10
Pink Floyd
5/5
You’d think The Dark Side of the Moon had to be overrated right? Considering how highly regarded it is. And yet, it’s not.
Many can be said about this album and all of it likely has been. For me, what’s special about it is how patient it is, how there are beautiful sound scape, then the drums and vocals hit, examples being Breath, Time and Brain Damage.
A masterpiece.
9.5/10
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Who wouldn’t want to run around robbing banks all wacked on scobey snacks. Come Find Yourself is fun, all the way through
7.1/10
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
I’m not exactly sure what Too Rye Ay is. After 2 songs if you told me that song would on I’d be shocked (that song being Come On Eileen). At first it seems all over the place but 1/3 through it becomes clear it’s a pop new wave record.
5.7/10
Elliott Smith
5/5
This project has shown me that singer/songwriters from other generations just don’t hit for me like they do from mine. Fucking Joni Mitchell does absolutely nothing for me but Elliot Smith certainly does. Is it just that’s better by a wide margin? Probably
Either/Or is an album that is so sad, not just because of the music on it, but also because of what could have been.
9.1/10
Marilyn Manson
2/5
In the 90s I didn’t give Manson a chance. I had no interest in his Schtick and still don’t. But Antichrist Superstar isn’t as bad as expected. It’s just 90s rock with Manson’s screaming over the top. It’s more dynamic musically than I expected but it’s ridiculously too long and it’s still Manson
5.2/10
B.B. King
2/5
Blues is just such a simple form of music. It’s the basis for much of what I’ve listened to my whole life and it bores me to death. I will say the qualify of this live album was shockingly good
4.8/10
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Dusty is just that pretty dusty. Her music comes from a past era. It’s tough to get into it for me, but her voice is fantastic and the music is so smooth. She’s good at what she does, but not for me.
5.8/10
ZZ Top
3/5
I shit on blues a lot for being repetitive and antiquated, but this is the type of blues I can get behind. It has energy.
6.2/10
King Crimson
3/5
Less heavy, more medieval than expected. Solid album and likely the invention of progressive rock.
7.7/10
Moby Grape
3/5
Mont Grape is just good late 1960s rock. There is nothing mind blowing but it’s all very good. However at 19 mins, it’s not an album. It’s an EP and that’s the only thing keeping it from 4 stars.
7.6/10
The The
2/5
This is very stereotypical 80s pop. Low bassy vocals, synths. It doesn’t excite me at all
4.6/10
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
My Bloody Valentine, finally. They are band I least “get”. I’m shocked Isn’t Anything is even on here.
I get that’s it was innovative, just ask Shields, he’ll tell you. It’s not bad, when they play actual songs it’s pretty decent, but walls of distorted toneless guitars doesn’t do it for me. There is nothing dynamic about most of this album.
5.6/10
1/5
Had I been old enough in 1982 I would have absolutely fucking hated Lexicon of Love. I’ve listened to a lot 80s music in this project, this is the first time I’ve really disliked it. It’s pop trash
2.7/10
Sparks
2/5
I get why people would really like Sparks. Glam Rock with actual talent seems to be a rare find but for me, if it’s not Queen I’m not very interested. Not a bad album, not for me though… and Sparks are guys? Wtf
5.1/10
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Sometimes you see these videos on the internet where people react to iconic albums or songs and I always think, how is it possible any human hasn’t heard this?? Weeellllllll, that’s me with Rumors. Have I heard the hits? Of course, but I never really listened.
Does it live up to being #2 on this site? (When I started it was #1) I’m not sure it does but it is fantastic. Its highlights are so unbelievably high. Dreams is a masterpiece, but for me it’s The Chain and Go Your Way, these songs will live forever.
The story of the painful creation of the album definitely adds meaning to many songs you might not think twice about
9.3/10
David Bowie
4/5
Station to Station is a fitting name, whether done intentionally or not. This album is a transition from funky Bowie to Krautrock Bowie.
Bowie has always been someone I respect more than I actually want to listen too. The title track is great, but I hate Golden Days.
7.9/10
Funkadelic
4/5
This may be the greatest funk/R&B record of all time. The production is great, it’s sounds modern. The highlight for me is the title track. The guitar is incredible, sounds like Mike McCready
8.1/10
PJ Harvey
4/5
Let England Shake isn’t the PJ Harvey I remember. The frenetic energy is more subdued but the tension is still there, somehow tighter and more beautiful. In Dark Places is a masterpiece. Much of the middle of the album is close
8.7/10
The Avalanches
2/5
20 years ago when I first listened to Since I Left You, I hated it. Way too EDM. A more mature me respects the DJ Shadow in The Avalanches. The album starts strong and fades, I like the songs with a more traditional pop structure
4.6/10
Pink Floyd
4/5
Some things become so iconic that you assume they are overrated. The Wall is like that. It’s not their best work, but it’s good. Comfortably Numb, Hey You, Another Brick in the wall are fantastic. The concept is simple and clear, but it’s tooooo long
8.6/10
Metallica
4/5
Metallica’s darkest album by far and maybe their deepest pre Black album. The middle of To Live is to Die might be my favourite Metallica. One is obviously a masterpiece. Overall it’s too long and can drag.
8.7/10
The Darkness
2/5
I have to admit, I was surprisingly disappointed by Permission to Land. Vocally Hawkins is talented and unique, as heard on I Believe in a Thing Called Love but the rest isn’t as exciting as hoped. Love is Only a Feeling is actually the best song on the album
5.7/10
Eels
3/5
Beautiful Freak starts very Cake-y. Slow spoken word stuff didn’t work for me. But the album slowly gets going. Rags to Rags gets it’s going and by Not Ready Yet we are fully there. This album is a grower
7.5/10
Destiny's Child
2/5
Survivor starts strong with Independent Women and the title track and then fades fffasssst and it’s over an hour long and they don’t have enough for half that.
4.3/10
Depeche Mode
2/5
Depeche Mode is what I think of when I think of 80s music. I feel like I should like this more and might upon more listens. Never Let Down Again is a strong opener but then it fades for me. I like I Want You Now 2nd most probably.
It’s decent.
5.7/10
The Fall
2/5
Live At The Witch Trials was a disappointment. What a great name first of all. After that, there is zero melody. It’s very 70s punk but the bad version. Vocals are lifeless a lot of the time.
