As soon as I heard the first few songs, I felt like I was brought to a tiny smoke-filled jazz lounge. I picture someone playing piano and singing, accompanied by a stand up bass, guitar and back up singers. "They don't write music like this anymore" came to my mind. A fusion of Rock & Roll, Jazz, Blues, Folk, and Soul. Every song has its own identity but aren't too far a departure from each other. I know Van Morrison's radio hits. I didn't know a single song on this album but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could see this being on a playlist for background music in a social setting. I truly think the best way to enjoy this type of music is in a live setting. Great album.
Lyrically great. You can definitely understand the message that is being conveyed through the words and feel to each of these songs. The falsetto vocals get a bit too much. And honestly, it hinders my experience with it. As I loved the music and the words... But when they're sung in a way that doesn't land in my ears the right way, it's hard for me to fully appreciate the whole piece. Open to listening to more but probably wouldn't seek any further.
Radiohead always seems to surprise me. And at the same time, I feel like I have to approach them slowly. Initially, I wasn't a fan of them. Now as I slowly inhale them, I can appreciate them. As every album is vastly different, yet the same... I still don't find their material as easily accessible as like artists. Give me time, my opinion changes, as I slowly appreciate what is in front of me, and with a new ear and perception. Radiohead has been the longest I've ever given a band a chance. And I'm glad I'm slowly coming around. Would listen to this again. It's not my favorite but I like it.
I have been told by many that I should listen to the Cure. I am very unfamiliar with their music. Aside from Robert Smith, and the Cure's influence on "goth" culture, I don't know much about this band. I thoroughly enjoyed this album though. It was sort of refreshing, even though this album is from 1980. The synths, guitar, bass, all sound great. The layers and effects used in this album really give this album a voice of its own. I don't particularly enjoy the 80's drumming/drum beats... But that is personal preference. To me, it almost contradicts the tone of each song. Most of these songs have this brooding, or melancholic feel to it. Then the drums come in and I feel like I'm listening to a light Hearted pop song. Not every song has this... But it happens enough to make it worth mentioning. The self titled track is a good example of when they drums actually add to the tone or thematic vibe of the song. Overall, a pretty good record. Not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, nor is there anything that really jumps out and pulls me in... But that doesn't make it a bad album.
I'm torn... This album is kind of all over the place. Not in a bad way... But it ranges from bluesy rock and roll, to old Johnny Cash era Country, to a random Elvis song called Evil Hearted Ada. This album is from 1971 and some songs fit the era, some songs are before its time for sure. It has a timeless vibe to it. The quality of the album is great. Very well recorded, engineered, and produced. Not my typical album from this time, but there are some great parts. Lot of cool guitar riffs and vocals. Great harmonies the reminisce April Wine. For a band I've never heard of, it was a great surprise.
Quite possibly one of the hardest albums I have ever listened to. I'm surprised I overcame my temptation to just stop listening to this album after song 2. I'm familiar with industrial music. Given the year, this band seems to have been one of the first bands to pave the way of industrial music.. But there isn't anything note worthy other than the fact it was new at the time. I can't even call this music. It's just noise albeit interesting noise.. But it's just random percussion and other random noises: chains clinking, drills drilling, metal being grinded, bent and/or waved... Bands like Rammstein and Nine Inch Nails must have taken influence from this band, among others such as Ministry, but added melody and created something tangible and worth listening to. The only positive: pioneer of industrial music. Everything else is negative. I wish I had not wasted an hour listening to this album. How they have ~100k monthly listeners blows my mind...
I can see why this artist has its place in music history. In this album, the Instruments are played well, The vocals and harmonies are great. I can't deny 'the weight' of talent behind this band but even with that... I was just bored. Simply that. This album just blends together: nothing pops out aside from the famous song The Weight. But even so, it's probably because it's been played to death on the radio or at every karaoke bar. Even at 4 minutes and 34 seconds - that song feels as if it goes on forever due to its repetition. I'm not feeling this album and I really have no need to revisit this album.
I am definitely not a big Bob Dylan fan and I often find his vocals to be hard to stand. Unfortunately, for him, his vocal delivery is one of music's biggest parodies and to this day hearing Bob Dylan, I can't help but associate annoyance with his vocal nuances. That being said, this album was a lot better than I thought. I don't think I've ever sat through a whole Dylan album before. I do enjoy some of his music. I strongly feel that if it wasn't Bob Dylan's music that hit the right ears, at the right time, it would have been someone else that would have filled those shoes. Mind you, I can't deny his influence on a lot of artists, and to this day, a lot of people are still influenced and inspired by his work. I will give credit where credit is due. The first half of this album is great. I'd give it a good 4/5. But the latter half brings it down to a 3/5. First half is accompanied by a band, and electric guitar which is refreshing from Bob Dylan's singer/song writer and acoustic traditions. The second half is more of what Bob Dylan is known for and it's kind of drab and boring. This album suffers from what songs not ending. It's like Dylan didn't know how to finish a song. Instead of having an end point, he resort's to fade outs.. And often it comes abruptly. Throws the feel of the song(s) off. For the most part, lyrics in this album are really good, and dialed down/focused. But a lot of the songs suffer from his vocal delivery. Unfortunately, I can't overcome that. And I am ok with this. Will I revisit? Maybe the odd song, but not the whole album.
This is an example of why you should judge an artist off an album and not a song. I was surprised to see an album on this list from 2008. Maybe that's not a shocking thing but considering the vast amount of music from even before the 90s that should or probably is on this list... I was pretty intrigued. The first song... I was immediately bored. "Another artist emulating Joni Mitchell" is what I thought. The as the album went on, it got more synthy. Not just another typical folk album . The vocals are well layered and haunting at most times. Very dreamlike. Very minimal instruments aside from synth and keys. But the vocals are what shine through. As this record went on, I kind of wanted it to be over already. Not a lot of diversity in the songs. It's very pretty. But it's very much of the same. I went from bored, to intrigued, to thinking "wow this is a lot better than I thought it was going to be", to "when will this end?" My first thoughts were to give this a low rating but I had to listen to it a bit more. It's definitely not bad but it's outside my interests. I most likely won't ever listen to this again.
I was unaware that this was Frank Zappa at first. When I heard it, I immediately thought of Syd Barret. I know it wasn't him. But stylistically (for the first few songs) it had a Barret vibe to it. Started out psychedelic, meets barber shop, with a pinch of Doo Wop. My immediate thoughts were "This singer really just wants to be heard." Every second their is unnecessary vocals. There is nl room for the songs to breathe. And no space for other instruments to be heard, or to shine. After finding out it was Zappa, it makes more sense. Now, I don't care for Zappa. I think his music, his mentality are nothing short of pretentious. It's one thing to have hidden meaning or social commentary blended in your music... But this album specifically is the equivalent of a Jackson Polluck painting, where it is so abstract, that the social commentary only makes sense to the creator. I can't even really call this album a complete album of music. The last few songs sounds like a bunch of junkies, tweaking, and having a conversation with each other as well as themselves. Lyrically, this album is 0/5. Musically, a 1/5. For the songs that are "songs" - the lyrics are still stupid and the phrasing not good. When their is no singing, Zappa has to run his mouth with spoken word.. Or just talking. Which, to me, is the worst thing a singer can do. It's never done well. For example, it's relatable to David Lee Roth saying "I got my pencil!!! .. Give me something to write on" in Hot for Teacher. It's annoying and very cringey. The melody sounds out of tune on every song. The last song is again, junkies making zoo animal noises. And if I have to hear the words 'Cream Cheese' repeated over and over again, I'm going to lose my mind. The only good about this album is, I am now certain the band Monster Magnet got their name from one of the songs. That's it. I wish I had the minutes that I gave to this album back. I wish I could rate this negative something out of 5. This is an album I would show people and tell them "do anything but this." I get Zappa is weird. I don't hate weird. I love bands like Primus, Tom Waits, Ween... That type of weird is done right. Zappa weird is just idiotic. I wish this album was satire. Because the only way I got through it was listening through that lense. -1/5
It's funny how your music interests change. If I were to rate this 10 years ago, I would have given it a 4/5... But honestly, now that I listen to music differently, and my idea of what is jaw dropping or genre defining, has drastically evolved, this album just isn't what I remembered it being. We all know there is no parallel when it comes to how incredible, influential, and masterful Jimi Hendrix is on the guitar. Without a doubt, a 5/5 guitarist. His vocals are lacking though. Very inconsistent. Some songs they are very well fitting... Others, not so much. A lot of random noises in this album done with the guitar, which might be the first ever a guitar has been used in this sort of way. But it's just that... Noise. I didn't really care for it. Didn't add a lot to songs. The drumming in most songs on this album is very good. The lyrics don't really stand the test of time. I don't know... I love Jimi Hendrix. Or at least at one point in my life I did. Curious to see how I feel about other albums. Revisit? Maybe.. But doubtful.
Anyone who knows me, knows this album is a 5/5 for me. Lyrically this album hits hard and deals with heavy subject matters of betrayal, loss, love, death, empathy, hatred, resentment, homelessness, depression, healing, the list goes on. It's the quintessential Seattle album. Many artists have written similar to the aforementioned but Eddie Vedder uses his voice in a way that compliments the instruments and brings out the tenacity, the emotion, frustration, and anger of the lyrics that really hits you. This record is emotional and beautiful despite the dark over tones. To this day, Eddie Vedder has penned my favourite lyric ever written. Fom the song Black: "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life. I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why, Why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine?" The delivery of this lyric is heartbreakingly beautiful. There isn't a bad song on this album. And it's an essential 90s rock album that will forever be hailed as one of the best rock album debuts ever. I give Pearl Jam, and specifically this album, the reason why I fell in love with guitar driven rock music. Eddie Vedder's lyrics have always resonated with me. Despite his legacy of having the 'yarl' - which, doesn't bother me, the range and emotion in his vocals make him once of my favourite vocalists. Can't express how much I love this album. Ten/5
One of my favourite Neil Young records. It's an incredible blend of sing/song writer, folk, and rock and roll. There is a lot of legendary musicians on this record: Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, David Crosby, James Taylor, and notably The London Symphony Orchestra to name a few. I truly think Neil Young is one of the best acoustic guitar players to this day. His song writing is one of a kind and I without a doubt many artists have taken notes from Uncle Neil. Neil Young has an extensive career with albums dropping once a year, sometimes 2 albums a year. I understand a lot of people have issue with the sound of his voice, claiming it to be whiny or too nasaly but to me, it has an undeniable emotion to it. When he sings his lyrics you feel it. His lyrics are so well written and his phrasing within his songs are perfect. The song Man Needs a Maid stands out to me. It's this haunting, yet vulnerae tale of a man seeking love. It stars with this timid vocal approach at the beginning, then the chorus kicks in with the LSO and its this epic/cinematic piece. Another song that stands out to me is The Needle and the Damage Done, which is the only in front an audience live recording on the album. It's a masterpiece. It tells a story that every musician and non musician within the hippy era 70s scene can relate to: the sad truth about drug use. It's the shortest song on Harvest but it may be the one song that leaves the biggest impression. Every song on here is 5/5. A perfect Neil Young record. Would definitely listen to again, again, and again... Unfortunately NOT on Spotify as his music is no longer available there.
What a talented artist. My first time ever listening to Rufus Wainwright. I went in completely blind. The first track Agnus Dei is nothing short of an epic track. It sounds like part of a score to a film. It really set the bar high for me on this album. Unfortunately, the songs that came after weren't nearly as close to a high that the opening track gave. This album is very theatrical, tongue in cheek, dark, and whimsical at times. Rufus Wainwright's vocals are incredible. He has such great control. But every note sung on this album was held far too long. Most songs could've been shorter and would have made more of an impact on me. I often felt like these songs were too long, and I was waiting to see when they were over. I can't deny the talent that was put into this album, and I'm sure those who are fans of RW, think this album is incredible. The orchestration was phenomenal and epic. Again, this sounds like a score, rather than an album. It did get nominated for some awards as well. This just wasn't my cup of tea. It's not bad. But I can't see myself returning to this album. Perhaps I can venture off into his other material, but it's not on the forecast anytime soon.
What an incredible album. 211w is my favourite Rush album. The genesis of 2112 may be my favorite success story in music. After their previous album 'Caress of Steel' was unsuccessful in almost every way, Rush's record label at the time considered dropping them. But Rush got one last chance at redemption thanks to their manager at the time. The record label wanted commercial success but Rush decided to stick to their progressive rock style - "if we go down in flames, at least we went down on our own terms" was the mind set. A gamble, if you will. It ultimately paid off. The first side of the record was akin to their tradition progressive rock concepts. One 20 minute song, broken into seven parts, about a futuristic sci-fi dystopia. "2112" tells a story set in the city of Megadon in 2112, where individualism and creativity are outlawed with the population controlled by a cabal of malevolent Priests who reside in the "Temples of Syrinx." A galaxy-wide war resulted in the planets forcefully joining the Solar Federation (symbolized by the "Red Star" on the cover of the album). By 2112, the world is controlled by the priests who take orders from giant banks of computers inside the temple. Music is unknown in this world absent of creativity and individuality, but in "Discovery", a nameless man finds a beaten guitar inside a cave and rediscovers the lost art of music. In "Presentation", the man takes the guitar to the priests at the temple, who say, "Yes, we know, it's nothing new; it's just a waste of time", and then proceed angrily to destroy it and send him away. Next, in "Oracle: The Dream", the man dreams of a new planet, established at the same time as the Solar Federation, where creative people live. He awakens, depressed that music is part of such a civilization and that he can never be part of it, and kills himself, in "Soliloquy", originally titled "Soliloquy of the Soul". Another planetary war begins in "Grand Finale", originally named "Denouement", resulting in the ambiguous spoken ending: "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation: We have assumed control" Side 2 of the record is a more traditional hard rock sounding Rush. As serious as Rush is about their craft, they know to have fun with it. For instance, the song 'A Passage to Bangkok' - it's a story about marijuana and trying to find all the places in the world that grows the best weed. It's a silly concept, but you really wouldn't gather that from hearing that on the surface of the song. I have nothing bad to say about this album. It made me love progressive music. It inspired me to write my own music in a different way. I will always listen to this record. And you should too. "And the meek shall inherit the earth." 2112/5.
A fun listen. Elvis has an impeccable voice that many wish could come close to having. And in this record, it is definitely the highlight of every composition. I do feel that there will never be anyone who can hold a candle to Elvis. In fact, I think people who try to sing like him stylistically get ignored. Unless they are doing an impression. But he clearly cemented his voice in music history. I always wondered what Elvis could have done in different genres aside from Gospel, Country, or Rock and Roll (genres he's known for). I frequent Elvis' music. And I will continue to.
