Oct 06 2023
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In Rainbows
Radiohead
Amazing album with an incredible focus on dynamics and experimentation.
5
Oct 09 2023
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Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
An iconic album that had an immense influence on all rap and hip-hop moving forward. It's difficult to give all that credit to a single album, but it's truly impressive just how far-reaching it's impacts have been.
5
Oct 10 2023
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Pretenders
Pretenders
Another album that makes me really wish I could enjoy 80s new wave... but I still can't get there. There are so many tracks that are close, but don't step over the edge. It almost feels like incomplete thoughts, or like when you need to sneeze but then you just can't. I found myself enjoying beats and themes, but then disappointed at how none of them fully develop. Incredible debut album, but it isn't for me.
2
Oct 11 2023
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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
I don't feel like I have the right to say anything about this album, as it's all been said before. I'm not a fan. I feel like if there was a default music for people born after 1950 this would be it.
3
Oct 12 2023
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2112
Rush
Progressive music has come so far. As someone that is truly in love with the genre, I'm still not a big fan of this album. I can take or leave the first half, and the second half resonates well for me.
2
Oct 13 2023
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Green
R.E.M.
I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed this album. It's difficult to appreciate music that inspired so many other artists you enjoy, because it feels like you've heard their sound already. This wasn't the case for this album, since sonically it is so well put-together.
4
Oct 16 2023
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The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
I've never particularly enjoyed a lot of indie music. It was always hard to put my finger on what I didn't like about it. Now I know. This album is exactly what I hate in indie music. I didn't think I would legitmately hate anything on this list, but I just can't stand this album. Somewhere between the whiny vocal style, lazy instrumentation, and sheer boredom I just can't be seen having a good time.
1
Oct 17 2023
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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Okay, let me preface this with the fact that I will always rock out to 'American Girl'. It's a certified banger. But, unfortunately, Tom Petty is one of those vocalists that I can't enjoy. His style has never really jived with me. I'm saying that subjectively because I understand the importance of this album, but I really don't have fun with him as a frontman. He lacks energy and prescence.
1
Oct 18 2023
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Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
This album, while overall a bit underwhelming, still holds up well as a sample of R&B transition into rock and roll. A few classic Jeff Beck tracks are always a pleasure.
4
Oct 19 2023
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Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
An incredible debut album with some excellent soul and funk R&B. I thoroughly enjoyed listening with only one real complaint: Many of the tracks get repetitive to the point of annoyance. It's personal preference but I feel like there was so much room to get creative that was missed.
4
Oct 20 2023
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Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
Now this is a solid jam. I can get down with some bossa-nova style and solid funk. Some tracks and effects were a bit off-putting for my ear, but others had such a strong foundation they were irresitable.
4
Oct 22 2023
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Imagine
John Lennon
This album reminds me of a decent steak with just salt and pepper. Yeah, it tastes good and you can't think of anything 'bad' about it, but it leaves so much to be desired. It sounds bland and doesn't evoke most of the emotions that went into creating the music.
3
Oct 23 2023
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Urban Hymns
The Verve
I think it's really telling that the most popular song from this album, 'Bittersweet Symphony' is based off a repeated 4 bar loop from a 1965 Rolling Stones song. I don't understand the appeal of this kind of alternative brit-pop. The album makes no statements, takes no risk, and is unmistakably bland and boring. I actually had to do some research to find out what makes this album so respected, and I still didn't get a solid answer. I don't understand who the target audience is, who searches for music where you can't tell one four-chord progression pop song from another in the same album? I felt like I could fall asleep halfway through, wake up, and not even realize I'm five more songs into the album.
1
Oct 24 2023
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Graceland
Paul Simon
Wow, the fusion on this album and the quality of the songwriting is absolutely stellar. I was expecting some more temperate folk, but this was an excellent and fulfilling experience. Definitely recommend.
5
Oct 26 2023
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Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
An iconic folk album, and probably my favorite work by Bob Dylan. His vocal style isn't really for me, and the music isn't quite to my taste, but it is undeniable in it's influence, simplicity, and creativity. There's something really intangibly special about this record, even if it isn't my cup of tea.
4
Oct 27 2023
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Space Ritual
Hawkwind
This is what I think I would've been listening to at my age, if it was 1973. Call up the plug, drinking cold beers in my garage listening to this on the hi-fi. I'm not a big fan of long jams and less-structured music, but this had an incredible groove to it. I found myself constantly surprised at the instrumentation and timbre, group chemistry, and how the music held my attention.
The only thing preventing this album from being a 5/5 for me is the long-form jams and lengthy interludes.
4
Oct 28 2023
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Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
I want to be cliche and say "This is what I wish modern country was like" but truthfully, that would be terrible. Though almost every track is one I wouldn't listen to on a daily basis, or add to any playlists, they are all uniquely impactful. A very enjoyable casual listening experience, frought with so much emotion.
4
Oct 29 2023
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Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
Aerosmith was a band that got me deeper into hard rock growing up, and this was one the pivotal albums for me. I feel that a lot of the artist's tone became weaker as I got older, and it almost drowns in a sea of better performed and written music. Some tracks on this one are stellar, while others feel like they wander aimlessly and crudely.
3
Oct 30 2023
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Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
A decent grunge / post-hardcore album from an artist I wasn't particularly familiar with. I felt positively about the first half, but ended up let down as the rest of the album trailed off. Excellent writing and instrumentation throughout gives this one some interesting tones.
4
Oct 31 2023
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Play
Moby
I can only accurately describe this album in Latin: ad nauseum.
I want to find the artistic merit and understand the critical reception of this album, but I just can't. I know it's in there, and I know what this work has done for the EDM scene, but I can't listen to the same two bars of vocals repeated for an entire five minute piece. It grinds at my ears and I just keep craving something interesting, but it never comes.
1
Nov 02 2023
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Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
2
Nov 03 2023
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Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
Soulful, rebellious, and a veritable work of art. The emotional impact of Dolly's vocal range and skill is on full display with this album. Only a few tracks feel uninspired, with all other tracks possessing a rich creativity unique to Dolly's style and songwriting.
4
Nov 04 2023
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With The Beatles
Beatles
Every time I see that I rolled a Beatles' album I let out an audible groan. And every time I tell myself "Give it a fair chance and stay focused." I'm sure you can guess what happens next. I feel that if I was a more contemporary Beatles' fan, this would've been one of my more highly-regarded albums. But since I wasn't, and I'm not, it isn't.
2
Nov 05 2023
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I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
As an avid fan of avant-garde, classical, and any music that takes a chance to be 'out there', this was not a pleasant listening experience. I mean that in the sonic sense, as a tragic and relevant story holds the album together. I found the constant overexaggerated vibrato vocal-style grating, despite the obvious skill and soulful performance.
3
Nov 06 2023
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Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
This one is a freebie. One of the albums I would say off-hand is 5 stars. It sets the standard for innovative, influental, powerful, and creative music. It's impact on the music landscape cannot be understated. This box will never be large enough to say everything I feel about this album, and it would all have been said before.
5
Mar 21 2024
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...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
I came into this hoping the album aged well, especially considering the revival of 90s R&B in pop music lately. However, my low expectations were not low enough. The production on many tracks can only be described as abrasive and downright irritating. Spears' vocal performances shift from 'seriously what are you doing' to excellent, but not enough to carry this album. I can understand why it was so successful at the time, but it doesn't stand up so well now.
2
Mar 22 2024
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Damaged
Black Flag
Visceral and dissonant, exactly what I would want from an essential punk record.
4