Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir solo. I lost in a spectacular finish. I had a roommate in college who really liked Ravi Shankar, but I never really got into it at the time. I also didn't smoke weed at that point in my life. The album was surprisingly educational, which I definitely appreciated as a musician with a degree in music composition and theory! Ravi Shankar is definitely an extremely talented musician with a crazy understanding of theory, polyrhythms, and microtonality. I feel like I should be rating this higher than I am...but it felt more like sitting in on a class, rather than really getting a solidly constructed album. I feel like I would have appreciated a different album more than this, although it does provide some very informative material in how to listen to Indian music.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Magus of Cloaks. We lost twice. What an unexpected joy this album was! I had seen the groups name before, but had no idea what kind of music they performed. As an instrumentalist, I lived for all the creative orchestrations. There was an occasional cringe lyric here and there...but the dictionary song was super clever and had me laughing. I kept waiting for things to get less interesting, but each song was like a little auditory gem. I would absolutely come back to this for inspiration in my own compositions. Was not expecting to have a 5 album out of the blue...but I loved this!

Listened to this while cleaning. I'd rather have been playing a board game...but life isn't always fun and games. For some reason I had heard of Girls Against Boys before...but I'm not totally sure why. Maybe Hedwig and the Angry Inch...but that doesn't seem right. The album was kind of standard early 90s indie rock. Some great riffs here and there...but why this was selected over like 50 other equally good albums from the same time period...I'm not sure? I didn't dislike it...but it wasn't as strong as some of the other albums I've rated a 3...so this gets a 2. The girls won.

Listened to this while playing the ship maintenance phase of ISS Vanguard. I liked this album when it came out, but we were all young and stupid once. Seriously...whoever was responsible for putting this on the list deserves to listen to "Vega-tables" on a loop for eternity. I honestly would die more happy if I never have to listen to this again.

Listened while playing Nucleum. Haven't actually listened to this album before...but I'm excited it is my first pick in this journey! I definitely enjoyed it, but I feel like Back to Black is probably the better album.

Listened to this while playing A Feast For Odin. I have never listened to an AC/DC album before...though of course I knew the title track. Didn't recognize any of the other songs though. Definitely not my style. I felt so straight after listening to it, I followed it up with Dua Lipa just to balance the scale.

Listened to this while playing Nemesis. Some great jams. End of Sex Machine reminded of the end of Whiplash. Wondering if the director was at all influenced?

Listened to this while playing Nemesis? Bowie seems like appropriate alien music. Another album where I know the title track and nothing more. Enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. I could absolutely tell where the A-side ended and the B-side began. The first half was what I would expect when I think of DB, but the second half was largely instrumental ambient acid music. My partner also really enjoyed this album, and the way it influenced Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Listened to this while playing Lacrimosa. I was familiar with one of the songs...I actually played Pinball Wizard as Elton John in a concert once! After having listened to the album, I realized Pinball Wizard is probably the best song...and I hate Pinball Wizard.

Listened to this while playing Imperium: Classics. I haaaaaate Bono. There is something about him that just makes me want to punch him...and I am totally nonviolent. That being said...I enjoyed this much more than I was honestly expecting to. Some pretty great jams, and I was able to forget that Bono is Bono for quite a while.

Listened to this while playing Imperium: Classics. I played as the Celts against the Macedonians and lost. This album, however, was a winner! I loved all the covers they did...it was fun hearing the Beatles' spin on other music. I noticed how much more complex their chord structures were compared to the covers. Almost baroque in sound at points. Thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience!

Listened to this while playing Cascadia. I had heard the name Buffalo Springfield before, but then I doubted myself and realized I maybe was thinking of Dusty Springfield. When looking over the tracklist, nothing rung a bell. I lost my game...but this album was the perfect accompaniment to a stoney morning playing a solo game. I was struck by the number of genres referenced throughout the album (sometimes like 5 different genres in one song..."Broken Arrow," I'm looking at you.) Super enjoyed the album...would definitely listen again.

Listened to this while playing Verdant. I actually liked the first track...it kind of caught me off guard and subverted my expectations. The rest of the album was a difficult listen for me. Punk is definitely a genre I've never taken a dive into...ska was the closest I ever came to that scene. Some of the album I found tolerable, but there was a lot that I struggled with. I'm torn. Part of me wants to rate this a 1...but I think it'll get a 2 just because it didn't COMPLETELY fall flat for me.

Listened to this while playing Tapestry. It took til the 10th album into this journey...but it is finally an album I know quite well. I first started listening to DJ Shadow back in my early college years (2001-2002). I had only listened to Christian, Classical, Country, and Phantom of the Opera til I left the comfort of home. College led to all kinds of experimentation, and DJ Shadow was one of our group go-tos when in altered states. I was particularly a fan of a compilation he made of marching band music from the 70s and 80s (i think.) Listening to this album takes right back to that time in my life. I actually listened to this album with my partner a little over a month ago while we played Frosthaven.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower. My first time playing. I had a blast! I was apprehensive to listen to this album. I am not a fan of the title song...so I was expecting this to be lots of that. It kinda was...but I liked it more than I was expecting to. I've heard Arcade Fire often compared to Springsteen, but I've never understood the comparison til listening to this album. I feel like I need to hear them cover Dancing in the Dark. Definitely have a lot more respect for BS as an artist after hearing the album.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower. Such a fun game, even if I lost again! I had never heard any of these songs before...I wasn't familiar with the artist either. I definitely enjoyed this album. My partner immediately asked if the singer had a cleft pallet. Ha ha. He was often very mumbly, but I enjoyed the musical stylings throughout the album. Not my favorite, not my least favorite. I can hear the influence this sound had on other's music down the road. Nice blend of jazzy bluesy stony folk.

