Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John ZornDear lord that was awful. I'm a little shocked I made it through the album. There were only brief moments that were in any way listenable. The rest was an attack on my ears and my soul.
Dear lord that was awful. I'm a little shocked I made it through the album. There were only brief moments that were in any way listenable. The rest was an attack on my ears and my soul.
I'm a Radiohead fan so this album was familiar to me. Favorite tracks are Idioteque and Morning Bell, but I like most of the album. A small part of the album is a little too experimental for me (e.g. the title track). There are parts of the album that remind me of Bjork and parts that remind me of some Beatles (e.g. use of the horns reminds me of A Day in the Life).
I heard this album years ago, but I didn't know it _that_ well. On the whole it feels more like a bunch of songs than an album -- they don't all have a consistent sound. For example, "Punk", while being pretty catchy, sounds nothing like the rest of the album. The songs with Del are probably the best. I also really like Gravity. But I don't think I'll be returning to this album much.
This was the year my family arrived in the US. It took another few years before I was interested in music in general, and specifically in hard rock. I was more into GnR around the time they released the Illusions. Agreed with others that it’s more like 4-5 great songs among filler. They do have a very consistent sound throughout the album. And I don’t know if Mr Brownstone is considered one of the greats but I love that song.
This is the first album on the list that was completely unfamiliar to me. I'm really glad for that - I haven't spent much time learning about music in recent years and I've been missing that. Also, the scant bit of Brazilian music I've heard before I've liked (well known Bossanova type stuff). That said, to me this album was more "a sound" than "songs", in part because I don't speak Portuguese.
This album was mostly unfamiliar to me. The only song I recognized was "I see All Good People". The sound reminds me of Rush, and in some places of Phish. I listened to the album through twice. The sounds is OK, but I didn't find myself getting particularly hooked.
This album is such a joy. Every single track is catchy and awesome. I was already pretty familiar with the album. I could listen to it over and over.
Her voice is truly iconic. I recognized that, even though I didn't recognize any of the songs.
I only listened to a portion of the album. The version on Spotify is like 5 hours long (!!). I gather that for it's time this was a genre-defining album (drum n bass), which is something I respect but it's not a genre I spent a lot of time with. I got some hints that are related to other music I'm a little more familiar with, like Morcheeba or Prodigy. There were also some tracks that made me feel like I'm shopping at Banana Republic. On the whole it was fine, but I'm not sure I'll be returning to this one.
I didn’t know anything about Allman Brothers before listening to this album. The closest thing I’m familiar with is Phish (I had a Phish phase), though Phish is more whimsical while Allman Brithers are more bluesy. To me this album makes for good background music - I can listen to it while working with no trouble. It’s kinda like baseball - when I’m at a game, I’m not really paying attention most of the time, it’s just there in the background.
What a great album. I probably listened to it 4 times today. I was already familiar with a few songs like Sir Duke, I Wish, Passtime Paradise, Isn't She Lovely, and As. But by the 3rd listen I was really getting into some other ones like Knocks Me Off My Feet and Saturn.
I was only familiar with "Let's Stay Together", which I really like. The rest of the songs have a good sounds, but none of them hooked me after 2-3 listens.
I recognized a couple of songs: Cupid and Twistin' The Night Away. Sam has a good voice, and the quality of the recording is impressive given it was a live show. It must have been fun to be there. But for me this is now just a little too old timey.
I knew a few of the songs, but I didn’t really get into it. Like the last album, he has a lot of energy and it would have been fun to see. But I didn’t really get into the “use the piano like a drum” style. It felt too constant/overpowering, and didn’t have enough style. Also, his singing is not as good live as Cooke’s.
I recognized 1-2 songs from the album. I liked the background music / production, and some of the styles included (e.g. some industrial sounds, some Indian, etc). But I didn't really get into the vocals or the songs in general.
I didn't know anything about this album but it grew on me with every listen. There are aspects that remind me of White Stripes -- a very simple, broken down, raw emotion. The notes say that Lennon was into "primal scream" therapy at the time, and that clearly shows up in a couple of songs. Interesting that it wasn't very popular at the time but has grown in importance over time.
I like The White Stripes but I didn’t really get into this album. It has a good sound but none of the songs hooked me.