I'm a sucker for these old time outlaw country artists and albums. It's almost a guilty pleasure as they stray far from what I typically listen to. Good story telling. Mary Robbins may be one of the better artist in this genre and style. Loved this album. I've listened to this album many times before reviewing it here. And I will listen to it again It's too bad these types of country artists rarely exist now a days. New country is basically just teangy pop music. No substance. Formulaic. Bullshit.
This was a pleasant surprise. This isn't my typical style of music to throw on but I was very interested in what I was hearing throuout the whole album. When listening to this, it reminded me of Adam Holzman. I consider both, him and Keith Jarrett to be piano virtuosos. To which, I am familiar with the former from being the active keyboard/pianist for Steven Wilson. I loved the live aspect of this record. You can hear subtle voices through out and it added a bit of charm, and humanity to what I was could only describe as inhuman talent tickling those ivory keys. This would be perfect to see live as I can't fully comprehend what I am listening to. If I could see what I hear, I would have even a higher appreciation to what I am hearing. Any type of record similar to this, I would day the same. Great listen.
As much as I am not a fan of new country, some of the old country just doesn't resonate with me. I know these albums are old but I can't help picturing old grandma's snapping their thumbs and bobbing around to these songs. Which isn't a bad thing... It's just not for me. I love the story telling aspect of this album. Some catchy hooks for sure. Too twangy for me. Guitar work is great. I'm still open to hearing more of this genre in this era.
I don't think I have ever listened to an entire Bon Jovi album. And after this album, I don't think I ever will. Arguably Bon Jovi's best album... There are a lot of great songs on here. The first half is great! I can totally see why Bon Jovi was huge in the 80s. Great vocals. Killer guitar solos. But as I said the first half is great. The second half is just utter shit. The singles are the only good songs. The other ones are just boring and uninspiring. It started off a 5/5 and ended with a 2/5 solely on how awful the second half was. If there was one redeeming song in the second half; 3/5. But nope. Not for me. I don't hate Bon Jovi but this album being his best? Nah.
I couldn't help but think that the music to this album belonged in movies. Specifically, I pictured Tarantino as his scores often have this western/outlaw feel to them. At times the strings in the songs made me feel that it could mesh with Roger Moore's 007? That's where my mind went with this album. This album was great. Very little wow factor, and nothing really stood out from the rest of the sings. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it limit my interest a bit in this album. I think I'd listen to this again. Maybe there is more to it after the first listen? We shall see.
I am convinced that there is a certain type of person who can only enjoy Joni Mitchell in her entirety. Aspects are respectable. She sings to her own rhythm, so to speak. Some of the acoustic stuff is interesting. But again, her vocals are just too... Feathery? I don't know the right words to convey what I'm trying to say. Her vocals are similar to that of Anne Murray (or vice versa). I can't tolerate the sound of her voice very long. Her lyrics are poetic but don't necessarily resonate with me. Again, I'm still convinced that Joni Mitchell is for a certain type of person. I don't want to give her music more of my time because I know I won't enjoy it.
This album, and probably every other album by this band is plagued by dead pan, Dan Mangan bland style vocals. The unenthusiastic style makes me bored. The Instruments are fine but the singer needs to sing. Spoken word, mono tone melodies are uninspiring, and the hinder what else is going on. The lead singer of the band Cake has more enthusiasm than this guy. The only positive about this album is that it's not very long. But it still feels like forever. Cheesy lyrics that have a country rock vive to them but also you would probably hear off of the Juno soundtrack. Just a boring record. There is absolutely nothing that jumps out as to why it is on this list. Won't revisit. Don't care about this band. Is it the worst thing in the world? No. Not even close. It's just boring. It's background music to background music... 1 Zzzz out 5 Zzzz's
I've always heard of this band, as their name 'The The' stands out as almost a mockery or tongue in cheek to bands who have The in their name. Which I can appreciate... But The The is probably the worst name for a band starting with 'The.' This record has that post 1970s punk feel to it. Lyrics are quite political at times. I find that in this record, the message is better than it is executed, as stylistically, this is not my thing. I can't deny some cool things on this album, particularly the backing vocals, or the female vocal parts. There is an intensity to hsi voice at times but often I get a George Michael or Nick Jagger vibe from it... And I don't mean tha tin a positive way. The percussion can be a bit abrasive and too loud in parts where vocals are. The synths have that cliche 80s sound. I know this album is from the 80s... But it really makes this album feel really dated. Listening to it 40 years later... It really hasn't stood the test of time. I don't really care for this album. Choices that were made in this album, specifically on the vocal front, are polar opposite of what I like. Wouldn't listen again.
If I was in grade 9, this album would have been up my alley as I was in my grunge phase. Bands like Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees, Melvin, and Nirvana were on rotation for me. But I never dove into the Pixies. Sure we've all heard Where Is My Mind? - and it's a great song! But those who've just heard that song, aren't getting the full Pixies picture. There music is a lot more diverse and thicker than that song. This album was that. Although, this type of music doesn't really do it for me now, 15 year old me was having a good time.
This album... Hmmm. Well, it's an album. It's all over the place. The first song started out great. It reminded me of Gimme Shelter by the 'Stones. Great harmonies. Beautiful guitar leads. Off to a real good start. Then it turned into some acid, euro-dance rock.. It reminded me of Chris Sheppard from that 90s group Love Inc mixed with some Fatboy Slim. And then it had some songs reminiscent of Oasis. Basically, it had a lot of bullshit clouding some decent sounding rock and/or indie songs. This album definitely needs to trim the fat. After hearing the first song, I was looking forward to what followed but then was unfortunately disappointed and kept waiting for the album to be over. The odd OK song would come on but then would go back to the acid rock, dance shit that I didn't care for. You could probably take out the good songs on this album and make an EP out of it, and then have an albums worth of whatever you want to call what it's trying to be: dance rock? Euro-dance? Acid rock? Because there is definitely an identity crisis going on.
I think I can call myself an Elvis fan. At least to his rock and roll style. This album is a fun listen. I've said this before in my last Elvis review, his voice is fantastic and versatile. Often times, he sings not in his low register, that he is more known for, and it doesn't sound like the stereotypical Elvis that one would think of. But it's great! I could be wrong, but I think Elvis became a symbol in music and he almost had to play the part as the King of Rock. But I truly think he is more than just that. I mean, you can hear it in the country, and even gospel music he sang. But he's even beyond that. It's too bad because even as big as he was... I mean, he may have been the first Rock Star, I still think the had more to offer. I thoroughly enjoyed this record. And will most likely hear it again, and other Elvis as my father in law is a big Elvis fan.
Never in my wildest dreams would I seek out an artist like this. The beauty of this website has introduced this album and artist to me. And I quite enjoyed it. Very soulful and funky at times. Music was very groovy. Vocals were reminiscent of a soulful Michael Jackson, which was great! I don't necessarily need this type of music in my life, but I love coming across it time to time.
What a fun listen. Normally, when I listen to music, I start with vocals and lyrics. And I get my first impression on what is being said and how it is being said. On this record.... I don't understand any of the lyrics, as I don't know Portuguese. I had to adjust my listening accordingly. I listened to the vocals as it was another instrument. And by doing so, it added a lot of layers and flavour to the album. Musicly (vocals aside) it's great. Lot of soul and a lot of funk! Rhythm section is tight and I can just picture being in a sweaty bar and every one dancing and enjoying themselves to this type of music. Live music hits so much harder. I can't see myself giving a second listen to this album but I'm happy I got to experience it. It truly made me feel like I was some place else.
I don't dive too deep into hip hop and rap. But I was excited to hear this album. And this album rips! The best song by far is Bring tha Noize with Anthrax. I wish the album was more in this style. Even though this was the only song I was truly familiar with (thanks THPS) it is just well crafted and I could honestly have that song in my daily rotation of music. As for the rest of the album, I appreciate hip hop with record scratches. I don't know why... I wish newer hip hop still had this. I associate the instrument with the genre. Akin to guitar with rock music. Chuck D sounds awesome. When he raps, his voice makes me listen. His flow is great. Flavor Flav... Kind of gimmicky - his look doesn't really help. And I can't get over his awful reality tv show - Flavor of Love. Unfortunately, I have the preconception of him that is hard to shake. But with all do respect, I don't everything that he contributes to the group. I will judge him on his vocals and delivery, which are just ok. Nothing special. At times, annoying and repetitive. I'm sure he can hype up a crowd though. I prefer Chuck D everytime over Flavor Flav 🕒. Probably wouldnt listen to the whole album again.. Didn't hate it. Will listen to Bring tha Noize in the future and I will enjoy every second.
We've all heard the song Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and we all know that it's considered to be an incredible song. That being said, it's definitely not the best song on this album. It's probably the most accessible - hence it being the single and title track. But the album starts off with a banger. The whole album with the exception of maybe the last 2 songs are fantastic. Annie Lennox is the real deal. I know people have been saying this forever but I'm not overly familiar with her discography. I don't really listen to synthy-electronic-pop music. Some artists that I love definitely have that in their musical DNA, but as for that genre as a whole, it's not my preference. That being said, I really think they did it right. It's not in your face. Textures are there but it isn't overwhelming. The musical parts that are lack luster are shadowed by Annie Lennox being incredible. Really enjoyed this album even though it's not my forte. Wouldn't hate to listen to again but probably wouldn't seek out more music by my choice. Still a solid album. 4 Sweet dreams out 5
I'm not the biggest fan of Bowie's voice. But he has great delivery and he is quite versatile with his vocal phrasing and melodies. The music choices are nothing short of top tier. Every note played by the guitar is perfect. Rhythm section is tight. The piano is flawless. I desperately crave more piano in modern music. Despite not fully loving Bowie's voice, his vocals are 5/5. I can see why people love Bowie. He's definitely a visionary, the definition of a true artist. The compositions of each of these songs sound so thought-out but I would bet that Bowie didn't have to over think or spend an unnecessary amount of time on writing this. As I believe he is as creative as creative can be. This effort was probably effortless for him. Endless hooks and refrains that stick in your head. I'm almost certain there is a concept behind this record but I'm giving my opinion on what I'm hearing, without any further knowledge of this album. I will definitely revisit this album. I'm a huge fan of conceptual rock, and if it is part of a concept, I will eat this up and dissect its layers. No second guessing, 5/5
Boring. I'm not sure if this band is joking at times? Or are self aware? But some songs sound good. And the the next song is just God awful. I'm sorry to punk rock lovers... But that whiney punk voice... Is horrible. You know that sound? For example, Johnny Rotten singing "I yaaaam annnnd anti-Currr-ryst!" it's so dead pan and out of tune. I get it. Punk is raw. Punk is 'I don't give a Fuck' but also... Punk sucks! Punk is horribly played instruments with horrible singers. I'm generalizing, of course. I do like some punk bands but it's very few. And there hasn't been a new good pu k band since the 90s. So... Just like rock and roll, it. Is. Dead. Oooor hiding. This album, despite a lot I dislike, there is some good guitar tone and distortion that I quite like. Some decent riffs. But that really is it.
Real fun listen. I totally forgot about this band... And I forgot that they were the band who sang Time Of the Season. Music form the era is just great. A lot of ambition and ideas floating around. This isn't cookie cutter music and besides some aspects of the more popular or accessible songs that can sound like other bands of the era; organ solos, vocal harmonies, some compositional parts, they really give it their own flavour. Of course the influences are there and in no way am I saying their music is 100% original. But they definitely have their own identity, and they are good at their craft. Would listen to again.
My first impressions, when the first song played... I felt like I was in a dingey, yet classy, low lit lounge. Smoke from everyone's cigarettes and cigars filling the air. A spot light shon on the stage, where Ray Price was playing... His backing band in the dim light. The heart beating sound of the stand up bass thumping in my chest... I had a rocks glass filled with cheap bourbon. Betty Boop was serving drinks... I was Eddie Valient from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Life was great. Then the second song hit, and I was taken to a honey tonk. Not a shitty 90s honky tonk where the stage was wrapped in chain link to protect the artists from bottle throws... But an olden day honey tonk, where everyone slow danced, or line danced. But this particular set of songs catored to the slow swaying patron. Love songs, and songs about alcohol. You know? Country stuff. What's different about this is that the music is story telling. And it's done well. There isn't necessarily many hooks that are needed to keep you, well hooked! There is just good story telling with great music.
Was looking forward to this album as a lot of artist that inspire me, we're inspired by the Youth of Sonic. I can totally see why this band was as popular as they were, and at the same time, why they didn't get super popular. A lot of their music isn't very commercial.. It's like they're one of the best underground artists of this genre. But couldn't break through. I know those who like this band, really like them. I think most music lovers know of this band. Sort of like The Pixies. Both iconic bands but not commercially huge. Which is a shame given how talented they are. I was introduced to this band in my teens, and I wonder how many people in their teens in 2023 even know this band? Long story short, decent album. Love the guitar work. Kim Gordon is incredible!
Another band from the 60s. I've said this to other artists similarly, I appreciate psychedelic rock a lot. But I don't like a lot of psychedelic bands. There were aspects of the Doors, some early Pink Floyd - Arnold Layne-esque.. And then some fun songs reminiscent of Ween. There is a song that made me feel I was in a castle surrounded by kings men and royalty... Very odd. Kind of cool but the album has no flow and it's just... An ok album. Even with its quirks, it's not really memorable. I give it 2 Prunes out of 5.
Honestly, the first few songs were hard to get though.. As someone who grew up in the 90s and 00s music scene.. That synth-pop 80's sound is very hard to get into... There is some sprinkling of glam rock in there too. The vocals and lyrics are huge let down in the first few songs... With the exception of some parts. I was interested in finally hearing this band, as I am a fan of Richard Barbieri's work in Porcupine Tree, and his soundscapes in his solo stuff. His keyboard work in this album is the highlight for sure. The vocals... Might be the low point. It wasn't until track 4, where the album redeemed itself and it turned this from a 2 to a low 3 for me. I'm curious to check more of this band and its evolution because there are some cool ideas for sure throughout the album.
Honestly... I did not care for this album. In fact, at times, I found it kind of whiney. This is one of those albums where I hear people praising it. Those who love T. Rex fuckin' love T. Rex. And this album is supposed to be their best? I was left very disappointed. Bang A Gong? Classic! 5 gongs out of 5 gongs. For sure. The rest of the album? Boring. I did like the horns and brass parts on this album. Perhaps that was the best part of this album. I really wanted to like this album. Really really wanted to. But there really wasn't anything memorable, aside from Bang A Gong... But let's be honest. Everyone and their grandma has heard that song. So, I think, just by its radio friendly presence, it's hard not to at least tap a foot to the song. Is it a masterpiece? Nope. But I just happen to like that song. The iconic album cover is great! The iconic album as a whole? Nah.
