Classic. Dreamy, dark, moody catchy.
*Heard before
I SEE NO... EEEEVVVIIIIIIIIIIILLL
*Heard before
Gorgeous classic.
*Heard before.
Listened to the expanded edition. Felt like a little too much. Some great cuts here, but not everything grabs me.
Catchy and playful. Don't think I was in the mood for this today, but I could see getting into it more when the vibe is right
Wild and experimental in a raw, punky way. Right up my alley.
Great album that has never stuck with me. Should be my thing, but it just isn't. Enjoy every song, but don't love any of them. Might click one day.
*Heard before
Chill and vibe-y. Cool to revisit this with fresh ears.
*Heard before.
Maybe I'm growing softer as I age, but hearing this four years later, Ghosteen has gripped my heart in a way it didn't the firs time I heard it. The themes of life, death, grief, faith, and acceptance, amongst many others, paint a sorrowful and beautiful picture that brought me to tears at times.
*Heard before
Kinds wish these albums were released separately. Both are full of highs on par with any other Outkast album, but the two records are so different and the run time is so long that I don't see a major benefit to them being packaged like this.
Not familiar with any Steely Dan albums, but front-man Donald here has some smooth, catchy tunes.
Prog bliss. A tight 37 minutes of soaring symphonic rock, and not a dull moment present.
*Heard before
Amazing performances on this album. The flute work ranges from beautiful to beautifully erratic. Classic.
*Heard Before
Always thought this was a little too long, but an undeniable classic either way. RIP BIG.
*Heard before
Inoffensive, but bland. Lacks any edge or personality. It's like an AI generated rock music. Maybe if I was 14 in 1976 this would really hit. Don't get me wrong, if I WAS, and I was invited to a KISS concert, I'd go and probably be blown away.
Soft and quiet. Could put this on any afternoon and a read a book, or give it your full attention. Lot's here to appreciate. Need to delve deeper and relisten to more of VU's catalogue.
*Heard before
The Who still hasn't quite grabbed me, but this is still a good listen. There's a lot of youthful energy the performances, attitude, and rougher production. The title track especially exemplifies these qualities.
Bluesy music made by Louisiana swamp people. Listened to it twice. Generally like this aesthetic, but don't foresee me spinning this much in the future.
Early punk rock sound and some fun songs, but would need more listens for it to catch on.
The first Queens album isn't polished. A little grittier sounding than later records. Not my favorite of theirs, but a good time nonetheless. I listened to the reissue that's all over streaming services, which adds three extra songs. While the songs are pretty good, the added length is unnecessary. Goes from a tight 45-ish minutes to an hour.
Slept on this for way too long. NOISY. MELLOWDRAMATIC. SHOEGAZEY.
While most of the songs don't blow me away, they sure blew away the audience. Brown and the crowd both feed off each other's energy an amazing way. Worth listening to just for the relationship between the performer and fans.
New Wavey and pretty fun.
As a massive Toy Story fan I surprisingly never delved into Newman's music outside of his film scores. This is a nice set of simple, satirical, and clever songs.
Funky and a bit quirky. Listened to it twice and few tracks stick with me. Wish it was catchier.
Fairly dull, and outdated for its time, hard rock. Every song captures the same vibe. Bad Fun was featured in THPS4, so there's at least a little nostalgia for me there.
Bluesy. Not something I'll likely revisit though.
This is a tough one. There's great production on both discs of this double album - DJ Premier on disc 1 was a pleasant surprise - but it's overall too long, and the two discs don't really feel connected. I much preferred the second disc to the first with its jazz club style. If this were two separate albums I'd probably actually dig this a lot more.
A blind spot in my Curtis Mayfield listening. Funky and buttery smooth as ever.
Never listened to a Foo album before. Despite loving Nirvana's output, the pseudo-follow-up band never grabbed my attention. This debut is enjoyable, but doesn't hold my attention. Would be curious to check out their following work.
Love the raw sound and Kirstin Hersch's angry and strained vocals.
When every song is an anthem, none of them are. Joshua tree is immaculately produced, but seems constantly concerned with making you feel emotional.
Deserves to be in the classic thrash conversation with the big four. The death metal style vocals aren't my thing, but looking past that there's some excellent thrash here.
Lemmy and co come through with some heavy, gritty riffs. A rock classic. Some lyrics, especially those on the song Jailbait, are pretty rough and uncomfortable. I've read that it may have been satirical, but if it is I have a hard time hearing it as such. A shame too, because it's an otherwise good song.
*heard before
The production and songwriting are immaculate. This blues rock sound almost never does it for me though. Good to listen to in the moment, but never stays with me.
*heard before
A few standout tracks for me like Pull Together. Enjoyable listen.
Deep Purple kills it. All classic tracks, all expanded and harder than ever. Not to mention an absolutely amazing drum solo.
Stankonia is a move in a poppier direction, but doesn't sacrifice the bars or experimentation. The production is lush, the hooks are funky, the wordplay is as clever as ever, and Outkast still has things to say and stories to tell. It doesn't feel as laser focused as their previous couple albums, but you probably won't notice as you bob along to the beat.
*Heard before.
I can't say if Ornette Coleman ever heard this album, but I like to think he would approve. John Zorn and his band spin Coleman's free jazz in a new direction, taking influence from the 80s hardcore scene, with two (!!) sets of blistering drums, a heavy bass guitar, and short, quick compositions. With a different saxophone improvising in each ear you're blasted with a beautiful wall of sound. A pleasant and unexpected discovery for me.
Morrison's final album consistently provides what made The Doors great. His vocal performance ranges from energetic to cool, and laid back. Great songs all around. The addition of a bass guitar creates a unique sound in The Doors' discography.
*Heard before.
