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Sun Nov 12 2023
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
Jazz / swing. Interesting but dated. Woman singer is fantastic when she is at the front. Some cheeky lyrics - probably risque for the time. Good trumpet / sax. Ok but not something I would listen to again.
3
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Sun Nov 12 2023
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
Not something I was into back when it was released, and I'm not really digging it now. The lyrics are good, although the flow really dates it. The grooves are the best part with some interesting samples. I can see why this was an influential album to hip hop.
3
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Mon Nov 13 2023
L.A. Woman
The Doors
I listened to this a lot when I was younger. There are some great songs on this, But I don't think it was their best album. Going back to their roots comes across as lazy to me.
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
The Cars
The Cars
I had only heard the radio hits previously, which are the first 3 tracks on the album, so the rest was an adventure. This album is fantastic. With the exception of some synth and guitar parts it's hard to believe it was released in the 70's. It has aged fantastically and was clearly ahead of it's time. A couple of tracks, You're All I've Got Tonight and Bye Bye Love could have easily been released as singles. The last track All Mixed Up is a perfect closer. This is a solid album with no filler. Every song is catchy and hooky.
5
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
Boring and pretentious. Anything interesting happening musically is killed by overly repetitive lyrics. Half way through I have an overwhelming desire to punch the singer in the face just so he would shut up. This album is way too long. I might enjoy it after a lobotomy.
1
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Thu Nov 16 2023
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
What can I say about this that hasn't already been said a million times. It is one of the cornerstones of rock and metal. It's a classic for a reason.
4
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
The first 3 tracks have that 70's funk / psychedelic sound, but the rest of the album is 60's style crooning. Runaway Child, Running Wild is the standout track for me.
4
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Sat Nov 18 2023
Superunknown
Soundgarden
One of the greatest albums of the 90's. It's what grunge did so well, aggressive and hooky / poppy, yet this has hints of metal, stoner and psychedelia thrown into the mix as well. Chris Cornells soaring vocals take lyrics about despair, alienation and hopelessness to places not thought possible.
5
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Sun Nov 19 2023
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
I was skeptical going into this album. One hit wonders are usually one hit for a reason. However I was pleasantly surprised. The album is full of catchy songs. High hat riding disco-esque drums, dual guitars, clever lyrics and some interesting tempo changes. I'm left wondering why these guys didn't have more hits.
5
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Mon Nov 20 2023
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Ah the Beano album. This is the album you tell people to listen to when they say they don't like blues. The diversity on this album is great, with differing instruments, tempos and feel for each song. Everybody talks about Clapton (with good reason - his playing on this album changed blues and rock), but the rhythm section of Flint and McVie is solid, and ultimately most of the credit deserves to go to Mayall.
5
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
The post punk album that shaped the goth sound. It's atmospheric and sinister without being mopey like contemporaries The Cure. The opening track starts out with a familiar sounding guitar riff, but you're soon dragged into the darkness of a claustrophobic, yet melodic journey. There's a brooding menace in these songs that very few bands have been able to replicate.
5
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
This just isn't for me. I listened to it, but I certainly wouldn't again. I don't hate it, it's just not my cup of tea.
2
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Django Django
Django Django
This is what I'm here for. I've never heard of these guys before and I'm so glad that I've now discovered them. I'm not sure how to describe this album. It's as if the band got a big bowl and started pouring genres into it. New wave, country, indie, psychedelia and so on until the bowl was full. They then swirled everything together. The end result shouldn't work, yet bizarrely it does.
5
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Fri Nov 24 2023
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
At times sounding ahead of its time, other times like a throw back. More raw and less polished than their later works. This seems to be a moment of time of a band starting to find their own unique style.
3
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Sat Nov 25 2023
1984
Van Halen
The Van Halen album that pushed the pop side of things. Synths came out from the background to the forefront, most notably on Jump, shocking and dividing fans. But it worked and sold a ton.
4
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Pornography
The Cure
Early goth music with that dark, brooding quality. The sound tends to be too murky to be atmospheric though.
4
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Good variety of styles / genres while still sounding fairly coherent as a whole. Fun tunes. It is a solid, enjoyable album. Situation Vacant, Love Me Till The Sun Shines and Waterloo Sunset are the standout tracks for me.
4
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Tue Nov 28 2023
Be
Common
The album starts like a softer, American version of the Hilltop Hoods (similar choice of samples and flow) but without the edge. Later tracks have a motown feel. Having a live recorded track in the middle was weird and disruptive. Lyrically it's really good. Lots of diversity so it doesn't get boring
4
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Wed Nov 29 2023
Truth
Jeff Beck
Rod Stewards voice is unmistakable and Jeffs guitar work ground breaking. The album that shaped the hard blues - rock sound to come.
5
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Thu Nov 30 2023
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
A mix of punk and pop, without sounding like pop punk. This almost prog in some ways. While obviously punk, there's hints of blues, jazz, boogie and psychedelia that you wouldn't expect. I'd heard "Peaches" before (I guess it was a hit), but "Goodbye Toulouse" and "Hanging Around" are the standout tracks for me. This is a solid album that I suspect would get better with subsequent listens.
5
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Fri Dec 01 2023
Hysteria
Def Leppard
It's been a long, long time since I listened to this album. I was 9 years old when it came out and boy it was huge. It really was everywhere. A few years later grunge hit and overly produced albums like this were instantly dead and forgotten. Time plays tricks as I remember this as being much more robotic and sickly sweet than it actually is.
More pop than rock, but there is still a rock edge buried in there. Almost like magic those hooks immediately flood back when hearing the songs, even though I believed I had forgotten them, and I find myself singing along.