For '93, this sounds like a very ambitious album. I kind of like shoegazey music but in small doses. After reading up on this band, they were primarily a shoegaze band but for this album they wanted to expand their sound. And I think they achieved what they wanted because there are some really cool elements introduced. The vocalists, I assume it's just one vocalist, his voice often changes, at times it was similar to Billy Joel Armstrong, and at other times it sounded like Chester Bennington's soft vocals. His voice was pretty great throughout the record. His lyrics were... Meh. I can't help but be disappointed when good singers don't have good lyrics. It feels like talent is wasted. On the flip side, I appreciate a bad singer with good lyrics to the other. Artists like Daniel Johnston, for example... Which may be me just being picky.. But I can be. Just like you can too! Music was pretty great. This album sounds good too. I appreciate a well produced record. Apparently a 30 year anniversary of this record is coming this year? I'd like to see a comparison of each. Maybe I'd give that re-release a go. Overall, a good album. Not soemthing I'd pull out and be excited to show someone it.. But a good listen.
What a gem! First impressions: this is Hawksley Workman if he were from Ireland. Stylistically, it's uncanny how similar, yet unique these two artists are. This album is a feel good record and its accompanied by beautiful music. The strings and orchestration are lovely. I'm unsure if they are real, or synth... But regardless, they are placed perfectly. And they really add emotion to the vocals, which are full of emotion and range. Vocals remind me of Danny Elfman in Nightmare Before Christmas. That might sound silly, but it's a positive. The way he uses his voice, that alone, conveys depth and emotion that gives his lyrics a sense of honesty. I think I'd like to revisit this album despite it not being something I would typically throw on.
I'm in disbelief that this album was labeled as one the greatest albums of all time. I feel like I'm Mr. Skinner saying "Am I so out of touch? No! It's the children who are wrong." This album is just not good... To me, of course... Apparently it's well received by a lot of critics... It is a conglomeration of genres that are on the lowest rung on my musical taste ladder. I'm sure as their career evolved, they got better? Maybe? I mean, apparently this album is amazing.. So could they get better than that? Ha! They've been around awhile... I'm sure I heard something by them in HMV but I wouldn't know how to pick them out from any other artist of the same genre. To me it's very generic and nothing screams to me that this song or album is. Massive Attack. I don't know.. I could keep pushing my opinion on this album. But we all know music is subjective... So my opinion only matters to me.. And with that, this album was a massive disappointment. 1/5
Incredible! This album proves time and time again how innovative of an artist Bowie truly was. There are a lot of "I don't give a Fuck" type lyrics in this song. Especially on the song 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore: "Man, she punched me like a dude. Hold your mad hands, I cried. Tis a pity she was a Whore" .... "black struck the kiss, she kept my cock. Smote the mistress, drifting on. Tis a pity she was a Whore" This song has killer saxophone throughout. Musically brilliant. Sure, the lyrics are silly... But almost adds to the song in a weird, charming way. This isn't even my favourite song, but it stands out. Each song has its own unique flavour and memorable moment. I think when artists get this far in their career, (I'm thinking the likes of Leonard Cohen, and Scott Walker) they really can do whatever they want. They don't care about album sales. They just create. It's too bad not every artist can do this. It would definitely dissolve the formulaic top 40 type artists. Black star ais simply a masterpiece. It's 7 songs that take up less than 3/4 of an hour of music. It's not too short. Not too long. Especially as a final album from Bowie, he could have thrown out a bunch of songs, and go out with a bang that way... But I feel he chose to keep his integrity and release the vision of what Blackstar is. I haven't listened to this album since its release... And I'm so happy that this came back to me. My favorite Bowie Album. Would have loved to see more of his work in this vein. 5 Blackstars out of 5 Artwork is simple. It's not confusing. It's simply just 7 shapes within a star. Not sure if it correlates with the amount of tracks. It almost looks like the pieces below the giant Blackstar spell out Bowie. Maybe that's reaching but I can see it.
This album just reaffirmed my distaste for punk rock music. Specifically punk rock from the 70s. There is nothing on this album for me. Sure there are some cool little bass locks here and there... But they seem irrelevant to the whole song. You have a typical Fuck you punk song with boring music and annoying vocals, and then a cool bass fill. Yeah, it's pretty tasty... But why? What is it adding? If anything, to me it screams, this song is only good for 2 seconds, half way through the song. I just don't care for this music. This might sound pretentious, but I'm so happy that I got into good music. Yes, "good" is subjective.. Obviously people love punk, and all to them. But if someone were to show me the Jam and say they're the best artist in the world and its their favourite... I would say "well, they might be your favourite. But you're wrong on how high of a pedestal you put them on." There is just so much better music from this era. I guess I owe punk rock music some credit for putting some angst and aggression into the mainstream. Should I give them credit? Were they the pioneers? I don't know... Maybe? Do I hate punk? Not entirely, but I don't care for it. I'd have given this a lower score if it wasn't for them being slightly more tolerable than their peers of this era. I'm looking at you Sex Pistols.
This is my first Paul Simon record that I have listened to front to back and I was very pleased. Musically this album is great! The choices that he has made, the instruments, the effects, it's all great. I know Paul Simon has a great voice from other songs that I've heard... But damn, his voice is perfect on this record. His phrasing and his melodies come seemless to him. Something I envy. The first song starts off and it's talking about Allergies. And I'm sitting here just groovin' to it. I really appreciate his story telling. I still wish this was more prominent in popular music these days. Even modern country has lost that part of the art. Country used to be all about story telling... Now it's just twangy dance songs... But back to Paul Simon.. I don't have too much to say about this album... Other than it is a great record. It isn't perfect. It isn't something I'd just throw on, but I enjoyed the journey as I listened. Can't wait to hear more of him, as I know he must have more than 1 record on this list.
What I really appreciate about Dire Straits is that Mark Knopfler he plays his leads without a guitar pick. There are some very intricate riffs and solos that he is playing. Between him and Lindsay Buckingham I'm not sure who does it better. Stylistically, they're different. But they both have perfected their craft. This album is groovy... It's got some funk, some blues, some thick grit to his vocals.. It has the classic song Sultans of Swing on it... And to this day, it's one of my favourite classic rock songs. But its arguably not the best song on the album. I was surprised to hear a more western style song on this album, appropriately called Wild West End, to which they did really well. Every lead guitar riff has purpose. The quote unquote guitar wankery isnt in your face, but it is present, yet purposeful. I really appreciate Knopfler's guitar work. It's inspiring. Dire Straits is a band that sounds like no one else. Despite their influences. It's just Dire Straits and you can credit Mark Knopfler's vocals, and his guitar work for this. Great album. Would listen to again.
I'm not sure how to really rate this. Or review it for that matter. Her voice is pleasant. Very pretty. Music is all digital, electronic, drum machines, backing vocals are distorted in most songs. I like electronic music when it's not all in your face and more of a medium to the over all piece. In this album, I'm assuming in the releases too, it's forced down your throat. I don't really care for it to be honest. It sounds like it's made in the dorm of a college girl. That's not necessarily a bad thing... But it is all similar sounding. The album drags on at only an hour WITH bonus tracks that I skipped. As I don't care for extras when reviewing this. Unless the album is a 5/5. Lyrics are clearly targeted towards a younger crowd. I can see highschool girls loving this! And that's awesome! Everyone needs something. But as a 35 year old male with a constant crave for guitar riffs, impeccable production, and a tight and explosive rhythm section... This is just not for me. Moving on.
At first glance, this album looks like shit. The artwork is awful.. But after listening to the record... The artwork makes more sense to me. Not because the album is bad. But because it's a random record. Is this a bad thing? It can be.. But not in this case. This album almost feels like it has an identity crisis going on. As if it doesn't know what it wants to be. It comes off as more of a compilation than a cohesive album. Give the talent this band has, I feel that they just wanted to make a record. Write songs that they want to write. Even if one song sounds Dylan-esque, or a honky tonk country jam, then the next incorporates a choir, slide guitar, or a song that is 12 bar blues. And everything on the outside and in between. A compilation of music inspired by many different artists. And I think they pulled it off. It really shows how well they can adapt to different styles. It shows how true they are to their craft and how talented they are. I don't really enjoy Mick Jagger. In fact I do find him to be annoying and/or cringey. I can't help but think of him and Bowie dancing in the street... They must've been on a lot of drugs to green light those ideas. Often times, when I need a laugh, I will find that video without the music, and just the sound effects and have a laugh. Keith Richards is incredible. Even if you don't like his music... He plays in a very unorthodox way. I've heard he often Tune's his guitar to that of a banjo. Not sure if that's true... But you can tell the tuning is not your typical standard tuning. He has a lot of cool ideas and makes acoustic sound intriguing. Even his rock riffs are iconic. Still not my favorite guitarist, and probably a long way from being it but he deserves the respect. The 2 big songs on here, one of my favourites from them: Gimme Shelter, and You Can't Always Get What You Want are staples but the remaining songs on this record deserve more airplay as they are far more interesting to my ear. Perhaps this is caused by the fatigue of repetition of radio play on the former and not the latter. Sufice to say, this album is great. Any rock and roll/classic rock fan would enjoy it. I still can't believe they are still writing....
A few songs in, and my first thought was: "Mom! Can we get the Tragically Hip?" "No son! We have Tragically Hip at home!" And mom shows me this artist. After surface researching this artist, I see he is before The Hip but it's still funny. Gord Downie must've taken a few recipes from Julian Cope and added his own spice to it because there are some coincidences for sure. Even the music has a bit of a similar sound. Perhaps it was the year. The album was alright. I enjoyed it. Unfortunately there was only the 2 hr delux album on spotify.. So that wasnt what I wanted. I don't want a delux anything until after I have heard the initial vision of an album. Delux versions are cool! And I do love them. But like I said, I want to hear the original intent. Even if they recorded it wrong the first time... And in the delux, they fixed soemthing. Or remixed it. I want what was presented at first. But after 2 hours plus of this album, I probably got the gist of it. Decent album. Lyrics are odd. Not in an intriguing way... In a weird Jim Morrison way. Poetic but kind of far outfield.
The best I ever had!!!!!!!! I never listened to this record front to back before. I've heard a lot of the songs before but God damn... This album rips. To this day it still holds true. I've never been a huge Who fan. Never had a problem with them but I just didn't gravitate towards them. I look at bands who try to rip off old bands, Greta Van Fleet - > Led Zeppelin; The Struts - > Aerosmith or Def Leppard; Airborne - > AC/DC. But they always come up short. They try too hard to be like their inspiration. And that sucks. It's ironically uninspiring. But if bands tried to be more like The Who, not emulate or rip off... But take notes from The Who.. I think success would follow modern day rock bands. I guess GVF is popular... But are widely critiqued and probably lost a lot of interest due to sounding like a cover band. No band has resurrected rock music. As a fan of the genre, that saddens me. But I find inspiration and love in other guitar driven music. What I'm saying is, this album is so well written. The ideas. The riffs. The voice. The lyrics. THE DRUMS! The compositions. The production! This album really has it all. This album is experimental gone right in all the right places. I am going to dive into the Who and check out other records. I hear Tommy is a masterpiece. I can't say anything bad about this album. Notable songs: My Wife - excellent horns. Love the ending refrain. Behind Blue Eyes - great slow jam... That turns out pretty rockin. Good contrast. Good lyrics. Baba O' Riley - quite the Magnus opus Song is over - lyrics are great. Vocals are awesome! Guitar solo is perfect and compliments the song. It's not showy. It is notes played where they need to be. Piano pieces are beautiful.
Fuck. Just seeing this album cover annoys me. "Wouldn't it be so shocking if we dressed in drag for our album cover!?" "holy shit! You're a genius!" Also given the fact that they display lot of homophobia on their stage, this just makes me hate them prior to listening to them. But I will put visuals aside. And judge by my ears. Now... NEW YORK DOLLS! Iconic. I get that. I still stand by how much I hate punk or hard Rock of this nature. I just don't get it. The music in parts is really good! And if I were to go back to their appearance, the two don't coincide. But back to the music.. A lot of cool riffs. Some cliche parts but given that this was the 70s, it probably wasn't a cliche then. Vocald and lyrics! Alright. Fuck. Just God awful. How people find this type of out of tune, over theatric punk vocal style good are deaf. Bands like this, more so in modern times, are hindered by their vocalist. Just trying to be like NYDolls or The Ramones. I hate it. Fuck do I hate it. Lyrics are just bland and uninspiring. Give me the instrumental. But let's see some positives here. Like I said, a lot of cool guitar work. Some horns I hear? Interesting; surprising. The drums sound awful. In a few songs it sounds like he is drumming on some wet fish. Just slappy and wet. I don't know if that's the best way to describe it. But take it. Fuck this band.
I'm not sure how to review this. It's an album that is purely instrumental and made up of synthy soundscapes. There is a bunch of layering going on. It really has this dream like quality... Some songs feel like I'm walking through a haunted house. A lot of cool things going on, that's for sure. Could I listen to a whole record of this? Well, yeah... I did. But would I want to outside of this list? Noooo. No.. Nooo. I appreciate what is going on. A lot of artists that I listen to use elements of what Kraftwerk does. And I'm sure they are an inspiration to them as well... but to me, this record is a portion of what I would like to hear. Even though it is layered and there are many ideas going on, I am left unfulfilled. Something is missing for me, to actually enjoy it.
I love coming back to the Beatles music. This band is just amazing. These songs are timeless. And the lesser known songs are just as good as the more popular songs. Yellow Submarine is just odd, so it stands out... And by that, it's popular. But it probably the weaker of the songs on the record. It amazes me that each Beatle can play multiple instruments. And they're good at them all. A lot of talent went into this record, and every other record. I didn't know that this was the last Beatles record before they retired as live performers. I can't get sick of the Beatles. It's crazy that I know people who dislike this band. I honestly haven't heard a valid point either. To be a contrarian....
A real feel good record. I've never heard of this artist, I've heard of Wilco, but never listened. This record brought me back to the Maritimes, as there is a prominent Newfie sound to this record. I could sit in a pub drinking a pint while listneing to these guys play live. Some catchy hooks, dancy tunes, great musicianhip. This band come off genuine. Great record.
This is the guy from Toy Story's 'You got a friend in me....' Apparently this is the same guy who uses the N-Word frequently in his music. Very surprised by that. Especially given that he is a piano driven artist, and a lot of his songs are geared towards a romantic side. But Mr. Newman sure likes his good ol' fashioned racism. Sure the song in reference, is talking about how rednecks are idiotic and worthless... But you know, you just can't help calling the black folk the n word, can't you now? Piano is great in this album. The orchestration is far too good for this album. And should not be even on it. But oh well. It is there. These songs are definitely geared towards old women. Those who are now in their 70s. Oh, and racists. Newman's voice sounds hilarious and I can't even take his romantic song serious. It sounds like he is deaf... 2/5 for that nice Piano. Should be a 1/5
I'm getting a mix between The Beach Boys, the Guess Who, maybe a bit of Buffalo Springfield. They have some reeally great harmonies, and the guitar work is really good. This album has all the ingredients to a perfect recipe. The only thing is it's not really memorable. Judging by how I haven't really heard anything from them, despite enjoying like bands of this era, leads me to believe that their peers over shadowed them. Which is a shame... But I guess if you're not making memorable tunes, this is inevitable. Again, great album, but after listening to it, I can't tell you much about it. Pretty forgettable, despite enjoying listening the whole way through.