4.2/10
Bobby Womack
2/5
Soul/R&B only go so far for me. It’s all respectably fine music, none of is great. If You Think You Are Lonely Now is easily the best song
5.0/10
Traffic
2/5
Pretty standard hippy rock to me. Not a bad thing but not great either. Like a softer Deep Purple. A bit more folky
5.6/10
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
Oar is an interesting album. Singer/songwriter, at time I think he’s trying to be Leonard Cohen, at times Paul McCarthy, at times almost Johnny Cash. It’s eclectic. Deserves more listens
5.8/10
R.E.M.
3/5
Green is the beginning of what R.E.M would perfect later. A lot of haunting beauty on this record. It’s also a bit all over the place. You Are The Everything a severely underrated masterpiece but Pop Song 89 mocks pop than 3 songs later, there is Stand
7.7/10
Barry Adamson
1/5
*starts record*
*3 songs in*
“So this is a soundtrack, but to what movie??”
*reads summary*
… a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist
“Oh ok”
1.9/10
Merle Haggard
2/5
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive was extremely dated when it was released in 1967. It’s not 2024. I can’t listen to this, it may as well be from another planet. I’m sure it’d be great in 1951. That being said, I do really like Drink Up and Be Someone
3.9/10
MGMT
4/5
Somehow back in the day Oracular Spectacular didn’t hit for me like other indie bands. Maybe it’s the electro popness to it. But there is more there, also Pink Floyd like. The singles are phenomenal, Time to Pretend, Kids, Electric Feel but the rest is very solid.
8.1/10
The Saints
2/5
Standard late 70s British punk with some horns and keyboards thrown in, they don’t change what Eternally Yours is. This era of music is very blend to me with a few exceptions
5.3/10
New York Dolls
3/5
I think the New York Dolls are who Kiss think they are or at least who they want to be. They are obviously not.
New York Dolls have an authenticity to them. It’s straight forward but there is more urgency and dynamics to them than most of these punk rock 70s bands. I particularly like the middle of the album, Frankenstein and Trash
6.1/10
Slayer
2/5
Reign in Blood isn’t nearly as offensively bad as I expected. Songs about nazi psychopaths (they are not pro nazi), witches getting their revenge, I can dig. The Satan stuff is comically stereotypical. Overall it’s fast, short. Nothing dynamic about it
3.9/10
Nico
2/5
Nico’s voice is special, so haunting and ethereal. Chelsea Girl is very baroque sounding. Loses points for not writing any of the songs
5.3/10
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Stevie Wonder is a legend, one of the goats. While the music isn’t modern, it somehow feels as if it is. The production is fantastic. It isn’t dated any a little. They Won’t Go When I Go, is the highlight for me.
8.2/10
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I don’t think there is anything as 80s as Peter Gabriel’s So. That’s not exactly a compliment in most cases but I did like this album. The strength here is actually the soft, more haunting songs. love Red Rain, Mercy Street, In Your Eyes. The hits are so over the top 1980s. Still a very good album
8.0/10
Hole
3/5
Since Celebrity Skin is in this list, it means 2 Hole albums are in it and that seems like one too many. By no means do I dislike Celebrity Skin, it’s a strong album, marking Love’s transition from Nirvana to polished movie star and pop icon. I respect the song writing but overall, there are only a few great songs (title track, Malibu is fantastic, Northern Star stand out)
7.8/10
MC Solaar
3/5
MC Solaar is smooth. The album flows well and keeps a groove from start to finish. Being from Quebec was helpful listening to this. Good chill album
6.2/10
Norah Jones
2/5
Jones’ voice is fantastic. Come Away with Me is elite smooth jazzy lounge music. If you walked into a hotel bar and she was played, you’ve be thankful for the incredible background music, but in the end that’s all it is. Fantastic background music
5.8/10
Björk
3/5
Vespertine is like Kid A’s fraternal twin. They are same but very different. It’s very based on beats but still beautifully atmospheric. Requires a headphones listen.
7.8/10
Can
3/5
Tago Mago is an absolute wild album, there is a lot going on. It’s 2 albums in 1. Side A is clangy, raw psychedelic jam rock and Side B is the atmospheric music that influenced Radiohead. It’s too long, but need to listen to it more
6.8/10
Throwing Muses
3/5
My first impression of Throwing Muses is that they are a poor woman’s version of No Doubt but I think that’s unfair especially since I listened to their 2nd self titled album and not one released when Gwen Stefani was probably 10 years old. Apple doesn’t have the album but I think it’d be good
6.0/10
Ryan Adams
4/5
Hold on, so Ryan Adams wrote the Old School song!!! That was unexpected. To Be Young and the amazing Oh My Sweet Carolina are the standouts on a very good album filled with broken heart folk-rock.
8.3/10
T. Rex
3/5
The Slider was better than expected and requires more listens. A mix of rock, folk, glam. The later part of the album had a lot of Beatles influence and even name dropped Lennon. Bolan is compared to Bowie a lot, I haven’t heard any other T.Rex but at least this album is significantly more accessible than Bowie
7.5/10
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick Cave, imagine Tom Waits but good, very good. Henry’s Dream is lyrically very dark, musically a combo of acoustic punk and blues almost. Another album that requires more listens. Straight To You is an incredible song, as is Loom of the Land
8.4/10
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Electric Ladyland is a mess, a beautiful mess. The fact it takes over an hour and 14 songs to get to All Along the Watchtower and Voodoo Child is fucking madness. Jimi is a god, no one has or will ever play like him. I absolutely love the panning, some of the best headphones songs ever are on this album but it’s too long, too much of a mess
8.3/10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This Year’s Model rips, there are some soft moments but it mostly rips from start to finish. The Attractions are fantastic, especially drummer Peter Thomas. Lyrically edgy, sexual (I’m surprised he hasn’t been cancelled yet)
Costello always seems to toe the line of just the right amount of subtle melody. This is a great punk rock album
8.8/10
Parliament
2/5
The opener P-Funk is great and there is the famous Give Up the Funk. Mothership Connection is pretty far out there maaaaannnn. Respect the creativity
5.2/10
Aimee Mann
2/5
What a perfect name for a 90s album, Whatever. Unfortunately that pretty much sums up my thoughts about the album as well, Whatever. It’s very dad rock
5.0/10
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
And out of all the 80s gangsta rap came People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Intelligent, even maybe nerdy rap. It’s brilliant, smooth jazzy, flow from start to finish. Amazing what you can do with a real drummer.