I the vocals, and the music is fine. But the backing choir belongs squarely in 1930’s Disney movies and kind of ruins the album for me.
I really like Bjork so I was excited for this one. But at this point I can't give it a high rating, yet. I like the vocals, percussion, and overall sound. But the songs are pretty artsy and take some effort to get into, and I haven't gotten over that hump yet. This differs from some earlier Bjork which was much catchier and easier to get into.
I didn't know anything about her. After a couple of listens, I found myself getting into a few of the songs: O Trem Azul, etc.
I was only familiar with Testify, but I found myself getting into some other tracks too, like The Corner and They Say. After a few listens I had ~5 tracks liked.
Like others in the group said, it’s impressive when an album has so many hits that it seems like a greatest hits collection. The only things I didn’t like were those live tracks at the end - the vocals were flat and strained.
I only made it 1/3 of the way through the album. It was so bad. It's not available on Spotify so I listened on YouTube. Every once in a while I thought "hey, that sounds like a song!", but then I realized it was just YouTube playing a commercial. Until now I wondered if it was a mistake that I held off on giving any 1-star ratings, but now I know it was the right call. This is my first 1-star.
I was only able to give it one half-hearted listen while doing work. The sound is fine and reminds me of other stuff I like (like Wilco) but so far none of the songs really grabbed me.
This is one of those albums I didn’t know I knew. I don’t recall hearing the name “The XX” but listening to the album I kept thinking “oh I know this song too”. Maybe that’s one sign of its impact? It kind of permeated our culture in a subtle way.
I just don't know. It seems like an influential album and various people in our group have strong feelings about it. The overall sound is fine and it does seem to be well ahead of its time for 1988. But after a couple of listens I'm just not hooked by any songs. I guess I'm glad Sonic Youth influenced other bands to make music I actually like?
This album is “easy listening” / background music. It has this jazz/world feel that reminds me of Comfort Food, the band headlines by Pnina’s uncle. After a couple of listens I didn’t really get hooked by any songs.
I think I saw them perform live once, maybe as the opening act for someone else (looks like they toured with Radiohead). The album is extremely "meh". I think it's missing a captivating vocalist. It kind of sounds like a bunch of people around a campfire singing the songs of a band they like, versus the actual band. The general sound/production is OK.
I don't know Fleetwood Mac too well, just some of the well known hits. So this album was unfamiliar to me. On the whole it was "meh". None of the songs grabbed me immediately, and it's not a sound I'm especially drawn to.
I never heard this album and I don't know much about Bruce Springsteen. I really liked the overall melancholy vibe. It felt like perfect coffee shop music, something I could have in the background while working. Other folks noted that the lyrics are super dark, but I don't pay that much attention to the lyrics. I didn't find myself humming the tunes even after 2-3 listens, but still, it's something I'd want to listen to again.
I kind of neglected this album. I only listened to the first half. So, this isn't a fully informed rating. I like Solomon's voice, but the backing vocals sound a little too old timey to me.
I was familiar with the two popular songs: Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight. I'm impressed at how tight they sound in the live track: Grinder. But otherwise I'm not really into it, and don't really feel a desire to listen again.
About 10 seconds into this album my feeling was "I'm going to like this!" Mostly because I liked the guitar and the groove. It reminded me of pixies and similar bands. But the rest of the album was a letdown. I don't like the vocals. The sound was too monotonous.
I knew the first song (Blowing in the Wind) but none of the others. Bob Dylan has a very unique delivery style and it's one that I don't mind. This album makes for very good study (coffee-shop) music, kind of like the Bruce Springsteen album.
I recognized Once in a Lifetime. I didn’t know any of the other songs. I didn’t feel hooked by any of those other songs, but I’m curving the album up because other folks in the group are really into the talking heads so I’d want to give them another try.
I mean, it's just an amazing album. I know that music historians will focus on the concept of the album, or the odd mix of genres, or maybe the sound engineering. But I'm glad that the Beatles did so while _also_ writing another collection of great songs.
Meh. I like the one song I knew (Suspicious Minds) but the rest felt really dated and cheesy.