5
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Sat Dec 02 2023
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Arguably the most important album in rock and roll history. This hit with speed and intensity that hadn't been seen before, inspiring countless others. Richard's voice is amazing. Compared to contemporaries like Elvis this man could really belt it out. I think he is the first to have a vocal trademark, his Woooooo. Decades before Michael Jackson's Heehee for example.
All that said this suffers from a sameness to all the songs. The song structure and melodies are almost carbon copies of each other.
4
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Sun Dec 03 2023
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
Moody and atmospheric, while simultaneously being antagonistic and jagged. Part goth, part experimental, part no wave. It's like listening to an album that just isn't quite sure what it wants to be.
2
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Mon Dec 04 2023
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
I had never heard of Femi Kuti before, but what a way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. Hypnotic African beats with healthy doses of jazz and funk.
5
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Tue Dec 05 2023
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
It's Hendrix. Do I really need to say anything else?
5
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Wed Dec 06 2023
Live Through This
Hole
Their best album by a long shot. Kurt Cobain's influence is obvious. The rage in Courtney's voice comes from the heart.
5
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Thu Dec 07 2023
All Hope Is Gone
Slipknot
I've never really listened to Slipknot before. Because of the masks I mentally labelled them style over substance, like Kiss etc, and ignored them. That said this album is better than I expected. Not perfect but there's a few songs that I saved to my library to listen to again.
4
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Fri Dec 08 2023
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
This type of music really isn't my cup of tea. That said this has a heart and soul that a lot of the albums on the list lack. The opening track "The Dolphins" was really good and I was hoping it would build from there. Instead it stagnated. "Everybody's Talkin" was a highlight, but only because I didn't realise that the Nilsson version was a cover and I love learning new things. The psychedelia of the closing track was interesting but didn't quite flow.
3
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Sat Dec 09 2023
Heroes
David Bowie
I know of Bowie from his radio hits and reputation. I'm not sure if my expectations were too high going into this, but I found this album pretty underwhelming.
Ok so I slept on it and came back to listen again fresh. It's better, but I wouldn't call it great. The instrumental tracks, while interesting, sound like they belong on a different album.
3
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Sun Dec 10 2023
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
Grating and brash in true punk fashion, but there's some interesting melodies buried in there. You can hear where later bands like the Strokes and Arctic Monkeys took inspiration.
3
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Mon Dec 11 2023
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
There's 2 ways of looking at this album. The first way is historically. In 1966 this parodied the music of the day and pushed boundaries. The second way is to take it out of that context. As a stand alone album it's fairly meh.
I appreciate this for its impact on music that followed, but I wouldn't listen to it again
2
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Tue Dec 12 2023
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
To quote two English guys modifying a mini - Get the funk out.
You know an album is a classic when multiple tracks from it have been covered by differing artists and become hits.
4
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Wed Dec 13 2023
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
I wasn't really looking forward to this, but wow. There's a liveliness and spirit here that is lacking in his studio produced songs. I guess Van is one of those rare performers who is better live.
4
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Thu Dec 14 2023
Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
A thoroughly enjoyable album, but (and it's a big but) I can't help wondering if this album actually deserves to be on this list. It sounds like it belongs in a bygone era and really doesn't offer anything new. I expect a lot more from an album this recent on this list.
3
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Fri Dec 15 2023
You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
Released in 1987. The peak of hair metal and power ballads. This album is the antithesis to what was happening in mainstream music back then. Yet at the same time it's musically very masterful.
The one thing I don't like about this album is the weird fade outs at the end of songs. That's a minor nit pick though.
4
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Sat Dec 16 2023
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
I always thought this album was released in the early 80's. I'm a little shocked to find out it was 1975. I had only heard Born to Run previously, but the rest of the album is in the same vein, although there is enough variation to keep it interesting. Bruce is an amazing lyricist, but not a great singer, yet there's a passion in his voice that's undeniable.
4
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Sun Dec 17 2023
Live At Leeds
The Who
My second live album in less than a week. I'm not a huge Who fan at the best of times. Moons drumming is amazing but I find the rest pretty meh. That said the recording quality is amazing and they sound like a heavier band than on their studio albums.
3
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Mon Dec 18 2023
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
This may be contentious, but in my opinion, this is the best Hendrix album and to top it off, it was their debut. Years ahead of everyone else, this fundamentally changed rock music forever.
5
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Tue Dec 19 2023
The Blueprint
JAY Z
I wasn't looking forward to this having heard some Jay Z stuff before. I can't stand lyrics that have nothing more to offer than "I'm the greatest, look how good I am". Unfortunately that's exactly what I got on the first track, and the second. The fourth track mixed it up with a song about girls, and how he has sex with all of them, you know because he's the greatest. I pretty much tuned out the lyrics after that, well until Eminem randomly turned up. Ironically he rapped about how he would talk about anything.
Honestly the only things I find even mildly interesting in this album are some of the samples chosen.
1
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Wed Dec 20 2023
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
That odd mix between psychedelia, metal and blues that was the beginning of the heavy metal genre. Not my favourite Sabbath album, but it's still really good.
5
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Thu Dec 21 2023
Ocean Rain
Echo And The Bunnymen
I didn't really know what to expect with this one. I had sort of heard killing moon previously in passing. Being greeted with an orchestra from the start was a surprise. This album is melodic, yet broody. Post punk meets goth. I really enjoyed it.
5
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Fri Dec 22 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
On first listen this was a bit hit and miss. At times chaotic, at times overly repetitive. With the exception of Once in a Lifetime, I wasn't overly impressed tbh.
So I slept on it and came back with a fresh mind. I really like the elements in the songs individually, but they don't really gel properly a lot of the time. I get what they were trying to do and can see how this would have influenced a lot of future artists.