8.5/10
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Cole and the Commotions always seem to be holding back. The melodies are there, the dynamics are there but they never really let go. Speedboat, Rattlesnakes and Down on Mission Street are perfect example. Could be elite but end up just good
6.1/10
Jack White
3/5
Jack White is Jack White, he’s great, maybe a bit overrated. There are some strong song on the Side A and Side B has a bit of a throwaway Beatles type songs and it works.
6.3/10
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Idlewild is the smoothly of the smooth jazzy dad rock I’ve ever heard, to the point of being offensive.
3.2/10
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Rejoicing In The Hands is pretty lo-fi folk. It’s a bit all over the place. Lyrically bazar but nice, that kinda sums it all up. This Beard is for Siobhan is the highlight for me
5.6/10
Supertramp
3/5
Crime of the Century is an interesting album, proggy but poppy, pink Floyd-ish. I find it never really hits the highs that seem possible, it almost holds back a bit.
5.9/10
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
Wait a minute! Did Jack Elliott write a song about Cocaine in 1958! The man is a prophet.
In all seriousness, there is music pre Beatles and music post Beatles, we can get rid of all of pre Beatles, other than the black music that influenced them. Jack Takes the Floor is not offensively bad, but it’s from another planet that no one can on this planet can relate to
4.1/10
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Cohen is truly a singular talent. There are many examples of artists whose lyrics are the main instrument but none hold my attention like Leonard Cohen. Bird on a Wire, Seems So Long Ago, Nancy and especially The Partisan are highlights but Side B isn’t as strong.
8.2/10
The Who
4/5
First of their multiple version of this album. There is the full show, a 1.5 hour version and the short 6 song version, which is the original and I assume the version this list. I listened to the 1.5 hour version.
Live at Leeds, I imagine is a great representation of The Who in 1972. Its production is fantastic. It’s energetic and really shows off Moon and Townsend. A great live album, My Generation, Magic Bus encore is The Who
8.2/10
Iggy Pop
4/5
My first impression was, did I accidentally put on a Bowie album? Then immediately realized no, Iggy impersonated Bowie for a minute. Regardless of who deserves the credit for The Idiot, it’s a great album. Most accessible of the Berlin era, China girl might be my favourite for the 3 this era
8.5/10
The Human League
2/5
Dare! Is almost comically 80s. It features Don’t You Want Me and a couple other good synth pop songs I Am The Law, Seconds stand out but it’s sounds so dated
5.6/10
Gang Starr
3/5
Step In The Area is a very mature album, it has lot of sounds that are of the 80s but lyrically and the tone of the vocals is different, more mature. But there isn’t anything spectacular on it. Just very solid
6.4/10
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
As is well known by now, I typically don’t like long albums, so I really don’t like double albums, but Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus might be an exception. Abattoir Blues is very rock and roll and Lyre is more quiet. Cannibal Hymn, The title track, let the bells ring are fantastic. He’s at his best without the industrial sounds in my opinion. Easy Money, Supeenaturally and o’children highlight Lyre
8.2/10
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Ever seen reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy I have tried to find another fictional novel as funny… it doesn’t exist. Comedy rarely works outside of stand up and movies. I think the same is true of music. Casanova is slightly to over the top for me.
5.5/10
5/5
One of the rare near perfect albums ever recorded. Noel was unconscious for 2-3 years, everything he wrote was a banger. We all know the hits but Side 2 is the highlight for me, Some Might Say, Cast No Shadow and one of my favourite of all time, the title track, What’s the Story Morning Glory.
9.7/10
Britney Spears
2/5
I was a 16 year old boy when this album was released so was Britney, so needless to say I was a preeeettttyyy, pretty big fan, just not her music. So I wasn’t too excited to have to listen to this. That being said, the title track is an absolute banger, it’s undeniable. The rest isn’t good, however.
4.3/10
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
The Hour of Bewilderbeast is a full hour of bewilderbeast. It’s a bright, pretty album. When it’s good it’s very good. The opener, The Shining, Stone on the Water are fantastic.
6.0/10
Roxy Music
2/5
Proggy glam rock that often sounds like Jason Segal singing as Dracula and yet it’s not completely terrible which is an accomplishment.
5.2/10
The Damned
3/5
Machine Gun Etiquette is one of the better punk albums of its time. Fairly lofi recording could use updating. The songs are energetic and melodic. Plan 9 Channel 7 is the stand out. At times The Damned have traditional Irish melodies almost (see Love Song) at times almost Doorsy (These Hands) but it’s the punk that stands out
6.3/10
Eric Clapton
2/5
I’m conflicted about 461 Ocean Boulevard. Never has a man so talented been so fucking boring. But at times, despite being boring, it’s pretty good. Willie and Hand Jive, Please be with Me and Let It Grow are all good. Butttt fuckkkk me, let’s get off the yacht and get some energy
5.7/10
2/5
First of all, this might be the greatest album title of all time. I imagine this is a landmark album for feminists. I don’t think there would many if any records filled with songs of a woman telling men she’s sick of their shit. So respect for that. However, it’s very campy and oldtimey. Honky Tonk hasn’t aged well and Ms. Lynn didn’t write the majority of the songs, which defeats the purpure
3.8/10
Adele
5/5
21 is absolute fire from start to finish, not only is Adele an elite vocalist, she also wrote one of the greatest break up albums of all time, the fact you can even put Someone Like You as the closer is ridiculous. Lovesong is my favourite covers ever.
9.0/10
The Zombies
3/5
As with many bands of the era, The Zombies seem like a poor man’s Beatles, thankfully there are a lot of worse bands you can be influenced by. It starts strong with Care of Cell 44 and obviously ends strong with Time of the Season. The middle drags a bit
6.1/10
Nirvana
5/5
There are a handful of albums in history that have a before and after. Nevermind has a before and after. When Butch Vig played it for his friends at a BBQ before it was released, everyone stopped talking and listened for 45 mins in total silence, the first words anyone said at the end were “Play it again”
Nevermind changed music forever.
