1001 Albums Summary

Fantastic jazz album. The sax, keys, and guitar solos stood out to me especially. Rhythm section doesn’t miss. Messy Bessie was my favorite.

Adele is a vocal legend, and the writing is great, but it’s not something I’d find myself wanting to listen to.

Powerful, important album. Speaks to power and calls to fight against black oppression in an in-your-face but inspiring way; it’s now obvious why Public Enemy were so influential to many of today’s artists. Musically, lyrically, creatively, and philosophically, this album is a 10/10.

It’s the Beatles. Enough said. Love the experimentation and genre blending throughout the album.

Quintessential 2000s indie rock: Mr Brightside is iconic.

This was the first album I fully did not like listening to. Bland and uninspired rock sound, terrible vocals, and annoyingly repetitive melodies. Walmart Weezer.

Solid album, but not exceptional. Most songs sound the same, but still enjoyable to listen to.

This is a masterpiece. First time listening to Bob Dylan. I love the poetic, story-rich writing and unique vocal style on this album.

Loved it.

Super well produced live recording and insane musical talent from all members, but not that enjoyable to listen to as an album imo.

It’s so 90s, so angsty, but so artistically inspired at moments that I can’t shrug it off as just another bland 90s rock album. Checked out the acoustic version and liked it even better.

I don’t hate it, I don’t like it either. The instrumentals are pleasant but the writing sounds like someone who has never struggled for anything in their life trying to sound deep and profound when really they’re really just describing problems only upper-middle class white people in the 80s had the time or money to think about.

RIP Keith Moon, he especially carried this album.

I can only describe this album as “weed-inspired elevator music” but I mean it in the best way. Each song has its own unique style yet the album as a whole has a consistent vibe and it made for an enjoyable listen. It definitely deserves to be on this list.

Certainly a unique sound. Hits at some times (Jump, Breakout, Wonderful Place) but not at others. Wish the hidden tracks were actually separate hidden tracks at the end of the album instead of tacked onto existing songs.

Aged incredibly well, this is sampling realized to its full potential.

Ended up listening to it 3 times in the background at work and it helped me focus more than any other music has. The rhythm section absolutely kills it.

Impressive production.

Creative but kinda irritating.

Wanted to give it a 4 but the way the panning was too nauseating and did not translate well to headphones unfortunately. The couple mono versions are great, so it’s a shame they didn’t provide the whole album in mono.

A beautiful, poetic depiction of reckoning with death, regrets, and uncertainty of what comes after that’s inevitable at the end of a long life. Few albums so far in this list have moved me the way this one did.

Never would’ve expected to like this, but this album is incredible.

Certainly experimental. Excellent drumming and style. I always appreciate artists pushing the boundaries of genre and innovating their sound, and they definitely CAN.

Love their style and variety of sounds and genres on this album, all executed perfectly.

Not as bad as I expected given the “Noise Rock” label and the other reviews. I appreciate hearing something unique in the sea of bland rock albums on this list.

Cozy ass album

Brilliant

One of those albums that sounds simple now, but probably inspired lots of music that we now consider common/normal.

A good kind of country.

This is definitely the album that I listened to today.

First half 4.5, second half 3.5, evens out

Was skeptical at first because so far I’ve not been a fan of 90s hip hop, but by the end I was liking it.

Napalm Death is a good name because listening to this feels like a fiery, painful, agonizingly long death.

Boring

The edgy, screamy parts don’t hit for me but there are some amazing musical elements under the surface.

A perfect album.

Nothing significantly interesting about this album. Huge respect to Rick Allen tho.

Pretty neat; the nasally lead voice is the only unpleasant part of the album.

Album

There’s nothing wrong with it, I just hated listening. Also the drummer screws up the fill at 2:55 on I Will Not Be Denied.

As a white person I naturally like ZZ Top, but outside of the hits this one sucks.

Finally some good fucking bass

OH BROTHER, THIS GUY STINKS!

Really good, instruments are very folksy and make me feel like a 1600s peasant picking grain

The yapmeister

Interesting but really annoying

This one was really interesting, the kind of album I hoped to find on this list.

Aged incredibly well

Too British

So cool, title track was ambitious but a great listening experience

Flawless.

So beautiful and inspired, the flugelhorn/alto sax combo is so good

Beats to rob a bank to

Was gonna rate this a 2 until I got to Toonerville Trolley which ruined my day. Also borderline rapey lyrics throughout. Big fat 1.

Torture. Can anyone please make this guy stop groaning at me

God I love black sabbath

old man tries to reclaim youthful energy and fails

Isn’t Steve lovely, isn’t Steve Wonder-ful?

Zzzzzzz a couple neat songs but mostly boring

A very inconsistent album, but really enjoyable and unique.

cool musically but not for me, though I do love a good meat loaf

KEEP ON CHOOGLAYNNN

beautiful

Elastica pencil in my ears

What an undeniably unique record. Experimental, psychedelic, ambitious… both the writing and the instrumentation have a ton of depth and beauty despite the oddity. Definitely not an album for casual listening, but with an active ear it’s much easier to appreciate and feel the intention behind the music.

The OG ambient artist.

By far the worst production of any album so far

British

We have Megadeth at home:

Just fantastic, will be listening multiple times

I have no idea why I enjoyed this. But I did.

4.5. Yellow is iconic, but I thoroughly enjoyed every other track, sometimes more.

love me some DnB

Sinatra is obviously great but the band is very on point on this album too, just an all around enjoyable listen.

Not only did it make my ears bleed for most of it, it was also kinda rapey. Bumped up to 2 because the last 3 tracks had good arrangements.

hell yea techno

hell yea music

Haunting, beautiful, poetic. The spoken word throughout was surprisingly fitting (most albums don’t do it well) as it added a lot to the looming tension and dark themes, in addition to a wide dynamic range. I love to see such quiet, minimalist instrumental sections in a rock album. Good Morning, Captain was a great finale.

I just can’t buy into whatever this is selling.

We have Coldplay at home:

pretty good but producer gotta chill with the pan dial holy shit

reviews led me to believe I was about to experience torture but this one was actually pretty neat👍

Editing this over a year later to demote to 3. Upon revisiting it's still pretty good, but almost too minimal and boring to be equated to other electronic/ambient albums I've given a 4. Again, nothing wrong with it, but just doesn't wow me equivalently.

fantastic, tasteful culmination of Latin, jazz, and rock

I really wanted to like this :(

RIP Neil Peart

Experimental albums like this are a breath of fresh air in this sea of bland britpop, but I don’t see myself listening to this more than once

Singles are great but album as a whole is tiresome to listen straight through. Another reviewer nailed it when they said “songs feel long to listen to even if they’re not”

Neat, never heard anything likes this

Edit: originally rated this a 4, but Spotify just came out with lossless and on second listen this is absolutely a perfect album.