Solid album. This seems to be a fan favourite amongst Black Keys fans. I think it really encompasses their overall sound. Revisiting this album, I notice how it has their sound from past albums and hints at the future (Turn Blue). The album cover is clever. Tongue in cheek. Simple. This ain't my favourite Black Keys. I was late to the party. I remember hearing this album and previous albums when I worked at HMV and always enjoyed it... But it wasn't until the release of El Camino that turned me on to them. That album influenced me greatly. That raw, bluesy, honest guitar tone hits me hard. In fact it had influenced some of my own writing as well. Unexpectedly. There are some snippets and rhythm tracks on this album that I'm surprised haven't been sampled in other genres, namely hip hop. Maybe they have? I wouldn't know off the top of my head though... And I'm not really going to go out seeking. But this album is pretty tight. The first half is fantastic, then the album slows down.. Not in tempo, but in, I don't want to say quality... Because they're well written, but they just don't resonate with me as well. But then the last few tracks pick it up again for me. The album ends on a wonderfully written song called These Days that has a purposeful and beautiful chorus. It's a slower jam, with guitar slides and licks in the right places. Did you know the drummer married Michelle Branch? Now you do.
First impression of the album cover was: is this the Salsa version of Notorious B. I. G.'s Ready To Die? I only know very little, if anything about this genre... And nothing about this artist And that's about it. So this is as blind as listen gets. I had to brief myself on what's this is... Apparently these artists are one of the best selling Salsa artists. One of them is a trombonist. I note the trombonist because I really think his playing adds to this album. And his playing is tasteful and accompanies, but also stands out amongst the rest of the vast amount of instruments that are playing (almost at all times). Not a fan of this genre, and wouldn't seek out any of it. But it sounds fun. Reminds me of when I was in New Orleans. Between Salsa and jazz, every bar had one or the other playing live music. Lots of fun! I prefer the jazz over the former stuff.
It throws you off when you don't hear those high notes that own can only achieve with a voice from the Gibb family. Or very very very tight disco pants. This album is anything but disco. And no diss to disco. The Bee Gees were prominent and perhaps defined that genre. I say that because when I think of disco, I think of Stayin' Alive. And you do too. Admit it. The first song on the track sounds almost medieval. Not in a cliche, evil sense, but a thematic sense. Lyrically, it is poetic akin to something of Gordon Lightfoot. Marley Purt Drive sounds like it could be a song from The Band, and Melody Fair is simply a Beatles type song. Arguably with better melodies and harmonies. There is no doubt that The Bee Gees are incredible. I really hope those don't get sucked into the tight pants and bulging vortex of their disco era and over look their records before that. Very beautiful melodies, simple but purposeful instrumentation. I'm familiar with this type of Bee Gees as my mom listened to them. I prefer this to the disco stuff, but even the disco stuff is great! Fantastic listen. Would listen to them again.
Coming off of Ride the Lightning, Metallica did the unthinkable and wrote an even better record. Master of Puppets is a flawless record. The direction they went in with this album was risk taking and it paid off. It doesn't stray too far from Metallica's sound that preceded this record but the introduction to more melodic structures, acoustic parts, guitar swells, bass solos... This is Metallica writing in their prime. All members are on fire. Yes, even Lars. To me, this was Metallica best album. This was Cliff Burton's last record with the band before his premature death. I can only imagine what Metallica would sound like, what type of records they would have put out if Cliff was still around. No shade to Jason Newstead or Robert Trujillo. They definitely have their place in Metallica History. I mean, Jason co wrote one, if not THE most commercially successful metal album; the self titled Black Album. But after that record, to me, Metallica adopted a more hard rock sound that almost hindered their career. Jason was also on And Justice For All... But you can't hear him. The ego that is Hetfield and Ulrich ruined that album. This is a discussion for another record though.. This album starts with an acoustic intro to Battery that sounds heavy itself. Once Battery kicks in with the whole band.. This song is a punch to the face with technical speed and aggressive riffs. Following that song is the title track, that we all know and love. To most, I'd say it's the favourite. My personal favourites are Damage Inc. And Disposable Hero's. The Instrumental track Orion, shows off their skill and risk taking in writing a song. It's one of the best metal instrumentals to date. There isn't a bad song on this album. The flow is perfect. Slow acoustic build up to fast gut wrenching riffs in Battery... Followed by more fast riffs in Master of Puppets but introducing some melodic guitar solos.. Slowing down with Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and then dialing it up to 11 with agrresiveness of Disposable Hereos and Leper Messiah. Then comes in the instrumental which, I mentioned before showcases how skillfully and crafty this band is. This band ends on a high note with Damage Inc. I can't say anything wrong with this album. Each song has its own identity. And they all fit cohesively and copacetic.
Not really my thing. I appreciate the lyrical content but overall, it come off too spoken word despite him singing. There's a cool jazz quality to the music and even the vocal delivery but I really cant connect with what is being played. Ackles does have a way with writing but that's all I can really positively take from it. The vocals mix are far upfront and the music sits in behind. Clearly not the main focus. Which is fine... But the singing isn't great. And if it wasn't for his words in most times, I would be reaching for the next record. Kind of a tough listen... But I see the creativity behind it. Just not my thing.
One of my favourite musician/artist is Steven Wilson, and Prince is his Idol. Soooo I was excited to finally dive in to Prince. I was happy to see it was this album because Steven Wilson has covered Sign 'O' The Times in his covers series album. I can see where SW gets his influence from. There is a lot of good inrumentation on this record. And a lot of like instruments between the two: synthesizers and drum machines to name a few more prominent ones. I feel like this is a concept record but i didn't dive into the Wiki on this record. There are a few songs with higher pitched vocals by Prince, almost as if he was pretending to be someone else? A protagonist? Or just a different character in the story? As interesting as it is, I think it was poorly done. The vocals came off really annoying. In fact a lot of his vocals are pretty annoying... Almost cringey. I guess maybe at the time it wasn't... But they didn't age well. There are certain points where he almost sounds exactly like Michael Jackson. The lyrics are awful. And honestly this album as a whole was very disappointing. Especially when I was very excited to finally try and get into Prince. I really hope his records are different. Perhaps he is the type of artist who doesn't write the same record twice? Just like Steven Wilson. That being said, I can't deny the influence he has had, not only on SW but on many artists. I only knew about Raspberry Beret and Purple Rain before listening to this record. That and his amazing guitar solo when he and a few other artists covered While My Guitar Gently Weeps... Which may be the best live guitar solo I've ever watched. I want more of that Prince! I don't want whiny, synthetic-poppy-drum-beat, dance Prince. I can't give up on him yet. But this record was a hard listen....
This band is another one of those bands that suffers from a bad vocalist. There are a lot of bands I like with unconventional or great singers... But their voice has a uniqueness to it that turns that negative into a positive. It adds and works for the music. This band has a bad singer and it sounds like every other band like it. A pinch of Dev-O, a pinch of The Cure, a pinch of New Order... All this new wave garbage. (Although, I do like some of the aforementioned) but this singet could not break the threshold for me. The band is pretty good. A lot of cool riffs going on. Somewhere, back there in the mix.. This era of music is my least favorite. I don't know of that's due to production quality? I act like I am well versed in production... But I know when a record sounds good. Or at least good to my ears. I will pass on this band. Nothing stuck out and I was just waiting for it to end.
Let me preface this with 'hip hop or rap is noy my preferred genre of music. I wouldn't day I am a fan of this genre. But I do like many songs that fall somewhere in this world of music' OK. I kind of had high hopes with this record. As I do enjoy a lot of songs from Outkast. From my understanding this is pretty much a double album? One record of Andre 3000 and the other from Big Boi. Pretty cool idea for a duo rap group. The trouble with putting out a double record... Is.... That is a lot of music to release all at once. And I find that when artists do that, they're having trouble with trimming the fat, which leads to a too long of a record with a lot of songs that aren't good. And that is what I think happened here. Some things I really liked: - the production. There is a lot going on and you can tell a lot of creativity was out into crafting the beats, the samples, and the lyrics (for the most part) - the use of mixing and editing to simulate old hip hop record skipping. I'm assuming it was done in post production.. It doesn't sound like natural DJ work but that isn't a bad thing. - the humour throughout. I had to adjust my listening lenses to not write this album off. (this also lands in the dislike area) - the rapping is great and I think that's where this album shines. - the soulful singing really adds dynamic to the overall sound of this record. The dislikes: - the lyrics are whack.. Again, I had to listen to this in a different way in order to not discredit the writing. If I look at it as comedic, it's funny... But if it's written I a serious manner, it's shit. Straight up poo-poo-ooh. - the song with Rosario Dawson, She Lives In My Lap, which I was surprised to see, and equally as intrigued was God awful. Honestly, annoying. Very disappointed in that track. - The skits! I get hip hop has this thing where they think their records need skits. It's to the point of predictable. Are skits necessary? No. God no. But they can be good. But these skits aren't. I would prefer no skits (trim the fat) and have a solid album without the bullshit. Without hesitation, I would simply skip these tracks on a relisted. - the length. Yes, it's a double album, it's going to be long. But somewhere amongst the mass amount of songs is a solid record. - the final song sounds like Chank Smith - Chris D'elia's hip hop character. And the rapping flow is good... But the content is just cheesy. Andre 3000 is credited to be one of the best rappers. And when he is on fire, it's crazy good. But this album lacks a lot of his rapping ability. It leans to more soul and clean vocals with sustained notes. I sort of see why he became a floutist for his new solo record. I didn't hate this record.. But unfortunately zdue to me having my hopes up... I started it with a 5/5 for the first few songs and then I could see each star slowly fade to a low 3. A bit let down. But it's not terrible. Like I said there is a record in there that is great. Just remember... Be a Master of your own 'Bation.
What a great way to start your debut. This album has been heard by everyone from non musicians to musicians, to your dad, to my auntie. And everyone in between and on the outside. This album is full of what makes Led Zeppelin still talked about to this day. Robert Plant has a maybe one of the most unique sounding voices in the world. John Bonham, to this day is recognized as one, if not the best drummer to grace music. Jimmy Page has done so much on a guitar that has inspired generation after generation to pick up the instrument and try to recreate what he has done. John Paul Jones may be the most underrated musician in Led Zeppelin. He's my favorite, and I say this as a guitar player, myself. JPJ Is a multi instrumentalist and further down Led Zep's career you will hear what he is capable of. Is this album perfect? Nope. Far from. But it's definitely an album that should not be slept on or avoided. Babe, I'm Going To Leave You shines so bright despite the dark undertones of the song. The first half is better than the last half in my opinion. If I were to hear this album in '69... I'd be so excited to see what comes next with this band.
Korn review First off, when I was 12, I was a huge Korn fan. It was the perfect successor to grunge music. It had that raw angst that I loved, mixed with metal. I had to listen to this in sessions as I didn't want nostalgia to play a role in my rating/review. If you had purchased the cd, you would be baffled why the songs keep skipping... Does this cd have music on it? Not until track 12 or 13, does the first song play. I think it was supposed to be a continuation of the previous album. This album starts off heavy and continues to follow suit throughout its entirety. It's On introduces the album and it's typical Korn fashion that fans would want. It ends and seemlessly goes into Freak On A Leash. In FOAL - we get to hear that Johnathan Davis classic "Metal Skat" that was introduced in their previous album Life Is Peachy in the first song Twist. Hearing this as a kid, I thought it was cool as hell. It's accompanied with heavy drop tuned riffs that hit you like a brick in the face. Got The Life has to be my favourite written song as it has a sick intro and a memorable guitar riff. There is a part right before the chorus, where the drum fill hits hard and you think it's going to get super heavy, and then out of left field it had this random, almost musicless part with Davis singing "Get your boogy on" - on paper is sounds lame.. But it just makes this song come with an unpredictability. After that part, back into the verse followed by the chorus that we thought we were going to get but instead we got the get the boogy on part. It's just a cool structure that I forgot about as I haven't listened to this song in years.... I'm not going to go track by track with this review, just adding some notes along the way. The song Children of the Corn is shit... But gets saved by Ice Cube's part. Hard hitting gangster raps that dominated the 90s. Rap and Metal = Nu Metal. And it is safe to say that Korn put the genre on the map. Davis does a lot of cool things with his voice. As he uses it as an instrument to add layers to the songs. It gives emotion and depth. Davis often is screaming, at times doing death screams,and almost comes off as this "I will Fuck you up" tough guy... But in the exact same song, he will have vocal parts that sound aggressive and then go into crying and whining... It gets old fast... And listening to it now, it's kind of embarrassing. It worked in the late 90s. And Korn is definitely aimed at angst IDGAF teenagers. Unfortunately, they still try that approach... And they're in their 50s (or close to). The bass guitar is very important to Korns sounds. Tuned low... And slapped hard. Usually, the bass is the structure of the song, while the guitars mimic DJ scratches and sound effects. Along with heavy doomy riffs. Which was new to mainstream music and oddly enough, James Schaffer and Brian Welch were credited as guitar God's in some magazines. Dave Silveria (Sp?) on drums has some tasty fills and parts but otherwise pretty standard drumming that accompanies the band well. The song with Fred Durst might be the worst thing ever written. And if written today, given our woke society, they'd be black listed. Seed is forgettable. And so is B. B. K. The final song almost is a carbon copy of the final song Daddy from their previous album, Life Is Peachy. It's dark. Lyrically (as most of this album is). But it ends as you'd probably imagined, if you're a Korn fan.... Jon Davis crying, once again. I get being vulnerable and true to your music is admirable. But Davis does it in a way where it comes off pathetic... It worked in the last album, let's do it again. I hate thwt. So, if it is a sequel... It sure feels like one. I do remember liking this album a lot when I was younger. It would've been a 5/5. I even thought, while listening to this, it was going to be a 4/5. But as it dragged on... And the second half was incredibly weaker than the first, it lands at a 3/5. I still enjoyed it. It was nostalgic. It pushed boundaries. It pissed people off. It was protested for its lyrical content. But it didn't age well. It was best kept as a memory. I don't need to revisit this aside from maybe one or two of the singles... But even at that, I would be happy to just leave it alone. Oh! I can't forget the cliche 90s trope of ha ING a secret song... But of course if you just listen to it on spotify, it acts as a final song.. The secret song has a cringe worthy conversation between two people. They both sound high as Fuck. Given the now know history of drug use in this band... It was two guys on meth having a conversation between recording songs on this album, I'm sure. followed by a heavy song that is clearly made as a joke. It goes on too long. It's borderline racist and homophobic. It's not serious... But again, it didn't age well.
