774
Albums Rated
3.13
Average Rating
71%
Complete
315 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
76
5-Star Albums
38
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Logical Progression
LTJ Bukem
|
5 | 2.52 | +2.48 |
|
Timeless
Goldie
|
5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
|
Damaged
Black Flag
|
5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
|
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
4 | 2.03 | +1.97 |
|
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Moondance
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
|
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
|
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
|
1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
|
The Real Thing
Faith No More
|
1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
|
School's Out
Alice Cooper
|
1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
|
Close To The Edge
Yes
|
1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
|
Rocks
Aerosmith
|
1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
|
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
|
1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 5 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4.5 |
| Beatles | 6 | 4.5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| The Prodigy | 2 | 5 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 4.33 |
| Tom Waits | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Morrissey | 4 | 1 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 1.33 |
| Alice Cooper | 2 | 1 |
| Aerosmith | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1.5 |
| Yes | 2 | 1.5 |
| Ice Cube | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| U2 | 4, 1 |
| Frank Sinatra | 5, 2, 4 |
5-Star Albums (76)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
R.E.M.
3/5
Like most of the albums on here this album has obvious merit. It sounds great and the production and song writing were top notch. I tried to find a foothold in so that I could enjoy is with my heart rather than my head, but didn't manage it.
13 likes
Iggy Pop
3/5
I love Iggy and what he stands for, his style, attitude and growl. For me the music doesnt quite hit the same heights though. Some decent tunes and some straight forward guitar and music dont really elevate this much above average.
2 likes
Crowded House
4/5
An absolute treat. One of those albums where you are surprisingly familiar with a few songs but the rest is a mystery. Sometimes the singles are just the diamonds in the rough. Sometimes the singles are just an indication of the quality to be found on further inspection.
This is the latter and the singles hit me like a wave of nostalgia, but the rest way very good. Four seasons in one day could have been a Beatles song, and italian plastic shone. An unfortunately line about god and a sausage dog, plus some random mooing probably keep this off the top rank, but i think i managed 4 listens in a day and that speaks volumes
2 likes
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Good but too dense to take in over 1/2 listens. Will come back to it
2 likes
Jethro Tull
2/5
God I really disliked this. I know it's of its time and I can see the quality of the playing and everything is great.
But it just felt like it was taking the piss. All I could hear was a jack black cover band who play a set in a film that's set in a renaissance fair with mid 2010's stoner actors who fuck around and not much happens.
It's just so ridiculous and pompous and easily parodied.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (38)
All Ratings
Gorillaz
3/5
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
The Police
3/5
Ok, not my cup of tea, but message in a bottle is a classic
Sigur Rós
5/5
A classic
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Good but too dense to take in over 1/2 listens. Will come back to it
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Soft Cell
2/5
Not for me. The vocal became grating, the lyrics are that of a horny teenager and the 80's Casio keyboard music doesn't really hold value. If you were a horny teenager in 1981 then I'm sure this was 'your music' but I don't think it has stood the test if time.
Meat Loaf
4/5
If this doesn't make you even a little joyful then you need to see a doctor.
Kanye West
4/5
If you can sperate the art from the artist and forget about the walking turd of human that Kanye has become, then this is a banger across the board. A step up from the more mainstream college trilogy, but not so up its own arse like later stuff. I've stopped listening to him in the last decade but this deserves its place on the list.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Sounded nice, but didn't grab me.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Crazy 60s psych which was fun, but I won't be going back to
Liz Phair
2/5
Didn't like this one. I can only assume it's popularity is based on being a early version of better female fronted grunge/alt from the early 90's. Better listen to early Hole or even 4 non blondes.
The White Stripes
4/5
The Lemonheads
3/5
This album reminds me of my sister. I flower out from under her bedroom door for a good chunk of the 90's. In my head, it's always been 'her' music so I never really listened to it. On reflection I can see the appeal, sunny tracks that speak of its time and place. I'll probably listen to this more now, mostly to remind myself of her, but also because it's a good album
Jacques Brel
2/5
Neither liked it or disliked it. Seemed to be a perfectly reasonable crooner but it's not something that interested me.
American Music Club
2/5
Fairly middle of the road Americana. Didn't finish the album
Depeche Mode
2/5
Didn't care for it. I can't article why, but it didn't grab me on any level.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Beautiful songs that set the standard. My only issue is the tone of her voice at higher ranges doesn't sound good to me.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Janelle Monáe
3/5
There are lots of positives here. She has the look, the ambition of sound and image, I liked the diversity of musical styles and her voice is good. But the album felt about 50% too long and sounded like someone still trying to break through the external facade to reveal her true self. I think there is a classic album in her future, but this wasnt it.
Wire
4/5
Really enjoyed this. I'd heard the name but never dived in. I'm delighted I started at the start and it will allow me to work though everything in order. This sounded to me like a mix of the clash and gang of four. Short sharp scuzzy and very good. A new fan.
Nirvana
5/5
When I get was 13, an older boy made a fortune taping his copies of Nirvana albums and selling them for a pound to the younger kids. In Utero on one side and Nevermind on the other. I listened until the tape wore through. I'm not able to accurately judge this as it's wound through my teenage years like raisins in a Danish pastry.
Radiohead
5/5
The first album in this project that I own on vinyl. Radiohead are my Beatles and this is one of their best. They do what other bands can't which is evolve, stay ahead of their fanbases and maintain an incredible level of quality. This album has some of the best Radiohead tracks ever, but I can pick anything out as the album is so good. I'm giving this 5 stars but it's also made me wish I'd not given previous 5 stars out as this is a cut above.
OutKast
3/5
There are obviously some bangers in this and I discovered a couple of album tracks I'd not heard that were good, but it's just too damn long. There is an incredible single album about an hour long in here, it just needs some significant editing.
Michael Jackson
4/5
It's a very good album and I think man in the mirror is one of the best pop songs ever written. A relisten does reveal a surprising amount of filler though.
Joy Division
4/5
A beautiful and seminal album. The sparse industrial rhythm perfectly match the dark lyrics that evoke the industrial north. A relisten highlights the fact that the vocal and the guitar are duetting throughout.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Perfectly fine funk/soul with not much to complain about but it's nothing I'd turn to again
Astor Piazzolla
1/5
If I ever feel the need for xylophone jazz then I'll remember this. But that's never going to happen and this was the first album I have up on.
Deep Purple
2/5
When this came up, I thought: not my usual jam, but why the fuck not, so put it on at high volume and went for a walk.
Turns out the 'why not' is fairly evident after about 3 tracks. I can imagine this sounded raw and energetic when it came out but it now just sounds a bit mediocre. Not angry, not poppy, very dated and weirdly bland.
Talking Heads
3/5
I enjoyed this and will come back to it.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
I enjoyed it. The long form funk was a change and it allowed the whole thing to wash over me.
David Bowie
3/5
Love Bowie. Have listened to this before and am aware of the massive foreshadowing that makes it. But I didn't gave the space to properly digest this.
Eurythmics
3/5
I enjoyed this. Her voice is one of the best. More importantly I think the music and production, whilst obviously from the 80's didn't sound embarrassingly so. (Cough cough soft cell).
GZA
3/5
Didn't know this album. Turns out it perfectly serviceable 90's wrap. No complaints.
The Adverts
2/5
I didn't really get on board with this. Id never heard of it and when it started I thought it may be some good punk/postpunk. But it turned out to be weirdly insipid and quite poppy.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
Nothing more than fine. Grating voice and ok 80s pop.
John Lennon
3/5
Working class hero is an absolute banger and an new iteration of 'masters of war'. The rest of the album contains some beautiful and incredibly personal lyrics, but it has cemented myself as a McCartney fan over a lennonite.
Fela Kuti
3/5
I enjoyed that.
Scritti Politti
2/5
Did not like this. It felt very one note and bland.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
I'm only 50 albums in, I was born in England in the early 80's and I'm already sick of all these 80's British bands. This was fine, bit it doesn't warrant making this list.
Taylor Swift
3/5
I don't live in a cave so am aware of Taylor Swift, but hadn't listened to any albums of hers. I found this to be perfectly decent pop music with a nice bland message and seemed well produced and packaged. I've no idea why she is as lauded as she is, but it wasn't bad.
Minutemen
4/5
Now this is what I'm here for. I'd not heard of this but loved it. It managed to sound both lowfi and incredibly well produced, simple and complex, with brilliant variety across genre. There were clear pop songs, punk, country, spoken word, jazz and much more. Plus the jackass theme popped up in the middle which made me think I was having a stroke temporarily.
Ryan Adams
4/5
It's a great album. His ear for a tune and a lyric are top tier. There is a arguement for the album to lose about 1/3 and I do prefer some of the versions included in the live at Carnegie hall, but I enjoyed every second of this.
Holger Czukay
2/5
Mad, mad and not for me today. Maybe another day it may stick, but I got to the barking and rolled my eyes
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Some obvious classic tracks but found the rest of the album inconsistent.
Steve Earle
2/5
I didn't like this. It sounded like lowest common denominator music for simpletons. But further into the album it started to remind me of people I did enjoy, there were brief flashes of Elvis, a Jonny Cash baseline or a Ryan Adams b-side. Country music can be complex, interesting and innovative and this was none of those things.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Nice, dense and interesting. Will revisit.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
There isn't anything I can say that hasn't already been said about Mr Hendrix. As a man who can't play guitar, it's amazing that he is so far above his peers that even an idiot can see he is the GOAT. Plus some absolute bangers on this album.
Laibach
2/5
If Grima Wormtongue was given the job of DJing the Uruk-Hai Christmas Party I think would be perfect. It has the innate anger of a pack of Orcs but adds enough wimsy and jauntyness to appeal to murdering half-men celebrating a nice time of the year. I'm sure the Orcs would give this album five stars.
However for all the same reasons this gets a 2 from me.
Wild Beasts
3/5
These guys are from my county and I followed them coming up. It was exciting to see a local band make it big and I had this album and saw them live. I'm surprised to see this on the list as it never struck me as a classic. A relisten a decade later shows this for what it is: an ok album, with a fairly marmite singer. This isn't bringing any warm fuzzy feelings back and it won't send me back through their catalog, but its nice.
The Specials
5/5
Brilliant album. It hits so many different heights. The rhythm is brilliant and uplifting, the composition is lush, the production is clean and the lyrics paint a picture of Thatchers Britain in the 80's. I cannot find a single reason not to give this 5 stars.
Frank Ocean
2/5
I can't find any merit in this. I know people rave over Frank Ocean and I've tried his albums before, but on a concentrated listen I didn't find anything that engaged me. Bland and boring.
The Streets
3/5
I was surprised to see this on the list. I would be absolutely the right demographic for this album being English and of the correct age, but the first album by Mike Skinner is so far above this in terms of quality and importance that its much better inclusion.
What Mike Skinner does well is he writes really good music of his time and his lyrics accurately describe my life. His singing/wrapping isn't for everyone and if you compare it to US rappers then it's not going to impress anyone.
This album has a scattering of good tracks but he very quickly found the edges of his talent. If you enjoyed this or wanted to hear a better version, go find 'origional pirate material'
Björk
5/5
This is magical. Her voice, her energy, the musicality, the joy all combine to form something timeless. It struck me that this is 30 years old and still sounds contemporary. If the world was more Bjork it would be a better place and this represents her youth and excitement.
Various Artists
5/5
It's a bit unfair to drop this on us on Xmas day. I had a brilliant day and this was on loop so of course it gets 5 stars. Merry Christmas everyone!
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
It was boxing day and I couldn't find a moment that seemed appropriate to put this on with the in laws around. I'm sorry. I'll come back to it I promise.
Air
3/5
It was nice and floaty with occasional bursts of tune to engage the ears. But I found them too far apart to hold my attention and this drifted by without leaving much of an impression. Much preferred Moon Safari.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I've not listened to this in 20 years so it was nic to revisit it. The singles stood out and I enjoyed the fun concept but I wouldn't be coming back for a relisten soon.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
I'd never heard the name, but when the album started I immediately recognised the voice. It's surprising how many tracks I could sing along to. Good 70's fun.
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
I didn't find much in this beyond middle of the road early indie.
Throwing Muses
3/5
The is one was pretty straight forwards. I didn't find it first time around but some nice and mainstream girl indie punk was more than welcome.
Radiohead
5/5
It's not the best Radiohead album so I was considering giving it a 4 but I listened through again and it's a masterpiece still.
The Byrds
3/5
I enjoyed this. It was a more complex than I'd expected from my knowledge of the Byrds. The country sounds and rhythms were appealing and it held up well.
Fairport Convention
2/5
I didn't hate this but it didn't really interest me. I've found I'm quite averse to the 60/70 style of female folk vocal which is grating and lacking in depth. This hit that 'not so sweet' spot and I found it difficult. I'm sure the songs were well crafted and if you like her voice it could be a great record, but not for me.
Peter Tosh
3/5
This morning as good fun and a pleasurable listen. But I don't listen to enough reggae to look past his previous band so it wont get much repeat play
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
So many if these albums are masterpieces and 24 hours isn't enough to form a coherent opinion of them. This is a classic example where I managed 1.5 listens through and liked what I heard by it didn't manage to get a sense of the stories and the magnitude of the thing. I'll try to revisit.
The Shamen
3/5
This brought the rave scene to the main stream in the UK in the early 90's. I remember it being labeled as dangerous and drug fuelled. Which made it more intriguing as a young person. I remember the hits, but a full listen through unveils a surprisingly diverse and musically accomplished album. There is a bigger debt to the Pet shop boys than I expected and all in all the hour skipped along well.
a-ha
2/5
This was fine. Take on me is part of the furniture culturally, but I think it may be a bit overrated musically as it gets a lot of it's credit from the video and the MTV generation. The rest of the album is serviceable pop.
Neil Young
3/5
I'm aware that this is a classic and a listen through showed beautiful melody and lyrics. But I had to find it on YouTube and the ads really disrupted my flow.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
There is a huge amount to respect and love the Boss for. He writes a banging pop song, he is a man above reproach, he speaks for people who don't have a voice and he works harder than anyone else. But I'm not a blue collar worker in the rust belt and listening through to the album it is still fairly middle of the road pop/rock which is good, but it's not life changing.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
This was a delight. Sinatra is such an icon and is so woven into the cultural history that his music comes with a set of pre-conceived notions. I knew the classics and had an image based on the rat pack, stories of mafia connections, womanizing and generally being old school cool with a large slice of misogyny thrown in.
However this album really caught me off guard. It's romantic and vulnerable and subtle. The story telling in the lyrics, the lush orchestration and the emotion in his voice blew me away. Plus I read the wiki entry and discovered this was one of the first concept albums and he pioneered this type of album.
I'll be listening again and I'll be looking at his discography for more gems rather than the playlist/best of that may have got an occasional play previously.
Pulp
5/5
I'll start with a declaration. I'm not objective about this album. I'm English, was 13 years old when this came out, saw them at v96 at 14 and had my kind blown, own all Pulp albums, listen to Jarvis on the radio and just finished his book. Let's say this is my music.
In an attempt to be objective, the music is brilliant pop, the lyrics should win the Pulitzer and I listened to this and danced around a shopping centre. The hits are unparalleled and the album tracks are equally good, there is no filler. If I'm being subjective, this is a core memory for me and fills my old man heart with the joy and vigour of my younger self.
If I was in a coma, then play this and I'll wake up.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
This is a beautiful album from start to finish. The falsetto voice against the guitar sound is a stunning combination. The songs are filled with emotion and jaw dropping heart. I could listen to Last Goodbye on a loop for a year and still feel my heart swell.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
I didn't find this offensive, but I listened to this twice through yesterday and when it comes to review it I can't remember a single thing about it apart from the sound bed that's is used in a sports podcast I like. I remember finding it perfectly pleasant but nothing memorable.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
It's lovely to have a change of pace and move away from the western centric anglophone stuff that dominates this list. I only know him from a duet with Neneh cherry in the 90's and it's the interesting to dive deeper. The north African rhythms and instrumentation are lovely, obviously I've no idea what he was singing about but it ticked by quite nicely.
Van Halen
3/5
This isn't my usual stuff but I didn't find it offensive. Some fun stuff and a surprising amount of variety. But I'm never going to go back to it.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I was excited when this came up and I've enjoyed 90's hip hop. A couple of listen throughs later and I'm not blown away. It was good but not great, there wasnt much light and shade and it all blended into one.
Method Man
3/5
Yeah fine. I didn't like it loathe this. The definition of a 3 star
Nanci Griffith
3/5
I'd never heard of this so came in blind. I found it to be some pleasant country/ folk. The songs were well crafted and I enjoyed her voice. Whilst I can enjoy the skill, it didn't light any fires.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
These kind of albums are one of the real benefits of this exercise. I should be a massive fan of his but I'd never found a foothold. He is always listed alongside Dylan and Cave who I'm massive fans of.
I listened through to this 3 X with headphones to concentrate. The lyrics are basically prose. The musicality is very gentle and restrained. I'm taking a while to warm up to his growl but I think I'll get there. I hope this is the introduction I need to become a fan.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
I did a marathon in 2019.
When I decided to do it, I was excited by the prospect. I was used to a usual run time but this was way above the usual. The first 10 ticked along in a bubble of enthusiasm. As the time passed I found it difficult to differentiate one mile from another. After about 30% it became a slog and I just kept my head down and chugged through. My brain only really woke up when the end was in site.
In retrospect, I'm glad I did it. I'll never do it again. It was too long.
Van Morrison
1/5
The man is a pig and a cancer on society.
Having said that he is part of the fabric on Ireland and the album is smooth and mellow.
I'm a fan of separating the art from the artist but fuck van Morrison.
R.E.M.
3/5
Like most of the albums on here this album has obvious merit. It sounds great and the production and song writing were top notch. I tried to find a foothold in so that I could enjoy is with my heart rather than my head, but didn't manage it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Perfectly pleasant jazz prog nonsense. Certainly nothing I'd ever listen to before or again, but certainly didn't hate it.
Destiny's Child
2/5
It avoids one star because the first three tracks are pop classics. But that is an awful album.
They knew it as well as they just dumped the three singles as the start and then left the rest of the album to be filled by an AI with the instruction to generate insipid, inconsistent, dated r n b.
I shudder at the thought of this.
Orbital
4/5
Loved it. The precursor to a lot of what I listen to now. I love the loops and the crunchiness.
Air
4/5
Lovely stuff. Dreamy, French pop with loads of detail in the background. Beautiful synths and base lines, actual hooks and lots to focus in on.
But zoom out and let the beauty wash over you.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
My second MBV album in my first 90. Still can't get on board. Mumbly vocals, willful lack of cohesion and only reason it gets 2 stars is the passable shoegaze at the end.
James Brown
3/5
I'm a fan of Mr Brown but i dont think this captured him at his best. I'm sure he was spectacular live but it doesn't come across in this
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I'm all over the place with this one.
I was brought up in a Rolling Stones household so this was on in the background all the time. When I got a record player this was one of the first albums I bought as I thought it was a mandatory thing.
When the album came up I realized that a) I still had the record and b) I'd not played it in a decade.
So I take a couple of passes on vinyl and one on my headphones and all I can say is, I'm underwhelmed.
A lot of these tracks are obviously very good pop/rock/blues tunes. The guitars and rhythm are excellent and I can see why this became a seminal album in its time.
But I don't think Jagger is a great singer. And also, as music availability has expanded it seems ludicrous to listen to this, admittedly good, imitation pop version when the original blues records are easily available.
Go straight to the source and get it before it gets watered down.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I really enjoyed this. It seems to full to the brim with heart and soul. I like his voice, the music was great and I'll be digging into the back catalogue.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Another classic band that needs no introduction. I'd not listened to an album by them before, but was happy to sing along to the hits. The rest of the album was fine but my ambivalence is more due to this not really being my thing than any failings on their part. A solid 3.
The Auteurs
3/5
As a child of britpop I was amazed I'd not heard this. Seems like it came just before and paved the way for a lot of music that I love. Knowing that context means I'm inclined to be more generous, but putting it against its followers shows it to be a weaker album.
Talking Heads
4/5
My second talking heads album and I'm now turning to them without the aid of the list. The energy, the rhythms and the eloquence are all my bag.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
I've had a few country albums so far and all I've learnt is that I don't like country. This didn't have anything to change my mind.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
I felt this was truer to the origins of the blues but lacked some of the poppier hooks of the the rolling stones for example. Perfectly reasonable and 3 stars
Janis Joplin
3/5
I didn't know Janis Joplin could sing like that! I had her in my head as a folkie. Like the vibe and the wurlitzers.
However, if I ever wanted to listen to this again, I'd just put on Aretha Franklin.
Moby Grape
3/5
I've had a lot of this genre recently and I am generally quite ambivalent towards it. On a couple of listens I can see the blend of blues, country, pop and a bit of psych is unique and it's well done of a little under cooked. But I won't be going back.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I'd never listened to this album all the way through before and I regret that now.
What an album. The scope of it is just epic. It does incredibly well painting pictures in your mind using space and quiet as well as lots of layered noise. It's a bit like jazz in that the real skill is in the spaces they leave.
This is the first album that gets a five having never listened to it before. Outstanding.
The Killers
4/5
Well this was ubiquitous throughout my 20's on radio and everywhere else. I had the cd and if you aren't tempted to bounce around at Mr Brightside then I suggest you donate your ears to someone who would make better use of them.
A relisten reminds me of how many singles they pumped from this album and the general lack of filler throughout. It's not going to change the world but it's undeniably a strong album of pop/rock.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Easy 5 stars. This may be top ten ever. If you rate music by how much it makes makes you feel then this is god tier.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Obvious quality but surprisingly not as aggressive as I'd hoped.
Magazine
3/5
I hadn't heard this so came to it fresh. I thought it was fine, but it's not my bag. It reminded me of The Strangers that my mum used to play to me as a kid
Metallica
3/5
Whilst I can see the obvious musicianship that radiates from every pore of this, i'e prefer the originals and I'm not a massive metallics fan anyway.
Living Colour
2/5
This was wild. Hair metal, with extra slap bass and some properly weird lyrics. I didn't hate it but man the 80's sucked.
Grateful Dead
3/5
In my head I had The Grateful dead as a bit weirder than this. The first half was good quality MOR radio friendly pop rock. The second half started to add a bit of colour, but nothing that made this warrant any excitement.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
I like music. I recognise and value experimentation. I know all genres aren't going to float my boat and that's fine.
But holy shit this is unlistenable.
Talking Heads
3/5
This process showed me a love of Talking Heads, but I don't think this album was their best on first impression. Seemed a bit less varied than others and that lead to some boredom. Maybe repeat plays with uncover it's depth so I'll be back
Coldplay
4/5
Let's put to one side the all encompassing soulless, beigeness that Coldplay have become and look at this album on its merits.
