449
Albums Rated
3.17
Average Rating
41%
Complete
640 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
47
5-Star Albums
20
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gris Gris
Dr. John
|
5 | 2.89 | +2.11 |
|
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
|
5 | 3.15 | +1.85 |
|
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Elastica
Elastica
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
|
5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
|
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
2112
Rush
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
21
Adele
|
1 | 3.69 | -2.69 |
|
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
25
Adele
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Faith
George Michael
|
1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
|
Thriller
Michael Jackson
|
2 | 4.22 | -2.22 |
|
Arular
M.I.A.
|
1 | 2.83 | -1.83 |
|
Bad
Michael Jackson
|
2 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
|
Yeezus
Kanye West
|
1 | 2.76 | -1.76 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.75 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 4.29 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 4.67 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Arcade Fire | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Adele | 2 | 1 |
| George Michael | 2 | 1.5 |
| M.I.A. | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (47)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Michael Jackson · 17 likes
2/5
This is not for me-hee-hee.
Frank Ocean · 8 likes
1/5
What do the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean have in common?
They're all way more enjoyable to listen to than Frank Ocean.
Adele · 7 likes
1/5
It's a rare thing to find an album whose title is made up of the two ratings I considered giving it.
George Michael · 2 likes
1/5
Well I guess it's at least better than showing your pecker to an undercover cop in a public washroom.
Patti Smith · 1 likes
4/5
Absolutely one of the coolest albums out there. Not perfect, but pretty damn great.
1-Star Albums (20)
All Ratings
Steely Dan
3/5
It's alright. Good musicianship, good quality recording. Just didn't have anything that particularly jumped out at me. I bet it's a grower.
The Temptations
3/5
Started off pretty strong but didn't rise to those heights again. Not a bad album, but not one I feel like I'll have the urge to return to much.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Don't listen to it all that often these days, but very familiar with it & it's a key part of my musical foundation. Great stuff!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Very solid album. Probably one I'll need to be in a reggae mood to put on, but the standouts really standout!
The Stone Roses
2/5
Pretty dull & uninteresting. Nothing to write home about.
4/5
I've always got time for PJ Harvey! This is her at her slickest, and is very much an excellent listen.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Some all-time classic tunes here! Some of the less heralded tracks don't hit the same highs as the greats, but nothing less than good on this one.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Some good moments here & there, but pretty average overall. Not bad, but not top-shelf shit either.
Wilco
4/5
Definitely has some decent tunes, and others that seem like they might take more time to reveal themselves to me. Good album overall.
The Who
3/5
I expected more. It's not bad, but just alright.
Radiohead
5/5
All-time classic. Haven't listened to it in full in a long while, but man is it ever still great.
Beatles
4/5
I've considered this to be my favourite album by The Beatles since very early childhood. Big time nostalgia here. Not every song is amazing, but many are, and those that aren't are still quite good. An absolute landmark of an album, although it does fall off a bit on the back half.
Deep Purple
4/5
Despite being pretty familiar with some Deep Purple tunes for a long time, I've never listened to Made In Japan in full. This definitely rocks!
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Better off spending Sunday at church under the steady gaze of the blessed sweet little blue eyed baby Jesus. Nah, it's fine. I'm not a jazz guy but I s'pose I'd throw this on in the event that it seemed like a time to throw on some jazz.
Sarah Vaughan
1/5
Nope, this ain't for me. Might as well stay at Mister Kelly's cuz I ain't lettin' you in.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Awesome album. The songs I wasn't already familiar with are fantastic. A true classic!
Public Enemy
2/5
I like when Chuck D goes off spittin' truths, but not big on the Flavor Flav contributions. Got a lot of respect for Public Enemy, but this isn't one I'm likely to return to.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Expected more songs about monsters. Got a pretty decent classic rock album. Not bad!
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Pretty nice harmonies & overall rather basic, unoffensive music. It's fine, just fine.
Pink Floyd
4/5
While there are other Pink Floyd albums that I prefer to listen to, this was the first one that pulled me in back when I was a teenager. This is my first time listening to it start to finish in well over a decade. Still holds up, actually even better than I expected it would!
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
My first time ever listening to Manic Street Preachers. Definitely one of those bands prominent in my music blind spot. First impression is that it's nothing groundbreaking, but it is quite good at what it does. A handful of standout tunes, and the rest are perfectly fine. No dislikes in the bunch. Preach on, brothers!
Digital Underground
2/5
Pretty foolish. It's got a few good tunes, but mostly it's not for me.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Emerson Lake & Palmer? Don't even Emerson Lake & know 'er.
The musicianship is good, but the music for the most part isn't all that interesting. I did like that time it sounded like they were playing Lazy by Deep Purple, though.
R.E.M.
3/5
About time I fill my REM blindspot. I've really been deep sleeping on them!
A solid album, nothing more nothing less.
Miles Davis
3/5
It's a well-known fact that Miles Davis is cool. Unfortuately for me, I'm not, and as a result jazz doesn't really do much for me. Nevertheless, you can tell this is quality stuff, even if it isn't something I'm particularly into.
Cheap Trick
3/5
Some good ole fashioned rockin'! Not bad at all, they probably could have gotten away with calling themselves Moderately Priced Trick.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
She's definitely talented, and has a strong social conscience. Pretty good songs too! Nothing less than good on my first impression. A fairly strong album.
Kate Bush
2/5
I'm not sure what you call the style of this album, but it doesn't do it for me. There are some moments I enjoyed, but overall maybe just too theatrical for my liking.
Miles Davis
3/5
Well, it's jazz, so a 3 is about the ceiling jazz will get with me. I can recognize the talent at play here, but doubt this will ever be something I just throw on to listen to unless I have some great jazz awakening in my future.
Various Artists
3/5
I probably should have listened to this about a month ago during the full swing of Christmas spirit. But anyway, this would be a fine listen for the month of December. Nothing special, nothing bad. It's Christmas music, whaddya want.
The Cure
3/5
I had only previously been exposed to a little bit of The Cure, some of the hits mostly. This is about what I expected sound-wise. The songs are mostly average, but the last 4 songs are pretty good (particularly A Forest & Seventeen Seconds). The music is better than the singing.
3/5
If my kink was catchy, not bad but fairly average albums, then this would be an easy 5.
The Saints
3/5
Pretty good album. Not a big punk guy but I enjoyed this one. I'd say I wish I could make out what the singer was singing a little more easily, but that wouldn't be very punk would it?!?
The Verve
2/5
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING
Made sure that was long & drawn out, just like this album.
Genesis
2/5
Pretty average. Not too much stood out to me and it was a real chore to get through. There's probably a solid 3 album in there somewhere, but not even halfway through I was ready for it to be over. Kind of a painful listening experience.
Dr. Dre
3/5
I was already familiar with Nuthin But A G Thang, and turns out the rest of the album carries the same vibe. Not entirely my thing but I dig it well enough. WEST COAST!