I only knew the last song (Time of the Season), but I liked the album overall. I'm surprised to learn that it didn't do very well when it came out. Maybe the band name put people off? It's not the sound I expect from "The Zombies". The sound like Beatles / Beach Boys / Monkeys / etc.
I was familiar with "Love the One You're With", but not the rest. The album was fine as background music. Nothing pulled me in particular.
This album was really hard to listen to. I made it through the first album and most of the second, but I had to skip ahead in 2-3 songs when I just couldn't take the excessive drum solos or obnoxious screaming.
I didn't know this album as well as Dookie. After giving it a couple of listens, it's starting to grow on me, but still not as good as the former.
I gave it one listen through (didn't have time for a better dedicated listening session). I knew Ms Jackson and So Fresh, So Clean, and both are awesome songs. I didn't know the rest. I like Andre 3000's voice. The various skits/interludes were "meh". I might get into this more if I give it another listen. I'm also curious to try their other albums, especially Aquemini, since everybody in the group seems high on that one.
I was only familiar with one song: Brass in Pocket. I liked the sounds. Reminds me of some newer acts like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Strokes, etc. But also related to sounds of the time, e.g. The Police. After a couple of listens I started getting into some other songs, like Lovers of Today.
One of my first albums was Beach Boys (Endless Summer), but I didn't know this album, other than Help Me Rhonda. I like the harmonies/vocals, but for the most part the songs are fairly kids-having-fun style which feels hokey.
I knew one song pretty well: "Sign Your Name" which I like (reminds me of Sade). I was somewhat familiar with "Wishing Well" and it's OK. I also liked the harmonies in "As Yet Untitled". But a lot of the rest of the album wasn't my style. It has a solidly 80's sound that I now find a little annoying. And at times the vocals were too much for me.
Interesting that I had to listen to this one on YouTube (Neil Young was protesting against Spotify for some reason). Some say that Neil doesn't have the best voice, and I think I agree with that. But the songs are good enough that it makes up for it. I'd want to hear it some more.
I knew Imagine and Jealous Guy. The rest was unfamiliar. It’s less gritty and more Beatles-like than Plastic Ono Band. I’d want to hear it again.
Solid punk rock. I didn’t know any of the songs, and I didn’t particularly get hooked by any of them either. But I like the album and would want to hear it again.
I like this album! The first track (after you get past the marching band montage) reminds me of Half Day Closing by Portishead. I may be overly influenced by that :-) The album as a whole has parts that sound very 60’s and parts that sound modern even today. I listened to the full album, which included some alternate takes, and some of those sounded better than the originals, more to-the-point, which is not what I expect from alternate.
Decent punk sound but didn’t really hook me. As an aside, someone in our group mentioned that the solo Poly Styrene album is good so I also listened to that; it was a *very* different sound and I didn’t really like it. But this group album is ok.
My friends were all like "The Stone Roses are loved by Brits, and they have one good song (I Want to be Adored), and everything else is meh". I do like that song. I also liked Waterfall. Everything else was indeed meh.
I liked the backing music. It was somewhere between Van Halen and Metallica. I didn't like the vocals too much, it felt too operatic, too much vibrato. My friend Dhanu, who is a huge Iron Maiden fan, says that this is a good intro album to the band.
This album was strange. The songs are very short and most of them fade out, which leaves me with the impression that I'm listening to a preview of the album, instead of the album itself. Some songs had a catch hook but some songs were just obnoxious (e.g. the snoring in the background of Ex-Supermodel.
I wasn’t familiar with any of these songs. Some of them had the same kind of 60’s groove that I recognize from his other songs, and like. But a good portion is techno-monotonous and best suited for the dance floor, less so for background listening.
I liked this more than I expected. It’s far more melodic than I expected. More like Boston than like metal. Some parts were a bit too theatrical (like Meatloaf), but on the whole it’s great.
I was ok with most of the album but it lost me in the last track when it felt like all the musicians were doing their own thing and clashing with each other. It was kind of refreshing to hear music that doesn’t stick to a steady beat/tempo but flows from one groove to another. I also liked that instead of one soloist there were multiple instruments that took turns being prominent.
I think I recognized the version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The rest were unfamiliar, though the general sound was familiar. On the whole, this felt like an old-timey album and I have no real desire to hear it again.
