Have always loved this album since the first time I heard it at age 19/20. Unforgettable first two tracks. Unsure about track three, but track four is surprisingly beautiful.
Don’t listen to REM much anymore but am always overjoyed when I do. Remember listening to this on my sisters bedroom in the late 80s. A Truly subversive rollicking rock band
Deeply personal yet sort of schmaltzy. An interesting album for 1971 mixing big overproduced string and synth sounds with hyper personal lyrics that could stand alone as poetry. Lennon expresses a tangle of emotions, political ideals, and musical styles.
Pretty boring and very white southern male
One of my favorite albums EVER! From songwriting to production to overall concept it’s a work of genius.
Blistering guitar riffs. Crazy mix or metal, pop, and grunge, all with Billy Corgan’s weird little voice floating above it all. Somehow it all hangs together and exemplifies the sound and fury of the early 1990s.
I have fond memories of the Legs video but really ZZ Top is not my thing. I find the music to be pretty boring and the lyrics dull. I don’t need to hear more songs about drunk guys and loose women. One good thing - they ar e a pretty tight band.
What a fun album! Love the Velvet Underground, and know some of Lou Reeds later work - and of course the well known sogs from this album (Satellite of Love, Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side) but it’s interesting to hear him in his younger years. Quirky lyrics and stylistic shifts. Love the storytelling element, poetry, and humor in his songwriting. And what’s up with the tuba in some of the songs? Hilarious and unexpectedly perfect.
Such catchy songs. Wish they weren’t lodged in my brain! Lush production, love the piano, fun disco beats
Billie’s eternal voice….but the songs sound a little stale by the end of the album
While I Really love Wilco and think Jeff Tweedy is an incredible songwriter, this is not my favorite Wilco album. Yes it has some iconic songs (Jesus, Etc, Kamera, War on War and I am Trying to Break Your Heart) it feels like the beginning of a sound. Their next two albums, where the new lineup was firmly established, are much more cohesive, fun and beautiful.
Love the first song. Then they all sound the same. Same drum line, same chord progressions, just different tempos. Saw them live and it was the most boring show ever.
Like their later work more.
LOVE!! Such a classic and totally deserves to be on any best-of list. Great songwriting, super creative and beautiful incorporation of jazz without being cheesy. And there’s that voice. Every song is a masterpiece.
I never really listed to Siouxsie and the Banshees. Interesting to realize there are echoes of Siouxsie in many bands that came after her: the Cure, Joy Division, Sonic Youth, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol… not something I’ll
Listen to again but I’m glad I listened today!
Interesting listening to this album right after Siouxsie and the Banshees. There’s definitely a little overlap, but I much prefer PJ Harvey’s approach. Guitar driven, deeply confessional songwriting with fantastic melodies. I really enjoyed this album when it first came out, and I was happy to be reminded of it today!
Weird and strangely wonderful
Good album, great band. I like their prior album more but have lots of fond memories of this kne
Ok I didn’t make it all the way through this one. I’ve never really enjoyed listening to Metallica but I can appreciate their talent as a band, and how they offered an alternative to 80s hair bands and pop music.
Really interesting album that I had never listed to before, although I was familiar with a couple of the songs (Sound and Vision, Be My Wife). Love the ambient vibe to the second half and the way he uses his voice as an instrument. Definitely an introspective Bowie album.
Totally personifies early '90s London. Indispensable in creating the Britpop sound of the end of the 20th century...and way better, musically and lyrically, than anything Oasis ever did!
Uninspired psychedelia. Not my jam.
I always avoided listening to Limp Bizkit, because Fred Durst was an annoying fuck, so now, after actually listening to this album, I feel justified in my previous choice. So self pitying it’s a shame really, because some of the hooks are not bad, but ultimately it was an exhausting album to listen to.
Such a fun album! Like MGMT and David Byrne had a baby.
There’s a lot of revisionist history around Elvis, some of it likely true, but this album is a portrait of a young Elvis, early in his career and on fire. Yes he took the music of Black musicians and made it commercially accessible to White audiences, but that in and of itself was revolutionary. And you can tell he really loved R&B and gospel. And the gorgeous voice… such a range. Take the myth away from the man and you have a great artist in his prime on this album.
Really a great album, especially when considered next to their contemporaries like Swans, Badly Drawn Boy, etc. I may also be biased as I listed to this a lot during a fun period of my life but I think the lyrics, Melodie’s and performances are all
Worthy of recognition.