9.8/10
Lauryn Hill
5/5
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a classic, perhaps the greatest melding of hip-hop/R&B, soul/reggae. It’s a feminist statement of power and independence. Hill is a fantastic lyricist and M/C first and foremost
9.1/10
Coldplay
4/5
A Rush of Blood to the Head is more mature than Parachutes, but I’m not sure it hits the same heights. The Scientist and the closing title track are highlights and are different than their first album.
8.5/20
Wild Beasts
3/5
Two Dancers is pretty interesting. Reminds of me of a much more dramatic The xx. Lyrically it’s very sexualized. I like the modern indie downbeat sound but do not love Hayden Thomas’ vocals. The 2nd singer is better, as heard on All The Kings Men.
6.4/10
Sam Cooke
4/5
Live At The Harlem Square is considered one of the best live albums for a reason. Cooke’s energy and vocals are fantastic. The production is a little airy but good enough
8.3/10
Heaven 17
2/5
The most interesting thing about Penthouse and Pavement is that Heaven 17 really seems to hate fascism. Me too, boys! Otherwise this is 80s synth pop. Pretty cold.
3.9/10
Judas Priest
3/5
British Steel was almost shockingly melodic, I came in not know what to expect. Outside of Metallica, metal typically falls very flat for me. But this album, while not overly complex is dynamic and way ahead of its time. Could even be called revolutionary.
6.9/10
Megadeth
2/5
There are no 2 bands more intrinsically linked than Metallica and Megadeth. While Megadeth gets closer than most, they never quite reach the peaks Metallica does. Rust In Peace doesn’t have the dynamics a Ride the Lightning has
5.2/10
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Want One is a big grand album with a lot going on. It’s beautiful and many layered. Excellently produced. Feels almost operatic and like most operas it’s a bit long, thank god he split up the album into Want One and Want Two
6.3/10
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Wait, Scissor Sisters was released in the 2000s. I was convinced this was some ridiculous album from the 1970s.
It’s a hypersexual, bizarre album that’s all over the place.
4.6/10
Paul Simon
1/5
I was really excited for Graceland, obviously it’s an iconic album but I’ve never heard it. It is easily the biggest disappointment in my project so far out of almost 400 albums. I guess in 1986 no one in a North America had ever heard anything from Africa. But just throwing in African sounds hasn’t aged well, it’s borderline offensive.
3.7/10
Magazine
3/5
Real Life starts out pretty punky and transitions to something more synthy and atmospheric almost on Side 2. Shot By Both Sides and The Light Pours Out Of Me are perfect example of the difference and also highlights. This deserves more listens.
7.4/10
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
There is nothing in this world that I get less than My Bloody Valentine. Loveless, often in the conversation for greatest of all time by people who like music I like, is a wash of boring noise. I will never understand the love for it. I’ve tried. There are a few decent songs, Only Shallow, Come In Alone.. but I would argue they are the only songs on the album
4.4/10
Radiohead
4/5
Amnesiac is famous for being the twin of one of the greatest albums ever recorded and while as a whole it’s certainly doesn’t match Kid A, there are moments that absolutely do. Pyramid Song, You and Whose Army?, I Might Be Wrong, Life in a Glasshouse are all elite, masterpieces in some cases. Anyone who saw them tour in 2000-01 knows how incredible the individual pieces od Amnesiac are. And that was the point.
8.4/10
Kings of Leon
4/5
Call me a poser, but I always like Only By The Night better than Youth and Young Manhood. Listening to it today, I might of changed my opinion. It’s a good album, it’s got a smooth vibe, sexy even. I love the opener Closer and the closer, Cold Desert. The singles are certainly overplayed.
7.9/10
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I don’t love the dancey songs on It’s Blitz! Heads Will Roll is the primary example. Certainly the best known song on the album and my least favorite, but the rest is fantastic
8.2/10
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Bayou Country is significantly more bluesy then you’d expect based on the hits, Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary. The album feels authentic
6.8/10
Pere Ubu
3/5
The Modern Dance is a fitting title, at the time it was the frontier of punk music. The album opens with almost unbearable feedback, the general mood of manic is non stop. Chinese revolution is a personal highlight. Requires more listens.
6.1/10
Bad Company
2/5
Bad Company is as mid-tempo classic rock as it comes. It’s not bad but it’s certainly not great. Don’t Let Me Down might be my favourite.
5.7/10
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Boy In Da Corner certainly is outside my element. Rap with a British accent is strange to me. It is impressive how distinct sound in this is.
5.6/10
Soundgarden
5/5
Superunknown might be the most diverse album of the grunge. Black Hole Sun is the mega hit but it’s not indicative of the album. There are so much bizarre timing, it’s crazy how radio friendly it is, for lack of a better way. Forgot the singles, The Day I Tried to Live, Like Suicide, the title track are what makes Superknown it is
9.1/10
John Lennon
4/5
As I’ve said multiple times on here, sont songs are so iconic they become so overplayed that we stop paying attention to them. Imagine is one of the most iconic, most important and most overplayed songs of all time. It and the rest of the album are such a v clear, albeit naive vision of what could be. It’s filled with beautifully hypnotic songs. But something is missing and we all know who they are.
8.3/10
Dr. John
3/5
This project has a lot of albums with bizarre mixes of music, but Gris-Gris might be the best. Combining Creole and psychedelic to something completely unique. Not sure what else to even say about it after one listen. Definitely requires a deeper dive.
6.3/10
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
90s disco? A combination of dance and pop. It doesn’t work for me at all.
3.7/10
ABBA
1/5
I absolutely hate this.
2.7/10
Talking Heads
2/5
Talking Heads are band I’d obviously heard of a lot but never really listened to until starting this project and for someone who doesn’t love 80s music, I’ve been impressed. I was excited for Remain In Light, and shocked when hearing it
My first impression was Graceland-esque. White people do African tribe music. But this isn’t half as cringe. It’s very rhythmic and repetitive. I need to listen to it again but currently don’t see the genius
5.3/10
R.E.M.
3/5
Murmur is an album that you will likely not remember many songs from but they are all good. I imagine it would hold more weight hearing it in 1983. It influenced literally all the music after it that I love. It might have invented indie.