Listened to this while playing Dwellings of Eldervale solo. I won! This album was the definition of "meh" to me. I had heard of the band, but was not familiar with their music. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. The vocals were a bit of a nope for me. Some of the music itself was interesting...but the B-side was just overly indulgent. Several of the band members had said it was the worst thing they ever put to tape. Definitely not an album that will stand out to me in any way once I'm even 50 albums into this project.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I lost. This album was pretty darn great! The opening track had me hooked from the first bass riff. You can tell these are SERIOUS musicians. I am a pianist and was completely enamored with the keyboardist. I recognized the closing track...but it was because it was sampled in something else...though I can't remember where. Maybe from Girl Talk? Maybe a super early Diplo mix I had downloaded in like 2003? Pretty awesome song though. I kept thinking I was going to give this album a 3 out of 5...but then the last track came in and bumped it to a 4. Totally would listen to this again.

Listened to this while playing Lost Ruins of Arnak solo. I lost. This is the second album that I know quite well on this list. I used to love this album when it came out...but it kinda fell a bit flat after 13 years. I really wanted to give it a 4...but it didn't feel like it was still there for me. It still is a good album, but not one that I'd come back to more often.

Listened to this while playing Bullet Star solo. Lost one game, won the second. This is the first Van Halen album I've listened to, though I recognized a couple of the songs. This album brings me back to a very specific childhood memory...even though it might not have been Van Halen. When I was a little kid, I'd often go on ski trips with my parents. This is usually the kind of music they'd have blasting from a mid-mountain chalet at the base of some race course. I didn't like it much as a child...this was more my older half-brothers type of music. I appreciate it more now that I'm in my 40s. The musical technicianship was pretty excellent, but it kind of was all at the same level for me. This isn't an album with peaks and valleys...it is just cranked up to 10 the whole time. I must say, I enjoyed the range of skill much more in the Yes album I listened to the other day. While also technically excellent, there was so much more variety. Also...the "sorry I got kinda date-rapey" (definitely a paraphrase) song isn't one that stood the test of time all that well.

Listened to this while playing Barcelona solo. First time playing the game...lost by a lot. I enjoyed the first couple songs, but from there it just slowly tapered off for me. Better than some of the other punk albums I've heard on here, but it's still not my favorite of genres.

Listened to this while playing Barcelona solo. I won this time! This was a pretty darn fun album. I definitely knew Le Freak...who doesn't? I recognized one other track on the album as well. I'm an absolute sucker for a disco album. Escort is hands down my favorite new disco band. I do not like to dance and I'm an introvert, but this makes me wish I was at a club in the 70s.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I finally won! I really enjoyed this album. It didn't really feel like there was anything new happening here...but it was still an enjoyable, occasionally dance-y album with a solid progression. Nothing earth shatteringly inventive, but I would still listen to this with friends.

Listened to this while playing Carnegie solo. I lost by a lot. This album, however, was an absolute homerun for me. I have only heard Running Up The Hill before, and that wasn't on this album. I was not expecting such a sonic adventure. I could hear how this majorly influenced Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Bjork, Bat For Lashes...the list goes on and on. I was so thoroughly excited by the songs. I was teetering between rating this a 4, or 5...but then the donkey chorus came in during the final minutes and absolutely cemented itself as a 5. This is the first 5 I've given out to an album I was completely unfamiliar with. Will totally come back to this one in the future.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. My second U2 album on this list. I haaaaate Bono. I am not a person who is remotely hostile...but something about him gets under my skin. That being said, I actually enjoyed the first album from this list, Achtung Baby, much more than I would have ever expected. This album did not hit me in the same way, but I still enjoyed it. I recognized the opening track, but the rest was new to me. I'm realizing I don't hate U2...I just don't like Bono. A solid 3 out of 5.

Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir solo. I lost in a spectacular finish. I had a roommate in college who really liked Ravi Shankar, but I never really got into it at the time. I also didn't smoke weed at that point in my life. The album was surprisingly educational, which I definitely appreciated as a musician with a degree in music composition and theory! Ravi Shankar is definitely an extremely talented musician with a crazy understanding of theory, polyrhythms, and microtonality. I feel like I should be rating this higher than I am...but it felt more like sitting in on a class, rather than really getting a solidly constructed album. I feel like I would have appreciated a different album more than this, although it does provide some very informative material in how to listen to Indian music.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I have never heard of David Ackles, so this was a completely new experience for me. As a pianist, I was immediately taken by the piano work throughout the album. It sounds like it would have been a lot of fun to play. I really enjoyed everything I heard. The arrangements were fun and interesting. I always hear lyrics last, and I feel like there was a lot of lyrical gems throughout that I'd need a second listen to appreciate. I enjoyed the one-night stand song more than I thought I would have. I'm giving this album a 4, though it may be closer to a 3.5 if possible.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower with my partner. We won! I've never really been a big fan of The Black Keys, and this album didn't really change that at all. It wasn't a bad album...and I might have been mildly into it in 2010...but it didn't much for me now.