This debut was genuinely exciting when it landed. There are some killer pop tracks in this and the album doesn't seem like filler. They know how to write a really good melody for vocal and guitar and I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Polly Jean is a icon and should be taught in schools. Her energy, intelligence, voice and message are important.
I don't think there are many better opening 6 track runs in an album. I put my headphones on and walked my baby to sleep and was bouncing along.
I'd love to give this 5 stars, but the discordant strings on plants and rags weren't great and the drop in quality for the last 3 tracks make this a 4.4. Ive know this album for 30 years and it it was 5 stars I'd have listened to it more, so I'm rounding down.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
A stone cold classic and the perfect entry into this list.
This album is hugely of it's time and that is a good thing. It washed away the so called "landfill indie" that proceeded it in the UK. It's birth at the start of file sharing and new ways to disseminate and consume music felt new and genuinely exciting.
I moved to Sheffield in 2000 and was firmly ensconced in the music scene when these guys exploded. I didn't get to see them at the Boardwalk, but to have 18 year old boys playing music that spoke of our time and place makes it something personal to me.
If you ignore the personal and cultural history and look at the music they generated it would still warrant it's place because the quality of the album speaks for itself. The consistency from track one to the closer is incredible. The lyrics are witty and warm with an excellent injection of snarl. The guitars and driving rhythm section elevate this further. Add a liberal sprinkling of pop hooks and sing along choruses and it demonstrates what the best music can be: the alchemy of putting quality ingredients together to produce something more than the sum of its parts that speaks to people and brings joy.
Put this on loud and sing every word and you'll be a better person afterwards.
Fela Kuti
3/5
This is my second Fela Kuti album on the list and I've enjoyed both. This live one has a more raw and exciting feel to it and that lifted the whole thing. It's still not my go to, but I'm glad I listened to this.
Khaled
3/5
I like getting introduced to new things and whilst I didnt find this offensive, it didn't hold much interest for me. A low 3
Morrissey
1/5
Morrissey is the human equivalent of the stain in your underpants when you have picked up a stomach complaint.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
It's stupid, misogynistic, devoid of depth and loud and I love every second of it.
I'm about 120 albums in and I've had rock classics like Sabbath and others and they've left me cold. This does not.
Admittedly I had this on cd when I was 13 and so I put it on loud and sang every lyric at the top of my voice.
Great, foot stomping, lyric shouting, head banging nonsense.
Steely Dan
4/5
I really enjoyed this but my baby isn't sleeping so that's all you are getting.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
So, this comes a day after Appetite for Destruction for me, its an interesting comparison.
I highlighted the misogyny in the other one and it feels important to do the same here. As a 41 year old white dude from Ireland, I've never had to assess the correct order for cash app and my pussy, but the message about getting paid isn't one I feel I'd share with my kids.
Moving on from the message, it comes down to how this makes me feel. Did the lyrics resonate with me? No, can I imagine they do for other people? Sure. Did the music engage with me? No, I'm not R'n'B expert but I could name 5 better albums quickly. Did I like the idea of mixing spoken word and song? Yeah, why not.
Prince
4/5
When he is good he is very good. On a par with Hendrix for guitar playing. Has written some of the best pop music in the history of the world and is a manic purple sex pixie to boot.
There is a certain amount of filler though so only 4 stars but the singles are what all music should be judged against.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
It's weird how snoop has gone from misogynistic gangsta to wholesome dad, but this album was the high point of 90's small dick gangsta rap.
Having said that, the beats are heavy, the flow is smooth and there are some absolute bangers here.
Brian Eno
3/5
I enjoy Brian's later ambient output and I can see the beginnings of the Talking Heads style sound here, but it feels like this isn't a fully formed sound yet. I didn't dislike it and can see the merit in places, but it's an easy three for me.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I'm a Dylan fan. Blame Max Broadys dad who played him in his car when I was about 13 and I was hooked.
Blood on the Tracks is up there as one of his best. I cannot add to the cannon about his song writing ability and I know his voice isn't for everyone. But these tracks just soar.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I really want enjoyed that. Lots of brilliant riffs and low fi crunchiness
The Replacements
4/5
This process has unveiled a love of post punk that I didn't know I had. Really enjoyed the spectrum of pinky noise through to some genuinely catchy tunes.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
Even when I don't like something, I can usually see why it's on the list but this has left me stumped.
It's such a sea of blandness and beige. There are passable tunes here and I don't dislike her voice, but it's not good, interesting, new, progressive or engaging.
King Crimson
3/5
I enjoyed this. It was wild and weird and I felt like I was at some sort of medieval fair.
Anthrax
3/5
Another good addition to the list. I'm not a fan of whatever this is classed as and when the growling started I braved myself for a slog. But there was a surprising amount of tune in these and it seemed very well done. It reminded me of some of the American punk that I listened to in the late 90s when I was a teenager, but with more darkness and depth.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Johnny Cash is a force of nature. I'm part of the generation who rediscovered him via Rick Rubin's albums with him.
I'm not a country fan but this bridges the gap due to the quality of the songs, the driving rhythm, his voice and the sheer magnificence of the man.
This album has a really cinematic feel and it's certainly adds to the album and dovetails with the reputation of the man.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I'm going to be a heretic here, but I thought this was good but nothing that stood out from a lot of the list.
There are some well known classics here and I can't deny the energy and songwriting skill on show. But I didn't see what elevates it to great, I found his voice annoys me and the drop off from singles to album filler was steep.
The Avalanches
3/5
Lots and lots of fun. Great rhythm and beat. The audio tapestry style just makes it very interesting. There is some variable consistency across the album but when it's good it's very good.
Neil Young
3/5
As with previous Neil young stuff, the fact I have to listen with adverts on YouTube is hugely distracting and ruins the flow of the album.
However, this one may the start of me liking his stuff. It's the second one I've had and I enjoyed the mood in this one more than others.
Ride
3/5
I read the reviews and they made my heart sink. Not another wall of shoegaze industrial noise please. I've already given MBV 2 stars.
However on a listen this was a much more palatable listen. The balance between scuzz and genuinely tuneful guitars was surprising and it fitted into a spectrum of music that I co in let enjoy, albeit at the darker end.
The Doors
3/5
I like the doors and Jim Morrison but this doesn't strike me as their best work.
Red Snapper
2/5
I should know about this as I was 18 and in the UK when this came out, I loved music around this area but I've never heard of this.
I have no idea how this made the list, it's fine for a genre that I do enjoy but it's not good. It made me want to listen to propellerheads, chemical Brothers and massive attack, not listen again.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Maybe I'm just jaded from being on a run of 3 star albums but this annoyed me.
I was aware of their hit in the 90s and there are some decent pop tunes in here and their playing is undoubtedly good, but I ended up annoyed
It just seemed so commercialised and annodyne. What happened post post-punk to go a full 360 and turn it into frat rock?
It's still a 3 but for once I'm surprised with my reaction.
Madonna
3/5
I thought this was really inconsistent. The upbeat tracks worked really well, but the ballad were very bad.
I feel this may be over rated as an album due to Madonna's profile.
Pixies
4/5
A great album that I enjoyed. The singles were well known but the reason this gets 4 stars is the album tracks were also excellent.
The White Stripes
4/5
This process has given me a new found live of the white stripes and this is another banger
D'Angelo
3/5
I think this is a great example of a album that merits its inclusion in this list but isn't massively for me.
I remember Brown Sugar from the first time around, but the rest of the album seems quite competent lyrically and the groove is good.
Bob Dylan
5/5
The guy's got a Pulitzer prize. And this is in the conversation about being one of his best. And it has subterranean homesick blues, Maggie's farm and Mr tambourine man on. There isn't an easier 5 stars in the world
ABBA
3/5
I was raised on Abba gold and can sing along to most of the hits. I wouldn't choose to listen to it now l, but it's undeniably excellent pop music.
Now this process gives me a chance to delve into their difficult break up album and see what it brings and on the whole it seems of a good standard.
There is undeniable song writing mastery at work, coupled with heart breaking lyrics and beautiful singing. The darker synth sounds are interesting and it's a worthwhile addition to the list.
However, I don't tend to return to their accessible stuff and this would be below that for me.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I didn't come across this first time round as it was 5 years to early but Sonic Youth was a name I knew.
On first listen I found it weirdly bland, but I felt there was enough there to come back to it.
I managed to get another 2 runs through and it slowly unveiled itself. The initial angry skuzz gives way to some quality songwriting and a surprising amount of space and panorama in the music. I really warmed to it and may return to see what else comes out over time.
The Kinks
2/5
With the exception of Sunny Afternoon found this suprisingly bland. For one of the supposed best songwriters ever, I thought it was quite dated and very lightweight.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Does Bob get an instant 5? Probably, but let's listen.
It was the first day of spring here, the sun came out and I was out and about in my car a lot with my sunglasses on. I say this because this music couldnt have fitted the scenario better. It's like sunshine in audible form.
This album was quality all the way through and Bob is more than an icon.
Yes, Bob gets 5 stars
Aerosmith
2/5
Urgh, this was fairly repellant. On the plus side I can see how this could be considered building on the stones in terms of guitar sound. But this is so puerile and vacuous. Walk this way is much better with RUN DMC and the other supposed stand out track wasn't great.
Aerosmith
1/5
Yesterday I had Aerosmiths third album and didn't enjoy it, 2 stars.
I opened today hoping for a palate cleanser and was given Aerosmiths 4 album. I barely made it through a single listen of this as I was already sick of their stones derivative, screechy, puerile nonsense.
Today they get one star just because I'm sick of their shit.
David Bowie
4/5
Another artist who sits above reproach. I was raised on Ziggy Stardust and have loved the music ever since.
This final chapter in his discography is a worthy finale and it is a marks of the man's inability to do anything undramatically that he died straight after it's release.
On revisiting the album, it is dense and textured with lots of modernity about it despite his age. The voice holds well and it sounds great. If it was to be rated at the top of his discography it could benefit from a couple of slightly more accessible or poppy songs but that wouldnt be the point now would it. RIP David
Michael Jackson
5/5
Probably my least listened-to solo MJ album and I regret it now. An absolute banger of disco funk and soul.
Sometimes on his other albums, the familiarity with the hits means you don't hear the music, just the anthem and with the obvious exceptions here I found myself able to really appreciate what is going on. The quality of the song writing is god tier, but it's his voice and the alchemy of Quincy Joneses production that raise this another notch.
PJ Harvey
3/5
I love PJ but she progressed too quickly for me and some of her stuff gets a bit more experimental than my tastes. Still enjoyed the listen tho.
Bee Gees
1/5
God this was bad.
For a band known for their singing i found their tone incredibly bad and some of the songs were laughable.
Willie Nelson
4/5
This was great.
I'm not American so country music isn't as pervasive, but I'd still heard if Willie. I've already had some country on this list that I hated so wasn't sure going in but my fears were soon calmed.
There is a real warmth to this that I can't quantify, it was a delight to listen to. The story telling was great, the voice was very comforting and the music was surprisingly diverse.
Soul II Soul
2/5
I'm staying with my sister, explained the generator and asked to put this on the speakers as we'd be out all day.
The whole family voted to turn it off about halfway
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
A seminal hip hop album. Lost a star due to terrible skits and sex noises.
Rush
3/5
I weirdly enjoyed this.
Big, sprawling ridiculous stadium rock has it's place in the world and Rush seems to do this well.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
I can see how this is described as the pinnacle of swing/big band. It seemed like they had thrown everything this music stood for into one album. The quality is obvious to see and it deserves it's place here.
It's an interesting stepping stone on the progression of music and I'm glad I'm listened but it's not going to feature in regular rotation.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
This should not be enjoyable as it includes most of the tropes of this kind of music that I dislike, but I have to admit I enjoyed it.
It bounced around from Americana to classic rock radio to slightly harder and did it well.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
It has merit and I managed 2 runs through, but I couldn't say much stood out for me.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
This was surprisingly great. I came in with zero expectations and was blown away.
The songwriting, guitar parts, the old school blues were all lovely and the diversity kept me engaged throughout.
This should be better known
Killing Joke
3/5
I've discovered a love of 80's post punk and this sit well in there, all be it at the harder end of the spectrum.
Goldie
5/5
This is a banger and right up my street. I love dnb and seeing one of the founding albums of the genre here fills my heart with joy.
I played it in the car and my 7 year old loved it as well so thumbs up all round.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
If the value in music is how deeply it burrows it's melody into your brain then this is priceless.
I spent 3 months on Cuba and this music reminds me of sunshine, rum and people who seemed not to have a care in the world. It put a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
Nina Simone
3/5
I enjoy Nina Simone and when this came up I felt good about the day.
However 2 runs through and I didn't end up as wildly excited as I expected. The slower stuff didn't seem to suit here voice and I found the album dragged a touch.
I really enjoyed some of the jazzier piano stuff and some tracks were of her usual high standard.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
My heart sank at another MBV album, but either I'm softening to them or this one is better. A bit more melody, some nicer vocals and this passed the time. Still took much industrial background scuzz for me but a step up.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
There is a lot of Neil young on this list. I've started to warm to his acoustic stuff but this was the first with crazy horse.
I'm still a bit meh about him to be honest. This was still full of the Americana songwriting chops you'd expect, but his voice is still thin and the band are fine.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I think as delighted to get this one. This is obviously a classic and some fit be tracks are proper American songbook standard. A full listen through was delightful, but revealed a couple of lower level album tracks and some weird orchestration so it's not perfect but it's damn good.
Frank Black
3/5
This was kinda fun. I liked the guitar licks and there were a couple with a very strong groove.
But this isn't an improvement on the pixies and I found it overly long.
Is this the best or worst album title on the list? I can't decide.
Not my bag, but I would up enjoying it as it went. Some poppy blues and as much as the pint sized scot is a bit of a prick, he has some.pipes on him.
A good three stars, but better than expected.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
This was fun. If I had to listen to old rock I'd pick this over the sabbaths and deep purple and stuff.
I moved to Ireland nearly a decade ago and Phil Lynott is a god here and I can see why. He is the Irish Hendrix. Plus the rhythm section slaps as well.
The live album seems to do a good job of capturing their energy. My only complaint is that it didn't offer much variety and I found over an hour if this way too much. But if you are a fan then I'm sure you'd stuck this straight in your veins.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I was a fan of this first time around, had the CD and saw Arcade Fire in Paris circa 2011.
I hadn't listened to the full album for maybe a decade so was excited to come back to it.
Keep the car running is an absolute masterpiece, but the rest of it didn't stand out much. I used to think this was so deep and articulate, but now it struck me as "im15andthisisdeep".
I'm off to listen to Funeral which I have more hope for.
Haircut 100
3/5
This was a surprisingly good 80's pop record. Bands like Spandau ballet and Duran Duran seem to have held their place in the music consciousness better, but I was supposed how many of these tracks were familiar
It's still 80s pop for which I have little love but this was on the better end of the spectrum and deserves more recognition
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I'm really starting to enjoy Elvis Costello. My second album and I've started dipping into their catalogue when we I have time. This one was great, I love how it was recorded loud to give it real energy.
The Police
2/5
There is a couple of very good songs here, but the rest is very grating. It appears they got more experimental and I barely managed 1 total run though.
David Bowie
4/5
Another icon and another easy one. I was brought up on Bowie and whilst this doesn't get the full marks, it was a joyous listen.
Supertramp
3/5
A classic three. Nothing that offended me, but nothing that engaged me. Serviceable 70's prog/pop nonsense.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This is beautiful.
I've been through the American recordings series with Rick Rubin and I think this represents the high water mark.
They have managed to tease out the parts of the puzzle that make cash unique and build exclusively with these attributes. His growl, the drive of his guitar, his man in black American outlaw/Messiah complex.
This album is like a minimalist painting from a painter in his later years who has learnt that less is more.
A masterpiece and something everyone should hear.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I was surprised by the recognition of the opening track as I went in blind. A good pop song and rest of the album seemed fun but dated. A 3.5 if there was half marks.
Hole
4/5
Lovely nostalgic feminist pop punk. Great tunes and good consistency across the album. It's a good sign when I'm humming the tunes later in the evening.
Pavement
3/5
This is on the lower end of average for me. I didn't dislike it but I found little of merit and after one listen I was glad to move on.
This kind of slacker rock I think is done better elsewhere and the lack of tunes or good vocals means it's slipped past me without anything to hold onto.
Beatles
4/5
Is it even possible to objectively review the Beatles? These guys are so woven into the fabric of music and culture that they stand alone as titans.
I was raised in a Stones household and not a Beatles household and I consider it the biggest failure of my parents.
This isn't one of the big albums so I hadn't listened through for a long time.
God it's good. It's not got the depth of later stuff, but it's still amazing pop music that stands the rest of time.
If this was their only album on the list I'd give it 5 stars but I need to leave space for their others.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
I'm glad we get something non UK/us, but this sounded very average to me. There are so many brilliant albums here that be comparison this seemed very boring and bland. Not offensive, just a bit meh.
White Denim
4/5
Love, love, love this. I had it on CD first time around and I'd forgotten how good it is.
The funky, proggy, jazzy guitars are amazing, the rhythm section slaps and it just seems all round like fun.
Boston
3/5
God damn it! I like cheesy American 70's stadium rock now.
This and Rush (I know they are Canadian but you know what I mean) have been great fun. I'm off to buy a denim jacket with the sleeves cut off, a trucker cap and air guitar like a muthafucka.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Urgh. I can be a wankery indie hipster at the best of times but this was too much for me. There were brief flashes of something resembling a tune, but every time something interesting happened they seemed to shoot themselves in the foot straight away. Neither vocalist is as good as they think they are and it was a difficult listen.
Stereolab
4/5
I very much enjoyed this. It passed me by originally and I regret that now.
It is lovely floaty indie pop and the french add a certain je ne sais quoi
Richard Hawley
5/5
When you start this project, your mind inevitably wanders to what you may add to the list. If it wasn't already here, this would be a strong contender for me.
Richard Hawley is magic. He takes the raw ingredients of old school rockabilly, country and rnb and filters it through a more modern lense. He has a beautiful voice, lyrics that make a grown man feel and lush orchestration.
An easy 5 stars for a defining album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Love this. I've been a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for a long time, have seen them live and the acoustic version of Hysteric was played at my wedding.
Across their albums I've always found there are some significant high points but there can be a bit of inconsistency which is why it's a 4 but it's still brilliant and Karen O is a force of nature.
Simply Red
2/5
Unlike a lot of other reviewers, I can see the value of this album on the list. Simply red were massive in the late 80's in the UK. Their brand of middle of the road, white man soul was very popular and no one can deny Mick Hucknell has a good voice. My parents had the later album stars and I remember it well.
A relisten doesn't generate many more positives though. It's not a patch on more genuine soul music, and the 80's wraps itself around this like herpes.
Dion
2/5
So so bland. I can't really even remember listening to this.
The Offspring
4/5
As a teenager I went on a long road trip from the North of England to the French Alps by bus. I had a new discman and 2 CDs. They were Dookie by Gree Day and this. I must have listened to each album 5 times each and they are both burned into my soul.
This isn't clever, its not the best punk rock and it's not pushing the boundaries of anything.
But it was and still is a shit-ton of fun and perfect for a confused, energetic and angry teenage boy. I sang along to every word, I made my kids listen to it and coughed over the swear words and we call bounced around like fireworks in a tin can.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
I enjoyed Gnarls Barkley era Cee-Lo so went into this with an open mind.
After about 30 minutes I found myself wanting to turn it off. The voice is undoubtedly a strong soul voice but it grates after a while, the rapping is terrible and there ar no memorable songs and nothing that marks it out as an album worthy of this list.
On completion I was left with a sense of anger that this had made the list as it was below mediocre on every level.
The Cure
3/5
I like the cure, but it turns out it's their poppier, later stuff. This was fine. Like a less tuneful Joy Division.
Underworld
4/5
A great band, a banging album and one of the best album names on the list. Saw these guys in Paris once and the were facemeltingly good.
Admittedly I'm their demographic as an 80's born Brit who loves electronic music so I'm not objective.
Love their energy, the driving rhythms ands had this on a loop pretty much all day. Looses a star because I understand it's appeal isn't universal.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
This one had me all over.
I'll be honest and say this isn't my kind of music. I've never been a fan of really aggressive or raspy anger. And for the first few tracks I tolerated it rather than enjoyed it.
However I did come out the far side resp dating the work and kind of enjoying it. There is a lot more variety and depth than id expected. The light and dark were good contrasts and the album was filled with good ideas and hooks. When 'hurt' appeared at the end it was very interesting to get a different perspective on it habig only heard the Johnny Cash original (joke).
I won't be going back, but I'm glad I listened.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
This is another great example of why this process is valuable.
The name didn't mean anything to me when it popped up but I recognised the hit from it. I much prefer rap when it's lyrics have some agency rather than the bling/butches stuff that came after. It feels like the natural successor to Gil Scott Heron, but I'm not clued in enough to know who came after this. Towards the end, it did just make me want to listen to NWA though so it's not the most original thing but a good listen none the less.
Sebadoh
3/5
Twas ok, but not for me. There is a lot of slacker core on the spectrum from the Lemonheads up towards the pixies amd this sat in the middle without really standing out. I enjoyed the first couple of tracks before it starts to lose me.
Parliament
4/5
I always assumed that the P in P-funk stood for parliament as they are so funky they created their own damn musical genre.
Did I put this on my headphones and walk down the main street in Swords where o work and feel like the blackest white man in town -yes.
Did I enjoy every second - absolutely
Merle Haggard
3/5
I'm not a country music fan and was apprehensive when this appeared. But it's not the worst country I've had so far.
The traditional nature of this is what gives it a pass. If I needed to play an alien an album to explain country music it would be this and I didn't hate it.
But it's also twee, musically infantile and spectacularly dated in the most.
The Thrills
3/5
This was a blast from the past. It landed in my ears as part of the 'landfill' indie scene of the early 2010's. The name wasn't inaccurate but it seems a bit harsh.
This stands the test of time well, strong indie with a dreamy west coast vibe. There isn't much depth but perfectly passable.
The Icarus Line
3/5
I tried to find a way into this and I thought it had merit and some musicality, but it's just not something I can get excited by.
The Zombies
4/5
This was delightful. It was very clean and well produced with some lovely harmonies and decent tunes.
Reading Wikipedia after made so much sense how it was recorded in Abbey road before the Beatles as it has a lot of the same charm.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
It's Jimmy, what more do you need? Greatest guitarist that ever lived is always welcome. The tunes are solid and the licks are sublime. This one didn't grab me as much as the other so 4 stars but it's still all good.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Is there an easier 5 stars? Is there a better advertisement for this process than either introducing someone to this or reminding them of its glory. The answer to both is no.
