Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
710
Albums Rated
2.9
Avg Rating
66
5-Star Albums
65%
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379 albums remaining
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6.5
Per Week
765
Days Active
Reviews
710
Written
100%
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vs Global
-0.33
Avg Diff
2.9
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Rating Timeline
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Which era do you prefer?
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When do you listen?
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1950s
Favorite Decade
Samba
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Top Origin
Harsh
Rater Style
68
1-Star Albums
5-Star Albums (66)
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Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of the Valley | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Sunshine Hit Me | 5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
| La Revancha Del Tango | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| Oxygène | 5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
| Shaka Zulu | 5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood On The Tracks | 1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
| The Velvet Underground & Nico | 1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
| The Clash | 1 | 3.54 | -2.54 |
| Surfer Rosa | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Blonde On Blonde | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 6 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Oasis | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4 | 3.67 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 1.5 | 2.14 |
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 1.75 | 2.29 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 1.67 | 2.33 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 1.67 | 2.33 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 1.67 | 2.33 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 1.67 | 2.33 |
| Iggy Pop | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Pixies | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Mudhoney | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Happy Mondays | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Can | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 4 | 2.25 | 2.57 |
| The Who | 4 | 2.25 | 2.57 |
Popular Reviews
Manu Chao
5/5
TIL that, in spite of all the spanish in his music, Manu Chao is french?! I was convinced my entire life he was latin american. The first few tracks flow so well into each other. Really vibed with this, 5*
Fuck the reviewers that trash this or any other album only because it isn't in english; what a shitty, close-minded, ignorant take.
Highlights: je ne t'aime plus, desaparecido, bongo bong, luna y sol
10 likes
UB40
1/5
I only know "red red wine" from UB40. Every song feels endlessly repetitive. 1 hr of this was unghhhhh
3 likes
Pink Floyd
5/5
Really enjoyable prog rock album. Their musicality really shines. Another reviewer mentioned that Pink Floyd is best enjoyed as a whole album, and I completely agree. This album is a vibe on a Sunday afternoon.
Highlights: shine on you crazy diamond (both), wish you were here
2 likes
Gotan Project
5/5
Something different, always good to see. Fresh and different - jazzy but modern. Great vibes, love finding stuff I've never heard of before. Maybe it's background-y, but very enjoyable. 5*
2 likes
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
So many classics on this one. I'd never heard their version of BOTW, and it gave me chills, and I was only 2/3 through the song. As I continued listening to this album, almost every song was excellent, and I feel like the ones I didn't love right away would just take a few more listens. Top to bottom wonderful.
Highlights: bridge over troubled water, el condor pasa, cecilia, the boxer, the only living boy in new york (harmonies!)
2 likes
1-Star Albums (68)
All Ratings
Stan Getz
4/5
Chill background music. I'm in Brazil.
The Cars
2/5
Just What I Needed album. Rest of it was ok, not really my jam. But JWIN is a banger, bookmarked.
The Killers
5/5
Oh I know this one, so many fave Killers songs.
Jenny was a friend of mine is a banger opener, love that bass line. A couple songs I did not recognize.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
2/5
I really want to be *into* jazz, but it hasn't quite clicked for me yet. I remember learning about this album in a college music class, and how iconic "Take Five" is. So as iconic as this album is, I struggle to give it a high rating for me, but I can understand its cultural significance for the time.
Establishing some criteria for going forward for me:
5-all bangers, top to bottom a great album
4-mostly bangers (75%?), would happily revisit this album
3-like about half of it, but not a standout album
2-only like a couple of songs
1-dislike the album overall, hardly any songs I like
Elbow
3/5
Never heard of this band/album before. Initial vibes: Fleet Foxes. I like the instrumental things these guys are doing (An Audience with the Pope), dig their sound. 3*.
Standout tracks: One Day Like This, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
Some more criteria:
5-amazing top to bottom
4-very good album, but some weak tracks
3-enjoyed overall but not necessarily an album I'd revisit or that blew my mind. Middle of the road.
2-some songs I liked, but overall not a fan of this album
1-hated it
Fela Kuti
3/5
First of all, what badass history -- somebody died because this music was made? Having never listened to afro beat before, I really enjoy the rhythm with other instrumentals (this is reminiscent of Samba Jazz).
I enjoyed the album and introduction to the genre, 3*.
Favorite track: Zombie
The Clash
1/5
As iconic as this band is and how it influenced so many other bands I enjoy, I didn't really enjoy any of these songs, 1*.
Madonna
1/5
First Madonna album I've listened to end-to-end. Don't love 80s pop in general. Some interesting musical elements I never heard in Madonna songs I had listened to before (strings? something that sounded like Prince?). Overall a 1* for me.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
1/5
It's Nasty: that hook again! -- this is where I learned it came from the Tom Tom Club, Genius of Love.
Very groovy, fun listening for the first couple tracks.
Scorpio was weird. Then Dreamin'/You Are were like R&B ballads, took me by surprise. Feels disjointed.
And then The Message has the hook sampled by that "girls is players too" song! Iconic.
Overall maybe a 1.5 for me, 1*.
AC/DC
2/5
Highway to hell: such a great album opener. Album is oozing with energy to the point that most of these sounds samey to me. 2* since I enjoyed it more overall than the last few albums, but I don't think I'd revisit it very often.
Neil Young
2/5
My first exposure to Neil Young, very lyrical, easy listening. 2*, don't think I'd revisit but I didn't hate it which is why it gets more than 1*.
I liked Southern Man.
Isaac Hayes
1/5
Smooth, easy listening, some sexy times music. Didn't love it, 1*. Not about that 18 minute song.
3-5*: albums I actually enjoyed to varying degree.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Liked the gospel-y elements of "Set the controls..." "Business as usual" was weird, it made me physically uncomfortable to listen to. Enjoyed some tracks, but some were too experimental for me. Strong musical/movie soundtrack vibes. 3*.
Al Green
3/5
I recognize Let's Stay Together. Enjoyable listen, 3*.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I know he's a legend, but idk if I like his voice in this album. In general, I don't love "spoken word"-like music. I think I would have enjoyed an acoustic version of this album more. 2* for the instrumentals.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Mannish boy hook - is this the origin? Badass blues album. Enjoyed Bus Driver.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Right Here Right Now, Rockafeller Skank, Gangster Trippin, Praise You are such classics, and are all in this album! Catchy but repetitive tunes, I guess like what 90s Euro-techno reminds me of. 3* because outside of the hits, didn't love the rest of the album. Kalifornia made my head buzz? Very trippy sensation.
Kanye West
3/5
Let me get this out of the way: Kanye is a POS that put out good albums in the early aughts. I feel conflicted enjoying these albums these days. 3* for me, rounded up..I dig what I can only dub as "melodic hip hop."
Tracks I enjoyed/remembered: All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, Through The Wire
The Go-Betweens
1/5
Nice strings in opening tracks. Some U2 vibes from Quiet Heart. Finding this album kinda boring. A reviewer compared it to the Smiths, which I had a hard time putting my finger on. It's like a proto-version of other bands I like, like the Shins. 1*, such a drag of an album.
Frank Ocean
2/5
Did Start feature the old PS startup sound? The interstitials (?) between some songs are strange. I dig some of the sounds, but overall kind of meh for me. 2* because I didn't totally hate it.
Enjoyed: Sweet Life
Beatles
3/5
Was wondering when my first Beatles album would come up! There's so much early Beatles goodness in this one, which I adore, but also some tracks I'm not a fan of (All I've Got To Do, Don't Bother Me, You Really Got a Hold on Me).
Iconic tracks: All My Loving, Please Mister Postman, Till There Was You, Hold Me Tight
Till There Was You feels like the start of Paul doing his own thing -- I think they start coming into their own in this album, but you really start hearing their own sound in A Hard Day's Night. This album still has a whole bunch of covers and general samey-ness across most tracks.
This one is 3* for me, not one of my top Beatles albums. It gets a star over 2 because it's the Beatles, but in isolation I'm not sure this album stood the test of time.
Beach House
4/5
Off the bat I already dig this sound, Zebra is beautiful. A chill dreamy sound. 1.5 tracks in, I'm already leaning 4*. A cozy album, makes me think of summers in the PNW.
Iggy Pop
2/5
I recognize Lust for Life. Sounds very pre-punk. Can't say I enjoyed the album but it wasn't terrible to me. 2*.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Country music just isn't for me, I tried it in its modern take, and it just sucks with its lyrics about trucks and beer. Dolly Parton, however, is a treasure of a human and her voice is lovely. It's a 2* for me. Lyrics a little saccharine at times.
Song highlights: Coat of Many Colors
Death In Vegas
3/5
I dig the wall of sound of Dirge, also about 4min in it reminds me of early Muse. Then the vocals in the second track came in and I didn't enjoy it anymore. Very repetitive soundscape.
Very distorted and experimental sounding. I'm generally enjoying everything except the vocals. It'd be a good soundtrack for a game or movie. 3*.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Great rhythms, and it sounds so good it's hard to believe it's live. 3* for me, not sure I'd revisit, but love discovering more afro beats, the drums are a lot of fun.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Love the opening energy of Stop. The forward drive of the guitars and drums is electrifying and so fun. Been caught stealing is another great track.
Wasn’t loving Three Days but the bridge drums took it up a notch for me.
Of Course: what?! A Klezmer song in 3/4?!
Overall a 3* for me, not sure I’d revisit the album as a whole, but has some great tracks. A 4* is an album that is overall enjoyed and I would revisit even if not all tracks I loved.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Oh fuck yes! Mr Blue Sky is on constant rotation for me. Turn to Stone with all its strings is a fun opener. A lot of 70s goodness in the instruments, harmonies and overall upbeat feeling. Enjoyed Steppin Out, Believe Me Now.
Holger Czukay
1/5
Garbage. Take Revolution 9 and make it an album. Take one of those Yamaha keyboards and randomly dick around on different settings hitting random keys for 40 minutes. Performance art in music form. This is no one’s favorite album.
Kid Rock
1/5
Kid Rock is trash these days. I think I would have enjoyed this back in the day when Nu Metal was all that and I was super into Limp Bizkit, Korn, etc. But nowadays, meh, and the whole album feels samey. 1*.
Pearl Jam
3/5
Even Flow from back in the Rockband/Guitar Hero days! Alive is a classic.
A 3* for me -- can't see myself revisiting, but it is a classic with lots of good tracks.
Enjoyed Black, Jeremy.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
It's jazzy! Yeah, my ear is too untrained to tell good and bad jazz, but this is enjoyable background music. So, like, a 2* for me? It was aight.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
I dig the rock influence in Rock Box. Makes me think of Beastie Boys. 2* for me; it's clear this album/group influenced much of hip hop going forward, but as an album I'm not sure I entirely dig it.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Statesboro Blues is a fun blues opener. Really enjoying this one, 3*. Was thinking of giving it a 4*, but it really rambled unnecessarily in the back half.
Not much more to say other than I'm learning I really like blues. For a live, jam session kind of album, this one was ok. Also like You Don't Love Me.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Cool, groovy 70s sound. Feel like I need to be smoking pot along to this album. Enjoyable, 3*.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Time to start making a playlist of song highlights. I know nothing of Elvis except his perennial greatest hits, which this album has none of. Enjoyed the gospel influence in I'm Movin On. Also harmonicas in Power of My Love!
Enjoyed: Long Black Limo, In the ghetto
Another solid album but not cracking 4-5* for me. 3*.
1/5
This is not an ensemble; it's a bunch of musicians playing random shit on their instruments for 40 minutes. How the fuck this made it on this list, I will never know. There are moments where you can somewhat hear the virtuosity of individual instruments, but the whole is not better than the sum of the parts. This is like listening to a bunch of children playing whatever the fuck they want on their instruments. My beginner youth orchestra sounded better than this. Maybe this is what jazz sounds like to aliens.
Radiohead
5/5
Oh hell yeah, Radiohead! So many songs I adore in this one, so it's 4-5* before even listening to it as a whole.
Highlights: High and dry, Fake plastic trees, My iron lung, Street spirit
This album still holds up, 5*.
On full album listen also liked Planet Telex, Bullet Proof (great guitar doodling), Black Star.
Silver Jews
2/5
Indie but country-like in the guitars. Vocals remind me of the whole "sound out of tune" vibe of early aughts indie.
I enjoy the instrumentals but not the vocals on this one. I just don't enjoy the spoken word/not-even-trying-to-be-in-tune singing. Like what is even the start of Time will break the world?
2* for the instrumentals.
Transylvania blues was a cool track, much harder guitars and no crappy vocals.
R.E.M.
3/5
Have never listened to REM outside their hits. Enjoyable listen, 3*.
Enjoyed: Stand, Pop Song 89, Orange Crush
Pixies
1/5
First exposure to the Pixies outside of "Where is my mind" because of that one movie, and is in this album.
Most tracks don't stand out to me. Only enjoying WIMM. 1*.
When Spotify shuffled away from this album at the end and went to 12:51 by the Strokes I actually said "oh thank god, actual music"
ZZ Top
2/5
No prior experience with ZZ Top. Dig the guitar/drums in Gimme all your lovin, even though by today's standards they may seem simplistic. Maybe this is like ACDC, where all the songs sound the same after a while.
Didn't hate it, but there's no originality when it's all so samey. 2*.
This led to White Wedding though, so that's cool.
The Hives
3/5
This is a genre and era I thoroughly enjoy as a millennial.
Hate to say I told you so is such a strong opener. Stronger punk influence than I remember or ever knew the Hives to be (Supply and Demand, Untutored youth for example), maybe because HTSITYS is so different from the rest of the album. Overall a 3*, doesn't cross into fave albums territory.
Highlights: Main Offender, HTSITYS, AKA IDIOT
The Libertines
2/5
This is ok. Shades of early aughts music. Just ok, 2*, don't hate it. Can't tell why this is on this list. Some reviewer compared them to Arctic Monkeys, which is what this reminded me of.
Boston
4/5
More than a feeling is an excellent song. Peace of mind I also really enjoyed.
The melodies, the vocal harmonies, very enjoyable. A solid 4-5* for me.
Should have given the ELO album 4*...
Slade
2/5
Kind of bored of this one. Maybe I'm inconsistent in what I enjoy.
Enjoyed: guitars in Move Over -- but then I learned from other reviews that this is a cover. I don't think it says much when the song I enjoyed the most is a cover.
2* because I didn't hate it/wasn't total trash. Just meh. Also a LONG album.
Also what's with the terrible audio quality of this album on Spotify?
Kill Em at the Hot Club was also very different from all the 70s dude rock but kind of enjoyable.
What's the deal with that last track with them talking as if they are on the radio with excerpts of their songs? Was this a thing at the time?
Little Richard
3/5
A legend, an album of classics. This is obviously a classic and innovative for its time, but I'm not sure it has stood the test of time. His vocals are outstanding and the instrumentals are bluesy, which I enjoy. For this, this is a 3* for me. Doesn't break into 4-5* territory because musically it follows a lot of well-known patterns to 21st century ears.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Enjoyable in the background, but I'm not entirely into it. kinda meh, 2*.
Michael Jackson
2/5
First time listening to an MJ album as a whole, have only heard some of his songs here and there.
I don't really love this synthetized sound, but I can understand how this can stand out in 80s pop. All feels very manufactured except for MJ's voice, which if it were autotuned would sound robotic like everything else in the album. Maybe it's this particular usage of drum machines that is just unenjoyable to me.
2* for one of the best sellers of all time. Just doesn't stand out to me. Not bad enough for a 1* because MJ's singing is great but not something I'd pop in again to get 3*.
Standout tracks: man in the mirror, smooth criminal
Zero judgement based on MJ as a person when judging this album.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
That wikipedia is bare bones. Never heard of this artist before. Nice wah wah funky sounds in Billy Jack.
Overall enjoyable sound, but not breaking into favorite album territory, 3*. Need to dive more into funk and soul though.
This led to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, which was a great discovery.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
The sitar is giving me George Harrison vibes. Not sure what to make of this genre, very much of its time but I'm not sure it has held up over time. But the singing could be straight out of 2000-2010s alternative.
The more I listened the worse it got. 1*. Feels like a random array of words. Why is this on this list?? Fuck was it hard to tolerate the longer it went on. That weird dual-channel sax album was better than this. It's white people trying to emulate Indian music in the worst way possible. No dawg, you can't sing in quarter tones, you're just a terrible singer.
Muddy Waters
4/5
I'm thankful that this project helped me discover Muddy Waters -- I really like blues and this guy is exceptional. 4*. This hit good with mate in the morning.
The Temptations
3/5
First exposure to motown in this. 3* overall. Enjoyable intro but not a favorite I'm going to pop in randomly.
Enjoyed: Papa was a rollin stone (scratchy swangy guitar), the singing in Mother Nature
Hot Chip
4/5
A few seconds in, I can tell I'm going to enjoy this.
I enjoy their more upbeat tracks, not a fan of the slower tracks like Look at Where We Are.
I was really hyped for this, thinking it would be at least 4*, but it didn't hold strong. 3*. About half to a third of songs I like.
Enjoyed: Ends of the earth, let me be him, motion sickness, don't deny your heart
I like How do you do, but the religious lyrics irk me.
Ok, on second listen I'm more inclined to give this 4*. There's a lot of really cool moments in this album. Night and day has a cool funky start.
The Cult
1/5
Ugh, another 80s hard rock band. Just samey on every song. Not terrible, just incredibly boring and repetitive. The same song 11 times over. Even within a song the structure is so vanilla and uninteresting. 2*.
Isn't Love removal machine straight out of the Rolling Stones?
The born to be wild cover was mid at best.
YOOOWWW
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Don’t recognize these by title. Smile please sounds so clean, it's wonderful. The harmonies, the instrumentals, excellent. Stevie's voice is wonderful.
Enjoyed: Boogie on reggae woman (instant head bopper), you haven't done nothin (the brass!)
4*
I think I did myself a disservice by listening to this in a loud coffee shop...
Led Zeppelin
2/5
I feel like I've been listening to Led Zeppelin copycats. This is already much more interesting than all the 80s hard metal bands that I've encountered so far. Not super into it though, 2*.
Oh hey, I know Kashmir. Enjoyed: guitars in Bron-Yi-Aur.
Napalm Death
1/5
And now for something completely different: Grindcore
Instinct of survival's vocals sound like a barking dog. I dig the high-energy instrumentals though. These tracks are all so short!
I can see most people not enjoying this (including myself) because it's such a distinctive, inaccessible genre that will just sound like a bunch of noise to people. It's a 1-2* in the first few tracks for me.
Sounds like Doom music.
Yeah, kinda hate this one, giving me a migraine. 1*. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Various Artists
3/5
Wait, did they purposefully give me this for Christmas? I guess if a Christmas album is on this list, it makes sense to give it in December, not in July.