Nick Drake
4/5
A really, really nice album with the highest of highs, and even its lows aren't all that low. I was already familiar with the Pink Moon album, and probably should have given this one a proper listen decades ago. Better late than never, I s'pose.
The Waterboys
4/5
Had no idea what to expect going in, so I just hit play and was immediately FLOORED by how good the first song was. Then the album continued on to be extremely good. This one is gonna spend some quality time in my ears.
The Fall
2/5
Not my thing. At least it was short, but even so it felt too long.
Ash
3/5
1977 my ass! This is pure 90s! You just know these guys love the blue album.
Foo Fighters
3/5
When it comes to choruses, Dave Grohl loves nothing more than to shout & repeat them SHOUT & REPEAT THEM SHOUT & REPEAT THEM.
Adele
1/5
It's a rare thing to find an album whose title is made up of the two ratings I considered giving it.
Germs
2/5
A whole album listening to a man shout MWAOOWW LISSSSMAAA NOWWWDOH WAAAAA. Not so good, Al.
George Michael
1/5
Well I guess it's at least better than showing your pecker to an undercover cop in a public washroom.
T. Rex
3/5
It's alright. Nothing that I disliked, but also not likely one that'll spend much time in my ears.
Pixies
3/5
Hey this isn't bossanova music at all!
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Quite the mix of great stuff and okay stuff. Surreal good time, man!
Lou Reed
3/5
Some of it was very nice. Some of it was not.
Paul McCartney
4/5
Some real good stuff here. Guess it's a good thing he didn't just let it be!
Bob Dylan
5/5
Glad to be bringing this back home to my ears. It's been far too long.
Metallica
3/5
More like Midtallica.
Fiona Apple
3/5
More dull moments than strong moments, but the strong moments are especially strong.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Not my cuppa tea. It did get my arse shakin' though, I'll give it that.
Suicide
1/5
You know the theme song from M*A*S*H, 'Suicide is Painless'? Whoever wrote that clearly never listened to this album.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Decent. The songs all kind of sound the same & it gets a bit tedious as it goes on, but it's not bad. I'd say I was relatively entertained.
Nas
5/5
The greatest hip hop album of all time. If you disagree, then take all the time you need to come to terms with being wrong.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
No big standouts but no bad tunes either. A perfectly alright listening experience.
The United States Of America
2/5
A one way ticket to the asylum.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Judas and his newfangled electric guitars can really rock out. Who knew?!?
The National
3/5
An absolutely wonderful album for a great nap.
Supergrass
3/5
Pretty fun listen with songs ranging from decent to pretty good. I'd never be bothered by someone putting this on.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
I don't know if any more of her albums are on this list, so even though it's not on this album I gotta make hay while the sun is shining on my incredibly original take:
Aretha Franklin's sure got my R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Pretty good album, with a few especially good tunes on it. They're at their best when they slow down the tempo a little.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
The title is inaccurate, because for a 90s kid like me it is incredibly shocking that it took me this long to give this album a proper listen. Better late than never!
Beatles
4/5
Breaking News:
There's some pretty great stuff on here.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It's good, but I wouldn't call it spectacular. Kinda like your average Main Street, I s'pose.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Lauper? Don't even know 'er! Gotta change that though because holy shit this slaps! Biggest surprise of this project so far.
M.I.A.
2/5
It has its moments, mostly near the end of the album. But mostly it's an irritatingly repetitive listen.
Joy Division
3/5
The music is very strong, but the singing divides the hell outta my joy.
The Mars Volta
5/5
Needs a dictionary to keep up with, but my jumpins what an astoundingly good album.
Van Halen
3/5
Hop in the Chevy, break out a pack of smokes, crack a cold one, pop open the cassette deck and fire up this bad boy. Alright alright alright it's 1984, man.
Green Day
3/5
Compared to Dookie this is dookie. Taken on its own though it's alright.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
I expected weirdness, and Captain Beefheart absolutely delivered. Not a chance at me fully digesting & appreciating something this out there on first listen, but it was a good start.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Definitely lives up to its title as an album with a very wintery feel. It didn't hit me with any particular standouts but it's a pleasant listen overall.
Killing Joke
3/5
Not that interesting, but not bad. Doubt I'll ever get the urge to voluntarily listen again but if it's on somewhere I am, that's fine I s'pose.
OutKast
3/5
I'm not a hiphophead, and find myself gravitating more toward The Love Below & its more experimental approach than Speakerboxxx and its more straight ahead hip hop. Overall it's kind of a tedious listen, but it does have its moments.
Garbage
4/5
Garbage was one of my favourite bands during my teenage years, so it is impossible for me to listen to this one without the whole nostalgia factor coming into play. It's still very, very good.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
It's a beautifully sad album. I don't think I will ever want to listen to it again.
Laibach
3/5
Stop what you're doing right now & go read the Wikipedia article for Laibach - not just the one for this album, but the main band article. It's WILD.
As for the album my immediate thought as it started was "what in the name of sweet little blue-eyed baby Jesus is this?!?" but then I found myself actually kind of enjoying it. Very different from anything else I've encountered in this project so far, but whatever it is they're doing, they do it pretty well. Definitely some unusual stuff going on here.
King Crimson
4/5
Some pretty incredible stuff on here. And some pretty tasty noodles, too.
Judas Priest
3/5
Some good, solid hard rock. Nothing more, nothing less.
Blur
3/5
Never got around to listening to Blur even though the 90s is my foundational era of music. Didn't really miss out on anything groundbreaking, it seems, but it's not bad.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
A decent listen. Drags a bit at parts, but also has some really nice parts. Not an album for regular rotation but it'll do every now & then.
Ozomatli
2/5
A few enjoyable moments here or there but mostly not street signs I care to pay attention to. Unlike stop signs. It's very important that you come to a full stop at stop signs, and if you will be turning then please be sure to use your signal indicator to inform other drivers of your intent to turn. To be a safe driver is to be a predictable driver, so please, I implore you, be predictable.
Slayer
3/5
Slayer? Don't even know er! Seriously though you shouldn't slay people you know. Or people you don't know, for that matter. Unless you're slaying them with the scintillating sounds of 80s thrash, of course.
Taken individually, each song is a kickass metal song. As a whole though the album finds a way to drag on even though it's just 28 minutes long.
Beck
3/5
Delightfully average. Throw this on and you'll have on alright time.
Dolly Parton
4/5
By now we should all know that Dolly is a wonderful person & a real delight of a human being. And now I know that this here album is pretty darn swell, too!
Kanye West
1/5
More like Kanye Worst.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
I'd be okay with it being background music in a store while I was running errands, but it's nothing I would ever put on myself.
Le Tigre
3/5
Le Tigre sure is le fun. Pretty enjoyable listen overall.
The White Stripes
4/5
Damn this is a lot better than I remember.
3/5
The ultimate in 90's British buttrock.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I wish I could shay that Shleep shlaps, but it absholutely doesh not.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Sounds exactly like the music that my Uncle Gordie often plays in his shed aka The Blue Lite Lounge up on the west coast of Newfoundland. Yes b'y, s'alright I s'pose.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
This is some excellent music to put on while chatting with mom over a couple bottles of wine.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Nope, don't particularly care for this one. And I know her voice is pretty much universally considered to be a good voice, but I didn't find myself particularly caring for it either.