After a few listens through, I would call this ok, but not great.
3
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Sat Dec 23 2023
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
My second album from this group. The groove was interesting for the first couple of songs but soon became boring. Not really my thing.
3
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Sun Dec 24 2023
Bummed
Happy Mondays
I should love this. All the elements are there. Instead I find it a little insipid and boring. Nothing really grabs me. It sounds like the sort of thing played in a movie scene of a rad 80's party where you don't want to take focus away from what the characters are doing.
3
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Mon Dec 25 2023
Phrenology
The Roots
My first time hearing The Roots, and I enjoyed it. The start of the album comes out swinging and never really lets up. It has plenty to say, both lyrically and musically. Plenty of variety between tracks so it never gets boring.
5
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Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Like some sort of sick joke I got this on Christmas day. For most people that would be a good thing. Unfortunately due to personal reasons that I won't go into, Christmas is a horrendous time of year for me. I couldn't listen to this and can't find a way to skip it.
1
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Wed Dec 27 2023
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
I was curious as to how I have never heard of this band before after reading the review. It's an interesting listen that I enjoyed, but it lacks that edge that other famous albums from this time have. I guess this is one of those albums that will be forgotten to time, which is sad.
4
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Thu Dec 28 2023
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
When it's good, it's great. When it's not it sounds like elevator music. This is one of those albums that I can't help feeling the band would have be better live. The type of band that would kick into impromptu improvisation during the set. They are obviously all talented with a wide array of musical styles under their belts.
3
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Fri Dec 29 2023
Faith
George Michael
I know this album was huge when I was a kid, but I never really listened to it because it wasn't what my friend group was into. So it was a bit of a surprise when I played it and knew the first 3 tracks. It's amazing what you absorb from the radio without realizing it.
I find it funny that he left a boy band and made something different with this, only for future boy bands to copy the style.
4
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Sat Dec 30 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
This just doesn't work for me. I appreciate the musicianship of each player individually, but as a whole it's disjointed and doesn't flow. It sounds like each musician is playing a different song. A mash up gone wrong so to speak.
2
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Sun Dec 31 2023
Blue
Joni Mitchell
I had to go to youtube to listen to this as Joni pulled her music off spotify, but it was worth the effort. I really like the poetry / stream of consciousness of her storytelling, but you don't even need to understand english to feel the emotion in her voice. This is beautifully complimented by the stripped down and raw music. This album takes you on a journey that you'll want to revisit.
5
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Mon Jan 01 2024
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
This could be a great album but it's bloated with filler and crap. Cut it down to half the length and it would be so much better for it.
3
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Tue Jan 02 2024
Stardust
Willie Nelson
I know of Willie, but have never listened to any of his music before as I'm not a fan of country. So this album was certainly a surprise. A laid back chill crooning to the classics. It's not quite top tier, but it's a solid 4/5.
4
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Wed Jan 03 2024
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
Going off the name and cover I was expecting a country album. This proves the old adage you can't judge a book by its cover.
3
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Thu Jan 04 2024
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
Back when I was a young metal head, I had this girl I was seeing around to my place. So there's this chick with purple hair and piercings going through my cd collection looking for something to listen to. She found this album and freaked out, calling me fake, poser etc. That may be the only time in history Cat Stevens' music ever broke up a relationship.
A truly classic album. 5 stars.
5
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Fri Jan 05 2024
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
When you have someone coming over and you have to clean the entire house in 15 minutes, this is the album you put on.
3
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Sat Jan 06 2024
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
I forgot I was listening to this and ended up staring stupidly at my phone thinking I was on hold. I shouldn't be drinking when I do these reviews.
The next day when I was sober I discovered a cool, chill album. It's more the sort of thing you would put on as background noise than actively listen to though.
3
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Sun Jan 07 2024
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
God I hate this. Reggae has always been a genre I can't stand. I will be generous and bump it up to a two for the message.
2
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Mon Jan 08 2024
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
I'm generally not a country music fan, but have listened to some Cash before. What really elevates this album is the audience and the atmosphere that they lend.
4
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Tue Jan 09 2024
Boston
Boston
Some of it sounds timeless, some of it sounds dated, but all of it sounds amazing. From the opening juggernaut that is More Than A Feeling, right to the end of the album I loved this. After a hard day back at work after a 2 week holiday, this was just what I needed this afternoon.
5
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
My second album by Joni. I loved the first one, but somehow this one is even better. A little bit more pop, a little jazzy, a little more upbeat. An easy 5 stars.
5
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Ys
Joanna Newsom
Well I've never heard of Joanna Newsom before, and the album artwork didn't really give me any clue what to expect. Even so I was surprised. The first listen through I was swinging between sorta liking it and being annoyed by her voice. After a few listens this has really grown on me. It's not perfect. but I like it a lot.
4
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Fri Jan 12 2024
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
The sound of this album is definitely a product of its time. That certainly doesn't mean it's a bad album though. I was enjoying it at the start but after a while the songs all started to blend together. It lacks a bit of variety to push it higher in my estimation.
3
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Sat Jan 13 2024
Dummy
Portishead
I had forgotten how good this album is. It's something we used to listen to while getting mellow. It holds up even when not under the influence.
5
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Sun Jan 14 2024
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
This was a hard one to find. I resorted to a youtube playlist that a fan had created in the end.
At the start I was excited to what appeared to be a post hardcore band in the same vein as At The Drive In. Its not though. There's flashes of brilliance in here, but the album meanders around a bit, seemingly trying to find a direction. I wouldn't call it exceptional, but there's enough to get me to go check out what else they have done.
On subsequent listens it gets better and I find myself liking it quite a lot.