I was just watching a video about how Phil Spector screwed Darlene Love out of royalties in the making of this album, as iconic as she was in Baby Please Come Home. Phil Spector sketchiness aside, this sounds pretty epic for a 60s Christmas album in the singing and instrumentals. Still, it's a Christmas album, 3*.
The Sonics
2/5
That description told me nothing. the opener gives me surfer rock vibes. A rough sound. The yelling reminds me so much of Paul McCartney, who made it more songy.
Enjoyed: Do you love me (a cover)
Some of the covers (Roll over Beethoven) are ROUGH, and not in a good way.
2* -- has a lot of elements of 60s music I like, but it's just rough. The same YOWWW, 12-bar blues progression gets old after a while. All these covers someone else did better (Money, ROB).
Moby Grape
2/5
Man, this one was a struggle to find as a whole.
It's like the same 60s sound I heard yesterday, but maybe more bluesy without being 100% 12-bar blues.
2*, but more enjoyable than the Sonics.
Enjoyed: Lazy me
Sepultura
3/5
Not into screamo metal, but love the percussion and guitars in this album. 3* for me, because of the screamo. The instrumentals and a couple of great tracks bump this up from 2*. Just can't cope with all the vocals being yelled at me. I love Korn, Slipknot, and other nu-metal, but maybe pure screamed metal isn't for me. Maybe I would have really enjoyed this in high school.
Because it was so different from everything else, I enjoyed Jasco. Itsari, which features a native chant, was very cool.
This put me onto a Korn kick.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I don't know what post-punk means, but this was enjoyable to listen to. 3*. Also this being from the 80s sounds way ahead of its time.
Enjoyed: Sin in my heart (the guitar reminded me a lot of Muse)
k.d. lang
2/5
Enjoyed her voice. Track highlight: Miss Chatelaine (samba vibes). Back half of the album kind of dragged.
KISS
3/5
It was alright. Not overly memorable, not terrible. Maybe a little repetitive.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Enjoyable cuban music, good vibes. Doesn't quite make it to 5*/favorite territory but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Highlights: el cuarto de Tula, pueblo nuevo (really vibing with this one)
The Cure
3/5
Enjoying the guitar/wall of sound of opening tracks. Overall a 3*.
Highlights: pictures of you, lovesong (a classic)
David Ackles
2/5
Reminds me of the Leonard Cohen album from a while back. A musical-y piano, vocal heavy album. It's ok, not my thing but not terrible, 2*.
Eels
2/5
I will not let the reviews sway me before finishing going forward to form my own opinion. The lack of info on the wikipedia summary is always concerning, just don't know what I'm getting into.
I recognize Novocaine for the soul? Alternative 90s, with that recognizable drum pattern (Susan's house). It's ok, if a little out there, but enjoying it, 3* for first half. Second half was meh, 2*.
Lots of 2-3* lately...
The Stooges
1/5
Why does this album cover kind of creep me out?
I can see how this preempts punk and maybe some 90s alternative, but it's not my jam at all. 1*
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
I only knew Nothing compares 2 u from this one. Her vocal ability is undoubtedly great; the tracks where it's just her and minimal instrumentation (I am stretched on your grave) really highlight this.
Enjoyed: three babies, black boys on mopeds, nothing compares 2 u, i do not want what i haven't got (her vocals are haunting)
Pretty solid, but not in favorite album territory, 3*
Ryan Adams
1/5
This felt very rambley. Enjoyed the guitars but the lyrics and singing were very mid. Album kind of put me to sleep, like music you'd hear right before going down with anesthesia.
Soundgarden
3/5
RIP Chris Cornell. Solid soundgarden sound - heavy but refined, with Chris's iconic vocals. Overall solid 3* for me -- no tracks blow my mind as much as Black Hole Sun.
Highlights: Black hole sun, drums in Spoonman
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
This is an angsty album. Maybe iconic for its time in the land of dude bands, but not grabbing me. 2*. Great energy to it.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
A more melodic take on punk/pre-punk stuff that's been coming up lately. I like their sound, but not in favorite album territory. Solid 3* album.
Enjoyed: Villiers terrace (keyboards)
Very Cure-adjacent
Led Zeppelin
5/5
The Stairway to heaven and Black dog album! Classics. Also enjoyed: rock and roll, when the levee breaks
Lots of energy, classics, and variety in this one. Unlike most 70s-80s rock albums which sound so samey after a while, this one is special. Solid 5*, every track slaps.
Stairway to heaven is well known and established as a classic, but it's also a bang-for-your-buck song -- one of those epic songs that feels like has 3-4 great songs in one.
Misty mountain hop has such juicy guitars.
When the levee breaks has such a cool blues feel
5/5
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR TIME WILL WASTE YOU
Muse?! I'm incredibly biased, but this is an instant 5/5. Not my personal favorite Muse album (that goes to Origin of Symmetry), but this one is top to bottom full of bangers. This band will always have a special place in my heart. Muse may not have the best lyrics, but musically they are outstanding.
Top to bottom highlights. Map of the problematique, a top 3 Muse song for me, is here. Whenever I get to hear it live, my heart explodes in happiness.
No lowlights.
Starting with Take a bow? Such amazing buildup.
Starlight is a little overplayed by now, unfortunately. Cheesy Muse.
SMBH guitars just go hard, and Matt's vocals really shine on the high end.
Soldier's poem, although slow, melts my heart.
Invincible is another space-y, cheesy song, but great in its grandiosity. Matt's vocals are so passionate.
Assassin is so powerful, and hearing it live, the Grand Omega Bosses version, is epic.
Hoodoo: piano! And I've had recurring nightmares that I was loved for who I am and missed the opportunity to be a better man
Knights of cydonia is an epic album closer and the signature end to Muse's shows these days with Man with a harmonica.
I'm trying to figure out where the "southern Italy" influence is?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Highlights: good times bad times, your time is gonna come (love the guitar groove)
Very interesting guitar and music effects; is this vamping? Almost jam band like. Lots of blues. Not as many top to bottom highlights like LZ4, but lots of enjoyable tracks. The unending-ness of some songs takes some points away.
Thundercat
5/5
Wow, this is different, but in an enjoyable way. The reviews gave me little hope, but I'm thoroughly enjoying this. Maybe it's my affinity for funk and groovy basslines. Never heard of Thundercat before and I don't know how much of this album is him vs. his collaborators contributing to the sound, but this is a solid 4-5*, will decide at the end. Even with some meh tracks, I really like this. In a sea of samey albums in this list, this is a delight.
What do the fast funky basslines remind me of? It's on the tip of my tongue. OH I KNOW, BILL WURTZ!! Holy shit, this so reminds me of his short random-ass songs on YouTube.
Enjoyed: captain stupido, uh uh, friend zone
Goofy shit that got me to giggle: a fan's mail, tokyo
The Strokes
4/5
The strokes are such an iconic sound for this era. Outside of my highlights though, didn't love the rest of the album.
Highlights: modern age, last nite, someday (LOVE this song), hard to explain
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
The description says salsa but this starts funky as hell? I'm into it. This is ageless. I have heard these before, just not sure where (Buscando guayaba). A solid album, just good vibes. 5* Each track is unique and doesn't just have the same salsa rhythm, it's layered with so much more.
Highlights: plastico, maria lionza (cool starts and groovy bass)
The Soft Boys
2/5
An album that is on this list because it inspired other amazing artists is not a good sign going into to from my experience so far. I'm not sure what psychedelic rock entails, kinda get the vibe in positive vibrations. This is enjoyable, not bad, but also not outstanding, reminds me of late Beatles/George Harrison. A whole lot of blah. 2*
Only the stones remain: Rolling stones vibes, was that the intent?
HOLY FUCK, 40 SONGS?? 2.5 hrs of this? Yo, cut the crap, trim it to the good stuff. Oh, maybe it's all these bonus tracks that are unique to Spotify? The longer this went on, the less points I wanted to give it. But it doesn't suck completely, so 2*. I had to stop at track 22, this album kept giving me anxiety. Maybe I will finish it tomorrow. Got through the non-bonus tracks anyway.
Pulp
2/5
Don't love the vocals on most of the tracks. Overall meh, 2*. Bailed during the long outro because there was just nothing there.
Enjoyed: help the aged (kinda reminds me of Ok Go)
Dire Straits
4/5
Ooo walk of life! An excellent song. This song alone puts this album in 3+ territory.
Love how so far away starts the album, love the twangy guitar.
Enjoyed the sax in your latest trick -- brings me back to grocery shopping with my mom in the early 90s.
Why worry is so chill and lovely
Enjoyed overall, 4*, although I wonder how much I like this because I *should*.
Television
2/5
Even as I'm listening to this I'm finding it forgettable. It was ok, but not loving it.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Queen Latifah made music? I must be too young that I only knew her as an actress.
Dance for me is a fun start, girl can rap! A fun album, very 80s hip hop.
Mama gave birth has some weird chipmunk shit, fuck that.
Also enjoyed Ladies First.
Overall 3*, fun album.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Enjoying the guitars in I looked away, backup vocals in it's too late, Layla (a classic, cool piano interlude)
Overall enjoyable singing and instrumentals since I'm a sucker for blues, 3*
Joan Baez
2/5
She has a nice voice and this album feels simple -- just vocals and guitar. Not really enjoying it though, maybe I need to hear the instrumentation come through more, 2*.
The vibrato in her voice I found a little jarring after a while. Super repetitive, many religious lyrics.
The Prodigy
3/5
This is the kind of 90s electronic that felt so edgy and fun at the time. Electronic music doesn't sound like this anymore. Repetitive overall, but enjoyable in the background. After a while I couldn't tell tracks were changing anymore. 3*.
Highlights: smack my bitch up (lol), breathe (excellent groove)
Beck
4/5
Enjoyed: the golden age
I have mixed feelings about Beck's "lazy" vocals usually. I enjoyed the instrumentals in this album and the vocals in a lot of the tracks. A nice melancholy album, would listen again. 4*
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
From the description, a truly iconic album.
Highlights: That cymbal sample in Peter Piper! It's tricky (from that one game I played), walk this way (don't think I've heard this version before)
The beat boxing in hit it run is a little bit ridiculous
3* overall
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Yo wtf is up with the gift? I tuned out all that nonsense.
Off the bat, this is garbo, maybe this is on the list because of the band name, not because of how the album is. Or maybe this is here because it "pioneers a genre" -- just because of that. it doesn't make this a good album.
Fiona Apple
2/5
This is ok. I enjoyed some of the instrumentals and singing, but no songs really stood out to me.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Enjoyable piano album, doesn't sound like jazz to me, but maybe because it's solo piano. The story and how it was fully improvised, especially for what the final product sounds like, is amazing. 4*.
Good background music, had to listen to it twice. The random yells are weird though.
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
Ok, very cool! Electronic music from before the digital age really blew up and made it trivial to produce. Unexpectedly cool. This is the kind of album that makes the 1001 albums a really cool thing to get into -- discovering gems that got lost to time (at least to me).
It starts so ethereal, reminds me of 70s television interstitials. I dig the theremin sounds. Space-age-y. Really dig this one, easy 5*.
Portishead
2/5
Never heard Portishead before. This is mellow, not really my jam with the airy singing. Has potential and similarities to other music I enjoy, but meh. 2*.
Enjoyed: the rip (reminds me of Simulation Theory Muse)
Did not enjoy: dissonance in we carry on, magic doers
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Sounds like a musical, some epic orchestration. Overall, it's ok. Not sure why it's on this list. 2*, not 1* because it's not total garbage like some albums on this list.
Highlights: everybody knows
Like wtf is this:
If you were a dog
I'd feed you scraps from off the table
Though my wife complains
If you were my dog
Jeff Buckley
4/5
A solid, soulful rock album. His singing reminds me of Radiohead/Thom Yorke at times (dream brother!). Great range and variation. It's amazing this came out in the 90s, it sounds so much more modern. A solid 4*.
The jump from corpus christi carol to eternal life was jarring and a clear example of the variety in this album.
When I saw he died young I quickly assumed drug OD, but reading about his death it's tragic and a huge loss.
Highlights: last goodbye, hallelujah (a haunting version)
Supergrass
3/5
Strong surfer rock vibes from "I'd like to know." Overall a fun, high energy album, but I'm not sure why it's on the list.
Highlights: Alright (I loved this song!)
Steve Earle
1/5
Woof, country, getting through this might suck. It starts super generic, and continues to sound super vanilla in the production. It's also very telling when the first song Spotify plays after an album is already miles better than the last 40min-1hr of listening (Mama tried, Merle Haggard -- and I really don't like country).
The White Stripes
3/5
Surprised to see this one before Elephant. It started strong, but got weak in the back half. I appreciate them branching out but meh. 3*.
Highlights: blue orchid (goes hard for an opener), my doorbell, the denial twist (similar groove to my doorbell)
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Another "advent of punk" album? Ice cold ice kind of reminds me of Green Day, lots of it reminds me of REM. Meh overall, why is this here, 2*.
Japan
2/5
Another whole lot of what? Why is this here? 2*
Once again, Spotify took me to something better after this, aka Duran Duran.
Enjoyed: a foreign place
James Brown
3/5
That is a crazy list of accolades. The fact that it's a live album from the 60s makes the audio quality pretty bad, and the screaming is just ugh. You can feel James Brown's energy, and it's crazy that this is such an early album. Overall didn't wow me though, 3*.
Steely Dan
4/5
Never listened to Steely Dan, except maybe in passing. A very chill album, I feel like I'd hear this on vacation or a long road trip. Enjoyable, 4*
I recognize: do it again, dirty work (enjoyed it), fire in the hole (piano)
Stan Getz
3/5
The original girl from Ipanema! Rest of the album has a very mellow, chill sound, but kind of repetitive. Nothing blows my mind.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Why did I think kraftwek was a more modern group? This album/band is from the 70s! After oxygene maybe I'm a sucker for old school electronic music. This albums feels like a good prototype of other albums I'd enjoy, 3*.
Enjoyed: the groove of autobahn (but then it got weird around halfway through. Such a goofy song)
Pretenders
3/5
This is a longboi. Singer reminds me of the yeah yeah yeahs. Good energy and drive but I'm not sure why this is here. Not going into my favorites, but the vocals are great, 3*.
It starts very punk rock, then stop your sobbing is like a pop bonanza.
Recognize: brass in pocket
Beatles
5/5
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP YEAH!
Oh damn. Back in the day when I binged the Beatles for 6 months, this was my favorite album; it felt like their first departure from the boy band look/sound and they'd stopped touring at this point. Let's see how it holds up now for me. Fuck it, easy 5* for me.
Instantly in a good mood with Drive my car.
Norwegian wood just has a great guitar groove.
You won't see me: I was always more inclined toward Paul songs.
Nowhere man: obsessed. Why did I just praise Paul, when this and In my life are in this album??
Think for yourself: even when I'm not a fan of early George songs, this is still great and catchy
Michelle: so lovely. Also all the harmonies in the album are so on point.
Girl: another John great
All my life is such a GOAT track.
All good, 5*.
Simple Minds
3/5
Yo what’s up with the album cover? The album is good vibes, but not mind blowing. 3* because I enjoy this sound.
Highlights: big sleep
Radiohead
2/5
I don’t know any of the songs on this one.
Nevemrind, I recognize and enjoy Knives out. The rest is a little too experimental for me to enjoy. 2*. Sax on the last song was interesting.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Repetitive soundscapes with bad singing. I just don’t think I like the velvet underground. Cool Andy Warhol cover though? Finishing it was rough, wth was that last track?
Blur
3/5
Song 2! Except apparently this is nothing like the rest of the album, let’s see.
Have to agree, all very different from song 2, which is unreal how hard it goes. The rest of the album was ok, 3*.
Highlights: beetlebum, song 2
David Bowie
2/5
First Bowie album here. Very instrumental, kind of meh. Second half is very atmospheric. Maybe ahead of its time or something. 2*.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Cherub rock is such a great opener. Highlights: cherub rock, today, disarm, silverfuck (love some good drum drives)
Todd Rundgren
3/5
1.5hrs? Woof. Impressive that he did all instruments. I recognize I saw the light. Enjoyed: couldn't I just tell you
Overall ok, just a lot of genres/styles going on, 2.5* rounded up.
Alice In Chains
3/5
Very 90s grunge, solid sound. 3* because I enjoy the sound, but nothing really blows my mind, no tracks really jump out at me..
Enjoyed: would?
Nina Simone
2/5
This was ok? It kind of came and went and didn't stand out to me, but her voice is great. 2*
Talking Heads
2/5
The Fela Kuti influence is clear in this one, but not as good. Overall rough, not much stood out to me. 2*.
Madonna
3/5
I feel like this album is here in the sense of Madonna's evolution, but on its own it's just ok., feels like a product of its time. I hear some things I enjoy. I also think it's from the time she worked on the Austin Powers soundtrack, a song I adore.
Highlights: ray of light, frozen
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Terrible singing, rough to get through. Based on the wiki, I can't tell why this is here. Ramblings of a crazy man (for 1 hr!).
Neil Young
3/5
Clean voice, enjoyable, Cool orchestral elements. 3*. I just don't think I'm a Neil Young fan.
Wild Beasts
3/5
I can see this will be a genre/era of my liking.
Digging the intro, but iffy on the falsetto-y singing
Enjoyable sound, 3*
Enjoyed: the fun powder plot, underbelly (ended too abruptly though)
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
What's up with the random mumbling and talking? Has some musically fun moments, but nothing outstanding. 2*
One of these things : sweet home alabama
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
That description is OOOF. Track 1 (GYAHHHH) and I'm already struggling.
2nd track, all I hear is yelling and power tools.
1*, no question. Another, "oh this is so unique and groundbreaking, you must listen before you die" with no consideration for quality.
FUUUUCK a whole hour of this. I had to keep reminding myself to not skip tracks to power through this.
I see now that this is the lowest rated album here, so I guess I have better albums to look forward to!
ZZ Top
4/5
Enjoying the sound of this one. Today I woke up dazed and exhausted from work, so this hit the spot on a Friday morning. 4*
Enjoyed: waitin for the bus, la grange
I feel like I'm no consistent with some of these ratings; a lot gets tied to how that album hits that day.
Talk Talk
2/5
A pile of meh. I don't get this, why is this here? Another album that just kind of came and went.
Scott Walker
1/5
Once again the wiki leaves me doubtful.
Big ol' YAWN, a lot of moping for 1/2 hour.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Finally something a little more different and new after a string of kinda meh albums. Strong 70s vibes, very refreshing, can't pinpoint the genre across the whole album. This whole album is a vibe -- maybe I'm just glad to hear something I enjoyed and therefore giving it a 4*
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
Ok cool, this will be something different. Confused as to the title not matching the album cover on this page, so I hoped I grabbed the right one. This guy has a massive discography.
