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Sun Oct 22 2023
In Rainbows
Radiohead
5
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Sun Oct 22 2023
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
4
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Mon Oct 23 2023
1984
Van Halen
2
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Tue Oct 24 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Still not a Doors fan. The titular track is fine, but overall still not doing it for me
3
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Wed Oct 25 2023
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Not the album to listen to if you want to immediately get into Prince. It would be like listening to Bitch’s Brew as an intro to Miles Davis
2
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Thu Oct 26 2023
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
Starts off strong!
Quickly slows down and doesn’t really pick back up?
“Jesus” is a little on the nose but not unexpected.
Has a Marvin type feel to it. Conscious soul.
His version of Hard Times (original?) is a different take and makes times feel much harder than Baby Huey does
3
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Fri Oct 27 2023
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
3
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Sat Oct 28 2023
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
My first time listening much past the first track, which I shamefully came to from Kanye’s sampling of it. I have since moved on to much better hip hop and can hardly see the appeal in his music anymore. Needless to say this is vastly superior, though it’s obviously apples and oranges.
The middle section that is seemingly random noises - made by instruments and non-instruments alike - aside, I quite like it. Definitely an underrated prog rock album. Far be it from me to call it a masterpiece as I’ve seen stated elsewhere, but I definitely prefer it to anything by Pink Floyd.
It’s spacious! It’s catchy! It’s interesting! It’s frenetic! It’s difficult to judge on a single listen, but that is my take thus far.
3
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Sun Oct 29 2023
Revolver
Beatles
Duh
5
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Mon Oct 30 2023
G. Love And Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce
Very nostalgic and not as bad as I’d expected!
3
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Zombie
Fela Kuti
What timing! Went to a west African restaurant last night and was digging Water (No Get Enemy) and thinking about how it had been a while since I had listened to some Afro beat. It’s impossible not to tap my toes or bob my head when listening to Fela Kuti.
5
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Wed Nov 01 2023
KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)
Ministry
No. Just… no.
1
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Thu Nov 02 2023
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
Were it not for the Revolution 9-like forays into atonal noise making, this would sound exactly like every other British psych record from the era. Forgettable but I still prefer it to their other more popular albums.
3
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Fri Nov 03 2023
Mask
Bauhaus
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Bauhaus before this. I had heard of them though and I definitely had a much different idea of what they’d sound like. While this won’t make it into a long list of albums I’ll come back to time and time again, I am enjoying it. The best way I can describe it is some combination of Joy Division, Bowie’s Berlin trilogy, Pixies, and My Bloody Valentine. I’m not sure if that actually makes sense though.
3
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Sat Nov 04 2023
Green
R.E.M.
4
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Sun Nov 05 2023
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
It’s fine. Not really doing much for me personally. I’d rather listen to the Animals or Box Tops for something similar but harder hitting. The Chicago-ness of it all is off putting at best. Tom Jones + Byrds is a combination that doesn’t age well.
3
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Mon Nov 06 2023
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
4
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Tue Nov 07 2023
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Obviously
5
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Wed Nov 08 2023
The Stranger
Billy Joel
I’ve never liked Billy Joel much. That hasn’t changed.
1
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Thu Nov 09 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
This is one of those ones I’d been meaning to listen to all the way through for a long time. Coltrane was a genius, nothing new there. We knew that.
A Love Supreme, while unlikely to become a favorite of mine, is certainly a work of art that transported me. It’s an experience. One that deserves to be listened to intently. Which I still need to do, but in this listen while working from home, I can say it’s a solid 9/10
5
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Fri Nov 10 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
Awesome. Reminds me of the Stooges from time to time, which is a good thing. I can also hear bits that likely influenced the likes of Ty Segall.
4
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
If this weren’t nostalgic for me, not sure I’d have enjoyed it so much, but here we are.
4
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
Not for me, but not terrible. Feels dated to me.
3
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Mon Nov 13 2023
My Generation
The Who
A classic. Not my favorite of theirs, but it’s good ol’ British Invasion.
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
A few tracks I recognize from my youth. Something about this type of music makes me feel like I should be on amphetamines at a strobe-ridden rave taking e from someone I’ve never met before.
I’d much rather listen to the Chemical Bros than this. Better yet, Aphex Twin.
2
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
I respect the heck out of Elvis Costello. I understand this is good, well-written music. I just haven’t found an album of his past This Year’s Model that I have connected with.
3
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Thu Nov 16 2023
Risque
CHIC
Not bad for disco
3
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Parklife
Blur
A couple of tracks on here that I didn’t realize were Blur songs. Nearly 30 years after release, it doesn’t stand out above other Brit pop of that era to me. It’s catchy and enjoyable nonetheless.
3/5
3
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Sat Nov 18 2023
Back In Black
AC/DC
Can’t deny that this rocks. Not my thing but it rocks and is catchy af.
3.5/5
4
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Sun Nov 19 2023
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
Slightly pre-peak Tribe, but the sampling is there, the rhymes are fun, and it’s still a 5/5
5
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Mon Nov 20 2023
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
3
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
I used to love ska and reggae. Bob Marley is obviously a master. That said, it’s a repetitive genre that is hard for me to get into for very long anymore. The revolutionary subjects of the lyrics make his albums more worth it than most, and I wasn’t repulsed two tracks in like I have been with a couple of previous albums on this list, but reggae is not my go to anymore.
3/5
3
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
I’ve never made it all the way through this double album, despite professing a love for the band on and off through my junior high years. I tried again recently and same. I get turned off quickly by the heavier songs and guttural screeching into the mic. There’s no denying Corgan’s beautiful guitar playing, so I’m not not a fan, but it’s just never fully clicked. Let’s give it another go.
First off, the hits still hit. They’re great. When their songs have dynamic range, I’m in. When it’s all raspy vocals and loud distortion the whole way through, I need a break. When it’s all slow and mopey (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I need a break. Thankfully, the track listing mixes it up every song or two. Had I previously stuck it out through those songs I wasn’t feeling, I’d have gotten much farther. I’m certainly happy that I’m forcing myself to listen regardless. If for no other reason than to know which songs to skip in the future, and to know that there are more gems in here than just the radio hits. But yeah it’s still way too long for me to give it more than 3/5
I can’t finish this review without mentioning that that is not how you spell Galapagos, but it’s still one of the aforementioned hidden gems.
3
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Close To The Edge
Yes
At its best, prog rock is an exploration of time signatures, key signatures, modes, and technicality. It can be beautiful if you know what you’re listening to.
At its worst, it’s purely masturbatory, try-hard, wandering-aimlessly noise. I’m afraid that’s what this album is to me.
There’s just much better prog than this. Some of it is even by Yes themselves. But this just makes me want to put on better prog. I’m glad the bands that seem to have revived this a bit (Tool aside. Blech) have improved on this genre and just made it much more fun and interesting. Can’t wait to cleanse my ears with some King Gizzard.
