Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
119
Albums Rated
3.13
Avg Rating
9
5-Star Albums
11%
Complete
970 albums remaining
Rating Speed
4.6
Per Week
180
Days Active
Reviews
118
Written
99%
Review Rate
vs Global
-0.22
Avg Diff
3.13
Avg Rating
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
7
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Rush Of Blood To The Head | 5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
| Guero | 5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
| The Wildest! | 5 | 3.54 | +1.46 |
| A Love Supreme | 5 | 3.63 | +1.37 |
| Pictures At An Exhibition | 4 | 2.64 | +1.36 |
| Boston | 5 | 3.71 | +1.29 |
| Siamese Dream | 5 | 3.83 | +1.17 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aftermath | 1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
| The Next Day | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| The Slim Shady LP | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| Out of Step | 1 | 2.92 | -1.92 |
| Bone Machine | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| After The Gold Rush | 2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
| Aladdin Sane | 2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
| Rust Never Sleeps | 2 | 3.53 | -1.53 |
| We're Only In It For The Money | 1 | 2.47 | -1.47 |
| Suicide | 1 | 2.46 | -1.46 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Tom Waits | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
5-Star Albums (9)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
George Michael
2/5
A little too dramatic, over-sexed, and not super intriguing album. I do have to say that George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” from later on in his career is an absolutely smashing song. Two stars for this album.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
The Rolling Stones
1/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Casey - test to see where notes show up
Kraftwerk
4/5
Cool to hear some pioneering electronic music. Crazy that was born in the 70’s!
Pearl Jam
3/5
I have explicit songs blocked on Spotify so only listened to about half. There was a period of my life when I really tried to like Pearl Jam. I know Ten is Pearl Jam’s biggest album, and Pearl Jam was one of the biggest groups of the 90’s, but I’m more of a fan of grunge from the same time period like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. Plus I don’t really like Eddie Vedder’s voice. I’ll give this a 3 star.
Garbage
2/5
Cool to see women represented in alt/grunge but this album was not memorable for me. All sounds a little bland and lyrics are pretty self-harming and somewhat idealizing abusive relationships. Kinda like Pearl Jam, I feel like there are early 90’s grunge or alt groups that I personally enjoy a lot more. 2 stars
David Bowie
1/5
This album was so boring! I almost fell asleep listening and Roslyn actually did, haha. I have a lot of respect for someone who’s put out 20 studio albums and I really like a few earlier Bowie songs (Starman, Golden Years, Space Oddity) but this album was unremarkable and forgettable. Like Pearl Jam, I really tried to like David Bowie at one point in my life and it just didn’t work. Neil Young is another one in that category and I’m sure we’ll get one of his albums on the shuffle sometime soon. One star
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Great album! A lot of dense history behind the group and the time they were writing Rumours- very interesting. “The Chain” was probably my favorite song on this album, plus “Silver Spring” on the Deluxe version. I think it was originally made as a B-side which is a shame because it’s a great song. Four stars
Sister Sledge
3/5
I love music groups made of siblings or family members, and there are a lot of them! Gives me hope for the future. This album was a lot of fun- I also love funk and this was pretty funky. It’s been fun seeing different pioneers in their genres so far here.
Three stars
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Never heard of this guy before and haven’t listened to hardly any Brazilian music in my life. I enjoyed this album, I think Portuguese is a really cool language. Liked the tempo and danceability of the music. Also had to look up what was making the wild squeaking sounds; turns out it’s a crazy drum-shaped instrument called a cuica that’s pretty prominent in Brazilian music. I think Beck uses one on a song called “Tropicalia.” Three stars
Tracy Chapman
3/5
I never really got into the contemporary/soft rock scene of the 80’s and 90’s and lamentably didn’t recognize any of the songs here except “Fast Car.” That was definitely a staple on 98.3 The Key haha. Not a huge fan of the style/genre of music at first listen but there is certainly some important social commentary on this album- “Behind the Wall” was jarring, heartbreaking, and realistic.
There’s something special about an artist’s first album- something they write and record often before having any fame, accolades, expectations, etc. (side note: that’s why you’ll hear about lackluster sophomore albums; the second album is really hard for a lot of artists to pull off after a successful debut). This is a great album from a singer-songwriter that went huge right after its release so this is the real deal, straight from her soul. Three stars for straight sound and enjoyment on my first listen, but more like four for content, cultural significance, songwriting value, etc. could I give this 3.5?
The xx
3/5
I had a hard time placing this one on my musical map. Alternative? Easy listening? Electronic? Duet? Slower pace than expected for sure. Kept expecting the bass to drop but it never really did. Might grow on me if I listened more times but not sure if I will. Three stars.
R.E.M.
2/5
I always thought that R.E.M. was kind of boring and this album confirmed that. I just didn’t really have any connection or interest in this album. Two stars
4/5
Had never heard of PJ Harvey and liked this more than I expected. Semi-edgy singer-songwriter with some acoustic and electric blend. Getting a little bit of the grunge sound from the 90s but you can see her moving to other sounds as well. Cool to see some Thom Yorke collaborations, I think he’s a fantastic artist. “This Mess We’re In” was a standout. Loved the monotone monologue from PJ toward the end with Thom dancing all over it with the same lyrics in a terrific minor delivery. A fantastic duet! Listened to it twice in a row.
I think it’s neat when artists play several instruments, write, and produce their own music and it seems like that’s largely what PJ did here. Props!
Also a funny note- I used to have a coworker that looks just like a slightly older version of PJ Harvey on this album cover. Three and a half stars, but I’ll give it four because of that one fantastic song.
Coldplay
5/5
This is such a good album. Scattered with instantly recognizable singles, it was nice listening to it all the way through to catch the non-radio-hit songs. It’s easy to forget or gloss over how good Coldplay is just because they’re so ubiquitous and popular—this group has multiple songs with over 1B streams on Spotify, and these were songs that went through their most popular phase well before Spotify gained traction!