Band rocks, vocals suck

I get it, the noise and chaos is the point, but it’s just not good.

Really enjoyed this one

this is my SHIT

I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, down, down, down I'm goin' down, hey a-boppa de down, down

Comparing this to her latest albums (TPD, Midnights), this is some of her best pop. However despite the catchy choruses and melodies, it lacks depth and originality.

I like guitar solos… but not this much.

Surprisingly wholesome and upbeat hip-hop

Nahhhh

Hot Poop would have made a great title track. We get it dude, you hate hippies.

Was a 4 until ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’… unbearably stupid

Phenomenal writing and pleasant listening. Lyrics are still so real and important 36 years later.

We have the Beatles at home:

mehhhh not for me

hell yea

RIP

Nice vibe, holds up well for 2010

I feel the urge to purchase an F150

Adding Ginger Baker and Tony Allen to my list of drummers to idolize

2006 hiphop had better to offer than this

+4 for band/arrangement. -4 for vocals.

A perfect blues album.

All hits.

Decent but please stop spamming vocal growl over every line…

Pretty good blues

I get why people are turned off by this, but her vocal style is genuinely novel and her range is so impressive that I found this album to be quite good. Also transphobes can kindly stfu :)

Cover art goes so hard

Phenomenal.

The GOAT. It’s incredible how these sounds and textures were produced in the 80s.

VIBES

Fantastic.

Fun, but not something I’d ever choose to listen to again

This album speaks for itself. I loved the creative audio effects in The Prophet’s Song, like Freddie with a delay effect singing in a way that he harmonized with himself multiple times over, and the section shortly after using panning to create a push-and-pull effect between the left and right acapella “groups”. Freddie Mercury is the GOAT.

I’m compelled to give this a 4. Why? No idea, I’m just as confused as you are. Wait, who are you?

I didn’t like any of this.

I know by many standards this would be boring/nothing special, but there’s something about this that just hits different.

I think I need a few more listens to fully understand and appreciate this one, but it’s exactly the kind of album I wanted to find on this list. Unique, beautiful, a little eccentric and poetic, but regardless very well done.

Great old country. Pedal steel carried

I wish the production/mixing was a little better, but despite that, this is yet another certified banger from Black Sabbath.

This cover art kicks ass

RHCP are at their best when sticking to their psychedelic rock style, and at their worst when venturing into funk, rap, or punk. But still, I can appreciate they tried to innovate, and when it hits, it hits. (Scar Tissue, Otherside, Porcelain, Savior, Road Trippin’)

Crazy good for a debut album

I can understand what draws people to Elvis Costello, I just really really wish he never picked up the microphone.

This one really wowed me. The tone, the writing, the technicality, just a masterpiece of a prog album.

Funky af

I can totally understand people's gripes with this, but even the somewhat generic, lowkey dance beats had me nodding my head and tapping my feet more than Elvis Costello ever did.

Nothing special really. War Pigs cover just made me want to listen to Black Sabbath instead.

Flawless album, 10/10. All these 1 and 2 star reviews either don’t like hip-hop, or just hate black women. I’d wager it’s more the latter. I haven’t found one valid criticism of this album that isn’t just grasping at straws to say anything bad about it. Aside from that, this is really one of the most genuine, heartfelt, inspired albums out there, with phenomenal production, writing, and melodies.

Awful taste, but great execution.

ehhhhhhh

Loved this.

Really reminds me of Tapestry - Carole King, released the same year.

Super pleasant. Honestly a little boring and sheltered compared to their later albums, but I think that makes me appreciate their later innovation that much more.

Flute rock goes hard. I could do without the pedo themes tho

This is where Hendrix clicked for me. It stands apart from so many of the rock albums on this list in production, musicality, and technicality. Badass.

It’s fine. Doesn’t stand out to me much.

Loved this. Energetic, creative beats.

More listenable than most of the punk albums on here, but I still can’t stomach more than a 3.

I wish this actually was a finished concept album as they say, however it’s half a concept album and then a bunch of filler in the second half. Tracks like Overs and Old Friends really had me excited with fantastic production and instrumentation, but then the rest was way too poppy and bland. Good thing we still got Bridge Over Trouble Water out of them after this, but this one could have been a little more consistent with the “concept”.

Wow. As someone who admittedly gave 4s to Nirvana, this gets a 5. RIP Staley and Starr, both phenomenal on this album. Loved it.

Bingus

If I could go back in time, I would make it illegal for these producers to turn the pan dial more than like 30%. Please for the love of god save my right ear from engine noises for 2 minutes while the actual music plays in my left. Anyways, this was still a fun album.

Did not expect to like this as much as I did. Plenty of lyricism, unique instrumentation, groovy beats, and pleasant vocals.

This is incredible. Obviously I knew Shout and EWTRTW prior to listening, but I was unfamiliar with how well crafted this album was as a piece of synthpop gold. For all the albums I’ve resigned to “not for me”, this album is absolutely 100% “for me.” On one hand it really encapsulates the 80s pop sound and has arguably been overplayed, but at the same time it didn’t sacrifice innovation or artistry for those hits. Thank you Big Chair for your contributions to this experience.

Dylan has just never clicked for me. This felt like spoken poetry (admittedly beautiful and masterful) slapped into a basic blues/folk background that doesn’t change at all through the entire song. Which might be the whole point, but that’s not what interests me about music.

If you asked me if I thought this album was good or bad, I’d say “Either Or.” It’s just a basic soft rock album, not my thing.

Fantastic rock album with a lot of “personality” as another reviewer said. Will be bumping this in my 98 Wrangler with the top down this summer.

I wish I could pretend I didn’t like this, but they cooked up a good ass pop album that definitely changed mainstream music going into the 2000s. Credit where credit is due.

Very skillful jazz, their musical communication and ability to branch out into their own improvisation while not losing the other members is incredible.

First one I was able to listen on vinyl, and I’m so glad I did. Beautiful solos over superb rhythm section.

Charming, pleasant indie rock.

I didn’t mind this one too much, but I’m definitely with most of the other reviewers in that this was not deserving of the list. It’s most notable stat on Wikipedia is making #57 top UK albums once??? Come on…

Nope. I didn’t need to hear this before I die.

While I prefer Davis’ later, more experimental stuff, this one really holds up among the typical jazz big band(?) swing from the 50s. In particular, the solos and arrangements are supremely done. Every band note is a different unique chord with its own flavor and tone. I would’ve liked to hear the band overall a bit tighter, but perhaps Davis wanted a looser feel on this one. Jazz is what you make it and I appreciate this one nonetheless.