Queen
3/5
Plenty of talent on dispay, but it didn't come together in a way that blew me away.
The Lemonheads
4/5
Now this is some fun stuff right here. Too bad about Ray, though. Friggin Ray.
Talk Talk
3/5
Take Pink Floyd, strip away some of the things that make them great, add Michael Bolton on vocals, and voila!
Sepultura
3/5
GOOOOOD PRETTY GOOOOOD
Keith Jarrett
2/5
No doubt the man can tickle the ivories with the best of them, but this is never gonna be my kinda thing.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Damn this is pretty great! Stevie's got one absolute hell of a voice on the go here, and his ability to hit notes in so many ranges, and how he changes his tone & singing style to suit the music, very few can pull it off like he does here. Impressive!
Carole King
5/5
Absolutely stunning piece of work. Carole King has always been a musical blindspot for me but LAWD JAYZUS I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT!
Hawkwind
3/5
Really strong musically, especially Lemmy on bass. A lot of the times this really rocks, but sometime it drags on way more than it needs to. A fun, fairly campy one though!
Venom
2/5
Plenty of better metal out there. I imagine I'd have to be pretty far down the metal rabbit hole to ever decide to listen to this again, and I'm definitely not there yet.
The White Stripes
4/5
Been awhile since I gave this a listen, but it holds up real well. Some absolute classics on here, and overall just an album with really excellent vibes.
Talking Heads
3/5
Feels like I'm listening to the same song for the entire album. It's not a bad song, but not super compelling either.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Pretty solid bluesy classic rock. Definitely sounds like the 60s.
Patti Smith
4/5
Absolutely one of the coolest albums out there. Not perfect, but pretty damn great.
Metallica
3/5
I'm not a big Metallica guy, but I must say this was pretty well done. While it is lengthy, it's a decent musical journey.
Coldplay
2/5
"This is the dullest moment I have ever experienced" - George Costanza
Michael Jackson
2/5
This is not for me-hee-hee.
2/5
She sure can sing, and I could enjoy this well enough for a song or two at a time. But a whole album, even a short one, drags on my ears' enjoyment.
Sonic Youth
4/5
They could have gotten away with adding a 'D' to the album title.
Frank Black
3/5
Very strong first half, pretty mid second half. Enjoyable listen overall.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Didn't completely hit the spot, but definitely some standout tunes in there.
Rush
5/5
One of my favourite albums of all time has assumed control...it has assumed control...it has assumed control.
4/5
"See I think drugs have done some good things for us, I really do, and if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor: go home tonight and take all your albums, all your tapes, and all your CDs and burn 'em. 'cause you know the musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years....rrrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs." - Bill Hicks
Orange Juice
3/5
That singing voice & the very 80s sound are the biggest detractors on what is otherwise a pretty interesting album to listen to.
Chicago
2/5
A pretty forgettable album. Next please!.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
If someone was to list the pros & cons of living the swinger lifestyle, this would be on the cons list.
Beatles
4/5
Just whose soul were they rubbing, anyway?
Stereo MC's
2/5
I was gonna give it a 1, because it's not good. But then they had a song that repeated "you can't make it fade away" and the irony of it earned them another star.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Not really the type of thing that I'm into, but still pretty good. Feels like something I'd come to appreciate more with each subsequent listen.
William Orbit
2/5
I will only ever willingly listen to this album once-unce-unce-unce.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Nice mix of groovy good times tunes & timeless classics. Janis Joplin was on another level, man.
OutKast
3/5
Bit of good stank, bit of not so good stank.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Kinda samey, but it has its moments.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Fairly familiar with Black Sabbath already, but somehow this album flew under my radar. It's not as good as I thought it would be, but still pretty good.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Not great, not terrible.
Frank Ocean
1/5
What do the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean have in common?
They're all way more enjoyable to listen to than Frank Ocean.
Black Sabbath
5/5
An album full of absolute classics. One of the all-time greats.
Randy Newman
2/5
Pretty uninteresting. Music for hokey movies.
Adele
1/5
Oh good, more Adele. Just when I was in need of a good yawn.
Ryan Adams
2/5
*fart noise*
David Bowie
3/5
This must have been Bowie's average era.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Another absolute masterclass in songwriting. Kinda 60's Dylan's thing.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Honestly one of the best albums you'll ever hear.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Not the finest album featuring McCartney, but a decent enough listen.
The Undertones
3/5
Making every song sound pretty much the same sure is one way to hypnotize someone. It's pretty fun, though, I'll give it that.
Nirvana
5/5
I may now be bored & old, but this still kicks a whole lot of ass. RIP Steve Albini.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Illmaculate vibes scratching all kindsa itches.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Some good things going on musically and good production too, but most importantly good thing it's over because even those qualities couldn't redeem an irritating experience for my ears.
Travis
2/5
You'll never convince me that this isn't a generative AI's response after being prompted to create an album in the style of 90's Radiohead but make it as dull & uninteresting as possible.
Doves
3/5
They sure have a way of making a song feel like it's way longer than it actually is.
Michael Jackson
2/5
Say what you will about his music, but boy oh boy did the man ever know how to accurately title an album.
Yes
3/5
Didn't totally pull me in, but fairly decent nonetheyes.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
The freakiest thing I've encountered on this list so far. Familiar with it from around the time it was released, but haven't listened to it since. Still got a soft spot for it, for some reason. RIP Steve Albini.
Sugar
3/5
Always love discovering a 90s alt-rock album that I wasn't previously aware of. Overall it's nothing special but still fairly decent.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Some nice tunes, and a pretty standout sound for that era, but not something super appealing to my ears.
Nirvana
5/5
Pretty much perfect. Kurt didn't screw it up did he?
Janis Joplin
5/5
Janet Joplin at the absolute peak of her powers. We'll never know what could have been, but what we were lucky enough to get to hear was utterly fantastic.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
If I wanted to listen to Nine Inch Nails I'd just listen to Nine Inch Nails.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
A couple of standout tunes, and an overall unoffensive record.
David Bowie
3/5
My perspective as a Middle Aged Canadian commenting on a 20-Something Brit's album Young Americans is...not bad man, not bad.
Eagles
3/5
Average tunes with 1 standout because Jackson Browne is a hell of a songwriter and covering him is a surefire way to get a boost.
David Bowie
3/5
I don't mind some Bowie, and the first half was fairly decent, but the back half just kills the vibe. Secrets of Arabia with the big save right at the end of play!
Orbital
2/5
If you're gonna go all-in on the unce-unce-unce then I'll only ever listen to it this once-once-once.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Incredibly catchy, but leaves me wanting Electric Light Morechestra.
Björk
3/5
A bit more electronic-y than I typically enjoy, but I could see this one growing on me if I give it more listens.