7.8/10
Chicago
3/5
I can imagine that hearing Chicago in 1969 would have been shocking. The combination of rock n roll and jazz had and maybe still has never been done since. It’s totally unique, it’s a huge sound. My issue is, how does a band’s first album become a double album. It’s too damn long
6.4/10
Elvis Presley
2/5
As I’ve said many times, in various ways, everything before The Beatles is irrelevant and yes, I understand there was lots of music that influenced them, especially Black music, and Elvis. But everything before them is just so dated. Elvis isn’t an exception however, he might be the best of it.
5.0/10
Madonna
1/5
Ray Of Light is a mix of songs that were way better than expected and some of the worst music I’ve ever had in my life. The opener Drowned World is great… on the other hand at some point, she sings in what I’m guessing is Hindu. It’s offensively bad. Also a lot of uhhhist uhhist uhhist EDM
3.7/10
The Who
2/5
I have a confession… I don’t love The Who. I just don’t care about Tommy, I want songs. I’m sorry. I don’t get it. Great, they made art, sadly the story sucks
4.1/10
Ice T
3/5
At times comically bad, but at times surprisingly good, Ice Tea is definitely the Original Gangster. He sounds like the old vet, boasting about how he’s got it. For the most part he does
6.8/10
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
The Sun Rises In The East is good old fashioned east coast rap. DJ Premier is amazing on this album, a lot of unique classic east coast beats. It sounds very Wu Tang-esque. Nas is also a lofty but fair comparison
8.4/10
Deep Purple
3/5
Machine Head is pretty standard classic rock. Smoke on the Water, like everyone else was the first riff I learnt to play. But nothing on this album truly stands out. It’s good but standard
6.3/10
Dolly Parton
2/5
Dolly is sweet and naive and I give her credit for keeping Coat of Many Colors a tight 27 mins but in the end it’s very very old timey. Not terrible but may as well be from a different planet
4.3/10
2/5
I had never heard of XTC before. Honestly I was positive it was 90s dance. It certainly is not that. What is it though? I don’t really know. I bet they have a cult following that will hate this…. Apple Venus Vol 1 sounds like The Beatles just fucking around. They even threw in sitar.
4.6/10
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Sonically while very good, funk/r&b always sounds dated, but lyrically There’s No Place Like America Today is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago, sadly. Every song still hits home, from gun violences, to the system being build to fuck us all.
The system needs us, but is trying to deceive us
7.1/10
Tom Waits
2/5
I want to like Waits’ music, I really do. But I don’t and it’s unlikely that I ever will. I’d love to have pints with him though.
4.2/10
Todd Rundgren
2/5
You can tell Rundgren is a producer and no one was around to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. No one needs to listen to 90 mins of dad pop rock. It’s not bad. A lot going on, very studioy. All pop rock til the very end. Nothing stands out
4.8/10
Prince
2/5
Wonderful another double album and another artist I truly want to like but just can’t get into it. Respect to the great and powerful Prince, he fusion so many styles of music together on Sign O’ The Times but none of them are my style.
4.4/10
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
I was led to believe by Michael J Fox that Buddy Holly riipppeeeeddd. He certainly does not on Chriping Crickets.
As usual anything pre-Beatles may as well be from another planet. The background vocals on here are laughably dated. But respect to some of the creators of rock and roll… looking forward to hearing prove of that
4.1/10
Def Leppard
2/5
I can make a joke here, but you have all heard it … one day, I might be surprised to find out Def Leppard was actually a metal band, but that day is not today.
Hysteria is kinda slow and plodding, it’s definitely poppy but overally catchy. At least not as catchy I hoped considering how boring it is.
5.7/10
Little Richard
3/5
Little Richard certainly does have a lot of energy. The album opens with a bang with Tutti Frutti. Richard’s has a great voice. He rarely holds back. The music isn’t revolutionary but it he energy sets it apart.
6.1/10
Carole King
4/5
Carole King, the OG singer/songwriter’s masterpiece. Soft, intimate Tapestry is somehow full of bangers, the opener I Feel the Earth Move, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, the list goes on. These are some of the most famous songs of all time. Replace the piano with guitar and it would be near the top of my list
8.0/10
Ice Cube
4/5
Ice Cube has always been angry but The Pedator might be his most angry and certainly most focused album. Coming right after the Rodney King riots, the focus of his anger is obvious. Yet the best song might be the happiest of all the early 90s rap classics, It Was A Good Day, the complete opposite of When They Shoot and We Had to Tear this Motherfucka Up
8.5/10
Black Sabbath
3/5
In my opinion this is the first true Heavy Metal album. Iommi’s guitar sound and style is the sound bands like Metallica would use, not Deep Purple or Zeppelin.
Some great blues/metal riffs, incredibly gloomy album
7.8/10
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
Definitely a lot of Rolling Stones in the Flamin’ Groovies. Maybe with a better name, they’d be more popular
Teenage Head first side is very strong, raw blues rock. Whiskey Women might be the best song I’ve never heard. The second side is full of blues rock covers, while some are good, they are all unnecessary. Too long
6.7/10
Caetano Veloso
2/5
It’s an interesting album, obviously very South American but certainly very influenced by the North. Unfortunately I don’t understand a single world of it
5.5/10
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
If what Jim Morrison was the front man of the Velvet Underground, well they’d be way better off. Echo And The Bunnymen are the proof. Love the guitar, needs more listens.
6.8/10
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
I listened to Californication in my office and it took everything in me to not belt out “How loooonnngggg, how long will I slide”. It may not be the cool opinion but this is RHCPs best album. The first side is banger after banger. It does cool off a bit on the second side and it’s a little too long. It’s so rare for a band to completely reinvent themselves after 15 years and they can probably go for another reinvention as it’s gotten old.
8.8/10
John Martyn
3/5
Very grand folk with elements of blues, jazz, rock. A lot going on. Requires more listens.
6.3/10
Mudhoney
4/5
Mudhoney is probably most famous for being one of, if not Nirvana’s biggest influences. It’s definitely obvious on Superfuzz Bigmuff, which btw is named after a guitar pedal, which is sick
Almost certainly the first real grunge album, somehow it doesn’t sound like created one of the biggest genres of all time, but it did. I think it’s best on the 2nd side where it becomes more melodic, less punky and more of what’s familiar on Nevermind. This is one of the most important albums ever created
8.4/10
Iron Maiden
3/5
The Number of the Beast is in my opinion the best metal album in the non-Metallica category. Packed full of great guitar riffs. Run to the Hills is a masterpiece of galloping guitar. I’ll never figure trying to play it on Rockband in college.