Listened to this while building the praying mantis from the new lego insect collection. This was a Massive Attack album...that's for sure. I somewhat enjoyed Mezzanine...but this one just didn't do much for me. The opening/title track is serviceable trip hop...and probably the best moment of the album. The Weather related track reminded me of some white women drinking wine at an outdoor festival in Orange County. Also, the final track was a really weird and annoying end to the album. I would definitely never say to anyone "oh, you should totally check out Protection." No...they would be pointed to Mezzanine instead.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End solo against the Carapace Queen. I lost by a lot. Another album that I am totally familiar with. I remember downloading this around the time Scissor Sisters released their debut album. I was very much into this big baroque pop music fest. I think I was also listening to a lot of Presidents of the United States of America and Elephant 6 bands. Listening to this again, over 17 years later (or more...the memory is foggy)...I was amazed by how much I still thorough enjoyed the album. From the opening moments through the jam session at the end of the final track (which I'm sure when performed live, went on for like 10 minutes)...this album is full of great orchestration and arrangements, and unexpected chord changes. Not a perfect album, but pretty freaking great.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against the Carapace Queen. We lost. This album was ok. There were a few songs that I definitely enjoyed, and one that I instantly recognize. Nothing groundbreaking in my book. But a decent enough album. I had somewhat high expectations after the lushness of the opening track, but this album would definitely land at a 2.75 if I could rate it as such.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End against the Carapace Queen with my partner. We lost twice. This is the third U2 album in less than 30 days. I still hate Bono...but I no longer hate U2. I know this is supposed to be THE U2 album...but it actually was not my favorite of the 3 I've heard so far doing my album dives. The first 3 songs are such a strong opening and from there it kind of tapered off a bit for me. I really hope there isn't a 4th U2 album in the next 10 days.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against the Carapace Queen. We finally won! I have never heard of this artist but my partner knew several of the songs. It was enjoyable R&B, some super impressive vocals throughout. I particularly enjoyed the mostly a cappella piece towards the end. A solid 3.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Crooked Mask. We lost 2 games but won the 3rd. I really enjoyed this album. Dolly Parton is such a treasure. As a child, the only thing I knew about her was that my dad called the giant dome power plants on the way to San Diego "the Dolly Parton tribute." As an adult, I have absolutely come to love her style and lyricism. My partner felt everything sounded the same, which I get a little bit...but at under 30 minutes, it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Prince of Gluttons. We lost twice. So this was the first album that wasn't on Spotify...so I had to listen to it on YouTube. Fuck that. Ads after every song completely ruin any possible listening experience. I enjoyed what I heard, but I know there are definitely better Joni Mitchell albums. Some beautiful moments though!

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Prince of Gluttons. Lost the first game, won the second. I am a big fan of electronic music. In addition to playing piano, I used to dj for fun for a number of years. DnB has been one of those genres I just don't grok. It feels to frenetic to dance to...it is hard to mix...it wasn't as compositionally interesting to me. This album was probably one of the best DnB albums I've heard. I was bopping throughout without realizing the physical effect it was having on me. Totally great slice of the mid 90s scene, and definitely an album I'd return to again.

Listened to this while building the Lego bug collection. I had a roommate in college who loooooved this album. I never was much of a fan. I curious to see how I felt about years later...it was even worse than I remembered. There is nothing really bad on this album at all (aside from some groan worthy lyrics)...nothing aurally offensive. But nothing at all inventive or unique. It reminds me of the period of time in which Radiohead was being hugely innovative, and there were all these Radiohead-lite knockoffs trying to bite off the sound. Listening to this reminded me of those bands (I'm looking at you, Elbow) mixed with U2. This album could be a 3...but today I'm feeling judgy, so it gets a 2.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End: War Eternal with my partner against the starting boss. We lost hard. This album is such a classic. How can you resist making an explosion noise after all the "lai lai lais?" I am so tempted to give this a 5, but it will end up with a 4...just become it didn't move me quite as much as some of the other albums. Still...a great album for any mood. Also...the album cover always makes me think the guy in the back (Simon? Garfunkel?) has a crazy handlebar mustache kinda situation going on.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against the Hallowed Crown. We lost twice. I was in middle school when this came out. I wasn't allowed to listen to this kind of music...I grew up with the 3 c's...Christian, Country, and Classical. So...sadly, my middle school years weren't filled with the grundgy sounds of Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins. I hugely enjoyed this live album. A super solid 4. My partner was singing along to all the songs. Good times.

Listened to this while playing Calico solo against scenario 4. I lost. This album was sooooo much better than i was expecting it to be! I had never given him much attention before. As a pianist, I owned the sheet music to his "classical" album, which I just was not a fan of. I hated it when people would perform "Piano Man" and I'd have to accompany. The sheet music is an absolute nightmare in the way that it is layer out, and for being a song called "Piano Man" it was really boring to play. Soooo...I had this preconceived negative bias against Billy Joel's music. This album was pretty darn fantastic though. So many recognizable songs...such great song writing and lyricism. This may be the best of Billy Joel's music that I've heard.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown...we lost twice. I had a friend from Burning Man who was really into Silver Jews, but I couldn't really get into it then. Years later and listening to this now, I enjoyed it more than I did back then...but it is still a tough sell for me. I want to give this a 2.5, but I'm to round down to a 2. There were moments I really enjoyed. I loved the upbeat number in the backhalf of the album...but his voice takes getting used to. There were parts that reminded of The Hold Steady...another band that has a lead singer with vocals that "grow on you"...and even similar subject matter...but I would much rather listen to THS over this. I did enjoy the word play on a few of the songs though.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown. We lost twice. This was such a great album. Not a perfect 5, but definitely a very strong 4. I loved how disco filled this album was...I wasn't quite expecting it.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown. We lost twice. If I were to open the dictionary to "country music" I'm pretty sure I'd just hear this album. I'm sure there are plenty of people who like this album...it just wasn't for me.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown. We lost twice. Hmmm...I kinda was excited to hear an album like this...but I feel like there HAS to be better examples of this genre than this. The vocals were a bit tough to digest at times. The second track had my partner and I shouting back in a call and response manner, so that was pretty fun. A solid 2.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown. We lost twice...again. Hmmm...I wanted to like this album...but it kinda just sounded like a handful of other albums I've heard on here. It was like another Beatles wannabe album. It wasn't bad, but there was nothing that struck me as original. Definitely will forget this listen in like a week...ha ha.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Magus of Cloaks. We lost twice. My partner knew every word to every song. I did not. I was in middle school in the 90s, but wasn't allowed to listen to music like this. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed this album. While not a perfect 5, it is a super strong 4. Black is a pretty freaking excellent song...it made me want to run over to my piano and bash out those chords at the end. Definitely better than I expected.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Magus of Cloaks. We lost. I am not a fan of this genre at all. That being said, I actually really enjoyed this album for what it was! I was familiar with the opening track but not much more. A solid 3.