Already vibing with the first track. My unaccustomed ears would argue all these songs sound very similar. But I'm glad every time this project introduces me to something not American/British.
Enjoying the sound though, 4*
Massive Attack
3/5
A snoozefest album, why is this here, pretty unremarkable. Hard to pin down the genre as I went along. I will say, it did get more interesting by tracks 2-3.
2* because I don't hate it.
Ok, I take it back, 3*. It got better as it went along. Refreshing sound.
Highlights: euro child, heat miser (+piano, -breathing)
Wilco
2/5
Very meh in ways I can't describe. I'm ok with moaning on a guitar, but this ain't it. 2*
I was glad when I got to the last song, then realized I had the album on shuffle so I have no idea what I did/didn't listen to, so I went back to the top. Bahhumbug.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
First time listening to a whole Aretha album. Chain of fools already starts so iconic. Incredible, clean voice. 4* only because it's not my type of album, but I have no complaints about it. Added to library.
Highlights: chain of fools
Goldfrapp
4/5
I dig the guitar in this album, very soothing. I think this came at the right time for me. 4* because not in fave album territory, but very enjoyable.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Have heard some of these before, but not the whole album. Dude on the cover always looks like Adam Sandler to me. Great energy in this album.
Highlights: mardy bum.
The Rolling Stones
1/5
Hm, two versions of this album, going with UK version. This sounds nothing like any famous RS song I've heard before. It's not very good at all, even if different for the RS. Inclined to 2* (1.5 rounded up) 3 tracks in.
Maybe I should have listened to the US version with paint it black, and that would have earned it another 0.5 star.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Oh boo, my review didn't get cached. Another great, this one with RESPECT, but not my kind of fave album.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Hold up, this is a thing? I freaking love Mussorgsky's piece + the Ravel orchestral adaptation, so this will be incredibly biased if they do it justice.
Honestly super refreshing. Adding lyrics is kind of interesting, but also kind of works. Sucks that the oxen, my fave movement, did not make it.
Highlights: blues variation, curse of baba yaga
3* because of a fresh take on a classical fave of mine, but not all great. Lyrics were not necessary.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I love the beach boys but never heard of this before. I hear a lot of the harmonizing goodness. This was enjoyable, with some tracks having the BB charm, but not as good as the OG. 3*.
Ramones
3/5
Highlights: blitzkrieg bop (iconic)
Beat on the brat -- fun to hear after playing Cyberpunk
This sounds clean and polished for a first album, especially for a punk group. Solid album, 3*. It's repetitive, obviously their trademark style. Maybe this is a good running album as the BPM is so steady.
UB40
1/5
I only know "red red wine" from UB40. Every song feels endlessly repetitive. 1 hr of this was unghhhhh
Radiohead
3/5
Refreshing after the last repetitive-ass album from UB40. You can tell how much more experimental this is. Sax in the national anthem? I think I lean more toward the earlier Radiohead sound.
Highlights: everything in its right place, how to disappear completely
AC/DC
3/5
Oh wow, lots of classic ACDC in this one. I just don't like the singing of ACDC (I just learned they switched singers during this album), but musically I dig this album. 3*. It's also too dude-y for me.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Excited for this one, I like some arcade fire songs but never dug into their albums (a common theme in this exercise). Wall of sound. Enjoyable, but it does get a bit weaker after the first couple of tracks. 4*. I would typically give albums like this a 3*, but I'm too biased toward early 10s alternative.
Highlights: the suburbs, ready to start
Goldie
2/5
It's on the minimal side; has some features of electronic I enjoy, but not breaking into favorite album territory.
I couldn't believe how long the first track went on for, and every track thereafter. I generally enjoy this type of music, but this just went on too long. Again, not a 1001 thing you should listen to before you die, not missing anything by not listening to this. 2*
Skipped the last 2 edit tracks in the end, I was done.
Daft Punk's 'Around the world' is less repetitive than this.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Have heard of these guys but never any of their music. This album is great vibes, 4*
Highlights: cheap day return
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I'm not huge on the rolling stones, this is ok. 2*.
Highlight: you can't always get what you want
I had Spotify on shuffle and missed half the album. Went back to the beginning and my opinion hasn't changed. Something about these guys doing honky tonk is meh. Good for them for branching out, but meh. Only the highlight stands out.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
I see avant garde, I become suspicious. The singing in the first track is already rough, I can't imagine it gets any better. The singing makes this album unbearable.
Another why the fuck is this here?
Motörhead
2/5
Ace of spades goes pretty hard. The rest of instrumentals and vocals feel a little repetitive, nothing special here. 2*
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Generic '60s cover album. She's a good singer, but nothing outstanding here. Why is this here? I should keep track of how many times I've asked myself this, probably 10+ times so far. 2* for not being terrible.
Love
2/5
This is fine? Another nothing-burger IMO, but not trash, so 2*.
Fuuuuck that last track, annoying self-serving, rambling mess.
Aerosmith
4/5
Didn't know any of these Aerosmith songs before this album. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. 4*
Highlights: last child
The Stone Roses
5/5
Amazed that this is from the 80s, could have come out 2008-2014. Some Cure vibes. Really digging this album. This is why I like doing this project, for discovering albums I really enjoy like this. too bad it happens like once a month and >30% of what I come across is terrible. 5*. Good vibes, pleasant sound, enough variety.
Highlights: waterfall, i wanna be adored, this is the one, guitars in i am the resurrection
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I just don't like the Rolling Stones -- I keep finding myself not enjoying their songs that didn't stay in the mainstream. Maybe they were revolutionary for their time, but I can't get into them. This is my 3rd or 4th album from them, and no dice. 2*.
One thing I'm learning is that the Rolling Stones drew from blues waaay more than I thought.
Highlights: sweet virginia
Laibach
2/5
Dude, I don't even know. Angry german yelling. Maybe yelling is an overstatement. Why is this here?
The Byrds
2/5
I didn't know the Byrds did country? At least this is my first exposure to them. It's ok, nothing groundbreaking. Endless country crap.
Pulp
3/5
Refreshing after the last couple crappy albums. Solid, a good sound, but not many super memorable tracks 3*
Highlights: common people
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
This is a goofy, very 80s album. A lot of variety here, all over the place. 3* because not fave album territory.
Highlights: relax (zoolander!), born to run (sounds like something out of a musical), bang
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
This was ok, but not sure why it's here. I read a comment that this list skews heavily toward the late 60s, but there's so much good stuff in other decades! Very blah, nothing interesting, has not held up the test of time. 2*.
Ok, I got less salty as this went along, this is an alright 60s record, 3*.
Highlights: kicks, all i really need is you
Deep Purple
2/5
Solid live album, great energy, but very long for the number of tracks. Child in time and Strange kind of woman had wayyy too much yelling/squealing. 3*
Actually, this went on too long, self-gratuitous, reminds me of another album like it. Smoke on the water was also not outstanding vs. the album version. 2*.
David Bowie
2/5
I don't know much Bowie, except a couple songs. I think this album is on here because of his return after a long hiatus, but I'm not sure any of it is super outstanding to me. This list needs to be more discerning with artists with multiple great albums; we don't need every entry of their catalogue. 2*
Joy Division
2/5
Joy division only had 2 albums? TIL. After that one album cover went everywhere, I thought they had more. This is angry ranting over some ok-ish background music. Felt like the same song throughout.
Stephen Stills
3/5
This project has intro'd me to the whole Cosby/Stills/Nash/Young thing. Enjoyable album.
Highlights: love the one you're with
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
So many classics on this one. I'd never heard their version of BOTW, and it gave me chills, and I was only 2/3 through the song. As I continued listening to this album, almost every song was excellent, and I feel like the ones I didn't love right away would just take a few more listens. Top to bottom wonderful.
Highlights: bridge over troubled water, el condor pasa, cecilia, the boxer, the only living boy in new york (harmonies!)
Living Colour
4/5
Starts off solid, then it's kind of so-so. Good groove on funny vibe, giving me Cory Wong vibes in the back half of the album. After cult of personality every song felt very different, did not hate the sound.
Highlights: cult of personality, funny vibe (good groove), broken hearts
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Sounds clean, but album was putting me to sleep. I'm sure this was iconic in its time, but not sure now. 2*
The Go-Go's
4/5
At least two iconic songs in this one, mainly from commercials. A fun, high energy album. 4*
Highlights: our lips are sealed, we got the beat
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
First Jimi album on here for me, and an iconic one.
Not necessarily my type of album, but I acknowledge the iconic nature of it, especially for its time. 3*
Highlights: the wind cries mary, foxey lady
Donald Fagen
3/5
The police but make it like background coffee shop music. It's pleasant background 80s music, maybe this would fit some TV show. Not sure why this had to be called out on this list, but I don't hate it. Beige music.
Machito
5/5
Very fun, high energy album. I'm biased but feel like I need to give anything non-anglo-centric a higher rating. but this is such a fun album. Love these kinds of discoveries.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Oh, nice more Smashing Pumpkins! Have never done this album end to end, so looking forward to the journey. Lots of classic smashing pumpkins on this one. Not every song was amazing, but an overall enjoyable album. very diverse but within a sound. 4*
Tonight tonight after the piano intro is a really cool ease into the album.
Highlights: tonight tonight, 1979 (goes so hard, timeless), zero, bullet with butterfly wings
The Fall
2/5
Post-punk is just not for me. 2*
Deerhunter
3/5
I'm biased toward this period/genre of music but this album is kinda bland and boring. Some songs are ok, 2.5 rounded up to 3*.
Highlights: memory boy, he would have laughed
Joni Mitchell
2/5
She's a solid vocalist, and walked so that so many modern female vocalists could run, but the album is just ok. 2*
Highlights: harry's house (jazz!)
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Didn't know what to expect. A nice musical journey, great instrumentation; what genre is this? 4*. Lots of great songs but also very long.
Highlights: chicago, they are night zombies
Burning Spear
2/5
Ok reggae album, nothing blew my mind. 2*
The Shamen
1/5
This sounds like generic 90s techno, but not as fun as euro pop. Default tracks on a yamaha keyboard. Lyrics are bad (I CAN MOVE ANY MOUNTAIN). Why is this here? I would give this 2* for not being complete garbage, but I just gave a much more decent reggae album 2*, so this gets 1.
3/5
Ok, Guitar grooves that remind me of my favorite Beatles period. Has some good moments, but the off-key vocals don't quite work for me.
Highlights: she's bought a hat, shangrila, australia
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Oooh, something very recent. The awards confuse me because it sounds like a lot of what's on the radio these days. It's a nice sound, but nothing outstanding. 2.5*
Black Sabbath
3/5
Classic early metal album, without being obnoxious dad rock from this period. 3*
Highlights: war pigs, paranoid
Slipknot
3/5
I've liked some of slipknot's stuff, so looking forward to this one. It taps into my nu-metal teenage years, can't say it's something I'd seek out these days. Def have to be in the right mood to hit this now. The drums are freaking fantastic, great energy throughout. 3* (docking because scissors/eeyore was a little too rough for me).
Highlights: sic, wait and bleed
Beatles
4/5
More Beatles! Still from their early era but getting closer to their mid-Beatles era that is my favorite. Lots of songs I love but many that are just ok to me, so 4*. Beatles will always skew higher for me.
Highlights: i should have known better, if i fell (paul's voice cracking near the end), and i love her, you can't do that (everybody's greeeeen)
Blondie
4/5
Off the bat, liking the sound compared to many 80s albums on here. Wait, this is late 70s, even better. I'm vibing with this on a Monday morning. Very clean, inclined to 3.5* rounded up. Love her voice, fits very well.
Highlights: one way or another (a classic), heart of glass
George Jones
2/5
Country... sigh. I'll give everything here a shot, but idk.
All kinda same-y, just ok. I just haven't found country I didn't find boring and uninteresting. 2*
Steely Dan
3/5
I recognize Rikki don't lose that number. Overall this is ok background dad rock you'd hear at a doctor's office. 3* (I have to give this more than the last snoozefest country album I heard -- I hate that I can't even be consistent with my own ratings).
East St Louis came out of nowhere, enjoyed it.
Hawkwind
1/5
Off the bat this kind of sucks, I just have a low tolerance for mediocre vocals.
A rambling album, maybe it would be ok without the vocals. 1* because this was much longer than it needed to be, it was torture.
After a while I felt like I kept hearing the same guitar riff. 70s rock of jerking off to your guitar for several hours needs to stop.
I'm learning psychedelic rock may not be for me. If I had to listen to this live, I would need copious amounts of drugs in me. Or a sleeping pill.
I skipped the 3 alternate versions at the end. When they said "see you" in the last song, I took them up on it.
The Monks
2/5
Had to go to YT for this one. Based on the description I wasn't expecting much, but it sounds very clean and better than some other pop 60s album I've heard on here. It's ok, 2*, nothing outstanding. Just another album that is the precursor to bigger and better things.
Cuckoo came out of nowhere.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
I see Damon Albarn, I'm intrigued
Enjoying the sound, something very different. 3* because not sure about fave album territory.
Lou Reed
3/5
Alright album, sounds like 3*. Enjoyed the ride but it came and went.
Highlights: walk on the wild side
Morrissey
3/5
Enjoyable sound, don't know much about the dude. 3*
Highlights: the national front disco
Travis
3/5
Sing is one of my all-time favorite songs, but it's not in this one. As you are sounds a ton like Thom Yorke. This is ok, kind of meh. Enjoyable enough, but to me is proto-other-albums-I-like. Not sure why it deserved to be on this list. I want to give it a 2.5, since it's the kind of sound I enjoy but not that good.
There's a secret track at the end, which feels like something form a bygone era.
Highlights: turn
Kanye West
5/5
Let me get this out of the way: Kanye is a self-centered asshole. Always has been. I feel like I need to make this disclaimer every time a Kanye album comes up. But I really like this one. It's objectively full of bangers. It's also sort of nostalgic to me, based on when it was introduced to me (being 0% into hip hop prior to this). Easy 5* on the music alone.
The outro of blame game is so weird (is that chris rock?). Also bon iver is in this album?!
Highlights: dark fantasy, power, all of the lights, monster, runaway
Scissor Sisters
4/5
A fun, good vibes album. Weird to see something called a "gay album." I get excited when anything not from the 60s-80s pops up on here. Mary feels like a more modern Elton John song. 4*
Highlights: take your mama
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
This album is a little out there for me, but seems very ahead of its time (or prime for its time because this was 1994 and things were shifting?). 2*
'The becoming' gives Doom vibes. 'I do not want this' was too much angry white man rock (not that I'm against it, but meh).
I think I'd need many listens to follow the concept, I'm too tired today.
Highlights: closer
Nico
2/5
Nice instrumentals, and I can get behind a lady with a deeper voice, especially from this era. However, it was very samey after a while, 2*.
The Verve
3/5
Woaaah, bittersweet symphony has been popping up a lot in my life these past couple of weeks, crazy! Let's see if the rest of the album holds up as well. Very Oasis reminiscent. Catching the butterfly sounds proto-Muse.
Overall enjoyable album, 3*.
It's interesting that this is such a high selling album; I think that is all an artifact of an era where you had to buy the whole album for just one song,, you couldn't pick and choose like we do with streaming. This means these guys had one amazing banger and that's that. A la tubthumping.
The hidden track was weird.
Highlights: bittersweet symphony
Aerosmith
3/5
High energy album. I feel like Aerosmith sounds one way and that's kind of it. I tend to not pay attention to lyrics on first listen, rating based on vibes only, so I'm not deducting points for horny lyrics.
Highlights: love in an elevator (sadly because of Disney Hollywood Studios), Janie's got a gun
Coldplay
4/5
Oh fuck yes, GOOD Coldplay. Yes, I'm one of those people, I don't like the direction they took musically after 2007ish; it's just not for me. I love this era, and this album has many of my all-around favorite songs. I'd say the rest of the album is too mopey for me though.
Highlights: shiver, yellow, everything is not lost
De La Soul
4/5
This album felt like a trip, I didn't know where it was going at any point in time, but I enjoyed the sound overall. 4*
Highlights: plug tunin, me myself and i
Shuggie Otis
3/5
A chill, funky album. 3*
Enjoyed: rainy day
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Immigrant song as an opener goes HARD. The rest was nice but did not blow my mind like other LZ albums here. 3*
Highlights: immigrant song,
I first started liking U2 around this album, lots of songs I enjoy in this one. The sound solidly brings me to the early 2000s. Some goofy lyrics but very catchy songs. The back half may not slap as hard but is still enjoyable. 4*.
Highlights: beautiful day, walk on, stuck in a moment, elevation
CHIC
3/5
Oh I know le freak! Fun, makes me think of disco even though it's R&B. Or is that what disco was? White people discovering rhythm?
Overall a fun little album but I'm not sure why it's on this list. 3*
Highlights: le freak, savoir faire
Björk
3/5
First exposure to Bjork. It's different but not as weird as I expected, it's ok. Ended abruptly. 3*
Her legs in the album cover creep me out.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Dreading the connotation this band has and their use of the confederate flag because fuck hate and racism. But just like I did for Kanye, I will rate this on musical merit. This is very much dad rock, a couple of decent songs, but I'm getting tired of this genre. 3*.
Highlights: free bird, tuesday's gone
The Police
3/5
First full Police album. It's different and not at all what I thought they would sound like based on their greatest hits. Mother was weird. 3*
Highlights: every breath you take, synchronicity 2
David Holmes
2/5
This is like solid 90s basic electronic tracks - like the stuff you'd layer under other stuff. It's ok but now sounds dated. Not sure why it's on here. The talking also didn't help. Radio 7 started with potential (seemed like a cool Bond remix incoming), but then went back and defaulted to the same patterns. 2*
Björk
2/5
Second Bjork in the same week? I respect her being out there and enjoyed the instrumentation (harp?!), but this wasn't for me. 2*
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
Damn, the description is foreboding, this is not gonna be a good time.
In this 1001-album process I look forward to the 5* gems I find about once every two weeks, but there's also atrocious garbage that is **unique** that I endure. 1 minute into this album and I know this is the latter. Solid 1*
I think musical talent is somewhere in here, but it's put together in a completely unappealing way.
Pena was atrocious.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This is ok, this singer-songwriter stuff is not necessarily my jam. 2*
Too dull. I fail to see how this is different from the female songwriter stuff (Nico) I got a week or so ago.
I enjoyed So long, Marianne because we actually had other voices than just LC+guitar.
Maxwell
4/5
Very smooth, I don't get all the hate in the other reviews. This is my first album after a two-week hiatus, and I'm not upset.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Enjoyable but sounded kinda quiet, not sure how to explain. Reminiscent of many bands I enjoy but not sure why this is on here. I could hear some proto-SOAD, proto-Incubus, stone temple pilots.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This is ok. Didn't hate, didn't blow my mind. Wanted to understand the hype, but didn't see it. Very long album.