Better, more eloquent people have written volumes about the soul, the sadness, the live, the romance, the depth and the musicality of this. All I can say is it's always welcome in my ears.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I've had a recent run of Jimi and it doesn't get boring. There was some nice variation here and I enjoyed the quality again.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
Came to this guy from Jeff Buckleys name drop on Live at Sin-e. I enjoyed it first time and loved revisiting it. A diversion from the anglophonic majority and one very worthy of inclusion in the list. Having no familiarity with the expected rhythms and structure as well as no idea of the lyrics meant this just floated by beautifully and I could just enjoy the vibe
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
This was very enjoyable. Good rhythms, decent hooks, a sunny disposition and lots of fun.
It could be accused of maybe lacking depth, but that may be because I dont speak the language.
Bob Dylan
5/5
One of those albums that could get 10 stars if it was possible.
I'd put this in my top ten of all time. I'm intimately familiar with every chord and word here.
Without going song by song and eulogising: the simplicity and delicateness of the songs is balanced by the lyrics that sound as angry and relevant now as they did then.
I'd suggest this may be Bob at his most accessible where his voice hasn't disappeared into a rasp and the tunes are just beautiful.
The Strokes
4/5
I was interested to hear this again to judge if the love for it was pr hype and nostalgia or if it's actually a quality record.
I got three runs through and I think it's a little from column a and a little from column b.
I think they were very well timed for the zeitgeist, well packaged and undoubtedly cool. But it is quite derivative and has the flavour of posh boys cosplaying as rebels.
But on the plus side, there are some excellent tracks on this. The whole album hangs together well and by the third run through I was singing/dancing along.
In conclusion this is pop music for people too cool for pop music but it's well done.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
Never heard of this. The wiki said it was a better version of the stones blend of white boy rock and blues. A couple of run throughs just confirmed this was a mostly correct statement, except it's not better. It could be the same or worse.
Silver Jews
3/5
I thought this was perfectly acceptable. The tunes were good and the music was fun, I really liked the slide guitar that popped up throughout. The voice isn't one for the annuls but then a lot of artists in this vein don't rely on a set of pipes.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
This was a perfect 3 for me. I can see the quality both in the musicianship the sound recording and the form is at a very high quality. It ticked along very nicely in the background and wasn't offensive at all. But I don't really need many 11 minute blues/rock jam songs in my life so a whole album was plenty.
I can imagine this is the holy grail if you play and are into this kind of music. For me it was a pleasant hour and into the next one.
Beatles
4/5
I'm going to give this a 4. It's still brilliant, but I need to leave room for 90% of their catalogue as I think this isn't top tier.
4/5
Another great example of something I'd never heard of and really enjoyed it. Funky electronic and atmospheric. I listened on a loop 3 times through and didn't get bored. But I also didn't realise where it started and finished so it's more a vibe than an album.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
I made the mistake of reading one of the reviews before I listened who basically called this a shit REM album and unfortunately it was too accurate for me to hear anything else.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Wow. The first album in over 200 that goes straight to 5 star and am ordering on vinyl having not been familiar with it before.
This stands out to me because it manages to offer variety that never loses it's quality. Some albums are very good but have one note, this seemed like a rainbow where the 4 members of the supergroup all contribute something different but equally brilliant.
Almost cut my hair has one of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard, our house is beautiful as is teach your children.
An absolute classic.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
It's all a bit meh. He wants to be the lovechild of prince and Jimi Hendrix and doesnt do a bad job. He is a marketers dream as he is all sexy and leather clad.
But really, the music doesn't really hold up for me. It's all so early MTV and vacuous.
Culture Club
3/5
Im sure this didn't sit well with some of our American brethren but this was writ large over my 80's UK based childhood so it left me with a lovely wave of nostalgia.
The opening track is obviously a pop classic but the rest of the album didn't fall off a cliff. The surprising orchestral piece at the end was a welcome addition as well. This isn't going to rock many worlds but a solid three is always welcome.
Prince
3/5
I love Prince, I think he is incredibly talented. He has written some absolute pop classics, he may be a top 5 guitarist of all time and he is cool as fuck.
But sometimes I just can't get enthused. Maybe is the innate 80's feel, the overly long album with an absence of quality control I don't know. Would this be a better album if an editor has chopped it down to 40 mins? Definitely. Did anything really stand out? No
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Yeah, for all the progression into a jazzier sound, undoubtedly good lyrics and general legend status, I just don't like her voice. I'm sorry I can't get past it.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I didn't hate this, I didn't like this and I didn't really understand this. My knowledge of west African blues was zero before and I found this floated by reasonably but it's not going to get any regular rotation
UB40
4/5
This one surprised me.
From a cultural view, it made me proud of the multicultural place that England used to be. Birmingham reggae as a working class response to thatcherism is a delight.
On a musical note I found it to be very pleasant and well done. Good tunes angry lyrics, some real heart and quality.
Well done and fuck the Tories.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Another enjoyable introduction. I found the live recording had it's pros and it's cons. The chatting took me out of the moment which disrupted the flow a lot, but the energy of the lube band really came acrossm
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
So this took me on a journey. I came to it with no idea of who or what this was and pressed play.
A little context: last week I'd had Deja Vu by CSNY and fallen in love. It was the first album that went from no idea to 5 stars and into my vinyl collection in the 200+ albums I'd had so far. The variety, the quality and the guitar sounds were all amazing.
Back to today, when I put this on I immediately starter enjoying it and for a lot of the same reasons as above. The variety was amazing whilst quality stayed hi, there was blues, country, folk, some soul and lots of psych. I wasn't sure if either CSNY had opened my heart to this kind of music, this period had loads of untapped albums or something else.
After I finished my first listen through I opened up the wiki article and discovered the reason: it has 2 (maybe 3) of CSNY in here.
So turns out I'm just a massive CSNY fan now
Madonna
3/5
My heart sank when I saw this as I'm not a Madonna fan. An easy 2 but lets listen.
I've upgraded to a three as the William orbit music has held up well and I found her voice quite strong.
The Who
3/5
I'm really torn on this one.
On the one hand there are some classics that really stand out. The opening bars are superb and the musicianship throughout is of the highest possible level.
But on the other hand I found Getting in Tune had some of the worst lyrics I'd ever heard. I didn't care for Mr Daltreys voice a whole lot and it all seemed a big 'Jeremy Clarkson era Top Gear'.
I'm really not going to revisit this and it hasn't sparked an interest in the who so for the quality of the musicianship I'll give it a three.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
A fine and pleasant addition to the list and a good yardstick for decent folk of this vintage.
Pales into comparison with some of its more illustrious peers but nothing wrong here.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Beautiful voice, lovely pop songs. Not really a stand out for this list as I don't think it has much creative merit but I pleasant listen.
PJ Harvey
3/5
I love PJ and I listened to this a lot when I came out to try and get a foot hold into it but never managed it. I thought a return to it may help, be it no.
I can appreciate the storytelling, the state of the nation lyrics and the general folk ambiance. But it really lacks hooks and tunes to get me to want to come back to it.
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Love fleet foxes, prefer their live stuff to the albums which I feel can be a touch overly produced and intricate.
Looking forward to Robins late stage one man and a guitar phase as that will be perfection for me.
Nonetheless, some absolute classics on here.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Firstly, I know this came out well before the movie, and I've searched the previous reviews, but I can't help it due to the beard and the typography of the front cover.
WWWIIIIIIILLLLLLLSSSSOOONNNN!!!!!!!!
Now that's out of the way, I couldnt get to grips with this album. I listened to this blind and found it fairly middle of the road 70's pop rock. I could hear the obvious beach boys influence but it didn't have any of the light and shade.
I read the wealth of glowing reviews and came back to it for another pass. Sure the production is good and there are some interesting ideas here, but I still couldn't find a reason for it to be in this list. I didn't dislike but found it a bit meh.
Peter Frampton
3/5
There was a lot to get though on this and I didn't really get onboard with it. Mid 70's stadium rock done well, some tunes I recognised but nothing for me here
Kanye West
3/5
Ok, I'm going to park the human bag of crap that Kanye has become to discuss the music.
Unfortunately this is an absolute banger. I still dont get "skits" in rap albums but Jesus walks, get em high and workout plan are a run of absolute quality along with loads of other wit and pop mastery.
It's such a shame Kanye lost his mind because it feels like we are robbed of what this Kanye could have become.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Love Nick Cave but have mostly listened to his more romantic and later work, so hadn't been too familiar with this. I regret that now.
Dark, vivid storytelling. Snarling, euphoric vocals. A wealth of suprise guests. Simply magical.
Jethro Tull
2/5
God I really disliked this. I know it's of its time and I can see the quality of the playing and everything is great.
But it just felt like it was taking the piss. All I could hear was a jack black cover band who play a set in a film that's set in a renaissance fair with mid 2010's stoner actors who fuck around and not much happens.
It's just so ridiculous and pompous and easily parodied.
Morrissey
1/5
God I hate Morrissey. Setting aside his more than odious rightwing views, this was unbearable. His lyrics read like a teenager in the first flush of puberty discovering word and emotions for the first time, his vocals are dreary and grating and the music lacks the fun and energy of the smiths.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Is it going to far to call Bob Marley a cultural icon? He manages to represent a country, a religion and a lifestyle across the globe. He spreads a message of peace and love and he does it all on top making some of the most iconic songs of all time. He is taught in school, he is loved by all generations and he is handsome as fuck.
Aimee Mann
3/5
This was fine. Mid 90's lady indie/Americana isn't my thing, but it's a step up from Sheryl crowe and I didn't dislike it.
Black Flag
5/5
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Quintisential angry young men doing what they need to. But this manages to add in good hooks without turning into Greenday style pop punk.
Good lyrics, the bass slaps and Henry Rollins is a beast.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
This was lovely. I knew a lot of the songs but had never sat and listened to an album and I was very impressed.
The songwriting is top tier, as are the vocals and the instrumentation, especially the guitar.
It was a sunny day here and I had it on loop throughout the day and didn't get bored. I don't think it makes it to 5 as there could have been a couple of gear changes that elevated it and I'm not sure it would work in a less sunny environment but a welcome discovery none the less.
Paul Simon
3/5
I'm sure that there is more to this if you really dig, but I'm not that bothered and this sounded perfectly reasonable if a little bland.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
At times I wanted to give this a one, and at times it came up to a three but it wasn't an enjoyable listen I'll be honest.
Starting with the good stuff, I was 20 when this came out and a woman who marketed herself in the way she did was always going to attract my attention as well as a lot of media coverage. The singles all remain firmly lodged in my brain via ubiquitous radio play and can't be faulted. The message of self empowerment for women is a good step forward and no one can deny she has a powerful voice.
However, the album tracks really didn't hit any heights. 77 minutes was too long and the vocal wanking really takes its toll after a while. It's not often I find I physically can't listen to stuff but I only made it through the whole album by giving each track about a minute to get the gist and then skipping onto the next. I was hoping I'd find gold but i didn't.
Later on I talked to my wife about who is the same age and who was a big fan when it came out. Looking at female led pop across decades, this really doesn't hold up against the 60's, 70's, 80's or 90's.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Once through is plenty thank you.
Noise rock that lacks tune, melody or really much else. I like a wide range of music but I just can't see the merit in this unless you are 14 and angry at your dad in 1989.
Paul Simon
4/5
This is a banger. So much warmth and fun projecting out of this.
To the people who cry cultural appropriation, this is a celebration of African music not theft.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I found this a pleasant way to spend 30 minutes but if you scratch the surface it doesn't really hold up.
He has a good voice and whoever pulled the strings picked some good songs. I have always felt Elvis the cultural icon was a bit ridiculous, but he undoubtedly is one.
The issue is that these songs only became popular because it was a sexy white man singing black music. These songs were better as originals and in this day and age, we wouldn't need to whitewash them to make them acceptable to the ass market.
Let's leave it as Elvis was decent for his time, but thank god society has moved on.
Roxy Music
3/5
This isn't really my bag. I never really got his voice and it seems that Eno is straining at the leash to do something more interesting. Decent pop but I listened once and quickly forgot about it.
Moby
4/5
This was a welcome return. I had the album when it came out and the nostalgia was strong. I found it very good on a relisten and loved will come back
Moby seems like a bit of a twat though
Kings of Leon
3/5
This is good pop rock that makes you tap your feet but doesn't really stay with you. I'd have had a few KOL in my time and would have jumped around like an idiot after a number beers to these tracks and so it was a nice trip down memory lane, but the fact that I haven't listened to them in 15 years tell you how valuable this probably is. 3.5 stars rounded down.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Id had 4 hours sleep and was in pieces when I put this on, but it just sounded like a terrible Sting tribute act. I'm sure it's not but I couldn't stomach it.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
I loved Wail when it first came out so am familiar with this.
It's cool and scuzzy and bluesy and fun. At points it becomes a bit too much but I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. It was interesting getting this close to a Kings if Leon album as I wanted to score his higher, but I realised that was just because if nostalgia and because they were cooler and less mainstream but KOL has catchier songs. Another 3.5 rounded down
The Smiths
3/5
There is so much Morrissey on this list and it's like being forced to visit your racist uncle on a regular basis. At least at this point he was still married to Auntie Jonny Marr who is supremely talented and bakes you guitar based cookies of the highest quality.
I'm so glad they got divorced so Auntie can go off and live his best life and uncle goes down a YouTube rabbit hole and becomes a sad old man that shouts at clouds and black people.
3 stars out of respect for Jonny
Mj Cole
3/5
I was around during UK Garage, but I couldn't have been further away from the scene if I tried so when this popped up I was dismayed.
However I'm going to give it some credit. The basic building blocks were solid and hit me with a wave of nostalgia and the tracks including the single didn't annoy me.
The Spotify link takes you to a double extended album and I didn't go past the original album but I didn't hate it.
Talvin Singh
4/5
Early dnb. Check.
Indian instrumentation. Check.
Orchestral flourishes. Check.
Meandering, sparse and relaxed composition. Check.
Loved it
Elliott Smith
4/5
I very much enjoyed this. For some reason it had passed me by first time around at it shouldn't have as it's right in my wheel house.
Quiet and tuneful and introspective is a well trodden path but this does it well.
Ice T
3/5
I think this is a good album for the list and is a high water mark for this music at this time.
Time has not been kind to the bitches and guns type of rap, but a listen confirms the beats are strong, the flow is smooth and the message is angry.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Stevie Wonder is a magical creature sent to earth as a gift to humans to spread joy and soul and funk.
I hadn't heard this album so it was a gift to me. As part of his golden period it has the same incredibly high level throughout. It's only missing a stand out track to elevate it a touch but I'm confident I'll be spending all free time for the next few days listening to more Stevie
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
The first half of this album is god tier and 'all my friends' is one of my top five songs of all time.
It's fun, clever, cool, funky, danceable, heartfelt, energetic, uplifting and well made in terms of musicality and production.
It does what good music does and fills my heart with happiness.
Nas
4/5
I'm ill so I didn't get all the money at through it but I'm intimately familiar with this record. It's a classic from the production to the flow.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Peak Stevie and unparalleled. It's like aliens came down and made a perfect music making human and then put him through Motown school.
Beatles
5/5
It's the white album. Go read other people's reviews if you want detailed analysis. Or better yet, just put on some headphones and immerse yourself in quality.
CHIC
4/5
The name of the album is the review.
Spiritualized
2/5
This (aptly) has always floated on the edges of my consciousness as an album. It's right in my wheel house being late 90's British and a bit pompous (self burn), so when it flashed up I thought its an excellent time to give it some proper attention.
Unfortunately I don't think it bears up to much scrutiny. After a listen through I came away very bored and confused. I read through other reviews and someone else explained it perfectly. It's got lush orchestration, layers upon layers, huge amounts of love and attention, but at its core the songs just really aren't any good. No lyrics, no hook, no tune made it out from under the layers and layers.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
The singing and harmonies are other worldly. The flavour of something non western is delightful and I enjoyed the hour or two it took for a couple of run throughs.
However, I did miss percussion and I found it a bit repetitive and one note after a while.
Public Enemy
3/5
I'd suggest that Public Enemy have aged better than their peers as their message of revolution stands the test of time better than gangsta wrap. The sound collage style of music was pioneering and the flow is very good.
How ever I found the production patchy and the whole thing drags. Should have been a much punchier 40 mins.
Dolly Parton
4/5
I think Dolly is one of those people who gets an extra star for being an exemplary human in the opposite was to someone like Morrissey.
I'm not a country fan but I've listened to enough on this list now to appreciate it and I enjoyed the story telling then simplicity of the music and dolly's voice.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I didn't dislike this and American Girl is a great track, but the best thing about this was it's relatively short length at 30 mins
Paul Weller
3/5
I'm a bit stumped by this one.
Weller has been so prolific, productive and so damn good for so long. There are songs and albums from the jam, style council and his solo stuff that will stay with me forever. The man oozes class and charm, musical ability and song writing finesse.
I listened through this twice as I wanted to get my teeth into it. My reaction is slightly positive ambivalence. All the good stuff is there but it didn't grab me enough.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Well this was a journey. Initial distain for hippie, psychedelia gave way to recognition of some classic rock from my youth, some decent blues and some quality throughout. A surprising number of hits, some good variation and nothing to moan about. A suprise hit.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
I found this pretty repugnant. Lowest common denominator, puerile and lacking in any kind of heart. Gang bang sounds like it was written by a 14 year old boy in the first flush of teenage hormones and is the shallowest point of this very shallow puddle
Black Sabbath
3/5
I'm not a metal fan but this seems like a high water mark for this type of music.
The reviews talked about heavy and dark music, but I found it to be surprisingly tuneful and hook laden. Maybe metal has moved on in the intervening years and a lot of Nordic black metal and industrial noise metal raised the bar for what is considered heavy in this era. But a listen through I found this to be almost mainstream.
Good song writing, recognisable hits and lots of fun to be had.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
This is another of those bands who I was aware of, had heard the hits on the radio but never really dived into an album.
Turns out it's fairly consistent, radio friendly punk pop. I enjoyed it, like the attitude and the hooks were good. Nothing I'll be heading back to but a worthwhile listen.
Beck
4/5
A banger. Beck is a mix of Willie nelson, beastie boys, Nile Rodgers and much more.
A man out on his own doing his own thing and this presents his high water mark of his more eclectic earlier phase. He can be accused of inconsistency but this one has the fewest duds.
Common
3/5
I didn't object to this. I knew the name but couldn't name a song when it came up. Turns out to be fairly proficient middle of the road hip hop from early 2000's. Less of the misogyny and gun, more of the grove and flow.
Bobby Womack
2/5
It was exactly as I was expecting. Passable would with a slight 80'e vibe. Nothing stood out but it wasn't offensive.
Pearl Jam
3/5
I can see how this became the bridge between classic rock and grunge. I don't think it's particularly ground breakinf and I miss the anger and sludge that grunge brought, but it's a perfectly serviceable rock album with some good tunes.
The Saints
4/5
This was a great find. Very much like the Ramones and the new York dolls, but with a slightly better set of players who took it a bit further in terms of playing and arranging. Weirdly reminded me of late 90's punk pop boys Ash at times.
The Beta Band
3/5
I'm about as close to the target market for this as possible and I thought it was just ok which probably means everyone else thought it was rubbish
The Temptations
3/5
Is this the wildest swing between first and second tracks in the history of music? The opener is fire and the bass, the rhythm and the melody are spectacular. Then we get the version of a classic that is so inferior to the Marvin Gaye version it's laughable, maybe it's the original I don't know but I couldn't stomach it.
The rest kind of passed me by. Like eating too many donuts, eventually the consistency of the sweetness became slightly unpleasant but generally I have to say it's average but wildly varied.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
This would have been right up my street when it came out and I never bonded with it. Fresh ears don't reveal much to make me change my opinion. Pop dressed as punk with a Roxy music vibe. A couple of good singles but nothing to make the heart soar.
ABBA
4/5
There are too many bangers on this album to do anything but sit back and enjoy regardless of your taste.
The Pretty Things
2/5
Turns out rock opera narrative stuff isn't my bag. I enjoy that this annoyed the who. The quality is fine but I'm not ever going to revisit
De La Soul
4/5
A classic and opened up hip hop and rap to a n audience not keen on guns and hoes.
Loses a star for interminable skits but the classics are undeniable.
Hawkwind
2/5
This wasn't a one, but that's just because I respect the craft. Epic space rock nonsense that goes on for 2 hours isn't what I needed today or most days.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I can't really explain why but I quite enjoyed that.
I would only know Dexys from the hits and I can't say I'm a massive fan of his voice. But the confidence to give this the space they have, the still strong pop hooks and melodies and the overall feel sucked me in.
A surprising treat.
The Jam
4/5
Lots of bangers here. Weller throughout his career has had numerous peaks and this is one of them. Toe tapping, cool as fuck and well done
Pixies
2/5
This is my second pixies album and I'm still not onboard. The singles that got significant airplay have an undeniable hook. But I've yet to find anything that lifts this beyond some fairly generic early 90's rock.
I think that maybe a have a personal blind spot for music that was popular just before I came of age musically. This sounds like the music that people 4 years older than me lived and my contrariness means I unconsciously reject it
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
CSNY have been one of the highlights of this journey so far. Deja Vu hit me like a truck a few months ago and was the first record that went from 0 to vinyl in my collection.
This first album is also excellent but doesn't quite hit the highs of deja Vu. Beautiful songs and melodies, with every track just burying with ideas and quality. Its missing some of the soaring guitars of Cut your Hair and Neil Young's grit in the pearl
Badly Drawn Boy
5/5
In 2001 I was playing pool in the Cavendish on west street in Sheffield with a mate when a bunch of scruffy looking lads took the table next to us. On closer inspection it was Badly Drawn boy and the Doves who were playing later on. I was weak at the knees as it loved both albums but was too chicken to talk to them which I regret to this day.
This is a beautiful album from start to finish with a warmth, a complexity, a heart and a soft melancholy that makes it timeless.
The record gets regular play in my house and today was a good day to listen to the album.
Coldplay
3/5
It's Coldplay so I'm sure this will get a lot of hate and I don't disagree with most of it. They've become bland, lowest common denominator stadium pop for people who don't like music and the people reviewing these albums don't fit that brief.
I remember when their first album came out and it seemed genuinely exciting and there is no denying that there are 3 or 4 quality pop songs on this album but the rest of it doesn't stand out for me
4/5
I saw noise rock in the description and my heart sank, but a listen was a different story. This is much more post rock than noise rock with a sound that gives itself time and space to develope. More of a large abstract painting than a photo realistic scene but very much enjoyable.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
To all the Americans who write reviews about twee British Indie music that they think shouldn't be on the list; this is my version of that.
I like a fair amount for rap, but this seems to bring very little to the genre. Boring skits, bitches and hoes, some fair beats. I've heard it before 100 times and don't see the value here.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Bruce is an icon and obviously a class guy. He captured the zeitgeist in the way only a very few people ever do. He is his own genre and I've loved reading other people's reviews talking about what Bruce means to them and New Jersey. His classic songs are American standards and familiar across the world.