Pretty good, better than some of his other stuff on the list.

While I am generally trying to separate art from artist in my album listening journey, everything about this guy from the album title to the name change screams huge ego and attention seeker. That even comes across in the overly performative music, which is decent at best, much less than “the most important album since Sgt Pepper” as Terence (Sananda?) had put it. The college dropout and army deserter has since blamed media execs for his failure of a career. Boasting your way to top of the charts puts a sour taste in my mouth and I think he deserves way less credit than he gave himself, which is evident given his work has never become relevant since. Now truly separating the artist, the album itself is fine. Dated, unimpressive, self-indulgent, but boring mostly. And who the hell wants to listen to a cover of a nursery rhyme?

Good soul/funk album.

Lots of nice details that elevate this from just a generic pop-rock album to more of a grandiose experience. I definitely had a different notion of what Elton John’s music was, and this one pleasantly surprised me.

This truly might be the album least deserving of its success. Utterly devoid of emotion, inspiration, and innovation. I know they’re capable of better (Achtung Baby, Joshua Tree), but this one was so sterile and boring. Coworker music at best.

Catchy, repetitive guitar riffs, excellent drumming, subtle but great bass lines. The vocals weren’t immediately appealing to me but grew on me over the course of the album. This is a neat one, which is surprising coming from someone who has consistently given low ratings to punk-adjacent albums.

Good indie rock, doesn’t really date itself to 2010s much as a first-time listener. A bit boring at times but overall a consistent and well made album.

I like these covers more than Dylan’s originals.

Very eccentric, experimental indie pop/rock. The vocals were a low point for me, but there were a few moments throughout that piqued my interest. Holes is a great song. But mostly I was just noticing how the background instruments/orchestra was 90% composed of default keyboard sounds with little to no production added, which is a bummer. Better production and vocals would’ve bumped this up to a 4 for me, but alas.

This is a hard one to rate, and honestly challenged what I would consider “music” to mean. What I liked: the minimalist but driving synths, ambient production, unique sound. What I didn’t(?) like: the moaning, screaming, meandering vocals. BUT, those same vocals took these songs from dark but simple synth tracks to something genuinely uncomfortable(Girl) or disturbing(Frankie Teardrop). So hear me out: if you value music for its emotional effect, then these should be equally as valid as songs that make you sad or angry or happy. Like movies. Obviously being scared is unpleasant, but horror movies are widely enjoyed because of their intense emotional reaction. I don’t see why music can’t be the same. With that said, there are certainly other albums on the list that similarly attempt to evoke uncomfortable responses from the listener but not in a way that is interesting or skillful. This, I argue does it very well and so as weird as it feels, I’m giving it a 4.

Blues rock. Some good instrumental moments, but overall a little forgettable. Riders on the Storm is great, but it’s unfortunately the outlier from the rest of the album.

I think Songs in the Key of Life was just sliiightly better, but I really have nothing critical to say about this one. Phenomenal.

There’s so much more to say about this one than I have time to write out. But what stood out most was the production. Many many albums so far have been ruined by poor/abrasive vocals, but I loved that the production turned her down a bit at times to exist within the context of the band as whole, like just another instrument and it made her vocals so much more enjoyable and enhanced the effect of the album as a whole. With that said, it is best enjoyed turned up loud and enveloped in the atmosphere of it all. Also drummer understood the assignment.

Boring as hell.

This one was really fun. A little dated but in a way that holds up better than other albums of similar style at the time.

Do you like sounds? I do. There’s a lot of them for you here. Honestly though, this is beyond genre or classification. Funky, dense, innovative. Well deserving of more listens to truly appreciate it, but it was a very unique but enjoyable listening experience.

It’s fine. Classic, bland 70s rock n’ roll rock. Petty’s voice is almost unbearable at times. Plenty of albums that should be included instead of this one.

Nice psychedelic folk album. A couple enchanting tracks but the rest are a bit dull.

Really great indie rock. I do wish the production was a little better. 4

Instrumentals are pretty decent, but the vocals just sound so so stupid. I was exhausted of it by track 2.

BOSSA NOVA BAYBEE!!!!! It’s neat that this was the first albums to bring bossa nova into the mainstream in the US.

She’s very talented, but I blame her for the popularization of the “singing in cursive” accent that plagues modern indie music. RIP tho

Short n sweet rock n roll good n fun.

This album expands well beyond its hard rock/alt rock classification. Very layered, immersive production and creative instrumentation made this a fun listen.

Truly awful at parts. Smells like old beer cans and onion breath. The only album out of 400 so far that I have skipped and had to return to much later to finish.

This one is fantastic. So vibey and well crafted.

Increeeedible solos on this one. Shoutout to sax on Diminuendo in Blue for the 27-chorus long solo. Also really impressed at the production quality for it being a 50s album, that trumpet felt like it was in my brain.

Easy listening country folk. Nothing spectacular, but very pleasant and relaxing.

Upbeat alt rock. I love that the vocals don’t try to do too much, but at the same time the album is a little forgettable.

I am sorry George Michael, but you cannot have my sex.

Upbeat post punk with a darker twist at times. It’s well made, not necessarily boring, but I didn’t really love anything on it either.

Lukewarm singer-songwriter with a couple neat instrumental additions.

Blistering hardcore punk rock. Absolute hurricane of an album. While not my thing, I do appreciate this one being really well done and short (more than 22 min of that is exhausting).

Pretty decent punk/grunge. Upbeat but not overwhelming, well written and produced. Probably won’t come back to it again, but I didn’t hate it.

Slaps through and through. Excellent blues rock/garage rock that surprised me having only known Seven Nation Army.

Creative psychedelic pop/rock. Very comparable to the Beatles. Great production, writing, and arrangements. At 0:49 on the remastered version of Phenomenal cat the background vocals are weirdly cut off, sounds like an error more than something intentional, so it’s interesting they kept that in the remaster.

T’anser thare kwestin, noe. Thay ded nought slaye. Cumbyning Beetles stile rok whith diforsed dadd rok shuld wurk inn therey, butt didint toetully pann out heer, mostlee doo tue the predukshin lackeeng awn moste traks.

What is David Schwimmer doing with a big iron on his hip? (big iron on his hiiiiip)

1979: the year the Specials cured racism. Someone should’ve told the mustache man “it doesn’t make it alright.” Jokes aside, this one grew on me. Reggae rock that’s a bit goofy at times, but musically very interesting and groovy.

Can’t really give this anything but a 1 after reading how Don Van Vliet physically and emotionally abused his band during production. Otherwise, lots of talent on display here.

Not the worst britpop on the list, but still is another britpop album on the list.

Very good moody alt rock, but dragged a bit long at times. May revisit in the future.