Rush straddles the line between Prog and Hard Rock. 2112 manages to be epic and otherworldly, while also providing some classic, catchy rock riffs.
*Heard before.
Evermore is one of Taylor's better projects, following up Folklore, which was also pretty good. I've not heard her newest, but she was on a bit of a streak in 2020. This style of folk music is a nice change of pace from her radio-pop hits I'm used to hearing day-to-day.
Not a style of music I'm familiar with. Would love to dive deeper into it, and give this some more spins. Very pleasant record.
Every time I give Violent Femmes' debut a listen, it's hard not to sing along from front to back. Despite some uncomfortably angsty, sexual lyrics, I can't help but join in. It's just that good. Gano can be singing the most pathetic, dumb-ass-teenager-brained lyrics, but the performance is so fun that he makes it sound cool. The grooves are extremely funky and a joy to listen to. Always loved this album, and the follow up is pretty great too.
*Heard before.
My first introduction to Carlos Santana was a collaborative album her did with Alice Coltrane called Illuminations. His guitar fit perfectly with the rest of the instrumentation. His playing is gorgeous and filled with jazzy grooves. While Abraxas isn't necessarily a jazz album, it caries these same qualities in spades.
Both halves of On the Beach have their own vibe. First half is more upbeat and folksy. The second half is more calm and meditative. Would like to continue to revisit Neil Young's discography in the future.
*Heard before.
I don't hate Guns N' Roses. They're cheesy and kind of obnoxious, but I've never seriously disliked them when they've come on day-to-day. Re-listening to Appetite, the near hour straight of their goofy hard rock and Rose's shrieking vocals starts to test my patience though. It's like a caricature of rock.
*Heard before.
Went back and forth listening to this. Very likable music, but I'm just not in a New Wave mood today. Might have to try it again in the future.
Other than Highway to Hell, nothing ever stands out to me. After GnR just two albums ago, I've had my fill of this style of hard rock.
*Heard before.
Tangerine Dream were ahead of their time. Beautiful ambient record. There's something special about this era of ambient music. The 70s had this certain synth sound that hits different.
Remember first listening to this late in highschool. One of the first R&B albums I ever heard and it stuck with me. Not quite as tight as Blonde, but just as soulful.
*Heard before
Wonderwall has given Oasis a bad reputation. I'm admittedly not a big fan of the aforementioned song; maybe due to overplaying, but I find it pretty annoying. Wow! What a hot take!
The rest of the album is smooth sailing. Chill, poppy songs that are easy and accessible. Not breaking any new ground, but completely inoffensive.
Maggot Brain is as fresh as ever. Opens and closes with wild, epic 10 minute tracks, and fills the middle with some of the funkiest cuts imaginable. The guitar work especially stands out. George Clinton and co knew what they were doing.
*Heard before.
I can normally separate the art from the artist. It's something I rarely have an issue with. Jerry Lee Lewis is an issue. I don't care how bombastic the performances are, how wild the crowd is cheering, or how iconic the melodies are.
Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year old first cousin's daughter. Twice! And big surprise, she was "subject to every type of physical and mental abuse imaginable". That's just one (major) bullet point in the list of reasons why JLL was a piece of sub-human scum.
This album came out over 6 years after their marriage was public. The fact that he even had an audience to record this in front of is digesting.
A Wu classic. While I prefer the debut and Liquid Swords, this might be third. Depends on how I'm feeling; Ghostface has a few records that could fill that spot.
Either way Cuban Linx is over an hour of immaculate beats and intricate rhymes. Raekwon's flow is as luxurious as ever was.
*Heard before.
The Beatles were essentially my introduction to music. They hold a special place in my heart and I could put on any of their albums any day and have a great time. While I've heard a good chunk of it all, I'm much, much less familiar with the bands solo works. Imagine is no exception. Something I should rectify.
The iconic ballad Imagine feels sonically out of place with the rest of the songs. It's so much more soft and moody than everything else. It opens the album and looms over the rest of the tracks. Nothing quite lives up to its heights.
There's plenty more to like here though. I especially like the lovely closing track "Oh, Yoko!". It's a simple, playful love song that has a lot of passion behind it.
Songs like I Don't Want to Be a Soldier don't really hit for me, regardless of the messaging.
*Heard before.
The B-52s self titled just popped up as my album today, which is quite the coincidence, because I just listened to it for the first time yesterday! Strange.
I'm slowly learning that New Wave is a genre that either hits hard for me, or falls flat. Love Talking Heads and some of King Crimson's 80s work, but have been left a little cold by other recent listens. This lands more in the latter category for me.
The women's vocal work on this album is actually quite lovely. But Fred Schneider's inflections get on my nerves. I've always found Rock Lobster to be particularly annoying. Luckily that's the peak of the annoyance; the rest of the record is fine enough, but nothing I feel compelled by.
*Heard before.
Slowly but surely Bruce is finally starting to win me over. Never got the hype no matter how many times I've tried. Something was different today. Bruce's vocal stylings have a unique energy that I never took notice of before. Give me some more time and I could see me growing to enjoy Bruce and this album a bit more.
The energetic flows and catchy rhythms of the core tacks contrast nicely against textured and funky instrumental cuts. Beastie Boys have one foot in the roots of their past and the other in the future. Raw and loud. Fresh and innovative.
Enjoyed the atmospheric and psychedelic songs a lot more than the melodic ones. Too long for me. Needed to be cut down.
A lot of Christmas classics all wrapped up in a Phil Spector bow. Talented producer, but you know what, the murder taints it just a little bit. Might be easier to forget about if his name wasn't in the title and he didn't give a creepy, "heartfelt" message at the end. As it stands, a little uncomfortable, but the music here is classic.