I listened to this album twice. Music I like, sound I love, no skippable songs, and definitely will listen to this album again in its entirety. I think this earns a five star rating.
Tom Waits
2/5
What a weird album! Interesting to read the wiki and Spotify bio on Tom Waits and this album, sounds like he was really influenced by the Beat Poet stuff and just making weird music. This album definitely did that with some strange instruments, nonsensical or just gonzo lyrics, and his strange gravely voice.
I get the purpose and place of crazy, unconventional, or experimental music but it’s just hard to enjoy or listen to sometimes. This wasn’t totally offensive or unlistenable, so I’ll give it two stars.
The Band
4/5
Really enjoyed this album. Made me think a lot of the Grateful Dead, with moments recalling Led Zeppelin, the Doors, Van Halen, and the Beatles. Not sure if The Band influenced The Dead or the other way around, but the early jam-band stuff is great.
It’s fun to pull out musical or stylistic similarities between groups, and the seventies were when some of my very favorite sounds were made. Four stars!
David Bowie
2/5
Not as bad as the other newer Bowie album we listened to, but kind of a chore to finish. A little too raunchy and drug-referencing for my tastes. Love the album cover though, a classic David Bowie look! Two stars.
Miles Davis
4/5
I listen to jazz all of the time so had to keep reminding myself that this was the album of the day up for review and not one of my standard playlists. I have a really hard time deciding if certain jazz recordings or albums are good or not and I seem to like it all (unless it has organ or glockenspiel, haha). It’s almost like I don’t have enough knowledge or understanding to make any opinion and have never really listened critically.
I have a Miles Davis record and know he’s one of the greatest trumpeters (trumpeteers?) of the genre. I did really enjoy this album. It’s cool how important the late 50’s were for jazz and what a big influence a few leaders like Miles Davis had on the progression of jazz.
Four stars, more like 4 1/2, but this didn’t knock my socks off to earn a five. I’m still wearing socks.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Grandma Hare set me on Sinatra in my teens and I’ve been a big fan ever since. I love the standards that he is most famous for, but also great to hear lesser-known songs here. Plus, more Brazilian influence! Enjoyed the Portuguese duets in a few songs. Great stuff all around.
It’s mind-blowing how many albums and recordings Frank Sinatra put out over like 50 yrs. I personally got about 20 Sinatra records from Grandma and Grandpa’s collection and recently culled it, but he’s still my most represented artist by a good margin.
A solid four stars!
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
I’ve listened to Indian music regularly for years but can’t say I’ve explored any Pakistani. I really like some of the eastern song structures, scales, and rhythms. I can tell Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was very earnest and energetic about his performance but a 1.5 hr was a bit of a marathon. Not a huge fan of his vocal style and range, but did enjoy this album. Probably better if interspersed with other vocalists or styles for variety. Three stars
Q-Tip
3/5
Only caught like three songs here but they were ok. Seemed pretty nineties for a 2008 production. Three stars.
Neil Young
2/5
Here are my thoughts starting out:
- Neil Young is a weird guy
- It’s annoying he doesn’t put his music on spotify. Had to listen on YouTube
- His voice is annoying and whiny
The music was good. I have never connected with Neil Young’s stuff despite trying, and that continues to this album (with the exception of “Old Man” from another album which is an excellent song). This one wasn’t as bad as I thought, and I realize I did go into this album with some bias and preconceived notions, haha. I’ll give this a 2.5 star, probably leaning toward two.
Deep Purple
3/5
I’ve been trying to decide for a while how much I like recorded concert music. Seems like Deep Purple did a great job at this concert though because sometimes live recordings sound terrible compared to studio recordings.
I only know Deep Purple from the classic “Smoke On The Water,” and can’t say I feel like I’ve been missing out on anything. All of the classic rock boxes seem to be checked (with a gigantic Sharpie) by Led Zeppelin and others better than Deep Purple and worse than Led Zep. I guess they deserve a place in history for helping develop hard rock, but LZ is just so much better in every way (opinion)
Cool to hear some experimentation with sounds on this album. This whole thing is probably best listened to loud on a large system and I was confined to Bluetooth earbuds, so I’m probably not giving this album a fair shake. I bet better stream quality and sonic reproduction would do wonders to any album we’re trying out here, I just don’t have time and familial cooperation to listen to all of these at home. Three stars.
808 State
3/5
“Welcome to techno city-“ favorite line of the album! Cool early electronic music with nothing too exciting or substantial to be memorable. Not many opinions on this album; I can see it as an important stepping stone for the genre. Three stars.
The Stooges
2/5
What a classic punk voice this guy has! You can tell he’s really into the rebellious, rule-ignoring punk vibe. Definitely a lesson on why not to do drugs haha. Sounds like everyone in the band was a drug-addled dirtbag.
After reading the Wikipedia and band bio I thought I would hate this album but ended up not. I like hearing rock from the early 70s in a genre I’m not too familiar with. Amazing how much variety there is in the 70s. I’ll give this two stars.
Finley Quaye
3/5
I like reggae and this was a relatively unexceptional album. Sounds like Filey Quaye is pretty much just a normal guy doing music which is cool. Not much to say about this album but I’ll give it three stars.
The Cure
4/5
Wow, I really liked this album. British lightweight indie-punk in the same vein as the Smiths that I admit to not listening to enough. I would need to listen many more times to see how long the enjoyment or replay-ability would last, lyrics, enjoyment in different situations, etc. would go, but first listen was very positive. Four stars.
Eagles
4/5
What a classic album! Dad gave me this album on vinyl a few years ago, which is very fitting as I remember Eagles consistently being his favorite band. Their Greatest Hits CD was on heavy rotation in the white ‘98 Ford Expedition for the majority of my childhood. This whole record is just saturated with Dad; I could very clearly hear him singing along on several of these songs.
Something that surprises me about this album is the symphony instrumentals next to crunchy guitar solos, hard rock gems mixed with soft, contemplative pieces. It works!