4
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Mon Jan 15 2024
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Funky and melodic songs with Stevie's narrative genius. This album is just astounding. Lyrically it's a beautifully gloomy look into the world in 1973, with songs addressing politics, drugs, urban life, divorce and more. Sonically its wonderfully diverse, something even more astounding when you realize that Stevie played most of the instruments himself. This album is a masterpiece.
5
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Disraeli Gears
Cream
A fantastic album let down by the closing song. Seriously, what idiot thought Mothers Lament was worthy of being on this album?
4
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
I'm ashamed to say I've never really paid much attention to Deep Purple before, only knowing Smoke on the Water. I had heard they were considered forefathers of heavy metal, but hadn't given that much credence. After listening to this I will admit that I was wrong. They really belt it out. You can hear proto metal, hard rock and prog rock all mixed up together. A fantastic album.
5
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
A mid tier record from a mediocre band. If it wasn't for a few outstanding riffs, this would be completely forgettable. I really don't understand the hype this band has.
3
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Fri Jan 19 2024
Tapestry
Carole King
This is music that has heart and a soul. It's music that touches your soul. Just beautiful songwriting.
5
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Sat Jan 20 2024
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Beautiful vocal harmonies and musical arrangements, but lacks any bite. I can see why people like Bon Dylan outshone these guys early on, which is a shame because the lyrics are great. It just needs that little extra oomph.
3
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Sun Jan 21 2024
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
This was a grind to get through. A whole album of Loretta complaining about her abusive relationship. Instead of feeding your persecution complex, just leave him ffs.
I think hearing one of these songs in isolation, or in a playlist would be fine, but hearing them all together like this is grating.
2
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Mon Jan 22 2024
Rubber Soul
Beatles
I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but this album is meh. It's bubblegum pop. Adding a sitar to one song doesn't magically make it psychedelia. I don't care that it's "The Beatles". You can scream "but the influence" all you want. This was released the same year as My Generation by The Who, Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire, Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis and many, many more bands that were pushing the envelope way beyond what the fab four were doing here.
2
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Tue Jan 23 2024
Station To Station
David Bowie
It took a few listens for this to really click with me. It's poppy and groovy, yet simultaneously menacing and individualistic. Approachable yet detached. It's art rock in the best way, and looking at it in the context of when it was released, way ahead of its time.
4
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Oh man I love this album. I've been listening to it for decades. Every listen makes me wonder what Jimi would have done had he survived. What other boundaries would he have pushed? How would it have impacted future music?
5
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Like A Prayer
Madonna
I went into this only knowing the radio hits. Most of this album is just pure pop goodness. There's a couple of tracks that, to me, miss the mark a little. It's a good album, but not quite 5 star worthy.
4
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
I had never listened to Chicago before. I was expecting some slow soft rock, but this was something else. It's a jazzy, funky jam session. For a debut album it's quite extraordinary. However some of the songs overstay their welcome and could have been cut down a little.
4
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Sat Jan 27 2024
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
For an album of covers I liked this more than I thought i would. That's mainly due to her amazing voice. Ultimately though there's only 2 songs that I added to my liked collection to actually listen to again.
3
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Sun Jan 28 2024
Bad Company
Bad Company
This is amazingly mediocre. It shouldn't be given the prowess of everyone involved, but it is. I couldn't figure out why for a while, but I believe it's because it's too safe. There's nothing here that stands out or is memorable.
3
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Mon Jan 29 2024
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
When this popped up my first thought was why this album, rather than Dark Side of the Moon or the Wall. Then I listened to it. A psychedelic trip far removed from what the band would become. I can understand why it's here now.
The question now is, is it good? From a historical perspective it's a ground breaking record that pushed boundaries. From a modern perspective it lacks focus and the lyrics are infantile.
This is one of those albums I will need to listen to a few times and sleep on before I can decide on a star rating.
3
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Tue Jan 30 2024
British Steel
Judas Priest
This is dated but still a lot of fun. More refined and less bombastic than the bands that would follow in their footsteps. Interestingly the lyrics have more in common with punk than with metal. Best listened to loud.
4
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Wed Jan 31 2024
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
This is one of those perfect storm albums. It was the right album at just the right time. There really isn't any other period in history that a concept album this abrasive and ugly could have been released and worked. In 1991 - 1995 people actively wanted music that pushed boundaries musically and had something to say lyrically.
5
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Not my favourite Zep album but it's still fantastic
5
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
Oh cool, today I'm greeted with an album I've never heard of. But wait, it was released when I was a teenager, so why haven't I heard of it? The album cover looks kind of African. Maybe it's something like Femi Kuti which I liked. So lets press play and see what this is.
The first track is interesting and is a great start to build off. My curiosity is peaked to see where this goes. Unfortunately the second track falls flat on its face. For me the whole album is hit and miss. There's lots of good ideas here that just don't come together well. At least now I know why I've never heard of it before.
2
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Sat Feb 03 2024
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
The only Flaming Lips song I knew going into this was "She Don't Use Jelly", so this was a bit of a surprise. The opening track threw me as it reminded me of another song. It took me until half way through the song to figure out it was Cat Stevens. A quick google search confirmed my suspicions.
I love the idea of a concept album involving robots, but this doesn't quite work as one, seeming to lose its way in the second half. All the tracks are pleasant enough, yet nothing really stands out to me.
I can't help comparing this to other albums with similar concepts, like Act II - The Father of Death by the Protomen, and feeling a bit underwhelmed.
3
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Without You is a classic, but for me the surprise of this album is the opener Gotta Get Up. Beatlesque but it gives me Mr Blue Sky vibes and I like it a lot.