I don't know who the post card on the cover is addressed to, but whoever it is, he wants them to know that he's horny. Tim has a lot of other acclaimed records, but I haven't heard them. Is he always like this? Is this his thing? I did enjoy the album, but I don't know that this was the right introduction. We just met, Tim. Let me get to know you first.
For a guy that talks about soul music so much, he doesn't seem to 100% understand what it is. This is a pretty mediocre hip-hop album. Cee-Lo has a distinct voice, but the topics are dull, the beats are same-y, and the album runs way too long.
Wasn't feeling it at first, but really picks up on the B side. Good mix of standard 60s pop tunes, some more psychedelic pop tunes, and goofy stuff like Zilch. Sounds more like an early 60s album than a late 60s album though. Doesn't try to push the envelope at all, but doesn't really need to.
Truly one of the greatest of all time. Stevie Wonder is, and I don't say this lightly, one of the most gifted musicians to have ever lived. More than a generational talent. A centennial talent and then some.
Songs in the Key of Life is just one of many masterpieces by Wonder. One of the things that makes this stand out amongst the rest of his work is its lengthy run time. It's rare that a double albums plays through without overstaying its welcome. SitKoL manages to maintain its extremely high quality while spanning three LPs! It's a miracle that over a quick hour and a half I'm still fully engaged and entranced by the funky, lush instrumentation, and Stevie's smooth soulful voice. Maybe it's not as tight as Innervisions or Talking Book, but it doesn't need to be. SinKoL takes up as much space as it needs; its unabashed in its passion.
Just a couple days ago this site served me up a Cee-Lo Green album where he constantly talks about soul, and how soulful he is. SitKoL makes me wonder (heh) how such an album could ever occupy the same space as it. I can't imagine anyone listening to both of these albums and thinking the Cee-Lo album is something that must be heard. SitKoL doesn't need to tell you that it's soul, because it IS soul, and you can feel it in every corner.
*Heard before.
Not my kind of metal. A little cheesy with its overt edginess. If I heard just one of these songs mixed into a THPS soundtrack, I'd probably love it. As an album it's too same-y for me. Amazing album cover though.
Kind of fun in a nostalgic way. Not something I would put on normally though. Love some of the creative choices like the loud buzz in the middle of The Rockafeller Skank.
Is this it? Yes it is. Indie rock perfection. It's like Marquee Moon for the 2000s. Short and to the point, fun, catchy, iconic.
*Heard before (a lot)
Has always dipped a bit in the second half for me, but when MPP hits, it HITS. Laying back in a dark room and letting the textures and layers of sound wash over you is always wonderful. Around Lion in a Coma is where I release I'm pulled out of the experience. Not that any of it is bad, I just start to get a little bored. The closing track Brother Sport is a nice finish that caps off the record on a postive note.
*Heard before.
Wish I would have gotten their previous album first. This being the first Hole album I've heard leaves me with a bad impression, and I've heard their previous is much better. Celebrity Skin is fine. It's pretty good even, but all the songs flow together for me. Maybe need a few more listens.
A steak of an album. Thick, juicy, and twitching with life. It leaves you full, but more importantly, with a lot to digest. It might not hit on the first listen, but give it some time and you'll surely come to appreciate all its complex flavors.
*Heard before.
The Beatles first truly great album; although I do like their '63 output too. Front to back classic, catchy pop songs. And this is just year two of seven. This and the rest of their albums made me fall in love with music; and how could it not.
*Heard before.
Pretty standard folk album. Lovely vocals and a nice listen, but nothing I'm enamored with.
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous album. Monae's passionate vocals, the soaring guitars, the swelling stings. All gorgeous. Love how the electronic elements blend with the soulful ones and add to the album's overall sci-fi concept.
Back in 2018 I had heard Monae's, then new, Dirty Computer. I don't remember much about it, but if ArchAndroid is anything to go off of, it's due for a revisit.
A perfect four tracks. A perfect beginning, middle, and end. Hot Buttered Soul only exists thanks to the label's complete desperation after losing their back catalogue over night. Hayes was in the right place at the right time and he capitalized on it. Truly a cosmic gift.
RIP to the GOAT.
*Heard before.
Fairly simple new wave album. Was pretty bored at first, but came around on it. Some fun sounds throughout. Some more listens and I think this would grow on me.
I think the reason the Pumpkins haven't ever clicked with me is Billy Corgan's voice. And if there ever was an album to test this theory, this would be the one. At just over two hours this is a trial by fire. My theory may be correct? It's hard to say, because at times I'm annoyed with the vocals, other times I feel they fit perfectly, and then there's times where both are true.
Either way this is a mondo album filled with an intense variety of sounds and genres. It's hard not to admire the sheer scope, and I came out on the other end rather liking it in spite of my mixed feelings on Billy's vocals.
Basic psychrock. But that's not a bad thing. Had a lot of fun listening to this. Others have done this sound better, but it's still worth a listen. A chill time.
Otherworldly live album. Jarrett pulls sounds and moods out of the piano previously unheard to me. Loved every minute.
I've played this album countless times, but this is only the second time I've ever listened to it completely, front to back. It's a fat three hours of eclectic love songs, and they nail it. Even with a topic as broad as "love" the task of writing sixty-nine songs concerning the same subject is quite an accomplishment. The fact that they achieved such breadth is one thing, but the songs are also full of depth and life. Just about every facet of love is covered in some way. Lovely album.
*Heard before.
First half is really great; first 2-4 songs are especially good. Second half starts to lose me. Could be a grower though.
Production is very lush and slick, and Carey can sing. Has a relaxing 90s vibe.
Not familiar with Dion's work. This was pretty standard baroque pop with a couple stand out tracks in the middle. Would have preferred to hear an earlier record.