A moment to talk about “Hotel California,” possibly the best rock song ever written. I’ve probably listened to this song hundreds of times over the years and can sing along to the whole thing, including the minutes-long guitar solo on the second half, haha. Just listen to this song and notice the power of each different component- the hazy, narrative lyrics, inquisitive bassline, walloping drums, and of course the guitar solos- one of the very best. Your focus can move from one component to the other for a highly entertaining listen. Almost gets better with time-this is one song that has not worn itself out at all for me.
I even remember hearing “Hotel California” on the streets of Argentina once, and the portions of the country I was in were utterly insulated from all American music (except a few pop hits).
A great experience; this album is a regular listener for me. Four and a half stars, rounded down to four because even for as good this album is, we have barely touched Led Zeppelin and haven’t even started with the Beatles…
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Fairly bland music. Almost sounds like someone took the Foo Fighters and made them sound a lot less interesting. I can hear some early hints of the golden 2000’s pop-punk of my teenage years. Two stars.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This was a good album. Wanted to like this album more than I did; it doesn’t hold a candle to Dark Side of the Moon in my opinion. Liked the weird samples and sound effects throughout.
I always thought that the old guys that were really in to Pink Floyd were a little strange, haha. Might need to give this a few more listens to let it grow on me.
It is interesting to put the timeline together in the English alternative rock scene- I can see mid/late Beatles references from 10-15 yrs before this, and also can project forward to see influences on Radiohead 10-15 yrs later. Probably 3 1/2, rounded up to 4 stars.
Louis Prima
5/5
I never realized how much I love Louis Prima until I listened to this album. Such fun energy, silly vocals, hilarious duets with Keely Smith, I just love it all. I ended up watching a few Louis/Keely numbers on YouTube and they were hilarious-you need to watch this guy’s dancing and facial expressions, especially contrasted against Keely’s eye rolls.
There are a few gold standard originals on this album: “Jump, Jive, and Wail,” “Banana Split For My Baby,” etc etc. so much fun without being overdone or obnoxious. Whoever in the Wikipedia review called Louis Prima “rumbustious” was spot on.
This one was very enjoyable, no skippable songs, very good throughout musically and vocally, and will enter my regular rotation. I think that’s good enough for five stars.
Van Halen
3/5
Never was a huge fan of Van Halen, and still am not. Not as bad as some classic rock but probably low/middle of the pack in my opinion. I can appreciate the technical skill of the guitar which is cool, and probably liked the instrumentals the best.
I started getting a little tired of Van Halen by the end of the album and was glad it was finally over. I feel like this is a “had to have been there” band - for someone to be a real fan, you had to be living through this in the late 70’s to 80’s. Three stars
Suicide
1/5
This album was pretty bland, then got tremendously grating toward the end. I understand that music is a medium to tell a story, and that everyone has a story to tell, but some of the stories from this album are better left out of published music.
The thought of a band exploiting the topic of suicide and employing amoral shock tactics for commercial gain is abhorrent. I see little to no value in this “music” ; one star.
John Coltrane
5/5
I think John Coltrane is the best saxophonist to ever touch the instrument. His music and style are quickly recognizable and amazingly good. I have this album on vinyl and have listened to it many, many times. Excellent, entertaining, high quality, and I always find myself going back to it. Five stars.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Ok, absolutely loved the sound here. Everything great about 90s/00s alternative (Spoon, Beck, Eels came to mind throughout) but with their own style. Loved the music, not totally keen on some of the subject material. Much was cleverly written, some mildly offensive. But wow, the music! 3.5 stars leanining to 4
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Instant 5 star, leaning toward 6-7 stars haha. Led Zeppelin IV is possibly my favorite album of all time. Other contenders for #1 would be Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, Morning Phase by Beck, and Lonesome Dreams by Lord Huron.
I’ve listened to IV dozens of times, often sitting on the couch doing nothing else but listening. The mystery, mysticism, and sheer rock and roll power are gripping. During evenings of solitude I often listen to this record followed by Puccini’s Turandot. Something about the juxtaposition of classic rock and classic opera on a late night is magical.
LZ has some great history/mythology, and their quality of music far surpasses anything even close to comparable. This truly is the Hammer of the Gods. Jimmy Page as the musical and production mastermind, also clocking in some of the best guitar work ever seen. Robert Plant with an incredible head of hair and even better voice (still putting out very high quality solo and collab work today). John Bonham with groundbreaking drumming approach, and John Paul Jones the least interesting member of the band but still doing good work on bass.
My favorites on this album are ever changing, but Battle of Evermore is a haunting favorite and Four Sticks has some great vocal work. And all of the rest as well, haha. Not a bad song on this record, and definitely best enjoyed when listened to all the way through. I wish the rating scale went higher than five; this one is on a whole other level.
Linkin Park
4/5
This was the lawn mowing soundtrack from about 2006-2007. Something about the lyrics “SHUT UP WHEN IM TALKING TO YOU!!!” must have really resonated with an angsty teenager who really didn’t have anything to be worried or upset about.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and here we are. Still like this album and most recently listened to it last winter during a night drive through a snowstorm. I love Linkin Park’s nu metal/rap metal sound that is a bit more accessible than some bands, but this is not easy listening. The crunchy guitars and Chester’s wail sure gets fatiguing by the end, but there really only is one volume to listen to this: LOUD! Love the 808 drum kicks mixed in and could honestly use some more. Talk about a steamrolling debut album!
Listening to this semi-critically as an adult with the context of Chester Bennington’s life, struggles, and end of life brings a whole new perspective to the album. I’m glad that music can be an expression medium and escape for people like him, and there really is something about angry, angsty music that we can connect to at various points in our lives. Could hear some Alice and Chains influence here and there. I had Linkin Park songs rotating through my head all day, which must mean it’s good. Very solid four stars here.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
A nice indie album, I liked it. A few moments recalled The Shins, Postal Service, and The Smiths. Seems like homemade music made by honest music people. Would need to listen more to get a real feel, also interested in checking out Belle and Sebastian’s newer stuff. Three stars.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
What a random album! So much variety here and I couldn’t decide how serious to take it. Loved in the bio how the Beatles named Harry Nilsson as their favorite American artist at one point.