The rest of the album has an amazing variety to it, yet still feels fairly cohesive. The only song that rubbed me the wrong way was Coconut. I find it stupidly annoying and it stops this being a 5 star album for me.
4
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Mon Feb 05 2024
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
You have to R.E.S.PE.C.T. that voice. This is an amazing album.
The biggest shock to me in this album was the song Save Me, as it is the same guitar riff as Gloria by Van Morrison. I'm not sure who ripped of who, though it does raise some questions. Is the idea of spelling a word out (Respect / Gloria) also a borrowed idea? Idk and I don't have time to do the research right now.
5
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Tue Feb 06 2024
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
My second Flaming Lips album in a few days. I like when bands get experimental, but jeez this falls short for me. When it works it's really good, but a lot of the time it sounds like at least one of the instruments is fighting the others just for the sake of being different. The lyrics are atrocious. I certainly won't be listening to this again.
2
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
Grab your staff and cape, we're taking some hobbits on an adventure to Kmart.
3
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Thu Feb 08 2024
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
File this one away in the historical cabinet of curiosities.
2
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
The biggest thing about the Gorillaz was the mystery of who they were. When it finally came out everyone was mildly shocked, then moved on.
There's a few good tracks on here but I find a lot of them to be insipid and boring tbh.
3
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Sat Feb 10 2024
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
The minimalist backing tracks really let the amazing voice shine. An album you feel in your soul.
I didn't know Jeff Buckley's Lilac Wine was a cover, but hearing this album it's easy to see the inspiration he took from here.
4
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
I can't see myself listening to any of these songs in isolation or in a playlist. Yet together as an album they work amazingly well. It creates an atmosphere and mood that is incredible. A wonderful example where the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.
5
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Mon Feb 12 2024
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
A brute force mash up of industrial, rock and electronic with a dark cabaret feel. The singer sounds like an angry Tom Waits at times. The songs walk a tightrope between accessibility and utter chaos. Not knowing what the lyrics are may actually work in its favor, as the voice becomes just another instrument. Initially intrigued, I find myself liking this a lot.
5
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Tue Feb 13 2024
American Idiot
Green Day
Green Day were huge in the 90's, but by 2000 were considered washed up. Then they released this concept album and it was massive. It's been a long time since I listened to this so I was a little worried that my memories might be tinted by rose colored glasses. I had no reason to worry. It's still brilliant, not only holding up really well, but still being relevant today.
5
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Elephant
The White Stripes
Most of the criticisms about this album that I recall from back then were in the vein of it being too simplistic. The thing is that's what made it brilliant and stand out. A 2 piece band playing back to basics rock with catchy hooks and an interesting sound.
5
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Thu Feb 15 2024
En-Tact
The Shamen
Not just a product of its time, also a product of its place and culture. I started listening to this without knowing anything about it and it was quickly apparent that this was 90's UK rave. I must admit that it was a little earlier than I expected at 1990, so I guess it's on the list for being trailblazing or something. Ultimately this just isn't my thing. I found it annoying a lot of the time and it seemed overly long.
2
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
This was a bit of an odd one. It took me a few listens to get into it. Moody, murky and atmospheric, yet experimental. It's classed as post punk but sounds more pop shoegaze a lot of the time. My biggest gripe with this is the singer as I find his vocal style a bit grating.
4
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Aja
Steely Dan
Technically this is amazing, from both a musicianship and recording standpoint. But it lacks any edge. There was nothing here that extracted any emotional response from me at all. As such it sounds like top quality lounge music. Just not my cup of tea I guess.
3
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
What a monster of an album. Tracy's lyrics rip your heart out and leave it beating on the floor. The basic, stripped down music really works to help get the message across. It's easy to see why this is one of the best selling albums of all time.
5
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Only knowing Elton by reputation and overplayed hits, I had preconceived notions and was anticipating something fun and more bombastic than this. Well this album soon changed my mind. Ballads with a prog rock edge and a darkness that I wasn't expecting. Just nine songs showed me facets of Elton that I didn't know existed, but I'm glad that I do now. There's a couple of songs that don't quite hit the mark but this is a solid album.
4
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Tue Feb 20 2024
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
We are in the middle of a heatwave here atm, and I've been working in the sun all day after getting just 2 hours sleep. Despite my sleep deprived sun fried brain (or possibly because of it), it's easy to hear that this album is a masterpiece.
5
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
I know a few Neil Young songs, none of which are on this album. I started listening to this but turned it off part way through. I wasn't feeling it, but I knew that was a reaction of my mental state at the time. I went and did other things for a few hours and then came back to it. I'm glad I did that because this is a good album. Not quite 5 stars but certainly a high 4.
4
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Thu Feb 22 2024
...And Justice For All
Metallica
This was my first Metallica record. By record I mean literal record, as in big black disc that goes on a turntable.
This album blew my young mind. The production quality was terrible but the songs were amazing. I hadn't heard anything like it. I listened to it so many times I know every song note for note. I went down the rabbit hole of all the previous albums. Most of my friends thought it was weird, until the black album came out. Then suddenly I was one of the coolest kids around lol.
Listening to it now I'm glad to hear that the production quality has improved dramatically from what it was. Although not the best or my favourite album from Metallica, this will always be a five star album for me.
5
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Fri Feb 23 2024
The Grand Tour
George Jones
I can smell cheap beer, cigarettes and depression listening to this.
2
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
The worst thing about Pink Floyd is the insufferable fans. The music is amazing though.
5
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Vulnicura
Björk
I procrastinated for quite a while before listening to this. I don't really know much about Bjork and was expecting weirdness just for the sake of being weird. This is better than I was expecting. There's emotion and atmosphere in amongst the weirdness. It was an interesting listen, although not an album I would listen to again.