HOW did this come out in 1966?? I started listening before checking the date and my jaw dropped when I did. And the all of the songs hold up as well. Solid proto-punk. Surprised I hadn't heard it already.
The mix of dance music with punk creates a groovy vibe with attitude. Want to dive deeper into LCDS's catalogue since this album has been my primary reference point since I first heard it a decade ago.
*Heard before
Eclectic mix of world music, turntablism, psych, trip-hop. Not everything hits for me and it's a bit too long, but I appreciate the wide array of styles.
All time classic live album. Prefer the studio versions, but undeniably great acoustic performances of classic songs.
Joni in her prime. Mellow, folksy ballads with dense lyricism. Gorgeous.
Ahead of its time. Packed with catchy alternative pop music in a time where most pop music had trouble standing out. (at least for me)
*Heard before
I don't get the Clapton love. Fairly dull blues rock that goes on way too long. Doesn't help that he's an antivax weirdo and likely a closeted racist.
In my early 20s I bounced between every Radiohead album as my "favorite" for a moment. All of them. The Bend, OK Computer, Amnesiac, and even The King of Limbs. I've had a lot of time to mull over RH's nine albums, and most days this is my least favorite (PH excluded). Which feels wrong, because this is an excellent album. It has all the juice that makes for a great alternative rock album. I think it comes down to, what feels to me as, a lack of a consistent sound, and that HTTT is Radiohead's longest album. The album lacks a sense of focus that their other records have.
Maybe a minor complaint, but I usually check how far I am into the album around The Gloaming and am surprised to see there's still six more tracks. Could benefit from some light pruning.
The opener and closer are big standouts for me, along with Sail to the Moon, Go to Sleep, and Myxomatosis.
*Heard before
Big 80s sound. Some of lyrics are a little on the nose, but a pretty fun listen overall. Particularly liked the cover of Help! More impassioned take on a classic.
This goofy, glam rock just does not appeal to me. It's competently made and performed, but it's so cheesy and dull to me. At least the vocals aren't annoying like so many others that came before.
Quality set of tracks from Mr. White. All above average, but nothing amazing.
Apparently I listened to this back in 2016, according to my logs. Don't remember why or what turned me onto it. Either way, it's ten sweet little jangle-pop songs. Solid good-mood listening.
*Heard before
I'm not usually into the UK rap/grime scene, but I have to say, this rules. The production especially stands out with only a few questionable beats. Dizzee's flows and lyrics hold up very well for the most part. It can get pretty misogynistic at times though.
Never been a RHCP fan, just based off the hits on the radio. Finally listening to a full album I've started to see the appeal; or at least why they're so popular. There's some quality funky grooves on this record. My real issues with it stem from songs feeling same-y, way too many corny, sexual lyrics, and this album is way, way too long.
If this record finished at Under the Bridge (which would work great as an album finisher) you'd have a solid album of funk rock. Instead it goes on nearly another thirty (!!) minutes. Pretty excessive for what this is, in my opinion.
Elvis' self-titled is an interesting album. It's the birth of main-stream rock, and the birth of one of the most famous musicians in history. There's not a ton of big hits here, Blue Suede Shoes being the major outlier, instead you get Elvis before he'd been touched up and fed through the system that made him the icon he is. There's a lot of range in the songs, from upbeat catchy rockabilly tunes, to slow romantic affairs, and even some blues. And Elvis' vocals have more range here than what one might think.
Blue Moon especially stands out. Some of the vocals are downright psychedelic. Mixed with the trotting drums, it makes for a dreamy experience.
*Heard before.
First listened to this back in 2017 on release. Didn't catch me then, doesn't catch me now. Take Me Apart is a pleasant listen, but nothing stands out to me. Kelela's vocals are sweet, and the instrumentation is lush; I just feel like I've heard it all before done better. No hate though.
*Heard before.
If this list was the top one hundred albums of all time DSoTM would have a place on it. If this list was the top ten albums of all time DSoTM would have a place on it. There's nothing that can be said that hasn't already been said a thousand times. It's an essential album.
There are other Floyd albums I like more and find more interesting, but it's undeniable to me how near perfect DSoTM is as an experience. If anything I might have arranged the tracks a little different, but hard to argue with a classic on this level.
*Heard before.
Crazy to say, but other than a handful of singles, this is my first Steely Dan record. I've always had the impression that SD is a love-it-or-hate-it band. Which, having heard a couple full albums now (I sneaked in CBaT) I find that notion a little odd. There is something special in their blend of cool jazz and pop rock. I can imagine a different band trying to go for this sound coming out as boring.
That said, I could see how this hyper clean, smooth, casual listening would have little appeal to some people. I might be one of them. The music is pleasant all around, but too safe for me to regularly listen to it. The outright hatred of SD I still don't get though. Feel like it's hard to have straight up bad time with something this chill.
This is undoubtedly a great album, and I do like it, but I feel like I need more time with it. I've heard it five or six times before and as much as I like it, it never hits that higher level for me. After I pulled it here I listened to it three times and gave it a couple extra days just to be fair. Every time I'm just waiting for it to "click" with me and it never does. Maybe one day.
*Heard before
Fear Of Music is Talking Heads at their most neurotic. David Byrne's regular energetic, bouncing vocals come off less eccentric more nervous. He's still singing about everyday subjects, but the motivations feel more pessimistic than normal. Quite the change in tone from their previous album.
*Heard before.
Hard rock masterpiece. Doesn't try to be anything but a fun time. Every song is sick. Simple as that.
I'm also remembering that I also gave their live album a five. I guess I'm a Deep Purple guy and never realized.
*Heard before.