1/5
1
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Fri Nov 24 2023
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
I'm not sure why we needed a live Thin Lizzy album. Over an hour is much too long for this band of very samey songs. Look, I'm not against The Boys Are Back In Town, but a lot of their songs sound an awful lot like that one. Not sure if any of their studio albums are better - I don't intend to find out - but if this is the best way to introduce someone to Thin Lizzy, then - and I'm sure I'll say this many more times before this list is done - maybe we don't have to listen to it before we die.
2
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Sat Nov 25 2023
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Easily a 5.
5
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Sun Nov 26 2023
American Pie
Don McLean
Typical saccharine radio folk.
2
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
I honestly thought I’d hate this. It’s not terrible, however it’s not something I’m going to sit down and listen to. It’s background music. I can find better background music though. 2/5
2
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Tue Nov 28 2023
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
The wankfest continues. Title track is easily the most listenable song on here, but that’s a low bar. I just fail to see the genius in any Pink Floyd that I’ve ever heard. Due to the insufferable nature of their fans, I’ve heard a LOT of Pink Floyd. Not for me.
1
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Wed Nov 29 2023
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
Look, 1001 is a big number. That’s a lot of albums! I would struggle to name that many myself. But I think I would round down if it meant that I had to include this album. How is this something I need to hear before I die? It’s like Sublime without the reggae/ska tinge to it and more of a sense of humor about pretending to be hard. Sublime is not someone I’d want to be compared to.
Whoever the main rapper is has zero emotion. The same monotonous voice throughout. I guess the instrumentation is interesting but it ends up being a lot after a few tracks of the same intensity and I can’t even tell if the lyrics are clever enough to make up for it? What is this even trying to be?
Just why?
1
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Thu Nov 30 2023
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
This was fine
3
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Fri Dec 01 2023
Feast of Wire
Calexico
Decent alt-country. Feels very spaghetti western. Not going to go into regular rotation, but I can dig it.
3
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Sat Dec 02 2023
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
Trying to put aside my dislike of Morrissey… not working. I still don’t like the Smiths. This is 2/5 only because the band doesn’t suck, it’s just Morrissey that does. Can’t stand anything that comes out of his mouth, even when he’s not cloyingly singing some arguably good lyrics.
2
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Sun Dec 03 2023
The Who Sell Out
The Who
I’m not super familiar with the Who outside of Tommy and Quadrophenia, so this surprised me. I enjoy it in the same way I enjoy the Kinks albums of the same time (Village Green, Victoria). Fun, catchy, but maybe not as mature or fully realized as I prefer. Solid album for sure.
4
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Mon Dec 04 2023
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
I suppose if I ever want to really annoy my neighbors, or make them worry about my drug use, I know what to blast through the windows.
1
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Tue Dec 05 2023
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Wonderful stuff. I would put this on when people are over. Makes me feel nostalgic for a time I didn’t even live through.
Footnote: I half expected to hear some lyrics that would sound problematic to some people today (as songs of this era can do), but I don’t think anyone would be offended by these songs at all. That said, it wouldn’t have impacted my enjoyment much anyway.
5
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Wed Dec 06 2023
Me Against The World
2Pac
Not my style or era of hip hop, but I have a ton of respect for Tupac’s lyricism and activism. He knew he wasn’t long for this world when writing this album. I’m glad I listened to it, but I doubt I’ll listen to it again in one sitting.
3
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Thu Dec 07 2023
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Energizing. I can’t deny an afrobeat groove, and why would I want to?
On first listen, not as impactful as Fela, but definitely passionate and political.
4
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Fri Dec 08 2023
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Obviously a five. The harmonies alone.
5
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Sat Dec 09 2023
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
I pretended to listen to Sabbath more than I did when I was in junior high. Why? I definitely would have liked them. This is a hell of a record.
4
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Sun Dec 10 2023
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
Ok firstly, not really into reggae/dub like I was in my teens and early 20s, but I think it’s safe to say that’s not why I don’t like this. The singing is bad. It’s clear that he’s from Scotland and not Jamaica. Had he not tried to sound Jamaican, which he did somewhat poorly, it might be worth putting on in the background. But I couldn’t make it through this. 1/5
1
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Mon Dec 11 2023
Abraxas
Santana
Man I loved this album in my younger days. It’s still enjoyable. A shame that Carlos just kinda cocked it later on in his career. His guitar tone and style, especially after 2006, just sounds… cheesy? But I don’t actually think my enjoyment of this album is hindered by that. I’ll probably come back to this every few years. It’s a classic
4
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Tue Dec 12 2023
Either Or
Elliott Smith
I could wax poetic about Elliott Smith for days if anyone would listen. When I find someone that will, we usually get along.
A lot has been said about how sad his music is, but I think it’s very overstated. His music to me is about the mundanity of life. It’s not a bad or sad thing. Yeah sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed, but that’s whats so relatable about it. More so than the love songs that are so overdone by almost everyone else. Mundanity can be just fine. His music is about everyday people. I find some of it empowering even, but I’ll write more about that when I get to XO.
Either/Or grew on me over the years after I first became a fan. It’s not quite as ornate as XO, and it doesn’t rock as hard as Figure 8. What it does do is explore the stories of various people. I assume some of them are about himself in the third person.
When I first moved to Portland, I listened to Either/Or again while it rained on my car. I literally walked down Alameda with my headphones on listening to it again. I didn’t move here because of my love for his music, but it gave the place a little extra familiarity that it wouldn’t have otherwise had.
Easiest 5/5 rating so far.
5
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Wed Dec 13 2023
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Beautiful. I have little patience for 99% of jazz vocalists, but Sarah Vaughan is the top 0.01% alongside Fitzgerald and Holliday. I’ve known the name, surprised I haven’t heard more of her music before this.
4
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Thu Dec 14 2023
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
This is fun. I’m enjoying it more than I expected to. Not going to run out and buy a used copy, or put it into any kind of rotation, but I won’t be upset if it comes on again
3
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Fri Dec 15 2023
The World is a Ghetto
War
Great grooves. Great messages that still ring true today in America, unfortunately. Funky as hell. Great sax. It gets very repetitive at times which is the main reason this isn’t likely to become a new favorite.
3/5
3
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Sat Dec 16 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
Dude what!?
4
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Sun Dec 17 2023
All Hope Is Gone
Slipknot
In. What. World. Do I - or anyone - need to listen to this before I die?
There’s a very good reason that I haven’t listened to these guys in 25 years
1
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Mon Dec 18 2023
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
Meh… it’s like Oasis -who I don’t like - but more boring. Not unlistenable or abhorrent. Just unremarkable and I likely will never hear any of this again.
2/5
2
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Tue Dec 19 2023
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
Listen. I didn’t expect to love this album. Haven’t been much a fan of Paul since I became an adult. However, I also didn’t expect that I would entirely dislike it. The dude is a schlock factory! Does he have any emotional depth? Beyond the title track, there is nothing of interest here. No intrigue whatsoever. Some of this is downright goofy. It’s love song after love song, with a few nonsensical narratives peppered in. A prime example of how it’s actually possible for one to ride one’s own coattails.