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Magus of Cloaks. We lost twice. What an unexpected joy this album was! I had seen the groups name before, but had no idea what kind of music they performed. As an instrumentalist, I lived for all the creative orchestrations. There was an occasional cringe lyric here and there...but the dictionary song was super clever and had me laughing. I kept waiting for things to get less interesting, but each song was like a little auditory gem. I would absolutely come back to this for inspiration in my own compositions. Was not expecting to have a 5 album out of the blue...but I loved this!

Listened to this while playing the Ice Cave Exit Advent Calendar. We successfully figured out doors 4 & 5. You know how I feel about Bono...I feel the same way about Morrissey. This was an album. I'm sure there are people who love this. It really didn't do much for me though.

Listened to this while playing Barcelona solo. I won. I remember this album getting some buzz when it came out. I listened to it back then and really didn't like it. I listened to it again now and still hated it. There were tracks I didn't mind as much (I think maybe the 3rd track)...but I honestly felt like this was 40 minutes of torture for my aging chihuahua. My very first 1 star album.

Listened to this while playing Barcelona with my best friend. He won. This album was way more fantastic than I thought it would be. I recognized so many of the songs, and every single one of them is a banger. The one negative for me are the vocals. From time to time they take an amazing song and make it considerably less appealing. Listening to this reminded me of the movie Go!

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. Such a fun game! I have a pre-existing negative opinion of Prince for reasons. I enjoyed this album ok...but his voice just gets under my skin. Fun story...I had an ex whose bestie got pregnant at a Prince concert, and had her abortion at a Britney Spears concert.

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. I lost. I had not listened to this album before. I love the journey that it took me on. I heard their sound reflected in more contemporary artists I enjoy. Part reminded of Animals Collective vocals. One song brought to mind Neko Case...another Fleet Foxes. The album did meander a bit here and there, but overall I hugely enjoyed it.

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. I lost. One of the great things about going through these albums is discovering artists I was only somewhat familiar with, and learning that I'm actually a HUGE fan of the artist's music. Kate Bush has been a constant surprise. I of course knew the title track and Hounds of Love (what an amazing opening 1-2 punch) but every song was like sonic ear candy. I've also learned the weirder she gets, the more it speaks to me. There were so many beautiful moments, her instrumentation is just fascinating...I loved the chorale moments and the use of instruments native to her region. I can't believe it, but another perfect 5 in my book!

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. Game is still in progress. There were a few good songs on this album...but it is just not my favorite genre. Decent for what it was though!

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures with my partner. We lost. Well, I knew one song on this album...but if you grew up when I did, it would be impossible not to know Song 2. So how was the rest of the album? Meh. It kinda overstayed its welcome a bit.

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures solo. I won for the first time! Another 4 letter band from the 90s. I had heard their name before, but was not familiar with any of their music. I was totally not expecting a baroque pop-like album. I did recognize Common People, but I honestly have no recollection of where I know it from. I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. I 4, but only because of rounding up.

Listened to this while playing Set A Watch solo. I lost. Janis Joplin's voice is definitely an acquired taste. I don’t hate it, but I don't love it either. That said, I appreciated this album much more than I was expecting to. Her take on Summertime was so uniquely her own...I loved the interpretation.

Listened to this while playing Roll Player solo. I lost. I had a roommate in college who looooved Frank Zappa, so I have listened to a number of his albums. While the jams venture into self-indulgence, there is absolutely no denying that they are all incredible musicians. As a pianist, I was immediately drawn in by the use of piano in the opening moments. Is this an album I'd want to listen to over and over? Not really. This still gets a 4 because of the ridiculous amount of technicality and musical expertise present on this album. I also loved the final track. The horns were particularly satisfying!

Listened to this while playing Lost Ruins of Arnak solo. I won. I definitely recognized a couple of these songs. It was a great album for an overcast day and it reminded me of what I imagine it was like to be a teenager in the 80s...though I wasn't a teen til the mid 90s. I was into it for a while...but the album kind of keeps going. A 3.5, but I'm rounding down to 3 stars because I'm feeling stingy.