CHIC
2/5
This reminds of back in my high school days when one of my teachers told the class - with a proudly carried shame, but shame nonetheless - of the time he bought this record right after it came out. He was going back to his side of the muddy river by walking across the causeway, and a big gust of wind hit him and pulled the record out of his hands and off into the mud below. Lucky guy.
Al Green
3/5
Perfectly inoffensive music that'd do to throw on in just about any situation. Nothing particularly stood out, just a decent all 'round album.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Definitely the type of sounds that are right up my alley. Fairly rough around the edges & the singing leaves something to be desired, but my fuck does it ever rock!
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
If you have a beef with a neighbour you share a wall with, you can definitely blast this to take it up a notch.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Johnny Cash just being his bad-ass self.
3/5
Well this was a pretty fine listen. The highs are really high, if you know what I mean, man.
Paul Simon
4/5
I am fortunate enough to have been raised by a dad with excellent taste in music, who introduced me to many fantastic albums on long car rides when I was a kid. Graceland is one of those albums, and although this is my first time listening to it start-to-finish in at least a decade (maybe even two!), it makes up for the quantity of listens with its quality of music.
John Prine
4/5
Interesting, whimsical stories with catchy as hell melodies, and some real nice playing to go with it all. John Prine did his thing extremely well.
The Bees
2/5
It's always a shame when good musicianship churns out such uninteresting songs.
4/5
4
60s Dylan is always a treat. Some fine performances of some fine tunes here.
The Police
3/5
Nothing groundbreaking but decent enough.
Herbie Hancock
2/5
While the musicianship is good, the songs all sound like they were part of a jam session instead of fully fleshed out songs. Don't dislike what I heard but also not interested in revisiting this one.
The Stooges
3/5
Nothing groundbreaking, but some good tunes and overall just a real house of fun.
The Young Gods
1/5
My ears are never going to financially recover from this.
Carpenters
2/5
Not bad, but a bit too sickly sweet for my cold, dead heart.
Paul Simon
3/5
Sounds exactly like I expect a Paul Simon album to sound. Safe, inoffensive music played well & written well.
Lorde
2/5
Well pop music isn't what my ears enjoy so this didn't stand much of a chance, but I can see someone with pop stronger sensibilities being into it.
The White Stripes
5/5
A perfect example of how to get a whole lot out of very little. This has super basic instrumentation but the songs still all completely kick the llamas ass. This is absolutely stacked with classic songs that have been with me for over 20 years now. It's been awhile, though, since I listened to the full album start to finish, and I found myself loving the songs that I had forgotten about. An excellent listening experience start to finish.
Method Man
3/5
Solid enough, with a few standout tracks. I'm not the biggest hip hop head but I can appreciate this well enough.
Iggy Pop
3/5
The 2 big songs are absolute classics for a reason. Just all-time great songs. The rest of the songs don't live up to those, but also aren't bad.
k.d. lang
3/5
Always nice to get some CanCon up in this mafk. KD Lang is one of those artists where I have always been familiar with a couple of songs (Constant Craving & Miss Chatelaine), but I've never actually listened to her beyond those. Found a few pleasant surprises here, and a few songs that just kind of plod on. It's aight.
The Verve
2/5
Music to turn any occasion into a dull affair.
The xx
2/5
They should call this genre of music borecore. Not much interesting going on here, and even the singers sound bored. Guess I just don't get it.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
A fun listen that is pretty well up my well-versed alley of 90s alt-rock. Nothing groundbreaking but pretty enjoyable.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
There's a certain brilliance to this album. Also a certain ridiculousness. I really enjoyed some of it, and the parts that didn't do it so much for me at least came in shorts spurts. I probably won't ever listen to this start-to-finish again, but there will certainly be songs that stay with me.
Coldplay
3/5
Coldplay generally gives me a fairly visceral "YUCK, I DON'T LIKE THIS!" feeling, as their sound if a bit too commercial for my liking. That said, they hadn't quite yet stumbled into their go-to formula for commercial success on this first album, so this one is somewhat interesting to listen to. I still don't love it, but it's not bad.
Deep Purple
5/5
Ladies, gentlemen, and the rest of ya:
This fucking rocks.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
As smooth & chill as it gets. Not a big jazz guy but this was a pleasant listen.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
An interesting concept for an album, but that's where anything interesting about it ends. Not my cup of tea.
Sex Pistols
3/5
You can definitely hear how it helped shape the future sound of punk. The music itself is nothing special but the songs are good solid punk tunes. Nothing especially stood out to me but it was still a decent listen.
Scott Walker
3/5
Definitely some tunes here that I enjoyed. But the crooning & high-pitched strings are things that I can only take in small doses.
Jack White
4/5
You can always count on Jack White to put out some top notch tunes. Everything on here ranges between good and excellent.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyable listen. Sing it, Stevie!
Peter Frampton
3/5
It was fine the whole way through, but nothing excited me.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
This worked well enough as background music. Not the type of thing I could ever see myself in the mood to put on and listen to again, but the music is perfectly fine.
Jazmine Sullivan
1/5
Neaux thanks.
Elton John
3/5
Some good tunes, and a lot that didn't really hit the spot. Nothing I actively disliked though.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Not really my thing, but no doubt Biggie could rap.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
If Bluey came out in the 70s this would be its soundtrack.
Very quirky, but not particularly interesting.
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
It always excites me to find some 90s alt-rock that I wasn't already familiar with.
It also always bums me out when it ends up being pretty uninteresting to listen to.
The Incredible String Band
3/5
Now we know what the music would have sounded like if psychedelic drugs were introduced in medieval times.
Willie Nelson
3/5
It's a nice album, not more nothing less. Perfectly listenable, good but not outstanding.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Pleasant, but not amazing.
Scritti Politti
1/5
Pretty sure you really have to love 80s music to enjoy this. Unfortunately, I do not.
Donald Fagen
3/5
A well-played but ultimately pretty uninteresting album to listen to. I wouldn't be bothered by having the album on in the background, but doubt I'll ever come back to it myself.
Ramones
4/5
Proof that there can be greatness in simplicity. Pure fun!
AC/DC
5/5
I know we all like to shit on AC/DC for having every song sound the same, and over the Brian Johnson portion of their career that is entirely fair. I dig Bon Scott era AC/DC much more, but Back in Black is EXCELLENT and is a definite high point for them. I haven't listened to it front-to-back in ages but I have loved this album for decades.
Little Richard
3/5
Rock'n'roll at its old schoolest. Nothing wrong with it you know.
Django Django
3/5
Like many albums from this era, this one suffers from being both somewhat interesting and somewhat irritating.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something about his voice that compeltely irks me, and the music doesn't do anything to make up for it. Meh.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
I had previously avoided taking the time to listen to Antony and the Johnsons because the singing voice put me off. But this was kind of a pleasant surprise, and even the voice kind of grew on me as the album went on. Not likely something that will make it into my regular rotation, but glad I finally gave it the time.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Every single thing about this album is great. One of the all-time best ever to be recorded. An absolute beast!