2
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Wed Dec 20 2023
New Forms
Roni Size
Oh great, another 90s d&b album… bottom of the barrel, folks. I feel like I woke up to a dvd menu that has been repeating for 6 hours.
I simultaneously learned what the Mercury Prize is and that it’s worthless. If this won over OK Computer and Klaxons won over Amy Winehouse, there’s no justifying it being an award. For fucks sake
1
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Thu Dec 21 2023
Low-Life
New Order
I’m still new to knowing that I like any New Order after discovering that Blue Monday is by them. I had higher hopes for this one because of that. I do like them probably more than any other 80s synth pop band, but I have some caveats.
This is good overall. Not great. Not one I’ll put on again, knowingly. Wouldn’t mind hearing a song or two. Elegia was great! Otherwise I found the vocals lacking, and at certain points just bad. I can deal with some imperfect singing, but from time to time it sounded like drunken karaoke. This gets a 3 because I honestly don’t hate it, but I’ll probably rate other New Order higher. Looking forward to Substance
3
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Fri Dec 22 2023
Damaged
Black Flag
I had fun with this one. I can’t do screamy hardcore much anymore, but it was fun to relive that part of my life. This won’t go into rotation, but it’s a classic. 3/5
If you want a fun experience, listen to Dirty Projector’s full-album cover/reinterpretation of Damaged after this. The album’s name is Rise Above.
3
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Sat Dec 23 2023
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Honestly beautiful. Leonard Cohen has been very hit or miss for me, from the stuff I’ve heard. New Skin For The Old Ceremony has been the only album up to this point that I “get”. This one is elegiac and haunting. Not going to be regular rotation but I will listen again.
4
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Sun Dec 24 2023
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Beats are good. Rhymes are clever. Content is just cringey. Definitely makes sense in the context of late 90s white male angst and aggression. I won’t listen to this again
2
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Mon Dec 25 2023
Timeless
Goldie
Can we please stop with the drum n bass?
1
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Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
This has to be one of the best Christmas albums ever put out. I’m not likely to listen to it outside of a week or two before Christmas though. By my rubric, it’s somewhere between a 3 and 4. But since I will come back to it on purpose, even if only one short time of the year, let’s call it a 4. I’m sure I rate other albums at 4 that I listen to slightly less frequently than that!
4
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Wed Dec 27 2023
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday. Great as always.
4
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Thu Dec 28 2023
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
I didn’t know I would like Kraftwerk this much. It was especially fun to work on a computer while listening.
If you like this, I can’t recommend FWY! enough. Check out the track HWY 101
4
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Fri Dec 29 2023
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
I’ve avoided listening to Muse for years. Mostly because acquaintances that were fans had otherwise middling taste in music at best. That kind of describes how this sounds to me.
It’s almost like a parallel universe Radiohead where they try to be more radio-friendly. Both too edgy and not edgy enough. It’s a little try-hard at times.
I don’t hate it. My ears weren’t ever really offended by it, I just was kinda bored by it. For something that sounds so grandiose, it’s remarkably non-compelling.
2
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Sat Dec 30 2023
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
I can still sing along with every one of these songs. Im dating myself here but I remember seeing the Fell In Love With A Girl video on MTV when it came out. Absolutely a perfect album to me.
5
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Sun Dec 31 2023
Imagine
John Lennon
I used to want to like John. Then I gave into not liking him because his solo work just didn’t do it for me, and that’s ok. Now, knowing more about his shithead past, and how he wrote songs about it there were somewhere between a brag, an excuse, and a lament… I just don’t think he was all that great on his own. That and he helped make one of the worst Nilsson records.
Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to this record. If I never hear the song Imagine again, it’ll be too soon. Jealous Guy is beautiful if you don’t read into it too much. And Oh Yoko is kinda fun, but the rest is just a yawnburger.
2
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Mon Jan 01 2024
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell
It’s fine. Not my taste but good for what it is. Like a 00s Luther Canaria Vandross
3
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Tue Jan 02 2024
Superunknown
Soundgarden
This was on the radio when I was growing up. I loved Black Hole Sun after seeing the video at an impressionable age. I must have been 8 or so given the year. Haven’t listened to them on purpose much since then, save for playing a lot of lonely solo Rock Band in college, and 90s playlists that I am sometimes subjected to.
I won’t say I hate or even can’t stand Soundgarden. I even get the appeal of Chris Cornell’s voice! But as I’m listening to this 30 years on… I can’t say that I miss this era of music. Maybe it’s because some bands in the later 90s took this sound and ruined it for me? Godsmack and the like certainly couldn’t have helped. I guess I just like the Portland scene from that era much more than Seattle. Or Duster and other slowcore bands. There was definitely much more interesting stuff going on in 1994 than you’ll hear about from most people. Sorry for the semi-rant.
With that out of the way. I don’t hate this. There’s talent here. Like I said, Chris Cornell gets attention for his voice and it’s well deserved. I just don’t think this is the best distillation of what I want to hear in rock music. Personally anyway. It’s reaching for something but not getting there. Maybe trying to sound darker than they could realistically pull off. It’s just not for me, so I give this a 2.5 rounded up to 3. But barely. Usually a 3 is “I like this but I probably won’t listen again” but this one is more of a “not for me but I get why people like it”
3
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Wed Jan 03 2024
Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
Neil Young and Steven Stills. Not sure what else to say
4
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Thu Jan 04 2024
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
Is it bad? No. Is it great? No. Did I need to hear this before I die? Certainly not. I’m much more of a Young and Stills fan than I am of this. These feel like a bunch of throw away tracks that got recorded and didn’t have anywhere else to go.
Dweee doh dit doh dit dee doh doh det
2
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Fri Jan 05 2024
Bad Company
Bad Company
It’s a little hard not to like this. Sure it’s cheesy 70s rock, but I know 90% of these songs through osmosis and I don’t hate hearing them. I’m not sure why this is better than other bands that seem otherwise similar to me. Helps that it’s only 35 min long. Lots of songs about fucking and wanting to fuck and who he wants to fuck, so it gets quite repetitive in that way. Otherwise, I like it but I probably won’t be listening to this whole album again.
3
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Sat Jan 06 2024
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
It’s tempting to say “how could I not like this?” But I think actually the album might actually have a couple of duds. It’s not a perfect album, but it’s really close and I’ll forgive them for the duds. Especially if I let Silver Springs end the album. Shame that one didn’t make it on the official release. It’s clearly the best Fleetwood Mac song.
5
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Sun Jan 07 2024
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
Fantastique! I had no idea this would be so good. Like Tribe but French. I will definitely listen to this again.
5
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Traffic
Traffic
Meh. Not impressed. Blends in with a lot of other early psych rock. Not a pain to listen to, but I didn’t need to hear it. Also Joe Cocker’s version of Feelin Alright is better.
2
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Tue Jan 09 2024
Sea Change
Beck
Man… Anyone who says that Elliott Smith is too depressing (which I think people only say because he committed suicide) has clearly never heard this album.