Elton John
5/5
GB yellow brick road has had a chokehold on me ever since I saw the Rocketman movie on my way back from Taiwan last year. Adore that song. I really appreciate Elton now. This album just has so many bangers it's hard to give it anything less than 5*. I knew the hits would be highlights for me, but I also really enjoyed many other tracks. Even Jamaica jerk-off, if you forget for a sec that this is Elton John, is a really enjoyable song.
Album dips a little in the middle, and I didn't love the country-ish tracks (roy rogers and social disease).
Highlights: goodbye yellow brick road, candle in the wind, bennie and the jets, funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding, saturday night's alright for fighting, grey seal
Britney Spears
4/5
I can't not be biased by nostalgia. Britney is my pump-up music these days. As an album it may be too saccharine and not hold up the test of time, but I can't review this album in a vacuum.
It opens very strong with baby one more time, crazy, sometimes, born to make you happy.
Soda pop was surprisingly catchy.
Khaled
4/5
Excited any time I see non-anglo music on here.
Could've done without the Imagine cover, but otherwise the album is fun and upbeat. 4*
Not on spotify, and the youtube playlist I found had some skippy tracks, but that's not the album's fault.
Elliott Smith
2/5
This album also sounded kinda quiet? The whole subdued voice+guitar/barely audible thing just never slaps.
It was ok, not sure why it's on here, nothing outstanding. 2*
Metallica
3/5
This is very long, but looking forward to this kind of collaboration as an orchestra person. No vocals, which is a very cool take on Metallica. Oh JK, some vocals start in track 3, maybe I would have liked it more if it was all instrumental.
Master of puppets sounds like Doom soundtrack.
Miles Davis
4/5
Only 2 songs? Enjoyed jazz, or whatever subgenre of jazz this is meant to be.
N.W.A.
3/5
Wow, an iconic hip hop album. Not my genre, but good beats throughout.
Highlights: straight outta compton, express yourself
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Enjoyed the sound.
Highlights: daydreamin, hurt me soul
Django Django
4/5
Never heard of this before, but then Default came on and it felt like out of the recesses of my mind. Great track. Enjoyable overall.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I hear Thundercat in the first track, nice. Thundercat came into my radar thanks to this 1001 albums project.
Hip hop is not a genre I listen to, so I have a hard time rating these albums (what's good? what's not?). Overall I enjoyed this.
Beck
3/5
First thought: I don't recognize any of these titles. Second thought (upon hitting play): oooh I know Devil's haircut! I guess Beck is just always in my subconscious. I don't love Beck's (lack of) singing, but his instrumentals are very catchy. Enjoyed about half the album, 3*.
Highlights: devil's haircut, the new pollution, where it's at
The Flaming Lips
5/5
I first heard the title track last week and enjoyed it. Off the bat I'm digging the sound of Flight test. I have not a huge sense of the Flaming Lips coming into this.
This album is a vibe, loved it. 5*
Highlights: yoshimi battles the pink robots pt1, flight test, do you realize
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Second Nick Cave album in two weeks? I guess Murder Ballads is an apt title based on the first song alone; this could be in a horror movie or a depressing musical. This is ok but not my jam, 2*.
This album has Kylie Minogue in it?!
Highlights: the curse of millhaven, death is not the end (for the fee-fees it gave me)
Depeche Mode
5/5
Oh, this is gonna hit hard on a Friday. Super enjoyable vibes, wish it was longer. 5*. I've been hearing enjoy the silence for forever, but all of this still sounds so fresh. No bad tracks.
Highlights: personal jesus, enjoy the silence (<3)
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Not sure how I felt while listening to this. 2*, just ok, but didn't invoke anything in me. Maybe proto-other-stuff-I-like, but meh.
Highlight: the killing moon
Slipknot
3/5
Slipknot drums are badass. Big fan of the more harmonic aspects, less of the screamo aspects in my old middle age.
Highlights: psychosocial
Funkadelic
4/5
Hard to find this album. A fresh sound, enjoyable vibes. I'm always in for funk. 4* because a couple of meh tracks.
The Byrds
2/5
It makes me want the harmonization of the Mamas and the Papas. I like the instrumentation but everything else is kind of meh, hasn't held up over time. 2.5* rounded down, I think.
Le Tigre
2/5
Never heard their music, but deceptacon sounded familiar right away.
This sounds very 90s. Not my jam, but I don't hate it, 2*
Highlights: deceptacon, slideshow at free university
Metric came on after this and I was like, ah yes, this is a refined version of le tigre.
Gotan Project
5/5
Something different, always good to see. Fresh and different - jazzy but modern. Great vibes, love finding stuff I've never heard of before. Maybe it's background-y, but very enjoyable. 5*
OutKast
3/5
Ms Jackson! BOB, humble mumble, ? were also great. Did not enjoy the interludes and the rest of the tracks were ok, 3*.
Roxy Music
2/5
Idk about this, just blah, why is this on here, etc. 2*
It had some moments, I heard timpani at one point. The closer makes me think of a musical, but the album overall just came and went.
The Stooges
3/5
This feels proto-punk and Rolling stones. Have heard of this band but not their music. It somehow feels ahead of its time for 1970. A solid 3* because I don't see myself revisiting this. The last few minutes of this album were just fucking around with instruments, should have cut the recording sooner.
Highlights: down on the street
Johnny Cash
4/5
First Johnny Cash album for me. His deep range is incredible to listen to, it comes so clean. I'm generally averse to country, but this I really enjoyed.
The side commentary is pretty great. Cocaine blues with the prisoners reacting to the lyrics about shooting your wife is also hilariously excellent. Bonus for telling them they can't say "shit" because it's being recorded. This guy is a storyteller, and this performance is very rock and roll even if the guitar chords are pretty straightforward. 4* because not my genre, but a very enjoyable experience nonetheless. I'm glad it wasn't edited to just contain the songs.
Highlights: folsom prison blues, cocaine blues
Gram Parsons
2/5
Not country again.... Why is this here? My ears didn't bleed, so 2*. But I honestly don't see what this pile of unseasoned mashed potatoes has to offer.
The Offspring
4/5
The Offspring puts on such a good show. Looking forward to listening to this album end to end. This album goes pretty hard and makes me want to rage a bit. 4* (from 4.5 rounded down).
Highlights: gotta get away (drum intro), self esteem, come out and play, bad habit
5/5
Excited about this one, iconic in my life. Oasis is 90s brit rock. On nostalgia alone this album gets 5*.
Is cast no shadow wonderwall in a minor key?
Highlights: some might say, wonderwall (pretend it's the first time you're ever hearing it), don't look back in anger (absolute banger), champagne supernova (a vibe)
The White Stripes
5/5
This is the white stripes album I thought would be on here, not the other one I already got. To this day I can't remember off hand if they were married or siblings.
In the cold cold night make a lovely intermission.
I want to be the boy(...) had a nice guitar groove.
Enjoyable rock album.
Highlights: seven nation army (an amazing opener with its stripped-down start), hardest button to button, in the cold cold night, i want to be the boy...
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Many many years ago I tried some country albums to try to be open-minded since a bunch of my friends loved country, but it just isn't for me 99% of the time. Spotify still thinks I want country in my daily/weekly rollups.
Anyway, Kacey Musgraves vocals kind of remind of Dolly, but the music itself feels more folksy/indie (like early 2000s female vocalists). She's a good vocalist, but I'm not sure this album belongs on this list. Dentist office music.
XTC
3/5
This band and album are completely new to me. I hate that spotify has this 1 sec gap between tracks when it's clearly an album that all flows together. It's super disruptive.
Read that this is rock, but there's a lot of orchestral instruments, so I don't know how to categorize it. Reminds me of late Beatles maybe. I enjoyed the overall vibes.
Highlights: sacrificial bonfire
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Dad rock. Not super interesting and I don't hear the few songs of his I know. Meh. 2*.
Jimmy Smith
5/5
A chill jazz album, nothing wrong with it. I don't know a lot about jazz to know why this album is on here, but I have no notes. 5*
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Never heard of this, didn't know what to expect. Sounds like a fun band to see live, good energy in the album. Would fit in the tony hawk pro skater soundtrack. It all sounded very similar, 3*
Sonic Youth
3/5
My first sonic youth album. Teen age riot reminds me of the strokes.
Very instrumental, which grew on me by 'cross the breeze.
I think I enjoyed the instrumentals more than the vocals on this album. There are occasional moments that are really neat (eric's trip, intro to 'cross the breeze). 2.5 rounded up to 3*
Enjoyed total trash. Back half of the album got too "noisy" for me.
Hugh Masekela
5/5
Wow, from the first beat I'm in. 2nd jazz album this week and I'm not upset.
Instrumental, enjoyable albums are always high stars for me. 5*
Highlight: inner crisis
Ingoo pow-pow came out of nowhere -- i know the description says afrobeat but I didn't get any of that in the other tracks.
Sonic Youth
2/5
A lot of discordant noise. Meh.
Enjoyed Chapel Hill because it was the least noisy nonsense in this album.
Elvis Costello
2/5
First Elvis Costello album. This was kind of meh. I don't take as much issue with his voice as others do, but none of these tracks were interesting. Chord progressions felt kind of basic? Sounds like a cover band at a karaoke bar, not sure why it's on here.
Duke Ellington
5/5
Looks like a long, but iconic album. I'm hearing trumpets do something I've never heard before (black and tan fantasy). The music is outstanding but the live-ness and talking in this adds no value unfortunately. After Cash's prison album nothing holds a candle to that kind of live album. 4.5 rounded up to 5* because the spoken interludes can be so cringy at times. Like, people started to riot? IDK, maybe I don't go to cool enough concerts. The musical artistry is impeccable.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Oh, this sounds fresh. This is why I like this project because knowing very little about hip hop, I get introduced to some great albums.
I like the teases of other songs (footprints intro, can i kick it). 4*
Highlights: luck of lucien, can i kick it
Suzanne Vega
2/5
This was playing out loud from PC speakers for a solid 2 minutes before I realized why it sounded so muted on my noise cancelling headphones. At least it's not the cringiest thing one could play out loud in the office.
This is very meh, unclear why it's here, maybe unique for its time. Waiting room music these days. 2*
Minutemen
3/5
I saw it was punk and wasn't super stoked, but it's very funky which is right up my alley. Some songs are ska, which was enjoyable. The jackass theme song is from this album?!
A lot of good moments, some bleh. I will say that because the songs are short the whole thing being long wasn't overwhelming like similar length albums. 3*
Highlights: viet nam, corona, my heart and the real world
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This is nice, she has a nice voice, but the album just doesn't do anything for me. 2*
Enjoyed: raised on robbery
The Blue Nile
2/5
I went from Queen to this as I'm catching up with the weekend's albums. Some interesting instrumental things, but nothing super interesting, Enjoyed stay. 2*
Pavement
2/5
I can get behind the genre, but not this. A lot sounded like noise. 2*
Queen
4/5
First Queen album here and this one has bohemian rhapsody? Excited to get into it.
All the piano is so fun and different from other rock albums at the time. Reminds me of ELO. Lazing on a sunday afternoon is so goofy. Prophet song starts out ok, but there's some cool harmonies and solos in the back half that remind me of bohemian rhapsody. Great lead in to love of my life.
Lot of good stuff in here, but not a top-to-bottom perfect album for me, so 4*.
I was trying to imagine what it would be like to hear BR for the first time in this album -- something that's worth doing with songs you've heard 100s of times -- the beginning is very similar to a lot of this album, but once the guitar kicks in at 2:40 it's a completely different ballgame. What a beast of a song.
Highlights: you're my best friend, bohemian rhapsody (duh), seaside rendezvous (very out there for what I know of Queen, but they pull it off), prophet's song, love of my life (Freddie's voice!)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
It has the CCR growl/voice. It's ok, but all songs sound very similar. 3* because it's enjoyable.
Enjoyed: bad moon rising
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Sounds like early 90s grunge, but still from the 80s, sounds ahead of its time. Clean, different (for its time), I didn't not enjoy it.. 3* Not higher because not a sound I super enjoy and was a little repetitive. Vocals sound whiny after a while.
Idiots rule had some brass, which was cool.
Thank you boys seemed random, but then I remembered albums used to do this, have this off track toward the end that didn't match anything else.
Highlights: mountain song, jane says
Marianne Faithfull
1/5
Wtf even is this? She's not a good singer, or maybe I just don't like her nasally voice -- sounds like dive bar karaoke? 1*
This was somehow a worse version of working class hero.
This album has no redeeming qualities for me.
The War On Drugs
3/5
Singer reminds me of Tom Petty. The weird part is the song I was thinking the first song sounded like was "red eyes" (in this album) which is actually a WOD song and not Petty's. Enjoyed the sound, but nothing super stood out to me, some of it was very aerial and understated. 3*
Highlights: red eyes (probably the most upbeat song in this album), burning (slow start but eventually gets good)
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
A very enjoyable jazz album. Not 5* because I don't know if I'd go back to it.
The Zombies
3/5
Haven't heard of the zombies before, but I really enjoyed the harmonies. Reminds me a lot of the Beach Boys. 3* because it's in the right direction but not enough.
Highlights: a rose for emily, this will be our year (I heard the ok go cover first)
Nirvana
5/5
First time listening to the album as a whole.
Smells like teen spirit goes hard as an opener.
Highlights: SLTS, in bloom, lithium, on a plain... actually I give up, this album is great top to bottom, 5*. Actually did not know most of the back half of this album, but has the same Nirvana magic.
A lot of other albums from the era try to emulate this, but this album is just so good and in a league of its own.
Hard not to give this 5*, unless Nirvana is just not your genre.
Endless nameless was the one track I didn't like.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
I have no idea what to make of this. Too experimental/psychedelic for me. Album was a drag. 2*
Green Day
4/5
Another one that I haven't heard as an album, only random songs here and there. It starts off so very 90s. Outside the songs I already knew and liked, the rest all sounded very similar - the start of GD's signature sound but not quite their peak. 4*
Highlights (songs I already liked): longview, she, fod, basket case, welcome to paradise
Mudhoney
1/5
I want fudge :(
Didn't enjoy the singing or music in this one, didn't do it for me, like pulling teeth to get through, 1*
Don't fade IV made me feel physically uncomfortable.
Legit couldn't wait for this to be over, I could feel the anxiety creeping.
Paul Simon
3/5
Not sure I like this as much as S+G work. Good for him for branching out. Backing vocals in Diamonds on the soles reminded me of the Nickelodeon theme song. The songs I enjoyed the most here were the more african-influenced ones. 3*
Highlights: gumboots, homeless
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Love maps and y control, excited to get into this whole album. I miss this era of music.
Hm, I liked it less than I thought I would.
Madness
3/5
Thank you fellow reviewers for making me notice the blackface on the cover, wtf.
Kind of a fun album, said ska but not what I expected.
Supertramp
2/5
The sound mixing of this album (or maybe it's just spotify) made it so quiet on all the vocals. This is ok, 2*
Enjoyed: dreamer
Sabu
3/5
Very Caribbean -- love hearing different genres on here. This one sounds timeless. 3* because it doesn't surpass some other albums I've really enjoyed.
Lucinda Williams
1/5
Sounds like a lot of late 90s alt radio female singers. Not sure why this one was special enough to land on this list. Reminds me I think of Sheryl Crowe. Pretty mid, then it got more country and more on my shit list. 1*
Taylor Swift
3/5
First TSwift album, I guess I'll do the original because Taylor's version is 2x as long. I've liked some of her songs but never got the rabid hype, she just isn't for me, but I respect what she's done. 3*
Highlights: blank space (starbucks lovers, every time), shake it off, bad blood (maybe I'd like these more if radio didn't overplay them), this love
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Enjoyed the first half of the album more than the second half; this was ok.
Brian Eno
3/5
Don't know what to say about this. It was pleasant, and very cool to know that it pioneered ambient music. Of all "pioneering" albums I've heard on here, I liked this one a lot, but it's, by definition, background music.
The Pharcyde
3/5
Fun album, 3*. Nothing that blew my mind, but enjoyed listening to it. Some lyrics were super silly.
Highlights: soul flower
Yes
4/5
Loving the intro, not knowing what I'm getting into. Enjoyed the instrumentation and vocals of this album. 4*
Highlights: roundabout, we have heaven
Rush
4/5
Love an album with a killer opening. I think I judged this harshly based on thinking this was yet another 80s dad rock album, but I dug the tracks. 4*
Highlights: tom sawyer, yyz, the camera eye
Paul McCartney
3/5
I can see how this album was vilified if it was the first thing that came out when the Beatles broke up. It doesn't sound as good as later McCartney work, and a lot sounds like unpolished demos or musical ideas. However, you can still hear Macca's musical chops in the variety of styles he threw into this.
3* because the ideas that are in here are great on their own. If every song was as polished as "maybe i'm amazed", this album would be a hard 5/5.
Highlights: junk, oo you, maybe im amazed
Beck
3/5
Some fun songs I already knew in this one. Back half of the album came and went for me, 3*
Highlights: e-pro, girl
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
Some good tracks, did not need the sex skits. When these old hip hop albums come up I don't pay too much attention to the lyrics and judge on vibes only, otherwise a lot of shit would get 1/5. 2* (would be 3 but the sex).
Enjoyed: big poppa
Worst tracks: fuck me, respect
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
This one came and went, enjoyed the vibe. Some tracks were missing in Spotify/YT but I got the gist. 2*
Suede
2/5
Damn, what a controversial album cover for the 90s.
This was ok, has a lot of elements of other music I like, but nothing super outstanding. 2*
Damnit, I had it on shuffle and not even sure where it started or ended.
The Doors
2/5
Maybe iconic for its time, but didn't do it for me. 2*
Highlights: light my fire
Tim Buckley
2/5
Never heard him before. Having no contextual knowledge of him, this album feels pretty flat. Has elements of genres I enjoy, but in a blah package. The instrumentation had some good moments. 2*
Louis Prima
4/5
50s to 60s music feels like such a dramatic shift.
In the context of the 50s, this is super fun. I want to learn to dance to this. And as a Fallout fan, this has those vibes. The trumpeting is also great in this album. Silly lyrics all around. 4*
Highlights: I'll be glad when you're dead
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Because this is mellow, I'm enjoying it way more than prior VU albums on here. 3*
The murder mystery made me anxious
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Alright reggae album, nothing super stands out, maybe all very samey. 3*
Highlights: stir it up
System Of A Down
4/5
Oh hell yes, love me some SOAD, great to do their first album as a whole.
I'm partial to later albums, but this one has a lot of elements that make SOAD so fun and refreshing vs. other bands in that era. This list better have Toxicity. 4* because it's not an all-bangers album for me.
