Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
547
Albums Rated
3.37
Avg Rating
62
5-Star Albums
50%
Complete
542 albums remaining
Featured Review
Rating Speed
5
Per Week
764
Days Active
Reviews
340
Written
62%
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vs Global
0.11
Avg Diff
3.37
Avg Rating
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Average rating over time
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Which era do you prefer?
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Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
other
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Balanced
Rater Style
24
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter | 5 | 2.15 | +2.85 |
| Oar | 5 | 2.46 | +2.54 |
| Second Toughest In The Infants | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Selling England By The Pound | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
| Selected Ambient Works 85-92 | 5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
| Melody A.M. | 5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
| Me Against The World | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Homework | 5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
| Peter Gabriel 3 | 5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transformer | 1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
| The Modern Lovers | 1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
| Eternally Yours | 1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
| 1977 | 1 | 3.03 | -2.03 |
| Meat Puppets II | 1 | 3.02 | -2.02 |
| Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
| All That You Can't Leave Behind | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
| Reign In Blood | 1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
| Apocalypse Dudes | 1 | 2.9 | -1.9 |
| White Light / White Heat | 1 | 2.88 | -1.88 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 | 4.13 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Radiohead | 4 | 4.25 | 3.71 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elvis Costello | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
5-Star Albums (62)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Young Gods
2/5
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.
6 likes
The Incredible String Band
5/5
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.
5 likes
Black Sabbath
5/5
I wish the production/mixing was a little better, but despite that, this is yet another certified banger from Black Sabbath.
1 likes
Van Halen
4/5
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.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (24)
All Ratings
Jimmy Smith
5/5
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
4/5
Adele is a vocal legend, and the writing is great, but it’s not something I’d find myself wanting to listen to.
Public Enemy
4/5
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.
Beatles
5/5
It’s the Beatles. Enough said. Love the experimentation and genre blending throughout the album.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
3/5
The Killers
4/5
Quintessential 2000s indie rock: Mr Brightside is iconic.
Ash
1/5
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.
Pixies
3/5
Solid album, but not exceptional. Most songs sound the same, but still enjoyable to listen to.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is a masterpiece. First time listening to Bob Dylan. I love the poetic, story-rich writing and unique vocal style on this album.
4/5
Loved it.
Deep Purple
2/5
Super well produced live recording and insane musical talent from all members, but not that enjoyable to listen to as an album imo.
Paul Weller
2/5
Alanis Morissette
3/5
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.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
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.
The Who
4/5
RIP Keith Moon, he especially carried this album.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Massive Attack
4/5
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.
N.E.R.D
3/5
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.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
The Avalanches
4/5
Aged incredibly well, this is sampling realized to its full potential.
Miles Davis
5/5
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.
Erykah Badu
3/5
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Tom Waits
3/5
Nirvana
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Dire Straits
4/5
Impressive production.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Creative but kinda irritating.
The Yardbirds
3/5
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.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
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.
50 Cent
2/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
Never would’ve expected to like this, but this album is incredible.
Pretenders
2/5
Supertramp
3/5
Eagles
3/5
Elliott Smith
3/5
Can
4/5
Certainly experimental. Excellent drumming and style. I always appreciate artists pushing the boundaries of genre and innovating their sound, and they definitely CAN.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Janis Joplin
4/5
Gorillaz
5/5
Love their style and variety of sounds and genres on this album, all executed perfectly.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Gram Parsons
2/5
2/5
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.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Cozy ass album
Various Artists
3/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Thelonious Monk
5/5
Brilliant
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
One of those albums that sounds simple now, but probably inspired lots of music that we now consider common/normal.
Little Simz
2/5
The United States Of America
2/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
The Doors
4/5
k.d. lang
3/5
A good kind of country.
Mekons
2/5
This is definitely the album that I listened to today.
The Style Council
4/5
First half 4.5, second half 3.5, evens out
Iron Maiden
4/5
Louis Prima
4/5
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Beastie Boys
3/5
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.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Napalm Death
1/5
Napalm Death is a good name because listening to this feels like a fiery, painful, agonizingly long death.
Sade
2/5
Boring
Nirvana
4/5
The edgy, screamy parts don’t hit for me but there are some amazing musical elements under the surface.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
A perfect album.