There's a stark contrast between The Beatles' final album Let it Be and John's first solo project post-breakup. The slick production and catchy pop-rock tunes are gone, opting for a stripped back sound. That alone is enough to shock a regular Beatles listener, but throw in the raw, tell-it-like-it-is lyrics and it's a jump into ice water. John tells you how he really feels on society, religion, loss, and more. Hearing this in 2024 is still wild; I can't image hearing it in late 1970, 7 months after Let it Be.
I will say that although the raw lyricism is a highlight of the album, I do find it a bit preachy for casual listening. That's maybe to be expected with an album with this mission statement, and I do find a lot of it relatable, but it can be a little on the nose. There's a chance that's due to having 50 years worth of media with these same sentiments expressed in a more nuanced and subtle method.
Landmark piece of music either way!
*Heard before.
First and foremost, the Ed Roth cover is sick.
When I pulled this I thought I had never heard of The Birthday Party, and then I played the first track and was like OH! Nick Cave's punk band! As much as I love the Bad Seeds' discography I'd never listened to a TBP album.
Glad I finally did! This is a messy, noisy post-punk album. Even falls into the no wave category at times, sounding similar to an early Swans record. Which is a good thing in my book! Nick Cave's vocal are manic. He sounds like Elvis on acid.
Scroll down 100 entries on this page and you'll see a brief review of Ghosteen (recorded nearly 40 years after this) where I mention it making me cry. Talk about some range. Nick Cave rules. This album is sick.
My wife loves Count Basie. I'm a bit of a Jazz-head myself, but this is not my favorite style. Namely the Big Band elements. I favor Jazz that focuses on a few select ingredients rather than a whole stew of instruments. There are some nice, stripped back Bop tracks on this, but there is a lot of Big Band that I could give or take. It's a pleasant listen, but not my style.
That said, for 1958 that cover goes hard. Holy.
This is middle schooler music to me. The overdramatic tone and corny high-emotion lyrics come off as so goofy. There's a catchy hit or two in here, and I even think Cure for the Itch is some decent turntablism, but this is just too juvenile for me. At least too juvenile in a way I don't like.
Kind of forgot how horny this album is. I'm no prude, but I was pretty shocked with how overt this can get. Blow in particular gave me Prince - Dirty Mind vibes.
Overall this is a good pop album. A lot of the hits have admittedly worn their welcome. I don't know that I ever need to hear Drunk in Love again. And I've never loved Drake, but Kendrick really did a number on him this summer, because he's worse to listen to now. Before, a Drake feature was fine, but not something I was looking forward to. Now it's like a jump scare. Not even a bad feature; I just had an involuntary reaction when he popped up on Mine.
This is the only Bey album I've heard in full, and while I do like it, I feel like her potential is much higher than this; potential she's probably already reached on Lemonade or Renaissance, which I haven't yet heard. Impressive that a pop star who's been around this long is still putting out major albums and performing at such a high level.
*Heard before.
This is undoubtably a funky classic, but I do think Curtis has better albums than this.
*Heard before.
First time listening to a full Chicago album. And I feel like I'm having deja vu from a week ago when I listened to my first Steely Dan album. It's more jam-y jazz rock. Totally fine for casual listening, and well executed, but doesn't hit hard with me.
I will say that Free Form Guitar was a big surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear any experimental, free-improve on a Chicago album, but maybe that just goes to show my lack of familiarity with the band.
On Blue, Joni Mitchell is your mother and she's singing you gentle, soothing lullabies. This a key brick on the path of women singer/songwriters that leads to your modern day Joanna Newsom, Fionna Apple, or Weyes Blood.
*Heard before.
This is one of the most British albums of all time. It's like it was engineered to be kind of annoying, but somehow overcomes all of that with its slick productions and catchy tunes. I almost feel embarrassed with how much I like Tracy Jacks. But hey, it is what it is. Damon Albarn is a talented guy and this is a classic piece of britpop.
*Heard before.
Back to back britpop albums!
Giving a lot of these albums just a listen or two before moving on really doesn't do them the service they deserve. But with daily albums and 1001 to get through there's not a lot of room, especially considering I listen to a lot of albums outside of this list.
I feel that this album may be one of the victims of the persistent nature of a list like this. There's something here. Some stand out songs like the title track, as well as the closing. If I had more time I could see the whole thing growing on me, but alas I must continue on. Maybe I'll come back at a later time.
Johnny Cash's come back in the 90s is arguably the greatest of all time, and American IV is maybe the greatest of the series. Cash covers songs from classic to contemporary for the majority of the album. The covers range from what you would expect from Cash to highly unlikely, but they all work. Danny Boy and a stripped back cover of Personal Jesus coexist and fit together perfectly.
Hurt is the obvious stand out, but for me, In My Life is my personal favorite. I had always pictured the Beatles version playing at my funeral, but that changed when I first heard this cover. It's that good.
*Heard before
This and Elliot's following posthumous albums were the only two I hadn't yet heard. I'm a huge fan of his self titled album and have heard it countless times. Something about how stripped back and simple the sound is fits Elliot's voice so well. As such, my familiarity with his work following the self titled record is not nearly as strong.
On it's introduction to me, Figure 8 falls in a similar place as Either/Or and XO. All three are excellent albums with the vivid lyricism that Elliot is known for. F8 contains more of that stripped back sound I prefer than the previous two, which is a pleasant surprise.
The closing track being titled "Bye" and being a simple instrumental piece is a sad, but fitting sendoff to one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our time. RIP Elliot Smith.
Admirable that Wilson would record this all those years later. The production is incredible and the songs themselves are a joy. It's not quite the same without the rest of the 'Boys, but it's cool that we have this at all.
*Heard before
Talking Head's debut is an upbeat head bobber. They would reach greater heights later on, but 77 is a delight to casually listen to on a chill evening.