This sounded like background music at a science center documentary. It was a little too abstract to be interesting.
I’m a little surprised to see this album in the mix. Sugar doesn’t seem like a big band for that era. It does have a few good songs: The Act We Act, Hoover Dam, Helpless.
The album as a whole didn’t grab me. I liked the song Michelangelo. The rest were meh but ok as background music.
The only song I really got into is the one song I was familiar with: Sultans of Swing. That’s too bad, because I like the guitar throughout this album. I was surprised to learn that Dire Straits is from the UK. I always assumed they were American. Maybe it’s their blooper video for Walk of Life that just seems American?
One of my favorites. I knew this album really well but gave it a couple more listens and it still holds up, as good as ever. It’s one of the few jazz albums I really got to know and love.
Interesting mix of styles: some folk, some that sound like old Irish songs, etc. Also interesting to hear her take on House of the Rising Sun. And her song Girl of Constant Sorrow. Her singing has a little too much vibrato for my taste.
This album started as a 2 for me - I was put off by the rough vocals. But after 3-4 songs it got better. It reminds me of the vibe from the Train Spotting soundtrack, the sound being like Rolling Stones or Bowie.
Justin will probably kills me for this rating but I just can’t get into this album. I’m more interested in music than lyrics and this album is heavily tilted the other way. The one track I kinda liked is the last one (BIBLE).
I really liked this album so I'll give a rare 4. The best track is "Where Are We Now?" but I found myself getting into many of the tracks. This is cool because I never heard this album and I don't really know much about Bowie, besides the well known songs.
Another great album. I marked 4-5 songs as favorites, starting with Boogie On Reggae Woman (which was the only song I knew) and They Won't Go When I Go (which is so beautiful).
Decent album. I liked a couple of the tracks: Autopsy and Percy's Song. Altogether there still wasn't enough to bump it to a 4 for me.
I've never been a huge Fleetwood Mac fan, but I can't deny that this album has a bunch of great songs. My favorites are "The Chain", "You Make Loving Fun", and "Gold Dust Woman". It's interesting to see the play counts on spotify. The Chain has over a billion views, but the other two are among the "runts" in this album.
Trip Hop is one of the first genres that I _really_ got into, and that included Massive Attack, though back then I was more familiar with Mezzanine. This album was unfamiliar to me, and TBH it was kind of disappointing. I liked one track (Unfinished Sympathy) but everything else was "meh".
It's pretty corny but I can't deny that this album has a lot of great songs.
Great album. I already knew and loved a few tracks: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Save a Prayer. Now I found myself getting into others: Lonely in your Nightmare, The Chauffeur. This is a borderline 5 album.
Sounds this album has been influential and has been sampled a ton, which is cool. But I didn't really get into this album too much. Parts were OK as background music.
This album is a real mix. It has some good melodies, like I Talk To The Wind, or the main part of 21st Century Schizoid Man. But it also has plenty of sections that are just too experimental / artsy / crazy for my taste. The crazy drags down the album to the point where I don't really feel like listening to it again. If someone created a "sane cut" of this album, I would rate it highly.
I already knew and loved this album. But I haven't heard it in a long time and I was curious to see how well it holds up. Really well! I spotify-liked 4 tracks from the album, but I think the entire album has a great sound.
Such an amazing album. I already knew it pretty well but I loved listening to it again and again. I liked 8 tracks, but really I like the whole thing. In our group there was some talk about how this album is more like recent R&B while "Back to Black" sounds older in a good way, and is the better album. Maybe? I don't know. This album is still very easily a 5-star.
Great album.
I gave it a few listens but it never rose above "background music" quality. It's a shame. I tend to like bluegrass-style music, especially the harmonies.
The album was kind of old-timey for me. It sounded like a Disney movie. The one saving grace is that it didn't have an angelic choir like Salomon Burke. And there were bits that sounded refreshingly bluesy/jazzy.
It's definitely unique that Cash was able to set up these performances in prisons. It's neat that the recording includes not just the songs but also the banter. Cash is really good at working up the crowd (pandering?). If he wasn't a musician, he could be a good standup comic. I know several of his songs and I think they're fine. But somehow it still doesn't rise above a 3-star for me. The music is 100% Americana, which I appreciate.