Def Leppard
3/5
Nothing significantly interesting about this album. Huge respect to Rick Allen tho.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Hot Chip
4/5
Pretty neat; the nasally lead voice is the only unpleasant part of the album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Talking Heads
2/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
The Verve
2/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
The Who
2/5
Megadeth
2/5
Album
Metallica
3/5
Bonnie Raitt
1/5
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.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Blondie
4/5
Radiohead
4/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
ZZ Top
2/5
As a white person I naturally like ZZ Top, but outside of the hits this one sucks.
Cream
4/5
Duran Duran
5/5
Finally some good fucking bass
Robbie Williams
2/5
OH BROTHER, THIS GUY STINKS!
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Really good, instruments are very folksy and make me feel like a 1600s peasant picking grain
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
The yapmeister
Lou Reed
1/5
Interesting but really annoying
Beck
4/5
This one was really interesting, the kind of album I hoped to find on this list.
The Stooges
3/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Adam & The Ants
1/5
Fugees
5/5
Aged incredibly well
Prince
3/5
Neil Young
4/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Too British
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
So cool, title track was ambitious but a great listening experience
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Flawless.
Hugh Masekela
5/5
So beautiful and inspired, the flugelhorn/alto sax combo is so good
Björk
3/5
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Beats to rob a bank to
The Electric Prunes
1/5
Was gonna rate this a 2 until I got to Toonerville Trolley which ruined my day. Also borderline rapey lyrics throughout. Big fat 1.
The Police
4/5
The Pogues
3/5
The Modern Lovers
1/5
Torture. Can anyone please make this guy stop groaning at me
Nick Drake
4/5
Aimee Mann
2/5
De La Soul
4/5
Radiohead
4/5
Big Star
3/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
God I love black sabbath
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
David Bowie
2/5
old man tries to reclaim youthful energy and fails
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Isn’t Steve lovely, isn’t Steve Wonder-ful?
Bill Callahan
4/5
Traffic
3/5
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Zzzzzzz a couple neat songs but mostly boring
David Bowie
3/5
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
A very inconsistent album, but really enjoyable and unique.
Culture Club
2/5
OutKast
4/5
Weather Report
3/5
Meat Loaf
3/5
cool musically but not for me, though I do love a good meat loaf
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
KEEP ON CHOOGLAYNNN
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
beautiful
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Elastica
2/5
Elastica pencil in my ears
Dr. Dre
3/5
Solomon Burke
3/5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
The Incredible String Band
5/5
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.
Brian Eno
4/5
The OG ambient artist.
Nick Drake
3/5
The Verve
3/5
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Hüsker Dü
2/5
By far the worst production of any album so far
Spiritualized
4/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
British
Pavement
2/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Soundgarden
3/5
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Taylor Swift
3/5
Venom
1/5
We have Megadeth at home:
The Cure
3/5
Janelle Monáe
5/5
Just fantastic, will be listening multiple times
Laibach
4/5
I have no idea why I enjoyed this. But I did.
Eurythmics
3/5
The Slits
1/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Coldplay
4/5
4.5. Yellow is iconic, but I thoroughly enjoyed every other track, sometimes more.
The KLF
3/5
Donovan
4/5
Goldie
4/5
love me some DnB
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Sinatra is obviously great but the band is very on point on this album too, just an all around enjoyable listen.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
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.
Orbital
4/5
hell yea techno
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
hell yea music
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Slint
4/5
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.
Meat Puppets
1/5
I just can’t buy into whatever this is selling.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Elvis Presley
4/5
Doves
3/5
We have Coldplay at home:
Beastie Boys
4/5
The Stone Roses
5/5
Oasis
3/5
The Doors
4/5
David Gray
3/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
pretty good but producer gotta chill with the pan dial holy shit
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Dirty Projectors
4/5
reviews led me to believe I was about to experience torture but this one was actually pretty neat👍
Leftfield
4/5
Santana
5/5
fantastic, tasteful culmination of Latin, jazz, and rock
The Offspring
2/5
I really wanted to like this :(
Rush
4/5
RIP Neil Peart
Steely Dan
4/5
10cc
3/5
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
Justin Timberlake
3/5
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”
Deep Purple
4/5
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Neat, never heard anything likes this
Daft Punk
5/5
Edit: originally rated this a 4, but Spotify just came out with lossless and on second listen this is absolutely a perfect album.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Orange Juice
3/5
Band rocks, vocals suck
The Who
3/5
Sigur Rós
5/5
N.W.A.