*Heard before.
I knew essentially nothing about Amy Winehouse before listening to this, other than she had died young. The way people talk about her I even got the impression that she was active much earlier than she was. I assumed she died in the 90s or something. I don't think I've ever seen someone hit the "legendary" status that quick in my lifetime.
Listening to Back To Black it's clear that Amy was a talented vocalist. This style of Pop Soul wasn't really a thing when BTB dropped. It's kind of crazy listening to this now after a decade of Adele on the radio, and the influence is obvious. Where Amy differs though is in a much more subdued atmosphere. None of these songs ring as anthemic to me as the Pop Soul I've come used to hearing. And the subject matter is a lot more melancholic.
While I enjoyed my time with Back To Black, and maybe if I had first listened on release things would be different, I'm not enthralled by any of it.
I've always felt a little mixed on the synth-y sounds that the group took on in the transition from Joy Division to New Order. Low-Life hits the right balance for me. The textures on this album are clean and creative. I love how the guitars sound when they come in. I especially love the back to back combo of Sunrise to Elegia.
Bernard Summers vocals are "bad", but they work in a charming way. Would have been interesting to hear what this group would have sounded like had they not lost Ian Curtis.
Not my favorite Police album (Reggatta de blanc would be that), but everything good about The Police is here. The B side in particular is pretty great. Every Breath You Take and King of Pain is a crazy one-two punch. I do think Mother is a bit underrated/overhated. One of the more eccentric cuts.
Also, The bonus track Murder by Numbers straight up sounds like a Jamiroquai song before Jamiroquai was a thing. It's uncanny.
I don't hate this style of indie music, but Two Dancers doesn't give me anything interesting to work with. Add in that one of the vocalist's voice is kind of annoying and the whole album feels like a slog to get through. It's a short 37 minutes, but I found myself checking to see how much was left multiple times through out my listening. There are plenty of other indie pop records from this era I would have rather listened to.
Enjoy the songwriting here. For example, the opening song has a fun call and response structure. Overall a nice folksy country album.
Grunge is weird for me, because if you were to ask me if I liked it, it would be a resounding yes. Then I remember that the only grunge band I've ever loved is Nirvana. Every other grunge band from that era that I've listened to just doesn't hold a candle to Nirvana.
Soundgarden's Superunknown has plenty of quality tracks, namely the big hits, but even the lesser known songs are well produced rock music. My problem is that so many tracks here sound too much like slightly updated hard rock tracks from the two decades prior. Nothing wrong with that, but it leaves me feeling like I've heard it all before. This came out pretty deep into the grunge movement too, so I would have expected a more contemporary sound.
*Heard before.
I genuinely appreciate this album for what it is. The mix of Celtic music with some punk influence mixes in is unique and interesting. There's really not a bad song on the album.
All that said I can't find myself listening to this much. I don't even think of it as a novelty, but the vibe is so specific I can't think of a context for it.
I truly want to see what everyone else sees in the Rolling Stones. Any talks about the greatest rock bands, even greatest artists in general, have the Stones somewhere near the top. But no matter how many times I listen to their most celebrated output from the late 60s to early 70s I'm left feeling underwhelmed.
Beggars Banquet is no exception. It's 40 more minutes of perfectly produced blues rock that flows in one ear and out the other.
I don't even dislike it! Put Beggars Banquet on and I'll happily sit and listen along, but other than Sympathy for the Devil none of it leaves with me.
*Heard before.
Been a minute since I last listened to Future Days and what a palette cleanser after yesterday's Stones album.
Can continued their streak of excellent albums with another improve heavy, psychedelic classic. There's so much texture, life, and intrigue to pull from every listen. And all a cool 40 minutes.
*Heard before.
This probably kills at bars.
This is a moody, beautiful album. Hawley's soft voice and lyrics paint images of lovely quiet moments. Perfect album for a rainy day like today.
There's plenty of great production on this album, but Pharrell is his own enemy here. He has negative charisma, negative sex appeal, and comes off like a major dork who doesn't realize he's a major dork.
There's also like, three hidden tracks? What's up with that? I'm cool with one at the end, but there's two smack dab in the middle of the project, back to back even. Weird.
Spooky Elvis music.
*Heard before
Not much to say. About as classic as classic rock gets.
*Heard before
Another Stevie Wonder masterpiece. The GOAT.
*Heard before
Hate to say it but Eric Clapton is pretty great here. First time I've felt like I've "got" him as a guitar player. Never understood the acclaim, but I can see it now.
It's fine. Not the style of country I appreciate, but it's listenable. It's definitely no Hank Williams.
As much as I like Daydream Nation, it's never hit that upper echelon for me. Every time I put it on I think it'll be the day that it fully clicks for me, but I'm always left feeling like I'm missing something. I feel like I want it to be more noisy and more abrasive or something.
All that said, this is still an excellent album. The guitars are fuzzy, and Moore and Gordon's vocals float across the noise beautifully.
I always for get that this album is 70 minutes. Some days it feels too long, some days not long enough.
*Hear before
Great song writing, but Costello's rockabilly laced new wavey rock is a sometimes food for me.
I've always had a soft spot for REMs early output. Their debut album Murmur is classic REM.
*Heard before.
Immaculate record. Gets better every time I hear it. Simple, but biting anti-authoritarian lyrics shouted over the funkiest, grooviest riffs you'll ever hear. I find myself bobbing my head to every single song.
I feel like a lot of people who aren't as familiar with hip hop don't realize how incredible it is that this was released in 1992. A whole YEAR before Enter the Wu Tang, Rage' was putting out music this cutting edge and extreme. Other than some of the flows being intrenched in that late 80s style, this sounds like it could have come out yesterday.