Another favourite artist from my favourite artist (Steven Wilson). Unlike the Prince Album Sign 'O' The Times - this album was great. It wasn't disco as I always characterize ABBA to be. And it wasn't as light and poppy as other stuff. Still catchy as ABBA is a master at that. I sensed a real focus on lyricism. And I often thought "wow, that was a cool line" while listening to this record. Some dark imagery that I don't associate ABBA with. And I strongly welcomed it. When a band surprises me, it helps me be more engaged and excited to see what is next. Still synth heavy, which I don't strongly care for, but it suit what was being sold to me. I have heard a cover version of 'The Day Before You Came' from Steven Wilson's cover series (he did the same for Sign 'O' The Times) and hearing the original version was just as great. I really felt the sadness that came from the tone of the sign despite the lyrics not really being melancholic. I think this was ABBAs last LP (aside from the recent 2021 record) - I would have loved to see more of their music follow suite to this record. Or better yet, had evovled from this record. I have a feeling this is my favorite ABBA record. Not having heard previous records in their entirety. Just singles. Prove me wrong. But this record was great.
I didn't realize how many songs I knew from Carole King. Albeit they were mostly covered by other artists. But this was a pleasant listen. I don't really have a bad thing to say about this record. Well written songs. It's dancy. It's beautiful. It's pretty timeless to be honest - especially with artists covering her music. There are soft piano ballads and doo-wop moments, lyrics are beautiful and well written. Her voice is great throughout this record and she effortlessly knows how to convey her message. It feels real and true. Great listen.
Call him one of the best front man in rock and roll, I still think David Lee Roth is intolerable. His vocal choices are, to this day, still some of the cringiest and awful choices ever. Just listen to vocal isolations from Runnin' With The Devil. He continues to do this throughout his career and he has some nuances in later songs like Hot For Teacher: "I got my pencil.... Give me soemthing to write on." That being said.... He can hit some high notes that are without a doubt difficult. It's too bad he isn't even a fraction of what he used to be now. This record doesn't get hindered by DLR. If it wasn't for EVH this album would be sub par at best in my eyes. EVH's guitar work is iconic in this record. He single handedly (should I say two handedly?) put two hand tapping into the mainstream. Eruption is one do the best guitar solo songs ever written. The effects he uses on his guitar makes his guitar sound nothing like a guitar... Now a days this isn't as impressive as digital recording and production has given a lot of tools to work with.. But EVH was doing things on a guitar people couldn't even think or dream of. He truly is the saving grace to band and I honestly think Van Halen wouldn't have been given a second look at if it wasn't for Eddie Van Halen's explosive guitar work. For a debut album, this record rips. It isn't perfect. Songs like Ice Cream Man could have been left out and put on a singles 7-inch as a bonus song. It's not awful but it ruins the flow of the record. Atomic Punk is slept on. Perhaps I've heard the other songs far more and I've got ear fatigue... The singles are classics of course. Solid album. Van Halen still isn't my type of band. Eddie Van Halen is a legend. David Lee Roth is awful. That's all I gotta say.
I've never heard any music from this band Am familiar with the name. But this is completely blind for me. The first song's lyrics really makes me think I am going to hate this band: "a monkeys built a house on your back. You can't get anyone to come in the sack." The second song leads me to believe thwt I'm still going to hate this band: "I'm not Jesus... But we have the same initials." Song 3 continues to add to awful lyrics: "I was having a whale of a time until your uncle. Your uncle psychosis arrived" Song 4's lyrics are bad but nothing shines through as God awful. It's not just the lyrics, it's how he sings them. It's brutal. It makes me think of a man in his 40s writing like he is an angsty preteen. Annnnd we are back on to song 5: "you are hardcore. You make me hard" - it's clear this dude is wanting to make hardcore porn with whomever. He comes off as a predator: "I want it bad. I want it now. Oh can't you see I'm ready now? I've seen all the pictures. I studied them forever. I wanna make a movie, so let's star in it together, oh. Don't make a move 'til I say action" - the cover of this album is definitely about this song. It also is the title track. What a shitty song. Wow. There isn't anything good about it. The music is e en generic as Fuck. Sure it has some string instruments that arguably aren't of the norm but it's just boring. Uninspiring. It's honestly akin to a daytime soap opera. I have to add this fucking awful bridge, if you will... Remember the theme is fucking: "Oh, that goes in there. Then that goes in there. Then that goes in there. And then it's over." I'm starting to laugh at how awful this is. Moving on. Next song. Hahaha. Fuck. A song about missing someone and not being able to have sex. And a pathetic plea for someone to stay! This album surprises me. Each song gets worse and worse. How is this album on this list? I can see some people liking aspects of it. Some music is well written and interesting. But it is in no way in a tier of 1001 albums you must listen to. The next song is a song about telling someone not to be like them. Treat your woman right. I have no soul. I'm a piece of shit. He should've added "I can't write good lyrics." Because the next song is entitled 'I'm a Man' - I read the lyrics first. And I actually didn't hate them. Nothing too embarrassing. So... I hit play. And the way he sings this song just wrecks it. I get this weird Bowie meets gothic rock vibe that the singer is going for. And he is doing a horrible job at it. And it come off very whiney and paired with the lyrics, very pathetic. I don't understand why this dude is hypersexual? Why are his lyrics geared to seduction? It's not even remotely performed. If you've ever seen the movie Mandy, with Nicholas Cage. I don't know what the lead singer looks like, but he reminds me of The antagonist cult leader... This next song follow suits with the shit this writer comes up with: "when I close my eyes I can see you lowering yourself to my level. I don't know where you got those clothes. But you can take them off if it makes you feel better" Followed by rapey forceful lyrics: "now here's an exclusive. I've wanted you for years I only needed the balls to admit it. When the unbelievable object meets the unstoppable force. There's nothing you can do about it. Fuck I wish that was the last song. Next song is straight forward. Cookie cutter. At least the lyrics aren't horrible. This should've been the last long of the record as it has a grandiose ending. But wait.. there's more. The final two songs are kind of a departure for the album. They're not overly awful. I feel like if I hadn't listened to shit from the songs prior I would probably score them worse. But by contrast it's better. To me, the lead singer does everything I hate in music. Especially with his writing: lyrics and melodies. The ending to the last song is absolutely pointless. It's just the same synth noise for like 10 minutes. Why? Why keep me here? And then a random "Buh, bye!"? Hahaha. This can't be a serious album. It just can't. How? I feel like I wasted my time with this record. But I promised to not skip anything so I at least tried to have fun with writing a reivew of it. It still wasn't fun. Analyzing the lyrics made me hate this even more. If I could go less than a 1 star, I would. It's a zero. I big fat zero. Fuck. I'm glad it is over. Never in my wildest dreams would I return to this band. I don't care if they wrote the best album ever written. Because of this album, I refuse to look further. If they're on this list again, I will have to get really high or drunk to get through it.
This album is not on Spotify and after reading comments on YouTube, this album is apparently really hard to find. Which is a shame because it's well crafted. This parallels The Beatles. This is my favorite albums off this list of albums I have not heard before. I wish this was so spotify for my convenience. I have added this album to the list of albums that I would like to add to my vinyl collection. I've heard it's difficult to find.. But I'm hopeful because it's a fantastic record. The song Your Dictionary was, to my surprise, really good. I'm a lyrics guy and the lyrics come off a bit cheesy.. But it's the first time I have heard a song with that style of lyrics - it was really well done. I listened to it 4 times before I moved on to the next song.... Which is one of my favourites off the album: Fruit Nut. To me, this sounds like it could have been written by one of my favourite artists, Ween. It's whimsical and almost goofy but done in a serious and purposeful. It's contrasting styles blended beautifully. I wonder if the brothers' Ween took inspiration from XTC? The final song has a slow trumpet build up that accompanies the rest of the instruments really well and it ends with a fantastic solo but the trumpet. Loved every second of that. What a gem. This record makes me want to explore XTC further. I will definitely listen to this again and again.
I love how this album starts off: Layne Staley screaming at me. It is abrupt and it truly sets the tone of the record: Anger, angst, pain, depression, etc. The riffs in this album are thick and punchy. Jerry Cantrell really sets himself apart from his grunge peers on this record. Not only as a guitarist but as a lyricist. A lyric from Down In A Hole that stands out to me is "Down in a hole and I don't know if I can be saved... See my heart I decorate it like a grave. You don't understand who they thought I was supposed to be. Look at me now a man, Who won't let himself be... Down in a hole, feelin' so small Down in a hole, losin' my soul I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied" It's melancholic but beautiful; poetic. And Layne Staley vocals are unique and just so damn good! He's got great control and really adds a lot of emotion to Cantrell's lyrics. I understand Staley's vocals are not for everyone, as any artist, but I find his vocals so interesting, it's almost addicting. The way he sings the chorus in the self titled song Dirt, "One who doesn't care, is one who shouldn't be, I've tried to hide myself from what is wrong for me" is so beautiful and melodic. It elevates it into a top tier song for this album. The song Rooster is the highlight of the album. It's maybe one of the best written 90s rock songs. I've heard this song far too many times to keep track of, and I still love it. Alice In Chains is definitely Jerry Cantrell's baby, and he is the driving force behind it (which is why I think they remain successful as a band after Staley's death). But it's undeniable that Layne Staley was a force, and a crucial component to the success of Alice In Chains. It's too bad he passed away so young... The amount of talent that man had. IF YOUR A FAN OF LAYNE STALEY, CHECK OUT MAD SEASON! A side project - or super group - consisting of other grunge rock musicians (Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees). They have one album and its incredible. Tom Araya from Slayer makes an appearance in a song called Untitled. But it's not that great... It's just 43 seconds of filler. If it wasn't on this album, this album would be perfect. I've got a lot of love and respect for this band. Alice In Chains was one of the bands that got me into guitar driven, heavy music. They influenced and helped shaped my musical DNA as a writer and guitar writer as well. Love this album 5/5 despite the Tom Araya Untitled track. The rest of the album is just so good... It deserves a 5/5. 5 Alices in 5 Chains.
Talking Heads are claimed as one of the best band sin the world and I just don't get it. Upon listening, it's kind of cool. But nothing stands out. There isn't a wow factor for me. I forgot David Byrne was in this band (shows how much I pay attention to this band/him) but I don't really care for Byrne. Probably contributes to me not caring about this band that much, aside from this band not doing much for me. Nor does New Wave music. The best part of this band is the percussion. The rest, I don't really care for.
There's a lot going on in this album, musiy. But the sound of the recording is trash. It's hard to distinguish instruments from one another.. Often coming off as just noise. The guitar tone is God awful. The vocals are cliche and uninspiring.. But at least I can hear what is being said as it's definitely in the front of the mixing. The song Holocaust was great. A slower tempo song with haunting backing vocals and string instruments. Slow piano and droning cello. The mix in this record is all over the place. Songs sound better than others... I had to investigate this because it felt really disconnected. Apparently this album had a lot going against it: financial burden, uncommercial sound, and lack of interest by the singer and drummer. Due to these factors it wasn't properly finished or released at the time of its recording. And it truly sounds like it. The songs with the string instruments definitely save this record from being a big stinker. In fact, every song that has string arrangements are vastly more interesting than the others. Or perhaps they are present in all songs and due to mixing, I can't really hear their magic. There isn't room to breath for the instruments in some songs. Which is a shame because there is soemthing there. It's too bad members didn't give a shit about this record. Oh well, that is their legacy. I find it interesting that a band can write a half written album, not be motivated to properly execute it, and then it makes a "prestigious" list of 1001 albums to hear.. As well as coming in at #285 on Rolling Stones, 500 greats records ever written in 2020 and previously in 2012 it came in at 449. I guess it's growing in popularity. Odd. Spotify doesn't have all of the songs available on this album. Which I find bizarre. Perhaps because it wasn't released correctly, the rights to the songs aren't all in one place? I don't know... It's annoying. Listening to this album was pretty annoying to be honest. Especially hearing that the band gave no shits, so why should I? I'm giving this a 3/5 it's more deserving of a 2. But despite being bothered by a lot of it, there is something in there.
I enjoyed this album. It's by far NOT their best. But I had fun with it. It's their only double album but I truly think they could've trimmed the fat and made a really long album. And saved the rest for B sides. There are classics on this record that we all know and love. And some under rated songs that perhaps only fans would say are superior than the more popularized songs. I've listened to this record before but never "studied it" - that's a stretch to what I just went through.... But I thought I'd do a play by play, and share my thoughts track by track. If you don't care about that... Stop reading here. This album gets 4 Beatles out of 5. Back in ussr: Beach Boys vibe Dear prudence: guitar sounds dark, nice simple but complimenting bass riff, lyrics and vocal melody over top is great Glass onion: is this where the movie got the name from? Curious to see if there is a deeper meaning or correlation between the two. Lyrics referencing previous songs. Kind of a cool idea. Unsure of timeline for this idea, they probably came up with that idea, as they innovated a lot. - love the string part at the end. ob la di ob la da - is garbage. It's filler to me. I know a lot of people love it... And it's sung at weddings and group functions... It's just not good. Catchy, yes. Bleh? double yes.... Life goes On. Wild Honey Pie is filler and is stupid. Counting story of Buffalo bill: sick guitar intro followed by a mediocre song. Vocals are great. But falls off in the end. the refrain reminds me of work from John Lennon and Yoko ono.. Bad. Sounds like they didn't know how to end the song. While my guitar gently weeps: probably the best song on the record. Harrison was under utilized in the band. Lars and Hetfield ran the show... I mean McCartney and Lennon and it shows that their ego prevented a lot of good work. Happiness Is A Warm Gun - is it Lennon? Is it? How ironic this song tuned out to be. Martha My Dear: piano is great in this. Has a barber shop quartet feel to it. Vocals are on point. Horns and strings are well placed. I'm so tired - great song. Nothing stood out. Blackbird: McCartney doing what McCartney does best. Beautiful, timeless song. Piggies - another stupid filler song. Next. I get it's about greed... But maybe this is why Harrison's songs weren't taken more seriously? I don't know. Rocky Racoon - great story telling and great music to accompany. I quite loved this song. The nickelodeon piano was cool! I love McCartney's piano playing.. Also with his scat abilities. Haha if you want to call it that. Don't pass me by - the repetitive music in the background sounds very familiar... From a more contemporary artist.... Big Sugar. The ending to Turn The Lights On is this same melody. Crazy. Why don't we do it in the road? - repetitive. Good vocal delivery. Reminds me of Little Richard. Old school rock and roll. I will - back to that boy wonder romantic McCartney. Beautiful vocals and guitar work. Simple song. Pleasing to the ear. Julia - sounds like a Lennon written song. Guitar is great. Vocals are haunting. Looks like not a lot of thought put into lyrics. As there's not much substance there. Just a bunch of Julia's... Birthday - not a great song. Guitar work is awesome. Good ol' rock and roll. Lyrics were phoned in. I guess you can't write constant lyrical masterpieces. Yer Blues - this sounds like a cool dive bar hit. Well done. Shows how diverse they can be. To be honest, this whole album is quite diverse. This is one of the better ones for sure. I hear some Jack White in this. Mother Nature's Son - love the guitar work in this song. McCartney is one of the best. I can only imagine how much Lennon hated that these songs of McCartney's made albums. Ego vs ego. Everybody's Got something to hide: I used to love Lennon over McCartney... I guess I can blame his death on that. Lennon's death sort of popularized him.. I hate to say that. I could be wrong but that was sort of my take when I was in high school. It wasn't until I started liking the Beatles that I knew the true talent was Paul. This song backs my claims up. Sexy Sadie is just awful. Sorry John. Next. Helter Skelter: ok, this is my favorite. This is probably the first punk rock or metal songs. I'm probably wrong but it's grit. It's raw. It's in your face. Goodbye pretty boy Paul, and Welcome angry and angsty Paul. Love the I'VE GOT BLISTERS ON MY Fingers! From Ringo. Crazy how this song influenced Charles Manson and drove him even more crazy. Music is powerful. Long, long, long: just like this sad attempt of a track by track review. Harrison at his finest. Quite the change up from Helter Skelter. Revolution 1: great way to start the next side of the record. Classic Beatles song. Timeless. We all love it. Honey pie: at first, I get some sad undertones on this song... And then it's get kind happy with the music.. 1920s style. Savoy Truffle: is this song about chocolate? Cool music. Cry baby cry: loved the harmonium. Pretty good song. Lennon sounds great. Vocal delivery is awesome. One of my favourite Lennon songs. Revolution 9: I personally found it funny when the repeating "number 9. Number... Number ni... Nine" was happening. Some really cool effects and ideas in this song. It's random. Experimental. Quite disconnected from the album. Good night: We made it. The last song. Now it's time to say good night. Sleep tight. Ringo sings us to sleep with this lullaby. String arrangements are pretty.