2
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Play
Moby
An important album for electronic music. This has a number of great tracks, but the second half of the album drags.
3
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Odelay
Beck
This is one of those albums that could have only happened in the 90's. That weird period when music labels just threw everything at the wall to see what would stick. A lot of it failed and was soon forgotten, but what worked really worked, giving us gems like this.
3
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Wed Feb 28 2024
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
Eminems' tongue in cheek lyrics designed to create controversy, combined with Dr Dre beats created an album that took the world by storm. I loved this back in the day, but now some of the lyrics are a bit problematic. I'm torn between giving this a 4 or 5 star rating because of that, but I'm going for 5 due to nostalgia.
5
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Different Class
Pulp
Back in the mid 90's Common People and Disco 2000 were played so much on the radio that I grew to loathe them, especially Common People. Because of this I wasn't looking forward to delving into this album.
So it's not a bad album, but it's not a great album either. I find the entire thing fairly meh. I'm not sure what the hype is, but then I didn't get it back when it was big either.
3
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Gold
Ryan Adams
Generic and insipid pop/country. Has about as much punch as an toddler born without arms. Doesn't offer anything that hadn't been done before in decades previous by other artists, so I'm not sure why it's on this list.
1
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
I find it interesting that the hits from this album give a preconceived notion of their sound, but the rest of the album differs wildly. There's new wave, prog, disco, brit pop and more woven in here. The result is an album that doesn't sound coherent. It's almost like 2 different albums mixed together. Even so, after ridding myself of expectations, I find this quite enjoyable.
4
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Fun House
The Stooges
Intense and gritty garage proto punk. This would have sounded like a slap in the face in 1970. I liked this a lot more than I thought I would
5
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Paris 1919
John Cale
The first half of the album is nice I guess. The sort of thing you would have as background music in a cafe. Not something I would actively seek out. It picks up a bit with Macbeth, then the title track Paris 1919 which I found interesting. It dropped back off a bit after that.
2
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
I had a hard time listening to this. Not because of the music but because I kept getting interrupted and had to keep pausing it to deal with life.
The musicianship on display was amazing, but I wasn't a fan of all the introductions sprinkled throughout.
4
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
"Dr. Octagon, a homicidal, extraterrestrial, time-traveling gynecologist and surgeon." Basically it's a more juvenile Rocky Horror done in rap.
There's a lot of talent on display here and I admire using such a wacky concept for an album. However some of the lyrics are pure cringe, even by 90's standards, which keeps it from 5 stars.
4
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Back to Mystery City
Hanoi Rocks
You wouldn't guess it by the cover but this is much better than the cheesy glam metal that came after it.
3
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
Well this was an odd one. When it's good it's really good, but that's broken by songs that are fairly meh. This album could have been cut dramatically, getting rid of all the filler, and been amazing.
3
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Sat Mar 09 2024
Parallel Lines
Blondie
I only knew the 2 big hits, One Way Or Another and Heart Of Glass, going into this. On first listen it wasn't quite what I expected, being a lot more diverse than I envisioned. This is a fun pop rock album which just gets better with each listen.
5
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
This is an important part of music history when blues rock was evolving into psychedelia. But it's much more than that. You can hear how they influenced so many bands to come and also pop culture in general. The opening track Lost Women, with that bass line, could easily be on a Tarantino soundtrack. He's Always There was sampled by the Pussycat Dolls. Black Sabbath was obviously inspired by Ever Since The World Began.
5
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Don't Stand Me Down
Dexys Midnight Runners
This was a hard one to get through. I get what they were going for but for me, it missed the mark. One of the songs ripped off Werewolves of London. I don't know how this made the list.
2
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Graceland
Paul Simon
On paper this shouldn't work. Half of 60's folk duo travels to South Africa to collaborate with black musicians on album of American songs. It reads like a mushroom induced fever dream. But despite the odds the result is a truly fantastic album.
5
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Woodface
Crowded House
Oh nostalgia. This album was massive in Australia when it came out. It had 5 hit singles, which are still played on the radio today. With that said I've never listened to the full album before. (I was in the punk and metal scene when it came out). So nostalgia aside and listening critically, is it a good album?
I'd say this is a really good album, but there is nothing ground breaking here, so I can't call it great.
4
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but Sinatra is over rated. He has a good voice, but that's all he has to offer. All the credit for this album should go to the musicians and composer. Seriously you could take the vocals away making this an instrumental and it would still be amazing.
4
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
Well that certainly wasn't what I was expecting from the album cover and title lol.
While the musicianship on display here is great, this just didn't connect with me at all. I wouldn't choose to sit down and listen to this, at best it would be background music while I'm doing other things. I already have other instrumental albums that I like a whole lot more for that though.
3
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Blur
Blur
I remember buying this album based entirely on the strength of Song 2, then being sorely disappointed by the rest of the album. So it's time for a revisit. Time to listen to it with unbiased, matured ears.
It still sucks. There's some ok songs but most are boringly mid to terrible.
2
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
A post punk / new wave record with horns and hints of psychedelia that somehow sounds uninspired, reserved and boring. I'm not sure how they pulled that off, but it's an accomplishment, although not one to be proud of.
2
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Mon Mar 18 2024
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Late 1998. I was becoming jaded amid a sea of toothless music like Brit pop, pop punk, etc that was huge at the time. Then I was introduced to this album. What a revelation. Weird, heavy, melodic. Drops and breakdowns. I hadn't heard anything quite like it before.
It wasn't until Toxicity that they really hit their stride, but this album alone had enough influence on the metal of today to be worthy of this list.