I really like Blank Space and Shake it Off. I kind of like Bad Blood. The rest of the album is ok. Altogether it's like a 3.5 album for me, but I'll round up.
I was familiar with Mt Tambourine Man and (I think) with Subterranean Homesick Blues. Dylan certainly has his own sound, but he's more about lyrics than music. I don't have any strong feelings about electric vs acoustic, which I guess was a major division at the time.
I knew "Our House". I also liked "Rise and Fall" and "Tomorrow's Just Another Day". The rest of the album is fine. So that puts me somewhere between a 3 and a 4.
Kind of a mix. I knew Block Rockin Beats -- good track. I also like Setting Sun. But some of the tracks are really monotonous and hard to listen to (e.g. It Doesn't Matter). Maybe on the dance-floor with a crowd and effects it would be OK, but it's hard to just listen to.
This album is incredibly "meh". I'm very surprised that it's included on this list. It didn't seem to ever get much commercial success, and the album doesn't do anything creative, musically.
I like Tom Petty so I was looking forward to this. But after a couple of listens, the only tracks that hooked me are the well known ones: Breakdown and American Girl. The rest was just meh.
This album sounded "older" than what I expected, more bluesy / folksy / something. But while I liked the overall sound, I didn't find myself getting hooked by specific songs. I slightly got into Tumbling Dice. I was also surprised how much Shake Your Hips sounds like the Z Z Top song La Grange.
This album really grew on me with every listen. Interesting that the songs I liked first are among the ones with the fewest listens (shoot Doris day, presidential suite, sidewalk serfer girl).
This album is gold. Even the screaming songs are melodic. It's impressive that Nirvana was able to put together multiple albums of this caliber.
I knew nothing about PJ Harvey before listening to this album, and I really liked it. In particular I like "Oh My Lover" and "Dress", but the whole album has a good sound.
This is a tough album. I like the background music, especially the strings. But I just can’t get into a full album of talking instead of singing. These tracks seem like they would fit pretty well in a preview to a movie or a montage sequence, but it’s not the kind of thing I want to listen to again.
I'm a sucker for a soulful woman vocalist, especially if the voice is a little raspy and tortured. I also like strings. And the overall sound manages to avoid sounding too old-timey for me. Still, aside from the well known track (Son of a Preacher Man) I only ended up liking a couple of tracks: "Windmills of Your Mind" and "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore".
I didn't get into this. The songs droned and there wasn't much of a hook. The vibes/chimes is a sound I like occasionally but not here.
It's techno, which is not really my thing. Interesting that I slightly prefer some of the non-popular tracks like Blueski. Banstyle is ok too.
I'm not at all into gangsta culture so I'm not into the lyrics. But I can't deny that the grooves and delivery are great, so I'll somewhat reluctantly give it a higher rating.
I'm pretty familiar with other REM albums, but this one not so much. I liked a few of the songs: Pop Song 89, Orange Crush, and Hairshirt. Stand is a good song but overplayed. The rest is meh. This leaves me between a 3 and a 4, but I'll round up.
I like Depeche Mode. Their sound is clearly 80's but somehow isn't dated. That said, I only got into a couple of the tracks here, the better knowns ones: Never Let Me Down Again (which I knew) and Behind The Wheel (which I didn't). So, as a whole it's not as good as their other albums.
I was familiar with Shining Star, but not the rest. It sounds a lot like Bee Gees. It's OK, but doesn't especially hook me.
I like the overall sound and I liked a couple of the tracks: Hey Joe and John Riley. But it doesn’t quite rise above a three for me.
It's a little surprising to find it on the list of top 1001 albums because I don't see anything particularly unique about it. It sounds a little old, like Elvis or whatnot. But it's an OK melancholy sound.
Her voice is amazing and the popular track (Respect) is huge. The rest of the tracks still showcase her voice, but none of them had the same hook.
I love this album. I was familiar with ~half the songs from long ago when I used to listen to the Secret World Live tour album. It's interesting to hear the original version of Don't Give Up, with Kate Bush instead of Paula Cole. The overall sound has some overlap with Paul Simon and (world) and Genesis/80's.