Listened to this on a run… didn’t think I was familiar with it but I actually knew a few songs. I enjoyed listening to this as a piece of art rock/pop, especially bei by familiar with eno’s later ambient work and role as a producer. I could hear some glimmers of those sounds and tendencies even in this album. Very interesting and I might actually give it another listen!
Chill and lovely. Didn’t feel like it hung together much as an album given its nature as a soundtrack. But I enjoyed the vibe.
I loved listening to Cyndi Lauper as a child, but I don’t think I actually ever owned this album! And I had never listen to it all the way through. In my mind, I had written her off as light and fluffy, and not very talented. I was wrong! There are some fantastic songs on this album And she really embraces her quirky singing voice, which makes it all the more fun to listen to. Definitely more interesting than anything Madonna was doing at this time.
beautiful orchestration. Interesting, intimate songwriting. I can appreciate it but I have no emotional response to it, which I don’t fully understand. Favorite songs: Heirloom, Pagan Poetry, It’s not up to you.
These guys are obviously talented musicians. Some good guitar, solos, and cool effects from the keyboards. But seriously, do we need another white guy singing about his car? A lot of it felt pretty cheesy, but I will be giving it three stars for its place in rock history And that awesome organ sound
I really didn’t like this album. It was boring, uninspired, and I don’t understand how anyone could like, listening to this man’s voice.
Wow. This takes me back to every half remembered party or rave that I went to between the ages of 20 and 21. I had forgotten all about The Prodigy but this is actually a pretty awesome album. Breathe is such a great track!
Loved this. Could hear how it influenced so many artists in subsequent decades
How in the world did this end up on this list? I can understand how some artists might find this influential or inspiring because of its raw nature. There is talent there for sure, and such a sad story of mental illness… I’ll probably have to listen to it again to know how I really feel about it.
I know so many songs from this album but had never listened to the whole thing all the way through. God, Chris Cornell had a beautiful voice…interesting rhythms (5/4, 7/4 meters in places) virtuoso guitar riffs and killer drums. I was more into Pearl Jam and Nirvana during the grunge years - Soundgarden felt a little too metal for me, in general. At this point, I really appreciate their sound and musical contributions
Definitely a genre-defining album. Probably won’t listen to it again but it was certainly the backdrop for a lot of late nights in the mid 1990s!
Not bad. Sure sounds like they listened to a lot of Flight of the Conchords.
A classic but not a favorite
His voice sounds amazing on this album. Sweet and vulnerable at times, while growling and (wonderfully) dangerous at others. Wish he had gone further in his career singing blues tunes…Reconsider Baby is one of his best
I loved this album when it was released and spent many summer afternoons listen to it. It holds up surprisingly well and Madonnas voice sounds better than on any of her previous albums. Solid production.
One star for Me and Julio, one star for Mother and Child Reunion. One star for nice guitar playing. Otherwise this was an annoying album.
Had a few great songs, a few bad songs and a few in the middle.
Like walking into a Google lobby circa 2010. Smells like coffee, colorful upholstery and lots of software engineers who are learning how to surf.
Beautiful ethereal emotional journey. genius
Wants to be the Magnetic fields but not as talented.
So much sound for a three piece band. And they are tight! Stewart Copeland has serious drumming chops - he is one of the best and his crazy but precise rhythms really take this album to the next level. The album as a whole is quirky but totally fun and enjoyable.
Ambient. Spacey. Not bad.
The essential link between Simon and Garfunkel and Fleet Foxes.
This was a formative album for young 10- year old me in 1987. My family still teases me about singing along while walking around the house with my Walkman…his voice is awesome, the beats slap in that seriously 80’s synth way, and I think he intentionally pushed the envelope of what’s commercially acceptable/appropriate as it relates to sexual content in pop music.
Couple of bangers. Otherwise kinda meh standard 90s
Cold, haunting and beautiful. Dissociated, introverted and able to induce transcendental feelings. Central Park in autumn.
Some good songs! I don’t know this genre very well but it was good background cooking music
Formative album for him…incredibly nostalgic for me. Always loved this one. Son of Sam is easily one of his best songs. And Colorbars.
He sings “I don’t feel afraid to die” on In the Lost and Found….ugh. Such a gut punch knowing he would die not long after this album was released.
Would have been a 3 except LFL and Passenger and both amazing songs
Hard to say which AF I love most
I had never heard of them and I didn’t read anything about the band before listening so this was a surprise.
I actually liked it pretty well! Melodic Brit punk with echoes of the Cure. Good production value.
Good first half…lost me as it progressed. But the first two tracks are bangers.
Paint it black and mother’s little helper, both great. Under my thumb…great song but creepy and rapey.
The rest is a snoozefest