But I listened to the album and it didn't really grab me. The storytelling is fine, but I'm not in the American rust belt and it doesn't resonate. The voice isn't really very good and the music is pretty average with chugging guitars and a lack of hooks.
I'm sure other people think I'm mad and wrong but it's not really great.
Rush
3/5
One of the weirder discoveries from this process is that i weirdly dont hate this cheesy wholesome stadium rock and ive really enjoyed the previous rush albums. This one was a bit too proggy for me but was still vaguely enjoyable.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
This is one of those easy 5 star albums. For me its the peak album of the best female vocalist of all time. Herr voice, the songs, the playing and the soul are all unparalleled.
Just put this on and smile.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
This was delightful!
Never heard of this or her and this is why this list exists. The singing was beautiful, the songs were good, it sounds like sunshine and i went twice through twice and will go back again.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Ok, obviously this is a classic. The quality of the pop music, the story and the singing all mark this out.
I dont see what elevates it from good to great though. It needs something special to elevate it up to the rating it currently has in my opinion.
Primal Scream
3/5
This one has me confused. As a child of britpop im intimately familiar with primal scream and the hits on this stand out like absolute beacons. The opening track musy be one of the best album openers ever and loaded is a classic.
But a listen through the album reveals such inconsistency in sound, genre and quality that i struggled. Maybe i need 5 listens through to appreciate the subtlety but for now im just a bit confused. 3.5 stars rounded down
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Bob is always welcome but this one didn't catch fire ironically. Sounded like a late stage album where the sound was locked in but the hits have dried up a bit.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
This was surprisingly pleasant. Obviously, Mr Blue Sky is a song that has woven its was into the fabric of society due to its irrepressible bouncy fun, but i wasnt sure how much more there would be to offer.
A wealth of fun is to be had here with beautiful orchestration and arrangement, decent hooks and a light progginess that didnt swamp it all.
Obviously, its way too long and could be accused of lacking real light and shade. But i enjoyed it on balance
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
On the plus side, these songs are rock and roll standards played with skill and energy.
On the negative, the man stole his act from little richard and was a paedo and a horrible person
The Hives
4/5
I think this is an excellent album. It veers between mainstream pop punk to some harder punk. Its tight, with plenty of hooks and lots of energy.
It may not try to be as cool as the strokes which is an obvious point of reference, but im not basing this on how cool it is. At worst its top level green day. At best it has a colour of black flag.
Crowded House
4/5
An absolute treat. One of those albums where you are surprisingly familiar with a few songs but the rest is a mystery. Sometimes the singles are just the diamonds in the rough. Sometimes the singles are just an indication of the quality to be found on further inspection.
This is the latter and the singles hit me like a wave of nostalgia, but the rest way very good. Four seasons in one day could have been a Beatles song, and italian plastic shone. An unfortunately line about god and a sausage dog, plus some random mooing probably keep this off the top rank, but i think i managed 4 listens in a day and that speaks volumes
Pink Floyd
3/5
I understand this is considered a classic and im not going to get under the skin of this in 24 hours. But i only got the impression of an album bloated and full of ridiculous nonsense with a smattering of good tunes spread around.
I dont like rock operas but i know some people do. It seems the quality of the music was secondary to the story and narrative and that detracted for me.
By the end i was looking for enough merit to convince myself to revisit this and try and get i to it, but i dont think i made it.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Whilst this wasn't offensive and i remember the singles well being of radio listening age when this was prominent, i didn't enjoy this much.
Im sure the problem is as much mine as the albums in that im not a fan of this genre of music, but i found nothing to catch my ear.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I think my reaction to this was more cultural than musical but this felt like a warm huge from an estranged big sister.
Its very much of its time and place and i was 8 and in the north of england when it was released. I was familiar with their rebirth with a more electronic based sound post Todd Terry remix in the mid 90s but didnt know their earlier stuff.
Her voice is fantastic, the collage of scenes and reminiscences were very evocative and i liked the composition. There were a few very 80's Sade-esque flourishes that have dated badly but thats not a real problem.
Ive immediately started to listen to their back catalogue which is a sign of something brilliant.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I love the beastie boys. Their style, their cool, their message, the sampling/scratching, their fashion, the guys are funny and talented, i watched the doc/talk from apple tv and cried. They have made some of the most amazing songs across 20 years of my youth.
But ill be honest and say that ive never really loved their albums. When it works it works, but it can descend into slightly annoying audio collages that don't draw me in. A bit like donuts, i love the idea of them and the first 3 bites are heaven, but a full box is to much
The Stone Roses
5/5
A classic of the genre. The songwriting is perfect and the music perfectly captured a time a place.
I was just too young for this when it first hit, but it didnt take me long to catch up and i've come to wrap myself up in this like a warm hug
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Ive developed a real blind spot with this genre. Middle of the road american late 80's/early 90's rock seems like it was more about the angry/grungy vibe rather than any musical quality. Ive had countless albums where the vocal is poor, the sound is generic radio fodder for angry teens and they wash over me without any real value.
Nick Drake
5/5
If ive heard an album before i can dive into the reviews before listening without having my first impression prejudiced. And o did so with this and im going to steal anothers review.
28 minutes of pure perfection.
Marty Robbins
3/5
This was delightful and i wish the lust showed me more unknown corners of music.
Good voice, good guitar, good, good stories, good cowboy nonsense
Garbage
3/5
This his some good spots and a some bad spots for me.
The singles were ubiquitous in my teen years as Shirley was scottish so Garbage were claimed as one of ours even though they are an american band playing american rock. Shirley herself was responsible for scarousing many teenage boys and i was one of them. The second half of the album showcases the songwriting chops of the band and there are some good tracks.
However there is a lot of this that strikes me as bland 90's american college rock of which ive had my fill. This genre for a brit is the equivalent on this list of the americans who complain about too much british indie. Ive struggled through pixies, janes addiction and this and it just bores me generally
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
I understand that this has merit, the playing is good and there is obviously some good 70's blues rock in there.
Bit it washed over me without leaving any impression except for the awful Marvin Gaye cover.
Morrissey
1/5
I tried, i really did. This is my 3rd Morrissey album and i really hate the man, his voice, hit lyrics, his music and his politics.
Im 300 albums in and ive genuinely listened to each one.
After 2 tracks i realised that as much as i want to be disciplined in this process, there are better uses of my time than being tortured by this bigoted, self involved wanker.
The Band
3/5
Im kind of ambivalent here. A short, sharp, well played album is always welcome. I only know them via Dylan and enjoyed The Weight, though im not sure who did it first. But the vocals are weak and there is nothing incendiary here.
Massive Attack
4/5
Massive attack make excellent music. They are dark and varied and interesting. Their use of strings and soaring vocals, interesting rhythms and good production make them a serious band making progressive, interesting music. When it works, it is unbeatable and unfinished symphony is a contender for best song if all time and they have a few of these.
Ive never really fallen in love with their rap led tracks and this inconsistency is the only thing holding this back from a 5.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Im on record about how much i love the beastie boys, but jow their output is inconsistent.
However i think this is their high water mark. Sure shot and sabotage are god tier and there is a lot less filler than in other albums.
Kate Bush
4/5
This is a good album. I was too young for it originally and too old for the stranger things inspired revival, but the hits are british classics.
Unlike a lot of 80's albums, this doesn't date at all as its completely unique and of itself not its time. The voice, the experimentation, the pop hooks, the variety of instrumentation, the weird irish trad bit are all delightful.
More music should be as weird and brilliant as this
4/5
I was a 13 year old white britsh male in Lancashire when this came out. This was my moon landing. Definitely Maybe had set my world alight and this follow up was seeing them off to Mars.
Im unable to give an objective review of this as i could sing every word whilst asleep 29 years later.
Wonderwall, some might say, champagne superrnova, dont look back in anger, shes electric and cast no shadow are genuinely classics and the fact thats more than 50% of the album shows its quality.
I think it falls down when Liam is asked to use his higher register. The 'Roll with it' hook grates me immensely and this happens in a few of them.
I prefer the first album, the band members turned out to be pricks and they never really progressed from this sound. But they were ontop of the world for a while and this shows why
Roxy Music
2/5
This wasnt offensive, but 2 goes through and im left with 2 thoughts: i dont like Brian Ferrys voice and the only sexy thing about this is the cover.
The Residents
4/5
Ok, this fucking rules. I had Roxy Music yesterday and was bored as fuck. I got through this twice and was transfixed.
It demands your attention by being absurd and funny. There is even the odd bit of melody thrown in for good measure. I imagine if aliens landed and only had 70's radio waves as a starting point and tried to make an album it would sound like this.
As a cherry on top, it was my sons 8th birthday yesterday and i played him birthday boy and he howled with laughter. On the other hand, my wife asked me to turn it off as it was giving her an anxiety attack.
Good art makes you feel something and this is good art!
Sade
2/5
If this was the go to album for the dinner party scene in the 80's, id rather starve
Alanis Morissette
3/5
This album definitely deserves is place here. It was ubiquitous for a decade, has some classics of the genre and holds up well. None of it is my bag, but i really found merit in this.
Goldfrapp
3/5
I wasn't concentrating on my first pass and it didnt grab my attention.
A second go with headphones was much more profitable and revealed a floaty surface with a good number of layers with substance underneath. Lovely vocals, some good hooks and some nice orchestration and production.
Nothing to blow the socks off but an interesting listen
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
I know what im going to say is sacrilege but her voice really didnt bring me joy. I didnt know anything about this band and only realised who the singer was afterwards.
I listened to this and enjoyed the whole psych, 70's, vietnam feel to it. It made me want to watch Forrest Gump. But the covers weren't good and i had to force myself to finish the album.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Ive never really got Fleetwood Mac. True, Rumours had a lot of excellent pop hits on it that makes it an undeniably great album but its spectacular rating was always alien to me.
Tusk seemed to be all of the run of the mill bits of the band without the pop hits. I dont know where this comes in their discography but it sounded like them post-Rumours furiously trying to create another hit record but having to substitute good songs for endeavour and throwing as many ideas as possible at a record in the hot that some stick.
2 listens through and i can only really recall the weird production on maybe track 2 that was all bass and really low vocals
Scissor Sisters
2/5
ChatGPT: please produce an album that sounds like people in the 00's making a 70's pastiche album. Make sure to clumsily copy Bowie mostly but with a dash of Elton John, Kraftwerk and Parliament. Please make it weirdly soulless and annodyne.
This sounds like the favourite album of a dusty politician who doesnt like music but wants to appear hip and woke.
Im giving it an extra star because filthy/gorgeous somehow is a banger
Baaba Maal
3/5
I much prefer the best of world music than more US college rock or british indie, bit this one didnt really take off for me. Interesting yes, something that engaged me, no
Radiohead
5/5
I was 18 when this landed. I loved the bends with every fibre of my teenage body, ok computer was a bit out there but still brilliant to me, but i was just starting uni and my music taste moved toward drinking cheap alcopops while dancing to landfill indie and drum and bass.
Kid A came out and sounded like it had come from the moon. It couldnt have been further from what i wanted and i abandoned radiohead. The years passed and my tastes moved on a bit and In Rainbows drew me back in.
Having regained a foothold i went back through what i had missed and found Kid A/Amnesiac and began to appreciate what a ground breaking collection of songs they were.
Very few bands are good or brave enough to abandon a popular sound to jump ahead of everyone by a decade and then wait for them to catch up, but these guys did and i think it may be their greatest achievement.
The introduction of electronica, ambient, orchestral, drone onto rock makes for a masterpiece of sonic glory. This album sounds as good now as ever and the triple album covering this album and the Amnesiac sessions is a staggering achievement of a band who travelled back from the future to light the way for everyone.
So much of this list is music that sounds good at the time but maybe hasn't aged well. This is the only entry which takes everyone else by the hand and shows them what the future needs to sound like and improves with age.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for the national anthem
Beyoncé
2/5
I know she is a cultural icon and i applaud her female empowerment message, but i dont think the music stands up to the status
This was overly long, overly produced and pretty bland. None of the quirk of Janelle Monae, none of the beats of a Lauren Hill or a Little simz. Just meh.
Nick Drake
5/5
This was beautiful. Im assuming it was his second album after pink moon where his talent became apparent and they gave him a bigger budget and more scope to play with.
In some ways the delicate and intimate nature of just him and a guitar is lost. But in the other hand the orchestration is beautiful, thr jazzy parts are excellent and the ability to develop his sound is inpressive.
If only he was able to grow old us and shoe us where his talents may have led him next.
Ray Charles
5/5
Love Ray Charles, love this album and own it on vinyl.
The voice is unmatched, the piano playing and arranging are spectacular its its just a seriously good album
3/5
I was surprised to see this on the list because i think it is one of the weakest Blur albums.
Its still a decent early britpop album but its not got the hits or depth to do much for me.
Jack White
3/5
I like what jack white is about, im onboard with his style of music and i think i even owned this back in the day.
However the fact im not sure probably speaks volumes. The album passes by quite pleasantly, there are some good tunes towards the second half of it and its well made.
But i cant help feel that it, or I, am missing something. His voice is unique but not too offensive, there are hooks here, but it just seems to lack a bit of depth and heart. Maybe one day this will click and i'll love it but im not there yet.
The Chemical Brothers
5/5
An absolute balls to the wall classic.
Not only a good album of its time, but a building block for the electronic music that followed it.
Pace, power, energy, form, skill and production combine something that everyone should be aware of.
Its criminal that its so badly rated here.
AC/DC
4/5
This is the pinnacle of rock and roll for me. The songs are brilliantly written and have such an energy, the voice perfectly matches, the guitar sound is raw and angry and the rhythm section drives it forward like a train.
This isnt my genre and doesnt have the depth of better work, but god damn its fun
Paul McCartney
3/5
Post beatles Mccartney seems to be for the fanboys.
Its decent generic pop music of the time, but doesnt really stand out.
The Go-Go's
3/5
I found this a perfectly reasonable 80's fun pop album. Couple of good singles, nice energy and skipped along well.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
This passed by pleasantly without engaging me. Im sleep deprived so its probably me, not the album.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I think this is a good album. For me it treads the line well between homage to the older sound and just ripping it off.
Most art is a stolen from a million different ideas, but the difference majer here is that it is done very well. Her voice is strong and conveys a lot of emotion, the song writing, arrangement and priduction are superb and her story adds additional gravity to the lyrics.
David Holmes
1/5
Yeah, im the target audience for this and even i thought it was rubbish.
It doesnt really go anywhere, do anything or have much merit.
Should have been a car advert soundtrack
Nirvana
5/5
Is this over rated die to it being the last thing Nirvana did or is a classic? Lets see.
There is undeniably a cultural significance to this record. It was peak MTV which came in and out like a tidal wave in the 90's, covering everything and then disappearing as quickly. Kurts death soon after made the world stand up and take notice of his talent, bringing them to a much wider audience than their original fan base. This was accessible, brilliantly done and allowed everyone to share in the sadness of his passing.
The album itself is raw but beautifully done. Its a showcase of kurts surprisingly beautiful voice, the delicate songwriting and their excellent playing and arraging.
It is a signpost to what late era kurt could have been, like Jonny Cashs reinvention, it could have been so much.
A verifiable classic.
Radiohead
5/5
Im not sure what more there is to say. If Radiohead are my generations Beatles then this could be their Sgt. Pepper. It marks their giant leap from top of the range indie rock band (i love the bends) to culturally important path makers into the future of music
Green Day
5/5
An album so deeply engrained in my teenage years i am unable to be objective in any way.
5 stars for helping a 14 year old boy feel rebellious.
2/5
Yeah, this didnt grab me first time around and it doesnt this time around either.
Its overblown and empty. Its well made and im led to believe they are good live, but its music for people who dont like music.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Ive had a lot of Neil Young so far and whilst its stopped annoying me and ive begun to see the value in it, i havent become a massive fan.
This seems a nice middle ground between his singer/songwriter work and the harder Crazy horse stuff. It ticked along well but im not coming back to it
Neneh Cherry
3/5
This was a surprisingly pleasant time capsule. Shades of Micheal Jackson, early scratching and hip hop. Im not sexy enough for the lyrics but it went past with some pleasure and it was consistent as some of these albums are 2 singles and then a wasteland.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Much like the Neil Young on this list, there is a surprising volume of Elvis Costello, it can vary from quiet to loud, the song writing is always excellent, the voice can divide opinion and if you get it you love it, but it can equally piss people off.
This doesnt deviate from the above. I wouldn't be a fanboy, but ive heard enough to appreciate it without falling in love.
Linkin Park
4/5
I hadnt listened to this for years and it came back and put a smile on my face. Yes it was sacrilegious to some to take metal and water it down with pop, rap and some scratching but they do it well, they gave an outlet for anger for a nice middle class generation and it's stood the test of time.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I was and am an arcade fire fan and i had this album but they had fallen out of rotation.
I feel this maybe their most consistent album but it does lack a single, stand out track. Always enjoyed their energy but this has good production as well.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
The musical equivalent of a slice of white bread. Wholesome but bland as fuck.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
This starter off ok and descended into utter shite.
Mid level 60's pop followed by weird nursey rhymes and music hall ditties.
No thanks
Tracy Chapman
5/5
This is a stone cold classic. The melodies are timeless and the vocal is so emotive it cant be beat. Unless you pay attention to the lyrics in which case they may be. The stories told are heartbreaking and the unfulfilled optimism 30 years on tells its own story.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
The man gets under your skin. I knew him by reputation and had already had a later album in this process that was ok but didnt hook me.
I started this one, finding his voice just irritating. But i finished it fairly enthralled. The melody from the guitar and the story telling are powerful weapons.
Ill be going back to this and i may even consider myself converted.
Faith No More
1/5
I did not like this. It felt like getting sexually assaulted by the early 90's. Rock and rap can go together but i needed a bath after this as it just felt greasy
Brian Eno
3/5
Love Eno and listen to his ambient stuff mire. This sounds like a good quality talking heads esq sound. A bit too many references to sausages, but enjoyable none the less
Dire Straits
2/5
This reminded of my dad. Not in a good way. A couple of hits but the slow stuff was bad and i couldnt wait for this to finish
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Not offensive, but like listening to an episode of the OC
The Fall
2/5
Mark E Smith has always struck me as a bit of a prick. And his voice has always been a barrier to any previous engagement in the fall. Having been through this twice, i've not changed my mind. However it wasnt as bad as expected. There are tunes in there and a surprising electro portion towards the end. If this is their high water mark then i dont feel im missing out.
The Temptations
3/5
A perfectly reasonable motown album. Im a fan of motown and papa was a rolling stone is a classic. The rest is serviceable without being top drawer. Enjoyed it but not going to make a big impression.
The Cult
2/5
The late 80's really sucked. This is better than a lot of the sleazy rock that was going around but it still lacks any merit.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Ok, this is what im here for. Something entire new that is brilliant.
Rock music with a brain. Lots of anger and ideas smashed together.
Ill be back
Deerhunter
3/5
I should be more into this but i couldnt find a foot hold. The fault lies with me. Will come back to it.
Ray Charles
4/5
Love Ray Charles and very much enjoyed this.
My only complaint is that it doesnt really fit the album template, its just a collection of really good standards by a good singer and arranger.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
A lovely, funky blacksploitation soundtrack for an autumnal Friday. Short, sweet and perfectly enjoyable.
Talking Heads
4/5
That was great. I was always aware of Talking Heads and realised i should like them but never spent the time to work them out. This process has given me that and i thank it.
Its nice that the 80's produced pop music that has stood the test of time. Good hooks, a real sense of style and well made.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
An obvious classic. Lots of bangers on here. I was never a zep fan bit this is good. Il let other people be more eloquent.
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
I like jazz as much as the next man and i enjoy having my horizons broadened with world music, but i didnt see anything out of the ordinary here.
It passed by and wasnt offensive but nothing stood out.
Iggy Pop
4/5
A perfectly named album. The feeling of energy and growl throughout is perfect. Trainspotting thoroughly planted the opening track into my generations zeitgeist but i think the passenger is the star of the show. It looses a star for some end of album mediocrity but that was fun!
Blondie
4/5
What a collection of absolute bangers. This is on a par with Rumours in terms of 80's pop. The hits are all brilliant and the rest holds up. Its 50 years old and still sounds modern, well produced and danceable as fuck.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Ahhh, this takes me back. Its 1996 and i'm 14 and at Tom Booths house. This was on repeat and felt so dangerous.
Whatever your opinions on late stage RHCP and some of the more recent allegations that deserve to have them cancelled, this is an undeniably good record.
There are 5/6 really top tier tracks, a few good and a few average tracks and a better editor would have brought this in under an hour but it was sure fun.
It has some of the hallmarks of more rock based late 80's sleaze but it manages to avoid the repellant aspects and replaces them with some introspection, some very good slap bass and just a fuck ton of energy.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
Ok, ok, hes not Michael Jackson and Pharrell isnt Quincy Jones. But not many people are.
This is decent, of its time, pop music that borrows heavily from previous generations to make something fun. All art is theft remember?
Some really good tracks here, and some absolute filler as well.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
As a record this sounds about 50 years ahead of its time, but that doesnt mean i enjoyed it.
The inaudible lyrics and relatively sparse soundscapes sound modern and im not surprised artists like Beck love this, but i didnt find any particular value in its lack of enagement
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Obviously a classic and not really anything that detracts. Maybe a slightly underwhelming honky tonk woman, but if this isnt good then i dont know what is.
Van Morrison
2/5
Van Morrison is a repellant human being. But i tried to assess the music independently.
Astral weeks is supposed to be this transcendent album that couldnt fail to hook me in, but i didnt think it stood out. Sure its a good voice and the bluesy feel is nice, but i dont get what the fuss was about.
A 3 downgraded to a 2 because he is a human turd.
Oasis
5/5
I happy to admit that this process has shown me that there are some albums that im not objective about. They are too interwoven into my own personal musical journey and as such my opinion is invalid and thats ok.
I sang every word of this from start to finish.
Finley Quaye
4/5
I loved this album when i was 17 as a nice white middle class boy, and i was very surprised to find it on this list as i had always just thought of it as fairly disposable.
On revisiting this it doesnt let itself down. Its sunshine in musical form. Well composed and fun pop/reggae. Sure its not authentic, but i loved it then and i enjoyed it now
Lauryn Hill
5/5
This is a modern classic. It transcended boundaries at the time and brought forward a new wave of femal hip hop stars that followed in her trail. The soul, the voice, the composition and songs are all top tier.
Having the balls to leave Everything is Everything to the second last track of an album lasting over an hour is amazing for the time.