This album is nostalgic for me. It was the peak of my strange headbanger phase in high school. For all the screaming the songs are pretty melodic, reminds me of Metallica or late Ozzy. The rhythms are great too. I never feel this level of aggression so I don't think I'll be going back to this album much, but I still like it.
I like the bossanova sound -- it's great background music. And I've heard some Astrud Gilberto before. That said, after a couple listens, I didn't get hooked by any particular songs.
Not my thing. I kind of like "Cities" but I couldn't get into the rest of the album. I get that it's experimental and it is a unique sound, but it just didn't hook me.
Adele has a wonderful voice. She has always seemed ahead of her age. I was familiar with several songs on this album, but the only one that I really like is "Send My Love". So, despite the many hits, I'll go with a 3-star for this one.
He has a great voice and probably would have been fun to see live. But for me it’s a little too old times.
The song Jennifer was ok, but a lot of the album was just too experimental/annoying/long for me to get into.
It's not my favorite Beatles album, but still, it's the Beatles and they're awesome. My favorites are Things We Said Today and I'll Be Back. A lot of the album is pretty early boy-band like.
What I really like here is Timberland's rhythms/hooks. Justin himself has a good voice. The content is "meh" for me. Still, I like 3 of the tracks: Senorita, Cry Me a River, Rock Your Body. So, that's good for a 4 star.
Sounds like this was a very important album *politically*. I don't know a lot about Nigeria so it doesn't speak to me from that perspective, but it's impressive that it caused such a stir. For me the music is decent.
I like the overall sound. Makes for good background music while I'm working. That said, none of the tracks grabbed me in particular.
It's not quite "Bridge Over Troubled Water", but it's still a pretty solid album. I love their harmonies.
I'm just not really into gangsta rap, and musically this album is less interesting than some others. The exceptions being the well known tracks: In Da Club and PIMP.
The song "Dictionary" is kind of annoying, but the rest of the album is actually pretty interesting, musically. Still, it doesn't quite reach 4-level.
I like Reeling In The Years, and Do It Again is pretty good too. The rest of the album is fine but didn't especially grab me.
I was a little surprised to see two Johnny Cash live-from-a-prison albums on this list. Looks like they were released within about a year of each other too. But interestingly they only share one track, so the content is almost entirely unique. Anyhow, I like Cash but it's not one of my favorites.
The sound reminds me of Lauryn Hill. Looks like this album was released about 4 years after Miseducation.
I like Rush and I'm not as bothered by Geddy Lee's voice, or by their hokey scifi lyrics. That said, the songs on this album don't hook me as much as other albums.
I liked this album. It has the energy of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but is less poppy, more rock. Seems related to PJ Harvey in the feminist beat. I'm guessing if I listened to it a few more times it would bump up to a 4.
Another great Radiohead album. I wasn't as familiar with this one as earlier works, but I quickly liked 6 of the tracks, and would probably like more with additional listens.
I wish I could give 6 stars. This album is so good. With most albums I count the songs I especially like, but with this album that's basically all the songs (maybe I'd skip Violently Happy).
This worked as pleasant/chill background music. I didn't get particularly hooked by any of the tracks.
Solid album. I like the bossanova sound, and this album has enough catchy songs to go above average.
Wonderful album. Every song is great.
I knew this album by heart and I still like it. There's a lot of raw energy combined with great melodies and some interesting rhythms. I love Porch - can't get enough of that.
I gave it a couple of listens. I like the 4 better-known tracks: Good Times Bad Times, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Dazed and Confused, Communication Breakdown. The rest of the tracks have a good bluesy/rocky feel, though at times they get a little long or a little screechy.
This album was tough to get through. A few parts were pretty good, including Book of Saturday and parts of Larks. But there were other tracks that were very terious, like The Talking Drum.
I didn't enjoy any of this, which is interesting because I do like some other bands from this genre/era (like Metallica, Pantera, etc). It's like this band included all the parts I'm not psyched about (the rage) and excluded all the parts I do like (melody, interesting rhythms).
I like the music. It works well as background/study music. Neil Young‘s voice is not my favorite, but it doesn’t bother me that much.