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
You can always count on The Boss to give us some well-written, well-played tunes. Can't go wrong with some Springsteen in your ears!
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Even all these years later there is still something exciting about listening to these rough, dissonant sounds. The Velvet Underground tapped into something, and it definitely isn't for everyone, but it sure does it for me.
4
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Curtis Mayfield's voice is as smooth as butter. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this.
Morrissey
3/5
Tried my very best to separate the art from the artist, as about all I know about Morrissey is that he is an absolutely insufferable human being. So all that aside, the music is...alright.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
An absolute classic. One of the greatest debut albums of all time.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Pretty good, not totally my thing but it wasn't a bad listen at all. Makes me want to take up breakdancing!
The Beach Boys
3/5
Wouldn't it be nice to like this more?
I can appreciate that there's a reason it's a highly regarded, classic album, but it just doesn't align all that well with my tastes.
System Of A Down
4/5
Absolutely loved this album back in the day when it first came out. I've mellowed out some with age but boy does this ever still rock hard!
Anita Baker
2/5
I don't particularly care for the music, but bonus points for making me realize that yes indeed I DO need a baker.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Absolute poetry set to pleasant music. One of Canada's finest. My only EXTREMELY MINOR gripe is the songs all sound about the same. But it's a nice sound.
The Pogues
4/5
The Pogues are always a treat. RIP Shane MacGowan.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
This is one of those bands that I've heard about for my entire life, but have never actually listened to. Would have preferred to keep it that way.
Van Halen
3/5
Just your basic, solid, hard rocker.
Talking Heads
3/5
Talking Heads tick a lot of boxes for the kinds of sounds I enjoy, and in theory I *should* love them, but I don't. No hate either, they're just alright.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Grew up hearing stuff like this, so it will always be pleasing to the ears. Muddy's got the nicest, deepest blues going!
Radiohead
5/5
My absolute favourite Radiohead album, among several excellent ones. 15 Step is my go-to song for trying out new stereo settings or headphones. Incredible sound, incredible music.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Good but not great. The songs all do pretty much the same thing sound-wise, and while it's *fine* it does make it feel like a bit of a slog to make it to the end.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Reminds me of classic rock radio back in the 90s, where there's song after song of music that isn't bad, but also isn't great. It's fine for the background, but not particularly engaging.
The Modern Lovers
5/5
I discovered & then got really into this album ~15 years ago. It's still awesome. Songs for regular dudes.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Very dreamy music. The tunes are decent, but it's not entirely up my alley.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Funky as hell. Misogynistic as hell.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Springsteen stripped down to just his voice, and acoustic guitar, and a harmonica is the best Springsteen. Sure, the usually big, bombastic Springsteen sound is also good on the ears, but there's just something about the rawness of Nebraska that scratches right where I itch.
Pulp
3/5
I have been familiar with Common People for ages now, and it is an absolute banger. The rest of the album doesn't live up to it, but it's not bad either. Just average.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
A pleasant listen. Nothing jumped out as being particularly outstanding, but there was also nothing that I disliked.
The Clash
4/5
No bad songs on this, which is impressive given the total # of tracks. Somehow I had never listened to this start-to-finish until now, despite being familiar with several songs already. Glad I finally gave this the time of day!
Arcade Fire
5/5
I would consider The Suburbs to be the last truly great Arcade Fire record, and the final entry in a 3 album run as good as any band has ever released. I've loved this since it came out, and even if it doesn't spend the time in my ears that it once did, but I can confirm that it's still an absolutely fantastic listen.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Completely generic, inoffensive in every way, music. Reckon it's good for napping.
808 State
1/5
Sometimes music just isn't good. This is one of those times.
The Prodigy
3/5
I'm definitely not an electonica guy by any stretch of the imagination. I don't hate this, though. It's just fine.
Linkin Park
1/5
Maybe if I was an angsty teen I would be into this. But then again, I *was* an angsty teen when this came out and I thought it sucked then too. Maybe it just sucks.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni is pretty damn sublime. I had never previously listened to this album, but it's as good as I had hoped it would be.
The Slits
4/5
Kinda love this. The 'tude, the German accent, and the raggae influened punk come together in way that agrees just fine with my tastes.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
A pretty nice album. I was already familiar with some of it from way back when it came out, but didn't remember anything outside of Fight Test & Do You Realize?. Found a few new-to-me gems on this listen, and then a good few tunes that were just kinda ho-hum samey. Not bad.
3
Death In Vegas
3/5
This has a pretty cool vibe. Definitely enjoyed some tracks quite a bit, while some others were just ho-hum.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
There are some great songs on here. Definitely some standouts on initial listen, and this feels like one where the ones that didn't initially stand out would reveal themselves on subsequent listens.
Johnny Cash
5/5
The gold standard for late career (and late life) albums. The American recordings were truly special, and Johnny Cash absolutely cemented his legacy with this one.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Look, I know it's from a different album, but since I don't know if that one will come up here I just want to make sure it gets said, because it needs saying:
Dear Nazi Punks (elected and otherwise): FUCK OFF.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
Ugh.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
A very chill & pleasant listen. Not particularly outstanding, but would pair well with any task that requires mental focus.
Common
2/5
I'm no mathematician, but I sure counted a lot of songs with irritating, grating sounds that repeated over & over & over again.
Blur
3/5
Not bad, not exciting. The whole album was kind of, fittingly, a blur.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
If I ever get the urge to experience a fever dream without the pesky illness to go with it, I'll just throw this album on.
Tangerine Dream
2/5
Nothing to write home about. It's fine for background listening, but not particularly engaging or interesting.
The Zombies
3/5
3.6 Roentgen.
The Smiths
4/5
If you can suspend your thoughts & opinions on Morrissey and just listen to the music for what it is, you'll find yourself hearing a pretty enjoyable album.
Green Day
5/5
As a kid that entered adolescence in the mid-90s, Dookie was an absolute formative album for me. It was great then, and it's great now. Peak Green Day.
Kraftwerk
3/5
I'm not a big bleeps & bloops guy, but the man machines found a way to make them sound pretty decent here.
Randy Newman
3/5
Randy Newman is good at doing his cheeky, loungy tunes thing. They're not bad, but also not something I see myself coming back to.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Something like this should be right up my alley, and I don't hate it, but there's just something about it that isn't clicking. The current hypothesis is that while the songs are fine-to-good, if they had just a slightly slower BPM they would elevate to good-to-great.
Beatles
3/5
These lads can write some decent tunes, but someone should probably give them drugs so we can see what they can really do.
Arcade Fire
5/5
An all-time favourite. This was a game changer when it was released, and has an energy that very few albums of its era can match. Perfect from start to finish.
Bon Jovi
3/5
I had a Bon Jovi era back in middle school. I've long moved past them, but this is still an okayish, if not fairly cheesy, listen.
Bobby Womack
3/5
A pretty smooth & chill listen. The songs aren't outstanding but they'd do in a pinch.
Brian Eno
3/5
Kinda interesting, kinda dull. Eno'msayin'?