I’ve often felt that Beck is one of the very few musicians/bands that I’ve consistently liked throughout my life, regardless of what else I’m into at any given time.
Anyway, this is really good. I appreciate it for what it is, which is Beck’s first real attempt at an album without a bunch of dancey sample-ridden tracks. “Lost Cause” has long been one of my favorites of his. So I want to give this a 5 but I don’t know if I can handle this again in one listen. It’s devastating. Like Blood on the Tracks it’s probably one of the best breakup albums. But unlike BotT, it’s not going to go in regular rotation.
4
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
I haven’t heard much Emmylou before. I expected this to be a poor introduction given how late in her career it was, but I thought it was pretty great. Not sure who produced it but it reminded me of Norah Jones’ first album, sonically. Comforting. Not likely to listen again, but happy to have listened.
3
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Beyond Skin
Nitin Sawhney
I’m getting very tired of all of these dnb albums. I’m only 82 albums in, though, so I’ll try to endure.
At least this one is somewhat interesting. The south Asian influence is a nice touch. It’s not nearly as repetitive as, say, Roni Size. It is, however, still drum n bass, which I think I can definitively say is not a genre I’m a fan of.
I’ll tell you who does successfully combine south Asian sounds with electronic music: Four Tet. This is almost as chill, but instead of wanting to hang out or clean the house, I feel like I’m stuck in the waiting room of a bougie hair salon while my girlfriend spends an inordinate amount of money on a haircut.
2
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Fri Jan 12 2024
Like Water For Chocolate
Common
This has been one of my favorite Common albums for a while. Pretty much anything by the Soulquarians from this time period is going to be my favorite ____ album. So I’m coming into this biased.
That said, some of this hasn’t aged well. Particularly his use of the f-slur. I’ve read that he apologized and vowed to never use the word again around the time his next album came out, so that’s nice, but it’s still hard to hear in this, especially because he seems to emphasize that word in the line.
Another downfall of this album is the length. Others have mentioned this. It’s somewhat front loaded.
But it’s hard to ignore the production on this. The beats are phenomenal, Questlove’s drumming is amazing as always, the features are kind of a who’s who of that era of conscious/underground hip hop, and Com’s flow is distinctive and comforting.
Common is not my favorite MC, but I have a lot of respect for him. The caveats take away one star from this. This is not an album I constantly find myself going back to, but I very much enjoy the tracks that I enjoy.
4
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Sat Jan 13 2024
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
I don’t know why I had it in my head that I didn’t like LCD Soundsystem. This album is fantastic. How often is dance music heartfelt and even sad?
I hear elements of Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, Bowie… Little Richard even. It also reminds me of peers: Spoon, Cake, White Stripes, Ghostland Observatory…
It’s rare that I don’t want a 6 minute song to end, but “Someone Great” fits the bill.
This is hype music for millennials. This is music to get you to have fun cleaning the house. This is brilliantly crafted pop music.
5
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Sun Jan 14 2024
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
I find Mingus challenging. In a good way! But challenging nonetheless. It’s brilliant jazz music. Sometimes I really understand what is going on and sometimes I’m lost. But I’m here for the ride. This isn’t my favorite of his. I prefer Pre-Bird and Ah Um.
To me, this one’s less catchy and more of an impressionistic piece. For some reason it evokes a bustling/chaotic 1950s NYC or something similar. Not somewhere I want to spend all my time, but it’s fun to visit every now and then.
4
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Mon Jan 15 2024
Kid A
Radiohead
I haven’t listened to this one. Not specifically for this project anyway. I’ve heard Kid A countless times.
I’m somewhat of a Johnny-come-lately with Radiohead, but Everything in its Right Place has been my go-to to test headphones for a long time. I won’t get into why I didn’t used to like them, but they more recently became one of my most listened to bands. But honestly I don’t listen to anything before Kid A. It’s that good of a career change.
5
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
I could have sworn I’d listened to this before. I’m quite familiar with the album cover, and its existence, but I don’t believe I’ve listened to this before.
I’d say I’m a fan of hip hop, but beats albums are rarely something I like to listen to - Dilla, Nujabes, Oddissee, Karriem Riggins notwithstanding. I can’t say this one is really doing it for me, either. I appreciate its significance and quality. It’s definitely well crafted, but as far as wanting to put this on… it’s not chill for any significant length of time, and I’m not much of a partier these days.
I don’t hate it but I just don’t think I’ll come back to it.
3
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Kenya
Machito
I had never heard of this. A bit of a letdown if I’m honest. It feels very much like the music you’d hear in some 60s movie where they’re trying to convince you they shot it in the Caribbean, but being unwittingly condescending about it.
Im not mad I listened. It wasn’t long enough to care much. But I doubt I’ll listen again. The horn jabs become quite annoying real quick.
2
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
I can’t believe this is still going. This has been teetering on interesting the whole time, but hasn’t gotten there once.
2
View Album
Fri Jan 19 2024
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
Not my favorite Pavement record, but better than I remember. It’s good, but not their peak imo. It’s a little all over the place, which might be part of the appeal for some but for me a couple of their later records pull it off better.
4
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Sat Jan 20 2024
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
Not my favorite Pavement record, but better than I remember. It’s good, but not their peak imo. It’s a little all over the place, which might be part of the appeal for some but for me a couple of their later records pull it off better.
3
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Sun Jan 21 2024
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
I find it hard to stomach this era of music. It’s corny as hell. I’m not sure I like the Beatles around this time either. Maybe it’s because of what that generation left in its wake, but it’s hard to listen to music this optimistic and cheeseball. I appreciate their influence but this ain’t no Pet Sounds. But hey, it’s less than 30 min!
2
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Mon Jan 22 2024
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
I wanted to be generous to this album. I just was bored by it. It’s way too slow. It’s not that I mind slow music. I’m a big fan of slow core so that doesn’t bother me at all really. I was just bored. I kept waiting for anything interesting to happen, there’s no hooks, nothing catchy going on nothing. Even ambient music has more interesting things going on and that’s not a knock on ambient music. I’ll listen to music for airports over and over again for the rest of my life. I’ll never listen this album again.
The most interesting thing about this album isn’t even their song and it’s not even a cover that I want to hear again The album is an hour long, but it felt like two, and that was with skipping quite a few of the tracks halfway through.
I’m getting tired of writing the question why did I need to hear this before I die?
2
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Tue Jan 23 2024
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
I get that Knopfler is technically good at guitar. But there are a few things I don’t like about this. It’s cornball. And I can’t believe I never noticed the f-slur being used in Money For Nothing! Not cool, but it was a different time. I’m just not into this. That Kenny G-style clarinet solo was excruciating too. Glad this is over.
2
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
Good grooves. Singing great but not as perfect as I thought out remembered. Definitely sent me back to junior high dance
3
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
I’m a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It’s kinda corny - which I just panned The Beach Boys and Dire Straits for being. Cheesy, but the sense of humor in it feels more authentic. But it’s also smart and a little funky.