This is stadium rock at its height. I grew up with this band, as my parents love this band and it was routinely played in the car on road trips. As I got older, they sort of got left behind.. My style and likes changed but I could sing every lyric on this album. As Def Leppard songs, they're not their best songs. They're the most accessible in my option. Pour Some Sugar On Me might be one of their biggest songs... But honestly, it's pretty shitty. But catchy and easy to sing along to. The guitar work is underrated. The vocals are iconic. This band has its place in music history and will go down with a great legacy. They're still touring... And they still sound good compared to their peers of their age. Music still is well played... Drummer has one arm and out drums contemporaries. Not my cup of tea anymore. But nostalgia hit well.
Red dead T. Rex redemption. Second album but the icon T. Rex. I did not like Electric Warrior. Will The Slider change my mind in T. Rex? .... .... .... Nope. I felt that this album wasn't better nor worse. Just the same thing. Except there wasn't anything memorable about this record. Unlike Bang A Gong from Electric Wizard. This album in fact wins an award for the worst back up singing in a rock album. The one song that I didn't mind.. 'Chariot Choogle' has this cool riff that opens the song. It's pretty awesome. Maybe that riff is the memorable part. But there is back up singing that literally sounds like someone is strangling the Brothers' Gibb from The Bee Gees. All at once. Or maybe slowly burning them with fire. But God damn.. Does the back up singing ruin this song. It isn't even worth listening to. The guitar solo is weird and interesting but that whiney "awwwwwwwwwwwWWWWwwwwwwWWWW" from the back up singer ruins it. Then the last song... It's slow tempo with a nice voice but this shrill back up singer has to sing the same line as the singer... And just fuckin ruins it. Imagine having a song and then you ask a good friend to lay a track down... And then they give you this? And you feel bad... So you keep it but deep down, you just want to run a hot shower and sit crossed legged and cry. Because that's how I picture the aftermath of this. I would be so dissatisfied with it... More than I am right now. Perhaps this is purposely done this way. Which is probably true... And just reaffirms that T. Rex is Zero for Two to me! This isn't a 1/5... But it's a low 2. A cunt hair over 2. Should be a 1 though.. As T. Rex further disappointed me.
I haven't listened to a full Santana album since he released Supernatural in 1999. That album is quite different than this album and I am happy to say it. Abraxas is great. It has my favourite song Black Magic Woman in it. But after listening to this album, the song 'Hope You're Feeling Better' might dethrone BMW. Honestly, people talk about how Jim Hendrix is the king of guitar, but I think I like Carlos Santana over Hendrix. That's definitely a hot take for sure. But I love Santana's guitar tone. And his solos aren't wankery. His VOCs aren't necessarily better but I am on the fence to which I prefer. Anyways, enough comparisons. This album has songs that sound like the Black Keys... But better. I wonder if the Black Keys took some inspiration from Santana. I mean, how could you not? Even the Spanish songs were enjoyable, despite me not knowing what was being said. Thoroughly enjoyed this record.
Another day, another Bowie album. This record was great. As a whole album, it doesn't make sense. It was a lot more experimental than I thought it was going to be. The title track Heroes really did not set up the album in what I thought it's sound or tone would be. Which isn't a bad thing. But the album did come off random. Sense of Doubt, Moss Garden, and Neukoln are the three songs that really don't sound like they belong on this record. They're not bad songs, but it sounds like a 3 track EP was randomly put in this record. It definitely threw my groove off. The final song, The Secret Life of Arabia brought me back with what the first half of the album felt like. I thought I'd like this record more than I did. David Bowie is still one of the best artists to grace this earth. Can't wait for more.
What a pleasant surprise. This album was a jazz/prog adventure. There were moments thwt sounded like King Crimson and early Kansas. I had to look up this band because the sound King Crimson is very prominent within this record and I wanted to see if there was any cross over. This band has gone through a number of members... Their current line up has Theo Travis on it, formerly of King Crimson. Theo also has worked with Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson's solo stuff. Remember the killer flute solo In The Raven that Refused to Sing? That was Theo Travis. Awsome listen. Would love to show this off to my fellow prog friends.
I have a soft spot for this era of music. And I frequently listen to similar artists as such. I'm not entirely sure if these are Sinatra originals, as I know the music in the age gets passed around and everyone has their own version of the songs. Perhaps that's due to them not writing their own music. They're more the voice to the songs; they bring life to the words. I've Got You Under My Skin and Anything Goes are my two favourite from this record. Notable song: Makin' Whoopee. Which is an awful song... Haha. It's more hilarious than awful as it's definitely dated. This album is basically all romantic esque songs, hence the albums title. It was a good listen. Not a perfect batch of songs but I didn't dread the whole album.
Solid album. I've slept on The White Stripes as I can only listen to Jack Whites voice in small quantities. That being said, he is a very under rated musician. And hardly spoken about as a guitar player. At least to my knowledge. This album isn't perfect, there's some songs that I've already forgotten but there are some solid songs on that I won't forget: Blue Orchid, My Doorbell, Little Ghost to name a few. Enjoyed this album but it isn't my favourite. I'm glad to see how much Jack White as progressed from his years in White Stripes.
Never heard of this band.. You can tell this band is talented but lack the breakthrough songs. The songs are pretty generic garage rock. Vocals are pretty rockin' and they might be the best part of the band. Guitar work is pretty good in some songs but kind of forgettable in others. Drumming is average. Bass is... Well, it's there. I don't typically care for this type of Rock and Roll. Doesn't really do anything for me. It was an easy listen for sure. But this bands' peers definitely outshined them and left this band in the dust.
There's some really good writing in this album. It's pretty slow and kind of boring... Actually, I don't know if boring is the right word. Because I was very interested in what was going on. Always curious to what was coming next. Not everything resonated with me. I was always told Elliot Smith wrote music for sad people. So perhaps this was just not the right day, or the right emotion to listen to this sort of music. It's not bad, and it's worth a revisit on a rainy day. I tend to cling to acoustic music, after all. I have a feeling my opinion would change on a second listen. But I'm content with giving this a 3/5
Another Bowie album. So soon? This album was pretty damn good. More cohesive than Heroes. Honestly, maybe not a bad song in this album. Bowie does some pretty interesting stuff with vocal phrasing. I wonder how much I put he had with the music that accompanies his vocals because it's so good. The use of instruments are well placed within the songs. The writing is next level, in my opinion. There's a reason why Bowie is timeless and recognized as a force within music. Each album sounds different, but sounds Bowie. That's a feat many try to replicate and often come up short. Or their fans abandon ship. Perhaps this album pissed off some die hard Bowie fans, perhaps Heroes did the same. I know Blackstar was WAY different than anything he's done. And that album is a masterpiece. Anyways. Bowie is great. You should listen to Bowie.
I forgot how stacked this album is! The last 5 songs are crazy good: 22 Acacia Avenue, The Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, Gabgland, Hallowed be thy name! Just insane. This was the first 80s metal album that my uncle introduced me to. I thought it was so cool back then. What's not to like? Killer guitar riffs and solos, killer vocals, songs about Satan, Eddie. It's an adolescent metal fans dream band. After listening to this album, I watched the Rock in Rio concert. Seeing Eddie on stage was such a cool, new to me, thing. It's incredible how a mascot to a band really helped elevate their stage show. When I saw them live in 2005, it still blew me away. I remember having a grin on my face the whole show. I confidently say, if you're a fan of metal but do not like Iron Maiden... You're not a true metal fan.
One of many reasons why I enjoy doing this 1001 list is because I come to realize that some of songs that are so well known... I have not the slightest clue who sang/played them. In this case, the song Come On Eileen. 100% did not think it was Dexys Midnight Runners. Honestly, I thought it was sung by the Cars... The singers have similar voices. The Cars are better, in my humble opinion. I'm not a big pop rock fan.. There are some fun and cool/interesting parts, of course. And in no way are these bad songs. But over all, it's not my type of genre. I can't help but bop my head to some of the songs though. I really like the Celtic influence in a lot of these songs. Hearing the fiddle is great, and some songs have that shanty feel to it. Fun listen. Moving on.
Are the Arctic Monkeys one of the last successful rock artists? I only have listened to and own one Arctic Monkeys record. Which is the AM record and I really enjoyed it. This record was alright. I thought I'd like it more than I do. I listened to it twice, as I feel like it deserved it. Some issues that I have is the over indulgence of the staccato guitar. I appreciate the bass guitar taking the melody lead but the guitar can be a bit abrasive as t times. And it kind of has a shrillness that I don't care for. I prefer the more rockin' guitar parts then the former. The lead singer has a great voice. At times, I get a White Stripes feel from this record. I can definitely see an overlap of fans. This record didn't really have anything that stood out from the rest of the album. Not that it all blended together. But it was average at best. Kind of disappointed that I didn't like it more because I really wanted to. Maybe I set the bar too high? I won't count them out though because I know they have great music: AM.
A surprise for sure. Never have heard of this band. Was very impressed with the guitar work. Has a garage rock meets indie... Maybe some blues inspiration in there. The best way I can describe this to non Libertines fans is that they have a Black Keys meets Arctic Monkeys feel to it. At glance from the artwork, I was thinking that was going to be another punk like band... And I was reluctant to hit play. But I was very pleased with what came after hitting play. I would like to revisit this album again at a later date and see if they still resonate with me. Solid listen.
This band reminds me of high school. Not because I listened to it... But because there was a group of "punks" who wore the combat boots, denim jackets with pins and patches, had Mohawks, piercings, never showered... And didn't give a Fuck. In hindsight, they were a nuisance. I get that a lot of things can ifluence how someone acts, or dresses. Music really has that effect on people. Unfortunately Punk has the worst following. At least in hygiene. That's how this record sounds to me. I must give credit where credit is due... This album on the surface is just "I don't care. I give no fucks" - but lyrically they do paint a picture. And I think, despite the repetitive 1 to 3 syllable words explaining hate, anarchy, being pissed off - over all FUCK YOU. There is some thought to the lyrics. The song in mind is TV Party. Surface level it is a bunch of kids who have nothing else to do but watch tv. Which is very uninspiring. But I took it almost in the way that the creation and popularization, and of course addictive quality TV has, it has rendered them feeling that they have nothing better to do. That TV has kind of corrupted people's minds; they've become sheep. And purposely distracted. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into it, or giving too much credit. But music is suppose to invoke thought. And when I listened through that lense, it was almost genius. But! I still don't like Punk. The vocal delivery is annoying. The Instruments are played poorly. It's aggressive as intended but it comes of gimmicky. Black Flag is one of the more popular punk bands. Every punk rocker has their patch sewn to their denim or leather jacket. It's almost like if you don't like Black Flag, you're not a real punk rocker. Of course, this is speculation. There is definitely an audience for this genre and this band. But I'd gladly stand far from those smelly kids.
I was unaware that this band sang Blister In The Sun, and Gone Daddy Gone. I was convinced those songs were within the last 20 years. Not in the last 40 years. This band, or at least this album, sounds like some relevant music today. In fact, I am certain this album was the inspiration behind the resurgence of this sound in the early 2010's with the influx of the "the" bands (The Hives, The Vines, The Strokes.... Etc) The Led Zeppelins? - - anyone see that Sum 41 skit with Will Sasso. It was pretty funny? Anyways... This has post punk, Indy, alternative feel to it. NOT MY STYLE. I don't really care for much things punk. But this record was alright. A bunch of forgettable songs, the aforementioned two songs that I was unaware of were great. But aside from that... Mediocre music. No need to relisten to this.
One of my favourite things about music is that it can have this ability to transport your mind to somewhere else. In this case, this album made me think cinema. Specifically Tarantino. A bunch of these songs felt like they were written with film in mind.. Or perhaps Tarantino just directs and writes scenes with this type of music as the soundrack to those scenes. I got a jazzy, bluesy, soulful... Maybe even gospel feel to it. Song's about romance, love, drugs, hardships and poverty. It felt very real and honest. I will admit that the album had to grow on me. Poverty Train and Lonely Women changed my initial thoughts on this record. It was a pleasant listen. There are some things I don't really care for, the vocals, as beautiful as they often are, a lot of the vocal runs sound unnecessary, the vocals are very forward in the mix and often frown out the other instruments. But her vocals are great none the less. From brash, and angry to subtle, timid and beautiful. Great listen.
What an incredible album. The sheer talent of this man is unparalleled. Gone are the days where you can cordially resolve a love triangle through singing a song back and forth to the person who is in love with your girl. The Girl Is Mine with Paul McCartney is lyrically cheesy but the music in it is great. I'm sure that's Sir Paul on bass. In fact every song on this record, the music is 5/5. The big songs such as Thriller, Billie Jean, and Beat It are giants on and off of this album but the lesser known ones stand their ground as well. I've revisited this record a handful of times. Not my favourite MJ album but it's definitely one of the best records ever made. There are some things I dislike about this record - it kind of feel disjointed. The song Thriller, kind of feels out of place in contrast to the other songs. But overall the record was great.