Prince
3/5
There's some good tunes on here, but also quite a few that don't do much for me.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
The album title pretty much sums up my feelings about it. Not one I think I really needed to hear, but it's okay that I did.
Fairport Convention
4/5
A truly enjoyable new-to-me listen. A nice combo of folk, celtic, and jammy rockin' sounds. That's more often than not going to be welcome in my ears.
The Fall
3/5
If this is the nation's saving grace, then what a repetitive nation it must be. The music is listenable but the songs get boring fast.
Simply Red
2/5
Ah, 80's cheese. It's a bit moldy, and not in a good way.
Cream
3/5
I always hear Cream being held in high-regard, but this is just okay and kinda boring? Perhaps this was exciting back in the 60s when it first came out, but it sounds a bit dated & basic now.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This is the best Zeppelin. It's all good, but this lives at the very top of the top shelf.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Ho-hum. Perfectly okay music but lacking in excitement or wow moments.
Gotan Project
2/5
I don't know the Spanish word for "boring" but I bet the members of Gotan Project do.
Baaba Maal
2/5
The music isn't bad, although it is extremely repetetive. If it was just instrumental it would be fine background music, but that nasally voice over everything takes away my enjoyment.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Not a bad song on here. Perhaps lacking in absolute greatness, but still a nice listen overall.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Nothing to add that hasn't been said before. Simply one of the greatest albums ever made.
3/5
Delightfully weird & manic, but not in a way where it really stands out above the crowd. A fun listen, though.
Duke Ellington
3/5
As a Canadian in the current socio-political climate, hearing an album start with the Star Spangled Banner, despite how well played, is not a way to win my heart. THAT and my generally not being much of a jazz guy aside, this recording really transported me back to an era before my time and made me feel fully immersed in its atmosphere. Not sure it's something I'll come back to, but I'm glad I visited.
3
Moby Grape
3/5
Standard fare 60s tunes. Classic 60s-style harmonies & instrumentation with a slightly psychedelic tinge to them. Nothing that particularly stands out in the crowd but perfectly listenable.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Features some of my favourite Stones tunes. Some of the others aren't quite as great, but even the worst songs on here are good. Among the best Rolling Stones albums.
The Temptations
3/5
Papa Was A Rolling Stone is an all-timer. The rest of the album doesn't live up to it, but isn't bad.
Nick Drake
5/5
The album is absolutely sublime, and it transports me to a very specific time & place in my life that I am delighted to revisit in my mind (early 2000s, western Newfoundland). Such greatness in such simplicity.
I also recall my first exposure to the title track, which was in a car commercial in the late 90s. I also remember the Red Hot Chili Peppers being interviewed on Much Music (likely in 1999 around the time Californication came out), with that commercial playing right before coming back on air to the interview, and the band being in awe of the song and asking the VJ what it was. Turns out all it takes to make otherwordly music is a guitar and a voice.
Primal Scream
3/5
This album seems to be a bit of a pioneer for a type of sound that really rose to prominence in the late 90s. It's not entirely my thing, but the vibes are good and the songs are alright. Good music to accompany a task.
Orbital
3/5
They did well when choosing their band name, because the music sounds exactly like I expected it would based on their name. Decent background music to have on while working.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Pleasant listen but not spectacular.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Probably among the best albums of the hair band era, which is kinda like being among the best pizzas from the grocery store freezer section.
The Charlatans
2/5
A dull, uninspired effort.
The Byrds
4/5
This laid back 60's style is very nice to my ears. I don't want to be one of those shunning buddies, and to each their own, but I could do without The Christian Life.
Brian Wilson
3/5
It's good. Perhaps even genius! But it's not entirely up my alley as far as what I find interesting to listen to or am likely to come back to time & time again.
RIP Brian Wilson. Here's to a real one.
The Black Keys
3/5
Not bad, not great. Good enough to listen to.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
What an absolutely fantastic album. I've been pretty familiar with about half of the album for a long time now, but it had been ages since I listened to the whole thing start-to-finish. So glad to come back to this one, because the songs I had overlooked previously really stood out this time. What a treat!
Fun lil side story:
Back in 2005-2009 a few buddies & I had a campus radio show (called Happy Time, named after the Daniel Johnston song which was also the show's theme song). I also worked a full-time job, and one night during night shift when my buddies were manning the booth they played Heroin.
My co-workers and I were listening to the show and one particularly grumpy co-worker decided to phone in to complain about Heroin's raucus, dissonant violin ending. He expressed with great contempt over the phone to my buddy in the booth that "it just sounds like a broken violin!". The response he received?
"You're a broken violin!"
And you know what? In a metaphorical sense, he kind of was.
U2
3/5
Makes for okay background music, but it isn't all that interesting a listen.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
Much like the sound of car wheels on a gravel road, this album is pleasant yet unspectacular.
1/5
What a terrible day to have ears.
Louis Prima
3/5
While it definitely sounds dated and is very much of its era, it's still enjoyable. If I was around in the 50s I would have totally bopped to this.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Not really what I'm into, but it is well done.
Neil Young
4/5
I have been a Neil Young fan for some time, and I particularly enjoy this era of his. Plenty of familiar favourites here, and those that I haven't listened to much over the years still bring that familiar Neil Young joy to the ears. A fine listen!
Muddy Waters
4/5
Nobody does the rockin' blues better than ole Muddy.
Faith No More
3/5
Pretty fun listen. I can definitely hear how it influenced sounds that followed it in the 90s. Not sure I'll return to it but glad to have heard this.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Fela Kuti just hits the right spot for me every time. His music is an absolute vibe that I absolutely dig.
Duran Duran
3/5
Didn't really grab me, but it has its moments.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
As soon as you see Joni's name come up, you know you're gonna get some quality tunes. I think this will take more than just this single initial listen to unlock the wonders of this album that are surely there, but there were definitely some standout moments on first listen.
John Martyn
3/5
Kinda good, kinda uninteresting.
Wilco
4/5
I always kinda groan when I come upon a new double album, because if it doesn't connect with me then it's a real slog to get through. This, though? A real treat. Plenty of nuggets of goodness on here. Love the energy of this thing and very glad it was being there, in my ears.
Kate Bush
4/5
I came into this knowing Running Up That Hill and thinking it was a pretty cool & interesting song, and that was it. What I did not expect out of this listen was to have my mind absolutely blown by the music!
This is such a fascinating piece of music, and while things fell off a bit in the 2nd half for me, when Kate Bush hit the spot, she REALLY hit it. I could see myself getting immersed in this. A very strong album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Absolutely fantastic! I grew up with the CCR hits compilation, Chronicle, as a regular cassette in the rotation on family road trips. While I am intimitely familiar with all of the hits, I never did dive into the rest of the catalog. So far so good, as this album was thoroughly enjoyable. No surprises, but just A+ quality tunes start to finish.
Bauhaus
3/5
Started off strong with the opening tracks, but didn't really pull me in the same the rest of the way. Nothing bad here, though, and glad I listened.