4/5
The Velvet Underground
1/5
I get it, the noise and chaos is the point, but it’s just not good.
Depeche Mode
5/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Really enjoyed this one
Green Day
4/5
Dire Straits
4/5
MGMT
5/5
this is my SHIT
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
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
The Police
3/5
Kanye West
5/5
Rush
4/5
The Saints
1/5
Radiohead
4/5
4/5
Norah Jones
3/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
Nirvana
3/5
John Coltrane
5/5
Taylor Swift
3/5
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.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
I like guitar solos… but not this much.
5/5
The Smiths
4/5
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Talk Talk
3/5
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Surprisingly wholesome and upbeat hip-hop
Kings of Leon
2/5
Nahhhh
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Green Day
4/5
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Hot Poop would have made a great title track. We get it dude, you hate hippies.
Sister Sledge
3/5
The Smiths
2/5
Was a 4 until ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’… unbearably stupid
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Phenomenal writing and pleasant listening. Lyrics are still so real and important 36 years later.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Bee Gees
2/5
We have the Beatles at home:
Kanye West
4/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
mehhhh not for me
The Stooges
2/5
Songhoy Blues
4/5
hell yea
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
RIP
Eels
2/5
Beach House
4/5
Nice vibe, holds up well for 2010
The Black Keys
3/5
I feel the urge to purchase an F150
Fela Kuti
4/5
Adding Ginger Baker and Tony Allen to my list of drummers to idolize
Ghostface Killah
2/5
2006 hiphop had better to offer than this
Otis Redding
4/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Lambchop
1/5
+4 for band/arrangement.
-4 for vocals.
B.B. King
5/5
A perfect blues album.
Funkadelic
4/5
Carole King
4/5
All hits.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
The Smiths
3/5
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Fats Domino
3/5
Ryan Adams
3/5
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Decent but please stop spamming vocal growl over every line…
The Band
4/5
Little Richard
4/5
Pretty good blues
The Cult
3/5
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
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 :)
George Harrison
4/5
Cover art goes so hard
Van Morrison
3/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Tom Waits
3/5
Anthrax
3/5
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
4/5
David Bowie
2/5
Prince
5/5
Phenomenal.
Skepta
3/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Ray Charles
3/5
4/5
Soul II Soul
3/5
Sepultura
3/5
Gary Numan
4/5
Violent Femmes
3/5
The Clash
2/5
Slayer
1/5
Aphex Twin
5/5
The GOAT. It’s incredible how these sounds and textures were produced in the 80s.
LL Cool J
3/5
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
VIBES
Garbage
3/5
Ministry
2/5
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
Fantastic.
The Pogues
3/5
Fun, but not something I’d ever choose to listen to again
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Queen
5/5
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.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Can
4/5
I’m compelled to give this a 4. Why? No idea, I’m just as confused as you are. Wait, who are you?
Elvis Costello
2/5
I didn’t like any of this.
Moby
4/5
I know by many standards this would be boring/nothing special, but there’s something about this that just hits different.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
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.
CHVRCHES
4/5
The Pretty Things
4/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
Talking Heads
3/5
George Jones
4/5
Great old country. Pedal steel carried
Traffic
4/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
I wish the production/mixing was a little better, but despite that, this is yet another certified banger from Black Sabbath.
Beatles
4/5
TLC
3/5
AC/DC
4/5
Parliament
4/5
This cover art kicks ass
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
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’)
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Crazy good for a debut album
Destiny's Child
3/5
The White Stripes
2/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I can understand what draws people to Elvis Costello, I just really really wish he never picked up the microphone.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Beatles
5/5
The Only Ones
2/5
Baaba Maal
4/5
Genesis
5/5
This one really wowed me. The tone, the writing, the technicality, just a masterpiece of a prog album.
Paul Simon
4/5
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Funky af
Basement Jaxx
3/5
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.
Scritti Politti
3/5
Faith No More
3/5
Nothing special really. War Pigs cover just made me want to listen to Black Sabbath instead.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
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.
Arcade Fire
4/5
The Hives
3/5
Big Black
3/5
Eminem
2/5
Awful taste, but great execution.