When I saw this record, I was excited to finally listen to it. I used to work at a music store and this album was frequently talked about. I felt like I have listened to it vicariously through other people's comments on it. But I never did dive into it, myself. Not until now. I was surprised with the record. I wasn't expecting what I heard at all. Songs about Drugs abuse, S&M, prostitution and sexual deviance... Not something I'd expect from one of the most acclaimed art-rock records of all time. I'm not a fan of Lou Reed at all, so I was skeptical of this record. But he sounded pretty good. The music was pretty experimental and interesting. Over all, it was a decent record. Wouldn't make my top 100 that's for sure. But I didn't hate it. 🍌
I dislike punk rock. I say this every time I listen to a punk related album and I include it in each review. That being said, some of the guitar work was pretty good. A lot of Metallica sounding riffs, which I will gladly welcome in a punk rock album. Minor Threat sounds like they know how to play their instruments. The singer sucks... And his lyrics are shit. But at least the other band mates can keep it going. The best part of this Album is that it's 22 minutes long. That's the one thing I love about punk rock... The write short songs and short albums. It is perfect for a non punk rock fan while doing this 1001 albums list. I hated how spotify thought I wanted to keep listening to Minor Threat after the record... So I listened to more than I needed. Oh well. As far as punk goes... This isn't awful. It's tolerable. Reminds me of skateboarding in the 90s and early 2000s. Wish I cared more to dive deep into the production but punk is so surface level for me that it really doesn't invoke anything for me... I basically just don't care. A surprise rating for me.
How is another Pulp album on this list? This lead singer is awful. His lyrics are awful. Everything is hypersexualized. This was true in Pulp's last record... So this dude didn't progress and wrote the same shit. Not only that but I'm starting to think this dude is just a pervert. I really think he burdens the band. Sure he could be involved in other aspects to why this band has positives. But just his vocal and lyrical approach burdens this band. If I was in a band, and my lead singer approached our music with what this dude does... I would kick him out. In fact... I don't think this band deserves me to pick out the good vs the bad. Two albums of the same perverted, predator shit.... I would pay someone to not put this record or band on. It's a shame because there is good stuff going on musically but the lead singer ruins everything for me. The first album, I tried my best to enjoy the process of listening and rating the album by pointing out all of the shitty lyrics but I just can't do that for a second time. I just don't care. This was a tough listen for someone who appreciates good lyricsm. I'm trying my hard not to be biased as I confidently say that I hate this band... There's some cool musical ideas. But I don't need to get into which.
There's definitely a place in history for all music ideas. And this is no exception. A hour of mainly instrumental beats, scratches, and samples. It sounds pretty cool, to be honest. An hour of it though? Not sure I want to sit through something like that again. As background noise to something I am doing? Sure. That's probably more what this is geared towards any way. There are some familiar samples on here. Production wise, it sounds like every other Soundcloud DJ in the world. There isn't one thing on here that stands out that would make me think "hey, this is DJ Shadow!" on listen, I would never be able to pin point it. Unlike rock music. If I hear David Gilmour playing a solo, I know for sure that it's him. If I hear Danny Carey playing Drums, I know it's Danny Carey. Sure, I'm more versed in the latter genre, but I have heard a plethora of various DJ's in my life time... And if you don't have a "signature" - you blend in. That's my hot take. Was this album bad? Nope. But it was forgetable.
Punk must be the most ironic genre out there. A genre that is usually political, anti-authority, anti-establishment, anti-mainstream... Then you have band alike Sex Pistols who are outfitted by one of the most prolific fashion designers in the world, Vivian Westwood.. You get songs by the Ramones like 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' - which is pretty bubble gum pop - or a song that could've been written by Donny Osmond or Barry Manilow but with those 3 chords that punk rockers only know. I this album those 3 chords are basically only used. In different order of course! They stay true to the punk definition of not complicated and minimal instruments. Vocals aren't bad. As far as punk goes. But this album is basically the same riff and drum beat the whole way through. I would love to sit down and talk about punk rock to someone who is very passionate about it. Because I don't get its appeal.
Pretty bland album. Very mediocre in every aspect. Vocals unenthusiastic and I think the vocalist is trying to put me to sleep. Stop it! I'm honestly just as bored as the three people on the album cover look. 2 yawns out of 5
This album reminds me of a cross between, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, and TLC. Which isn't a recipe that I'm after. That being said, the first song was a total banger. I listened to that song a few times. The rest of the album was ok. I'm sure fans of this genre were pleased with this record. There's some music ideas that feel dated. When she is rapping, her flow is pretty great. It honestly is a lot better than mainstream female rappers currently. So, I applaud that. Shocked that I didn't hate this and just as shocked that I enjoyed the listen.
This album was great. I was surprised by hearing all the subtleties in this record, alone, that modern prog artists rip off. A lot of synth and/or string parts and even little change up's that they do. I guess if you're going to rip someone off, make sure they are worth ripping off. Perhaps ripp off isn't the right word. I don't mean it in a negative connotation. I don't think I really care for the lead singers voice. It doesn't sound as epic as the music does. And it sounds a bit flat... There is one part that I particularly disliked in the song South Side of the Sky (I love the alliteration) - there were a bunch of La's being sung that really didn't add to the song. It almost felt like the singer just wanted his voice to be heard. Roundabout is a staple song that most musicians and/or music lovers know. I don't know anyone who dislikes that song. What a great way to start a record. The strings were fantastic in this album. And the riffs were proggy and awesome! I will definitely revisit this. Hopefully the vocals will grow on me.
If you're not a fan of the grunge era of music, this album probably won't resonate with you. Or perhaps it might? But it's not as easily accessible as the giants of grunge. There are some Pearl Jam esque riffs in this album but Mudhoney's guitarist is definitely not in the ranks as PJ's McCreary, and often the guitar solos seem a bit sloppy... This album reminds me of skateboarding when I was young. Which was nice. But overall this album is pretty.... Well, just ok. Despite it being a huge seller and perhaps a saving grace for Sub Pop records, there's no wow factor or anything that is overly impressive. It's not bad but it's not podium material. It's a great garage rock album, and in fact this band would be well suited for a club show. Raw, fast, melodic, rock and roll.
What a perfect album for Valentine's Day. My Sleepy Valentine definitely was not what I thought it was. I was under the impression that there were killer guitar solos. I honestly haven't heard anything from this band, at least not to my knowledge. I always thought they were more thrashy and heavy... I'm trying to remember why I thought this, and where I got this misinformation... This isn't an awful record. As it went on, I could hear where other artists have taken influence from. Smashing Pumpkins, How To Destroy Angels, share that haunting vocal style that has to be taken from this band. The shoegazy music is heard in other bands like Mogwai or Lush. I didn't hate this album but it wasn't amazing. Shoegaze isn't really my genre, but I do like aspects of it. I was wrongfully hoping for something more upbeat and heavy... But all I got was sleepy and stuck in a daze.
Soulful, easy listening album. I'm not familiar with Hayes' work but I would say it is probably similar to his peers' work. Which isn't a bad thing but I was left wanting something to make me want to come back to this album.
Pleasant music. Instrumental. Sort of has a 50s sitcom feel to it. Not sure why it is on this list.
Say what you will about AC/DC... But this band has some of the most iconic songs and guitar riffs ever. Especially on this album. It may be a perfect AC/DC record. There isn't one bad song on here. Yeah, you can argue the similarities between their songs amongst their whole discography... There is the old saying that Angus Young only knows 3 chords. He has addressed this too, you know.. in fact, he says he knows 4 chords. Haha! AC/DC has kind of written the same record over and over... But it's good rock and roll. And they are still going strong. They're still rocking out like they're young. If it wasn't for how well crafted they are: They've got a great rhythm section, great guitar solos, as I mentioned before: iconic riffs, vocals are scratchy but Brian Johnson has a voice that is uniquely his. As Robert Plant is to Zeppelin, Brian Scott is to AC/DC (he's better than Bon Scott, in my opinion). This record is as awesome as it was when I heard it in my teens.
"Pull over! Pull over!" "No, it's a cardigan, but thanks for noticing." Not a bad listen. Some surprisingly jazzy moments throughout this album. Nina Persson's voice is pleasant. Has a very innocent sound to it. I was unaware that this was a Swedish band. I remember hearing a lot about this band when I was growing up... But they sort of just fell off the radar. I wonder what they are up to. Everyone knows Lovefool by the Cardigans. Even if you don't recognize the title, once that intro hits.... Instantly, you will get it. Actually paying attention to that song, it's pretty well written and the music in it is interesting. This song stands out from the rest, it's definitely the most popular and easily accessible song of the album. Out of nowhere, a cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man? Honestly, might be one of my favourite covers of this song. Very soft, almost lounge... They made this song their own. The music is different. There is a different solo, even some scatting in it. Wow. Honestly, very cool. Despite some cool things in this album, and a really cool version of Iron Man, this album doesn't really resonate with me that much. It's not a bad album. If I could half rate it, I would give 2.5 stars... But it is closer to a 3. So I guess I will give it a 3.
Great listen! I wonder if there ever was a Billy Joel VS Elton John rivalry. Stylistically, they're similar. You don't see many artists who sing while playing the piano at the same time; The piano is the driving force of the song. Which is a shame because it is a beautiful instrument. Lyrics are great in this album. Billy Joel is definitely a story teller, and a good one at that. Surprisingly, the popular song 'Only The Good Die Young' is my least favorite song... The rest of the songs on the album are far better written.
This album starts off with the best written song on the album, the albums self titled track. It still sou ds great to this day. Another notable song is Malibu (I believe this was another single). The rest of the songs are pretty mediocre at best. The song Awful is far to repetitive and too long and, well... I wish I could say it is Awful because that would be funny... But it's just mediocre - a lot of words for a song where nothing is being said. Reasons To Be Beautiful is just Courtney Love rambling on and on and on. Dying sounds kind of pathetic angsty. Actually this whole album's overbearing theme is Angst. I feel like Courtney Love is really trying to channel her inner Kurt Cobain - I know the comparison is low hanging fruit... But let's be honest, we know, she knows, that her career would not have gone anywhere if she wasn't Kurt Cobain's wife. I know Courtney Love would tell me to Fuck off and that I don't know what i am talking g about. But it's a hard pill to swallow, isn't it Courtney? Use Once & Destroy is another good song on the album. There are some cool musical arrangements that didn't sound like typical Hole style music.. I had to check to see if this was actually Love's writing. Nope. There's a good chunk of songs that thr musical arrangements were written by Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins. Go figure.
Not in the slightest something I want to listen to. This is a mix of hip/hop and soul, some jazz... Among other like genres. I just don't care for this shit. This album sounds disjointed and more of a compilation of songs than an actual album. Which, maybe I'm wrong with the idea of this 1001 thing... But various artists/compilations don't belong on a list of albums that I need to listen to. Even if they're good. They're good as songs. Not albums. Next.
This might be one of my least favorite Beatles albums. It's pretty straight forward. There's a lot of things they did that I don't particularly like: a lot of 'oooohs, and la-la's' that I find kind of annoying. Norwegian Wood and In My Life are highlights of the record. Some would say Drive My Car to being one of the better songs... I personally think it's my least favorite song on the album. But who am I?
An old coworker told me to listen to this album, stating its the best stuff that came out of the 90s, and should have been far more successful than bands like Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc. Needless to say, I was excited to finally sit down and exam this album. Slint is definitely not a house hold name. And when someone claims a band is this good, and still not well known, can go both ways. Either they're shit and there is a reason why no one knows about them, or something bigger just happened to eclipse them from the lime light. This album was alright. It's not amazing in any sense. It's like grunge meets shoe gaze meets post rock? It's a bit all over the place. Musically, it is interesting - some odd time signatures and weird structures that one could argue them being labeled as Math Rock. My favorite songs are Breadcrumb Trail and Good Morning, Captain. The second song, Nosferatu Man, has a guitar riff that sounds very close to Billy Howerdel's iconic riff in the song Pet on A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step album. I wonder if Howerdel was inspired by this? Or perhaps just ripped it off. It's very similar. Lyrically, it's garbage. Not only in words, but in melody and stylistically. Far too much much quiet spoken word. The one song where he sings, is kind of nasally and gives off a depressing woe is me feel. The best vocal performance are I. The two aforementioned songs that are my favourite. I read thwt this album was recorded in 4 days. And the lyrics were written while in studio. This explains the piss poor lyrics, and ideas revolving around the vocal choices. This album definitely deserves to be where it is in music history with an under ground, cult following. For its time, they were doing things most bands weren't doing, and that is admirable and I see the appeal. I just think it wasn't as well executed in the way my old coworker claimed it to be.
I forgot how great this album is. I know a lot about this album, being a Dave Grohl, and also Nirvana fan. This album is a strong debut album from "the least expected member from Nirvana." I'm happy that Grohl harnessed his talent and took a leap to make this record. It was a risk to even disassociate his name from the project. At the time, no one knew this was Dave Grohl. A self titled album called the Foo Fighters. And needless to say, it left its mark and trajected Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighter to what it is today. This album is written entirely by Dave, and every instrument is played by him as well. I remember when the song White Limo came out front Foo Fighters' album Wasting Light, and a lot of people didn't like it because it was too heavy. I specifically remember people saying "this isn't Foo Fighters" - well obviously those people have not heard the song Weenie Beenie on this album. Because it's definitely in the same vain as White Limo. And it's just as great. There is maybe 1 or 2 songs that reminded me of Nirvana but for the most part, despite it still sounding like a 90s record, it is a strong departure from Nirvana. This record foreshadow just how great Dave and the Foo Fighters will become. I recommend this to any grunge/post grunge rock lover out there. 4 Foos out of 5 fighters.
There nothing to Billy Bragg about this record. In fact, vocally, it sounds like something I would mockingly do. Billy Bragg is like Alan Doyle to Europeans. Some East Coast Gaelic sounding songs, that typically I'd enjoy.. But there is nothing more than a sub par, barely hitting mediocre song on this record. The vocals sound awful. The mixing is poor. The guitar tone is dreadful. In one song, Only Bad Signs, the guitar and the vocals just don't match up at all. Nothing lands on the same note. The guitar sounds like it is playing a different song than the vocals. Perhaps this was a live off the floor recording, to get that east coast live pub feel...? Doubtful. This album took me a lot of tries to get through. Usually I can sit through a record, start to finish. But with this record, I just wanted it to end. An hour plus of music and not a single song that I could say anything positive about.