John Cale
2/5
Didn't love it. The music wasn't bad, but it didn't grab me at all.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Started out not really liking all the wacky psychedelic sounds that hit my ears, but the deeper into the album I listened, the more I liked it. Not likely something I'll spend much time with going forward, but it was an interesting listen.
Massive Attack
3/5
Some pretty groovy tunes. Didn't totally grab me but not a bad listen.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
While these lads should have better credited the blues artists whose songs they drew their inspiration from, there can be no doubt that the result was an ABSOLUTELY ROCKIN' album showcasing extremely high levels of talent. This one is an all-timer. Whoever it was that first brought the blues across the pond and into Led Zeppelin's ears, thank you.
Grateful Dead
5/5
An incredible listen. So chill & easygoing. Perfect summertime music. And those harmonies, bah gawd those harmonies!
Elbow
3/5
Pretty good. Quality musicianship throughout the entire album, with well-crafted tunes. I wasn't totally gripped by it, but several tracks stood out.
Doves
3/5
Like a lot of music from this era, EVERYTHING IS SO LOUD. The sound is crisp & clean, but every instrument is RIGHT THERE in my ears. It's the era that subtelty missed.
Old man yells at cloud aside, the music isn't bad. The album has some highs & lows, but overall didn't particularly grip me.
Dire Straits
4/5
Dire Straits have been a staple in my ears since childhood, via my dad (although I think I have heard more Mark Knopfler solo stuff). That said, until now I have never listed to a Dire Straits album start-to-finish. It was as good as expected, with the cooler-than-cool vibe lasting throughout the entire album. My expectations were fairly high, and they were met!
Beck
4/5
Beck definitely has his own unique quirkiness that makes him a one of a kind artist. Odelay is full of fun & chill tunes. An excellent album for a nice summer day.
The Cure
3/5
Now this is what I call a dragon album. Because it really, really drags on. That back half, hoo boy, what a slog.
Black Sabbath
5/5
It's Black Sabbath so I knew going it that it was going to kick-ass, and boy did it deliver! While I am most definitely familiar with their music, I had never actually listened to this full album. Glad to knock that one out of my blind spot - what a listen!
ROCK IN PEACE OZZY \m/
The Smiths
3/5
The jangly music is pretty good, but I struggle to enjoy Morrissey's voice. It just sounds like he's singing the same song over and over again, and it gets old. No particular standouts on this one, but overall it isn't bad.
Jethro Tull
4/5
HOW IS HE SINGING AND PLAYING FLUTE AT THE SAME TIME?!?
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Pure ear candy. I've been a big fan of this album since first hearing it around the time it was released. It continues to be excellent, with the sublime harmonies being the highlight of the experience. If we figure out time travel and transport these guys back to Woodstock '69 they won't be out of place at all.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
I'm sure there's an audience out there that loves this, but by the jumpins it sure doesn't include me. The constant harsh, percussive sounds gave me a headache.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Definitely some nice tunes on here. A very soothing sound for such darkly themed songs.
Ice Cube
4/5
While I'm not a hiphophead, I have a soft spot for 90's rap, and this is definitely something I can get down with, even as a person that from time to time likes to have his breakfast with some hog. But what can I say, Ice Cube's a pimp.
Pretenders
4/5
Oh this is totally up my alley! Pretenders have been at best in my musical periphery for awhile now, but without anything but the odd song listened to here & there. This is my first time listening to an album start to finish, and it is FANTASTIC. Chrissie Hynde brings the 'tude to perfectly accompany the music being played. Love the energy of this album and glad I finally put it into my ears. A few tunes toward the end didn't quite hit on this first listen, but overall this has been great stuff.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Some nice harmonies & nice tunes.
The Triffids
3/5
It's okay. Mostly a pretty ho-hum album, but a few moments that jumped out over the rest. Perfectly listenable but nothing special.
Donovan
3/5
The folky 60s generally agrees with me. Donovan is a far cry from Dylan, but this is still pleasant enough.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Not all that interesting a listen, but on the plus side it really flew by.
Meat Loaf
3/5
While there's a LOT to like about this - extremely well crafted songs, great song titles, and a very strong energy - it doesn't really connect with me. Glad I heard it, but not so sure it'll find its way back into my ears.
Portishead
5/5
Despite being a 90s music kid, this album remained in my blindspot until just these past few years. What a dummy, right?
Once I finally gave it a proper listen, though, I quickly learned how fantastic this is. Every song is an absolute mood and it hits the spot so well. An incredible album start to finish.
Funkadelic
4/5
A real mind bender. I was expecting some straight up funk tunes, but instead what I got was a down & dirty psychedelic experience. I dig it.
The Prodigy
3/5
This was never my thing back in the 90s. I was more of an alt-rock kid and this electro stuff never connected with me. So I went into this knowing a little bit of what it was about, and with a certain expectation. And while I would say this still isn't exactly up my alley, I was pleasantly surprised and definitely didn't hate it.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
A nice listen and as a plus now I can say I'm cultured!!
Radiohead
5/5
You know a band is great when they can release such a quality album and still have it only be - at most - their 4th best album. They really nailed the 90s alt-rock sound, and while I'm glad they moved in different directions in the future, I'm also glad they gave us this. One of the best to do it.
The Darkness
4/5
Well this was a fun listen. Pure energy from start to finish. Back when this first came out I didn't really take The Darkness seriously as they seemed kind of like a joke band. Turns out I was the joke, because these guys are fantastic! There's definitely a good amount of cheese in the music, but the vibe is really just one of absolute fun.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Well this album sure is GREAT
All those haters do is HATE
If you don't like it I suggest you STOP
Cuz this right here is the cream of the CROP
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Imagine beingin the 60s and hearing a new Jimi Hendrix album for the first time. It must have been mindblowing to experience him innovating on the guitar in real time. Even now, 60 years later, it sounds incredible. Rock music owes so much to Jimi Hendrix. What a talent!
Eagles
3/5
They're quite good at making music for mass consumption. Less good at making music for interesting listening, though.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Kinda enjoyed the music, but really didn't enjoy the singing.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
Yeehaw let's wave that confederate flag, shoot dead some unfaithful women, and thank the good lord for leading us down the path of true salvation.
Charles Mingus
4/5
I think I just found the kind of jazz I like!
AC/DC
4/5
AC/DC found one thing they did well and went all-in with it. I sure wish today's good time party music sounded like this!
Justice
3/5
I didn't hate it! That's about as much praise as I can muster for an electro-dance album. Not my thing, let's just say. But this one probably benefits from the fact that I am just a few weeks back from spending some time in Paris, and I can feel the Parisian vibes that I still so crave emanating from the music. I doubt this'll ever make it into my regular rotation, but I had fun bopping my head to this listen.
Steve Earle
4/5
Very strong album. A bit cheesy in places, but Steve Earle can sure write the hell out of a song.