Talking Heads
3/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Rod Stewart
3/5
Mariah Carey
3/5
ehhhhhhh
Massive Attack
4/5
Loved this.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Really reminds me of Tapestry - Carole King, released the same year.
Beatles
5/5
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.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Flute rock goes hard. I could do without the pedo themes tho
D'Angelo
3/5
Astor Piazzolla
4/5
Linkin Park
4/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
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.
Aerosmith
3/5
It’s fine. Doesn’t stand out to me much.
The Prodigy
4/5
Loved this. Energetic, creative beats.
The Libertines
3/5
More listenable than most of the punk albums on here, but I still can’t stomach more than a 3.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
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”.
Alice In Chains
5/5
Wow. As someone who admittedly gave 4s to Nirvana, this gets a 5. RIP Staley and Starr, both phenomenal on this album. Loved it.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Bingus
The Byrds
3/5
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.
Julian Cope
4/5
Did not expect to like this as much as I did. Plenty of lyricism, unique instrumentation, groovy beats, and pleasant vocals.
Tears For Fears
5/5
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.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
Elliott Smith
3/5
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.
Van Halen
4/5
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.
Britney Spears
4/5
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.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Very skillful jazz, their musical communication and ability to branch out into their own improvisation while not losing the other members is incredible.
Miles Davis
5/5
First one I was able to listen on vinyl, and I’m so glad I did. Beautiful solos over superb rhythm section.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Charming, pleasant indie rock.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
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…
The Vines
2/5
Nope. I didn’t need to hear this before I die.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Miles Davis
4/5
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.
Morrissey
3/5
Pretty good, better than some of his other stuff on the list.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
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?
The Temptations
4/5
Good soul/funk album.
Al Green
4/5
Radiohead
5/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Elton John
4/5
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.
Television
4/5
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.
Arcade Fire
3/5
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.
The Byrds
3/5
I like these covers more than Dylan’s originals.
Mercury Rev
3/5
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.
Suicide
4/5
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.
The Doors
3/5
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.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I think Songs in the Key of Life was just sliiightly better, but I really have nothing critical to say about this one. Phenomenal.
PJ Harvey
4/5
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.
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
Boring as hell.
The Zutons
4/5
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.
Talking Heads
4/5
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.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
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.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Nice psychedelic folk album. A couple enchanting tracks but the rest are a bit dull.
The Strokes
4/5
Really great indie rock. I do wish the production was a little better. 4
Girls Against Boys
1/5
Instrumentals are pretty decent, but the vocals just sound so so stupid. I was exhausted of it by track 2.
Stan Getz
4/5
BOSSA NOVA BAYBEE!!!!! It’s neat that this was the first albums to bring bossa nova into the mainstream in the US.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
She’s very talented, but I blame her for the popularization of the “singing in cursive” accent that plagues modern indie music. RIP tho
Moby Grape
3/5
Short n sweet rock n roll good n fun.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
This album expands well beyond its hard rock/alt rock classification. Very layered, immersive production and creative instrumentation made this a fun listen.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
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.
DJ Shadow
4/5
This one is fantastic. So vibey and well crafted.
Duke Ellington
4/5
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.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Easy listening country folk. Nothing spectacular, but very pleasant and relaxing.
The Lemonheads
3/5
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.
George Michael
2/5
I am sorry George Michael, but you cannot have my sex.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
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.
Beth Orton
3/5
Lukewarm singer-songwriter with a couple neat instrumental additions.
Minor Threat
3/5
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).
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
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.
The White Stripes
4/5
Slaps through and through. Excellent blues rock/garage rock that surprised me having only known Seven Nation Army.
The Kinks
4/5
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.
Slade
3/5
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.
Marty Robbins
4/5
What is David Schwimmer doing with a big iron on his hip? (big iron on his hiiiiip)
The Specials
4/5
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.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
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.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Not the worst britpop on the list, but still is another britpop album on the list.
The Cure
4/5
Very good moody alt rock, but dragged a bit long at times. May revisit in the future.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Not really my jam, but probably deserves another listen someday.
Talvin Singh
4/5
Killer drum n' bass mixed with Indian influences makes this an excellent, atmospheric, and immersive listening experience. Super underrated.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Hate to admit it but I'm a sucker for yacht rock, especially when there's a bunch of cheesy synth solos.