I recognized and liked a few songs from this album. Liked learning his history and getting to know some more great 70s music. Three stars.
Tom Waits
1/5
This guy’s voice is just horrible. Not a fan at all. Seems like he belongs as a disgusting villain from a bad 80s movie. Some of this music was just too twisted and zany for my tastes. Like his other album we reviewed, this isn’t entirely repulsive, but many songs were. Some songs were half good, but got ruined by utter weirdness, grossness, or Tom Wait’s strangled, half-dead zombie voice. One and a half stars, rounded down.
Ramones
3/5
The original punk sound and look right here! Leather jackets, long hair, ripped jeans, fast songs, weird lyrics, underemphasis of vocal skill; just generally noisy music. This was a fun listen. I can see teenagers in the 70s and early 80s being all over The Ramones. Somewhat surprised by some of the violent lyrical content. Three stars for this album.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
I bought this album on iTunes in 2010 and it was the official soundtrack of that summer. Have revisited many time since then, culminating in a recent highlighted interest in “Geek U.S.A.” Hard to say if there’s a song out there with more guitars or a more head-bang inducing ending. That’s often my get-home-early-and-crank-the-stereo-because-no-one’s-home song of choice.
This is a tremendous album. So much good music from the 90’s and Smashing Pumpkins is always near the top of my list. Billy Corgan is an iconic frontman with a great story. The sound on the album is fantastic, albeit punishing to the ears. Great songs all over the place - Five stars.
Mudhoney
2/5
Interesting album from one of the founders of the Seattle grunge scene. I had to keep forcing myself to finish this one, I don’t think I was in the right mood today haha.
“Fuzz Gun 91” was a standouts track; I enjoyed how it was an instrumental. Not a lot memorable from this album but it wasn’t horrible. Two stars.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Funky, fun, zany, and eccentric. I think Pete Ubu is just a weird band that made weird music that wasn’t terrible. Had never heard of this group or any of their music before but I enjoyed this one! Three stars.
Eminem
1/5
Very mixed feelings about this. On one hand, this music is vulgar, profane, violent, and disgusting, even in the edited version. On the other hand, much of this album was written as fiction and really plumbs some core issues in Eminem’s life, centering around the grinding difficulty living in poverty and its myriad social issues. Everyone gets through their problems however they can, and this is how Marshall Mathers does it with a huge dose of anger and shock value. I cannot agree with or support hardly any of the values or imagery portrayed here.
This album is horrible, but I have some respect for Eminem and his story of hard work and dedication despite so many struggles with poverty, eviction, drugs, family, violence, etc. He’s a skilled artist whose art is ugly and disgusting, and sometimes very great (“Till I Collapse” has occasionally brought me motivation during low times).
Eminem was a big deal when I was in middle school and I always stayed well away. Still not a fan, but must give the man props for authenticity and overcoming so much. I always love a rags-to-riches story and Eminem s a good one, albeit difficult if not impossible to digest.
One star for the album: not entertaining or uplifting or enjoyable at all, and that’s mostly the approach I’ve been using in rating these albums. Absolutely will not listen again and would not recommend to anyone, ever.
Radiohead
4/5
I am really really really really liking Radiohead these days. Just listened to this album a few weeks ago, still need a bunch more listens of all of their albums to get a better feeling of them all. I have a friend who is an obsessive Radiohead fan who said that In Rainbows was his favorite and a good portion of the rabid fan community seems to agree. I believe that Radiohead is the next incarnation of Pink Floyd and much of their creative direction.
I liked In Rainbows a lot; nothing stood out as being smashingly good to me like on a few other Radiohead works. I really don’t think I can give this a better or more critical review without a few more listens. A solid four star that will probably get better with time.
Common
3/5
I had a good friend who was raised in a tough Chicago neighborhood - Common was one of his favorite artists. I appreciate the artistry here and love how much of hip-hop/rap narrate Black history, struggles, and triumphs.
I have a hard time judging if this is good or not because there’s so much in here beyond just the beat and music- lyrics, storytelling, collaborations, etc that I’d need to absorb more. I liked much of this album. Cool to see that this is regarded as some of Common’s best work. Three stars!
Def Leppard
3/5
Never been much of a fan of a lot of 80’s “hard rock,” the late 60’s- 70’s are just so much better. Usually change the station when a Def Leppard song came on, not sure why. This album wasn’t bad and I didn’t feel the compulsive urge to turn it off like in the past. Not sure if it’s bad enough for a 2 star, maybe 3 is better? Very cool that they have a one-armed drummer.
Burning Spear
3/5
Love me some reggae. I liked learning more history on the genre and about Burning Spear as an influential artist. I realize most reggae artists have been hidden from my view behind Bob Marley, so it’s good to have some more exposure. 3.5 stars!
Led Zeppelin
5/5
5 stars, without a single reservation. I listened to this twice on Thursday, once at work in headphones and then pretty loud at home on wax. I’ve already soliloquized on the merit of Led Zeppelin, so I’ll just summarize by saying that they’re the best ever. Ever ever.
The blues numbers on this record are out of this world: “You Shook Me” and “I Can’t Quit You” are so much fun. Jimmy Page’s “Black Mountain Side” is an acoustic delight, and of course the radio staples “Good Times Bad Times” and “Communication Breakdown” are pure rock and roll. GTBT was my favorite Led Zeppelin song for a while. Ending it up with the Robert Plant’s amazing vocals on “How Many More Times,” a song with really cool structure.
This album probably fits in my top 10 or 15 of all time. And this as a debut album!?!? So incredibly good.