Its a shame she is now as mad as a bag of cats as id have loved to have witnessed what she could have gone on to do
Spiritualized
2/5
This is my second Spiritualized album. I should be the exact target market for this and yet im still not finding anything that gives me a way into this. It seems to just float past sounding well done, but lacking anything to make it stand out.
All fur coat and no knickers
Radiohead
5/5
Not their best album but still brilliant. A rockier sound and it doesnt have as many stand out tracks but the quality is so high throughout i loved every second of this.
Pixies
4/5
Ok, ive hady fair share of landfill american college rock, but this seems to be the best if the bunch. Good songs with good hooks, lots of punchy guitar, lots of variation and lots of scuzzy sound. This is much better.
Elastica
3/5
I remember this well as a very cool album. Justine was dating Damon. The cover rips off the ramones. Short poppy tracks played by skinny people in black. I was interested to hear how it held up.
25 years on and its not bad but it seems a bit thin (see what i did there). Some good singles and a nice overall sound, but a lot of filler. An ode to vaseline is an aesthetics choice, rather than anything meaningful.
Thanks for the memories
Solange
3/5
I enjoyed this more than i thought. Its my usual stuff but why not. I enjoyed the softness, the subtlety, and the vibe. The squelchy synths and production drew me in. Its difficult not to compare her to her sister and this is much more interesting
Paul Simon
4/5
This was wonderful. It encapsulates a lot of what Paul Simon did beautifully in this phase. Its a combination of really good pop songs, but with added musicality and breadth. Me and Julio is one of the og's.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Ok, so this was the album ive been waiting for. I like hip hop but never found a way into kendrick. I found him a bit dense and lacking in hooks.
Today i was visiting a city and put this on my headphones and walked around. The lyrics shone through, the beats were good and save for an obsession with his penis i thought that was great.
Maybe i'll work through his back catalogue.
The Only Ones
3/5
This was pretty good. Obvious single excluded this was new to me. Like a poppier velvet underground maybe. Nothing earth shattering but not offensive
Can
2/5
Well this was one of those albums where the vive couldnt have been further away from when i listened to it. I was very hungover and tired, flying solo through an airport.
It gave me anxiety and thats more my fault than its. If it caught me at the right time then this could be interesting, but not today.
The Smiths
1/5
God i hate Morrissey. I didnt always and have danced my little heart out to the smiths in my indie disco days. But once you learn about his views then his whiney histrionic singing and lyrics really grate and even Mr Marr cant save it.
Im giving me marr a bonus star but this still only gets 1 as without it i would have burnt my phone and cur my ears off
Björk
4/5
Listening to Bjork is like stumbling into a room full of people who are far smarter than you and listening in. You learn something, you feel like you are probably getting about 70% of whats going on and am ok with that and you hope in a few years it makes more sense when you've caught up.
I love her independence, the absolute drive forward, the energy and production quality.
At times it did sound like i was listening to a christmas album from a world filled with orcs and elves, but thats not necessarily a bad thing.
Def Leppard
2/5
I was alive in the 80's but im very glad i wasn't old enough to have this as my formative musical upbringing as it seems like a bit of a wasteland in hindsight.
This just seems very empty and shallow. It could be called fun and well done, and it gets a bonus point for being from Sheffield. But it was a tough listen
David Crosby
4/5
If this process has given me one thing, its a love of Crosby Still and Nash and ive resisted the temptation to go through their catalogues outside of this to make sure when something pops up, it is a welcome treat.
This was one such treat and received heavy rotation. There is something about the guitar, the melody, thr lyric and the voice that creates gold and i really enjoyed this
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Ive never become a zepp fan but this is the closest i think ill get. This is obviously very good. Ive always been on the fence with regard to his voice but it makes sense here. The guitars are really very good and the songs are very catchy.
Its still a bit Jeremy Clarkson for me but this is obviously great.
Talk Talk
3/5
Ive become a fan of Talk Talk and enjoyed this without being blown away. Their sound is delightful and had a beautiful english charm, but it didnt have a stand out track to raise it up a notch.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Short and sweet and lots of fun. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants.
The Beach Boys
5/5
What can i say that hasn't been said in the mountains of commentary on this legendary album. Its one of the best albums of all time from a wide range of metrics, from the pop hooks to the nerdy production, from the breathtaking lyrics to the harmonies.
All i can say is i heard it as a kid and it melted my mind. I still listen to it now and its not aged or declined over time
Cornershop
4/5
This is beautiful. Ive read some reviews accusing British musicians of appropriating indian music, but this is British Asian music and is authentic to its core.
Im not a fan of colonialism, but one of the silver linings is the uk's history of accepting everyone and being better for it. I lived in Yorkshire for 20 years with a strong british asian community that i was very familiar with and this music shows the incredible value of mixing cultures to great something new and better.
Cornershop have a really strong discography of quality indie, played through an indian viewpoint, their lyrics tell stories that resonate with vast swathes of the uk population from the last few generations and i think they deserve to be more widely known and held in higher esteem.
This album has their big hit which puts it on this list but if you enjoyed this then go back and listen to everything. My favourite is 2011's Cornershop and and the 00 Groove.
Patti Smith
3/5
By all metrics i should love this album. It ticks so many boxes as punky, poetic and honest.
The opening track is a classic and i found the rest of the album seemed to be perfectly respectable, but i did a foothold to go from mild appreciation into the heart of the album. Ill be coming back to it when i can to see what ive missed.
Beatles
4/5
Its the beatles innit.
All of it is gold. Do you compare this to their later work and mark it below, or compare it to the rest of recorded music in which case its top tier?
Marvin Gaye
3/5
A few years ago a friend asked me to name the album that had the biggest differential between opening track and the rest of the album and i was stumped, but i may have found it.
Whats going on is an all time great song, seriously god tier. Rest of the album is pretty meh but ticks along without much offence.
Blue Cheer
3/5
This was a welcome addition to my brain. I love tracking music back to its source and seeing the morphing of jazz and blues into heavy metal was fascinating.
Barry Adamson
2/5
I can see the merit in this as an exercise, but as a piece of music to actually listen to it didnt do anything for me. It seems well written and produced and met the described brief well. But i did not enjoy anything in it.
Alice In Chains
1/5
Dirt by name, dirt by review. God I hate late 80's early 90's sleaze rock.
Sabu
3/5
I always enjoy something that id never come across normally and this was very new to me.
I enjoyed the rhythm and the vibe bit it never really took off from there.
George Harrison
4/5
This was great. It seems like a classic that never crossed my path. Lots of beautiful song writing, great playing and good hooks. It would have made a 5* album in an hour but the bagginess drops it to a 4
Big Star
2/5
I listened to this once yesterday and struggled as it seemed really bland. I now have to write a review and cannot remember a single note of it which tells you all you need to know.
Beth Orton
4/5
This fills me with a warmth and comfort thats only partly explained by nostalgia. I had this on CD when it came out and played it non stop, the simple folk with a slightly more modern and urban feel felt more relevant to me.
I think the songs are beautifully crafted with some excellent writing, good production and it creates a beautiful atmosphere. I think it lacks a better voice for 5 stars but this was a good day.
N.E.R.D
3/5
I remember this fondly and was glad to revisit it. I enjoyed this first time around about 5 years ago, and was mortified to discover it was actually 20.
The birth of Pharrell as a super producer seems like a valid entry to this list and the quality of arrangement, production and feel are all top notch. There isnt much in the way of rapping and song writing but its still fun
SAULT
4/5
This is a great modern album. Dark and moody, some great tunes, it builds on the music before it and contributes to progress.
Tricky
2/5
I was excited when this came up but i wasnt after 2 runs through. Trip Hop was abd is great and i think Massive Attack and Portishead have aged beautifully, but this seemed all vibe and little substance. The dark and brooding beats are ok and the singing is good but it lacked substance. I swear he had s big hit single to hand the rest of the album off but couldnt find it.
Pere Ubu
2/5
This was interesting but really started to grate quite quickly. Opening bars told me this was sime nice scuzzy, punky stuff that was right up my street and i was interested in. Unfortunately, this got swamped with the random squeaks, talking heads esque vocals.
It just seemed to disappear up its own arse.
Slint
3/5
This could be right up my street, but i couldnt find a way in on the day. Probably more down to having no time to give it attention. Will come back to it
Nick Drake
4/5
I really like Nick Drake and his dreamy, pastoral sound here is brilliant. Of his three albums i feel this is the middle ground and it probably makes it the lowest rank of the the three but still a treat for the ears and the soul
David Gray
4/5
Such a warm comforting hug of an album. I love the fact that this flopped on release and grew organically based on people discovering it rather than a marketing budget. People actually liked this organically rather than it being cool, and j think a lot of the reviews here miss this point.
Sure its not breaking new ground, but there are some serious songs on here and i lobed revisiting it.
David Bowie
3/5
Im a Bowie fan, but sometimes the shapeshifting isnt 100% successful. This album had some obvious classics, but the rest of the album doesnt really stand out.
Motörhead
4/5
I dont know what happened to metal in the 80's but it wasnt for the better. Ibe had so much sleazy and nasty late 80's metal and this comes along and both predates them and blows them out of the water.
Hard driving guitars, growling lyrics about fighting and gambling, brilliant drumming, lots of denim and leather and moustaches. These are a few of my favourite things.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was my second barry adams album and i didnt like the first. I though this was better, it had more variety and sounded like an actual album. The addition of some vocals was welcome and the guest stars are people i love. Still not going back to ist bit nice to find a Jarvis in the wild.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I know this is a semi album for a lot of the musicians and music i love, and i can see why, but i just dont think its held up very well. Its pretty boring in a lot of ways and what is provides in barrier breaking it lacks in actual fun to listen to
2/5
I found this weirdly bland. I get that there is a narrative arc but when the arc is prioritised over the actual tunes then im not keen
The Cars
2/5
This wasnt something i had prior knowledge of and thats always fun. It seemed to slip between Roxy Music, into Talking Heads and also some Zepplin later on. It passed by pleasantly, but i didnt really think uch of it stood out. Just a standard pop album of the era.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
This is so much fun. The warmth, the wit, the big sweeping tunes. This is both a pastiche of Britishness and an addition to the canon of loveliness!
XTC
3/5
This wasnt unpleasant, but it fidnt blow me away. My 74 year old mother was here and she enjoyed the nostalgia as she was mid 30's when it came out. A good couple singles and a pleasant vibe
Love
3/5
This was some fairly nice old hippie rock. Opening track was a banger and whilst its not something ill go back to, i actively enjoyed it
4/5
An obvious classic but one where there is a noticeable drop off between the singles and the album tracks.
Basement Jaxx
4/5
Love this album. I was 17 when it landed and it was full of life and energy. Saw them live and danced until i couldnt stand. Coming back it now, its all still there. A bit more filler than i remember but still a banger
Röyksopp
3/5
I enjoyed this, a genre of music i like, some good tracks i recognised and no massive drop iff into the album tracks.
Miles Davis
3/5
Its bitches brew and i got it on boxing day so I couldn't exactly give it the time and attention it deserves. I like jazz and have a few records, but id need a lifetime of listening to understand the intricacies. It gave me enough to pique my interest and will be back.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
A classic by the stones with 3/4 top tier tracks. I still think they are a touch over rated but its difficult to argue with this
Gang Of Four
4/5
Love gang of four
Arcade Fire
4/5
I think this is a modern classic. Bringing big, gothic, orchestral music that swells and hums with emotion. Coming back to it just reinforces this
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Is it wrong i found this a bit boring. I listened to it twice yesterday and i cannot recall a single thing about it.
50 Cent
3/5
You know, this isnt terrible. Its not great but the flow is good, the production stands up and the world building paints a picture.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I love Iggy and what he stands for, his style, attitude and growl. For me the music doesnt quite hit the same heights though. Some decent tunes and some straight forward guitar and music dont really elevate this much above average.
Cream
2/5
This wasnt my thing. The sparseness of the sound made it seem really old and half finished. There are obviously some famous songs and the guitar is obviously good but by the time cockney sing song came along at the end, i was rolling my eyes.
4/5
Its rare i come to an album with zero prior knowledge and when this came up i didnt have a clue what to expect.
Turns out if the clash and the b52's had a love child it would sound like that. It slid around the spectrum between these two poles and did it well. Some quite dry punky stuff with a talking heads-esq vocal and some pop punk that bounced along nicely. A real treat
Faust
3/5
Sprawl and vast and difficult but valuable
Fugazi
3/5
Ive discovered a love of West coast american punk and this fits tight in there. Just the right amount of angry, verbose and musical. This one lacked some of the hooks and pace of Black Flag but still enjoyable.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
Yeah, i didnt warm to this. Its just before my teenage years started so maybe i dont like it as i saw it as too close to the stuff i love and i want to differentiate myself. I can see the start of britpop in this but there is too much shoegaze, american college rock and noise rock for me. The occasional tune does lift it but it didnt get me.
Giant Sand
2/5
This was entirely new to me again and i think it struggles to justify its place here. Some perfectly serviceable but unassuming low fi indie folk, that just doesn't seem to stand out
Kings of Leon
4/5
This is a good album, but not a great one. I love the energy, the pace and the consistency of the album as a whole. Lots of rock and bluesy touches that give it colour and lots of good hooks to keep the attention. Maybe a bit lacking in depth for a great album but i enjoyed the hour.
Bob Dylan
5/5
This is just really really good on all levels.
That opening noise, the run of tracks at the start, the bluesy sound, the lyrics, its all just brilliant.
I have a number of Dylan albums but not this one and i think i need to go and buy it.
The Cure
4/5
Another great. The Cure are so well ingrained into my musical scene but have always been once removed. The shoegaze genre has always been bit dour for my taste and the albums were just before my time, but the quality if the hits has always cut through. I enjoyed this a lot even though a whole album can sometimes be a bit much.
Neil Young
2/5
Does Neil Young have nudes of the author of this list? Im 400 in and ive had at least 5 albums. Sure Harvest Moon is interesting, but i dont see anything out of the ordinary here. Yes, his song writing is consistent, but the singing is bloody awful
John Martyn
3/5
Sometimes an album matches a day and i got this on a Sunday where i had some time. I found there to be a lot of interesting stuff here. There is a hit single, a nick drake-esque softness and then a pile of jazz noodlings. The guitar and vocal are good and i managed to get a couple of listens through without boredom
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Whilst i wouldn't say i enjoyed this, it was the kind of album i'd hoped to learn about from this process. The accessible end of the instrumental industrial noise metal genre was not a place i'd been before and i could see the merit in the album. Lots of driving drum work, layers of guitar noise and an inventive texture cant be denied. The absence of hilarious growly vocals was also a bonus
Arrested Development
4/5
This was a warm bath of fun. The space in the production really stood out to me that gave it a feeling of summeriness and joy. There are some classics here but the rest of the album stands up. Gil Scott Heron jn the lyrics, bounce in the beats and hooks galore in the rhymes.
The Zutons
4/5
This was a delight. I had the cd when it was current and had forgotten about it entirely. A couple of spins shows that it has held up well. The song craft, coupled with the up beat nature makes this a really pleasing listen. The range of musical influences, layers and tempo really drag this along and i found it colourful and warm.
The Smiths
2/5
Morrisey is like Herpes, i just cant get rid of him. He is annoying and unsightly. An instant one, with Mr Marrs decency and jangly guitars getting a bonus.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Its the stones innit. They write good pop songs, they set the standard of the time and its very well done. All music is stolen from elsewhere so ignore the people crying foul over appropriation.
Frank Zappa
3/5
My dad had this on vinyl and the image stayed with me. I always assumed it was just mad, but it turned out to be some quite nice instrumental jazz.
Norah Jones
2/5
My initial reaction was bad to getting this. It was synonymous with radio 2 middle class dinner party music for people who didnt like music but i endeavoured to give it s fair hearing.
She has a nice smooth voice, and there are some nice bluesy, jazzy touches to it. I didn't find it offensive, but there really isnt much to het excited about either. It really is an exercise in audio beige.
R.E.M.
4/5
So ive never been a major REM fan. The singles obviously cut through, but the deep cut fanboy stuff seemed alien to me.
Listening to this album, however, has given me a foothold in their work and I really enjoyed it. The high points are seriously high, with the album bookended by 2 pairs of brilliant songs. I needed reminding how good night swimming is. The rest of the album seemed good and im going to start going back to peel off the layers in the hope i discover more.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Yeah, no thanks. Sounds like a pub band playing ai covers of a specific Bowie era. Just made me want to go and listen to Suffragette City (which they turned down, which shows how much they know about music).
808 State
4/5
This is brilliant. Both original and good is a rare combination and this had both in spades. It spawned a whole musical genre / culture that continues to grow and thrive to this day. The fact that is still slaps is amazing, the beats are brilliant and i loved listening.
Tom Waits
4/5
I was waiting for one of his. Having developed stockholm syndrome via being force fed Leonard Cohen (good), elvis costello (middling) and morrisey (horrible man) i wasnt sure how id react.
It took one listen to get past his voice. But second and third time around this really started to grow on me. The growl has a lovely bluesy feel, the story telling and the playing are top notch. Im now a fan
David Ackles
3/5
This was completely new and fairly pleasant. Like an old Rufus Wainwright it has a stagey, campy, story telling vibe that is fun. Not much depth to it but enjoyed the ride
TV On The Radio
2/5
This took me a while to get through. For all its clevermess and layers, and even though its right in my wheel house, i couldnt get onboard. It seemed too pleased with itself at times.
Van Morrison
1/5
I dislike van morrison and found this overly long and shouty. The bluesy band were good but he's still a pig.
William Orbit
3/5
I didnt find much in this to jump out at me. Fine middle class electronic music with not much bite.
Eeeurgh! U2 at their most bland, lowest common denominator, commercial rock, music for adverts.
John Grant
3/5
This was fun. Biting and funny lyrics, cultural commentary, heartbreak, bitchiness and a some fun. Tunes were good but not sure about the german electonic vibe towards the end
Sonic Youth
2/5
The better end of college rock. I didnt mind this but again, didn't find much to that excited me. They seemed to have some light and shade but i still dont really get ot
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
Stick em up punks its the fun lovin criminals!
Buckle up, i have thoughts. As a white, english, middle class, teenager when this landed i thought it was fucking cool. Its new york for people who havent been there, it had swearing and tarantino excerpts and a hint of danger. The tunes were strong and you could sing along badly. I felt like a fisher price goodfella.
They never really hit these heights again but somehow Huey managed to parlay his success into relative British success as a touring DJ and with a very good show on 6music. I think he even married a British woman. He had to graft as apparently they had to pay all the money they made to Tarantino for the clips.
So, how does this hold up coming back 25 years later? The nostalgia hits me like a yellow taxi on Broadway (i've no idea, im having fun ok) and im smiling like a idiot. Sure there are some pretty poor filler tracks, but im surprised by the brass and strings, the breadth of influences and styles and the production is good. I think there may the worst cover song ever tucked away which really illustrates the limitations of hueys voice but thats not a crime because we are all having fun.
I can see why people would give this a 1 or a 2 as its pretty dumb and reliant on cool in parts, it should be a 3, and its definitely not a 5. But im giving it a 4, for sheer happiness because what else should music give you but a big fuckin smile on your face.
Elvis Costello
4/5
This is really good. Lots of energetic storytelling. Punk sensibilities with a relatability that sucks you in. The rhythm, the playing and the song craft are all top notch
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Well this was pleasant. I danced around the kitchen and annoyed my wife.
The Beach Boys
3/5
The inimitable Beach boys sound, but stuck halfway between fluffy, surfs up pop and Pet Sounds depth. Perfectly pleasant but not ground breaking.
Grateful Dead
2/5
God damn that first track dragged. It came up a notch later bit it was a low floor.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
I didnt remember this fondly, but was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the ironically passe hit, there was a lot of filler but some decent pink floydesque music and some passable, really spacious soundscapes.
Still too hipster and inconsistent, but not bad
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I think this seems to the root of peoples accusations about cultural appropriation. Ive no isse with that but its just not as good as proper blues. It was succesful as the real blues musicians were too black to be popular, so this was a facsimile.
Tim Buckley
3/5
I got this on a friday and tried ro listen to it on the way home from work and it was not the right vibe. Tried again Saturday morning and it was a much better fit. Lovley, heartfelt singer songwriter fayre. I need to have this on headphones while walking through a wood i think
Fred Neil
4/5
This was a delightful find. Never heard of him nor the album so went in blind. Love the voice, the guitar playing, the variety of influences and the suprise hit.
The Slits
2/5
I understand this is cult and i can see why. Smash the patriachy, punk for women, ska for punks!
Problem is, its not really very good.
Muddy Waters
4/5
This was brilliant. Proper old school blues, all the thump and growl youd wants and oozes authenticity from every pore
Brian Eno
4/5
I think Eno is a genius and if he'd had a better voice or some pop star charisma, would be in par with Bowie. He consistently makes interesting, forward looking, clever music that still has a great rhythm and hook to it. When this process is over im going to go through his discography and do it in order.
Mudhoney
2/5
Yeah, this really isnt my bag. I could see the odd flicker of tune, musicality or origionality rise up above the noise, but it was still unappealing
Gene Clark
2/5
This was warm and wholesome and like a Bob Dylan lite. It doesn't do much for me but was pleasant none the less. A suprise inclusion jn the list being that it doesnt challenge much, have any hits or any cultural impact, but not bad.
Suede
4/5
What a banger. This was just before my time, but their next album was peak britpop and so i loved this band. I saw them last year live and these songs still slap and Brett still has it. There is some album filler but there are enough quality songs to make this real fun. Shout out to my sister Katie who introduced me to them.
Happy Mondays
1/5
I should like the Happy Mondays, but u just can't. I'm British and of that generation and am intimately familiar with their hits, but never got it. They seem like such a vibes band only really famous because they caught the culture of the time. In this case it was taking drugs and being dick heads.
This album offers nothing to change my mind and shaun ryders voice is fucking awful
The Blue Nile
4/5
This was beautiful. Sometime an album catches a mood and i listened to this with headphones on whilst my baby slept on my chest and it allowed me to absorb every note of this.
Very much of its time, with a scottish core, the plaintive lyrics sucked you in. The unique dance between some really disparate sounds was carefully managed and it created a sweeping soundscape that was both engaging and challenging.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Yeah, no.
Sixties fayre that, i think, tried to be at the slightly edgier/alternative end of the spectrum. I just found it lacked the purity of others of this time and none of the hooks.
John Lennon
2/5
A couple of obvious bangers, but a lot of absolute dross. Imagine is in the converstaion for best song of all time, but there is no editing and quality conttol. Waffly, wanky lyrics and thin, scratchy blues.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Ok, this was kinda fun. The music was good, the hooks were clean and this skipped along pleasantly. Got a bit weird at the end but why not. A good example of the time and a worthy inclusion in the list.