Highlights: sugar, mind
Beatles
5/5
This is going to be an easy 5*, no question. Great to revisit since last time I binged the Beatles in 2009. This + Rubber Soul are my favorite Beatles era. I don't think I have any notes for this -- even the "weaker" songs are great (here there and everywhere has amazing harmonies), unlike prior albums where some songs/covers were lacking.
Opening with Taxman goes hard (even with mainly George vocals!).
Then Eleanor Rigby, a motherfucking classic with strings!
Then I'm only sleeping, another song I adore because it brings me hard back to 2009. 3 back-to-back very different but amazing songs.
I learned the for no one is only voice, piano, and french horn, how cool is that?
More highlights (here I list practically every track): she said she said, and your bird can sing, FOR NO ONE, got to get you into my life, tomorrow never knows, i want to tell you
Low lights: yellow submarine (because of its ubiquity), love you to (just not a fan of this category of George songs), doctor robert (but the carol-like harmonies!)
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
The second guy looks like Reagan.
This is hard to judge -- I LITERALLY just listened to the Beatles' Revolver, and I feel like these 50s groups walked so the Beatles could run and fly. It's very much the predecessor of a lot of great rock 'n roll. 3*
I loved the very simple percussion in Not Fade Away.
Highlights: that'll be the day (only song I knew of Holly's and it still holds up)
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
it opens with monday, monday <3
Love me some mamas and the papas, but never heard an album of theirs as a whole. Very sad all the shit that was slung at Mama Cass.
A few covers here, which was happening a lot in the 60s, but loved hearing the harmonies these guys added to these songs; fresh takes. 4*
Highlights: monday monday, california dreamin, go where you wanna go, spanish harlem
Aimee Mann
2/5
Maybe this was ahead of its time, which is why it's on here? Idk, sounds very bland to me. Call hold music. 2* because I reserve 1* for albums I abhor.
Eagles
2/5
Hotel california is a good song, but man is it overplayed.
The rest of this album is a snoozefest of dad rock. 2* mainly because hotel california.
Foo Fighters
2/5
I don't think I had ever heard any of these FF songs except big me. You can tell the ingredients for FF are in here, but this is not them at their prime. 2*
Highlights: big me
Bob Dylan
3/5
First Bob Dylan album for me, crazy that it’s his 30th. Also weird to start with something so late in his career. His voice is so rough.
Highlights: standing in the doorway
Guided By Voices
2/5
An album full of demos, sounded ok but not needed before I die.
5/5
Wow, the first three songs are back to back bangers. I’ll never not like Where the streets have no name with its subtle start from nothing to that great guitar line. Didn’t know the rest of the songs but enjoyed what I heard. Atmospheric sounds and nice rising melodies. Doesn’t sound like it’s from the 80s. 5*
Highlights: where the streets have no name, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, with or without you
Big Star
3/5
About 1/3 of the songs were missing in Spotify, but did not adore the rest enough to go seek them out.
At moments it sounded like something from the 2000s (stroke it noel).
Enjoyable but didn't blow my mind, 3*
John Lennon
2/5
The description sounds like John's therapy sessions. This was ok, more of an album that's on here because of who it's from than its contents. It ends very abruptly? Art, I guess. 2*
Highlights: working class hero
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Enjoyed this sound, never heard of this group before. 3*
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
It's alright, Neil Young/dad rock stuff. 3*
The Young Gods
2/5
Ok, but like the NIN x Pink Floyd comments are pretty spot on. It also acquired Metallica growling. Meh.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This was ok, nothing outstanding, generic rock album maybe.
Nirvana
5/5
Have never heard this as a whole, only some songs. This version of Dumb was on my constant rotation back in high school. Went to YT to get the full experience. This album really showcases the voice Kurt Cobain had, with all its flawed pitches and roughness. Easy 5*
I like how the wiki says these are "lesser known" songs, where they are all iconic/well-known songs now.
Highlights: about a girl, come as you are, the man who sold the world, dumb, polly, on a plain, all apologies
Liz Phair
2/5
Is that a nip on the cover?
This was ok, kind of refreshing to not have this be fully autotuned. 2*
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
As usual with this project, I'm very uneducated on hip hop and have a hard time finding stuff that's above 3* for me. I recognize the icons that WTC are but still this is 2* for me.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Never heard of this. Kinda groaned when I saw yet another 60s artist I've never heard of, but actually ended up enjoying this quite a bit. Maybe it was the simplicity of vocals + guitar. 3*
Highlights: smokey river, needle of death
Yes
4/5
Really enjoyed the instrumentals on this one. 4*
Highlights: I've seen all good people, starship trooper, yours is no disgrace
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I listened to this on a Saturday morning, gray day drive. Very fitting. Not the biggest Springsteen fan, but this is a good piece of Americana. The back half was a huge bummer though. 2.5* rounded down.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
Outside the well-known highlights/hits, all the songs sound the same, like an AC/DC album. Axl’s voice is more annoying the more I hear it.
Highlights: sweet child o mine, welcome to the jungle, paradise city
David Bowie
3/5
The Bowie education continues. Really enjoying the soul influences; a really rich record. Have to take 0.5* for butchering across the universe. 3.5*
Highlights: young americans, somebody up there likes me, fame (1 and 3 I didn't even know were Bowie's)
Tricky
1/5
I found a deluxe version of this album that was 2x longer, and noped back to the regular version.
I like electronic, but this is like shitty Bjork, and I don't even like Bjork. Songs that are weirdly moany and sexual are a huge turn-off. 1*
Heaven 17
2/5
Shitty Depeche Mode and 80s synth. Why is this here, 2*
Throwing Muses
2/5
Some reviewer on this website described this as "1001 albums the authors listened to" and I'm never going to forget that. This falls into that bucket. Nothing new or interesting here, it's ok. Also super hard to track down the album as a whole but I really don't want to. 2*
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I don't think I would listen to this on a regular basis, but it's nice to be exposed to Sinatra and 50's swing. Puts me in a Bioshock/Fallout mood (anything goes!). 3* because not really my jam. I enjoyed how the album flowed.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I’m just not a Springsteen fan beyond Philadelphia. Born to run had good potential but when he started singing I was no longer into it.
The Modern Lovers
1/5
Another one I don’t understand. Someone’s drunk karaoke uncle. 1*
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Love white winter hymnal, so I'm excited to get into the whole album.
A lovely album, 5*
The Byrds
3/5
The Byrds are ok; I always feel like I've heard it all before. The (lofi) girls screaming in the opening track kinda took me out. 3*
Morrissey
3/5
He sings nicely. I don't have the background knowledge as to why this guy is so despised. 3*
The United States Of America
1/5
Too experimental/funky to my ears, like a circus and Sousa concert put together. 1*
I wonder if it sold well because of the band's name.
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
Ok, I like instrumental jazz more.
Korn
2/5
Thought I would like this more because nostalgia, but beyond got the life/freak on a leash, I didn’t really enjoy this much. Very same-y and not in a way of “I would have liked this song a lot back then too”
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Very long songs, not super enjoyable, but ok. Not something I needed before dying.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I've had a string of flops, so I'm excited to listen to this one as a whole for the first time. The fact that this is 60 years old is wild. 5*
It's very atmospheric and would work very well in an IMAX theater with space footage playing. It may not be an album I return to often, but I recognize how grand it is. It has the overarching feeling of a symphony.
Highlights: breathe, us and them (epic buildup, these dudes know how to use dynamics), brain damage
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
Didn't know Lenny's music outside of "are you gonna go my way"; this is a great listen. Kinda funky. 4*
Highlights: let love rule, i build this garden for us
John Lennon
2/5
Take away the fact that this is John Lennon, the album is kinda meh outside the two songs I knew. It's Lennon dabbling in other genres and being kinda mid at it; Paul and George did better solo stuff. 2*
Highlights: imagine, jealous guy
Paul Simon
3/5
An opening song about allergies is definitely a choice. So is cars are cars. Nice Paul Simon though, 3*
Highlights: heart and bones
Massive Attack
2/5
Nothing super exciting in this electronic album, maybe it just hasn't held up for me. 2*
Peter Gabriel
2/5
"Guarantee you anyone born after 1982 is not putting this in their 1001 albums to listen to list" was one of the reviews, and it was my initial gut reaction, but something about the bridge of "red rain" caught my interest. A nice listen,, but heavily too 80s for me 2*
Highlight: in your eyes
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
S&G are so comforting. I just love their harmonies and guitars.
I was trying to imagine what this combination of spices would taste like, and it seemed overwhelming.
Highlights: scarborough fair, homeward bound, 59th street
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
The story of this album sounds wild. Never heard it as a whole, so I'm excited. I think this cements Paul's capabilities outside the Beatles. Easy 5*
Highlights: band on the run (a banger, a masterpiece of many songs in one), jet, mrs vanderbilt, let me roll it
Herbie Hancock
5/5
I love funk, and I'm instantly into this. 5*
Watermelon man sounded familiar but I can't place it.
Malcolm McLaren
4/5
Super different from anything I've heard before, I can see how this precedes hip hop in some markets. I didn't love every track, but a lot I really enjoyed, good discovery. Maybe it's white people appropriating black music again (what isn't in the 20th century), but it is catchy. 4*
The Smiths
3/5
Were these guys hardcore vegetarians?
It's very Smiths -- enjoyable sound but nothing stood out. 3*
Barbarism begins at home had a nice bass groove.
Bob Dylan
1/5
This may be my first Dylan album. Nice sound, but I don't get the hype. 2*
Eagles
2/5
So many Lebowski references in the reviews. Other than take it easy, the rest is very bland.
Highlights: take it easy
Happy Mondays
1/5
Right away, I'm bummed. Why is this on here? 1*
I will go by the wikipedia tracklist and refuse to sit through 2 hours of this crap.
Was lazyitis trying to replicate the Beatles?
Iron Maiden
3/5
666
Goes hard, but not fully my thing. 3*
Orbital
4/5
A little weird at the intro/outro, but started getting into it halfway through planet of the shapes. I can vibe with this, 4*
Big Black
1/5
Nope, screaming and screeching for 40 minutes with no redeeming qualities for me. 1*
I thought the album had one song that didn't suck, but my music player had actually moved on to sonic youth.
The Temptations
3/5
This is nice, some good soul/motown (?) moments. 3*
Fiona Apple
3/5
This was also nice but not my jam, good vocals. 3*
Ice Cube
4/5
I was hesitant to get into this while driving (hip hop is not my go to), but I really vibed with this, 4*
CHECK YO SELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YO SELF
The Youngbloods
2/5
This is fine, unremarkable. As another reviewer put it, this list fucking loves the 60s and puts in here anything that isn't the Beatles from that decade. This album, from any other decade, is a nothingburger.
Air
4/5
This album has a lot of elements I enjoy, and nicely bridges 90s alternative and electronic. I was surprised to already know a couple of songs. A little mellow for me, but enjoyable. 4*
Highlights: sexy boy, all i need, kelly watch the stars
The Lemonheads
3/5
Enjoyable album, lots of elements of music I enjoy. Instrumentals maybe like the Smiths. 3*
Highlights from the deluxe version: the mrs robinson cover (apparently this is making me a S&G shill), knowing me knowing you (I'm also an ABBA shill and these guys make nice covers)
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Not sure how this is different from other female hip hop albums from that era, but I enjoyed it. 3*
Joy Division
3/5
I know nothing about this album except for its cover.
This started ok but tracks were hit or miss (insight's vocals were meh). It's wild that this is from the 70s, many tracks sounds like NIN or the 90s.
This led to some cool ambient stuff, so that was neat. 3*
Beatles
5/5
Arguably peak Beatles, where you can really hear everyone's style most clearly. It's not my fave Beatles album (I think Rubber Soul still takes it), but I can't not give this 5*, it's perfect.
Come together: such a great bass line and opening for an album. Imagine you're in the 60s and think you know the Beatles and then you hear this -- what a banger for the ears.
Something: having the second track be a "George" track is lovely and a great contrast to the opener. The bridge is excellent.
Maxwells silver hammer, octopus' garden: she cute. Ringo has progressed!
Oh darling: an iconic Paul track, the tension in the song is palpable
She's so heavy: another great bass line. Love the bridge with the guitar and harmonies, just so satisfying.
Here comes the sun: just gorgeous
I learned today that "the medley" is the whole back of the album start at "Because" which is nuts -- bangers from top to bottom.
Because: gorgeous, the harmonies are *chef's kiss*, but then again, the Beatles always had this down.
Sun king: the harmonies in the chorus "ki-i-i-i-ing" really hits.
Mean mr mustard: I dig the switch to 3/4
Golden slumbers/carry that weight/the end: all amazing, my favorite part of the album.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Feels like a very 90s attempt at world music by white people. The male vocalist was ugh compared to all the other vocalists on the album.
Brian Eno
3/5
Eno is my favorite NYT crossword answer
The Who
2/5
This is an ok album; there are elements that will make future Who good, but not quite there, maybe because I listened to the mono version. The cover makes me think of Oasis. 2*
Highlights: my generation
Radiohead
5/5
Pay-what-you-want is iconic and something that would not work anymore.
I'm always down for more Radiohead. This is a solid 5*, especially on a rainy morning.
Highlights: weird fishes/arpeggi, the rhythm of 15 step, bodysnatchers, jigsaw falling into place
Leonard Cohen
1/5
This is my third Cohen album on this project, I still don't really like his singing. Like, you can have a low gravelly voice, and do the whole speaking-not-really-singing thing, and not sound this terrible. 1*
Lowlight: Did he have to sing/grunt like that for diamonds in the mine? Maybe drink some honey tea?
Mild highlight: famous blue raincoat was actually kind of nice, but I think it just cancels out "diamonds"
Kate Bush
2/5
Ah yes, the running up that hill album, that song got played to death a couple of years ago, making it go from rediscovered gem to overplayed. 2*, only because not really my jam.
Highlights: jig of life (love the irish influence)
David Bowie
4/5
This project has been a Bowie education. Didn't know Changes was his.
For 1971 this sounds very refreshing. 3-4*
Highlights: changes, life on mars
Norah Jones
3/5
This very much defined soft pop radio in the early aughts. Nice easy listening.
Highlights: don’t know why
The Adverts
2/5
This project is obsessed with 70s punk and most of it is not that interesting. 2*
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Refreshing, love Stevie's voice and the funky instrumentals. Wish more of it was like superstition. 4*
Highlights: superstition (that bass line!!), i believe
The Verve
2/5
I know nothing of these guys outside bittersweet symphony. Their last album I listened to was right in the middle of the road. This one is also a 2*, nice, but just ok IMO, it all blended together.
PJ Harvey
2/5
What even is this. It's the morning after the 2024 election, and this is not the hangover cure I need for that shitshow. 2*
Public Enemy
3/5
I enjoyed this album, but I'm kind of uneducated on good vs. bad hip hop. 3*
Highlight: bring the noise (shoutout to tony hawk pro skater 2)
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I respect Jimmi's guitar playing and recognize he's iconic, but this is not super my kind of music. Meanders too much. 3*
Highlight: voodoo child (the second one)
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I recognize the talent and how iconic this is, but again not my jam. Kind of a huge bummer, would fit if I was cosplaying a 50s cocktail party. 3*
Pantera
2/5
Walk is badass, too bad these guys are nazis. A lot of screaming in this one.
Elton John
3/5
I got whiplash going from Pantera to Elton John.
Tiny Dancer is a great opener, but I'm not sure the rest measures up to it. I like Elton, but this album didn't quite do it for me. Rotten peaches convinced me Elton can sing about anything.
The Beta Band
2/5
Never heard of this band, some nice sounds but not remarkable. 2*
Fever Ray
3/5
Enjoyed this sound, it's the kind of relaxing/indie shit that I can work to. 3*
Lorde
3/5
Never listened to Lana after her first huge album. Really enjoyable, but I think I'm a little old for the target demographic, 3*
Van Morrison
2/5
Highlights: moondance (did not know it was Morrison's).
This was ok, smooth dad rock, 2*
Dr. Dre
3/5
I'm a bad judge of hip hop. This was enjoyable, cool to hear early Snoop. 3*
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Posting here because I hit submit on the last Dr Dre review too soon, but what is it with hip hop albums and sex in between tracks? Like what does it add to the album? 'How gangsta, this dude fucks' -- maybe it was a function of the 90s.
Ok, back to this album: someone else described it as budget Pink Floyd, and that's all I can think of now.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Oh hell yes, Alanis goes hard. She sounds so raw, a hoarseness that I never noticed before. I love it. Easy 5*
Highlights: ironic, hand in my pocket, you oughta know, all i really want, right through you, forgiven (chills during the chorus), you learn, head over feet
Ok, I think I just don't like the soft fillers (mary jane, perfect, wake up), but otherwise enjoyed the whole thing.
Spacemen 3
2/5
I'm not listening to the demo CD.
By the third track, I'm just UGHHHH with this drivel. Shit is endless. I skipped all the different versions of Suicide. I always try to listen to the album end to end, but 3 versions of the same shitty loopy song is just too much for my brain, which is wild because a lot of reviewers liked that song the most. 2*
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
The wailing in the first track is just the worst. I'll take Yoko over this. When the interview started in Apple Music I actually thought it was part of the album.
Is this just more English crap? 1*
Dagmar Krause
1/5
Take Cabaret but make it oppressing as fuck. 1*
Sometimes you wish you could time travel to see what life was like (in this case to 1920s Germany), but this wasn't it. Did I need to listen to it before dying? No, but it is definitely unique.
King Crimson
2/5
I'm not gonna like this, am I?
Ohhh 21st century schizoid man is sampled by the Kanye album I really like!
Actually didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, 2*
James Taylor
2/5
Was ready to dismiss this as I don't like country, but Steamroller had some nice blues/brass.
Madonna
3/5
Wow Music took me straight back to that era. I didn't know most of this album, but it encapsulates that period of music really well. 3*
Highlights: music and don't tell me (because nostalgia)
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
The vocals made me think of ACDC, but not in an enjoyable way. I respect Janis, but not got me. Enjoyed the instrumentals more than the vocals. 2*.
That's a racist album cover.
Highlights: piece of my heart
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
More 60s psychedelic crap. Couldn't wait for the back half to end, just felt like people fucking around in a studio.
Bob Dylan
2/5
The guitar in like a rolling stone feels like a very refreshing opener for a 60s album. The rest is this talky-waily kind of singing that I just don't enjoy. I wanted to like Dylan, but I just don't like his stuff beyond the twoish greatest hits I know. 2*
Dude looks fucking cool on the cover though.
Highlights: like a rolling stone
Ryan Adams
2/5
Don’t know why he’s on here so much, it’s bland as fuck, 2*
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
This was alright, very 60s vibe but not the same old.
Highlight: proud Mary
American Music Club
2/5
Of all the albums on this project that are only findable in YouTube, this is the most tolerable one I've heard so far. That said, it's nice, but nothing new.