7.7/10
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
When I saw the title, I thought oh god, it’s really going to be Layla and 10-12 throw away songs. I was wrong, Clapton is indeed of the goats, if not the goat himself. This is as good as blues rock gets. It’s still too damn long
8.1/10
Femi Kuti
2/5
I can tell Femi Kuti is good at what he does. Respect, but not for me
5.3/10
The Pogues
4/5
The Pogues are truly unique, traditional Irish music, punk hybrid that speaks to my soul. Rum Sodomy and the Lash is them at their rawness, angriest however not their best. Still a defining album.
8.4/10
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Want Two is certainly more than I wanted. It’s a decent album, I don’t quite get the hype, he’s no Elliott Smith, as I’ve seen him compared too. Maybe to baroque for me. Want one was enough.
5.7/10
Taylor Swift
4/5
1989 is full of melodic pop bangers, it can’t be denied. Having two 9 year daughters, I’ve been over exposed to her, so listening to it today didn’t really hit. But she is the undeniable Queen of Pop. She’s not The Beatles, but she might be Michael Jackson
8.6/10
The White Stripes
4/5
White Blood Cells is who The White Stripes are. Raw, tight bluesy, punk rock. Fell in Love With a Girl, is as simple of a masterpiece you’ll ever hear.
8.8/10
Napalm Death
1/5
The one thing I appreciate about Scum is that it’s only 33 mins and somehow 28 songs. Did I make it through those 33 mins? Absolutely not, it’s unlistenable.
2.1/10
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Cohen may be the goat songwriter. Despite being born as raised in Montreal, that is something I didn’t grasp until starting this project. Songs of Leonard Cohen is a masterpiece. A word I probably use too often but in this case, it’s real. Suzanne, So Long Marianne both deserve the title, but Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye is the highlight for me. The vivid pictures he paints from start to finish are one of a kind.
9.2/10
Tom Waits
2/5
It’s interesting that Tom Waits followed Cohen for me. As I’ve said 2-3 times before, I really want to like Waits, but despite being of the same mold in many ways, it just doesn’t work for me, and I think it should. In the end I think the vocal are just bad enough, the music is just abrasive enough. I’ll try again another day. There are occasions on Bone Machine where we’re close to getting it.
5.7/10
Foo Fighters
5/5
Months after Kurt’s death Grohl decided it was time to leave the house and record some music. That’s how the Foo Fighters were born. Grohl recording an entire album alone and deciding it was too good to not release. He truly is one of the greatest music ever. His ability to create dynamics, melodies are elite.
9.1/10
TLC
2/5
Crazysexycool is fairly apt. It’s definitely is sexy, exotic even. Told from the woman’s point of view, it was unique at the time. But the songs are most mediocre. Waterfalls is iconic and other than that Something Wicked This Way Comes is the highlight
5.6/10
Dirty Projectors
2/5
A lot of sounds just for the sake of it. Beautiful harmonies with half melodies. It’s pretty but that’s it.
5.5/10
Cat Stevens
3/5
Old Cat sure can write a deep yet catchy folk/pop song, Wild World is the best example, but Father and Son may be the highlight. Tea for the Tillerman is mainly about rejecting modern society and old Cat certainly would later do that.
7.7/10
M.I.A.
2/5
I respect M.I.A. protest music but Arular is way to beatsy and dance for me.
4.2/10
Radiohead
5/5
In hindsight The Bends was clearly a sign of what was to come, Radiohead becoming the best band on the planet. The 3 guitar attack, mixed with soaring climaxes, soul crashing melodies lifted them above the rest of the alt-grunge music of the time. Fake Plastic Trees is one of the best ballads ever, Just is one of the best guitar songs ever, Street Spirit is one of the most beautiful melodies ever written… until their wrote their next album….
9.3/10
Tim Buckley
2/5
Happy Sad is a jazzy Prog folk slog. Imagine a jam band without the jam.
4.4/10
Wilco
3/5
When Wilco is good, they are really fucking good, but it’s rare relative to the 19 fucking songs in Being There. The blaring guitar and keyboard on the opener Misunderstood is the highlight. It only really returns on Hotel Arizona. Tweedy however does write some fantastic folk pop songs like Outta Mind and Lonely 1.
There is a lot going on with Wilco, country, alt, folk, indie. It’s mostly very good. But as usual with double albums, it’s too damn long
7.8/10
Jungle Brothers
2/5
I’d be willing to bet this is the group that influenced De La Soul. Jungle Brothers are clearly a creative intelligent group but it’s too dance oriented for me and it’s 2 hrs long, someone needed to ruin this in.
4.7/10
Skepta
2/5
Konnichiwa is agressive and very grime/electronic beatsy. I have a hard time with British rap, I can’t stop thinking of the gang kids from a British crime drama.
5.2/10
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I’ve been delaying writing this review because I don’t know what to say. I hadn’t ever really listened to a full Stones album admittedly. Exile On Main Street was shaking in its mediocrity. This is clearly the cool kids album. I currently am not running with the cool crowd I guess. Needs more listens.
5.8/10
Dr. Dre
4/5
For most of this listen I was thinking The Chronic isn’t close to 2001 but by the end I wasn’t as sure. This is a seminal album, but the debut of an icon, Death Row Records, literally all the Doggs are on it.
I love the angrier songs, the street songs. Stranded on Death Row the highlight for me
8.1/10
Supergrass
3/5
I Should Coco is a lot of things thrown together. It’s very energetic punk, but at times Beatlesesque and the second half is more classic rock. One thing that carries through it all is massive amounts of energy. This made be very good, requires more listens.
7.4/10
X-Ray Spex
4/5
This one surprised me. Germfree Adolescents is an energetic punk album with a female singer, Polly Styrene who very clearly influenced future female punk leads, Corin Tucker immediately comes to mind.
7.9/10
3/5
Wild Gift is very poppy. It’s energetic and overall very good. Despite its poppiness, it still fucking rips.