Yes
2/5
I did not particularly like this. It seemed too pleased with itself and noodly. They needed a good editor to try snd make sense of the ideas here.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
I liked Green Onions but wasnt sure if i needed a full album. It turns out it was ok. The sound, the vibe and the generally chilled happiness that permeates through this makes it pass happily, but theres not much in the way of originality and interest here.
Green Day
3/5
12 year old me thought Dookie was the shit (pun intended) for its anger and punk sensibilities, by the time American Idiot appeared, 22 year old me thought this was pop punk at its most anodyne, bland and mainstream and i had nothing but youthful distain for it.
Coming back now was a really interesting experience. It still is pop punk with every edge rounded off, its music a left wing politician claims to like when they dont like music and your mum would gladly sing along on Radio 2.
However, i cant deny that they can write a jaunty pop tune with a decent hook. Most impressively, this album is littered with lyrics that resonate now (start of Trump 2) more than ever. For that reason im giving it a binus star and hope it gets more play.
Massive Attack
4/5
A beautiful album, full of depth and atmosphere and some snarl. The production and sound are ground breaking and formed a foundation stone for trip hop as a genre that still has its impacts today. As they developed their sound, the addition of real anthems and accessible song craft raised the bsr again but this is the begining.
Circle Jerks
2/5
I like the punk sensibility and the energy (and the 15 minute run time) but there isnt much that elevates this apart from maybe being the first if this sound
Fatboy Slim
4/5
A welcome reprise! 3 or 4 of these songs are so woven into the fabric of British society its impossible to objective about and whilst i knew them like national landmarks i dont think. I'd ever listened to the album
Turns out its relatively good. For the complainers who call it repetitive, they dont understand this type of music. It builds in waves to generate euphoric reaction and this album certainly does its job. It is a little gauche in its approach and can pander to the lowest common denominator, but when your goal is to get a sea of people dancing like loons thats ok.
We have to praise you like we should.
The Beta Band
3/5
I enjoyed this. The Beta band kind of passed me by and my impression was kinda of flaming lips/lemonheads/early beck style music.
Turns out there were a lot of tracks i knew and enjoyed, the album hung together really well and i feel bad for missing it first time around. I felt it dropped off towards the end so i'm not going nuts but it was a good listen.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
California dreamin is a classic and evokes an era so well. But the rest if it I couldnt warm to. I dont know why but i dont imagine id like people who enjoy this music. Its too twee and smug.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
This was a nice album. Id known and generally wasnt bothered by the Echo and the Bunnyman id heard. It turns out that it was their later work that was too close but not close enough to my own formative musical tastes. This early stuff seems like a lovely bridge between the late 70's stuff like stooges and into the 80's stuff
Louis Prima
3/5
This was excellent. Big bouncy old school fun. I was aware of his sound, but had never attempted an album before.
Sometimes these types of album can grate pretty quickly, but the variety of singers, the energy of the music and the composition carried it through. Ill really never come back to this but i enjoyed listening to it.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I dont mind this music, this has some good tunes that raise it above just punk for punks sake. Im not a fan of her voice but its the better end of this particular spectrum
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
A beautiful, very british portrait of 80's music and society. No one else puts this mix together like these boys do and make it a great listen.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This to me seems like Peak Elvis Costello and i enjoyed it. Lots of heart and fun and energy, lyrics that jump out and lots of musicality.
The Charlatans
5/5
This is not going to be objective as i saw these guys in this tour in 1996 when i was 14 and they rocked my teenage world. Shout out to Max Broady who came with me!
The three track run from North Country to Tellin Stories, plus how high are god tier. The rest is damn good and they have such good hair. I bounced through this with a shit eating grin in my face.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Im going to say it: Led Zepplin are over rated.
I respect the quality of the guitar playing and the signature 70's rock sound and some excellent songs, but this isnt ground breaking.
Its derivative of better blues and is pompous as fuck.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Things that sound wrong:
Barry White being chaste
Prince being a suburban dad
Johnny Cash singing about teenage angst
John Lydon suggesting we respect authority
NWA doing a blue lives matter promo
Dolly Parton being a misogynist
Marvin Gaye being sad and out of love
Calexico
3/5
I didnt know this but from the first few bars i felt at home. Excellent alt indie with a breadth and scope that is justified by the music and the ideas. A bit ling to digest in one day but i will return to this.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Yeah, i didnt get anywhere near this. It probably me as i couldnt give it much attention but it was pretty impenetrable.
Judas Priest
3/5
Like a more British AC/DC. I enjoyed the simple hard rock of this. Not my bag but good, honest, double denim clad, inappropriately haired, pot bellied, middle aged hard rock.
Adele
2/5
I like Adele, she seems like a genuine person, has a great voice and puts on a good show by all accounts. I admire her success and have no real issue with her music.
Ive never really listened to an album of hers and i'm probably not going to start now. Its a painting done with one colour and thats no interest to me.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
This was both enjoyable and stimulating. To my uneducated ears it sounded like a step forward in soul music. It took a more relaxed and spacious approach that allowed mire subtelty to come through. It was less 3 minute pop song and more jazzy and packed with ideas. And there are still some bangers on it.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
There is a real 80's vibe to this that would usually put me off, but its a bit like ypur grumpy uncle in a shell suit and him actually puling it off.
Some really good tunes here and im now a certified Leonard Cohen fan
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
This almost had me, but i ended up hating it. I do not like rock opera and this was overblown in the extreme. My interest was piqued by the spoken word stuff about wallace.
But it sounded like Mouserat without the fun or the irony.
Jane Weaver
3/5
This was a breath of fresh air. A spacious, folky, female-centric album that is confident in itself and its music.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
A beautiful slice of late evening sunshine. Smooth and floaty and lovely.
Love
2/5
Yeah, no. Crunchy hippie psych isnt my bag. Thanks
Tom Waits
5/5
I loved this. It was sweeping and bold and poetic and beautiful. His voice carries emotion and i cant wait to listen to everything be has done
k.d. lang
2/5
I can see the value of modern country that isnt sung by old white men and i liked the slide guitar on this. But it passed me by without making any impression at all.
John Martyn
2/5
I'm all over on this one. I did not like the first half. 80's in a bad way, lots of black influences being slapped onto white music didnt work and i didnt enjoy his voice.
But that floating, spiraling almost ambient work at the end had me transfixed.
The Jam
4/5
Paul Weller has been ever present like the sun throughout my life. I didnt always appreciate him, but he was always around sharing warmth and energy.
The older i get and the more of everything i hear, the more i enjoy basking in his rays. This has the usual blend of moddish energy and hint of the balladeer he could also be. I heard English Rose on his retrospective orchestral album and was interested to hear its origional form.
Be more Weller
Stevie Wonder
5/5
In 1950 a woman found a lamp, rubbed it, out popped a genie and she was offered 3 wishes. The first was for deeper understanding of the human condition so the double helix of DNA was discovered. The second was for man to conquer space so Sputnik was launched. Her third wish for her unborn child to be the personification of the joy of music. This brought us the gift of Stevie Wonder.
From the outside it seems like writing beautiful, heart warming music comes as naturally as breathing for him, but im sure there is a lot of hard work involved too. A double album where ever song just seems that it existed forever and was found in nature is insane.
Most album reviews talk about stand out tracks, Stevie Wonder had a stand out decade (70's) and this was slap bang in the middle of that.
Fiona Apple
2/5
Not one i'd come across before, lets go.
Ok, all the pieces are here, voice is ok, nice drums, piano is good, strings are good, why am i not enjoying this?
I ended up listening twice as i couldnt grab it. It sounds like an AI album where everything should fit but it just doesnt, a jigsaw picture made of lots of different puzzles that dont quite fit and the effect is very jarring. I kept getting a nice beat or a hook and then it would disappear without any development.
Very strange
T. Rex
4/5
Maybe its the way i was raised but Glam fucking slaps and i love this.
Some banging tunes, great energy, light and shade in the album, quality everywhere.
4/5
So there arent many albums on this list that are actual cultural history being made, but this one is and merits its inculsion on this list purely on that basis, regardless of what you think of Bob.
Im not a Dylan fanatic but ive grown up with his music and own a number of his albums. He is undeniably a poet and his impact on folk and then rock and roll was seismic. These tapes mark a changing of the zeitgeist and a bridge between two eras.
The first half of folk really doesnt show hom off at his best. It plays to his weaknesses like his voice and his constant fucking around with the songs. Id much rather listen to his folk studio albums.
The second half is a rip roaring rock and roll freight train that benefits from the energy of the live recording.
If i had a time machine, i would be come a musical history tourist and this gig would be one of my first stops
Stephen Stills
4/5
Love love love. The richness of the production, the choirs, the little hits of strings ontop of some killer guitar maje this top tier. Church is a new favourite song and cant wait to find more of his stuff.
The Who
3/5
I'm ambivalent about the who. I detested their rock opera phase, but this is just straight pop music. I enjoyed the energy and can see how it captured the zeitgeist at the time, but i dont think it has aged particularly well and just sounds a bit basic now.
Mercury Rev
2/5
Im surprised this is here. Its a mid britpop album at best so save for a couple of tracks its really not much. The opener is good but the voice is weak.
Femi Kuti
2/5
I didnt dislike this, but it didnt grab me. Some fine african rhythms but there wasnt a hook for me to get it.
1/5
Im sure that i'm not the first and I definitely wont be the last to make this joke:
This band should be called No
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Love the manics. I came in post-Richey for Everything Must Go so their earlier stuff i had to find later.
The energy, the drive, the anger and the poetry all make this top class. I'm not smart enough to decipher the lyrics so i always just loved that they stood for something.
I'm in a minority that thinks the best of the Manics isnt the lyrics of Richey/Nicky. I think JDB is one of the best front men of his generation and i saw them live in 2024 and he still fucking rules.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I love Bob but never got into his post 70's stuff. This was my chance to rectify that.
Turns out i was right, it takes the stuff o dont like about him like his voice and his misery and brings it front and centre.
The Monks
3/5
This was completely unknown, annoyingly difficult to track down and exactly why i'm here.
The missing link between Booker T and the Sex Pistols is a description that couldnt be more accurate and i enjoyed it immensely. Ill need to go back to dig deeper but im happy to have found it.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
No thank you.
Didnt like it then, didnt like it now.
Shack
2/5
As a brit born in 82, who loves britpop and music generally i couldn't be any more in the target market for this.
But even i found this average. There are hundreds and thousands if albums more deserving of this list. Its not a bad album, but its certainly does not fit the brief.
Steely Dan
2/5
Im not sure what to make of this. It was entirely bland. I listened twice and cant remember a single thing.
Dr. Dre
4/5
A classic of the genre, a ground breaking album and one that stands the test of time. Dres production is unmatched.
A bit too much cussin' for me to play in the house with the kids around but a stellar record.
Joan Baez
2/5
So this is more a history project than an album. Covers of historical folk songs has validity but she gets no points for writing.
She also gets no points for singing. I find her tone pretty shrill.
Am i sexist because i can look past the voices of Dylan/Waits and not Baez or Mitchell?
N.W.A.
4/5
I know the themes included in this album are dated in the extreme and my love for this album is not an endorsement of birches and guns.
But this album deserves to be here, purely for the fact it is a foundation stone in a genre that exploded in scope and popularity over the ensuing 40 years.
Plus my white 43 year old middle class ears loved every second of this.
Beatles
5/5
I think this is an easy 5. Its not just because its the beatles. Its not just because its an album that marks their step into experimentation and opened the worlds eyes to the breadth of music and made it cool. But the songs are just very, very good. Is there a better closing track ever written?
I was close to deducting a star for yellow submarine when paperback writer was a non album single, but even shakespeare had comic relief in his work.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Big, beautiful, bold and heart warming. I wish the world was more Rufus.
His musical chops shine through and his voice and lyrics convey such highs and lows.
I love how this album scared the american men who are insecure.
Metallica
4/5
This has obvious quality. The musicianship is sky high, there is real light and shade which can be rare for this music and there is actual tunes and hooks to keep me engaged. It really merits its place on this list and the the high water mark for heavy rock.
Its not my thing, but i appreciate it.
Cheap Trick
3/5
This was pleasant. Good tunes, lots of energy and perfectly seviceable
Ash
4/5
Another one where teenage me takes over!
I loved this album first time around. Non threatening garage punk of the britpop era. Lots of cultural references, some banging tunes and lots of energy.
Coming back to it reveals its not going to change the world, but the guitars, the drums and the hooks are still top notch.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
I listened to this is a dark room with headphones and it sucked me in.
The detail in the scoring, the asynchronous rhythms and her ethereal voice all painted an incredible soundscape that i got lost in. Plus the strings, the brass and the lyrics were great.
I want more of this please
Janet Jackson
2/5
FKA twigs
2/5
I found this surprisingly bland and i think she trades on her reputation for being weird rather than good.
Skepta
2/5
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Chilled and groovy and pleasant. Not one to het excited about but in the tight mood it was lovely.
TLC
2/5
When this came up i had positive feelings, however i also had them when it finished.
Very dated mid 90's girl rnb with very little to stand it out from the crowd.
Gram Parsons
3/5
This was fairly pleasant country. A generic album with a sprinkling of stand out tracks. Not my bag but it passed without any objection
The Black Keys
3/5
I enjoyed this, but its not breaking any boundaries or setting any high watermarks.
White man blues rock done very proficiently with some good tunes and some slick production. I owned this first time around but havent listened to it in a decade which tells its own story.
Rod Stewart
2/5
There is no denying he has a good voice and there are a couple of classic pop tracks here. But as an album, i dont think it offers much. Too much god, and too unconsistent
Traffic
2/5
No idea on this really. I tried to listen but it was so all over the place that i couldnt get any read. So dated it hurts
Eagles
3/5
Yeah, its the eagles and yead it undoubtedly well done and yeah there are some good pop tracks here but i snoozed though this twice.
Jurassic 5
3/5
I was delighted when this came up and eas a fan back on the day.
Relistening was very enjoyable but this felt very light and sweet without much depth. I loved the beats and the vibe, but it doesnt carry much weight.
John Cale
2/5
I did not enjoy this. His voice is weak, the lyrics seemed parochial and rhe music was twee
3/5
The fault is mine, but i only listened to this once and without attention. What i heard was pleasant and seemed ok, but im not qualified to comment
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
This sounded like licking a battery. An initial thrill followed by a metallic aftertaste and then nothing.
If this was on the list to represent warp records and this genre then its done a very bad job.
The Byrds
3/5
Its twee and old fashioned and slightly too fluffy for my liking.
But id the mark of a good album is that you sre humming the tunes an hour later then this is ok by me.
The Associates
3/5
I enjoyed this without loving it. It seems like an album that has good quality at first impression whilst also benefitting from peeling back the layers. Will keep trying.
Gary Numan
4/5
This was better than i remembered. My memory had it as a pioneering 80's synth album and thats true, but id forgotten the breadth and depth of the instrumentation and the quality of the pop music. Great hooks, great production and the synths are a welcome addition rather than a one trick pony.
Brian Eno
5/5
Love Eno, love ambient, love this.
Minimalism leaves no room for fluff and this is beautiful dresmscape.
Kraftwerk
4/5
This was something that very much deserved attention. I had it as just robot noise that started a genre, but its actually a stunning piece of minimalist electro. Ot ebbs and flows like a classical score and has a surprising warmth and humanity to it.
Slade
3/5
Ive never listened to a slade album, just the hits. There was some surprising consistency here. A lot of beatles rip off and some fairly generic pub rock but its well done and Noddy's voice is brilliant
Beach House
4/5
There is definitely something quality here. I managed 2 listens through and there was lovely floaty indie pop and the quality seemed high. I want to get headphones on and really get sucked into this.
3.5 rounded up as the sun is shining
Joni Mitchell
3/5
This was the better end of what ive heard of Joni. Her voice seemed to have matured to remove a lot of the shrillness. The songs were cheerier and there seemed to be excellent musicianship throughout.
DJ Shadow
5/5
This is a seminal album for me.
When i first heard it, my mjnd was blown. It sounded like the future and was exciting and different, but above all good. When i discovered it was made in the way it was i was even more inpressed.
There is such variety in this, from big beats to lovely hooks to quiet emotional pieces. Its exactly what this list is for.
Nirvana
5/5
Is this the best rock album of all time? I think the answer is yes but maybe thats because it was my generation.
Ive heard this album 1000 times and love it. What stands out on this listen was the drums slap hard. The guitar sound, the light and shade and Kurts voice are all spectacular as always.
Alice Cooper
1/5
This was weird and surprising and juvenile.
I only know Alice Cooper from Schools out and waynes world. I had this impression if hard rock, but this was not that.
Its really poppy and fake, with weird kiddy lyrics. I was surprised at how 70's and kitsch it sounded and really found it jarring
The Undertones
3/5
I was excited for this and it delivered. Upbeat pop/rock with tunes of teenagerdom and small world living.
Love Feargal Sharkey and wanted to like this more, but felt it was quite small scope and his voice doesnt really hold up over s lot of listening.
5/5
More eloquent, more musically literate people have written reams about why this is good. Im not here to disagree.
A collection of classics
2/5
I don't mind this, but i dont rate it much either. It seemed to lack any agency or motif that held attention.
ZZ Top
3/5
What i knew before listening: beards.
What i knew after listening: a surprisingly bluesy accessible rock album. Maybe it was just having my expectations subverted but i was pleasantly surprised by this. Gentle vocals and real blues chops.
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
Ok, my bias is gonna show here as this was my first ever gig at 14 years old.
This is generational music. Cooler than britpop with better music, better lyrics with a better message, big sweeping strings, a back story to punch you in the heart but above all some absolute banging songs.
Miles Davis
4/5
Sometimes the album doesnt match the day and it hampers my enjoyment. Today was not that day.
I sat in the grounds of a castle in Ireland, in the blazing sunshine reading a book and letting this beautiful jazz wash over me. I don't know enough about jazz to critique this or say why its good but i loved every second.
KISS
2/5
I thought i was going to like this, but i didnt. It felt surprisingly basic and mainstream. There wasnt much beyond some pomp and makeup.
Elbow
5/5
I cannot convey my love for this in words. I wandered into a tent at Reading festival around 99 and discovered Elbow on their Cast of Thousands album. I was blown away. By this album i was a proper fan and saw them play this live a few times. My favourite was at the octagon in Sheffield when Richard Hawley came on to sing 'The Fix'.
Its the album that played in the early part of my relationship with my now wife, so the romance is baked in.
Elbow make music that paints with every colour. And the pictures they paint are of my home, my childhood and my life.
Mekons
2/5
I thought id enjoy this based on the description. But i did not.
Seemed weirdly generic and dull
Ice Cube
2/5
No thank you. There are musically interesting rap tracks hidden under layers of skits, intros, outros and just aggressive nonsense. When he does break out a tune (today was a good day) it shows the value but its only a rare glimpse
Morrissey
1/5
Ive had enough of this prick. This is the first time in 600 albums im not even going to attempt this, i can use my time in better ways. I dont like him, his whiny voice or his miserable lyrics.
OutKast
2/5
There is a decent 40 minute album here but there is so much filler it negates a lot of the good work. Like occasional rays of light breaking through clouds the good tunes shine through, but its a generally miserable experience
Sugar
1/5
Mouserat really did a number on these bands.
It sounded so generic and hilarious i gave up 3/4 of the way through.
The Crusaders
3/5
This was funky and fun. I listened whilst good through security at an airport and tapped my feet all the way through. The opener was a banger
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
The pictures this paints of small town life and the stories it contains make me smile everytime. The fact that they are laid over beautifully done pop music with a healthy dose of quirk and charm makes it even better.
I loved it then and i love it now
Stephen Stills
3/5
I thought this was good, but i didnt fall in love like i have with other bits from CSNY.
Obviously its high quality and fun, but it didnt hook me in.
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
Never heard of this so completely blind to it and i really enjoyed it.
Liked the vibe, liked the base, liked the blues, liked the vocal delivery.
It sounded like a fore runner to Primus or the Fun Loving Criminals.
It was overly long and obviously isnt shakespeare, but a worthwhile album to discover
Doves
3/5
I was surprised to see this here. Its right in my wheel house but with the exception of a couple of decent singles, its not a stand out. I enjoyed revisiting it, but if this was significant it wouldnt be such a blast from the past
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
I like 90's hip hop but id never come across this.
Turns out to be pretty decent but nothing stand out. Good beats and flow, the usual subject matter lyrically. As usual, it could have been 20% shorter.
Travis
3/5
I want to give this 3.5 stars but im probably going to round down.
It hits me with a wave of nostalgia for a time when i was young and the singles were everywhere. They are good pop indie with real heart and charm, same as the band.
But a relisten doesnt really offer much beyond the hits and there must be a reason i never came back to this over the last 20 years
George Jones
3/5
This isnt my bag, but i took two goes through this and i gently warmed to this. There is heart and warmth and good songwriting here.
Its still country, but i didnt hate it
Daft Punk
5/5
Today i woke up and chose violence.
I am very much of the position that everyone has different musical opinions and that is what makes this process great. However, the litany of people (obviously of one nationality) complaining that this is repetitive and not deserving of their place on the list is too long not to call out.
This is a fucking 5 star album for a number of reasons. Firstly, its a brilliant listen. The tracks build with the force of a truck doing 100mph and hit you with the same energy, Using loops to build a soundscape that is intoxicating and hypnotic.
Secondly, this album is an unmissable cultural waypoint on the electronic music journey that has exploded in the last 30 years and given so much to music lovers around the world (around the world).
Discovery took this sound to the masses but this album sets the blueprint and ages better as it stands alone rather than relying what zeitgeist was prevalent at the time.
A mutha fucking classic that is absolutely one of the albums you need to hear before you shuffle off this mortal coil and discover that god is actually 2 shiny helmetted french robots.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
I apologise to Mrs Lee Hooker and Santana, i put this on but my kids were being feral and i couldnt gibe this much attention.
Im sure there is a good blues/latin guitar album here but it washed over me without leaving any impressions.
Metallica
4/5
Metallica doing Metallica things.
Which are: taking a genre of music im not a usual fan of and injecting enough tune, musicality, light and shade and production quality to make it enjoyable.
JAY Z
3/5
This still bounced along nicely and its certainly a top album for this time and genre, but its lost its bite over time for me.
Suede
3/5
This is good but not great. I came to Suede an album later, so this doesnt hit me in the nostalgias. I actually saw them libe last yer and they were really good still
Some great tracks, an overly long run time and i know Bretts voice can be divisive.
Fishbone
2/5
I like a lot of music that is analogous to this. But i did not like this.
It sounded weak and thin.
The Prodigy
5/5
God damn this is good. My 8 year old son said it make him want to dance and go fast and thats good enough for me.
A seminal album in moving electronic music forward. This added danger and anger and industrial scuzz and its brilliant for it.
The mid album run is about as good as it gets.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
James Murphy is a genius who makes music that fills my heart with happiness and makes me want to dance.