*Heard before.
Listened to Funeral quite a bit a decade or so ago. Coming back to it is kind of wild. There's so much of this album that inspired some of the most annoying indie music of the late 00s and early 10s. The self-important melancholy, the millennial vocalizing, it's all there. Arcade Fire does it much better than those who would follow in their footsteps though. Funeral is still a charming listen even though I don't hold it in as high regard as I did back in the day.
*Heard before
I'm going to have to go back and listen to Everything Must Go, because I really enjoyed The Holy Bible. The sound is a little more impactful and the song writing more appealing to my sensibilities.
I've seen the cover so many times and I always assumed it was for an alt-metal album or something.
Industrial the truest sense. Hard hitting, noisy, construction music. Especially liked Schmerzen Horen.
An eclectic mix of psych laced indie rock. Pretty good time and some fun performances.
I'm no stranger to Miles Davis, and Jazz in general, but I'm not as well versed in Davis as I'd like to be at the moment. Coltrane is where I've spent most of my jazz journey.
In a Silent Way is a wonderful in-between of Davis cool-jazz earlier work and the behemoth that would come after this, Bitches Brew. It's not so avant-garde that it'd turn people away, but not as clean and simple as his most popular work. IASW is a welcoming album that I think anyone could get into. It could set a mood while you make dinner, or more be subject to a more intense listening experience.
*Heard before
I wish this was more industrial. Maybe I've been desensitized by harsher music from the past 30 years, but this was weaker than I was wanting. Still a pleasant listen, albeit a little cheesy at times.
Wonderful production. The ambient tracks especially work for me. Only one thing holds this back for me; I've never been a fan of Brian's vocals. With more spins they may grow on me though.
*Heard before
Love the guitar tones on this. Jack White's range of distortion varies widely across the album and there's a lot of great hits through out. A few of the twangier cuts don't hit as hard for me.
Some great passages on here, but not something I see myself coming back to. Great album cover though.
The production is immaculate, the flows are distinctly late 80s, and the lyrics are playfully cheesy. Just a fun time the whole way through.
The only real issue is that so many song go on for 6+ minutes; One even nearly hits 9 minutes! For some songs I don't even mind it, but some of those tracks need cut down a bit. Could cut at least 10 minutes off this record and not miss much.
For some reason, despite knowing next to nothing about Beck, I've always been put off by him; or something like that. Doesn't make any sense. This weird preconceived aversion tainted part of my initial listen to Odelay, but I quickly came around to it and gave it an immediate second listen.
It's great! Eclectic in a way I wasn't expecting. The hip-hop and turntablism influence was an interesting surprise that I quite enjoyed.
Five of the albums on this list should be Fionna Apple albums. Tidal is the first of them all. Incredible debut. Most would be lucky to make something half as good as this on their first outing. Classic.
*Heard before
Very pleasant listen. Never seen the film, but the ost gives me some interest.
Been a minute since I last heard Debut. It's much more electronic than I remember. It's a great first outing for one of the greatest to ever do it. Venus as a Boy especially stands out.
*heard before.
Sweet little soul album with a couple stand out tracks.
Stevie Wonder's 72-78 run is so incredible. Is there a better 5 album run in music?
This was in my regular rotation something like 15 years ago. It's nostalgic to go back to, but doesn't quite hit the same for me anymore. Interesting and chill downtempo production, but doesn't catch me like it did.
*heard before
Not a Who fan, and that goes double for this cheesy, boring rock opera. Way too long, dull songs, completely uninteresting story, strange mixing choices. Just not at all a fun listen.
Refreshing listen after yesterday's The Who pick.
Raw, and aggressive. There's a particular kind of fuzz on the guitar(s) that gives the whole record a distinct feel. Wish I would have listened to this earlier. My only complaint is that a lot of the songs could be mixed louder.
This is actually a great album, but I can only listen to a horny British man sing for so long.
*heard before
No more brtipop please. I'm over it. lol
This is one of the '70s Waits albums that I skipped over for some reason. I was missing out, cuz this is a great way to spend an evening. Captures the vibes of hanging in a smokey club perfectly, and Waits personality, lyrics, and voice shines in a grimy type of way as always.
Undoubtably Eminem's best worst. Its been so long since he put out a good album that I sometimes forget how great these first few records are. Character is locked in, lyrics disgusting and often funny, and Dre's production is classic.
It's pretty juvenile, and Em's anger is spread out like a buck shot with not real aim or direction, which makes the anger feel silly or put on. Kinda cheesy at times, but always a fun listen nonetheless.
*Heard before
Perfect fusion of soul, r&b, and hip-hop. Beautiful songs with a beautiful theme. All timer.
*Heard before
As a Bjork fan, it was great finally listening to The Sugarcubes, but I found the male vocalist very distracting. Bjork is incredible as always though.
Black Sabbath, in my opinion, not only created metal, but created multiple genres of metal, and only within the span of a couple years. Their first three albums in particular are an incredible run of innovation while maintaining the highest quality of song writing.
Black Sabbath, their first album blows the doors of its hinges. Sometimes I try to put myself in the shoes of a first time listener in 1970 and I can't even comprehend it. It's heavy in a way that was previously unheard of. Every riff is iconic. Every melody incredible. Ozzy's vocals set the bar for metal to come. Even the more bluesy tracks, which stand out on this release, are full of incredible life and performances. And all that's not to even mention how Sabbath pathed the way visually and lyrically for this sound.
Has to be a top ten all time debut. RIP Ozzy.
*Heard before
Not for me, sorry. Pleasant enough, but doesn't grab me.
I've tried a few times to get into For Your Pleasure, but it never hits for me. Crazy sound for 1973. A decade ahead of its time. Just wish I liked it more. Maybe next time.