7.7/10
Frank Zappa
3/5
I don’t know if Zappa is always instrumental but Hot Rats certainly is. Surprisingly it’s pretty good. I prefer Side A that is more rock and has more guitar.
6.7/10
Kate Bush
1/5
I was today years old when I learnt that Kate Bush sucks. The Dreaming is a bad musical soundtrack.
2.7/10
Arcade Fire
4/5
Capitalism and Religion. Classic 2nd album material. I wanted to rate this low, because I love Arcade Fire and the previous and subsequent albums are way better. But it is better than I remembered. My Body is a Cage is one of the best songs ever.
8.3/10
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
What the fuck is this?? A psychedelic cover band?? We can do without it on this list.
3.7/10
The Smiths
4/5
Is Morrissey an insufferable cunt? Absolutely. He is also one of the great lyricists of all time? Absolutely.
I don’t even agree with the title track but it’s still beautiful. I Don’t This Joke Funny anymore is a classic.
8.5/19
N.E.R.D
2/5
What if Weezer had a little bit (more) rap, keyboards and some funk? That’s N.E.R.D. Fly Or Die may as well be called Party Rock 2014. It’s sooooo desperately trying to be that. Every song has all the instruments but occasionally despite it all, it kinda works. I can’t decide if it’s an Ok album or the worst shit I’ve ever heard.
5.1/10
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Vega definitely has strong female Leonard Cohen vibes. A great singer/songerwriter. Deserves more listens.
7.0/10
Elliott Smith
3/5
Figure 8 is Smith’s most layers, complicated album. But it falls short of his earlier work. It’s a bit too long
6.7/10
Brian Eno
1/5
A lot of garbled vocal samples and metallic percussion sounds. Absolutely useless album.
3.2/10
Django Django
3/5
Django Django is spares, full of harmonies, picking guitar and synth beats. It only clicked for me on side B, not that side A wasn’t good. I just didn’t get it til Hand of Man, Love’s Dart and Wor. Requires more listens.
6.9/10
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
I didn’t like this album as much as I thought I would, it’s very straightforward and not much special about. It’s a decent rock record.
5.7/10
George Harrison
3/5
All Things Must Pass is wildly considered the best of The Beatles solo albums and probably deservedly so. George has so much music built up that had to be released this turned into a TRIPLE album. As everyone knows, double albums are the worst invention in human history so this is way too much. But it really is beautiful. Just too long
6.3/10
Johnny Cash
4/5
When The Man Comes Around is good, it’s fucking amazing. The title track and obviously Hurt are unbelievably powerful. The album is obviously Cash facing his own morality. His vocals are great all the way through. Some covers don’t hit as expected
8.0/10
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Juju is urgent, frantic. You can hear their influence on bands like Bloc Party and Sleater-Kinney, even Bjork at times. A great post punk album from start to finish. With a pounding rhythm section and blaring guitars
8.3/10
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Bookends a very nice album. It’s definitely a mortality album, every song on Side A is like a snapshot of a time period in life. It’s sad but nice. That’s about all you can saw about it, until Mrs Robinson which is an all time greatest hit but anyone, anywhere, ever. A Hazy Shade of Winter is also great, also about aging. It’s a nice, sad album
6.4/10
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Not my style but an extremely enjoyable album. Numerous absolute bangers, That Lady and Sunshine being the best originals, a few great covers twisted into R/B classic rock classics.
7.6/10
Kelela
2/5
Modern electro R&B, sometimes very tender, almost ballads, sometimes has grim drum tracks. Not terrible, but not for me
5.2/10
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
It is immediately apparent, that even though this was written in the year nineteen hundred and ninety two, everything about it is sadly as relevant today as it was then. Every major socioeconomic, political topic is covered slowly and clearly. The world could use a newer version of this
8.3/10
Brian Wilson
2/5
Smile reeks desperately of trying to the Beatles. It’s clear why this was abandoned for almost 40 years. Brian Wilson pales in comparison to The Beatles. The fact this album is ever mentioned in the same sentence has Sgt Peppers is disgraceful. It’s an overly long mess, sounds like a musical that goes nowhere and just throws in a bunch of random sounds and harmonies of mediocre melodies. It’s offensive only in what it tries to be, not in how it actually sounds.
4.5/10
Buck Owens
2/5
Considering this may as well be from another planet, it’s not bad. Classic honky tonk… I guess
4.9/10
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I guess this is The Rolling Stones return to form album. In the time that definitely means something. To me listening almost 60 years later, it doesn’t. It’s a good album. But it’s not mind blowing. I’m not sure straight forward blues rock ever can be. Sympathy for the Devil is a masterpiece. The rest is good
7.5/10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Armed Forces is less intense then the other Costello albums I’ve had but probably just as good. It’s more accessible, a little more layered and produced. While sounding poppy he’s singing about fascism. It’s political but also personal. The guys is a genius
8.4/10
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick Cave does Leonard Cohen, and he does it well. The Boatman’s Call is so much more stripped down than I expected. I imagine it was shocking to his fans in 1997. Failing relationships and god.
8.2/10
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
G. Love and Special Sauce is a rare band who play hip hop. They actually play it and they goes along way. The album has an incredible summertime vibe, a smoother, chiller Sublime. Bluesy even funky at times, Baby Got Sauce and Cold Beverage are obvious highlights, but as hip hop does, it runs long
7.7/10
Cheap Trick
2/5
Cheap Trick deserves credit for the influence they had on rock in the 80s and 90s but this live album is unnecessary.
5.5/10
Cee Lo Green
2/5
CeeLo is fucking weird but for the most part it works. As usual this hip-hop is too long. I don’t think we need the overly experimental tracks. His straight southern rap is good. It’s also a bit to clubby at times
5.7/10
Tim Buckley
3/5
Greetings From L.A. May have changed my opinion on Buckley. The previous album I had heard was nothing special at all. On this one there is a swagger I wasn’t aware of, absolutely incredible vocals and energy. Very solid
6.8/10
Hawkwind
2/5
I wasn’t on the drugs needed at 8:30am on my way to work to be able to get into this album. A 1.5 hours long space rock opera live album. C’mon man. Its not bad but I can’t do it
4.2/10
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Born To Run is much bigger than previous Springsteen albums. It’s angry and bitter, which I love. I can’t help think stripped down Springsteen is the best Springsteen though, but there is no denying these songs are great.