Ricky is clearly a classic. Listening on my commute, I had a hard time not thinking of that scene in Say Anything when John Mahoney is singing along in his car.
I liked it, not loved it. But didn’t expect to like anything beyond the singles. Pleasantly surprised.
4
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Eagles
Eagles
The dude is right. This shit sucks. I’m scared to look and see how many other Eagles albums are on this list, but I’m not looking forward to Hotel California.
1
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Fun stuff. I’ve heard some of their stuff before. I’ve always liked it, but never really listened much. Maybe I will now.
4
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Sun Jan 28 2024
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
What in the world could I say about this that hasn’t already been said?
5
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Mon Jan 29 2024
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
I don’t know how much of this I can listen to before turning it off. I mean, he hits the notes, but Jesus Christ does his voice piss me off. The instrumentation is good, kinda Van Dyke Parks or something. But it doesn’t make up for the voice one bit. Fuck this. Almost sounds like someone found a lost Nick Drake album but lost the vocals and grabbed some drunk Muppet off the street to provide them. I’ll just never understand the appeal.
1
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Blue
Joni Mitchell
This is no Hejira, or Court and Spark, but there’s nothing like a Joni Mitchell record in the morning to lubricate the eyes.
4
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
I already know I like this album, but I’m not sure if I’ve listened to the whole thing in one sitting, so there’s still something new to hear here. But as a fan of both Wilco and Woody Guthrie, I’m a bit biased.
4
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Station To Station
David Bowie
Alright, it’s time I finally admit that I’m not as big of a Bowie fan as I’m “supposed” to be. This album is fine, but it’s no Ziggy. And I think I’m always wanting Ziggy.
3
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
This is kinda good. Don’t read the Wikipedia
3
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Sat Feb 03 2024
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
This has been my favorite Bob Dylan album for many years. If I remember correctly, it’s the first one that I really connected with. If it weren’t for Lily Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, I’d call it a perfect album.
5
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
I know these guys were kind of pioneers in hardcore punk. The acerbic nature is not lost on me, but it’s not very clever, it just feels so juvenile in a way I can’t connect with in my late 30s. There are some moments of attempting to sound politically aware. I guess I just prefer the Dead Kennedys who did it with more style and wit. Jello Biafra just kinda put everyone else to shame when it comes to protest lyrics and political satire in punk songs.
2
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
I like jazz. I like some experimental music. I even like some experimental jazz. In fact, I like Ornette Coleman! This album, not really. Much like the Circle Jerks album I listened to right before this one, it’s not for me. I get it, but I’m fine with only listening to this once.
But hey, you know what? I’m glad I read a couple of reviews first. I was ready to give up, thinking the whole album was going to sound like the first 10 minutes or so, but there ended up being a few tracks that had a bit of an actual groove to them. It’s not going to bring my rating up much but it’s a 2 with a caveat.
2
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Illmatic
Nas
This is an incredible album. For some reason it never clicked for me. This time it did.
5
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
It’s not like I’ve never heard of Liz Phair before, so why didn’t anyone tell me how good she actually is?
4
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
Not surprised I don’t like yet another British electronic album that I’ve never heard of. Seriously, if going to a number as high as 1001 means I have to listen to this before I die, maybe shorten the list by however many British techno albums you were planning on including. Or at least give me some Aphex Twin (I know he’s Welsh) or Four Tet. For fucksake
1
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Tommy
The Who
I’m 8 tracks in and I’m ready for it to be over. I never could get into the Who much. Maybe it’ll get better, so I’ll stick it out…
It does get slightly better. But not enough for me to give this any more than 3/5. I just don’t want to listen this whole thing again. It’s fine, it’s just long and the first half was pretty tedious.
It feels like this one is part British Invasion, part concept. Content-wise, it’s not all lovey dovey, early Beatles type schlock, but the sound is still there. I much prefer all these boomer Brits after they’ve experimented with LSD. Maybe the Who had before they made Tommy, but it’s just not there for them. I’m looking forward to revisiting Quadrophenia. I remember liking that one more.
3
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Sat Feb 10 2024
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
They sure did like that jangle in Manchester back then, huh? I don’t necessarily hate this. There’s a few cool things going on here, and it’s way less insufferable than The Smiths. I don’t expect to come back to this. It’s a little too long and I’m not the biggest fan of famous Manc dudes apparently. Apparently lead singer is a Covid conspiracy theorist and this album inspired Liam Gallagher to sing in a band one day. So yeah. I’m not going to feel too bad about not rating this highly.
2
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Why is this so corny? I mean, the guitar is good, technically, but the singing ruins it. It’s so try-hard-boomer-cool. This is a reluctant 1.5
2
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Time has told me, this is an incredible album. How he made such a full album at a young age, I’ll never know.
5
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Tue Feb 13 2024
Murmur
R.E.M.
I like it! I don’t think this will be my favorite REM album by the time this list is done, but I had fun listening.
4/5
4
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Wed Feb 14 2024
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Not sure how to explain that it sounds interesting but it’s not? Some of these songs just go on without doing much. They overpromise at the outset and then never deliver. Reminds me of times where I come up with something I like on guitar, loop it, and then lose all interest in playing along with it after a few minutes but the loop keeps playing in my head. I wouldn’t make an album out of those, but that’s me.
Damon Albarn is hit or miss to me, I like the Clash, and I love Tony Allen, but this is not quite a sum of its parts.
2
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Thu Feb 15 2024
...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
I live in Portland so I suppose I should like this. I don’t know how much of this band I’ve actually heard, but the first track isn’t ringing any bells.
This has elements of other 90s Portland bands that I do know, like Heatmiser, but more Neil Gust, with little to no Elliott Smith. Thankfully they sound nothing like Everclear. I probably would’ve loved this if I’d heard it closer to when it came out. It’s a little samey for me on first listen. I don’t mind it, though. It’s fine.
3
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
As time goes on, the less I seem to like 20-something boomer white dudes playing the blues. Give me a break.
Speaking of boomers, Lester Bangs in Almost Famous put it quite succinctly: "Jim Morrison is a drunken buffoon posing as a poet."
I'm not sure if I'll agree with Lester about the Guess Who, but they're not on the list, so I guess I could just listen to them without spoiling it. Then he proceeds to forcibly put Iggy Pop on right after, which I definitely agree with. At least this is less than 40 minutes.
2
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Sat Feb 17 2024
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Don’t be a □
If the choice is Beatles or Elvis, I’m definitely a Beatles man. Hard to believe this came out anywhere near the Summer of Love.
2
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
I’m sure this is fun to thrash around to while drunk at a dive bar. Not really my thing right now.
3
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Mon Feb 19 2024
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
I don’t think I’m going to make it through this entire thing. Not a fan of any adoration of Pink Floyd add to that a healthy dose of exploitation of someone with a mental illness and I’m incredibly uninterested.