Massive Attack
4/5
Ahh, the birth of trip-hop. I love Massive Attack. Have listened to this album several times over the years. I like the British rap, reggae influence, and Horace Andy vocals. Takes a while to get used to that guy’s voice. “Blue Lines” and especially “Five Man Army” are favorites.
I think Mezzanine is Massive Attack’s best album, but it’s a vastly different feel from Blue Lines. Much darker, heavier, and a little more album-oriented. Blue Lines is a comparatively easier listen, but a little short of Mezz’s perfection. 4 stars or even a little higher.
James Brown
3/5
This was a fun album, seems like James Brown was having a really great time and the crowd was loving him. I like when soul/gospel gets funky and I think this was a little too early for that. 3 stars.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I bought a Jimi Hendrix cd in high school and it got heavy rotation in the old truck. Jimi Hendrix is amazing and his guitar prowess and creativity is unmatched. Plus just look at his style. Incredible.
I have mainly stuck with his “greatest hits” and a blues compilation so it was nice to go through a full album. Crazy that he only finished three complete albums before he died at the tender and cursed age of 27- imagine what else he could have achieved!
“If 6 was 9” was my favorite. I’m a big fan of psychedelic music and this is the OG right here. A fun listen! I bet we’ll see Jimi’s other two records on this list. Four stars.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Instantly forgettable and unremarkable. Never heard of this guy before and I think I know why. Zzzzz
Nothing particularly bad about this album, but nothing good either. All songs permanently exited my consciousness immediately after ending. Two stars, not because it was bad, but because… zzzzzzz … oh sorry; I fell asleep in the middle of writing this review.
Adele
4/5
Wow, a powerful, soulful recording. Adele is an amazing artist who puts so much of herself into her recordings. Loved listening to this all the way through- I think 30 is the only one I’ve listened to in its entirety.
Favorite song was definitely “I’ll Be Waiting.” Tons of fun and I love the retro jazz-soul sound. Four stars!
Various Artists
2/5
Kind of bland Christmas music, all similar sounding and rather noisy. Also tarnished by reading more about Phil Spector and his messed up life and life choices.
I think the Ronettes stood out as the best of this album. I absolutely love Christmas music and question the value or importance of this album when compared to many, many others of supreme quality (see Nat King Cole specifically). Two stars.
The Vines
2/5
Had never heard of The Vines before. Sounds like a toned-down Nirvana with some other elements added in. Not very compelling music, almost certainly will not listen again.
If you want Australian rock-and-roll, please consider Wolfmother for all of your needs and interests. I’m pretty sure The Vines’ drummer left that band to join Wolfmother. Two stars.
Kings of Leon
2/5
I alternated between really liking this and really not. Was surprised at how extreme both thoughts were, but I think it weighed more heavily on not liking. Some of the songs were so messy. I do love a family band though, and this is comprised of three brothers and a cousin! Two stars.
Madonna
3/5
Madonna has been making danceable hits for 40 years. “Music” and “Don’t Tell Me” took me straight back to middle school—Probably haven’t heard those songs for 20 years. Loved the club/house tracks on this album but everything else wasn’t too compelling. Three stars.
The Verve
3/5
The first thing I always think when I see this album cover is “Wow, that guy’s shoes are so huge!“
I like the orchestration on the various pieces. Good mixture of instrumentation beyond the normal guitar/bass/drums/vocals. “Bittersweet Symphony” is a 5 star song, the rest were average or forgettable. Overall I’d I’ve this 3 stars.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Not a big fan of Willie Nelson and these songs are much more competently performed by others in my opinion. I had this record at one point and ended up getting rid of it. There’s just nothing special or particularly entertaining about this album, specifically when stacking the standards up against Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or contemporaries like Bublé or Connick,Jr. Two stars.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Im sure I’m missing some of the literary and poetic depth of this songwriting but it seems good. It’s cool that Leonard Cohen was an amateur musician, turned amateur poet/author, turned professional poet/author, turned professional musician. A neat journey. Three stars here.
Little Richard
3/5
Fun music, this guy was wild. Pioneer of rock and roll and conflicted musician/christian. A big influence on the Beatles which is good enough for me! Three stars.
MGMT
3/5
I was surprised to see that this came out in 2007. I don’t remember hearing MGMT until 2012 and then it was all over the place on campus.
Can’t say I’m a loyal fan and nothing here stood out as excellent. Getting a little tired of the hits from this album by this point, but it did bring back some 2012 nostalgia and I had to chase this down with “Somebody That You Used To Know” by Goyte to finish out the session, haha. Three stars, probably more like two and a half.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
I liked this. Nice and funky but a relatively lightweight sound. I enjoyed his voice, very agile and nice in the higher registers.
I’m in a 3 star rut! This is 3 stars like a bunch of the previous ones..
Fela Kuti
3/5
I’ll have to listen to other Fela Kirk works because I love the story of the native singer protesting and opposing his oppressive, militaristic government with music and activating the common people in their oppression. There was a musician in Argentina called Facundo Cabral who did exactly that, almost a parallel story to Fela Kuti but on another continent.
As far of the quality and enjoyment of this Fela Kuti album, I’d give it a meh/10. Certainly he has better music, this was ok for background listening. Yet another 3 star album.
Carole King
3/5
A great album from a successful female singer-songwriter of the 70s. So cool that she wrote most of her own music, including hits by other artists of the time! Likely a real inspiration and template for many successful women in music after her.
The music was nice, relatively bland, but seemed significant. I enjoyed this album. Definitely 3.5 stars, not quite at 4 though in my opinion.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Never heard of this group before and it’s kind of like a less-exciting version of Alt-J. No particular song interested me and the whole album was slow and slightly dull. I don’t know if this is bad enough for 2 stars or good enough for 3. Let’s give it 2 stars.