Not really my jam, but probably deserves another listen someday.

Killer drum n' bass mixed with Indian influences makes this an excellent, atmospheric, and immersive listening experience. Super underrated.

Hate to admit it but I'm a sucker for yacht rock, especially when there's a bunch of cheesy synth solos.

Hard to describe, but I felt more annoyed than anything by the end of it.

I really liked this. Super easy listening, but a lot of depth and character, and a very timeless sound.

It’s aight. Mixing pretty bad at points.

An oxymoron - boring punk rock.

Really liked how original and inspired this one was. Probably deserves a few more listens to truly appreciate it, but this one certainly stands apart from most other albums I’ve heard so far.

Neat mix of genres here, but overall a country/folk/rock album.

Lots of impressive things here, but I think I’m just not the French-guy-groaning-in-your-ear-over-garbage-disposal-sounds type of guy unfortunately.

A flawless pop album by just about any metric. No notes. Speed Demon absolutely rips.

Pleasant vocals, good writing, dark tones, but ultimately not something I can relate to or vibe with. Pinnacle of divorced wine mom music, but I can appreciate how well done it is.

Cool mix of genres/styles that has been termed as “Tropicalia.” This could have been a high rating, except a few things are knocking it down for me. For one, it was recorded on a half-eaten potato, not even a good, healthy potato. Secondly, the musical phrasing was at times confusing and uncomfortable. Thirdondly, the off pitch talk-singing is cringeworthy.

This is a banger. 4

Great vocals, but otherwise a little bit bland/uninteresting for a soul album.

Aggressively mediocre and generic. Will never be listening to this again.

Dark, subdued boom-bap hip-hop following the Wu-Tang Clan era. Great flows, great beats, great writing. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and it’s pretty timeless.

Nothing to be said here that hasn’t already been said, but fantastic album.

Lotta good stuff in here, very poignant bars that still are topical here in the big 2025. Misogyny is not as bad as these reviews claim and writing and flow are great.

Boooooring country album, I love real country but I don’t see why this was on the list.

What’s so funny, Ben Stiller?

Surprisingly really liked this dark, grungy, but symphonic album. Excellent instrumentals and while the vocals certainly have that grungy edge to them, for me it wasn’t unbearable or unpleasant.

Finally some bona fide punk rock. Listening here in June 2025, tracks like Kill the Poor and Let’s Lynch the Landlord resonate more than I’d like as we are still dealing with unprecedented wealth inequality, state-sponsored genocide, and literal secret police by the name of ICE in the US. I’m thankful for bands like RATM and these guys using music as a vehicle for this message. And I gotta say outside of the political statements, this album absolutely whips and Biafra’s sarcastic and over the top performance is perfect. (also Jello Biafra is an incredible stage name) ((also also this cover art goes HARD))

As a drummer/percussionist of 15 years, I love me a good bongo groove. However, it does not need to be slapped on 17 arrangements covering various popular songs that sound like they were meant for a high school band to play at basketball games. Also congas are superior.

It’s decent, but nothing really stands apart from other britrock albums of the time.

Was dreading the 2hr length, but honestly this album is an absolute feat and includes a wide variety of styles, sounds, tempos, vocals, and instruments that hold up very well 22 years later. Incredibly ahead of its time. I can see how it probably inspired the likes of Doechii and Thundercat that we see as big names today. 5 for musicality, performance, and originality.

Really fun, reminiscent of beastie boys but more lowkey. Great beats and production.

Pleasant psychedelic folk/rock but a bit tame and lackluster.

Good live album, but ultimately started to blend together after a while.

Political rap in true Public Enemy fashion. Definitely deserves another listen at some point but really nothing bad to say about this one.

Groovy but don’t really understand its place on this list as it’s really nothing more than another divorced dad album.

Kickass Afro-Cuban jazz. Fantastic band and solos.

Hypnotic 90s dance/techno. Neat synth instrumentation and layered beats that flow seamlessly. Did it need two entire tracks entirely consisted of a phase shifted vocal loop though? Nah

Incredibly creative and unique album. Indescribable mix of genres, sounds, and effects that really holds up 30 years later. Would love to return to this in the future.

Not the first to say Young’s voice kinda sucks, but there’s plenty of great writing and instrumental talent on this album.

Unimpressive psychedelic/blues rock with pretty bad mixing most of the time. Sounds unfinished and unrehearsed, but there is some creativity to it.

Grandiose, brooding blues rock with classical and choral elements. I acknowledge the high quality of the arrangements and performances, but I just can’t tolerate Nick’s groaning voice.

This was a lovely guitar jam with beautiful instrumentation and percussion, incredible production and vocals, and unique atmospheric backdrops on each track. What a neat find!

Something about Cohen’s delivery makes the emotional effect of his lyrics 10x more potent. You Want It Darker was one of the first 5s I gave on this list and it’s neat to see one of his first albums feeling just as vividly as one of his last.

Infamously second lowest rated album on the list, but I don’t know if it’s deserving of that spot. The first half is obviously grating, chaotic, and abrasive, but the second half of industrial beats is actually really good and feels like a precursor to Aphex Twin. I’m sure in the “industrial” or “noise” genres there are certainly much much worse albums. I value novelty above most else when it comes to music, and honestly it’s impressive for an album to make me feel like I just got a root canal in an active construction site. Overall a 2.5 but bumping to 3 for giggles.

Very pleasant but not boring.

This was great. I love this 90s techno era, and Madonna’s voice and the eclectic instrumentation make this an extraordinary take on the genre.

Beautifully bleak. I’d like to return to this one again in the winter sad vibes

How can one be so British? Dexys Midnight Runners levels of Britainium need to be studied. Anyways, this was a decent 14 hours of horn music. Wait, the album was only 39 minutes? Huh…

Some creative elements but don’t see myself wanting to listen again.

Great rock n' roll album with lots of genre influences.

It's fine but really nothing special. Just an Elvis country album. Nice production for the 60s though.

Not his best, but still good. Beautiful writing, pleasant arrangements, but lackluster vocal delivery.

I consider this department store music, however George Michael is undeniably a very talented singer.

Very experimental and industrial, but not fully grating or abrasive either.

Good lord this is one of the best DnB/IDM album, second only to Aphex Twin. Most electronic albums suffer from a sameness between tracks, but every one here has a very unique flavor and style. Incredible production, instrumentation, and style.

Decent album, just not really for me I think. Reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen.

Jazz and blues takes on western and country classics. As good in theory as it is in execution. Loved it.

Nice electronic album, but I don’t see what made it deserve a spot on the list.

Didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Definitely ahead of its time and highly influential.

No thanks.