This isnt their best album and sometimes he could do with an editor to drop album lengths by 10% but i happily had this on repeat for the day.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
This was delightful. It used african rhythms and voices but filtered it through a western prism to make it very accessible for this middle aged white man.
It got a bit samey after a while but a thoroughly enjoyable 2 times through.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Smacked with a nostalgia wave. I bought this when it came out from Our Price in Carlisle and it took me right back to being 15 again.
The first tracks were burned into my memory and i grinned like an idiot. Ill be honest and say towards the end it did drag and i think it may not be a classic, but it was a lot of fun
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Im about half way through and think this may be my seventh Neil Young album, which i think is too much. This has some good tunes but im happy to die having heard maybe 2 or 3 of these
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
This went from a 3 at the start to a 1 after the following lyrics:
Now come on everybody, let's make cocaine cool
We need a few more half naked women up in the pool
And hold this MAC-10 that's all covered in jewels
And can you please put your titties closer to the 22s?
And where's the champagne? We need champagne
Now look as hard as you can with this blunt in your hand
And finished as a 2.
At times this was an absolute abomination, as deep as a puddle of urine and equally enticing.
But by the end there was enough in the beats and music to kick it up a notch. 1.5 rounded to 2, just.
Brian Wilson
3/5
On the day of his passing. Brian Wilson was a genius in the truest sense of the word and made a significant cultural impact that will be remembered for generations.
Smile seems to me like a collection of partially developed sketches that given time and attention could have been amazing. But life didnt go that way so its not.
Kid Rock
1/5
I was aware of kid rock as a human, but not his music. I was also aware this has a bad reputation here so wasn't looking forward to it.
72 minutes later and i understand the hate. The lyrics are written by a sentient can of energy drink at a maga rally. They are truly awful, the kind a 14 year old boy would write when he's sniffing marker pens while angry at his dad.
However, musically it is not an abomination. Its not my thing, but there is some decent touches here and there and i can see how this goes across well through shitty speakers at the lake while drinking shitty beer.
1.5 stars rounded down because it does not need to be over an hour
Iron Butterfly
2/5
No thank you. It starts like proto-the doors without Jim Morrisons sex and swagger and finishes in an interminable jazzy proggy loop.
The Byrds
2/5
Whilst im sure this was on the cutting edge at the time, i think it sounds very twee and thin now.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I was surprised by this, in a good way.
I'd always know FBS as a pop focused big beat producer, but this had some lovely rough edges and is based on a more underground/rave culture sound. Like early chemical brothers, with lots of early ibiza house touches.
It ran out of ideas quickly and the second half dragged, but enjoyed the first half
The Byrds
2/5
2 Byrds albums in 3 days only goes to reconfirm the poor first inpression.
This one seemed to have all of the thinness of sound and tweeness, but with added experimentation that doesn't work and general noodling that is redundant.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
I had a long drive in the sun and this fitted the bill (pun intended) nicely.
A beautiful, relaxed wander through some classic jazz. I dont know enough about jazz to critique it but i enjoyed it and will be back.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
This was interesting, pleasant and i'm always to hear anything Eno has been involved in, but it didnt really stand out for me.
I couldnt really find a genre or an expectation for this, it just seemed "nice". Thought the vocals we unneccessary.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
This is why im here. High quality music of a type i'd never normally come across. Lovely, chilled out orchestral indian fun
Tom Waits
4/5
Ive grown to really enjoy Tom Waits. The blues and stomp and stories are all top notch, ive grown to love the growl and i enjoyed this immensely. Needs more attention
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
My heart sank when i saw this as i'd had my fill of dreary 80's indie rock, but this turned out better than hoped.
There was an upbeat, driving rhythm that really propelled it forward. The vocal i could take or leave but the rhythm section and the production stood out.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I love the beastie boys. I love how they made something (with Rick Rubin) that was new and fresh. I love their attitude, their style, their anger, their passion, their sense of fun, their aesthetic and how beautifully they have stood the test of time.
However, ive always found the music to inconsistent for an album. There are individual songs that are god tier, but a lot of their stuff doesn't stand up and i don't regularly listen to them.
This album blew them up and set the blueprint, but doesnt include any of their high points so isnt something i would listen to much.
Michael Jackson
4/5
This is without doubt an album you need to hear before you die. It set the tone for pop albums for 30 years and there isnt a better three song run than Thriller, Billie Jean and Beat it.
The tunes, the production, the music and the voice are all top tier. Some of the slower tunes are not my thing and feel a bit icky in hindsight.
This is a 4.5 album rounded down to 4 for the child molesting.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Ahhhh, the sweet balm of novelty and variety.
This was a mad ride though so many styles all viewed through and indian lense and i listened intently throughout just to try and pick up what was going on. Classical indian music, country, bluegrass, pop and much more.
My head spun and i wasnt bored once.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Ive never really fallen for Bruce, but this is the closest ive got.
It strips away all the 80's pop rock and does a few things very well: gentle, evocative lyrics, well played and simple guitar and harmonica and simple songs.
Its probably due to its Dylan proximity but i enjoyed this
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
The Yeah yeah yeahs are my bag. I love the art rock sensibilities, Ms O's swagger and the beautiful guitars.
I find their first three albums are all great without having any defining difference. Obviously Maps makes this more visible bit its all good.
Genesis
2/5
This is what Brexit sounds like, i imagine this album wearing red chinos. Pompous and overblown and rooted in an England that doesnt exist anymore. This kind of folk prog jazz bullshit gets tiring very quickly and i rolled my eyes within 10 seconds.
A full listen means i cannot deny that there is some very good playing in this, saving it from a 1 star
Robbie Williams
2/5
Music is time travel. I put this on and i'm a teenager again when he was about as famous as you got in the UK at that time.
I was never a fan, but i can still sing 3/4 of the singles from start to finish.
Its not a good album musically it lyrically, but it probably is culturally. This would be the uk version of a destinys child album i got a while ago.
Digital Underground
2/5
Step 1: recoil at cover
Step 2: ok soni recognise mr humpty
Step 3: 10 minutes in, this isnt as bad as i thought i was going to be, fairly innocuous bouncy rap
Step 4: ok, this is really starting to grate now
Step 5: hold the fuck on, these lyrics are wild
Step 6: this is genuinely terrible, how did this het made?
Step 7: thank christ thats over, i'll give them marks for ambition, but not much else
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I'm yet to fall in love with Bruce. I understand this has some classic tracks but i can get excited about a man who slurrs like a dementia patient.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
I enjoy variety and i delight in something new so this has its place.
I didnt mind the wandering sound and the playing is obviously well done.
My 2 issues are 1) its so alien to me i couldnt listen to this in an other way than an academic way, 2) its not really an album, more an introduction to a musical style
Rod Stewart
2/5
When i was mid 20's i worked with a lady called Janet who was in her 60's. Janet once felt ill so went to her GP and queued to see the receptionist: when she got to the front she informed them she was having a heart attack and would like to speak to a doctor. That kind of old school lack of fuss deserves respect. On company events when we had to drive somewhere i would always take Janet in my car as neither of us could stomach the rest of the screeching harpies and also we shared a love of music from her generation like the stones and the beatles.
Janet loved Rod Stewart, and to be polite i didnt complain, but I will now.
This isnt something that stands out in terms of music, song writing or playing. His voice is unique and he seems to have had the right personality for pop but thats its. This is a one star album with a bonus one as a nod to Janet.
Neu!
3/5
This appealed in some ways but also washed over me without leaving a massive inpression.
I enjoyed the scope and the space in this. The introduction of vocals actually brought it down a bit to mediocre pop.
Hints of eno and classical and 80's vibes
Sonic Youth
2/5
The more i hear of this genre the lessi like it. I found the make vocal poor, the guitars jarring and the sound too weak for rock and too loud for pop
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Didnt hate or love this. Didnt offer much to get my teeth into, just kind of floated along in the background sounding sunny.
New Order
4/5
I had not heard this and thoroughly enjoyed it. Short, sharp and no filler. The transition from standard rock, to their synth based 80's sound is here and ot brings the best of both worlds.
String lyrics and lovely groove.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Knew the name, knew the genre and internally groaned. I could not have been more wrong, this is an absolute banger.
I knew so many of these songs already, its the high water mark for americana and is comes from the core of american culture like a stick of blackpool rock.
The playing was top notch, the singing wasnt too annoying and this was a blast
Missy Elliott
3/5
When this popped up, i was delighted and initial thoughts put this in the 3-5 stars range as a couple of tracks keep regular rotation in my hip hop playlists.
The first few tracks are bangers. I love gossip folks and work it and timbalands production is god tier throughout.
But after that initial high, it gets really mediocre. Jay-z pops up with a couple of lazy verses, Missy's singing voice isnt a patch on her rapping and there isnt much to get excited about.
Carole King
5/5
Beautiful, just beautiful.
The second album in 600+ albums so far that ive never conciously listened to all the way through before that gets a 5 star review.
There are so many songs here that are about as good as a song could be. He voice carries emotion, the piano and guitar are beautiful, but most of all the songwriting and accessibility are of the highest order.
This should be held in the highest esteem.
Stereo MC's
2/5
This sucked. It wasnt bad, but it wasnt good and it certainly want something i need to hear before i die.
Dated uk rap that didnt even stand out when it was fresh. I can name 1001 albums more relevant than this. Couple of ok singles.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
This was really good! Im obviously aware of Creedence but hadnt listened to an album before.
Their sound really engages you and carries a whole album really well. The quality of the songwriting is top notch, the musicianship was great and the vibe was perfect for a sweltering summer day.
Meat Puppets
3/5
The name rang a bell, but i had nothing so clicked the wiki link. I saw noisecore in the first sentence and wasnt enthused. I was hung over, with my kids and its biblically hit today. This was going to take some effort.
Later that afternoon i decided to persevere and stuck it on. Firstly, this is really well done and tuneful. It took me a couple of minutes to place the songs that i recognised. You can see why Kurt held these guys as great songwriters and covered the tracks.
Occasional detours into noisecore were not my bag, but this was a welcome introduction and ill go back again.
Elis Regina
2/5
I always enjoy variety in this list when it arises and i'm also a fan of music where i dont speak the language as it allows me to appreciate the music the the emotion more.
But to my ear this didnt sound special. Jazzy bossa nova with ok singing, some patchy tunes and not much else. Maybe im not deep enough into this genre to appreciate its difference but it sounded very bland to me
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This was jam packed with ideas and fizzed with originality. It sounds 25 years ahead of its time and i can see why he inspired so many musicians.
However it needed a good editor and some discipline to elevate it into a great album.
Marianne Faithfull
1/5
No thank you.
Famous for being pretty and having a famous boyfriend. If i was given 7 albums and a host of famous and talented friends id produce better.
The voice is weak, the lyrics are meh, the playing is fine, the cover at the end isnt really of value and usually I consider a short album a sign of something well edited with consistent high quality but here its just that she had little to say.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Having never listened to Todd before, i received 'a wizard, a true star' 2 days ago in the early 600's and now this.
I wish id had them in the other order to watch a man break out of his pop sensibilities into his experimental phase but this was not to be.
On its own, this is a good 70's pop album with stand out hits, lots indications of where he would go and some real quality throughput. I want to give it 3.5 but its just not something i'll come back to ever so its rounded down
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Dreamy synth music of equal parts ambient, classical and future steering pop. This is exactly an album to hear before i die as its good and culturally significant for the music it spawned.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Whilst the playing was high quality, this was not good. The covers really are one trock ponies that do not stand up at all. The original stuff was better but this is no more than a bad idea.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
This was a delight.
The warmth of her vocal and the orchestration really stood out. The song writing and story telling were brilliant. 4 spins through the day tells its own story.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
I liked the energy, the message, the sax and the punky sensibilities.
Some good pop tracks and some rubbish.
I did not enjoy her shouty delivery.
The Stooges
3/5
I love iggy. I love what he stands for, his energy, his power, his anger and his danger. I find his music hit and miss.
This was my second of his albums and it was the better of the two, more tune and more consistency made it a more pleasurable listen
The world most jarring glockenspiel was a ridiculous moment.
Black Sabbath
3/5
On the day of his passing. The Sabbath.
Not a metal fan but i can appreciate cultural significance and greatness. I enjoyed this more than other sabbath as it still has its bluesy roots and quiet spaces. Is it heresy to say the vocals are the worst part of this? If you take away the character and the stage presence, his vocal is pretty weak.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
This is a tough one.
The band are so so good. Their playing, the warmth and emotion in their harmony is impeccable. Respect to john, chad and flea.
When Antony sings and gets it right, the songs are about as good as it gets. Scar tissue and others are straight fives.
But when the tempo goes up and the rap style delivery kicks in it really doesnt work and the songs fall down. And the mixing and production are awful, its so all over the place that it really affects the enjoyment of the music.
T. Rex
4/5
I a straight white married 43 year old man and i find Marc Bolan sexy.
This is really fun and well done and it makes me sad to think what we missed out on from his later career.
Steve Winwood
2/5
No thank you.
The 80's sucked and this hasn't aged well. The first burst of synths just turned my brain and heart off immediately.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I enjoy Rufus Wainwright, but i didn't find a foot hold in this.
It had all the usual sweeping grandeur, but i didn't find a huge amount to grab onto that brought me on. Maybe its me. Who knows?
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
A modern classic and a great addition to this list.
A journey through genre and storytelling with beautiful vocals and playing. The warmth and heart shine through.
He's missing a killer single to elevate him to god tier but everything else is ther
Isaac Hayes
3/5
The cultural cache and the obvious quality of the arranging and playing lift this, but i didn't get into it as an album.
The opener is famous, but this is albums to hear before you die not songs.
Sepultura
3/5
For a death metal album, there was a surprisingly amount of nuance, space and songwriting.
Public Enemy
2/5
Whilst this is a classic rap album and the vocal carries a real threat and aggression, the constant siren in the background really set my anxiety on fire and i couldnt listen to it with anything other than a wince on my face.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I think, im becoming an echo snr the bunnymen fan.
I always had the impression they were miserable eighties scousers, which may still be true but i really enjoyed this
I think its the rhythm track and the orchestration that lifted this for me, plus some really good pop tunes and a real consistency across the album.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Ive really struggled with american college rock of this era but this seemed like a cut above the rest.
There was some really good melody and tune in between the screeching. It also came across as a proper album rather than a collection of singles.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
I find this perfectly serviceable pop with nice vocals, good production and nothing to offend.
The red trouser wearer in me may suggest this wouldnt be famous without the zeitgeist catching trans ethos, but there is no way to prove it disprove this theory.
However, i can definitively state its too long by about 40%
Iron Maiden
2/5
Im not a metal fan, im not a prog fan and im not a fan of concept albums so this did not float my boat. To it's credit, the guitars and drums are we'll done and its not offensively bad.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Yes to feminism and smashing the patriarchy. Yes to good old fashioned pop punk. Not s fan of her voice and could have done with a bit more variation
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
This was was mad and fun. No idea from the cover, no idea from the wiki, no idea after listening to it.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
I enjoyed Grizzly Bear at the time and i still enjoy now. I think time hasnt been kind to the twee levels of this but you cant deny it is of its time and quite good without being generational.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
I played this on a road trip across france on a sunny day and it kinda worked.
If you are going to listen to freak out proggy psychedelia then it should be ridiculously long, varied and weird.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
This was very pleasant, with s very nice old skool vibe.
A high water mark of its time that borrowed heavily from black culture and repackaged it for a white audience.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
This was new and beautiful. A stunning voice and a beautiful balancing act between country soul and folk delight. Their impact on modern female singers is obvious and im delighted with this introduction.
The Waterboys
2/5
I cant place why i didnt like this, but i didnt
On the plus side they seem to have an ear for a tune, the playing was good and there is a lot of ideas here
However, it seemed like a pastiche of too many things thrown together that didnt have much authenticity, the lyrics were not great and the vocal was a sub-springsteen drawl that grated.
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Mum, can we get Sheryl Crowe?
No, we have Sheryl Crowe at home.
Bonnie Raitt
1/5
Urrgh, this was a tough listen.
It drips in 80's cringe and shallowness. Its neither pop nor country and its very very bland
She has a nice voice and nicer hair but this is one i did not need to listen to before i died.
Cypress Hill
3/5
I wanted to like this as it was cool as fuck when i was 15 and i was delighted to get it to revisit.
Unfortuantely, it was a bit meh. I found it ok, the beats were fine, the stoner schtick was still there, but it didnt have the hook that dragged me in anymore.
God im old
Richard Thompson
3/5
I wanted to love this. His deep sonorous english voice and their folk ethos steeped in story telling.
I thought it was good but didnt spot its greatness over 2 listens. Maybe like the rest if the world i'll take time to get into it
Napalm Death
2/5
Ok, lets break this down.
Drums: good fast and angry
Guitars: well done with power and precision and occasional flashes of tune
Vocal: i dont see the point, apart from willfully being aggressively primal they are just awful.
Pentangle
3/5
This was delightful and sounded timeless.
Lovely tunes and voices and vibe.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Ok, so this one is steeped in nostalgia for me. Well, its steeped in cheap pints and idiotic dancing but you know what i mean.
My uni years and early 20's, spent in the leadmill (rip) being a drunken idiot singing along to this. It brought back happy memories and good friends.
Trying to look past this, its not a great album, but its not bad. The tunes are fine, the vibe is dated but good and there is nothing wrong with it. A strong three
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
I wanted to love this due to her energy and positivity, but it does just fall into fine 80's pop in the end. Some good tunes, some fun and a good example of the genre but 2 listens was plenty
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
I did not enjoy this. It sounded like sitting beside a polluted canal watching it go by. There is probably something beautiful in there, but it was swamped with scuzz and i listened twice through and couldnt tell you a single thing about this
Milton Nascimento
2/5
I like the world stuff as it brings me stuff i dont know.
Sometimes it blows me away and sometimes it blows by me. This was the latter with 1.5 listens passing without me finding anything to get excited about.
I suspect this is here to represent a genre of music as a whole and thats fine, but i didnt find value here.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha is a the best singer ever to have lived.
Im not a religious man but she is exhibit A in the argument that faith can and does have a positive impact on the world. This gospel and soul is just beautiful
Leftfield
4/5
This is a seriously good album that passed me by originally.
Beautiful beats and layers, genre melding and being way ahead of its time in many ways. It reminded me of so many albums that followed it
The Young Gods
1/5
Vocals: bad
Metal: no
Prog: no
Driving guitars and rhythm:ok
Songwriting: no
Alice Cooper
1/5
I did not like this one bit.
It seemed so pathetic. Trying to be all edgy and angry and cool bit just sounding none of these things.
I just cant square the image of Alice Cooper in waynes world with this perfomative shite
Dire Straits
3/5
It's 1988, I'm 6 and in my dad's red bmw 1 series and dire straits is on.
I remember liking the licks but not the vocals and surprisingly, 37 years later my opinion hasn't changed much.
The guitar sound is top drawer and its impossible not to get pulled into the playing and tunes.
But i still think his voice isnt great and is a real limiting factor.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
This is brilliant and had aged really well, which is rare for this era.
There are a collection of top tier pop songs here that stand the test if time. But what really comes across is space and time given to tracks that really allow them to grow and breathe. Its a mark of supreme confidence in the artist that really pays off.
The Vines
1/5
This is so generic and uninspiring. Give me duck stab over this any day of the week.
Elton John
3/5
Tiny dancer is a straight 5, but i didnt know the rest of the album.
Turns out its more of the same, but less catchy. Some lovely playing is marred by clunky lyrics. A fine album but it peaked early.
Slayer
3/5
This is the better end of this genre. Enough tune and meoldy shines through to hold attention beyond just the anger, the speed and the growling.
Ice Cube
1/5
I dont think Ice Cube is a very nice man. Sounds like he needs a hug.
Germs
2/5
I get that these are the first of something, amd thats important, but it doesnt mean it is good.
The new sound is a good one, but its done so much better by successive other bands that this just sounds weak.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Some really strong bits to this. The opening track is a beauty and this feels like a formative record for rnb and soul. I enjoyed the layer part of the album where they gave space and time to the melody to open it up and it gave a jazzier feel.
I've read about the special place a male falsetto has in black culture but it wasnt my favourite.
The Band
4/5
This was great. Lots of bluesy, folksy playing with lots of heart and soul.
The tunes i knew were great and the tunes in didnt know had impact immediately.
Megadeth
2/5
Ive had a decent amount of metal in this list and i still dont really see the attraction.
Mid tier musicianship wrapped in campy versions of satan and death and anger.
It just seems so staged and performative compared to punk.
The National
3/5
I like the national and i love alligator and boxer. I engaged with this album when it was released and enjoyed it without falling in love.
It has a lot of what i like about the national: the heightened state of emotion, perfectly captured in lush orchestration and the deep baritone vocal. Something that sweeps you up and takes you away for 3 minute.
For this album i feel like the high water marks like blood buzz still have that, but there is a bit more filler. I also feel like thier expanded sound, designed to fill the stadiums they were now playing removes a sense of intimacy that i really miss
Ozomatli
3/5
This is on me, but i struggled to engage with this due to its lack of availability. I found it on youtube, but it kept cutting out and being bombed by ads.
What i heard was perfectly fine, but i wasnt able to focus on it and thats my bad
Spacemen 3
4/5
A great discovery. The post rock vibes on this are strong, with lots of patience to let the sound build and build and then crash. A hidden gem
Supergrass
5/5
Im going to park my personal feeling for this album for an objective review.
I think this is a very good album. The youthful energy hits you like a wave, but its built on some seriously good song writing and playing. They manage to thrash along at a great rate but the tunes and hooks keep coming. This is a tour de force of British song writing that builds on ray davies, marc bolan and maybe even joe strummer. The best thing about it is it is completely unpretentious and stands the test of time better for it. So many of these albums date badly because they were "cool" for the time, but decades later they just seem bad. This is cool because its not trying to be of the zeitgeist, just really good and fun.
Randy Newman
3/5
I got a real Buzz when this popped up as i knew of the man but, hadn't dived into anything. I'd had a Peep at his back catalogue Andy it seemed promising. The acerbic wit, the good storytelling and the Slinky piano playing all seemed great. The lyrics were a bit Hamm fisted and moRe ex rated than i was expected but nothing to make me go Caboom.
A nice album, but there was something that overshadowed it, that i couldnt put my finger on.
Animal Collective
3/5
I fear i didnt give this the attention it deserved because of life.
Sounded fun, liked the singles, will come back to it
Stan Getz
3/5
Better people have said more eloquent things than me about this album, but i liked it.
Gentle and soft and floaty, with a chilled out vide and a lovely top line.
Funkadelic
4/5
I wish i loved something as much as these guys love funk.
A big, sprawling, joyous, filthy, angry, funky oddessy
Elvis Presley
4/5
How do you objectively assess Elvis?