Wilco
4/5
This album seems to show up on Best-Of lists pretty often, and I see why. I thought it was great and liked the weird endings to almost every song. Enjoyable and fun and I should probably listen to this again. Four stars.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I’ve been a big fan of LCD Soundsystem since high school. Love the disco/alt/dance vibe with silly lyrics- like the electronic version of Weezer and Cake’s nerd rock.
From this album, “Someone Great” has been one of my consistently favorite songs for more than 15 years. Listening to the different instruments and effects layer on each other is exciting, coupled with relatively melancholy breakup/separation lyrics. A line from the song that I think about all of the time is “the coffee isn’t even bitter, I’m sad it’s not raining.” Like you’re trying to be sad and melancholy but the world just isn’t matching your mood. A fantastic rainy day song, even though the song’s protagonist only can wish for precipitation.
“North American Scum” has been another longtime favorite. Overall an incredible album with a lot to enjoy. Very re-listenable stuff of a very high quality. 4.5 stars!
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Maybe some good satire in the 60s but this is just some strange stuff. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so their digs on the Beatles must say something. Cool that John Lennon actually joined them onstage at a concert in the 70s.
A weird, messy album. Yikes, did these people not have anything better to do!? Chipmunk voices, seriously?! 1.5 stars at best. Maybe more like 1. Shocked this made it on the list. 😬
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Herbie Hancock is great. So jazzy, so funky, such a long, successful career. Also have a special place in my heart for phenomenal keyboardists, probably because I understand a bit of piano after 25 yrs.
Love the electric jams on this album- varied, explorative, entertaining. “Watermelon Man” is a classic and I’ve heard many versions. A four-star album!
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Super funky with some eyebrow-raising lyrics. Loved the sound, lyrical content was questionable, and interesting to learn the wild history of this boundary-less group. Three stars.
Boston
5/5
Boston was my high school best friend’s favorite band. I can’t listen to Boston without thinking of Jackson Ostler. I bought a Boston Greatest Hits CD in sophomore or junior year (almost every song from this album was on that CD) and it got heavy rotation in the ‘84 Ford. I bought this album here a few years ago on wax at a used record swap and listen to it often. So there’s some history here, haha.
Great music, incredibly catchy, upbeat, technically excellent, and filled with nostalgia. “More Than A Feeling” is a rare song that usually gives me the chills when listening. “Rock and Roll Band” is the one that’s been stuck in my head since listening on Friday. A few songs toward the end are very forgettable, but that’s ok. And did you know that this album was written, produced, and recorded almost exclusively by one guy, an MIT student at the time? So cool.
4.5 stars. Hard choice if that makes a 5 or dips to a 4 due to the lameness of a few end songs. Let’s give it a 5. Loved it, own it, will re-listen.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Kind of chill, kind of jazzy, kind of out there and “alternative” as well. Favorite song was probably the first one- “Sleep to Dream.” I liked the sound and enjoyed this album, didn’t knock my socks off though. Three stars for this album.
Ray Charles
3/5
Ray Charles is a great musician. I like his music and enjoyed this album- possibly more of a fan of his more blues and jazz works (“Georgia On My Mind” and “Hit The Road, Jack” come immediately to mind) but this is good stuff.
Have you ever played improv on the piano with your eyes closed the whole time? It’s a great experience. Ray Charles was a legend. Three and a half stars.
Culture Club
2/5
I have a love/hate relationship with 80s pop - used to hate it, now (sometimes) love it. Maybe that’s a natural reaction from being one generation removed from the 80s; this is Mom’s music. Listening as a kid I thought it was appalling. I see some musical and nostalgic value in 80s pop now, with there being some real gems (looking at Yes, MJ, Phil Collins, Billy Joel).
That being said, this was an unremarkable album. Seemed to be never-ending with too many songs; lots of them sounding totally the same. A struggle to make it through all of them, in fact I only made it 2/3 the way through and just can’t get myself to listen to another 20 min. Not offensive, but not even entertaining either. Two stars here.
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
This feels like an important album. So much statement, protest, and force of will by Sinead O’Connor her whole life. I loved the melancholy major/minor interplay with a surprising mixture of musical styles. A lovely album! Three and a half rounded up.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Ok, so I just found out that Peter Gabriel started out with Genesis before going solo, the bad that Phil Collins drummed/sang in before also going solo. My 80s music constellation is becoming more connected.
“In Your Eyes” is a fantastic song, very popular. But “Big Time” was my favorite from the album. Had a hard time not busting a move in the office. Songs like this are the best thing to come from the 80s (along with Star Wars). I think this album gets 4 stars.
Alice In Chains
3/5
I went through an Alice In Chains phase in 2019-2020 and still consider them the best of the 90s grunge scene. I prefer the harmonies and heaviness of AIC’s music when compared to Nirvana’s general yelly-ness and omnipresence, but I admit needing to give Nirvana a more earnest chance. Soundgarden is also very good, but just listen to the guitars on this album—does it get any heavier than this!? The vocal style in the major/minor alternation here is fantastic.
Talk about an album that plumbs some bone-deep issues with war, drugs, anxiety, self-esteem, etc. This is a heavy, dark album and serves as the band’s warning to all about the dangers of drug use.
Good music, scary music, have listened to this album a few times. It takes a rare mood for me to be interested in listening to Alice In Chains, especially in full album format, just due to the emotional investment or dedication it takes. Was originally going to give four stars, but probably bringing this to 3.5.
ABBA
3/5
This is 70s Pop at its finest. I always thought of ABBA‘s music as lightweight and kind of annoying, but I have to admit there’s some real catchiness and musical value here. The songs are lightweight and fun for the most part, with dancing Queen, the best of them all by longshot.
Had a lot of fun with this album and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I’ll have to work on getting rid of the stigma. I have around this in so many other genres, because a lot of times music actually really great! 3 1/half stars for this.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Mildly entertaining and quite repetitive. I think I liked it, but not totally sure. I’ve heard of Baaba Maal before so I assume he’s a pillar of African music. Three stars.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Pictures At An Exhibition by Mussorgsky, arranged by Ravel, is one of my favorite classical pieces of all time. I saw it performed live by the Colorado Symphony a few years back and it was mesmerizing. Hearing a prog-rock cover of it hear was surprising and very entertaining! Loved recognizing portions of the original piece along with some wild interpretation and improvisation.