Holds up so well 25+ years later. Beats are incredible, great flows and vibe, and undoubtedly influential in hip-hop. Will be coming back to this for sure.

Diet Bob Dylan. It’s fine, but all sounds the same and includes the worst cover of Stand By Me. 3

Really cool folk rock album. Vocalist is incredible, and instrumentation was good, but the entire thing felt a little too disjointed and dysfunctional. 3

Mehhh

Mediocre singer songwriter snoozefest. 2

This is a fun one. New wave but with a lot of character and good production.

So so cool. Incredibly atmospheric and immersive. I especially love the slow burn of Shine a Light with the frenzied horns and noise fading in over the serene jazzy beat. Excellent album!

Nice lowkey reggae but otherwise nothing extraordinary.

While I wouldn’t say this is my jam, I would say this is a well-made, unique pop album and I’m glad I listened.

Queen doing what Queen does best. Can’t believe I haven’t heard most of these, but it’s just as good as I would expect. A little on the heavier side in a great way.

I loved the meta commentary on the album’s listening experience in “This Is Hell”. All my homies hate Elvis Costello.

Miiight be the greatest jazz album ever. I cannot rave about it enough so I will just keep this short. Perfect album.

A bit basic funky/R&B, but very tight and groovy. Fun listen, but probably won’t return.

Flawless. One of the greatest of all time. Beats, flows, writing, all incredible. Nothing more to be said.

Good jams. Not their best album imo but good nonetheless. 3

What really stands out to me here is Gil’s vocal delivery, whether musical or spoken-word. He really is a master at cadence and tone and it takes boring albeit pleasant track into something much more special. Also obviously he was spitting hard facts in h2ogate blues.

An unparalleled experience. It’s hard to put into words what makes this so special, but this album is a triumph of modern music. I can understand Corgan’s voice is not for everyone, but I think what he does here is incredibly impressive and intentional. Really looking forward to coming back to this one again.

Classics for a reason.

There’s a lot to like here. Drums and bass are always dialed in, lots of clever melodies and riffs, some fun technical playing. Punky but not trying too hard.

Fun jazzy album. 3

Best at their funkiest, worst at their slow jam-iest.

It was genuinely fine until the last track which felt like being psychologically tortured. Hell no.

Enchanting, experimental, and eloquent. Her voice is just that good that it sounds good over anything, but I love the jazzy and electronic instrumentals that really take some risks but give each track so much character. Not entirely a casual listening album, but never unpleasant either.

A couple good prog rock tracks that get washed out by excessively long jams that do nothing for anyone.

It’s alright. As always, don’t love Young’s voice, but there’s a lot of great guitar work and writing in there.

Phenomenal jazz fusion. Chameleon is such a staple and this is still the best version. Masterful improvisation from all members and the chemistry, especially in the rhythm section, is palpable.

Nice, laidback old country. Nothing outstanding, but very very pleasant and timeless.

Very much not for me. Dreary, long-winded, performative.

Goofy, over-the-top, 80s goth pop. Quite enjoyable if you don’t take it too seriously.

As a day 1 punk music hater, I am amazed to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this. Maybe it’s just a product of how early this came out, but I love the level of control they keep over their sound. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely let it rip into chaos, but it’s not constant throughout and there’s still a lot of great musicality on display. Additionally every track is short and sweet, in tandem the album as a whole. Albums like these are typically very fatiguing as they stretch an 11/10 energy level across 5 minute tracks and a 60 minute album, that by the end I’m exhausted and annoyed. Wire doesn’t overstay their welcome and it allows me to engage and appreciate this genre in a new way. Fantastic production btw.

Great R&B album. Gorgeous backup vocals and smooth instrumentals.

“Protopunk” seems apt. Kinda sounds like a bunch of coked up rockers accidentally stumbling into something that sort of sounded like music. Still sounds like it would’ve been a fun show, but I don’t think I’d ever come back.

I found this somewhat meandering and aimless. Vocal mixing was not good either. This list has far too much CSNY for my taste.

Yeah I’m not gonna pretend I enjoyed a single second of this, but I will say that’s a banger cover art.

This is what people pretend Bob Dylan was, but much better. Beautiful, witty writing paired with a sweet and modest voice. It’s 4.5 if I could give one.

Exceptional, experimental 80s rock with some phenomenal production. I very quickly knew this album stood above most of the rest and the rest of the album only confirmed that.

Not a lot of variation but their formula also works so well it’s hard to hate.

Not a single bad track. Cant believe I’ve never heard of them before, absolutely loved it.

Unremarkable 80s synthpop. I didn’t need to hear it before I die.

This is a good album. However, the jingle “concept” that you would think this album would be packed with is sort of shoe horned in between normal The Who songs. Neither the actual album or the concept tracks are bad ideas in themselves, but I really feel that the actual songs have absolutely nothing in common with the concept interludes. So I could take both, either the real album here sans the half-assed skits or a different album that more throughly executes on this “concept.” But not to say any of it is bad music either.

Maybe I’m just not intellectual enough, but the Dylan-heads always say “its not about his shitty voice or basic music it’s the poetry and imagery” yet the meandering resemblance of a story in songs like Desolation Row lacks any sort of consistency that allows me to draw out some deeper meaning. Sorry Bobby, I tried. I really did.

Pretty good, just wish soundtracks weren't included in this list as I think they're better experienced actually watching the movie.

What a cool project! Guthrie was a legend and I love seeing his work brought to life in a more modern way, while still preserving the spirit of his music. I like the Bragg tracks much more than the Wilco tracks, but it's all good nonetheless.

Good production and beats but otherwise kind of an unremarkable hip hop album.

Good jazz but didn’t really blow my socks off at any point.

Very cool find. Prog rock seems like a stretch, when this is really more an atmospheric jazz fusion album. I love the way it seems to completely melt apart at times yet never in a way that’s overwhelming or abrasive. For a 2 hr long album, it flew by while I was focused on work. I think I’ll be returning to this to help with flow state.

They just don’t write bars like this anymore. Loved the complex lyricism and flow, and the beats are all so timeless. I could do without the religious track at the end for a number of reasons though.

It's just not for me by any measure.

While disc 2 is a bit weaker, this is still undeniably one of the greatest records of all time. Engaging, impressive, and cinematic all the way through.

Wow, the first gentrified album! She’s a fine vocalist, but no album full of covers is one we must listen to before we die. Also I’m sure this was outdated even in 1964.

Pleasant, easy-going orchestral arrangements underneath a suave but dated voice. Production and mixing were very well done. I don’t really see its place in the list besides being quoted as an inspiration for Bowie and Radiohead. Probably won’t return to this, but didn’t hate it.