5
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
This album hit like a nuclear bomb, became popular purely by word of mouth and kick started a whole new genre of music. It's easy to see why. It comes out swinging with the one two punch of Straight Outta Compton and Fuck Tha Police. Such a strong messages lyrically, wrapped in a unique sound.
Unfortunately the record loses steam a bit in the middle, but it's still a strong album as well as being hugely influential.
4
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Wed Mar 20 2024
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
With the opening track being old school slow blues, I thought this just wasn't going to be for me. But by the third track the pace had picked up and I found myself enjoying this album. It's not something I would listen to again, but I'm glad that I listened to it.
3
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Smile
Brian Wilson
I knew of this album by reputation, but had never listened to it before.
Insert Krusty the Clown "What the hell was that?" meme here.
There's some decent songs, but most seem half baked with everything and the kitchen sink thrown at them to make them seem whole. This isn't a masterpiece, it's a mess.
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
If you're listening to this on spotify do yourself a favor. Click on the bands name and go to the original unremastered version. It doesn't have the extra two cd's worth of bonus material, and in my opinion sounds better than the remastered version anyway.
So I had never heard of this band and went in with zero expectations. There's a lot going on here. A whole range of musical styles and influences thrown together. A lot of the time it works well. There are times when it falls flat on its face though.
3
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Sat Mar 23 2024
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This one took me a few listens through. It's a good album, a really good album, and I've added some of the tracks to my liked songs. The thing is, there's nothing outstanding or ground breaking for the time this was released, so I don't think it's quite 5 star worthy.
4
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
I was 20 years old when this came out. The right age to be on mind altering substances in dodgy clubs trying to get lucky. I thought this was pretty crap music back then, and my opinion hasn't changed in all the years since.
2
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
This album captured a moment in time where punk was evolving into what would become grunge. It's worth a listen just for that historical aspect.
I'm going to rate this higher than I suspect others will, purely as I was a teenager when grunge hit, so I'm biased towards this style.
4
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
I had never really paid much attention to Supertramp before and went into this expecting poppy yacht rock. It turns out they are a lot more prog than I thought and I enjoyed this quite a lot.
4
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Wed Mar 27 2024
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
This is a good album, albeit a little too country for my taste.
4
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Thu Mar 28 2024
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
There's some interesting moments, but a lot of it is pure excrement. I could have happily died without hearing this.
1
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Another Green World
Brian Eno
I can see how this is an important album historically, but musically it really didn't do much for me.
3
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
I find the addition funk / r&b to his glam style interesting and for the most part works amazingly well. There are a couple of instances where his voice wasn't really suited for the song though.
4
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Nevermind
Nirvana
This album was a huge part of my teenage years and I know it well. But now it's time to put the nostalgia goggles away, forget its historical place and judge it purely on its own merits. Does it still hold up?
Yes! This album is still a monster. Gritty punk and cool indie mixed together. Dark and angsty, yet melodic with pop sensibilities. Nonsensical lyrics that don't sound silly but hint at something deep. Fantastic production by Butch Vig.
There's a reason this changed music and became the soundtrack of a generation. In the 80's we became accustomed to hyper produced music with superficial/materialistic lyrics. This just didn't fit in with everything else, and by doing that spoke to everyone that didn't fit in, which is a feeling that almost every teenager has.
5
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I think At The Drive In was better. Relationship was an amazing album and I feel they stepped down a notch with The Mars Volta, losing a bit of edge.
That said this is an amazing album that pushes you in ways that you don't expect.
5
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Tue Apr 02 2024
The Doors
The Doors
Try to run, try to hide, I'm sorry but I can't give this a 5.
I loved this as a teen, but with the wisdom of age it's apparent this is just not quite as good as I used to think it was.
4
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Raw Power
The Stooges
This album dragged rock from the psychedelic party, down a dark alley and gave it 2 black eyes. This is punk before punk was even a thing. The terrible recording quality just adds to the feeling of raw power.
4
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Leftism
Leftfield
An album from my teenage years that I've never heard of. As it's on this site that means there's a 90% chance it's British. Let's have a peek and of course it is. Ok, lets have a listen. Oh, oh God NO. Make it stop.
This is the sort of music to enjoy when you're off your tits on drugs. Unfortunately I don't think there's enough drugs in the world to get me to like this.
1
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
Well this was an odd one. I hadn't heard of this band before so went in completely blind. The album is enjoyable, interesting and well produced, but it's ultimately forgettable. There's no hooks, nothing special that sticks in your mind. 10 mins after my first listen through I couldn't recall any specifics.
This is an album that I will have to listen to quite a few times to form a true opinion, but right now I don't have time so my rating is based on just 2 listens through.
3
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Hotel California
Eagles
I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. The title track is a banger, the following 2 tracks are solid. The rest however, well the best word I can think to describe them is bland.
3
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Sun Apr 07 2024
Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
My first impression is that it sounds like the soundtrack to a 90's teenage rom com. After a few listens through I find it ok, but nothing extraordinary. I guess it's on the list for being early for this sound.
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
I'm really not a fan of country music, so this was a bit of a slog to get through. Listening to this objectively I will say that lyrically this is really good. The musicianship is good. The production is good. Yet I just didn't enjoy it.
3
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Tue Apr 09 2024
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
It's insane that this was made in the 70's. It's groundbreaking and highly influential to all sorts of music, right up to now. It sounds timeless and also nostalgic. I can't help but picture 80's video games when listening. With all that said I can't give this 5 stars as I found it a tad repetitive and annoying, and I wouldn't listen to it again. I am glad that I listened to it though.
4
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Blur
Meh. An average album from an average band. I seriously don't get the hype about blur.