Talk about technical mastery of instruments- these guys are very skilled musicians. What a hidden gem- Four stars.
Meat Loaf
2/5
Weird music, weird guy. I didn’t make it very far through this and have 0 interest in continuing or finishing. My time is too valuable for this.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
A little jazzy and jammy and bluesy, and cool to hear early Eric Clapton. I liked this and think it’s worth 3 stars.
The Waterboys
4/5
Something about Irish/Celtic music reaches a part of my soul - not sure if this is ancestral or just how a lot of people feel about Irish melodies. The best of this album were the more traditionally leaning songs, and the worst in my opinion were the generic poppy ones. I recognized a few 80’s hits here, but the ones I didn’t recognize were the true winners.
Listened to “When Will We Be Married” quite a few times on Friday and it was stuck in my head all weekend. Kind of to the point of it burning out, but my, what a song! The Waterboys found a new fan this weekend; I really enjoyed this album. Four stars.
The Fall
2/5
Well one good thing I’m learning about these punk/new wave albums is they are all very short. This one wasn’t super great and blends in with all the rest. Kind of like a low-quality Ramones copy in my very ignorant, un-punk-educated opinion. Two stars.
John Lennon
4/5
Choosing a favorite Beatle is like choosing a favorite child. Each had such a tremendous personality and contribution to the band and to music in general. John Lennon holds a special place, though, and is an endlessly talented songwriter and musician. What a shame we lost him so young (talking like an old person here; he died more than ten years before I was born haha).
That said, my opinion is that none of the Beatles’ solo work came close to what they produced as a team. “Imagine” is John Lennon at his (solo) best—so much better than the work he did with Yoko which is so hard to digest. There’s some really good stuff here, but something’s missing from it being truly legendary (like every Beatles album!). I’ll probably give this four stars, because even a watered-down John Lennon is better than the very best of 90% of artists out there.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
What a gorgeous album. Lovely music and very thoughtful lyrics; I’ve never appreciated what a wonderful songwriter Joni Mitchell is. Cool to see she’s getting traction and visibility in 2024, well into her elder years.
A fun mixture of James Taylor-esque melancholy, more upbeat excitement, and introspective songwriting that made me think of Bobbie Gentry and other trailblazing women songwriters of the 60s/70s. A shame this isn’t more accessible by being on Spotify, but just a wonderful, memorable album. An easy four stars with potential for more.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Kind of weird and experimental, but not as bad as I was expecting. Maybe because it was mostly instrumental? Frank Zappa is a weird dude. Three stars.
Bob Dylan
3/5
“When Dylan went electric” - we’ve got it right here. Dylan was a super impactful artist and essential for the development of rock in the 60s. I’m not very well versed in the lore or discography, but know that Bob Dylan is highly revered and respected by many people a lot more into music than I am.
He has an iconic sound and voice, but not really for me and begging to be parodied. Check out Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary “Get Back” for some excellent Dylan impressions by John Lennon.
Not a wild fan of this album but it was enjoyable. Let’s give this one three stars.
k.d. lang
3/5
Love this. Lightweight, idiosyncratic melancholy country music from the 80s by an unpredictable, norm-defying artist. This was a pretty chill and enjoyable/mildly humorous album. Always interesting when people choose to use lower case in their names also, a strong statement. Fun stuff! Three stars.
Beastie Boys
3/5
Crude, brash, immature, and sometimes a lot of fun. More of my favorite Beastie Boys songs come from “Licensed to Ill” but there’s some wild stuff here. Loved the example of pioneering crate digging/sample work, and fun to learn that after producing this sample-heavy album, the Dust Brothers took what they learned, spun it in another direction, and produced Beck’s fantastically random “Odelay” album.
I just can’t get over the raucously hedonistic nasal wail of Ad-Rock and how all three practically alternate words in a single sentence. This album is all over the place lyrically and musically, but ends up showing a crazed tapestry of early experimental hip hop and exploration of the sample genre. Misogynistic and sexist lyrics and jokes don’t sit well here or anywhere, and gratefully the Beastie Boys grew up a bit and publicly apologized for their attitudes later on.
Fun but possibly not my favorite from the Beastie Boys, it was good to listen to this all the way through because it shows up on greatest lists all of the time. Three stars here.
ZZ Top
3/5
ZZ Top is a raunchy group of men from Texas making pretty decent blues-based music. I don’t like Elon Musk, I don’t like football, and I don’t really like Texas and most things that it embodies.
Turning a blind eye to the raunchiness and Texasness of ZZ Top, the music is ok, especially when focusing on their blues rock. Few standouts on Tres Hombres other than the overplayed classic “La Grange.” I did enjoy this album more than I thought, good for three stars.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Never heard of this group and the music was meh meh meh. Never will listen again, but not because of intentional avoidance. Cool to see Black representation in the whitewashed indie music scene. Three stars.
3/5
Pretty funky, laid-back, enjoyable music. One of my very first records was War’s greatest hits, got it for free from some older folks giving away some old records. Actually the same place where I re-met Taylor the summer of 2013.
Back to the music though, I recognize a few songs here from that album but most enjoyed the instrumentals. Good music, well done! 3 stars.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Generally not really impressed by Neil Young and I’m not sure why. Maybe because I never listened to him while I was young? Whiny voice? Lack of connection to music and lyrics? Possibly his super whiny voice? This is probably a good album but it didn’t do anything for me. Two and a half stars.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
This was a great jazz album. Cool to hear music from different parts of the world (South Africa here) and their influence on the greater jazz genre. I liked this! Four stars.
Beatles
5/5
The Beatles. The greatest group in the world with much of the best music ever written.