It’s definitely Sinatra. But it’s really only Sinatra. On his ninth album, I hoped he would have broadened his horizons, especially given how capable his voice is. But I suppose musical innovation was not really appreciated in the 50s and records gotta sell.

Bold, funky, Brazilian samba-jazz-disco fusion. So so so cool, she is a phenomenal vocalist and the rhythm section is impeccable.

Thoroughly enjoyed this weird, often goofy but well executed 60s psych rock album. Equal parts sincere and satirical, never taking itself too seriously. The music is consistently excellent and the deconstruction of typical musical tropes is refreshing and often funny. Really hard to believe they were doing this over 50 years ago. There's a lot of fun details/bits throughout and I could see myself coming back to this now and then.

A pleasant but unremarkable folk album.

Good RnB album, but nothing about it was a must-hear.

Love hip-hop but I did not vibe with this at all. Album is infinitely too long and outdated.

Really good album. Her voice is exceptional alone, but in combination with her expressive and skillful piano playing it’s really outstanding.

Sax punk rock. Vocals are hit-or-miss but better than most of the punk albums so far. Kinda indifferent on this one.

There’s more I could say than I wanna write but I hear so many inspirations for later artists from Nirvana to Radiohead to Leonard Cohen to Tame Impala. There’s some real genius and well executed moments that bleed through the deconstruction and looseness. It’s fascinating hearing his talent clashing with his mental state but both combining to create something different than either could alone. Also the fact that he’s playing every instrument in a sort of improvisational way with himself is really neat, and he’s actually good at all of them. Each track is refreshingly new and unique even if it is a take on an established genre. The writing is deceptively beautiful throughout. Production is very interesting and enhances the loose, sparse feel of the album as a whole. His vocals are wildly and impressively varied stylistically depending on the track, making use of his abilities to the fullest extent. Overall, I think this is a prime example of pushing the boundaries of music in an authentic way. It’s a shame he struggled with addiction and mental health so deeply, but it also led to an amazing work of art. I see why the producer released these demos instead of reproducing a more polished version. The scuffed nature is what makes it feel so raw and genuine.

Fantastic Latin/mambo dancing music. One of the best brass sections I’ve heard, percussion absolutely locked in, beautiful vocals and catchy melodies.

Liked this more than the Folsom prison album. Great music, great performance, and the crowd energy was infectious. Did we need two live prison Johnny cash albums here? Probably not.

Upbeat reggae with excellent production and arrangements. This album expresses Marcus Garvey's "return-to-Africa" movement/ideology in a compelling and authentic way. I'd like to learn more about Garvey and the Jamaican history.

Fun, groovy, atypical, pleasant. Feels like a direct predecessor of Magdalena Bay which I love.

I do like this, but it feels like it’s a little too quiet, too relaxed though the whole thing. I kept hoping they’d really turn it up a notch but that never happened.

Not bad, but I’d guess it’s not their best either. Just okay.

This is a 5 not because it can stand up with the all time greats, but because I loved every second of it. By far, one of my top favorite albums from this generator.

Band is great but Waits’ slurred, grumbled, phlegmy mess of a vocal style is not appealing to me in any form.

This was much better than other ratings give it credit for. Raw, experimental, eccentric trip hop. Great beats and flows that often sound ahead of their time. Neat find!

Great album, although everything I loved about it would be attributed to Kanye, not to Common. Will be returning though.

She’s the most iconic country artist of all time and has well earned that title. Beautiful writing, vocals, and arrangements on this one.

Really liked this one. Laid-back, psychedelic britpop with ethnic textures on half the tracks, upbeat electronic on the other. Really nice casual listening and some neat artistic choices that make it stand out from a lot of the other albums we get like this.

I probably should’ve enjoyed this more, but idk I was just annoyed mostly. Not for me

Have you ever gotten a soda where the carbonation was running out so it just tastes syrupy and way too sweet? That was the listening experience here. I’m afraid I lack the whimsy to enjoy this.

Easily one of the best albums of the 2010s. A masterclass in modern R&B. Always in my rotation. No skips. Channel Orange. Frank Ocean. 10/10.

Bass rules, otherwise there's really not much here to talk about. Definitely didn't deserve the spot on this list.

Alternative folk that is well executed but a little too fringey for my liking. I liked the very loose and delicate style and the writing was good, but this is something I would enjoy more as a one-off live performance than an album to listen to repeatedly. Might check out some of his other work eventually.

This is a very specific genre I don't often find myself listening to, but I admit it is excellent within that genre. Noise rock, as many of us have seen can be utterly trite without careful artistic vision, and this is no such case. Very musical, creative, and innovative.

Instrumental blues covers. Got me tappin my foot and nodding my head like hell. Originally a 4, but demoted to 3 once I realized everything was covers. This list should only have original albums and that’s a hill I will die on.

A very eccentric but charming experience. Can't say I'll come back but it was a fun listen.

Yeah I don't really get this one much. The string instrumentals are kinda nice I guess, but the whole thing feels very amateur and unpolished.

There’s a lot of cool stuff here, but the way it’s all put together makes it sort of indescribable. It’s alright.

Really great for a debut album, especially considering it’s basically a one-man-show. Funky blend of genres and I could see myself revisiting for sure.

This blew me away, what an awesome find. One of my favorites on the generator so far.

Music: 4/5 Production: 3/5 Vocals: 0/5 Writing: 1/5 So you’re telling me Neil Young has a sequel??? I’m out :(

This does a good job of keeping a consistent style without each track sounding the same. However, it definitely feels dated and whatever was intriguing about this then feels overdone and uninspired now.

Okay this guy did NOT need TWO albums on this list, let alone one. Yet AGAIN it’s pleasant but lackluster chamber pop with good production. There’s really nothing more to say and I especially hate feeling like I have to write the same exact review for an album that sounds exactly the same. Do better Dimery :(

Common has a good flow and decent writing, but this one aged quite poorly as many from this era have. Love the beats and production though, really vibey.

As always, writing is top-notch and poignant. Damn shame they lost their originals when producing this. I bet there would've been some more phenomenal stuff here, but instead they had to rush and stick to their usual script. I do like the funk/rock n' roll inspired beats, but wish the song structures were a little more varied.

Eccentric post-punk. Not really for me, but not bad either.

Very thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially for the jazzy takes on her folksy style. Her writing and melodies are top-notch as always. However, in comparison to Blue, there weren't too many "wow" moments and aside from her meandering, often surprising but always beautiful melody, I wished to see more stylistic risks taken. Will be returning.

Band is about as tight as you can possibly be, energy is good, but I still felt pretty "meh" about this. Alright is a good song but not stellar enough to make up for the "sameness" I felt through the album.