*Heard before
Nice Reggae tunes. Not a genre I'm as experienced with as I'd like to be, because this doesn't stand out for me from the Marley songs I'm used to hearing. Tosh was a Wailer, so I guess it makes sense their music would sound pretty similar. Chill listen either way.
Always excited to listen to Larks' Tongues. Just a classic prog record. The title tracks stand out amongst the rest, but the whole thing is awesome. Heavy sections, tranquil sections, moody ambient sections. Takes you on a journey.
*Heard before
Very sweet soulful album. Surprisingly the first full Nina Simone album I've heard.
Not a huge fan of Barrett era Floyd, but this has its moments. There's a lot of subtle sadness mixed in with his usual flowery poetry, which spiced up the album. Long Gone in particular stand out for me.
I will say, if Barrett performed If It's in You at any bar on this planet he'd receive a chorus of SHUT UPs.
Joni rules.
While I appreciate the experimental nature of The Jungle Line, it starts to get grating in an otherwise gorgeous album.
As a guy who grew up in a small town in Illinois, never feeling connected to the boring, midwestern world around me, Illinois helped open my eyes that the Midwest could be cool, and was full of history! I'm not gonna say that we have it all figured out, and that it's the greatest place on earth, but I've grown to love the Midwest and Illinois along with it, and Sufjan's album here definitely contributed to that feeling.
It's a beautiful, lush album full of wonderful harmonies and strings. Choirs and woodwinds. It manages to fly by in a brisk hour and fourteen minutes. Truly one of the greats.
*Heard before
Even if this is ironic, it's painfully annoying. There's some fun melodies here and there, but the vocals are extremely grating, and the whole sound and attitude was outdated when this came out and is even less relevant now. If I wanted to listen to glam rock I would choose a band from glam rock's prime, and one with a bit of sincerity.
No hate to Frank Sinatra. Legendary vocalist. Regardless if you're into vocal jazz or not, he's THE guy.
This is often considered to be one of the first concept albums. The concept here is apparently crooning, because that's all Frank does. It's a chill listen, but it's 16 songs that all sound extremely similar. Frank's sad about women, and he's singing about it.
*Heard before
Feel about the same as the last Dusty album on this list. Very nice, but doesn't grab me.
Another try at the Kinks and still not clicking for me. Enjoyable, but don't get it yet.
*Heard before
Still not super into Neil Young. Pleasant listen regardless.
*Heard before
This is nice, and I could see it growing on me, but I don't find it interesting enough to continue investing nearly an hour and a half to find that out.
Neu! 75 is a forward thinking ambient album with a punk edge to it. I'm more drawn to the excellent ambient sections over the punk bits, but it's overall an great project. Glad I gave another listen to it; curious to go back through the rest of their catalogue.
*Heard before
Neil Young finally got me tonight. Especially loved the repeating intro and outro tracks. The outro is pleasantly heavy.
Monster of an album. The Beatles were the dam holding back George's songwriting, and when they ended, that dam burst! Incredible stuff.
*Heard before
Without looking, I'm gonna guess this is not a popular album on this site. It's a nice little bit of artsy jazz-oriented rock, but can get pretty avant-garde. According to my records, I apparently gave this a listen back in 2016, which I have no recollection of. Reminds me a bit of modern day Richard Dawson.
*Heard before
This is the first Can album I had heard. I enjoy their following few releases more, but this is a great starting point. A few tracks might filter out some listeners though.
*Heard before
I've always seen why The Stone Roses debut album is considered such a classic. It has all the makings of one. There's not a wasted moment, and the production is often 10-15 years ahead of its time.
I can't say I love it though. Never been my thing. Totally fine to listen to it, but not favorite of mine. The melodies just don't grab me like they seem to grab so many others, and there's a few moments of grandiosity that come off as cheesy and irritating to me.
*Heard before
Saccharine, saccharine, saccharine. I can't think of a better word to describe this album. It's so inauthentically sweet I can't stand it. Every song is so painfully dull, but is trying to be so emotional. The vocals range from ok to terrible. I don't know how this ended up on this list.
If all that wasn't enough there's a whole ballad to Israel.
"Israel you make the whole world think about you"
Well you're not wrong there.
Listen to their previous album, and this one twice in a row. There's something here, but it hasn't completely clicked. The opener and Monitor are stand out tracks for me. Overall there's plenty of moody 80s goth rock here, but it doesn't grab me like The Cure.
Excellent song writing all around. Completely pulled me in. Horrible album cover though.
This was in heavy rotation when I was around 19 years old. Even now the mysterious, other worldly production is enveloping. Not every song's vocals work for me, but when they do, they really do. Concrete Walls in particular has always stood out to me. Classic record for me.
*Heard before
McCartney's penchant for catchy pop songs is in full swing here. Every song has something to love about it. Immaculate instrumentation and production. It can get a little "hippy dippy" with its emotional language though; especially so on Mamunia. Excellent record.
CLASSIC. Always loved this record. It gets a lot of love for Big Iron, and rightfully so, but the whole album is chock full of wonderful tales of the wild west. Marty's singing perfectly captures the aesthetic he's going for, and the tunes are all catchy and fun. Despite the fun musicality of the record there's an underlying darkness that the stories don't shy away from. If you take the time to follow Marty along on the adventures he takes you on, you'll find death and despair at every corner; I appreciate this kind of sad, grounded presentation of the lawless west, which is often sanitized in the same way pirate stories are.
*Heard before
Interesting album, but not something I'm super interested in listening to again.
Dig the dreamy psychedelic influence on the production. The album is very clean sounding, and there's a lot of charming tunes here. The vocals can be a little irritating at times, but didn't bother me as much on a second listen.