1
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Tue Feb 20 2024
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
I was fully prepared to not like this as much as I used to. I haven’t listened to it in several years, but it’s still great. Can’t say I’d like it if I didn’t have a nostalgia for it, but here we are.
5
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
I've acquired the taste for Tom Waits long ago after seeing him live in Columbus, OH. Must've been 15 or more years ago now. Still one of the best shows I've ever seen and we were in the nosebleeds.
Bone Machine isn't one of his albums that I'm super familiar with. It doesn't feel like it will topple my favorite (Swordfishtrombones), but it has all of the elements of later-career Waits. That snarly voice, the non-traditional instruments, old-timey yet industrial, whimsical yet dark. There's no way I'd ever rank any of his albums lower than a 4.5.
5
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Thu Feb 22 2024
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
This would be a 4 if it didn’t suffer from that early 00s production bloat and Timbaland’s one trick pony production. This sounds just like an early Justin Timberlake album.
3
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Fri Feb 23 2024
B-52's
The B-52's
I am feeling the same kind of surprise that I felt when I thoroughly enjoyed the first Devo album. I didn’t know the B-52’s outside of their ubiquitous radio hits. Now I know that they are pioneers of post-punk and I’m into it.
5
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Purple Rain
Prince
I was already mostly familiar with Purple Rain because I don't live under a rock. The previous Prince album I got was not my cup of tea. And honestly, Prince isn't really my thing in general. I think the thing about his music that generally turns me off is the very-80s sounds used. It's something that makes much of that decade unlistenable to me. Prince can pull it off, but I don't see him becoming a favorite of mine.
...But when he's good he's good! And Purple Rain is fantastic. The energy is there, it's got feeling, it's got heart, and those 80s sounds really kind of faded away pretty quickly.
4
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
It's hard for me to make myself listen to country music, but this classic country (Dolly, Merle, Hank, Willie, Johnny, etc) always surprises me. And who doesn't like Dolly Parton?
This is by no means a new favorite, but I enjoyed listening to it. "The Mystery of the Mystery" is a nice reflection on how little we know (more God than I usually care for, but not obnoxious). "Early Morning Breeze" is a nice reminder to enjoy what you've got. I wouldn't say any one track stood out to me among the others, but I wasn't wondering when it would be over.
3
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
This is annoying. No thanks.
1
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
70s Neil Young is so great. Some of his lyrics are incredibly silly, but I love the simplicity of his music.
It's cool how this live set transitions pretty smoothly from solo acoustic into full band.
I don't know, man, don't expect me to give less than a 4 on any Neil Young from this era. I'm a sucker.
5
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Wed Feb 28 2024
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
Never heard of this. Wasn't missing much. It's mediocre "rock" music with a Northern accent. The breathy vocals become grating and creepy a few tracks in. There is a sparse smattering of interesting moments in here that aren't ruined by the vocals. I will happily skip over the bonus tracks at the end of this. Yet another album whose presence on this list confuses me.
2
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Yeah, wasn't looking forward to listening to this one. I had forgotten about Jamiroquai for about 15 years or so. I wish I could forget again. It's one thing to be influenced by Stevie Wonder, it's another to basically ape his entire package. The cloyingly sweet togetherness lyrics are uninspired and overly cliche. I'm sure these session musicians went on to back other more deserving artists, but their talent is wasted here.
1
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Fri Mar 01 2024
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
The harmonies are amazing. Very dated now, but it's hard to argue that this is poorly done, even if it's not my favorite thing.
3
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Moving Pictures
Rush
If you downpitch the music so that Geddy Lee's voice sounds "normal", Rush sounds a whole lot like so many other rock bands from the 70s/80s. I don't like many of those bands. I kind of like Rush. I wouldn't say I like Geddy Lee's voice, but for some reason it's the key to me liking this band at all.
3
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
I hear new stuff every time I listen to this. It's brilliant and clever. I'll just sound like the white guy dweeb that I am by saying much more.
5
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Mon Mar 04 2024
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
Every time this starts to get interesting, it gets obnoxious again.
2
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Tue Mar 05 2024
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
What’s not to like?
5
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Apart from "Sex Machine" going on a little too long, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I was bopping my head and making the stank face while working at my desk. Nice.
4
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Thu Mar 07 2024
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Well, to start, I'm already quite familiar with their first two records, and if Fever To Tell isn't on the list but this is, I'll be very upset and confused. I remember not taking to this album when it came out, but I'm going to give it a fair shot. First couple of minutes are reminiscent of Blondie. Nothing wrong with that, but not the Yeah Yeah Yeahs I fell in love with in the early 00s.
After listening to the whole thing, it was enjoyable, but not a standout album to me.
3
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Fri Mar 08 2024
One World
John Martyn
Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a major wankfest and I haven't even pressed play yet?
This is not off to a good start.
Yeah, no. The guitar sounds like a fart with reverb and delay on it. His voice makes Michael McDonald sound like Pavarotti. The album art should have stayed hanging on that basement wall in the 70s. This is terrible.
1
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Sat Mar 09 2024
1989
Taylor Swift
This is fine. I've liked some of her newer stuff much more than this. Some of these songs go on for at least 30 seconds longer than they need to. They're just repeating the same words and it makes me anxious for the thing to end. For a pop record, though, I’m not opposed to it. I think I’d love to dance to it, but I was listening to it at work, which is quite the clash of vibes.
3
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Bad
Michael Jackson
It’s really difficult to come at this with an open mind. I tried, but even the couple of times I absentmindedly started tapping my toes, it was only for a couple of seconds because I would remember who I was listening to.
Those woos and eeheeeees and chh-chamonnnahs are ridiculous. Why did he do that?
The synths and drum machine sounds exemplify everything I hate about 80s pop music.
The love songs are trite and trying really hard to sound sexy. That style of love song always gives me the creeps, even without the context here.
There’s a growing list of artists of all types whose art is no longer accessible to me because I can’t get past what they did. It’s impossible to view their lyrics, jokes, and movies through an untainted lens anymore. Even if he truly wasn’t a pedophile, he was definitely a guy with severe mental illness who had weird, creepy, ill-advised sleepovers with prepubescent children.
All that said, Smooth Criminal is really hard to not like, even if I can’t fully enjoy it. And Thriller, depending on the mood I’m in when it comes up, may get a slightly more generous rating than this one, but Bad, in my opinion, is just not good or deserving of a list like this.
1
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Diamond Life
Sade
I’ve known the name Sade since I was at least 12 or younger. I have no idea if I’ve ever actually heard her music. I also had no idea she’d been making music for 15 years by the time I’d even heard her name...
Smooth Operator is definitely familiar somehow. The rest of this, not so much. For smooth R&B, this isn’t the worst. I don’t mind this as background music, maybe at a kitschy cafe that’s stuck in the 90s with all the collected knick knacks and shit on the wall. I am not entirely convinced that I needed to hear this before I die, other than to provide some variety. There’s certainly something to be said for that in the context of a list that feels heavily skewed toward otherwise forgotten and ignored britpop bands. I’m definitely not as upset by it as I have been previous albums on this list.