The Band
3/5
I groaned when I saw it was another 60s album, but this was enjoyable. 3*
Highlights: lonesome suzie
Solomon Burke
3/5
7/12 top 100 hits? Wild ratio. This is nice, but clearly a function of the times, like Sinatra's works, 3*
Buzzcocks
3/5
Yes another punk album. It's ok, nice harmonies in some songs. Enjoyed some more than I expected (autonomy, i don't mind). 3*
John Grant
4/5
Why was I waiting for the opening notes of the first song to turn into "eyes wide open" by Creed?
Where dreams go to die is very "across the universe".
I didn't know this artist or album and quite enjoyed it, 4*
Goldfrapp
2/5
I was excited for electronic, but this was too "whimsical" for me. 2*
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I'm just not a Springsteen fan. This feels like your parents' love jams. I haven't found a song that wasn't Philadelphia that I liked. 2*
He's extra talkey/mumbley in this one.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Someone described this as white blues and I couldn't agree more, 2*
Even the drum vamping in "what i'd say" sounded like someone with no drum skills fucking around.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Never heard of this band or album before. It was ok, nothing outstanding, another one I don't understand why it's here. 2*
Miles Davis
5/5
Stating the obvious, this was fucking cool. 5*
Aerosmith
4/5
Toys in the attic has a great starting guitar line. Enjoyed this one, and Tyler's voice isn't obnoxious. Also brass in big ten inch record. 4*
Highlights: walk this way, sweet emotion, toys in the attic
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
This got me reading the story of the disappearance of the former member, a wild story. Never heard of this band before, a nice sound. 3*
Highlights: a design for life, no surface all feeling
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
This seems like it'd be an iconic American album. 4 HOURS LONG (the version in Apple Music has some Nelson Riddle pieces).
It's definitely a clear snapshot of that era.
I'd be happy to have listened to it, been exposed to it, but don't expect to be going back to it. I also hate the album cover, it creeps me out.
Just like Sinatra albums, I recognize the artistry and icons of American music Fitzgerald/Gershwins are, but this is a 3* for me.
I spent all day at work listening to this and only made it through 3/4 discs. The last disc seemed like other versions of songs I already heard, so I quit.
Highlights: let's call the whole thing off (tomato tomahto potato potahto)
The Cure
2/5
Don't know if I like this phase of the cure, too emo and aggravating on a Friday. 2*
Pink Floyd
5/5
Really enjoyable prog rock album. Their musicality really shines. Another reviewer mentioned that Pink Floyd is best enjoyed as a whole album, and I completely agree. This album is a vibe on a Sunday afternoon.
Highlights: shine on you crazy diamond (both), wish you were here
Saint Etienne
3/5
This was ok, made for fun background sound, but nothing I needed to listen to before dying. Went harder on the first half. 3*
The Fall
1/5
Drunk yelling at a mic with discordant instrumentals. WTF is up with this, and why is this on here. Did not need this before dying. 1*
2.5 hours of garbage -- maybe no one should have given them access to the studio. I skipped all the bonus tracks, fuck this noise.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
Love LCD soundsystem, super excited to get into this as a whole.
The first track reminded me of Blue Man Group.
It's arguably repetitive, but it's refreshing, I can vibe with this. 5*
Highlights: someone great, watch the tapes
Roni Size
2/5
This list is super biased with 90s british electronic music. This is ok, but nothing that feels genre-defining to me, 2*
I stopped at disc 1 because I got it.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Wow, what a wikipedia entry. Never heard this album as a whole; it's wild that so many bangers are in the same album.
It's very 80s. Wanna be somethin' has that very catchy bridge.
Back in the day when I was a sucker for beatles-adjacent anything I really liked the girl is mine, but now I found that a) it clashes with the rest pretty hard and b) the talking part is cringeeee.
Thriller's "narrator" (?) really took me out and kind of ruined the song for me, maybe it was an artifact of the time/music video craze.
The back half is a snoozer, 4* because of that.
Highlights: billie jean, beat it
Meat Puppets
2/5
My expectations were low for a band called meat puppets. Their instrumentals were fun and unexpected. All was more country than expected. The singing was awful. 2*
Highlights: magic toy missing (because it involved 0 singing)
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Oh THIS is where the sexytimes movie music comes from! This was nice, a little too sexy for a Monday morning.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Excited to get into another S&G album. Front half was ok, voices of old people really took me out of it, like old trauma of hearing old folks rant.
This one doesn't even touch bridge over troubled water.
Highlights: mrs robinson
Nick Drake
3/5
This was ok background music, surprised it's from the 70s. Nice guitars and vocals. 3*
Highlight: from the morning
Girls Against Boys
2/5
90s grungey alternative, it's ok but not for me. Doesn't feel like an outstanding album to be on this list. 2*
Prince
4/5
Partying like it's 1999 sounds so quaint now.
A very 80s album, but I could vibe with it. The back half didn't do it as much for me.
Highlights: 1999, little red corvette, delirious (a goofy line but super catchy)
Justice
5/5
I'm convinced nobody does electronic like the French. Love Justice, and this is an easy 5*.
Highlights: DNCE, DVNO, genesis, phantom pt1/2
Manu Chao
5/5
TIL that, in spite of all the spanish in his music, Manu Chao is french?! I was convinced my entire life he was latin american. The first few tracks flow so well into each other. Really vibed with this, 5*
Fuck the reviewers that trash this or any other album only because it isn't in english; what a shitty, close-minded, ignorant take.
Highlights: je ne t'aime plus, desaparecido, bongo bong, luna y sol
The Bees
5/5
I was about to shit on this because “yet another UK album that is by no means influential,” but I actually really enjoyed this. Good vibes all around. The back half is stuff I love working to, and I mean that in a good way. I enjoyed all the different genres blending in.
Highlights: punchbag, a minha menina, sunshine, Zia
Can
1/5
This album got really fucking weird in the back half. Just post-modern, weird crap. Not sure why it's here. 1*
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Very 80s, not sure it's held up over time. May be another brit-centric entry into this list.
The Clash
4/5
To quote someone else on this site: "punk, but they know how to play their instruments"
Cool brass, musicality. Punk I've actually enjoyed listening to. Lots of ska here too.
Highlights: london calling, train in vain
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Enjoyed it more than expected, but not sure why it's on here, doesn't sound revolutionary.
The Only Ones
3/5
Never heard of these guys or this album, kind of enjoyed it after a hiatus from this project due to vacation. 3*
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Hey, at least this is short. This is punk? I was expecting to hate this, but this was somewhat enjoyable, but then the lyrics took a nosedive. 3*
a-ha
2/5
A-ha is Norwegian?! Take on me is the only song I know going into this. Other tracks are super 80s. Not sure the rest holds up to take on me, 2*
Highlights: take on me (obv always a banger)
Morrissey
2/5
I don't know what to make of Morrisey, it's ok. His songs sound so rambley to me, The guitar made some songs better. 2*
Highlights: everyday is like sunday, margaret on the guillotine (guitar)
Megadeth
4/5
Lots of energy, and sounds very clean, but hard to give it more than a 4* when it all sounds the same to me/like Iron Maiden but with less heart. I was gonna give it a 3*, but this deserves more than the other very meh 3* albums I've heard.
Chicago
3/5
It was interesting enough, free form guitar is some fuckery that didn't deserve to be there, I will always disapprove of "songs" that are just people fucking around with instruments. Save that shit for practice time. Skipping that, the rest was enjoyable. 3* (-1 for free form guitar)
Funkadelic
5/5
This felt like a good continuation to the Chicago album. Not as funky as I expected but still very enjoyable. 5*
Highlights: can you get to that (wow that bass voice)
Röyksopp
5/5
I <3 Royksopp -- I discovered them way after the fact, but I'm excited to listen to an album top to bottom; it's really what I need to get today going. Easy 5*, but I agree with others that it peaks early on.
Highlights: poor leno, so easy (catchy and understated), eple
Spiritualized
4/5
Never heard of this before, but I'm intrigued by the production of this.
"90s pink floyd" is pretty spot on, but some of it also reminded me of some M83, the xx, and even ok go that would come later. A great album to vibe to, spacey and chill. It grew on me the more I listened, 4* (-1 because the back half of cop shoot cop was a bit too revolution no 9 for me).
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Of all Bollywood music out there, this feels like the most inoffensive/white-adjacent flavor of it, not sure why this album (a soundtrack?!) in particular was picked. So much potential, but the anglocentrism continues to come through this list's choices. 3* because it got way more interesting as it went along, it was the first couple tracks that I really disliked.
Culture Club
2/5
Not sure the rest of this album holds up; beyond KC it's an 80s cheesefest. 2*
Highlights: karma chameleon (I didn't remember this song having harmonica)
Queen
3/5
I knew none of these Queen songs before. Has a lot of the elements that make queen great (the harmonies, Freddie, the guitars), but none of the tracks really blew it out of the water for me. 3*
Kate Bush
2/5
Idk if Kate Bush is for me. Not bad, but it just went on forever and all sounded the same. 2*
Last night I watched the Sopranos episode where Christopher’s girlfriend was trying to get some band signed onto a label and the sound guy was like “where’s the chorus?” This is what that was like.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Is this another one of the author's just highlighting random-ass american/british groups nobody cares about? I'm 30 sec in, and I already hate it. The chicken wailing is doing nothing for me. 1*
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Generic 90s hip hop album with some nice funky moments. 2*
Why is this here?
The Band
3/5
A nice Americana album, without veering too much into country, which is always good in my book. No tracks that blew it out of the water for me though, 3*
Cypress Hill
4/5
Enjoying this style of hip hop, and it's not overtly about the rappers having sex on record, 4*
The Vines
4/5
Brought to you by the era of "The <noun>s" bands.
First exposure to the vines outside "get free", actually really enjoyed the album overall, had to give it another listen. Just up my street, but nothing super noteworthy, 4*
Comparing to Nirvana is bit much.
Highlights: get free, outtathaway, country yard
2/5
This was nice (especially compared to all the not readily available albums on this list), but I'm not sure it's anything special. More anglocentric crap.
The KLF
3/5
Very early 90s electronic, has some good moments.
Enjoyed: build a fire, justified and ancient
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This album is a vibe, just feel-good queer bops
Highlights: liberation, go west
The Charlatans
2/5
Generic brit rock - Temu Oasis - why is this on here? 2* only because it didn't sound like garbage.
5/5
Never heard this as a whole, this is exciting! A journey and I imagine very ahead of its time when it came out. 5*
Highlights: starman, moonage daydream, ziggy stardust
Adam & The Ants
1/5
Feels like a lot of shitty wailing. Just another brit album included despite not being anything special. 1*
Metallica
4/5
First time listening to this album as a whole, though I've listened to many of these songs before. I get the hate, outside of their timeless hits, the rest all sounds the same, vanilla metal. 4*
Highlights: enter sandman (badass opener), nothing else matters, the unforgiven
Miles Davis
5/5
A classic, my beef is with the sound balance where sax/trumpet would come through only one ear, which is very jarring. Still 5*
Brian Eno
2/5
I was only aware of Brian Eno's more atmospheric stuff, which is better than this. I guess he had to start somewhere, but it doesn't mean this album should have been included here. 2*
Beth Orton
4/5
Actually enjoyed this more than I expected, especially since I'm not huge on singer-songwriter stuff. 4*
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
I love bohemian like you, but it's not in this. Good vibes, enjoyed the sound, but the slow songs were kind of a drag 4*
Highlights: every day should be a holiday
Sparks
3/5
Reminds me of the circus album I got from this a little while back (The United States Of America?). It's ok, don't know the hype. 3*
Enjoyed: lost and found
New York Dolls
3/5
That this is proto-punk and way out there for the time is wild to me. Sounds so normal? Like grungier rolling stones? I guess it influenced many others. It's ok, 3*
Wilco
3/5
Standard alternative album, I think others did it better, but I appreciate how cross-genre it tried to be. Really fucking long and boring though. 3*
The Black Keys
4/5
The black keys are a band that by all means I should like, but I just can't get into fully, got kind of sick of them being shoved down my throat by spotify.
Anyway, some good songs in this one.
Highlights: everlasting light, howlin for you
Lambchop
2/5
Did not need to listen to this before I died, it's boring and generic. Just another entry that adds nothing to the musical repertoire. 2*
Eminem
4/5
That this album was so controversial so as to go in front of congress is quaint in this day and age. Skits are always stupid af. Kim made me incredibly physically uncomfortable. Some good songs, 4*
Highlights: stan (probably the first fucked up song I heard as a tween in the early 00s), the way that i am, real slim shady
Iggy Pop
1/5
Meh, just kinda droned and was not very enjoyable. Just because it's AN album from a famous artist doesn't mean it belongs here. 1*
CHVRCHES
5/5
Peak alternative music era, life was so full of hope. I was worried about opening on a banger/their biggest song but it just kept slapping. Should have listened to this full album before. Just good vibes. 5*
Highlights: the mother we share, tether, recover
Public Enemy
4/5
Shoutout to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 for bring the noise. First time hearing Flavor Flav rap, cold lampin was silly af. Enjoyable, 4*
Ian Dury
1/5
It started out so funky and immediately lost me when he started singing. WTF are these lyrics?
I bet it was certified platinum only because it was "edgy" and "raunchy" like how the Bloodhound Gang was in the early 00s. This is super british humor.
2*: gets a +1 because of instrumentals. Actually, fuck it, 1*, the tracks got generic after a while. The last handful of tracks I had to just skip toward the end because it was just belligerent noise. Again, total garbage I didn't need before dying.
Eminem
1/5
This is the 2nd Eminem album in the past week, and I expect this one to be worse than his 2nd album. A lot is very amateur, the skits are not fun(ny), his later albums are much better. The talent is there, but the content hasn't aged well, 1*
Highlights: my name is
Kings of Leon
1/5
This is like prototype Kings of Leon - their later stuff gets more tolerable. It came and went with nothing of value. 1*
Skunk Anansie
4/5
Had no hopes, but a very enjoyable album. Kind of reminds me of Alanis. 4*
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Very 80s, very cure. Not really my cup of tea but not a terrible album. 3*
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This album is too sexy for Wednesday at 8am. 4*
The Thrills
2/5
Take indie, but make it boring with lyrics that come from people that may only know about California from TV shows.
Nothing outstanding, why is this here, etc. 2*
Highlight: til the tide creeps in (the harmonica got me)
Mudhoney
2/5
2 hours?! Proto-grunge is very punk adjacent. I've heard of these guys in the context of Nirvana/Soundgarden/the Seattle grunge scene, but this is not for me, I prefer the grunge that comes after this band. 2*, got the gist after 1 disc.
Beastie Boys
5/5
In the context of hip hop of its time, this is catchy as hell and super goofy, a good time. 5*
Highlights: no sleep till brooklyn, fight for your right, brass monkey
4/5
Everyone loves to hate limp bizkit, but I grew up with this trash. These are gonna be nostalgia ratings. It hasn’t aged well, feels like Bush-era music, and I wouldn’t like it if I heard it fresh now. For nostalgia alone: 4*, otherwise a 1*.
So edgy, he says fuck so much!
Highlights: my way, rollin, my generation, take a look around
Judas Priest
2/5
All hair metal bands sound the same, this one brought nothing new to the table 2*.
The Zutons
3/5
Another UK-centric entry. Bands like Franz Ferdinand did it better in that era. Enjoyable enough, but not outstanding, 3*
Basement Jaxx
2/5
A lot seemed to be missing *something*; boring and uninteresting. 2*
The album cover and "same old show" felt very inappropriate to have at work, had to skip.
Highlights: red alert
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Freak scene started ok, but by the second song I'm wondering why the dude has to sing like this?
Don't was just pure noise.
2*
The Beau Brummels
1/5
Why the fuck is this here, did they just add any old album written by white people in the 60s? 1*
Ghostface Killah
3/5
I'm not a good judge of hip hop albums. This one is ok, some melodic elements I really enjoyed.
Faith No More
4/5
Music algorithms think "epic" is right up my alley.
It doesn't sound like it's from 1989, feels ahead of its time. A fun album.
Highlights: surprise! you're dead! (great opener riff)
Depeche Mode
3/5
Not as bopping as other Depeche mode albums, 3*
Black Sabbath
3/5
I can imagine how this was ahead of its time coming out in 1970. It's ok but not my thing, 3*
Alice Cooper
3/5
I always thought Alice Cooper was a woman. Some cool brass in elected.
A nice album, but I can only do so much 70s-80s dad rock, 3*
808 State
1/5
I saw "british electronic" and I audibly sighed.
Then I realized it's from the 80s and I'm even less enthused. I can do 90s euro techno, but from the 80s? IDK
I like electronic, generally, but not this, 1*
Destiny's Child
4/5
The htis at the front go pretty hard, but the rest is kinda bland, R&B of its era, drags. 4*
The outro where they all circlejerk each other hasn't aged well, has it?
Highlights: independent women p1, survivor, bootylicious
Elis Regina
4/5
Fuck yeah, non-white people music!
This was actually a really fun album, a bummer it's not more readily accessible on streaming platforms.
ABBA
5/5
So excited to finally get ABBA on this, they always make me so happy. They go so hard. Their harmonies are *chef's kiss*
Highlights: fernando, dancing queen, money money money, knowing me knowing you, when i kissed the teacher (still catchy despite the creepiness)
The Jam
3/5
Yet another random english rock band? Disc 2 gave Beatles vibes.
It's ok, I just can't take so many of these british rock bands that feel like they don't add anything innovative or interesting. 3*
Tom Waits
1/5
I do not get the appeal of this guy. Growling for an hour and the instrumentals aren't even interesting. Each song kept getting worse and worse. This shit better not ruin my music algorithm. 1*
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
My music algorithm already thinks I love Springsteen because of this project. This is ok, kinda whiny IMO. Maybe just on here because of the artist vs. the merits of the album itself. 2*
Linkin Park
5/5
10/10, no notes
This album is top-to-bottom bangers, imagine your debut album going this hard. I grew up with this, so I'm biased by nostalgia, but it still holds up. Haters just hate the genre. RIP Chester. 5*
Not even wanting to do highlights because all of it slaps.
But anyway, highlights: papercut, points of authority
The Beach Boys
3/5
Never heard this kind of Beach Boys music. Nice, but kind of a bummer. 3*
Oasis
5/5
You can give Oasis shit for being brit rock, but they defined brit rock. 5* (4.5 rounded up) even though later albums are better.
Highlights: live forever, maybe
Love
3/5
60s bard music. Some nice strings, but meh, just another 60s band. 3*
1/5
Noise rock? Ugh. Sure enough, there were a lot of random noises here.
I felt myself losing my patience and getting increasingly restless while listening to this. 1*
Song titles are great though
The Replacements
4/5
Solid punk album but also nice to the ears, 4*
Beatle-esque in some tracks.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Kind of a low energy album, not at all what I came to associate with Missy.