8.1/10
Guns N' Roses
3/5
There is something that separates Guns N’ Roses from the other, mostly earlier 80s hair metal. There is an angry and perversion about them. I think overall though Appetite For Destruction is slightly overrated. The hits on here are great but overall it’s just good. Still something to cheesy for me.
7.0/10
Kate Bush
3/5
The Sensual World was much better than expected. The Dreaming, was in my opinion terrible but here you can definitely hear the female Leonard Cohen
6.8/10
M.I.A.
2/5
Very similar comments for Kala as I had for Arular. I respect M.I.A. much more than I enjoy the music.
4.8/10
Paul Simon
2/5
Simon just screams Dad rock and I can’t take it. He’s fine but I can’t get into him. If you just fusion everything together what are you left with?
5.2/10
Slipknot
1/5
I just can’t. I won’t.
2.4/10
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Timeless. Green Onions is probably the most famous song that absolutely no one knows the name or where it even came from. It’s a walking around background music
6.0/10
The White Stripes
4/5
Elephant is the closet the White Stripes come to a masterpiece in my opinion. They are an incredibly unique blend of punk and blues. Loud yet stripped down.
8.8/10
Nirvana
5/5
In Utero is often described as difficult. I don’t see it. While it’s raw, heavy and extremely dark, its masterpiece is in the fact that the melodies are still there, as incredible as ever, even in the hash est songs. Cobain was one of a kind, a truly brilliant songwriter and unquestionably one of great to ever life.
9.4/10
Pulp
3/5
Sometime in the mid 1990s I heard a Pulp song and decided they suck. I don’t know what song that was but I must had been pre- This is Hardcore. This album is not at all what I was expecting. It’s dark, lush and cinematic. Fear and the title track are highlights
7.7/10
Dead Kennedys
3/5
It’s shocking how prescient Fresh Fruit got Rotting Vegetables still is today. Everything is there, anti-war, anti-fascism, wealth inequality, housing etc. Topically very important, musically good enough.
7.1/10
Lucinda Williams
3/5
I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is a beautiful Americana album, not typically my style. Williams is clearly a great songwriter. Highlights are the opening Right on Time and the title track. At times it’s almost too clean and produced
7.1/10
Patti Smith
4/5
Horses absolutely rages. Punk meets Dylan. The anxiety, the franticness is palpable. Gloria, Free Money, Break It Up are absolute bangers. I’m Sleater-Kinney was obsessed with this album.
8.8/10
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie is a tough one, I respect him but I’m not sure I like him, despite all the 4/5 I’ve given him. Aladdin Sane is decent, rock with a lot of jazz piano. I think I like the softer songs most, like Time. I don’t feel the album flows all that well, it’s not as cohesive as his others
6.2/10
Beatles
5/5
A Hard Day’s Night is where The Beatles start become the band that’s still regarded as the greatest of all time. The first album written entirely by Paul and John. Their early stuff is often overlooked, but the chord progression and melodies are something no one had ever heard before. That continues here, and really it never leaves them. Hard’s Day Night is were the depth starts to come in.
8.9/10
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Treasure has a great atmosphere and that’s consistent all the way through. A combination of Dream Pop and Post Punk at times. Those are the highlights for me. Persephone is a masterpiece but the dreamier parts of the album run on
7.6/10
AC/DC
4/5
Back In Black is an absolute classic. Hells Bells, Shoot to Trill, the title track are legendary rock albums that will be played in arena until the end of time. An impressive achievement coming off the heels of the death of their previous lead singer. An unpopular opinion is that I do think there is filler in the middle of album before closing with one of my favourite songs ever, Rock n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, something I’ve been trying to explain to my girlfriend for 5 years.
8.4/10
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
The bands name is extremely ironic but necessary is the one thing this album isn’t. I can’t get in to it, it’s psychedelic just for the sake of it.
4.1/10
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
Sometimes 80s music sounds just too 80s. That’s the case often on Talk Talk Talk. The saxophone isn’t really a positive. The album is fine, nothing special. Caught in between of artsy post punk and poppy post punk. Not intense enough, not catchy enough
5.5/10
Elvis Presley
2/5
As I’ve said multiple times, anything pre Beatles may as well be from another planet and I can’t relate to it in any way. I was hopeful the King would be different. He’s not. He’s a cover artist.
4.3/10
The Zutons
4/5
Who Killed the Zutons is energetic indie rock. The album starts of strong with hints of exotic, even soulful rock. The last 3rd drops off a bit but still a great album
8.3/10
Suicide
1/5
Let’s hear it for Frankie everyone! He killed his wife and kids…. That about sums up Suicide by … Suicide.
No thanks.
1.7/10
Madonna
2/5
Like A Prayer is maybe the most iconic pop album of the 1980s. Side A is extremely bright, very 80s considering its 1989. I’d have thought a lot of this had been done before. Side B is more dark and moody, relatively speaking. Not my style at all but respectable
5.5/10
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Blues that’s trying really hard to be new and cool. Sometimes gives Dj Shadow vibes. It’s fine but unnecessary
4.4/10
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Cohen is probably the best ever at telling vivid stories. Avalanche and Famous Blue Raincoat are masterpieces and there are many other great songs. I do feel Songs of Love and Hate to be a bit slow to lesson to for a full album. Still if you heard some random guy cover any of Cohen’s songs at a random bar, you’d think holy fuck this dude is amazing
8.5/10
Neil Young
3/5
Based on the album title you’d think this was a light, airy album, but the name is a misnomer, On The Beach, is dark, angry but slow and quiet. Young is at his best angry and loud in my opinion so the album falls slightly flat.
7.7/10
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Chris is 2000s French electro-pop that wants to sound 80ish. I’m sure someone will like it, but that person is not me.
3.8/10
The Icarus Line
3/5
Penance Soirée is a good album. Post-punk/hardcore. It’s loud and raw. I personally liked the middle of the best with Spike Island, Getting Brighter at Night and Big Sleep being the highlights but over all the album is a bit too long at 54 mins.
It should be noted that The Icarus Line is just a poor man’s Death From Above and the lack of Canadian music on here is borderline offensive. If DFA was from LA, they’d have multiple albums on here.
7.8/10
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Superfly certainly is very smooth. Very classy soul.
6.2/10