I really dislike his singing style. He's certainly pretty talented, and the arrangements are great, but his hit-the-beat-every-once-in-a-while cadence while overemphasizing certain words in a half shout/half groan just grinds my gears. I can't imagine any scenario in which I'd want to put this album on.

The mixing and production is what really stands out for me. The music itself is intriguing, but the listening experience is enthralling. I'm finding I really like a post-punk album if it's thoughtfully produced and not just slopped together like many of them are. Killing Joke clearly had a great vision of what they wanted this album to be and I think it was executed superbly.

This by all accounts should be one I favor, but I have to admit there's hardly any depth beyond the ambient, melancholy vibe. However I do know the influence this had on indie electronic music in the 2010s and I imagine lots of current popular music would not exist without it. I do appreciate that for a time when EDM was all the rage, this album refused to dial up the energy past 2 or 3 despite having the aesthetic qualities of a 2010s EDM/pop track. But ultimately, when paying attention to it, I was somewhat bored and disappointed. Being good background music isn't sufficient to make a great album.

Kitchen sink album. Not in the “it has everything” way, I mean the “hold on I can’t hear anything because the kitchen sink is blasting” way.

Lovely! Her voice floats so smoothly over the excellent samba backing, yet the album has a lot of stylistic variety. Really really enjoyed this one.

Funky, zany, dancey, it’s a fun album. Hard to say if I’d come back much but I definitely wouldn’t say it’s a bad album by any means.

Texture texture texture. This IDM album has some of the most unique textures I’ve heard in music. Extremely detailed and layered. Each track has its own character. As good of an Aphex Twin successor as you could hope for.

Pretty generic punk rock. Not for me.

Good ol iconic Beach Boys... but that's about it. Lyrics aged a little poorly and did not take the risks that would produce something like Pet Sounds.

Another one gone too soon. I think her voice above anyone else sounds so effortless and gentle. Beautiful writing, unique style, and iconic voice. Really really enjoyed this

I get the hype. By far one of the best rap albums ever.

Overly melancholy to the point where none of it feels poignant or substantially emotional, instead just a repetitive slog of self-deprecating and regretful monologues.

Difficult to describe, but would compare the experience to trying virtual reality after only ever consuming media on a CRT. Impressively expansive and novel sound throughout this album. I do think it gets a bit lost in the technicality such that I couldn't sing you a single melody from the song, but it's a wholeheartedly unique album and listening experience. Psychedelic, synthy, worldly.

Didn’t really find much to appreciate here. Indie rock with vocals that were trying too hard and not enough at the same time.

A surreal, modern, and inviting swirl of sounds, samples, and melodies. Expansive in its atmosphere yet precise in the details. Feels like walking through one of those illusion museums where around every corner is a new distortion of reality, not in a dreadful way but an intriguing, curiosity-piquing one. Hook, worm, and sinker.

Liked it. Synthy 80s britpop with admittedly annoying vocals typical of britpop, but the musicality makes up for it to be an interesting listen.

Pleasant but homogenous and boring 80s style synth pop. I bet this sounded dated even when it came out.

I don’t know if I enjoyed this. But it’s by far one of the most unique, novel albums here and I really appreciate that. More performance art than music, it pushes the boundaries further than necessary. But what would music be without experimentation or creativity? Even now, we need more of this unabashed, unrestrained expression of imagination like Kate Bush.

I liked it more than I want to admit. The energy is sweltering and unrelenting, in no small part due to the phenomenal drummer. Lots of industrial and harsh textures, but still weirdly musical. The lyrical content and vocal delivery is just as edgy and cringy as I expected, but I can appreciate it in a sort of "this is awful but fun" kind of way.

I LOVED this one. This guy was on the right side of history and is a great example of an artist using their platform for change. Not to mention the instrumental performances are FLAWLESS. Melodies are so catchy and addictive, background vocals add such a beautiful tone, rhythm section could not be tighter. Definitely one of my favorite reggae albums thus far.

“Challenging listen” indeed, Mr. Dimery. However, I can’t say it’s as non-sensical as most of the other noise rock albums I’ve heard. It’s clearly well thought out and metal-inspired and for that I did enjoy it to an extent. Happy to never listen again though.

Synthy poppy synth pop. Such a specific new wave vibe that feels outside of time. Vocals accentuate rather than subtract from the production. Will be coming back to this one for sure.

I really love this close-harmony country style that seems to have fallen by the wayside over time. As many others (and the title) points out this is much darker and heavier than lyrics typical of this style and I think it works well. However, the nasally high registers are quite fatiguing and a whole album of it is tough to get through.

Another one of those confusing picks because out of his whole discography, this is certainly not his best. Despite that, it's still a great country album. This sound is so similar to the type of country music I grew listening to in the early 2000s, and now I see how that sound was pioneered long before. His voice is smooth and effortless, the band is rock solid and adds a lot of flavor to each track.

Unique, lofi, surreal sound. Dry, muffled drums, warping guitars, glittering synths, melancholy but earnest vocals. Every track holds a distinct character, but there is still a consistent style across the album. Describing something like this succinctly is difficult, so I guess to put it succinctly, I like it!

As far as punk rock goes, these guys are the real deal. But also as far as punk rock goes, I just really don't enjoy it.

Loved every track. It does overstay its welcome a teeny bit too long, but the loops have a good level depth and variety that makes it easy to lose track of the time anyways. Production and mixing are excellent. Instrumental albums are always a welcome change of pace from the overabundance of British slop on here.

I see how it was very early to the hip-hop wave, but it's just not very good. Not a semblance of structure besides the annoyingly bland drum machine.

Mehhhh. Inoffensive, boring blues-rock from a contrarily offensive, annoying person. Definitely wouldn't want to fall asleep to it again.

Great debut album, energetic but not overbearing smooth rock tunes with excellent musicians. Their sound seems a bit ahead of their time. I could’ve easily placed this as an early 80s album. Saving this one for next time I’m flipping burgers on my grill on a sunny day☀️

Seems overhated. As far as 90s grunge rock goes, vocals are pretty good, and musicality is excellent. To be fair, lyrics are indeed laughably bad at points. Drums are a highlight for me here both in performance and tone. Overall I quite enjoyed listening to this and don’t think it deserves the hate.

Dogshit.

Blaaand. Boooring. Idk what Dimery was doing in 2018 because there are so many better albums than this. Disappointed.

Most of this was boisterous, annoying nonsense. I appreciate its unique blend of genres, but unfortunately, like orange juice + toothpaste, some combinations will just never taste good.

Love Prince! A few moments that fell flat, a few fun tracks, but overall a nice listen. Band and backup vocals are top notch.

Not bad, but a little bland. It’s energetic at times, but still has a neutral feel to it. I don’t know, it’s fine.