Janis Joplin has a really special voice. It was interesting to learn that Piece of my Heart is a cover -- the original by Erma Franklin was released a year earlier. I didn't get a chance to give this album focused listens, but I found myself playing it in the background more. I could see going to 4 stars with more listens.
I knew the 4 popular songs: Exodus, Jamming, Three Little Birds, One Love. Interesting to learn that there was an assassination attempt on Marley not long before this album, that there was such political upheaval in Jamaica and Marley was caught up in it.
I know almost nothing about Michael Franti. This album reminds me of Public Enemy, both for the political bent and for the rapping sounding like Chuck D. It's not bad but it's not really my thing.
The album has a noisy-guitar sound that reminds me of Catherine Wheel. It has understated melancholy vocals. It's the kind of sound I would have really gotten into years ago. There was only one track that I really got into, the popular one: "Only Tomorrow". Conversely, I really hated "Nothing Is" - that's basically unplayable. The rest of the album is fine.
Good Motown sound. The well known track is "Papa was a Rolling Stone". Interesting that the band was against including that song, but then it became their big hit. It was strange to listen to "Run Charlie Run" with its lyrics "the N's are coming" (and if it's unsettling now, I can't imagine how it sounded in the early 70's).
I knew the popular track: Le Freak. The rest of the album has a similar disco vibe. It's a decent album when you're in the mood for that style.
I’m not into the horrorcore genre, but some of Eminem’s lyrics are pretty funny. His delivery is excellent and the backing music is solid.
Not my thing. The language/topics don't speak to me, and the music was a little too drum-heavy to work as background music.
It's pretty badass to only make two albums in your life and have them both show up in "1001 albums you must hear before you die". And it's completely justified too. I ended up liking 5 songs, but really the entire album is fantastic.
Initially the sound was fun and nostalgic. But after a while it became monotonous - the same beat, same rhythm, same delivery on every song.
I knew the popular tracks: Come Out and Play, and Self Esteem. I found myself getting into some of the other tracks, like Smash, so I'll bump this up a bit.
Seems like an important album for hiphop history. I knew Bring the Noise, and I seemed to recognize a bunch of other clips, likely because other artists sampled Public Enemy (e.g. I think I heard the "Rump Shaker" groove in there). On the whole it's not the kind of album I would go back to.
First listen was a little irritating, but on the second listen it grew on me a little. Pacific State is the best track. Donkey Doctor is decent too.
It’s a decent background music sort of album. I’m a sucker for folksy harmony vocals but it’s not quite a 4.
I really like Bjork but I don't know Sugarcubes that well, and after a couple of listens I'm not really into them. I like her voice but this music is very different from her style. It reminds me more of Talking Heads or (as mentioned in our chat) the Sprokets skit from SNL. I only knew one track on this album: Birthday. That seems to be the popular track and it is pretty good. Some of the other ones are just funny-weird, like Delicious Demon.
Amazing album. This is the first time I'm giving a 5 to an album I previously didn't know at all. I think I might have heard the name "Elliott Smith" before, but I never heard any of the tracks, not even "Between The Bars" (which has 186M plays on Spotify). This is one of my favorite "finds" so far in this 1001 project.
I think if the barbershop-like backing vocals weren't there, this album would sound more timeless. But with those vocals it's squarely old-timey.
Initially I found the album kind of irritating, mostly because of John's voice on the first track and a couple of others. But the music is OK and his voice was very different and much better on other tracks, so ultimately it pulled it up to OK level. This is a kind of world/fusion music that I don't often go for.
Dear lord that was awful. I'm a little shocked I made it through the album. There were only brief moments that were in any way listenable. The rest was an attack on my ears and my soul.
They have good energy. I bet they were fun to see live. The songs themselves are OK.
Another great album from Elliott Smith, who I only recently discovered. This one has more piano and orchestral elements, so it sounds more like some Beatles albums or Ben Folds. For me it has a couple of truly standout tracks (Son of Sam and Everything Means Nothing To Me), but the entire album is very solid. Maybe not quite at the level of Either Or, but still amazing.
I knew the two popular songs (Starlight and Supermassive Black Hole). Those tracks are still good. The album as a whole reminds me of Depeche Mode, and it's more prog rock than I anticipated, but is pretty decent.