Rubber Soul was my favorite Beatles album until I heard Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety. So many of the greatest Beatles works on Rubber Soul, and you can really see it as a transition point in their songwriting and musical approach from the frenetic pop of their earlier years to more diverse, thought-provoking, psychedelic, and experimental music of their later studio years.
Doesn’t hurt that some of my favorite Beatles songs of all time are here, “Norwegian Wood” being a long-time favorite. Also “Girl,” “Michelle,” “In My Life,” and “Baby You Can Drive My Car.” Just listen to the bassline on that last one critically.
The only thing marring this album is the jealous, violent ex-boyfriend with murderous intent of “Run For Your Life”. I’d rather hear the plan to go after the new boyfriend than the girl- doesn’t sit well at all. It’s like no wonder she left you, dude. “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix is another song in this line of thinking.
Overall a tremendous album. No hesitation rating this 5⭐️
George Michael
2/5
A little too dramatic, over-sexed, and not super intriguing album. I do have to say that George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” from later on in his career is an absolutely smashing song. Two stars for this album.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Super fun, somewhat irreverent music that you’d hear at a weird but cool kid’s house party in the 90s. I love the sound coming from the earlier electronica artists like Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, and Moby.
This album was great- I’ve been a consistent fan of “Rockefeller Skank” since high school. My favorite part of the album was the intro to “Rockefeller Skank” tagged on the end of “Right Here, Right Now”. Hilarious and tasteful. “Praise You” has also been a longtime favorite of mine.
You can tell that Norman has a great time making music and was very busy with big ideas in the 90s. Not sure he’s released much of impact since this album but who cares!? This is great stuff. 4 stars.
Minor Threat
1/5
Loud, noisy, yelly, profane, uninteresting. Didn’t even make it halfway through and this is the shortest album I’ve ever seen. One star.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Great music! I’ve heard a lot about Crosby, Stills & Nash (we can leave Young out) and never really listened. I liked this! Four stars.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Fun, chill album. Love me some reggae and this is 100% classic. No one does it like Bob Marley! Four stars.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
CCR is a fantastic band that I thought was from Mississippi or Louisiana but actually from San Francisco, haha. Great swampy, bluesy rock sounds that I’ve been a great fan of for years. Favorite CCR song is “Born On The Bayou” which most unfortunately is not on this album but is one of those few songs that gives me chills to listen to.
This album is full of good work with nothing lame. I don’t know if it has the undoubtable power of a five star rating, but not much is standing in the way of five stars. Let’s give this a health 4.5!
Beck
5/5
Beck is one of my top 10 artists, possibly top 5. The creativity, variety, and authenticity of Beck is incredible and hard to beat.
And talk about entertaining! This album is full of wild hits, with the first several songs in a row being some of Beck’s all-time bests in my opinion. Lots of fun and variety here. For more zany enjoyment, consider the remix album called “Guerolito” - not quite as good as the originals in most cases but worth anyone’s time.
This is a defining album of my youth and I have spent a lot of time listening to Guero over the years. Five stars.
Talking Heads
3/5
Never really listened to Talking Heads before this and didn’t know what to expect, but this was ok! Listened a week or two ago at this point so I can’t really remember very well, but let’s give this 3 stars.
Elliott Smith
4/5
I liked this. Seems like a lot of good content that I probably missed. Music in the early 2000’s is an interesting space, specifically the small time where the nineties were barely over but pre-9/11. I will listen to this again probably and think it’s worth four stars.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Reminded me of Cream, Beatles, hints of future Pink Floyd. A delirious mixture of enjoyable, strange, and all in the middle.
Some songs got a little excited about newish stereo mixing experimentations and “Interstellar Overdrive” almost had me taking out my headphones. Good experimental stuff though! 3.5 star
Suede
2/5
Meh. Too much David Bowie and I’m not a huge fan. Liked the album less and less as it went on. Made me think of a lot of other artists as well, but not as good as them. Two stars.
Julian Cope
3/5
Moments I liked and moments I didn’t, not very motivated to finish even disc 1. Maybe 2.5 or 3 star.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Beatiful, classic souls music right here. “Chain of Fools” is probably my favorite on this album. Amazing vocals by Aretha, great instrumentation; a very enjoyable listen. Four stars!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Always love hanging out with Bob Marley. Fewer stand out tracks on this album but very much enjoyed. 3.5 stars.
a-ha
3/5
Yay 80s, this was a great listen.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Punkish new wave from the 80s (loving the 80s these days) with a dose of ska. Didn’t emotionally connect to this album but enjoyed it more or less , let’s give it a 3 star.
Donald Fagen
2/5
The boring part of the 80s. :( Generic, too wordy, relatively boring. I read some of the Global Reviews on this one and have to agree with some- anything that reminds me of department store music in the 90s is not great, haha. Two stars.
Nirvana
4/5
I read a book by Chuck Klosterman called “The Nineties” and in it he argued that the 90s truly began when Nirvana released “Nevermind.” This is truly the sound of a generation and the sound of a decade.
So many radio hits on this album, Lithium probably being my favorite. Other good songs that don't get as much attention. Like most great albums and artists, the history and context of their time and location add so much flavor to the recording. Kurt Cobain was a reluctant icon and embraced the countercultural revolution even amidst his unwelcomed fame. I love his rejection of norms and conventions, be it in his musical approach or when he wore a dress to a red carpet event. A shame he was lost so young.
Loud, angry, at times introspective and sometimes overplayed, this is an excellent album and has so much to offer and much to return to again and again. I go on and off with how much I actually enjoy Nirvana, but their place in history and music is unmistaken. 4-4.5 stars.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A timely follow up to Nevermind- both of these albums released in the most important year of 1991. “The Low End Theory” is great 90s hip hop, very enjoyable! Four stars
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
I’m not going to listen to this entire album out of principle. Very few artists will earn my attention for three discs, and a sub-par, boredom-inducing caterwauler is not going to make the cut. Two stars.