Highlights: the rain
Cocteau Twins
5/5
This was a summer, chill vibe, could easily see it coming out in the 2010s and being relevant as ever. 5*
The Residents
1/5
Did not need to listen to this before dying. It's like any old fool can make an "album" and put it out.
What I don't understand is why so many of these tracks have the dots of "favorite tracks" in Apple music.
The Kinks
3/5
Very 60s, a little Beach Boys-esque. It's ok, but nothing really stood out to me.
Jerry Lee Lewis
5/5
I don't know anything about this guy, but this album was energetic af.
At this point I don't know which are covers and which are originals, but all were a fun romp.
4/5
Some good stuff in here, feels like it defines a lot of upcoming alt rock. 4*
Highlights: for tomorrow, villa rosie
Fugazi
4/5
I know Fugazi influenced many bands I like, but I never actually listened to an album or song of theirs. Really enjoyed it, especially the first half of this album. 4*
N.E.R.D
3/5
Less hip hop than I expected out of NERD? Maybe I was just stereotyping Pharrell. This was a fun time, but maybe a relic of its time. It tried to do a lot, but nothing stood out. 3*
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Yet another anglo punk album. It was ok, not sure worthy of "listening to before dying", like most entries in the list. Had some cool brass, but the female yelling thing is not for me.
Gorillaz
4/5
This blew my mind when it came out, but I haven't heard most of it since then (except the singles). This was ok.
5/4 was in 4/4. M1 A1 annoyed the crap out of me.
Highlights: 19-2000, clint eastwood
Genesis
3/5
I don't know what to make of this -- british bard prog rock? Nice to listen to, but I don't know what else to do with this album, 3*
Otis Redding
5/5
What's with the album cover? Is it "this album will help you get white ladies like this"?
It made me second-guess my prior knowledge of who Otis Redding was prior to listening.
Anyway, great R&B album, awesome delivery, 5*. When I encounter "deluxe" versions of albums that are 2x as long as the original, I stop at the original length, but not with this one.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Wow, the description in Apple of this album got me hyped for the concept album-ness of it.
Only knew another brick pt2 going in. You can call this self-indulgent but compared to a lot of the garbage in this list this is outstanding. I love the musical landscapes they create along the way. Didn't love the sudden musical number that was the trial.
Sometimes I think I need a bigger gap between albums to really digest them, because sometimes I have no idea how I rate things anymore, and sometimes I can for more coherent thoughts. Anyway, here's 5*
Highlights: another brick pt 2, happiest days, is there anybody out there (I love some twirly guitar), comfortably numb
Cream
3/5
Outside of the highlights, maybe this just doesn't stand out over the course of time. Enjoyable blues by white people, but that's kind of it. I find it kind of funny that it reached #1 in countries without significant black populations?? 3*
Highlights: sunshine of your love (a timeless groove), take it back (love some blues)
Suede
3/5
Hm, some good musicality and themes, but kind of a beige album. 3*
Also no way I'm listening to the 2.5 hr version of this moany thing on a Friday.
The Streets
1/5
This dude has no rhythm, he doesn't rap to the tempo of his music? Why tf is this on here? This is offensive to opera.
David Crosby
2/5
Soft dad rock. Honestly kinda bland for me. Maybe it had a lot of big names, but still 2*
The Pogues
4/5
Sounds like a Rancid/Flogging Molly predecessor. Fun instrumentation, too.
A fun shanty vibe, this is the kind of fun discovery I'm here for. 4*
Highlights: fairytale of new york, shanne bradley
The Who
2/5
No, Apple Music, I'm not doing 5 hours of this. Not everything a good band puts out needs to be good or put on a list. 2*, +1 because of the creative idea but poor execution.
I like that pinball wizard came on after this album so I can remember how good these guys sound.
Kraftwerk
4/5
This is early electronic so maybe I should be more forgiving, but it's so repetitive in a way that could put me to sleep. After a couple of tracks, I could get into the groove though, 4*
TRANS -- EUROPE -- EXPRESS
To me Jean-Michel Jarre is king in this era.
Highlights: franz schubert
The Who
3/5
Second Who album this week, this one just has to be better. This is also the 2nd or 3rd "opera" I've gotten this week? For an opera, this has way more instrumental tracks than expected. Pinball wizard comes out of nowhere and is a total banger compared to the rest. 3*
Highlights: pinball wizard, i'm free
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
First full Bob Marley album for me, instantly a good vibe. Lovely grooves, well produced. 5*
Highlights: no woman no cry, lively up yourself, talkin blues
Klaxons
4/5
Like the Wiki says, very reminiscent of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand. Never heard this before (except Golden Skans which reminds me of the Dandy Warhols) , but really enjoyed it. Lots of elements of an era/bands that are right up my alley
Highlights: golden skans
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
I saw the band name and was instantly like, "oh god, another 60s band"
Kinda funky. kinda weird, kinda aimless? 2*
Patti Smith
2/5
This is punk? Maybe I just didn't get it, 2*
LL Cool J
4/5
Enjoyable, maybe dated (what early 90s hip hop album isn't misogynistic) but some good jams, 4*
Highlights: mama said knock you out (don't call it a comeback!), around the way girl
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
My prior knowledge of EW&F is limited to September, sadly. This album starts so funky, I just know it will be a good time. This album is just so COOL, so much drip. It's weaker in the back half, but still enjoyable, 4*
Highlights: shining star
Fairport Convention
2/5
Very folksy, good instrumentation and her voice is nice, but man am I tired of 60s albums by now. 2*
The Monkees
3/5
Wow, right off the bat you can see them trying to match early Beatles, and not even the good Paul/John stuff. While most of it felt like a shittier version of Hard Days Night (especially for 1967!), had some good moments. 3*
Higlights: zilch
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
Oh wow, literally 69 songs. This might be the only album I do today. Lots of nice songs, but (like many others said), there's bound to be filler with so many songs. 3*
The "Great Value Johnny Cash" description in someone else's review was pretty spot on.
The book of love sounded familiar, but i didn't recognize any of the Wikipedia mentions.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Very 80s, like Temu Madonna. Don't know why this deserved to be on the list. It's ok, but not needed to hear before dying.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Yet another Kraftwerk album. These guys were the robots before Daft Punk came around, so I guess that's pretty innovative for the 70s. Recognized the model.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Why does the wikipedia entry scream: look at how much these guys sold out on their debut album!!
Early kings of leon is still moany kings of leon, talihina sky was so grating. 3*
Recognized molly's chambers.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Marley is a good vibe, and this album is more of the Marley I'm familiar with. 4*
Highlights: jammin, one love, three little birds
The Electric Prunes
2/5
YASA
(Yet Another Sixties Album)
2*
I will say their vocals sound a little ahead of the time, maybe proto-punkish.
Train for tomorrow had some cool guitars.
Missy Elliott
4/5
I like that this album has many personal statement essays. Also many "missy elliot exclusive"s in this one (no, duh?)
Good collabs, a fun vibe overall, 4*
Highlights: work it, back in the day
Neil Young
2/5
Hot take, I just don't enjoy Neil Young's voice, but then again I just don't like it when singers aren't trying to hit the notes. 2*
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Never heard of this before. A sad alt album, but nothing extraordinary.
Death to everyone reminded me of Thom Yorke
FKA twigs
2/5
Another album cover that gives me the creeps, but looks like most of her albums are like that.
High-pitched, breathy, tik tok pop (R&B I guess?). Recognized two weeks, but otherwise kinda bland. 2*
The Smiths
4/5
Didn't know most of these Smiths songs before. Enjoyable sounds. 4*
Highlights: the boy with the thorn in his side, there's a light that never goes out
Wire
3/5
YAPA
(Yet Another Punk Album)
I'm not sure why this is here, it's ok, some good energy in some tracks. 3*
Scritti Politti
2/5
Had no idea what to expect. Kinda reggae, sort of a modern/Bruno Mars'ish voice on the opening track. And then it got very 80s. SO 80s, and not in an innovative way, but in a beige template way. 2*
Flesh and blood had some keyboards that tickled the ear in the right way.
Soft Cell
3/5
What an excellent album title. Most of it was just very 80s pop, and I just don't think it's a pop decade I tend to enjoy. 3*, tainted love doesn't carry this.
Highlights: tainted love, where did our love go, chips on my shoulder (NSED)
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Ugh country. It wasn't bad, but it's just not my thing.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
I was a little sus of "art rock", but I kind of enjoyed the instrumentals on this one. Maybe I just caught it at a good time. The vocals kinda blew though, easily took points off for that nonsense. 3*
3/5
This is prog? This was fine, like a milder Led Zeppelin or something. 3*
Billy Bragg
3/5
More country-ish than expected based on the artists. Had some good moments, but too twangy for my taste. 3*
Highlights: california stars, birds and ships
T. Rex
4/5
It's like the Beatles but make them more glam? Kind of a fun, refreshing album for the era. 4*
Highlights: bang a gong (actually pretty good)
Talking Heads
3/5
Had no idea psycho killer was from the 70s. The rest is ok, but doesn't go as hard. 3*
Highlights: psycho killer, pulled up
Dead Kennedys
3/5
When ya get drafted made me think of system of a down.
Fun, good energy, maybe a little underproduced but that's on par for punk of the era. 3*
R.E.M.
5/5
Never heard this as a whole, just some songs, it really is a lovely album. Everybody hurts isn't even the best track on this. 5*
Highlights: man on the moon, everybody hurts, the sidewinder sleeps tonite
Jamiroquai
4/5
This guy wore a comfy-looking hat and we thought he was so quirky in the 90s. Listening to it now, he sounds like a bit of budget Stevie Wonder, but I dig the mixing of genres. A fun album, 4*
The La's
3/5
Hm, other than there she goes, not much going on here that makes this unique. Not sure about the accolades and inclusion in this list. 3*
Highlights: there she goes
Cat Stevens
4/5
Ooo, wild world is in this one. A lot sounds like it, a nice melancholy album. I was expecting it to be one of those where one song is expected to carry the album, but it wasn't. 4*
Highlights: wild world
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
EXP: I did not enjoy how this ran circles around my head
Wait until tomorrow: cool groove
Overall enjoyable, but Jimi is not always my thing 4*
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
5/5
I rejoice every time I get a non-anglo album. This is lovely acapella, feels like a warm blanket. 5*
Highlights: how long
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Don't know what I expected, definitely not something this funky. I think it requires several listens to understand. 3*
Parliament
5/5
Damn, this is so funky off the start. I think I've heard a lot of funk that does the instrumentals really well, but these guys also have some fun harmonized vocals that really add to it.
Highlight: give up the funk
John Martyn
3/5
I'm not sure what this album was trying to do. It was nice at times, but it also came and went, 3*
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
It's ok, maybe I don't get hip hop, but the praise seems overblown, 2*
Steely Dan
3/5
Pleasant, summer dad rock. 3*
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Hm, this gets a lot of praise but maybe this album just didn't click with me. Good musicality, Gaye is an icon, but the album was ok for me, 3*
The Beach Boys
3/5
Wow for timing, RIP Brian Wilson. I enjoy their vocals, but their lyrics are basic.
Highlights: do you wanna dance, dance dance dance
Sister Sledge
4/5
Funky as hell off the bat.
Highlights: we are family, he's the greatest dancer
Rush
3/5
I think it's fascinating that having a 20-minute track these days is not of note, but back then it represented an entire side of a vinyl. That track should have been 21:12 long, just needed 40 more seconds of guitar jams.
I actually enjoyed the guitar/drum jamming, don't like the dude's voice
The Waterboys
4/5
Lots of fiddle, honestly sounds like it could have been 2000s-2010s alternative. Enjoyed it, especially the more instrumental pieces 4*
Elastica
4/5
Fun, punkish album. Needed to hear before dying? I'm not so sure.
Highlights: connection, indian song
Julian Cope
3/5
YABA (Yet Another British Album)
"Turning point as a maturing artist" WTF is this amateur hour shit where the moment it's mildly ok, it deserves to be on this list?
Meh, it was fine, not bad, 3*
Queen
5/5
Only knew Killer Queen going in. I feel like there's so much to Queen I didn't even know existed (stone cold crazy), executing on so many genres with incredible musicality. 5*
Highlights: killer queen, stone cold crazy
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
OH MY GOD, FINALLY THIS MASTERPIECE GRACES MY DAILY DROP
5*, no notes, gets better on every listen
Highlights: secondhand news, never going back again, go your own way, don’t stop, the chain
Bauhaus
2/5
IDK what to make of this. Punk-ish, but also 80s-ish. It's ok, not sure what merits it being here. 2*
LTJ Bukem
3/5
YABA
(Yet Another British Album)
I wanted to hate this, but it was ok. Good background noise as I sit here, jetlagged.
Shack
2/5
YABA
(Yet Another British Album)
(I've written this so much lately; the makers of this list just really suck and need to listen to music made in other countries)
Pretty mid and brought nothing new to the table, 2*
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
This guy uses vibrato how I use vibrato when playing the violin to cover wrong notes, aka, all the time. I think this would have been nice without that on every note. Did he just learn this technique the week before this was recorded?
Public Enemy
2/5
Honestly this was a breath of fresh air after the recent string of boring albums. However, not one of my favorite hip hop albums on this project.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Why would I be looking forward to "a mix of sheer abuse and welcome diversity, for a truly challenging listening experience"?
This shit is just noise. It gave me anxiety listening to it.
The Coral
4/5
YABA
(Yet Another British Album)
Ska-ish, kinda fun, but nothing outstanding enough to be on here. Liked it more than expected. 4*
Highlights: dreaming of you
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
YABA!!!!
(Yet Another British Album)
Lately, a whole string of these; they must comprise 80% of the list. At least this one is short.
Nothing special, Temu Morrissey sounds. 2*
Screaming Trees
2/5
Like a more boring version of Bon Jovi. Meh, 2*
Stephen Stills
2/5
Anything CSNY (or its components thereof) has so far been pretty mid for me. Not bad, but doesn't do it for me. 2*
Highlights: the end of jet set
The Kinks
2/5
Sounds like many other 60s albums; very few exceed the Beatles for me. Not sure it's held up over time, it was just ok for me. 2*
Dion
2/5
Maybe there's a reason (murderous) Phil Spector shelved this. This was ok, kind of generic pop, nothing new about it, not sure why on this list.
SZA
2/5
I don't get SZA, it's nice but not my genre. 2*
Gang Of Four
2/5
Punk isn't for me, this was just ok. 2*
Tracy Chapman
3/5
For decades I took Tracy Chapman for granted, given how much radio play Fast Car gets. What a wild launch to fame she had. Great voice, 3*
Highlights: fast car
Janet Jackson
2/5
Justin did her dirty, but this is so very 80s and hasn't aged well for my ears. So cheesy and artificial, couldn't wait for it to end, 2*
The White Stripes
4/5
A really enjoyable white stripes album, but didn't love every track, 4*
Highlights: fell in love with a girl, we're gonna be friends, dead leaves on the dirty ground
Billy Joel
4/5
Knowing only piano man, I was ready to shit on this as dad rock, but actually really enjoyed it. Good musicianship, varied tracks, good production, good lyrics. 4*
Highlights: vienna, she's always a woman, only the good die young, movin out
The Icarus Line
1/5
Nope, not needed before dying. It may have expedited my death. Noise.
Alice Cooper
4/5
Only knew the titular track going in. Way more diverse than expected: Unexpected west side story in gutter cat vs the jets and the finale, some blues, a little jazz, brass instruments.
Refreshing album from the 70s, 4*
Joanna Newsom
2/5
Lyrical, ren-faire-ish music. Bjork adjacent, but doesn't hit the same. She has a good voice, but not for me, 2*
Not giving it 1* because I didn't hate it like some other albums on here, but I never need to listen to this again.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Not a fan of Cohen's singing-speaking, and adding 80s backing vocal/synths isn't helping.
Even if you want to be like, his lyrics are good, some of the lyrics were creepy/cringy af.
Did not enjoy this one at all, 1*
Black Sabbath
4/5
Wow, Ozzy died yesterday and I got this? Not sure if crazy coincidence or set up this way.
A solid metal record that stays musical and diverse, lots of cool guitar riffs. 4*
Santana
4/5
Great guitar, but that's Santana for you. Good vibes, more guitar than vocals. 4*
Mj Cole
1/5
I'm only doing 1 disc of this. Generic british drum and bass.
Miles Davis
2/5
I like and am open to jazz, but this one pushed me, too "post modern". To be fair, this probably should be on this list given it's Miles Davis, but it was just too unstructured for me. Feio made my left ear very uncomfortable. 2*
White Denim
5/5
Never heard of this band, but I'm happy to finally get something new and good to listen to. Varied and exciting, deserves to be on this list.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I like LCD soundsystem, but never heard most of these. Never a fan of his talking/singing, but otherwise catchy. I enjoyed a lot of this.
Highlights: i used to
Metallica
4/5
The One music video is still in my head after all these years. The rest sort of sounded like generic Metallica. 4*
Highlights: one
Garbage
5/5
This was pretty fun, I had only heard the hits before, but this was refreshing for the 90s. 5*
Highlights: only happy when it rains, queer, stupid girl
Orbital
1/5
Oh joy, yet another 90s british electronic album \s
Nothing redeeming about this, why is this here. 1*
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Another brand new band/album for me. Nice alternative sound, I could vibe with this. 4*
Waylon Jennings
4/5
I don't generally enjoy country, but this was really nice and what I wish more of it was like.
Highlights: honky tonk heroes
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Hold music. Not worthy of this list. 2*
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Genius of love -- is this the source of that hook? A fun little album, the boardwalk cover was cool. 3*
Highlights: genius of love, under the boardwalk
John Coltrane
4/5
A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME A LOVE SUPREME
I'm not a good judge of jazz, but this was enjoyable. 4*
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Would I listen to this again? Probably not, but this feels like a good record of Americana that is worth having been exposed to at least once, I appreciate its inclusion. Some really cool bluegrass in this. 4*
Fun fact: I only know will the circle be unbroken from the excellent adaptation in bioshock infinite
Highlights: black mountain rag, flint hill special, orange blossom special, both sides now (basically all instrumentals)
Giant Sand
1/5
YABA!!!
(Yet Another British Album)
Seriously, what is the point of this? A chore to get through, nothing new added here.
1*
Pavement
4/5
Very 90s alternative sound. Enjoyable for the era, 4*
Highlights: cut your hair
Marty Robbins
4/5
OMG, Fallout New Vegas! Breaking Bad!
Outside of those pop culture bangers, actually a nice western album, would watch tumbleweeds tumble to this. 4*
Highlights: big iron, el paso
Traffic
3/5
YABA (Yet Another British Album)
Yaaaay more 70s english rock.