Small Faces
2/5
Hard to describe, but I felt more annoyed than anything by the end of it.
John Martyn
4/5
I really liked this. Super easy listening, but a lot of depth and character, and a very timeless sound.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
It’s aight. Mixing pretty bad at points.
Turbonegro
1/5
An oxymoron - boring punk rock.
PJ Harvey
4/5
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.
Gene Clark
3/5
Neat mix of genres here, but overall a country/folk/rock album.
The Young Gods
2/5
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.
Michael Jackson
5/5
A flawless pop album by just about any metric. No notes. Speed Demon absolutely rips.
k.d. lang
4/5
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.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
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.
Steely Dan
4/5
This is a banger. 4
Anita Baker
3/5
Great vocals, but otherwise a little bit bland/uninteresting for a soul album.
The Charlatans
2/5
Aggressively mediocre and generic. Will never be listening to this again.
Method Man
4/5
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.
The Beach Boys
5/5
Nothing to be said here that hasn’t already been said, but fantastic album.
Ice Cube
3/5
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.
Buck Owens
3/5
Boooooring country album, I love real country but I don’t see why this was on the list.
2/5
What’s so funny, Ben Stiller?
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
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.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
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))
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
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.
The Kinks
3/5
It’s decent, but nothing really stands apart from other britrock albums of the time.
OutKast
5/5
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.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
Really fun, reminiscent of beastie boys but more lowkey. Great beats and production.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Pleasant psychedelic folk/rock but a bit tame and lackluster.
Van Morrison
3/5
Good live album, but ultimately started to blend together after a while.
Public Enemy
4/5
Political rap in true Public Enemy fashion. Definitely deserves another listen at some point but really nothing bad to say about this one.
John Martyn
3/5
Groovy but don’t really understand its place on this list as it’s really nothing more than another divorced dad album.
Machito
4/5
Kickass Afro-Cuban jazz. Fantastic band and solos.
Orbital
3/5
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
The Boo Radleys
4/5
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.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Not the first to say Young’s voice kinda sucks, but there’s plenty of great writing and instrumental talent on this album.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Unimpressive psychedelic/blues rock with pretty bad mixing most of the time. Sounds unfinished and unrehearsed, but there is some creativity to it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
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.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
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!
Leonard Cohen
4/5
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.
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
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.
Beck
4/5
Very pleasant but not boring.
Madonna
4/5
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.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Beautifully bleak. I’d like to return to this one again in the winter sad vibes
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
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…
Roxy Music
3/5
Some creative elements but don’t see myself wanting to listen again.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Great rock n' roll album with lots of genre influences.
Elvis Presley
3/5
It's fine but really nothing special. Just an Elvis country album. Nice production for the 60s though.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Not his best, but still good. Beautiful writing, pleasant arrangements, but lackluster vocal delivery.
George Michael
3/5
I consider this department store music, however George Michael is undeniably a very talented singer.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Very experimental and industrial, but not fully grating or abrasive either.
Underworld
5/5
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.
Lou Reed
3/5
Decent album, just not really for me I think. Reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen.
Ray Charles
4/5
Jazz and blues takes on western and country classics. As good in theory as it is in execution. Loved it.
The xx
3/5
Nice electronic album, but I don’t see what made it deserve a spot on the list.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Definitely ahead of its time and highly influential.
Roxy Music
2/5
No thanks.
Missy Elliott
4/5
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.
Gene Clark
3/5
Diet Bob Dylan. It’s fine, but all sounds the same and includes the worst cover of Stand By Me. 3
Fairport Convention
3/5
Really cool folk rock album. Vocalist is incredible, and instrumentation was good, but the entire thing felt a little too disjointed and dysfunctional. 3
Iron Butterfly
2/5
Mehhh
Fred Neil
2/5
Mediocre singer songwriter snoozefest. 2
New Order
4/5
This is a fun one. New wave but with a lot of character and good production.
Spiritualized
4/5
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!
Finley Quaye
3/5
Nice lowkey reggae but otherwise nothing extraordinary.
M.I.A.
3/5
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
4/5
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.
Elvis Costello
1/5
I loved the meta commentary on the album’s listening experience in “This Is Hell”. All my homies hate Elvis Costello.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Miiight be the greatest jazz album ever. I cannot rave about it enough so I will just keep this short. Perfect album.