TL;DR: Not something I’d pick, but I wouldn’t have heard this otherwise, so it gets some points for not being a predictable pick while not being terrible.
2
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Hotel California
Eagles
There are a lot of 70s schlock rock bands that sound like each other and are hard to tell apart. Some of them I've listened to for this list. All of them I've kept an open mind. One or two of them, I actually enjoyed! Honestly!
The Eagles are just bad. I almost wish they blended into the crowd. I couldn't make it through an entire song on this album. Even at their peak they are just plain insufferable.
1
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
Yes, the backstory is sad. I feel bad. So bad. For her and her child. But you really need to know that context to appreciate this album, or really, her voice for what it is. And the music is well done. But the voice is grating. I’m always reluctant to rate female artists poorly. Lord knows the incels doing this project can’t stand listening to any women, no matter how talented. But I’m having a hard time listening past her voice here. It gets points for the musicianship of the backing band though.
2
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
I’ve known that Nick Cave is someone I should probably listen to. One of my best friends is a huge fan, but this is the first time it’s actually clicked. The other stuff of his that I’ve listened to has been good, to be sure. But this is absolutely brilliant.
5
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Fri Mar 15 2024
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
Not as good as his next album, Last Year's Model, but one of his 2.5 albums that I jive with. I'll save the explanation of my disappointment with his overall career in reviews for those other albums.
3
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Liquid Swords
GZA
I enjoyed the beats. Heard some clever lyrical combinations. Mostly faded into the background. In a good way?
3
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Maxinquaye
Tricky
This is just long enough to be annoying and doesn’t stand out among the seemingly infinite hours of triphop that came out of the UK around this time. It even SAMPLES Massive Attack. Nothing to see here.
2
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Mon Mar 18 2024
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
4
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
I wasn’t looking forward to listening to this and then I looked at the track list and realized I hear just about all of these songs against my will on a regular basis. I don’t hang around GNR fans, that’s just how annoyingly ubiquitous Sweet Child Of Mine is. Fuck this music and anyone over the age of 14 that listens to it on purpose.
1
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Wed Mar 20 2024
...And Justice For All
Metallica
Yesterday, GNR. Today this… I feel like I’m being recommended music by a 11 year old white boy who is just getting into music.
1
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Thu Mar 21 2024
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
Not sure this is an important *Stones* album even. It’s not bad, but there are so many better and more influential Stones records that are more important to listen to to understand the context of later rock acts.
As an album, it’s fine. They hadn’t quite found their sound yet, but there are some toe tappers in here.
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
I really could make a better list than this. This one’s not terrible, but again, apart from the single, don’t think it’s important to hear this. A hit single does not a good album make.
2
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
I love OutKast but this is long for a double. It’s even long if you think of it as two separate solo albums, which it kind of is.
Still some amazing tracks on here. I enjoyed it, but 2/3 of the way through u was ready to listen to something else
3
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Stardust
Willie Nelson
I’m not usually into this crooner wannabe album sorta thing but Willie gets a pass because he’s Willie and because Booker T produced it.
3
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Grace
Jeff Buckley
I was VERY into this album 15 or so years ago (in my 20s). I believe I got into Jeff Buckley toward the end of high school, because I remember listening to "Last Goodbye" with a group of friends around and telling the girl I had a thing for that she might like it, and a different friend gave me shit because they played it all the time on a radio station that we listened to a lot at the time. If I have my memories correctly lined up, that would've been summer '04. So, shit... 20 years ago...
Anyway, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this much having not listened to it in probably 10 or more years. I never lost appreciation or respect, but I just don't still listen to very much from that time in my life. Tastes evolve, times change, and so do we.
Well this dude's voice is still as impressive as ever, and the music doesn't sound as dated as I'd thought it would. For a 30 year old record, it holds up quite well. Is it fair to call it timeless? His influences are clear, his training is obvious... This album is very good. I might even let the Legacy Edition bonus disc section play out...
5
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Parachutes
Coldplay
Things I texted my equally judgmental brother while listening to this:
“Chris Martin’s hero must be Bono”
“Coldplay is just U2 with even less edge. Pun not really intended but allowed”
“This is a band full of people whose sole purpose in life is to have a song played during the end credits of a 2010s ABC prime time drama. “
“Coldplay is music for people that would like Radiohead if they were more optimistic”
That last one… I know they don’t sound much like Radiohead, but people do compare the two, and those people have a relatively unnuanced ear for music.
2
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Wed Mar 27 2024
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
That was incredibly fun
4
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
I really like this album… for the first half. It starts to drag around Foxey Lady. I’ve always preferred Axis to this one.
4
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Fri Mar 29 2024
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
Not my thing. Maybe would get another star if I understood French, but I don’t.
1
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Marquee Moon
Television
This is just great. I don’t have a lot to say about it other than I wish I’d listened to this whole album before, instead of just the title track.
5
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
I wish this was better. I appreciate the attempt at conscious rap, but the lyrics leave nothing to the imagination. It's just so on the nose and literal. The beats are fine, but this doesn't rise above its contemporaries by any stretch. There are just so many better examples of what this is trying to sound like.
2
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Play
Moby
Immediately after pressing play, I have the answer to what that song that mumbling that gets stuck in my head is from. I've been trying to figure that out on and off for a few years, but it's difficult to google a mumble.
That might be the most positive thing I have to say about this before it's over.
Ok, I suppose I should give Moby some credit for not making each track drag on for 7 minutes like so many other electronic albums on this list have done so far. However, it's still too long as a whole, and that's without the b-sides they've tacked onto the end of any streaming copy of this album I could find outside of youtube.
2
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Tue Apr 02 2024
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
Listen, I’m an enormous Beastie Boys fan, but this is arguably their worst album. Give me Ill Communication or Check Your Head or Paul’s Boutique and we’ll talk about how much I love them and think they are underrated for how talented they actually were.
3
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Leave the filler out and this is actually a great album.
3
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
This is a terrible introduction to Big Star. There are some stand outs, like Kanga Roo (Jeff Buckley’s cover of it is great too), but it doesn’t rise to the level of their debut.
2
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Fri Apr 05 2024
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
Reviews are right. The vocals ruin it, but the backing musicians aren't bad. Not much to add to that.
2
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Stankonia
OutKast
One of my favorite hip hop records, even if it suffers from the late-90s trope of unnecessary skits as tracks.
5
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Sun Apr 07 2024
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
I forgot to rate this when I listened to it a couple of weeks ago, but it's fucking fantastic. The end.
4
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Fragile
Yes
They start with the only decent track. The rest is Wankfest™
2
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Aja
Steely Dan
I like Steely Dan’s singles, but honestly I got kinda tired of this by the end.
3
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Blur
Blur
“How much Damon Albarn can we fit on this list?”
“Well, he hasn’t put out 1001 albums of his own yet, so keep cramming them in there!”
2
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Thu Apr 11 2024
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
This one surprised me. I didn't expect much from the cover art, but I ended up liking it a lot. Apart from "Da Bichez". It was a different time.