Something is so satisfying and cool about his flow and the French pronunciations/rhyming schemes. Beats are jazzy and slick, obviously can't comment on lyrical comment but glancing through English translations it seems there's some social commentary with substance. I would love for this list to have more representation of non-English music, especially in genres typically dominated by English speakers like rap.

Decent, easy listening country rock. BUT, it was agonizing how his voice always seemed to be just a few cents off pitch at all times.

600 albums in and no album has compared to the level of immersion, storytelling, and depth of good kid, m.A.A.d. city. I don't have much to say that others haven't already, but I think this is a prime example of how rap is can be a vehicle for a message in a way that no other genre can. Not only does rap have a higher lyrical density due to the faster pace of delivery, but Kendrick takes full advantage of it with double entendres, references, and wordplay that turns any single sentence into an array of ideas and intention. And that doesn't even include Kendrick's use of vocal tone and inflection to further enhance the message and imagery. GKMC really is a masterpiece and deserves the praise. I hope it has and will continue to reach people who are quick to dehumanize those who participate and are victimized by gang violence and show them that behind many crimes are real, hurt, and conflicted people that are simply reacting to the only environment they know. Those people deserve compassion and a chance for redemption, not prison cells and police brutality.

Great writing, but the minimal bluesy sound gets old pretty quick.

It’s kind of unbelievable this came out in 1974. The sound is modern, polished, and atmospheric. Whirling whooshes of sound, driving but ephemeral synth arpeggios, sounds like a sci-fi movie soundtrack but in a good way. While I don't often find myself in a situation where listening to something like this fits the vibe, it's still a good experience and I appreciate the artistry in ambient music like this.

You know, I really hate to dismiss the poignant, wise messages from the Circle Jerks like "I Just Want Some Skank" and "World Up My Ass," but this is a generic, run-of-the-mill punk album with the typical nonsensical angry lyrics and delivery, fast but sloppy instrumental performances, and half-baked production. At least it's short!

Yes, it’s pretty good. Light prog rock with a lot of musicality. However by the end I hardly remember any of it.

This isnt satire??? Really???? It’s comically bad. I can’t believe it’s not a joke.

Very very impressed. Despite personal preference against her vocal style, her talent is undeniable and the backing arrangements are produced to perfection. A monumental moment in modern minimalist music. It’s not a 5 for me, because it’s not often I would replay it, but the execution is easily up there with the greatest of all time.

A lot of fun. Jazzy, funky hip-hop beats with great flows and writing.

For an artist typically known for their electronic/dance music, this is a surprisingly beautiful and well-executed departure into a slower, more acoustic sound. Goldfrapp's voice is a little overproduced for my taste, and leans a little too hard into odd pronunciations at times, but is always smooth and controlled in a way that compliments each track. Some parts of the backing tracks feel a little dated, but are often combined with really beautiful melodies and harmonies that make up for it. Overall, I think it's a good inclusion on the list as I haven't heard many albums like this and I'd like to check out their other albums.

Punky psychedelic rock. I enjoyed it, but you’ve gotta be smoking what they were if you think I’m going to listen to 30 bonus tracks. The main 10 tracks were all fun but a little forgettable.

Childz Play has to be top 5 worst songs I've heard on this generator period. I hate this dude.

Yeah, this works. There were moments when I was really enjoying the instrumentals, then the vocals kicked in and the enjoyment plummeted. But the more I tuned it out and just took in the vibe, it was a good listen.

Loved this one. It’s a very timeless sound that was very obviously an inspiration for later bands like Queen and the Beatles. The story behind the fake American bands is hilarious as well, but their success is a testament to this album’s excellence.

Decent writing and beats, not a huge fan of the flow. Really forgettable, but wasn't terrible either.

This album is all the best parts of the 80s. The mixing and production is really excellent, writing is good, and vocals are well done. Some of the songs are instrumentally indistinguishable, but still so well made and groovy that it doesn't matter too much.

Great 80s electronic sound. Don't know if I'll return to it, but didn't hate it either.

This is a really fun one. I was really into this chiptune synthy dance sound as a kid and I still really enjoy it. Hits that same nostalgic vein as Daft Punk. Some of the samples are overly repetitive, but overall it's a fun listen.

Indie rock, pretty hit or miss though. This "shitty-on-purpose" approach just doesn't work well for me. Guitars are the highlight, but everything else is subpar.

One of the best produced rock albums on this list. Bassist and drummer are excellent and sooooo locked in. Great writing and sentiments throughout. Feels like a funkier version of Rush or Genesis.

Really unique sound, well produced and very creative. Definitely a few tracks I’d come back to.

Department store music, really generic and repetitive. Hate the vocals. Each track is 2+ minutes longer than it needs to be as well.

Low tempo, lo-fi trip hop. The sound is certainly a little dated, but still novel and interesting. No stand-out tracks for me as it all sounds very similar, but a good listen nonetheless.

Liked this way more than I thought I would. Abrasive, loud, but extremely technical emo math rock. These guys know how to riff on a 3/4 beat better than anyone. A lot of this I'll probably never listen to again, but there were many "wow" moments that elevate this from any regular album.

Too experimental for me. Some enjoyable parts but overall I mostly tuned it out.

I did actually listen to all 69 songs. This is an extremely impressive album. Writing is great, every song has a unique character and instrumentation despite nearly all of it performed by Merritt. I don’t love his voice, especially when he pushes the low register on a LOT of the songs, but the longer the album the more and more I was impressed by the sheer magnitude of the project. Nice.

Really enjoyed this synthy indie pop album. Great production, very immersive. However, it was nothing surprising or particularly interesting.

Good god this BLEW me away. As someone relatively unfamiliar with David Bowie this was not at all what I expected, but it was delightfully experimental, technical, and extravagant. One of those rare albums that really utilizes music as a medium for ART, not just a pleasant melody or a catchy chord pattern. The jazz/hip-hop influences come through in an extraordinary way, and even his vocal performance is stunning within the context that he was actively dying of liver cancer. Unpredictable, unbelievable, incomparable. What a badass note to go out on!

Liked the vibe on most tracks, but each was far too long and repetitive.

Decent blues rock. Sounds unfinished, none of the songs are particularly memorable.

There’s a couple decent tracks and the variety of styles is impressive, but ultimately the majority of this album is edgy teenager fodder with no substance beyond “me angy”

So good!! These guys are smooth, bluesy, technical but controlled, and so enjoyable. I’ll be returning to some of these tracks for sure. It fits into that 2010s indie folk/rock vibe but lands at a much higher level than what was popular in that category at the time.

Really enjoyed this one. Sometimes quaint, sometimes expansive, there’s a lot of variety and expertise in the arrangements. Lots of intriguing stylistic choices and it captured my attention through most of the album.