A very beautiful follow up and departure from Lorde's debut album. This record is full of emotion: from lyrics, melodies, instruments... Everything feels purposeful in conveying a message of heart ache. There is a hint of optimism in a few songs that keeps this album from being a downer. I was pleasantly surprised by this record. I love Lorde's vocal phrasing and her voice is beautiful and at times, gritty and raw. There are some vocoder stuff that she uses on this record that adds to the song. We know she is a great singer, so the use of any vocal distortion just adds that extra layer to the depth of these beautifully written songs. All the internet memes aside, this is a solid 4/5
This album predates alternative rock, and I'm sure it predates shoegaze. Those two genres combined is what I'm hearing. A wall of white noise with distorted guitars and soft vocals. Over all, it was pretty interesting. I enjoyed the most of it. Vocals had a Cure feel to them in some songs. Not a terrible listen. Felt like I was listening to a genesis of two distinct genres that are well known to this day. So that was pretty cool.
There is a cool cinematic feel to this record. The ending track of a reworked James Bond theme song adds to this feeling, for sure. Let's be honest here. This record is... Well, it's here. It sounds like any Soundcloud DJ trying to create a record. A bunch of electronic instruments and layers of samples. Sure there is a following for this type of music. But what makes this any different from any amateur composer behind a macbook? Why is this on this list? I'm beginning to think that this list is compiled of expected records (Beatles, Bowie, Etc) and then, just to be different and unexpected... Some random niche genres. Furthermore, a bunch of random artists from these random genres are thrown into a hat or choice generator app, and chosen.. At random. Alright, the machine has picked David Holmes 'Lets Get Killed." And this record isn't necessarily bad. It's well crafted, I guess. But it doesn't deserve to be in a top 1001 list. Add a few more zeros in there, and maybe. Perhaps I'm wrong. I'd sure like to see why an album makes this list. Because I am starting to get confident that some 5/5 records that exist, won't be on this list. Because this list just simply doesn't make sense. Want to give it a 1 because the principle of it all pisses me off... But I'm sure this was an honest effort. And I didn't hate it. I just find it amateur at best. But who am I? This gets a soft, flacid 2.
Great surprise! This band looks like a punk rock band but sounds nothing like it. Perhaps maybe the vocals lean towards the genre but it's not as annoying. Very experimental and an art-rock vibe. The guitar work in this record is very good. Some great solos, and some great riffs and progressions. The vocals lack hard. Definitely a punk inspiration behind them.. Which is a shame. I was unimpressed with the vocals and thought that they'd ultimately sway this record. To a degree, they did. But if they had a great singer, I'd argue a 4/5 or at least a strong 3. Im being generous right now, but I also do enjoy this record - vocals aside.
A very spot on mid album. I didn't hate it. But I didn't like it. Straight forwardy. Apparently they wrote this record and couldn't capitalize on it with a sophomore record for roughly 5 years. Probably because they're write very "meh" music. I'm curious to hear more brit pop rock. I'm hoping it's a little more enthusiastic then this.
There is something interesting about raw, low quality, noise, recordings. Unfortunately for me, my interest in it is very small. Sure there are some cool ideas and unique ways of accomplishing it.. But I don't need a whole album of this. Lyrics are trash. Angsty, edgy, and annoying. If a friend of mine came up to me and said "hey man, I've got some new music to show you." and then proceeded to show me this... I would be a good friend and tell them they should kindly keep this to themselves.
This album has a certain charm to it. Listening to Johnny Cash's banter is great on this record, and I think it really adds to it. The Carter family is present. A memorable moment is his story about being arrested for picking flowers. And then it leads into a funny song about said incident. The mixing in this record is awful though. The sound levels are inconsistent. When the crowd cheers, they dial that up to 11. Very unnecessary... And honestly, it comes off fake, as a 'cheer' track. Also, music shouldn't be censored. He talks about burning down San Quentin in the song San Quentin... And that's slowed, but they bleep out vulgar words like 'ass' and 'shit' during between song banters. Different times of course... But still. Johnny Cash's songs all sound sort of the same, musically. The guitar work is very similar. But it works for what they're trying to achieve. I've always enjoyed this sort of Country music. And particularly Johnny Cash. Unfortunately, this record is bullshit. 10 songs. 30 minutes long. I have to make note that 2 of these songs are the same song. San Quentin (the song) has a reprise. So he played a shorter version of the initial, sans banter. There are way better and stronger live records of Johnny Cash. This live record sounds incomplete. They must've cut half the set. Also, Folsom Prison Blues, arguably one of the most well known songs of Cash was just one verse. And that was it. Hilariously, the increased volume of the crowd at the end sounded like they were booing at how short that song was instead of cheering and applauding the show. What should have been a great closer, was a big disappointment. Started out strong! Finished horribly. Now, I have no doubts that this show was incredible, if you were there. But why record it and not release the full thing? What's the point? Money! That's why. Record labels wanting to capitalize on Cash's popularity. Not to mentionz these prison shows are a gimmick to uphold Johnny Cash's "bad ass" image. I love the songs, but I can't in good conscience say this is a must heard listen. Maybe I must heard listen to not repeat.
The thing I like about Reggae is that it is always feel good. Even when the topic is about oppression, or something in a negative light. The music has this chill vibe. This album was just that. Not really my type of music. But I didn't mind it. It sort of played a background track to what I was doing, and it fit well. Three Little Birds is still an incredible song. I play this song every now and then. Bob Marley had truthful messages in his music and I think his importance in music will forever be recognized.
I get this weird campfire music vibe from this record. Where I just want to pull out an acoustic guitar and everyone sing along. There are a lot of great harmonies, as one would expect with Stephen Stills. Not everything is acoustic, but the overall feel of the album is very relaxed. Tasty bass riffs and guitar licks. Unfortunately, it took me a few days of revisiting as the music wasn't diverse enough to spark my attention, and I felt like I was getting a bit bored. Even though, I didn't dislike the record, it definitely didn't make it on my personal hypothetical 1001 records list.
Every artist has their inspirations that they either subconsciously or purposely take ideas from. But to influence someone into a new artistic direction is probably more of an honour than the aforementioned. Donovan achieved this fear with the Beatles. He is the reason for George Harrison to pick up the sitar and for the Beatles to approach Sgt. Pepper's in a way that they did. Needless to say, Donovan is the real deal. His song writing is really interesting. Lyrics are great and composition is fantastic. This record screams psychedelia. I get that this genre isn't for anyone. But I dont think anyone would be in right frame of mind to say that this record isnt good. It isn't perfect. But there is a lot to appreciate. Music of the 60s is hit and miss for this genre, but when it hits, it's fantastic. That being said, if you're sleepy.... This album will play to that. If you don't appreciate a non traditional band set up, and don't give a heck about pushing boundaries and trying new things... This album may bore you. But in the end, you'd be wrong. Not perfect, but purposeful.
I feel like I'm listening to the movie Whiplash without the scolding of JK Simmons. I can't deny the sheer talent in this record. The rhythm section alone makes me speechless. I'm unsure how to even rate this... Because it's brilliant all around. But st the same time... I don't really want to hear it again. I'd love to watch it. It's a 5/5 if I saw it live, but I am going to have to give it a 4/5 just listening to it. Even with that, I don't know if I'm being too strict with this rating. But I'm going with my gut.
This album is great! The riffs! Ohhh the riffs! It's retreat going back in Ozzy's career and hearing just how incredible he was. His voice was fantastic in this record. He adds so much emotion with his voice to the song Changes. Typically I want riff forward, heavy Sabbath, but this was easily welcomed. There really isn't a bad song on this record. Except the song FX - why even put that song on this record? It doesn't need its own track listing... It's stupid. Keep it at the end of a song, or make it a lead in? Even at that, it isn't good to even be any of the aforementioned. The acoustic guitar and the strings in Laguna Sunrise is beautiful. Very peaceful. A great contrast to what one would expect from Sabbath. Usually with records I don't want a lot of songs. I want quality songs over quantity. But this album felt too short for me. A lot of short songs. But they're great songs. Definitely would listen to again. Can't wait to hear more Sabbath!
Yeah, it's good.... But it's kind of boring. Great musicianship. This type of music is great for background noise, as it just blends in with whatever task is at hand. Another case of 'would be better live.' This one didn't resonate as well as the Theolonious Monk record. One could argue that they're vastly different. As someone who doesn't listen to this type of music, it's very similar to me. All in all, I was a bit bored and waiting for the tracks to be over.
Looking through these comments and reviews about people complaining about flute being in rock and roll is absolutely hilarious: "would be a 4/5 but because of a flute... It get 1/5" Its really a shame how the presence of a flute can drastically change one's opinion on an album or song. If it was some amateur flutist, I'd understand it swaying ones review but when the flute is played this well, how can you not see the sheer talent. I chalk that up to just being closed minded. I dislike a lot of punk rock music because the majority of punk music is played poorly and sung horribly. Even if it's its aesthetic, it is still not pleasing. And I'd change my argument if the music was played by real musicians. Anyways, AQUALUNG! A great record. One of the first records I purchased on vinyl. My least favorite song is the opener and title track. It's good.... But the rest of the album is far superior in my opinion. The iconic riff in Aqualung is what people mostly remember and that's about it. Unless you're a huge Jethro Tully fan. I remember enjoying this record a lot more than I did recently. But it is still a great record. The ideas that are presented in this record are inspirational and great. The flute solos are killer! There are some jazzy parts with the drumming and the guitar riffs are punchy. I don't really care for the vocals.. They're my least favorite. Great listen.
I'm not going to lie... I wasn't looking forward to this album. I'm not very familiar with this band. I know they are highly influential to a lot of bands that I enjoy (NIN, APC, Matthew Good) to name a few. And after hearing this album, I realize that I know more songs than I thought. I swear the song Enjoy The Silence has to be one of the most covered songs ever. It's such a well written song. It has a great hook. And the lyrics are poetry. I cant forget Personal Jesus. Another song that's been covered by everyone and their dad. There's a gothic feel to this album... Released in 1990, it is coming off of the 80s synth wave that I highly dislike. I love keyboards, drum machines, and synths... But it wasn't until the 90s that it took shape into something that I like. I think I could give Trent Reznor a large amount of credit for this. He single handedly got me into that sort of electronic/industrial/goth type music. The vocals in this album aren't for me. Not terrible, they just don't resonate to me. This album grew on me as I listened through and it honestly has made me curious to hear more Depeche Mode. Although, I know their 80s stuff will be inferior to this album for sure just due to my preferences.
Very easy listening folly bossa nova. At times I got a Joni Mitchell feel but other times, I got this loungey feel. Pretty sleepy album. Probably wouldn't listen to again. But it was interesting none the less.
Music in the record was great. It set a strong tone. Melancholy and sad at most times. I don't think I care for the dead pan Joy Division type lyrics... "looooove will tear us apart..." It got old fast. Otherwise, decent record.
2 plus hours of jazz is far too much. Especially in audio only formats. Seeing this live would be something else and probably far more enjoyable. I don't really know what to say here... The live aspect is fine.. But the drawn out introduction to songs makes this album feel even longer than they are. Top musicianship going on. Unfortunately, it's just boring listening to it. First few songs, I was engaged... But 2 hours of this was very tedious. Took me 2 sit throughs to get through this as I was bored 20 minutes into each listen, and had to force my attention.
This feels like ABBA meets Surfing Bird. And I was ok with this.
I liked 3 songs: Smack My Bitch Up, Breathe, and Firestarter. These are songs that I grew up listening to. Especially during the MTV/Much Music era. I liked them back then. I remember thinking that this was weird music. It appealed to me. The electronic stuff was pretty crazy. I don't think this type of electronic dance really resonates with me... But there are some industrial esque parts that grab me in. Especially in Firestarter. The drum beats are pretty great in this.
Fuck. I deleted my first review. Here is a simpler and more condenced version... I really enjoyed the use of vocals as an instrument that is throughout this record. The samples are pretty good. The beats are great for the most part. There are exceptions of course. A lot of the repetition used throuought gets tedious and borderline intolerable. Nicki Minaj should stop. I don't see how people enjoy her? Her flow, and especially her delivery is whack. Runaway: what more could I say, that hasn't been said? Well... It's over hyped and over rated. It's not bad. But it's not a masterpiece. Some cool effects, and samples. This song sounds like it could've been on Ye's last album 808s and Heartbreaks. The meaning behind the song is great. Autobiographical in nature. But that aside, it's just ok. Not sure why people get as excited about it though. Perhaps it's that intro. Hearing King Crimson in Power was always odd for me. I had to get over my initial judgment of it. Underneath everything, it is a great song. Hell Of A Life: "Pussy and Religion is all I need." Well, that's an interesting line. This is the type of hip hop trope I can't get. Bragging about getting pussy is such an immature and juvenile approach. Music is Great in this song. I think the repetition in this album hinders the album.. A lot of poorly written choruses being repeated really makes these songs go from head bopping, to eye rolling. Lyrics are very hit and miss. That isn't just Ye. I do find that I hip hop it is very common to have shitty lyrics. Maybe the words aren't the point? Maybe it's the delivery and flow? Since I enjoy listening to what is being said, this is a focal point for me. Jay Z was shockingly very hit and miss. Great in So Appaled, but God awful in Monster. I wonder if Minaj just overly ruined that song for me... Maybe. Well, actually Jay Z's part just wasn't good. I didn't know Ye and Bon Iver collaborated together. Very interesting. It surprised me that it actually worked! It felt organic. Thought this was going to get a high score. I didn't think a 5. But due to its high acclaim and praise, I thought at least a 4 for me. I think the best part of this album was the production value. To me, that's a 5/5. But there is a lot of bullshit that I can't not judge. I have to judge the body of work, not just parts of it. To me... I give this a strong 3/5
I didn't realize how much of this album I have heard strictly from hearing the songs in movies. A lot of recognisable songs. This album was better than I thought. Its faults lie with how repetitive it is. Most of the song follow the same formula. The music is great but as I said, very repetitive to a fault. I'm happy that the version of Southside isn't the one with Gwen Stefani... Because that version is cancer. C. A. N. C. E. R. THAT VERSION IS CANCER! Anyways.... This album was pretty solid. But heavily relied on a formula. Despite that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you've seen the skits on Family Guy about Conway Twitty, then you know exactly how this album sounds. I can't help but laugh at the twangy, trying-to-be romantic country that this is. This era of Country is great, but this style is not what I care for. Often times, the vocals sound like a prepubescent child with a squeaky voice. And other times, I get a Ballad of Buster Scruggs feel. It's not all bad! But it's far from great.
2 songs. Shy of 40 minutes. Normally I like this type of music in a live sense... But I was thoroughly engaged with this album Even when I was doing something and had it more in the background, but I found my attention focusing on this record more than previous records like this. Good listen.
Honestly, Morrissey is very over rated and very under whelming. Yes, he was in the Smith's. But those days are gone. And I just don't care. He's not a great vocalist. And from what I gather, he's a bit of a pick. The last part doesn't away my opinion on him. Just saying like it is. The music is great in this album. It's the only reason why I didn't stab my ears. I'm definitely over exaggerating. But Morrissey just isn't a good vocalist. Didn't pay too close to the lyrics because I only really cared about the instruments.