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
Manassas
Stephen Stills
Why do I always get the super long albums when I have the least time available to listen to them? With just one listen through, I can say that nothing really stood out as amazing here. While it was interesting to hear different genres, a lot of it blended together. It's ok but I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to it again.
3
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
Firstly I have to say I hate the singers constant sheep like bleating. Apart from that I really liked the music. It has a frenetic energy and coming from the mid 80's was way ahead of its time. I'm not sure how much influence this had on later 90's acts (I had certainly never heard it before), but it's easy to draw that conclusion.
3
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Back In Black
AC/DC
The death of a lead singer is the end of most bands, and Bon left big Shoes to fill. But Brian stepped up, bringing a straight to the gut approach that fit perfectly with the hard rock of the band.
This is dumb fun and it is just so damn good at it. Grab a beer, turn it up and rock on.
5
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Arise
Sepultura
This sounds dated and formulaic, but it certainly wasn't back when it was released. Not the album from Sepultura that I expected on this list as they have better, but I like the fact that there is some classic thrash on here.
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
The Stooges
The Stooges
An interesting album in a historical context, but personally I didn't enjoy it as much as their Raw Power album.
3
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Purple Rain
Prince
I knew the singles but had never listened to the album before. My biggest thought after the first listen through is how does something so complex give the vibe of being simplistic. After a few listens I have to say this is a great album and I really enjoyed it.
5
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Closer
Joy Division
This really didn't do anything for me. It's not a bad album by any stretch. There's just nothing here that grabbed me. It's strange because I've quite liked some of their contemporaries. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood Idk.
3
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
I'm not sure about elsewhere, but in my country these guys were a one hit wonder. The big song "Scooby Snacks" got a decent amount of airplay, probably because Tarantino was massive back then. I remember the title track "Fun Lovin Criminals" getting a bit of airplay, but it never really took off.
This was an interesting listen, although it seems a bit try hardish tbh. Scooby Snacks still rocks though.
2
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
Going by the cover I was expecting a joke band. Like seriously, why name yourselves the Beta Band? And then name your album after an old Charlie Sheen parody movie.
Listening to this I kept swaying between this is insipid and boring, and oh that bit was interesting. Ultimately this is too hipster wannabe for my taste.
2
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Smash
The Offspring
I miss early Offspring. Back when they had an edge and sang about things with some substance. In hindsight you can see the beginning of them transforming into the meme songs they would become known for on this album, but it wasn't really noticeable at the time.
4
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Sun Apr 21 2024
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
I've come to dread albums popping up that I've never heard of because it almost certainly means it's a mid tier British band. Not surprisingly this is British, yet I wouldn't call them mid tier. The music is an eccentric and energetic mix of rock and electronica. I enjoyed this quite a lot, but I find myself struggling to remember any specifics after listening because there's no real hooks.
4
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Feast of Wire
Calexico
This is exactly what I signed up for. A band that I've never heard of, with album art that I wouldn't look at twice, yet it's an amazing listen. I'm not even sure how to describe this - western indie folk?
The songs are given space to breathe and grow. It's atmospheric and even cinematic. You can't help envisioning scenarios while listening. I love this.
5
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Garbage
Garbage
This album was so innovative and fresh when it came out. It's been quite a while since I heard it though. I knew a couple of people who adored this band (and probably still do) due to songs about queer sexuality and depression. But now it's time to put away the nostalgia goggles, stop reminiscing about playing Vampire The Masquerade and see if it still holds up.
Honestly it does sound a bit dated now. Also a couple of the tracks don't quite hit the mark. With that said this is still a great album that deserves its place on the list.
4
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Take Me Apart
Kelela
It's nice, but over produced for my taste. I appreciate the mellow sexiness here, rather than the in your face style that most go for.
3
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Solid Air
John Martyn
I'd never heard of John Martyn before and the first listen through left me with mixed feelings. Subsequent listens hammered home what was happening here. This is a really interesting album. Improvisational jazzy, bluesy, folk music. I really didn't care for his slurred vocal delivery on some of the tracks, but musically this was great.
4
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
Another one I've never heard of before. I absolutely hated the first track, but then quite liked the second. The entire album was a mixed bag of hits and misses for me, but sadly the misses far outnumber the hits.
2
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Sat Apr 27 2024
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
I fell asleep listening to this, which is a first for the list. I'm not sure how far I got into it but had to start over the next day when I woke up. This is a pleasant album but not only does it have no bite, it has no teeth. The way this was recorded, especially the sax, makes this sound older than it actually is. Really not my thing.
2
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Sun Apr 28 2024
Close To You
Carpenters
I actually let out an audible moan when this came up. Yet I listened to the album all the way through, just like every other. I have to admit Karen has a great voice, and most of the songs are well crafted. But omg, it's so sugary sweet that I had to call an ambulance because I was about to fall into a diabetic coma from listening to this.
2
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Mon Apr 29 2024
S&M
Metallica
I bought this album back when it came out. I love it and know it back to front. I haven't listened to it for a while and for the sake of this list I did my best to listen to it very critically this time.
For the majority of the songs this works amazingly well. There are a couple spots where the orchestration clashes with the band, or it just doesn't flow quite right. Really that's my only criticism and I'm not sure if that's enough to drop this from a 5 to a 4. I'll have to sleep on it.
5
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Tue Apr 30 2024
Rio
Duran Duran
I never really paid much attention to Duran Duran before, only knowing the hit Hungry Like The Wolf going in. Although this sounds a bit dated now, that bass guitar really elevates this above standard pop fare. My biggest criticism is that some of the songs sound a bit samey. This is a really good album though.
4
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Wed May 01 2024
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart has a very unique voice and with the right songs it's amazing. These aren't the right songs. I don't know why this is on the list. Half of the songs are covers for god's sake.
2