Listened to this while cleaning. I'd rather have been playing a board game...but life isn't always fun and games. For some reason I had heard of Girls Against Boys before...but I'm not totally sure why. Maybe Hedwig and the Angry Inch...but that doesn't seem right. The album was kind of standard early 90s indie rock. Some great riffs here and there...but why this was selected over like 50 other equally good albums from the same time period...I'm not sure? I didn't dislike it...but it wasn't as strong as some of the other albums I've rated a 3...so this gets a 2. The girls won.

Listened to this while cleaning. How can you be bummed listening to that opening track?! You'd have to be part of an uncontacted native tribe to have not heard Take On Me. The rest of the album doesn't live up to the highs of that moment, but there were definitely a fair number of solid tracks! As I composer, I definitely noticed a lot of very unexpected chord changes for this type of pop music. Overall, pretty enjoyable.

Listened to this while tidying up a few days after Christmas. Yasssss Phil Spector...sleigh girl, sleigh! Someone should have clarified that spelling with him. Before Phil Spector was a murderer, he definitely produced some killer jams with his signature sound. I hadn't heard a lot of these versions before, but I can imagine this becoming my go to Christmas album in future years.

Listened to this while playing Agricola. The album cover made this game feel very appropriate. How many albums can you name start with a key change in the first 15 seconds?! I had to stop and restart just to make sure I heard it right. Brian Wilson definitely loves to take pop structures and skew them to his own level of weird. There were so many familiar moments, and a few new treasures as well. Not perfect...but still a super fun listening experience!

Listened to this while playing Set A Watch. Meh. I didn't hate it, but I definitely wouldn't ever throw this on again willingly. It reminds me of when Adam (or Steve) is a gay goth kid in Adam & Steve. I'd rather watch that movie than listen to this album again right now.

Listened to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I won! I was super familiar with the first track as I had put it on many mix cds back when that was a thing. I was singing the harmony and everything...ha ha. I was not as familiar with the rest of the album, but I still loved it! Not perfect, but pretty darn close in my book. I really love the arrangements and instrumentation...it made me want to listen to more of their albums again.

Listened to this while driving from Escondido to Palm Springs. This is another one of those albums where my partner knew every single word to both albums. I of course recognized the singles. I was never a fan of Billy Corgan's voice...and it still is a grating sound to me. The double album is a dangerous thing. It is so easy to get self indulgent and bloated. I think there is a 5 star single album buried in here...but there is just so much other stuff padding that experience. I wanted to rate it higher...but this gets a 3.

Listened to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I won! I liked this a lot more than I was expecting to. The album sounds amazing, and I was really impressed with the sonic diversity. I was a particular fan of the last track.

Listened to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I lost. I'm a big fan of Wilco, but had not heard this album before. I really enjoyed this quite a bit. It is not the style of music I normally listen to, but it really gives a nice dusty campfire vibe. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about the vocals, but by the end I was totally feeling it. The last two songs were particularly lovely!

Listened to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I lost. I had heard Patti Smith's name before, but honestly was expecting a folk sound...not Rolling Stones-esque ramblings. I enjoyed the album only somewhat. The opening line is fantastic and sets the stage, but there were a number of times where the lyrics just didn't work for me.

Listened to this while playing The Loop. I lost. I bought this album back when I was in college. I liked it back then, but I looooved it all these years later. So many great songs. I still sing "I'm your pusher man" to my partner every now and then. I love the emotional trajectory of this album as well as its sociopolitical commentary. Timeless.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard. I completed all my missions successfully! I never listened to R.E.M. growing up, but of course I had heard Stand before. My partner was singing along to a lot of the album. Another album that just oozes the 90s vibes. Nothing super remarkable.

Listened to this while playing the ship maintenance phase of ISS Vanguard. I liked this album when it came out, but we were all young and stupid once. Seriously...whoever was responsible for putting this on the list deserves to listen to "Vega-tables" on a loop for eternity. I honestly would die more happy if I never have to listen to this again.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard solo. I won, but 4 people died. Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Solid 4 stars.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard solo. I lost the mission. This was an Aimee Mann album. I love her music...but this was nowhere near her best stuff in my opinion. Meh.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard. This was one of those albums that I first heard my Freshman year of college. I remember the first time I heard Paranoid Android, I listened to it 2 more times immediately after. I even went on to write a piano composition years later called Paranoid Alvinroid. It was the answer to the question nobody has ever asked: "what if contemporary composer Alvin Curran was a member of Radiohead?"

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard. I won my mission! I didn't think I knew any of these songs, but after 8 seconds, I was corrected...ha ha. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would...a very low 4.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard. This was kind of what I was expecting it to be. As a pianist, I can't tell you how many times I've heard "play Freebird!" Not bad at all, but nothing I'd actively search out again in the future.

Listened to this while playing ISS Vanguard. I won my mission. I just had another Led Zeppelin album two days ago! I greatly preferred the other one, III, over this one. While there were good moments throughout...there kinda felt like a lot of bloat between the gems. I definitely wouldn't come back to this one again...but I wouldn't be mad hearing several of these songs again. Also...this made me want to do coke at one point...and I don't do that ever. Ha ha. It was weird.

Listened to this while playing Agricola solo. I lost. I have to say, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this album! There were so many familiar songs. I found myself thinking "I can kinda see why they adapted this into a musical." Definitely not a fan of the genre...but this made building a farm in post-black death Europe much more kickass.

Listened to this while playing Agricola solo. I built a pretty awesome farm, so I won! I enjoyed this album a bit more than I would have expected. The whole time, I kept thinking "This album is like Vampire Weekend with a different lead singer, but in the 80s." I could not believe just how much they were influenced by the same style of African music that influenced Paul Simon all those years earlier. All the guest spots were wonderful...and it was the collaborative songs that stood out to me most. Also, at one point there was a monster bass solo riff that totally gave me bass-face.