Im old but he was a legend and died before i was born. To me, he was presented as some sort of cultural icon rather than an actual person. Like King Arthur, Robin Hood or Jesus. Who else spawns an industry of copycats (maybe MJ), so many albums and films and a look that still holds. His hits are part of the fabric of western society.
Listening to this album was a treat. His voice really is a thing of beauty and i know he didnt write the songs, but they are great and really evoke an era.
Fugees
4/5
A generational album that launched the careers of three stars.
There area some real classics on this, some good covers and some filler. Lauren Hill's vocals are so soulful and the production and vibe are perfectly of their time.
Santana
4/5
When a guitar is played with this amount of talent and skill it transcends to another level. This isnt three cords and a bridge, it is someone who closes their eyes and pours out their soul through their fingers and very fee make it to this level. I enjoyed this purely for the respect for his talent rather than any particular love for the songs
Tori Amos
3/5
This was pleasant. Like an updated kate bush, there was joy and a touch if madness and some epic grandeur to it. It announced her as a talent to the world but lacks the stand put singles of layer albums. A nice listen.
The Verve
2/5
I dod not like this. It seems like a bridge between a sub echo and the bunnymen and the britpop they were to become (which i loved).
Hos voice doesnt seem to have settled and the whole album is weirdly monotonous.
fIREHOSE
4/5
This is what im here for. A good album id never come across before.
The first two songs hooked me in with their low fi attitude but good songwriting. I went off to read the wiki to discover their link to the minutemen which delighted me as they were one of my earliest and favourite discoveries a few hundred albums back.
This isnt the white album but i enjoyed it immensely and will be back.
Cat Stevens
3/5
The songwriting on this is obviously very good but i found his voice week, the playing poor and the sound very thin. When the best songs are better in covers, it tells the story
Super Furry Animals
4/5
The breadth and volume of ideas was a real treat here. There are some beautiful melodies, some lovely arrangement and a surprising amount of scuzzy electric fun. A great record and definitely one to hear before i die
Maxwell
3/5
This couldnt be further away from my usual listening, but it skipped my withput any offence and i even found myself taoping along occasionally
The Style Council
3/5
Well this was a suprise. I love Weller but this sounded nothing like what i expected. I barely recognised his voice and the 80's soul vibe was very odd.
When i got past the suprise, i found i didnt really like this. The songwriting quality was still there and this is shown by a couple of these songs sounding fabulous on his later orchestral album.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
I did not like this. Far to up its own arse.
Soundgarden
4/5
This wasnt my thing originally, but i thought it was very good.
There was a grand scoundscape and it had a real heft. The guitar sound and the production made it feel epic and there was none of the usual repetitive drivel that can characterise this music.
5/5
This is a generational album that deserves every bit of praise it gets. The songs are beautiful, well played and he changed the course of pop music with this album.
For me, it will always be about my mum. She is of this generation, saw this tour live and played this album loud in the car all through my childhood. One of the better gifts you can get from a parent. Thanks Mum.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Ive previously enjoyed the slices of bossa nova when i have been served them. This was based on a lightness, a sunniness and and an otherness that gave it an exotic feel.
I like Franks voice, but i dont think it fits here. Its too recognisable, too powerful and weighs too heavily on the music. When Jobim sang it felt way more comfortable. Off to find more by him.
The Doors
3/5
Woozy and hazy and evocative.
Im not sure i agree with Morrisons genius, but it certainly is fun.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
I listened twice and cane away blank.
Nice country, blues rock, ambient jazz? I couldnt tell you
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Love this.
Hypnotic beats that pulse and hum with energy and drive. This was instrumental in bringing electronic music to the masses and foreshadowed the band they were to come.
Not quite at the same level as their following album, but excellent none the less.
Joy Division
3/5
This is a worthy entry, but I wasn't in the right place for it. Its so dark and sad.
I love their first album but I dont want to listen to something this bleak.
3/5
I dont think a live album can ever be the best introduction to a band.
Their approval by RATM, their energy and their sound were all appealing.
But i couldnt decipher much and found it a bit generic. Will try their studio albums.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
I was looking forward to this having been fed a steady diet of Prefab Sprout by Radcliffe and Maconie on 6Music for a decade.
A whole album was really enjoyable, i managed to find a space to appreciate the fun of the lyrics and the pop hooks. I was always of the opinion that the 80's sucked but this proves it wrong
Duran Duran
2/5
Obviously, the singles are classic 80's pop and stand the test of time. But i found the rest of the album quite bland. Just worse versions of the singles without much variety or merit
Deep Purple
2/5
Whilst i respect the reverence with which Deep Purple are held, this is not for me. I didnt particularly enjoy their studio albums, the live album sounds so much muddier and unappealing.
The Clash
5/5
The reasons i love this album:
Every track is a banger
Its the foundation of british punk
The lyrics are a balance of anger and politics
They were cool as fuck
The Cure
3/5
The cure are wonderful and sad and sprawling and epic. I do tend towards the sweet relief of their slightly poppier, happier stuff, but no one can deny its quality.
AC/DC
4/5
An obvious classic. It married a hard rock sound, with actual tunes and manages to have fun with it at the same time.
The light and shade means that you can actually recognise and enjoy specific tunes and the voice is fun without being grating.
Pulp
4/5
This was one of my favourites and is the sound of a band maturing in a way that a lot of their peers did not.
Having ridden a britpop wave with the delicious 'Different Class' this is darker, sexier and more interesting sound with a soundtrack feel and sweeping orchestration. No longer is Jarvis peaking through a wardrobe door, he is writing the apology i've always wanted from my father.
Its probably about 3 tracks too long to make it a 5 star, but its a really good album
The Prodigy
5/5
Man this is a banger.
Taking rave and acid and adding a dose of industrial noise, anger and metal and turning all the dials up to 11. This could have been a mess but it turns into a seminal album where every track is brilliant and there is no filler.
Yes, you can take offense at the lyric sample from the first track and no one defends it.
An all time classic
LL Cool J
2/5
No thank you.
Filling a gap between 80's gangsta rap and before the explosion of east cost vs west coast rap of the late 90's this was a bad time for rap.
Beats lack variety, lyrics aren't sure what they want to be.
Lambchop
4/5
I wasnt familiar with this and was intrigued. A background listen didnt yield much so i switched to headphones.
At this level it really strated to shine. The gentle vocal, indie sensibilities, warm brass and beautiful strings all combine for a wonderful album.
Gang Starr
2/5
I came into this with nothing except a slight distain for early 90's rap
I came away with that opinion wholly unchanged but i did enjoy some of the samples.
Mike Oldfield
2/5
Sure why not.
The sprawling, orchestral opus is a fine way to spend an hour. A change is as good as a rest and ive had too much 90's hip hop recently.
Never again but fun
2Pac
3/5
Ive recently had albums by gang starr and ll cool j from the early 90's that i really didnt enjoy and i was concerned this would be more of the same.
I was very wrong. This sounds like a real watershed in terms of hip hop. The production, the complexity and the vibe are all streets ahead. The lyrics have light and shade and it was much more enjoyable. Still too many rnb slow tracks 'for the ladies' and missing a proper banger or three to elevate it but a real step forward in rap.
The Doors
4/5
This is the peak doors and its brilliant. Hazy, sexy, dangerous, inventive, original, seditious and just damn good.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
It is genuinely impossible not to enjoy this. The music makes just draws you in and makes you tap your feet, his voice is perfect for this, the lyrics are full of romance and wonder and its just a fabulous way to spend an hour.
Deducting a star for making whopee because ewwwww
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
An all time classic: romantic and dark and beautiful.
Im an unapologetic fan of nicks voice, the complexity of the lyrics and his simple melody.
The Black Crowes
3/5
Im still not a fan of live albums as an introduction to a band, but this has good energy and was fun.
Way too long but not bad
Girls Against Boys
2/5
I did not see any merit in this. It wasnt bad, but its certainly not good. It seems to offer a bridge between grunge and early 90's indie at its best. At its worst it is generic and reductive of better albums.
Portishead
5/5
A classic, a 5 star and one of the best albums of the 90's. Its so good i missed it as when i was a teenager and came back and fell in love with it later on.
The merging of hiphop production with Beths vocals and a close, intense, filmic vibe makes this unique and something that stands the test of time.
If you'd not heard this before then its exactly why we are here.
Burning Spear
4/5
I enjoy Reggae when i listen to it, but never seek it out. Maybe because im white and live in a cold climate and the alien sunny sounds are a welcome break but not a regular place to retreat to.
This was great without being Bob Marley.
Mylo
1/5
This was about as far from an album i need to hear before i die as possible. I remember this first time around and it was generic then and its completely inappropriate now.
k.d. lang
3/5
A perfectly reasonable album for this list without blowing my socks off. Nice alt country/rock with some good tunes, a nice voice and an origional perspective.
Scott Walker
4/5
I was kinda waiting for this as i'd not heard him but knew it was here.
I didnt know scott walker apart from that Alex Turner ripped him off. Turns out its not just Alex. I also hear Neil Hannon, Nick Cave and lots more.
This album seems to be an inspiration for so much more that came after due to its conspiratorial and acerbic lyrics, its sweeping instrumentation and deep rich baritone.
I really enjoyed this and will work through the back catalogue.
The The
1/5
No, no, no.
The venn diagram of stiff ive learnt to hate in this proces includes 80's production, sneering vocals and crap lyrics. All three in spades here.
Minor Threat
3/5
I like this bit of punk and this was no different. Raw and energetic and fun.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Obviously, some of these are classics and this represents the high water mark of this band, but i still maintain that The Stones are over rated and nothing more than a pop band that were good for their time.
Portishead
4/5
I have not given this any attention previously and i regret that now. I love Dummy so when i put this on, i missed the more cinematic elements of previous albums.
But listening through showed this was an album full of ideas and i need to sit with it for a ling time.
Lana Del Rey
1/5
In the words of James Dean Bradfield, this was all surface and no feeling.
I get the juxtaposition between an old time sound and modern lyrics but there is really nothing ground breaking here. Give me duck stab over this packaged beigeness everday.
Solomon Burke
3/5
I really like this era of music and the soul and authenticity it brings.
I enjoyed listening to this and may come back to it. But it pales in comparison to some of the similar albums.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This should be here. Its seminal and i think rap got worse after this before it got better, so its an early high water mark.
But im not listening again
Django Django
2/5
I found this first time round and it was fine but didnt stand out, i may even have seen them live but i cant remember, which probably tells you enough.
This was fine and i enjoyed it but doesn't exactly represent the cutting edge of music.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Good ole country fun. I felt like i should be watching wacky races and cheering for the hillbilly gang. Im probably wrong as im not of the relevant age, location or musical genre.
Sam Cooke
5/5
Im always complaining that live albums are not the best introduction to an artist. But when you know and love them then they can be absolutely top class.
This is the pinnacle and showcases his voice, his energy, the showmanship and the brilliant band.
The songs are obviously class as well.
Billy Bragg
5/5
If there was more Billy Bragg in the world it would a better place.
He is a british Dylan with a grounding in traditional folk, rock and speaking truth to power. He stamps and plays and sings with every fibre of his being and it makes his songs compelling.
Im sure some of the americans here will take offense to his 'woke' position but he does good in the world
3/5
A previous reviewer described this as the sound of a jazz orchestra falling down some stairs and i can't beat that for accuracy.
I would rather listen to this than average mid 90's college rock/britpop so its an excellent addition to the list.
The Yardbirds
2/5
No thanks. This seemed to be three albums: a passable sub Rolling stones attempt at early Rnb, a twee english folk album and a psych freak out later on.
None of them dine particularly well.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
This is a brilliant album and people need to hear this regardless if whether they like it. Why? I hear you ask. Well, here goes.
Uk Rap before this was piss poor, it imitated american rap but worse, had no identity and never made it anywhere near relevance. The boy in the corner changed that. He gave voice to London's streets in a unique and original way. You cant say he invented grime and uk rap, but he is the 'jesus' who brought it to the masses compared to the predecessors who were more 'john the baptist'.
Regardless of his seminal cultural impact, this album still slaps and displays talent coming out of every pore. The production is top tier with scuzzy crunchy bass and beats, beautiful string arrangements and delicious pop hooks as well. My only complaint is it could be 20% shorter but who am i to argue.
While most boys (including this writer) were doing nothing more than furious wanking in their bedrooms at 15, it is nothing more than spectacular that Dizzee produced this album in his bedroom that spawned a whole genre and still sounds fresh today.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
This was fun, sunny, upbeat and well done. Some forays into slower and more keyboard based stiff didnt work, but it was a pleasant hour
Klaxons
2/5
I was a British indie fan who took music seriously when this came out. I bought the cd and i think i saw them live. Even i am surprised to see this here.
It was only relevant as a couple of music journalists decided it was the new great thing, because there was a space for a new great thing to be filled. It doesn't really have anything that elevates it beyond thousands and thousands of other indie albums released every year and definitely should not be on this list
Hookworms
2/5
This was new to me, which was surprising as they are from my area, play my kind of music and were around when i was an active participant in the music scene.
There was a lot of familiarity here. With supergrass vocals and much more psychy and indie songs. The novelty was intersting but i don't see why this would be here. I got the klaxons album yesterday and complained it shouldnt be here. This is exactly the same, minus the decent singles
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
A classic and a beautiful way to spend some time. The ethereal harmonies on the classic folk songs are unmatched and then the songwriting of Paul Simon coming through on the original compositions shows he is one of the greats.
Maybe one point down for the weird Dylan piss take but an absolute must listen.
LTJ Bukem
5/5
Firstly, the reviews for this album make me sad. This is a seminal album from a new genre of music and if you aren't here to be introduced to new things and broaden your musical horizons then im not sure why you are doing this.
Secondly, this is a thing of beauty. Ignoring whether you like jungle or dnb this is an almost ethereal album full of talent and technical expertise that brings house, ambient, jazz rhythms, dub bass and electonic programming together to make something spectacular.
The fact that its one of the foundation stones of a genre that i love is inconsequential to the rating, but its amazing to see it represented here.
The Libertines
3/5
I thought i was intimately familiar with this album but hadnt listened in a while.
This is one of the few albums that was after my time. I was mid 30's when it came out and it was taken up by those in their 20's in the indie scene as the return of a messiah. I think that was because there had been a desert of decent mainstream indie previously (see "landfill" indie). Regardless this was very much of the zeitgeist and i spent many a happy evening with these singles slipped into the Leadmill (rip) playlist.
I went in expecting this to be an easy four and was suprised. It turns out that there is a lot of rubbish in this album. Pete's vocal can be incoherent at times and the lyrics have the whiff of GCSE english origional poetry.
However, when this is good it can be very good. Great, rabble rousing, bounce along indie pop. Barats guitars are the real star here and some of these songs deserve their place in the pantheon.
Gillian Welch
3/5
This was very pleasant. I enjoyed the more modern sound of alt country bleeding into indie americana. Her voice was velvet and the songs were well constructed if a bit sparse at some points. I'll listen to this again as my wife would like it.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Another classic. America and Mrs Robinson are god tier songs and the rest of the album holds up equally well. Beautiful harmonies, songwriting that paints magical sketches of life and delicate guitarwork elevate this to something special.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
I dont like John Lydon, im not a fan of post punk particularly and for that reason i did not like this.
I dont understand why this type of music considers the ability to actually sing not important. You wouldn't have a really good band and then have one person who could barely play their instrument with their volume turned up loud.
Gotan Project
4/5
I had no idea about this and went in with open ears. Turns out i enjoyed this. The marriage of electronic beats and latin music works. Its like the propellerheads and bossa nova had a baby. The beats were serviceable in a late 90's way. But the real stars were the talented musicians playing latin jazz forms over the top. I may revisit this on sunny days.
Pavement
3/5
I didnt mind this, but it didnt get under my skin. At times the hooks and guitars caught my attention, at other times the slacker vocal annoyed me. A recognisable single popped up for a flash of warm recognition but there wasnt much else. It was pleasant without grabbing me.
The xx
4/5
This is a beautiful album. The confidence of a debut album to strip back everything until whats left is so powerful is impressive. A successor to Portishead and a precurser to a lot of the london influenced house/dance music, this stamds the test of time and is best enjoyed in a quiet and intimate place.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Im at the start of my journey into Jazz. I found stuff i loved, stuff ive hated, stuff i didnt understand and stiff i was ambivalent to. This falls into the ambivalent category, but thats probably because i dont understand it.
It was pleasant and ticked along nicely without grabbing me. Im sure i'll circle back around to this in the future, but currently i didnt find a foothold in it.
Adam & The Ants
1/5
No thank you. A cocktail of a lot of things that make me nauseous: prog, concept albums, 80's production, white boy ragga, random pirate songs.
Eric Clapton
2/5
I didnt like this. It sounded like your dads creepy mate who thinks he is worldly but seems shallow and arrogant.
This sounds like i expect Margaret Thatcher smelled.
Points for instrument mastery
The Darkness
4/5
When Morrissey is being miserable, when Cohen has gone bleak, when The Residents have tried to assault you aurally; put on your nan's cancer wig, your sisters gymnastics leotard and rock the fuck out.
The absence of pretension is a beautiful thing and whilst this isn't going to challenge Dylan's nobel prize for Literature, my kids at 2, 5 and 9 thought this was great, especially the swearing.
If you liked this then look for their Christmas song (of course they have a Christmas song)
The Gun Club
4/5
I enjoyed this without any knowledge of it. Having listened through i assumed it was mid 2000 hipsters but its 20 years before then which is impressive. Turns i i like american post punk not british.
The Fall
1/5
I still can"t enjoy the fall. Mark E Smiths snarling, incomprehensible lyrics carry emotion but no weight. Its easy being a prick and playing your instruments sub adequately. Try playing them well and writing and singing lyrics.
Iron Maiden
2/5
The better end of hard metal, but thats like saying my favourite type of herpes.
Some tunes compared to others but lacks any light and shade.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
I grew up through this and wasnt a fan at the time so wasnt expecting much.
The good: shes an obviously phenomenal singer, there are some decent tunes here and there is less drop off between the singles and the album tracks. The production is very 'of its time' but i didnt mind it and i enjoyed some of the jazzier, more orchestral arrangements.
The bad: still excessive vocal wanking, way too long, there isnt much light and shade and the "sexy" stuff made me throw up in my mouth a little.
A generous interpretation is that there was a sliding doors moment when she ended up at Disney. One path lead her to teen stardom, pop music and an ability to be anything other than a mainstream pop star. If she'd failed her disney audition, lived a normal life and discovered jazz and soul, there could have been a beautiful, undiscovered gem there.
I enjoyed it more than i thought
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Another Elvis Costello album and another feeling of: this is fun but not exactly a must listen. Olivers Army is great and i see value you in his lyrics and hooks, but ive had about 5 albums where one would do
Sister Sledge
5/5
This is a disco banger and i'm here for it.
Every track was brilliant, with incredible hooks, beautiful baselines, more groove than a record player and it just makes you want to dance and smile.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
This is not my bag, but after 2 runs through i could see the value and the quality. Decent pop music and nice voice well hidden in lots of 80's cliche.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
I'd known the name for a long time and assumed it was a women. Then, weirdly, he was a guest on the Adam Buxton Podcast recently and i discovered he was a man and also he seemed like genuinely the loveliest and most positive person in the world.
This all meant i was delighted with receiving this album and it received my full attention.
The good: a fairly unique voice, some excellent guitar playing and a not surprisingly warm and welcoming vibe.
The bad: lyrically its a bit twee and there really isnt much originality here. It comes from a school of jose gonzalez, damien rice etc and either one would have sufficed.
Kate Bush
2/5
I didnt mind previous Kate Bush albums so was positive coming into this, and disappointed leaving.
This seemed to be her late album for the purists and lacked the hits and hooks of previous albums. Too much weird and not enough pop
Buzzcocks
3/5
The Buzzcocks are great and i enjoyed this without being blown away.
It lacks a rawness that others of this time and genre had and also doesnt have a killer single or hook to get you onboard.
Britney Spears
1/5
Leave Britney alone!
Seriously, dont press play, dont consider the merits of this, dont feed this machine.
Culturally a significant milestone but aurally it is lowest common denominator pop, made by committee to be as inoffensive as possible, packaged in what is obvious in hindsight in a really troubling paedo-centric way.
Van Halen
2/5
Better than its contemporaries as it seems a lot less sleazy and a bit more fun. Still not my bag and not exactly complex, but better than others.
Paul McCartney and Wings
2/5
This loses a lot of the charm of the beatles and i cant work out exactly why.
Maybe its the move into a more 80's sound, maybe its the fairly bland pop, maybe McCartney needs others to temper his commercialism.
Beck
4/5
A beautiful album and an example of an artist stretching their wings in maturity. One of a pair of albums, weirdly I have spent more time with 'Morning Phase' so this was relatively fresh and had the same quality.
This is an ode to the country songwriters that he grew up with. Confidence and space shine through these tunes, with a killer band and some beautiful melodies.
Megadeth
3/5
Alongside Metallica, the better end of this genre.
The speed if this really drives it and gives it energy, while the guitar playing is absolutely top level.
The War On Drugs
4/5
I think this is an excellent addition to this list a modern record that stands the test of time.
Sure it builds on what came before it, but what music doesn't. The drums drive it forward and the floaty and ethereal top lines create a flow state that feels like a dream or staring out of a window on a long train ride. The quality rarely dips and the whole thing just sucks you in leaving you to pass a beautiful hour and be spat out at the end.
The KLF
2/5
The KLF are an amazing band and they are a spectacular art project, but the music does not hold up.
Slathered in 80's and early 90's production, weird rap/pop and proto beats. Justified and ancient has a charm but its generally not good.
2/5
The year is 2001, I’m overweight, angry and horny. I’m a student at a house party that isn’t going anywhere. About 12 beers in, I’m talking to a girl without really being able to hear her. The snatches of conversation I can hear between the music refer to her ex-boyfriend, her dad and a fungal infection that hasn’t cleared up. The next thing I know we are making out and I’m not sure who started it. Things get out of hand and the next day I am filled with flashbacks of stink, shame and disappointment, with occasional flashes of disgusting pleasure and hedonistic debauchery. The later STD discovery just bookends the experience nicely.
Having this album pop up here and listening to it again, is like finding an old photo of her down the back of a drawer. Initial revulsion followed by a need to go wash. An inspection reveals moments that appeal to the most base instincts of a man, but regardless of their pleasure, their cost on my soul are too great to bear.
Traffic
3/5
This wasn't particularly interesting for me but i can see its merit. It was very much of its time, without being revolutionary. It seems well done and i enjoyed the blues elements, but the vocal production is very dated.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This seemed better than expected as ive discovered a general dislike of American college rock.
There was some real edge to it, the tunes came through and some real musicality shone through.