This is ok, nothing outstanding.
Moby
5/5
This album fucks
Eminem planted a seed in me to hate this guy in the early 00s, but I, now a more evolved human, really dig Moby. Apple gave me the 2.5 hour version of this album and I listened to all of it without looking for the earliest exit to be able to call it "listened to." Easy 5*
The back half was more atmospheric but still very enjoyable.
Highlights: porcelain, natural blues, bodyrock, honey, why does my heart feel so bad, south side, everloving
k.d. lang
2/5
Weird that apple calls this pop when it's clearly country. Meh, 2*
M.I.A.
3/5
Like most people, only knew paper planes from MIA going in. This was different than most electronic/hip hop of its time. 3*
Adele
5/5
She was 21 at the time?! Never heard this in its entirety but many songs were so mainstream at the time. There's so much love-related angst delivered in her signature voice. 5*
I needed something more upbeat after this, very depressing.
Highlights: rumour has it, set fire to the rain, someone like you
Roxy Music
1/5
YABA
(Yet Another British Album)
By which I always mean, another british rock album that adds nothing new and was something I didn't need to listen to before dying.
1*
The Psychedelic Furs
1/5
All samey, and I don't enjoy this guy's voice. It's like what I don't enjoy about punk. Did this deserve to be here? Probably not.
ABBA
4/5
I love ABBA, and have listened to their poppier hits many times, but never this. A more mature album with the same ABBA charm and harmonies. 4*
A more fun breakup album than Adele's 21 from last week.
Highlights: let the music speak, one of us
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Short, sweet, good vibes. I'm in a beach in Miami in the 50s. I'm at the Copacabana.
Granted, I've never been to either, but this is what it evokes.
4*
The Who
2/5
The who had some iconic songs, but does a live album deserve to be here? Very few live albums (see: johnny cash's folsom prison) are anything outstanding. Didn't know most of the first half. 2*
Highlights: happy jack
Nick Drake
4/5
I saw singer songwriter from the 70s and groaned.
But I was SO WRONG. This was delightful. A lovely voice and instrumentation. Holds up over time. 4*
Highlights: one of these things first
Grateful Dead
3/5
Dad rock. It's fine, not offensive, nothing super interesting. 3*
Venom
1/5
Maybe it was a pioneering album, but in a vacuum, meh 1*
The Police
3/5
White reggae seems like a stretch of the definition - I hear it in the instrumentals but not necessarily the vocals. Kind of a fun album.
Highlights: message in a bottle
The Crusaders
3/5
Jazz-ish, but like smooth jazz that plays on the radio. Nice, pleasant to the ear, but nothing extraordinary.
Nick Drake
4/5
Second nick drake within a week, and last time I was pleasantly surprised.
One of the few singer songwriters I really enjoy, his stuff just doesn't age. 4*
Boards of Canada
3/5
Enjoyed some tracks (like turquoise hexagon sun), others gave me anxiety.
Innovative, but as much as I like electronic, I also don't enjoy more anxiety than what I'm already prone to.
3*
Prince
4/5
Darling Nikki is so scandalous! Very poppy album, so I have to dock some points because I don't like the 80s ultra-produced pop sound. 3.5 rounded up to 4*
Highlights: when doves cry, i would die 4 u, purple rain
Anthrax
3/5
Ok power metal album, not necessarily my jam, but didn't dislike it. 3*
Portishead
4/5
The vocals kinda remind me of Garbage. I'm not a huge fan of whispy female singers, but this album has some nice moments. 4*
Highlights: sour times
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Idk how to judge hip hop albums. This one was a bit sexist and dated at times. 2*
Peter Tosh
3/5
Nice reggae album. Good vibes, although it all sounded similar to me. 3*
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
Does apache predate the jump on it song?
Fun album of instrumental/bongo covers (or many sounded like covers).
Arcade Fire
4/5
Fun bombastic arcade fire album. 4*
Highlights: keep the car running, no cars go
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Poppy shit, unclear of why it's here. Sounded kind of generic. 2*
Kings of Leon
4/5
Kings of leon is on this list multiple times?! This is the one album of theirs I can conceive of being here.
Very overplayed in its time, his voice was really grating to me. It's ok but kind of generic rock when I hear it now, still enjoyed more tracks than I thought I would. 4*
Highlights: use somebody, sex on fire (it's just nostalgic at this point), notion, cold desert
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Embryonic journey forever ingrained because of the Friends finale
Nice 60s album, good instrumentation. Just doesn't crack outstanding album for me, maybe because too many 60s/70s on here. 3*
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Amy was talented but I'm not a huge fan of her voice. This album was ok, 3*
Big Star
4/5
Never heard of this band or #1 album before, but surprisingly enjoyable. Try again sounded very George Harrison.
Radiohead
4/5
Radiohead just makes interesting music. This is more electronic but still really enjoyable (I'm a bigger fan of earlier Radiohead, hence -1, but it is better than a lot of 4* albums on here).
Ice T
2/5
I saw him live recently, and the dude still misogynistic, homophobic af
Rap is not really my genre, this was ok. Enjoyed the body count half more. 2*
5/5
I used to be obsessed with the beatles, but never liked their back half as much as their earlier albums (Rubber Soul is my favorite). Today I'm revisiting this after years.
...
Who am I kidding, this album is excellent, there's so much variety in musicality, no dull moments, an evolution for the Beatles. 5*
Some highlights: a day in the life (that iconic end), with a little help (one of the best ringo songs), she's leaving home (the harmonies! the strings!), lucy in the sky with diamonds, when i'm 64 (adorable)
Bob Dylan
1/5
Aggressive harmonica, but I just can't with his singing style. I can't stand the talky-pretend-to-sing style of some singer songwriters. I really wanted to give up on this. 1*
Radiohead
5/5
Easy 5*, and looking forward to going on this journey again today.
Highlights: airbag, paranoid android, subterranean homesick alien (the space-y guitars), karma police, exit music, no surprises
Incubus
3/5
Incubus is metal?! I guess it goes harder than rock? I was only familiar with their hits like drive, which is a much softer vibe. The rest of the album was ok. 3*
Highlights: drive
Meat Loaf
3/5
Someone else described meat loaf as heterosexual elton john, and that completely blew my mind. Meat loaf is sappy af, not what I expected.
Bad Company
2/5
More like bland company
2*
Nas
2/5
I'm not a good judge of hip hop/rap. I know this is one of the iconic albums, but maybe I just didn't get it. 2*
Baaba Maal
3/5
Idk how representative this is of Senegalese music, but sounded more Asian/south Asian than I expected. I appreciate when non-anglo albums are on here, so it hurts to give this a low score, but it just didn't click with me. Some fun moments. 3*
R.E.M.
3/5
Nice album, you can hear the elements that would make REM great, but not as good as later albums. 3*
Pixies
2/5
This was not a bossanova album
Joking aside, kind of what I expect from the pixies. Don't super enjoy this sound or this album of theirs, 2*
Happy Mondays
2/5
This sounded average and mediocre and not worthy of this list.
David Bowie
2/5
Piano in lady grinning soul was cool, but in general did not really enjoy this Bowie album. Still feels like someone I'm supposed to like, but I just like a handful of his songs.
Calexico
5/5
This is a vibe, and a fun discovery.
Western vibes, indie, very enjoyable and entirely new to me (both the band and album). What a solid addition, very atmospheric. Feels like the best album you've never heard of. 5*
Highlights: pepita, the book and the canal (lovely instrumentals), across the wire (the mariachi influence)
Sonic Youth
2/5
Ugh, people talking in songs, tunic got on my nerves.
The guitar stuff made me migraine worse.
Mildred Pierce was trash.
2*
Highlights: kool thing
The Cardigans
2/5
It's giving 70s pop, but also 90s pop rock.
Lovefool is from them? I always thought it was Gwen Stefani singing.
Kinda meh. 2*
Highlights: lovefool
Mike Ladd
1/5
A shitty hip hop album. 1*
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Not at all what I expected based on my exposure so far to brazilian music.
The string instrumentals in um gosto de sol reminded me of the Beatles/George Martin. A good vibes listen, 4*
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
A lot sounded whiny, kind of the same. Doesn't reach the excitement and variety of other singer-songwriters. Michael Buble but make it more broadway. 2*
Peter Frampton
2/5
I'm always sus of live albums, they are rarely worth it over the studio versions of the same songs.
Update: he puts on a good show, but does this live album in particular deserve to be here? Prob not, nothing blew my mind. 2*
Did not know baby I love your way was from this guy.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
wow there's a lot of nick cave on here. I still don't enjoy this, but it's not bad.
I see a lot of leonard cohen comparisons -- at least this guy tries to sing in pitch; I can't stand most of cohen's stuff. 2*
Tori Amos
2/5
I'm not huge on singer-songwriters. She has a nice voice and these songs felt varied enough to be interesting, but also kind of vanilla at the same time. I got bored. Annoyed at me and a gun.
Don't need to listen to this again. 2*
Don McLean
4/5
American Pie is a classic, I always thought it was such a neat song to encapsulate so much of the 60s.
It's singer-songwriter week for me apparently. I do like his voice though, and it works well with the minimal instrumentation. Really enjoyable, but not sure any other track tops american pie. 4*
Highlights: american pie, babylon (I'm a sucker for a good canon)
Sepultura
2/5
sepultura is a pretty badass name for a metal band. that said, hardcore metal is not really my genre. it's fine from a musical perspective, better than a lot of metal on here, but not for me, 2*
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
There's a lot of 90s electronic here, but the chemical brothers are more my style. I like fatboy slim, and this is in a similar vein. More repetitive than fatboy slim, though, and doing this album sober feels like I'm missing something. 3*
Highlights: block rockin beats, where do i begin (a nice break)
The Dictators
2/5
Sounds kinda punk, but wouldn't have described it as such without knowing. It's an ok rock/proto-punk album, nothing stands out. 2*
TV On The Radio
3/5
This is fine alt rock, I'm not sure it's TVotR's best. 3*
The Undertones
4/5
Never heard of these guys, sound kind of punk. Right away I dig their energy. Varied tracks. 4*
Highlights: family entertainment
Fairport Convention
3/5
I was inclined to dislike yet another folk 60s album. But this was nice to listen to, didn't feel like everything else. 3*
Black Flag
2/5
Hardcore punk is not for me, but I recognize what this album means for the time. 2*
Supergrass
3/5
Enjoyable, kind of reminds me of Neon Trees. 3*
Spiritualized
3/5
Spacey, not bad, good work music. 3*
Highlights: shine a light
The The
3/5
I wasn't super into this in the opening track, but this is the day and giant were a vibe.
Hole
3/5
An alright alternative album, sounded kind of generic for the 90s.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
The flaming lips: I can barely tolerate this attempt at singing. Good and varied instrumentals.
I should never feel imposter syndrome about my singing skills is the bottom line. 2*
OutKast
4/5
Didn't know most of these songs going in. Had no idea this album was a double of solo albums.
I've never listened to Big Boi's side, and it's catchy as hell. 5*
Andre 3000's side was less good, but had a couple of bangers. Self-indulgent like many have said. Opposite of what I expected to like more going into this album. 3*
I will never understand rap/hiphop interludes, -0.5*
A rare case where I didn't mind this being 2hr+ long. 4* (rounded up from 3.5)
Highlights: hey ya, roses, church, ghettomusick
Kanye West
3/5
So many mixed feelings about Kanye. He has so much catchy stuff, but he's such a POS. This album has some catchy elements but also feels very self-indulgent. 3*
Violent Femmes
3/5
I went to high school with their current sax player! (there's nowhere else I can brag about this)
It was ok, some nice tracks. Veers into the "talking instead of singing" I don't enjoy. 3*
Highlights: blister in the sun (classic), prove my love (60s vibes)
Lowlights: gimme the car (jesus wtf) (this song alone made me debate giving it 2/5)
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
I read other reviews and listened to this version, which seems to be the correct one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1zzVqrCEeU&list=RDO1zzVqrCEeU
The version on Apple Music/Spotify starts sounding more like 2000s-mall-spa album, so I figured that was the 2012 "remastered" trash everyone refers to.
The original is wonderful, pastoral, peaceful, transports you. 5*
It's unfortunate you can't easily stream the original.
This put me on a kick of raga music, fantastic.
Highlights: ahir bhairav, nat bhairav
Orange Juice
1/5
80s junk, why is this on here?
Rod Stewart
2/5
I always chalked Rod Stewart off as a piano crooner, I don't know why. He's definitely more rock than jazz though. Old school rock vibes from "that's all right," sounded a little like Paul McCartney.
Not really my kind of album, but better than expected. 2*.
U2
4/5
U2 goes pretty hard. I disregard the iTunes fiasco hate. This one has a few bangers and excellent drums. 4*
Highlights: Sunday Bloody Sunday (what an album opener), New Year’s Day (that hook!)
Carole King
3/5
Look at that cute cat on the cover!
Maybe I just don't get it. She's talented and has a nice voice, but I didn't really get into this album. It's fine. 3*
Roxy Music
2/5
This site needs a NSFW filter, I listen to my daily album at work!
Did people buy this because of the cover? Synthy pop, some Elvis, some ren-faire. Was ok. 2*
Kate Bush
1/5
This is not the Kate Bush of running up that hill. This is some theatrical 80s bit, and I'm not into it at all. 1*
Hole
2/5
The way I didn't know Courtney Love was in a band until Hole albums started showing up on here...
Very 90s grunge rock. It's ok, not my thing 2*
Butthole Surfers
1/5
What a name for a band and album. Trash album though.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
I only ever knew Fuck You/Forget You from this guy.
This had some nice beats but overall felt mediocre and not that interesting. Def not worthy of this list. 2*
Vocals in scrap metal really irked me.
Can
2/5
Only 4 tracks? Interesting rhythms, doesn't sound like it's from the 70s. Could have done without the vocals, 2*
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
Rhythms were great, vocals were whatever. Can't with this "rap". It got worse and worse as it went along. 1*
New Order
2/5
Vocals were mid. Mediocre 80s album. 2*
Highlights: elegia
Kelela
2/5
Meh. Nice voice, polished production, but kind of bland. 2*
David Gray
3/5
Oh yes, that sad rom com sound, predecessor of people like James Blunt and other early 00s male singer-songwriters. 3*
Highlights: babylon (I actually love this song)
Ride
3/5
Drone-y alternative music. Like Oasis but with less variety. It was ok, but not worthy of this list. 3*
Van Morrison
3/5
Another live album? Ughhh
This is fine dad rock, don't know what else to say about it. It has brass, that's kinda cool.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
This is how I learn Buffalo Springfield is not some guy. How many permutations of Cosby/Stills/Nash/Young are there?!
This was fine.
Highlights: bluebird (clean harmonies)
Anita Baker
2/5
This is the kind of music that would play at the grocery store when I was a kid to please the suburban moms. This is fine adult contemporary but I find it boring af.
Highlights: sweet love
Os Mutantes
2/5
Weird af 60s psychedelia. Cool that Brazil took part of that party as well.
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
I've had a bunch of duds in a row and I get so excited when I see something non-anglo on here.
This was such a fun vibe and the instrumentation was really fun (o filosofo),
5*
Highlights: ponta de lanca africano, o filosofo, meu filhos meu tesoro, taj mahal (childhood flashbacks)
Killing Joke
2/5
YAB(P)A
Yet Another British (Punk) Album
Please show me something interesting!
...
Update: meh, did not care for this. All the songs sounded super repetititve. 2*
Mekons
2/5
On paper this sounded interesting: punk but bring in country/bluegrass instrumentation? Sure!
In execution you get crappy singing, electronic-recoding-sounding instrumentals, all over the place. The more dissonant Beatles tracks put through a meat grinder.
The Triffids
2/5
This will ruin the algorithm. Not listening to disc 2's demos, that's for sure.
80s synth rock crap
Jerdacuttup man had a catchy chorus
Minor Threat
3/5
Not really my thing, but one of the more enjoyable hardcore punk albums I've encountered here. 3*
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Songs for the deaf is probably a better album, but I've never heard their debut, so I'm excited.
Off the bat, already love their energy, but they get more polished in later albums. Last few tracks felt too experimental for me and made my ears physically uncomfortable. 4*
Highlights: walking on the sidewalks
The Slits
1/5
YAB(P)A!!!
Yet Another British Punk Album
Maybe THIS one is special!
NOPE, more garbage. 1*
The Roots
4/5
This flowed nicely (can't remember the last time an album felt so seamless), good beats.
I could really vibe with this, 4*
Water was too weird. End of album was some weird electronica.
George Harrison
4/5
I already know and like some of these songs, but I'm surprised to find how long this is. I think this will work to its detriment. I listened to the 50th anniversary release which is hopefully a little tighter. Lots of nice songs, but could have been trimmed down.
Highlights: my sweet lord, all things must pass, isn't it a pity (v1), what is life
2Pac
2/5
This was fine. I'm not a hip hop connoisseur, but this didn't blow my mind.
Underworld
4/5
There's a lot of british electronica on here, it can't all be special. I vibed with this more than I expected event though it's repetitive AF.
Highlights: banstyle/sappys curry
Van Halen
4/5
Van Halen is always such a pleasant surprise. I want to dismiss them as dad rock, but every album I've gotten of theirs has been a banger. Where most albums just ramble and have lots of filler, this one keeps it tight. 4*
Jump is such a fun start.
I always thought panama was "cannonball."
Hot for teacher has excellent instrumentals.
Highlights: jump, panama, hot for teacher
2/5
My algorithm keeps trying to get me to listen to PJ Harvey, maybe because Thom Yorke is in this.
Meh, not for me at all. She's fine, but I'm bored. 2*
Highlights: the mess we're in
The Cure
3/5
An ok cure album - A forest came on my algorithm last week and I loved the intro. Got kinda meh with the singing. Repetitive musically in the last couple tracks. 3*
Highlights: a forest
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
I always thought MBV was an emo band before hearing a single song of theirs.
This is a lot of droney guitar distortion. I'm in a small music club in Portland.
Anyway, it's fine, not for me, not sure why it's here. 2*
Ministry
2/5
Was expecting to hate this, not as bad as I thought. The mockery went over my head. 2*
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
"Latin jazz" feels like an odd classification from apple music. I enjoyed this, different from most stuff on this list.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
With such a non-serious title, I was ready to dismiss this. Some catchy tunes. The coconut song was too much.
Highlights: gotta get up
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Not everything Elvis Costello needs to be here. 2*
This is fine, boring, bland.
Adele
4/5
Killer voice. This is my second album of hers, and it again feels like the age she claims to be on the album name is just a made-up number. The topic and musicality always seem like they should be coming from someone 10-20 years older.
Having heard these only on the radio, the production on the album itself really comes across (credit to Apple lossless).
Really enjoyed it, 4*
Highlights: hello, send my love