CHIC
3/5
A bit basic funky/R&B, but very tight and groovy. Fun listen, but probably won’t return.
2Pac
5/5
Flawless. One of the greatest of all time. Beats, flows, writing, all incredible. Nothing more to be said.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Good jams. Not their best album imo but good nonetheless. 3
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
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.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
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.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Classics for a reason.
Fugazi
4/5
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.
The Crusaders
3/5
Fun jazzy album. 3
The Temptations
3/5
Best at their funkiest, worst at their slow jam-iest.
Love
2/5
It was genuinely fine until the last track which felt like being psychologically tortured. Hell no.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
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.
Yes
3/5
A couple good prog rock tracks that get washed out by excessively long jams that do nothing for anyone.
Neil Young
3/5
It’s alright. As always, don’t love Young’s voice, but there’s a lot of great guitar work and writing in there.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
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.
Ray Price
3/5
Nice, laidback old country. Nothing outstanding, but very very pleasant and timeless.
Nico
2/5
Very much not for me. Dreary, long-winded, performative.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Goofy, over-the-top, 80s goth pop. Quite enjoyable if you don’t take it too seriously.
Wire
4/5
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.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Great R&B album. Gorgeous backup vocals and smooth instrumentals.
3/5
“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.
David Crosby
2/5
I found this somewhat meandering and aimless. Vocal mixing was not good either. This list has far too much CSNY for my taste.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Yeah I’m not gonna pretend I enjoyed a single second of this, but I will say that’s a banger cover art.
John Prine
4/5
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.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
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.
AC/DC
4/5
Not a lot of variation but their formula also works so well it’s hard to hate.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Not a single bad track. Cant believe I’ve never heard of them before, absolutely loved it.
Heaven 17
2/5
Unremarkable 80s synthpop. I didn’t need to hear it before I die.
The Who
3/5
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.
Bob Dylan
2/5
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.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Pretty good, just wish soundtracks weren't included in this list as I think they're better experienced actually watching the movie.
Billy Bragg
4/5
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.
Q-Tip
3/5
Good production and beats but otherwise kind of an unremarkable hip hop album.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Good jazz but didn’t really blow my socks off at any point.
Soft Machine
4/5
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.
GZA
4/5
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.
The Cure
2/5
It's just not for me by any measure.
Pink Floyd
5/5
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.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
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.
Scott Walker
3/5
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.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
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.
Elis Regina
4/5
Bold, funky, Brazilian samba-jazz-disco fusion. So so so cool, she is a phenomenal vocalist and the rhythm section is impeccable.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
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.
Richard Thompson
3/5
A pleasant but unremarkable folk album.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Good RnB album, but nothing about it was a must-hear.
Ice T
2/5
Love hip-hop but I did not vibe with this at all. Album is infinitely too long and outdated.
Nina Simone
4/5
Really good album. Her voice is exceptional alone, but in combination with her expressive and skillful piano playing it’s really outstanding.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Sax punk rock. Vocals are hit-or-miss but better than most of the punk albums so far. Kinda indifferent on this one.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
5/5
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.
Tito Puente
4/5
Fantastic Latin/mambo dancing music. One of the best brass sections I’ve heard, percussion absolutely locked in, beautiful vocals and catchy melodies.
Johnny Cash
3/5
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.
Burning Spear
4/5
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.
The Cardigans
4/5
Fun, groovy, atypical, pleasant. Feels like a direct predecessor of Magdalena Bay which I love.
Grateful Dead
3/5
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.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Not bad, but I’d guess it’s not their best either. Just okay.
Röyksopp
5/5
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.
Tom Waits
2/5
Band is great but Waits’ slurred, grumbled, phlegmy mess of a vocal style is not appealing to me in any form.
Mike Ladd
4/5
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!
Common
4/5
Great album, although everything I loved about it would be attributed to Kanye, not to Common. Will be returning though.
Dolly Parton
4/5
She’s the most iconic country artist of all time and has well earned that title. Beautiful writing, vocals, and arrangements on this one.
Cornershop
4/5
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.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I probably should’ve enjoyed this more, but idk I was just annoyed mostly. Not for me
Madness
2/5
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.
Frank Ocean
5/5
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.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Bass rules, otherwise there's really not much here to talk about. Definitely didn't deserve the spot on this list.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
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.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
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.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
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.