Listened to this while playing Set A Watch solo. I lost. I have never really listened to much Janis Joplin, but I'm questioning why that is the case. I had always thought of her as just yelly...but good lord, does she have a fantastic yell. I had Mercedes-Benz stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Super solid.

Tolerated this while playing Under Falling Skies. Pretty sure I'm going to lose. The first track starts, and I think to myself, "well, it's not my style, but it's not atrocious...at least I can understand the lyrics somewhat." Then track 2 destroyed any hope of this being listenable. It was a beautiful day out, so I had my windows open while listening to the album. I just had some new neighbors move in across the street and this is literally the first music to come out of my house. This couldn't give them a more inaccurate impression of who I am. It makes me laugh so hard that the next album on my list is Taylor Swift.

Listened to this while playing Nusfjord solo. I lost. This album wasn't bad...but it also wasn't my favorite. It was kind of a lot of the same thing...bluesy rock with unintelligible lyrics. I was a little surprised that I hadn't heard any of these songs before.

Listen to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I won! I have mostly enjoyed Belle & Sebastian's music over the years...but this album didn't grip me quite as much as some of the others. Don't get me wrong...there is still some great songwriting...but it just didn't hit the same as some of their other albums. Still worlds better than that fucking Napalm Death album.

Listened to this while playing Set A Watch. I lost. Of course I've heard music before...but this was the first Taylor Swift album that I've ever listened to. Not gonna lie...I totally loved it. A few groan inducing moments...but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the vibe and poppiness of the listening experience.

Listened to this while playing Nusfjord solo. I achieved a personal high score! I had never heard of this band before, but the album cover was intriguing. Meh. Not bad...but certainly not one of the best 1001 (or 1086 or whatever it is.) I really really want to hear Idiot Brother covered by Destroyer. It would be the perfect match. Sorry...only a 2. Not because it was bad, but because it was just not essential enough. Wait...is the lead singer Destroyer? It sounds like him dialed down to a 4.

Listened to this while playing Middara. Yeah, the beginning of this was really tough, but once you survive that, the rest is considerably better. Another album that was just kind of meh. I'd rather listen to The Necks if I'm in the mood for long noodley tracks.

Listened to this while playing Middara with my partner. We won! I have to say, we both enjoyed this a whole lot more than we were expecting to. I was very familiar with the name, but I honestly didn't recognize any of the music from the album. What a thoroughly enjoyable album. The sequencing of the album was pretty great...with a wonderful last two tracks. Super solid 4.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. The game is still in progress. The whole time I was listening to this, I kept thinking "if only Satie had been alive to hear this." My dog loved it...she passed out the whole time. There was one time in an airport where for over 2 hours, the airport lost power. There was this emergency alarm that was blaring so loudly, they gave everyone earplugs and you could still hear it. I would have given anything to have this piping into my ears instead.

Listened to this while playing Middara with my partner. We won! Those first two tracks are pretty iconic. I've never been a Madonna-gay. Bjork is my diva. Still, largely enjoyable. I wish I could give this a 3.5, but I'll have to round down on this one.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. The game is still in progress. This reminded me of a college roommate who LOVED Dinosaur Jr. I was kinda meh about it. As I've aged, the meh has aged into a meh+.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. I won! This totally brought me back Curtis Mayfield's Superfly, but almost a little more polished or something. I love this era and style of music, and these were some great soul/funk songs that I was previously unfamiliar with!

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. This was an unexpected treat. Totally loved the vibe it set for some civilization warfare. Ha ha.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. I lost. I've never been a big Steely Dan fan. This album didn't really change my opinion all that much. I totally will forget this album in like a week.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. I really dislike Bob Dylan's voice. That said, this album was so much better than i would have expected. This is Bob Dylan I can listen to.

Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir solo. I lost. I admire some of Frank Zappa's music. Not this though. Please don't make the same mistake I did, and listen to this at a decent volume with the windows open. You'll know why.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. I lost. I don't blame the album...but it also didn't help. I wanted this to be more interesting, but it kinda fell flat for me. I'm sure there are other Cure albums that I would enjoy much more than this one.

Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics solo. I lost. I was worried at the beginning that I was going to HATE this album...but its weirdness kinda grows on you. I can definitely appreciate why people think is genius level...but I'm not totally sold yet.

Listened to this while doing my taxes. I definitely enjoyed this more than taxes...but taxes are the worst part. Good hazy mid 90s indie rock. Nothing groundbreaking, but still decent enough.

Listened to this while playing Inventions solo. I lost super hard. This album was pretty great...and I made sure to listen to it as Snoop intended...ha ha. My partner loves singing the radio skit from time to time.

Listened to this while playing Inventions. Pretty sure I'll lose spectacularly again. Yeah, this album was pretty solid. Lots of very familiar tunes, and a couple of arrangements I was previously unfamiliar with. Definitely a good Sunday afternoon album...except today is Thursday.

Listened to this while playing Scholars of the South Tigris. I bought this album back when it came out and liked it a fair amount...but I also liked Kanye back then. Fortunately, this album aged better than Kanye did...a solid 3.

Listened to this while playing Inventions. I lost for like the 7th time in a row...it is just so freaking fun. This album was a fantastic soundtrack to my epic defeat. I did not realize how socially charged some of the music was going to be, and I loved it. It's not all just "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Hmmm...that originally auto-corrected to "First Time Ever I Saw Your Facebook..." which makes me want to hear that song with updated lyrics.