3
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
Are you trying to make me cry? I shouldn't be listening to this while trying to get work done. I should be in a bubble bath, sipping a pinot noir.
Honestly, the first time I heard this one was because I had just learned about Jaco and found out he played bass for a string of Joni records, so I drew a bath - probably my first since childhood - drank a bottle of red wine, let it all wash over me, and cried.
Nothing about me should like Joni Mitchell, especially because she's the epitome of what my mom would listen to, whose taste in music I've often been skeptical of, but had she ever listened to THIS Joni, I might've never thought that.
Easily 5/5. This is artistic genius.
5
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Brothers
The Black Keys
Listen, I love the Black Keys. Or at least I LOVED them. They were my favorite band for years after I heard Rubber Factory for the first time. I subsequently bought a bunch of their records and a guitar pedal or two to try to sound like Dan Auerbach. This was one album after the one where they started to lose me. It's not terrible, but they started to get too slick and clean-cut. On the one hand, I was glad they weren't sticking to their predictable low-fi garage blues rock, which I'm sure would've gotten old. On the other hand, I didn't want them to go so radio-friendly. Good for them for making a living on their craft. Bad for me. I still have their first few albums on vinyl - except, somewhat ironically, for Rubber Factory - and I might put one on after listening to this.
...honestly, after listening, this still has some kickass tracks, but what I said above is still accurate and this is still a 3/5 at best.
3
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Hysteria
Def Leppard
I am dumbfounded by the high ratings given to this album. This is heavily produced garbage. The 80s were the worst thing to happen to the world: Reagan, Thatcher, day-glo clothes, coke, synthesizers, and hair metal. Barf.
1
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
I went through my grunge phase in middle/high school nearly a decade late. I wore flannels and ripped jeans in 2001. I've known about Mudhoney for at least that long, though I've often confused them with Meat Puppets (in name alone). Meat Puppets were good. This is... fine, I guess? I can at least understand why it would be on the list, given that it's one of the earliest examples of grunge. It's just not super listenable, I'm not tapping my toes, I'm not expecting to have any of this stuck in my head, I'm not going to go out and listen to the rest of their discography. But I have finally listened to a Mudhoney album, so I can check that off the list of things I never really intended to do.
Stand out track is definitely "Broken Hands" which is the first time they show that they have the capability of at least a little dynamic range. Otherwise, much of this sounds like teenagers playing their instruments loudly with novice ability. I guess if that's your thing, cool, but it's not what I want to listen to. My eardrums are already dead from my time listening to stuff like this.
2
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
I admittedly haven't listened past Girl From Ipanema previously. Doing so now, I don't feel as if I've missed out up to this point. I consider this a part of some sort of music appreciation class. It's important for it's importance. How that came to be, I'll never really understand. Sort of like reading Dickens now. So what?
2
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
I recognize Beth Orton's name from the early 00s listening to an independent radio station in upstate NY, but none of these songs ring a bell. I'm pleasantly surprised by this given that I don't look back fondly on a good amount of the music I remember hearing on that station (A Perfect Circle, Korn, lots of ska-punk, and plenty of emo, none of which aged well).
I'm not sure why wikipedia slaps a folktronica sticker on this one. There are maybe two or three tracks that rely on the triphop style. This is mainly sparse acoustic, or bigger orchestral band stuff.
My main gripe with this is her voice. It's 90% beautiful, but there are moments where she's doing something strange with her voice that doesn't work, or she's kind of out of key for a syllable. And not in a cool/weird/intriguing Patti Smith kind of way, just in a way that makes me wince. It doesn't ruin the whole album for me, but it makes it hard to give this a higher rating. It's also just shy of 1 hour, which makes it feel like it drags on certain songs.
Again, I don't hate this, it's just teetering on the edge of too polished and not polished enough which is kind of annoying. I wanted it to fall to one side or the other.
3
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Henry's Dream
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Jesus, why hadn't I listened to more Nick Cave before doing this? I think this is the second of his I've gotten and I'm loving it.
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Cat is so much more than his hippie radio hits. His melodic lines are gorgeous, and his introspective lyrics are relatable. This isn't my favorite album of his, but it's an easy listen regardless.
4
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
This is making me feel things. I haven't listened to this all the way through for the better part of a decade, but it's transporting me right back to 2007ish when I first heard this. Was VERY into this and his other albums at the time. I haven't been able to handle his newer more somber stuff because, well, I can't handle how sad it make me feel. But this is joyous and/or weird throughout and it's hard to hate, at least for me. This one holds up well for me.
4
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Sun Apr 21 2024
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
I have this on vinyl. It’s not my favorite Tom Waits record, but it’s one of my favorites for being somewhere between a stand-up album and a crooner album while falling somewhere on the vaudeville spectrum. There’s not much like it that can actually pull it off without being annoying and played out (a la Richard Cheese, for example). At least for me. I get that he’s not everyone’s thing, so I have to give this a slightly higher rating than I might otherwise to help skew the rating that much higher. But it’s still at least a 4.3/5 for me
5
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
I've never been an Elvis guy. The affectation in his voice has always rubbed me the wrong way. "One-Sided Love Affair" is the most ridiculous example of this. It's goofy af. And that must be it because I've fully enjoyed other musicians playing similar whitewashed "blues"/early rock n roll who don't sing like this. Blech.
1
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Boston
Boston
Oh, this sounds like a band named after a place!
2
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Synchronicity
The Police
I'm not a huge fan of The Police, but I can tell you this is not even THE record of theirs you should listen to before you die. In fact, it doesn't appear that their debut, which is arguably their best, isn't even on the list?! They should have stopped at one album with Sting disappearing into tantric obscurity and not becoming some sort of Bono type twat who makes a duet album with Shaggy. The only good thing he did after that first record was play Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.
Despite its title, this album is all over the place. Parts of it sound like some shit attempt at making a Television song, while others sound like post-prog Genesis, yet other parts are just radio-friendly schlock. I didn't expect to rate Boston higher than this, but it's really just that irritating.
Also I couldn't help but laugh when I thought I heard "walking in your foodstamps"
1
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
Bowie at his best. Highlights are "Kooks" and "Oh! You Pretty Things"
5
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
I don't know who killed the Zutons, but if they weren't already dead, I'd be tempted. This is bad even for early 2000s.
This sounds like a bunch of kids were in a ska band in high school, then heard The White Stripes and failed miserably at aping that sound, while one of them refused to learn something other than sax.
This keeps threatening to get interesting but never does. Closest it comes is "Confusion" which almost sounds like early 70s Kinks, but there's a persistent sax that sounds like a clown's bike horn. What exactly was the idea here? *checks wikipedia* "The band was originally a four-piece, before Payne's girlfriend Abi Harding began joining The Zutons on stage for a couple of songs mid-set, playing simple saxophone lines. The other band members liked the way her saxophone enhanced their sound and Harding became a full member, contributing vocals and sax." ...dear god...
1