Listened to this while playing Scholars of the South Tigris. I lost. My partner played this album for me a few months ago oddly enough. It definitely isn't music I'd listen to on my own...but I still really enjoyed both the musicianship and the musicality of the album.

Listened to this while playing Revive solo. I lost. I had a friend I met at Burning Man that loved this band and other bands with a country twang and a vocalist with "unique" characteristics. I really wanted to get into it to, because we shared a lot of music back and forth. It just never resonated with me the same way it did with him. I was hoping time would have changed things...and it did...but not very much. I was ready to give this album a 2, but I loved the final two songs, so it definitely gets bumped to a 3.

Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir. I lost. I was a bit of a fan of The Streets in the early 2000s. I had kind of completely forgotten about Mike Skinner til this popped up on the list. I probably would have given this a 4 back in the day...but now it gets a 3. There are definitely some great-ish moments...but his delivery can wear thin after a while. It makes me hope his debut album is on this list...I haven't listened to that in ages!

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. It was funny hearing this immediately after Ice Cube...which was soooooo horrible towards women (kicking pregnant women in the stomach level terrible)...so it was a breath of fresh air hearing him say (paraphrase) "don't hit your girlfriend or wife...tell them it's ok and you love them anyway." I really loved the set of music and the way in which it was ordered...it almost told a story through it's 37 minutes.

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. Fuck this album. Just hateful.

Listened to this while playing Black Sonata. I won! This was a weird album to listen to while playing a game about Shakespeare. I remember visiting Hawaii as a child and riding in the car with my parents as they drove around the island. We listened to a reggae station on the radio, and I thought to my self after a while that "all these songs sound the same!" I know now as an adult that this is not true. While this still wasn't my favorite album, I definitely enjoyed it!

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. For some reason, this is not exactly what I was expecting. It was just ok...some pretty epic tracks, and I can see the influence this had on later bands...but just not something that blew me away.

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. I really enjoyed this album. There were a number of times where I had to check that it was still the same album as it just sounds more modern than it is.

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. As a gay...I'm probably predestined to like k.d. lang. Not a big country fan, but I still found myself really enjoying the music.

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. I actually enjoyed this more than I was expecting to! Some of the songs felt a little bloated, but overall, I liked it!

Listened to this while playing Twiling Inscription solo. I lost. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. For some reason I was expecting it to kind of all sound like Bittersweet Symphony, but it was a really strong collection of songs. Some of the lyrics were a little cringe, but I can forgive it given the era.

Listened to this while playing Glass Road solo. I lost pretty hard. Great soundtrack to my defeat...would recommend others lose to this album as well.

Listened to this while playing Final Girl. The poltergeist killed me and I lost. I looooove me some Missy...but I really love her more later works more than this album. It was super fun hearing her debut...definitely some classics. I was surprised by quality of the guest spots considering it was her first album. Some great early Timbaland beats...but also not as strong as his work down the line. It was also fun to hear her backwards-speak in a song i hadnt heard before. I didn't realize she had done that multiple times! I keep teetering between a 3 and 4...but I feel like a 3 is where this should land.

Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir solo. I lost. The Wakhan is a fickle mistress. As soon as this album started, I thought to myself "this is not at all what I thought Counting Crows sounded like." It took me til track 2 before I realized these were two different birds entirely. Oh hey...it's that song with that one part. You'll know it when you hear it. Meh.

Listened to this while playing Calico solo. I won! I really enjoyed this album. I was a big fan of Brightblack Morning Light back in the day, and I can absolutely hear the influence this album had on their sound. Listening to this brought me back to the lazy hot stony days at Burning Man. This album would be perfect for hanging out in the shade while nursing a hangover.

Listened to this while playing A Feast For Odin. I first listened to this album in like 2002 when I first started smoking weed. It blew my mind. The beginning reminded me of Charles Ives, but even more twisted. The reprise of album moments at the end also tickled the music geek in me. Listening to it now...I'm not quite as smitten as I was back then...but it still has some genuinely fantastic moments.

Listened to this while playing Glass Road solo. I lost...again. I liked aspects of this...I thought I was going to be in for an exciting ride given the first few tracks...but it kind of got more normal as the album progressed. I could hear the influence this had on more recent artists (at one point it sounded like Of Montreal.) I didn't love it, didn't hate it.

Listened to this while playing A Feast For Odin. I lost...but I don't blame Fela. I wanted to love this...but I just kinda liked it. I love some funk...Sharon Jones is my all-time favorite. I enjoyed the audience sing-along at the end the most.

Listened to this while playing Paperback Adventures. I lost...but this album was a winner! I couldn't believe how many of the songs I knew. My partner grew up with his dad listening to this music, so he sang along to a majority of the songs. The arrangements are great...so many solid anthems. Solid 4.

Listened to this while playing Roll Player solo. I lost. Totally enjoyed this album! I heard one of the earlier albums already on this listening journey, and I enjoyed this one quite a bit more. It made me want to play the Beatles Rock Band game.

I never really listened to David Bowie as a kid. I didn't think he could sing, and he was weird. Amazing what almost 40 years will do to you...ha ha. I thoroughly enjoyed this album. So many great moments, and the album opener and closer are just fantastic.

Listened to this while driving from Escondido to Palm Springs. There were aspects of this that I really enjoyed! I loved all the orchestral interplay that came into the songs. It kept the music vibrant. The more metal elements to the music were less my cup of tea...but all in all, I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to!

Listened to this while driving from Escondido to Palm Springs. Meh. I had a friend who adored Robbie Williams. I do not share her enthusiasm. Not bad, not great.

Listened to this while playing Roll Player solo. I won with my best score yet! This album was unexpectedly great. I loved the general sound of the album. Great use of instrumentation...totally enjoyed the album sequencing. Biko is such a wonderful outro.

Listened to this while playing Roll Player solo. I won! I really like Jobim's music...I've definitely played a lot of these on the piano. Francis was not the right choice to sing these songs though. It sounds like when an opera singer tries to sing a Broadway or pop song. 4 stars for Jobim, 2 for Francis.

Listened to this while playing A Feast For Odin solo. I won! I didn't go into this with high expectations...so I was kind of pleasantly surprised by this one. The beginning threw me for a loop for a moment...but then the guitars entered. I also enjoyed the lead singer's voice more than I thought I might. Good...not great.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I lost. This wasn't a bad album...but it absolutely should not be included on this list. Replace this with the soundtrack to Waking Life, and you'd have something similar, but with more excitement.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I lost. Soooo...I kept hearing people refer to the Sultans of Swing, and I honestly was expecting this to be a swing/big band album...lol. Kind of disappointed that it wasnt. This was ok...

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I lost. Is this Chef from South Park? I feel like it is. Totally enjoyed the funk/soul vibe of this album. The final track wanders for a loooong time before it starts finding its groove.

Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin solo. This album kinda worked well for playing this game. I was familiar with the name Iron Maiden, but it was not the kind of music I was allowed to listen to as a child. I was kind of surprised how much it sounds like Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. This album was pretty darn solid all the way through. Aqualung is instantly recognizable with that riff. I never realized how tonally weird the rest of that riff is. When I heard the start of the second track, I immediately thought The Polyphonic Spree needs to cover this song. Not a perfect 5...but still darn good.

Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. I intensely dislike Kanye now...but this album honestly is way better than it had any right to be. The guest spots or amazing, the production is so wonderfully lush. I don't even mind Kanye so much on this album. I hate to do this...but this album gets a 5 from me.

Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. This album sounds like the stuff my partner would listen to when he did tons of acid in the 90s. Definitely not essential listening, but I enjoyed it much more than the cultural appropriation of Deep Forest.

Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. The whole time i was listening to this, I kept thinking "this is not at all what I would have expected Nick Cage to sound like before the Bad Seeds." I mean...I was right. It wasn't til the album was done that I realized I was confusing two very different artists. Despite my confusion, I hugely enjoyed this album. I knew one song, but I don't know why. Looking forward to hearing his other albums on here.

Listened to this while reading the rulebook to The Isofarian Guard. I really enjoyed this album. The first 3 more ambient tracks were still full of unexpected moments, and that steady motorik beat. The second three tracks, though more "aggressive," still felt like they belonged. I'm sure there are other Neu album on this list, and I look forward to when they pop up!

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I did not enjoy this as much as I enjoyed Hot Buttered Soul...but it definitely was still a mood. As for soundtracks, I'd rather listen to Superfly over this...but still a good album.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. This was the first album I listened to after my dog passed away. I would much rather listen to this than go through that experience again. That said...this album is so far from essential listening. I didn't hate it...but i could immediately think of 1001 other albums that could beat this out.

Tolerated this while playing Isofarian Guard. Why are you trying my patience? There was one or two moments that I "enjoyed"...but I'm learning that Frank Zappa and his children are just not my favorites.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. This album was way better than I was expecting it to be. I was surprised by the number of songs that I recognized, a good majority of them I've destroyed on Guitar Hero. Pretty darn solid from start to finish.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I didn't actually recognize any of these songs...but that's not surprising as I didn't grow up with any of this music. It was a lot more bluesy than I was expecting.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I am more familiar with Eno's ambient catalog than I am his more pop based stuff. The final track honestly made this album for me. It reminded me of shoegaze in all the best ways. Not all of the album was as great.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I had a roommate who owned the entire Tom Waits collection and listened to it quite often. I couldn't stand his voice back then. As the years wear on, I somehow have softened to his sound. There were a lot of fantastic orchestral moments throughout this album. A very pleasant surprise!

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I am just not a Bob Dylan fan. I did particularly enjoy the song about eating ass...but that might not have been what he actually said. A double album of Dylan is a bit much.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I knew from the opening orchestration that I would enjoy this album, and sure enough, the whole thing was great. I couldn't tell if it was a concept album...it kinda felt like it...but I wasn't really following the story. I hope some of his other albums will appear on this list!

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. The music totally and game pairing was super weird, but also worked with all the battles. I enjoyed this a whole lot more than I was expecting to.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I remember enjoying the previous Peter Gabriel album i heard on this list more, but that being said, this was still super solid. The duet with Kate Bush (maybe) was freaking excellent, and how can you go wrong with In Your Eyes...(which I just brainfarted to Time After Time...which is also a great song)...such a great ending.

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. This album title is so Lana, it is almost a caricature. I really enjoyed her debut album...it hit me in all the feels. This, while enjoyable, would not be the album I'd suggest people start with...

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I enjoyed this album whole lot more than I thought I would. Some instantly recognizable classics...and the songs that were new to me were also great!

Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. Meh. I thought I might be in for something kind of exciting with the opening instrumentation...but the rest was kind of generic. Not bad...not great.