Not the first, or the last, band to opt to make easily digestible music to get played on the radio instead of making interesting music to listen to. An entirely unoriginal & dull listening experience.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
They might not have been about the same things that I'm about, but damn if they couldn't make great sounding music.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Now this right here is the stuff! Johnny Cash whooping it up with a raucus show in front of incarcerated inmates at a prison is the stuff of legend. Doesn't hurt that the songs, and the stories they tell, are absolutely excellent too.
The Libertines
3/5
Nothing special. It's not bad, but very much the perfect example of an absolutely ho-hum album.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Full of hits, but as a whole it's pretty mid quality-wise. Love Road Trippin', though, and it's been a staple of my road trip playlists for a long time now.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
I had this one on tape back when it came out! After Much Music played the hits ad nauseum I got tired of hearing them and never really returned to the album, but you know what? It may sound dated, but this is some good shit right here.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Forrest Gump would have loved this.
Prince
3/5
Is he sure it's not heliotrope rain?
Primal Scream
3/5
A few cool songs - Medication & Motorhead really stood out. I'd go as far as calling the album alright.
The Undertones
3/5
A fun, but fairly unremarkable listen.
Portishead
4/5
This album is somehow both delicate and powerful. Not perfect but pretty brilliant.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Music that transports you to the era it was made. Dusty sure could belt 'er!
Boston
3/5
Basic 70s Bitch.
White Denim
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Had no idea what to expect going in, and it turned out to be really up my alley.
Queens Of The Stone Age
4/5
This album has the makings of a varsity athlete.
Elvis Costello
3/5
He must have been aiming for fairly average.
Alice In Chains
4/5
Rooster is one of the greatest songs ever written. The rest of the album is pretty damn good too.
New Order
4/5
What a pleasant surprise! This one is bop after bop. New Order never clicked with me until now, but this might be the album that brings me around to them.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
A nice, classic sounding record with a lot of soul. Although it was certainly hornier than I expected.
The KLF
2/5
Not a painful listen, but not a particularly good one either.
The Adverts
3/5
It's rough around the edges, and the songs are certainly samey, but it's a fun & catchy listen. A few gems on here too.
Frank Zappa
4/5
Zappa sure knew how to keep things interesting, and with such high quality musicianship to boot.
John Coltrane
3/5
Now this is some good jazz! But even good jazz can only do so much for me. My rating is in no way a knock on the skill at play here or the impact of the recording, but instead a reflection of my own ears and their ability (or lack thereof) to enjoy this type of music.
N.E.R.D
2/5
The music sounds somewhat interesting. The singing sounds extremely half-assed, while the other half of the ass is the lyrics.
Kings of Leon
3/5
They hadn't yet devolved into being an absolutely irritating listen quite yet with this album, but they were well on their way. A few decent tunes here but mostly a sea of mediocrity.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Some nice, soulful music. Nothing stood out as being particularly outstanding, but it's a decent listen overall.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Like anything featuring Info & Danger Mouse, this album sounds INCREDIBLE. Absolute top notch production. Music-wise, I think I need more time with it to fully appreciate it. I like what I heard, but wasn't fully gripped by the music. This has all the classic signs of being a grower.
3/5
A lot of songs gave the vibe of Thom Yorke singing over uncompelling music. It isn't BAD, just not all that interesting to listen to.
Sonic Youth
5/5
Absolutely phenomenal album. One of the best of its era.
And I know everyone that loves it likes to call out Teen Age Riot for how great it is, and rightly so, but 'Cross the Breeze is the absolute knockout punch of this record. A true behemoth of a song if I've ever heard one.
Finley Quaye
3/5
I've been a fan of Sunday Shining ever since I first heard it back in the late 90s. This was my first listen of anything else by Finley Quaye and I would classify it as....just okay.
5/5
Bowie has always been a bit on my periphery. I know the hits and have been aware of the reverence for this album for a long time, but this is the first time I've actually sat down & listened to it.
As you may have already figured out, folks, I'm an idiot. This needed to be in my ears long ago. Better late than never, I s'pose, because holy tapdancin' moly what a record this is!
Prefab Sprout
4/5
A very pleasant surprise. Had no idea what to expect going into this album, and was immediately met with a strong run of excellent tunes. Even the songs I liked the least were fairly decent.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Now this is some top shelf hip-hop right here. Now, I bet I'd appreciate it more if I was into hip-hop, but even so, this is some good shit.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
DAMN! Chef sure can cook!
I prefered the first half of the album, but this was a really fine listen start to finish.
The Cardigans
3/5
A decent listen with a few standouts. The Iron Man cover took me by surprise but I kinda love their groovy take on it.
CHIC
2/5
Turns out disco does kinda suck.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
20 songs over an hour and 9 minutes and I didn't hate a single one!
20 songs over an hour and 9 minutes and I didn't love a single one!
A true shrine to all that is mid.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Franz Ferdinand really tapped into something here. Plenty of a bangers here, a few duds too, but a strong album overall. Still holds up pretty well.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Next to impossible to consider this album with fresh ears, as some of these songs have been all-time favourites for most of my life. It's an absolute masterclass in songwriting, and another example of how incredible music from one man with a voice, a guitar, and a harmonica can be. As good as it as an overall piece of work, there is some room for improvement, and Dylan would achieve that as his career progressed.
Suede
3/5
Somewhat sonically interesting. Somewhat vocally painful.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
What a phenomenal & innovative album this turned out to be! Combining the traditional Indian sounds with the (then) modern Western sounds made for a very pleasing sonic experience. The covers are nice, but the melodies that Ananda Shankar came up with on his own compositions are what really elevate this record. It fell off just a little bit toward the end, but this is still one of my favourite new finds from this project so far.
Spiritualized
3/5
Holy wall of sound Batman. There is good & interesting stuff going on here, but getting bashed over the head by the kitchen sink for 70 minutes is a bit much for these ole ears.
The Police
3/5
Somehow both interesting & boring.
The Band
4/5
A classic for a reason. Completely chill & laid back vibes with nice songwriting and pleasant music to go with it. Can't go wrong here.
4
XTC
2/5
Didn't particularly care for this. The songs are okay at best, and I often found any potential enjoyment squashed by the annoying drawn out vocal melo-dieeee-eeeee-eeee-eeeeee-eees & the eye-rollingly simplistic rhymes & the poorly aged 80s instrumentation.
All of that said, when Dear God came on at the very end it nearly singlehandedly raised the album rating an entire point. Now that's a song right there!
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Boom bap? More like boom crap.
M.I.A.
1/5
How many ways can a headache be induced in an otherwise healthy person? Absolute kudos to this album for going above & beyond in its efforts to find out.
The Go-Go's
4/5
I'm glad I got this on a Friday, because this album has absolute Friday vibes. The songs aren't just fun & upbeat, they're pretty darn good too. Hooks for days!
Deep Purple
5/5
In the 50+ years since Machine Head was unleashed onto the world, there has been no better album for driving. One of the finest rockers ever made.
Bad Brains
3/5
Pretty rough around the edges, but not without some decent tunes.
Os Mutantes
3/5
Today I learned that psychedelia in other languages is *~*~*~eVeN mO000oo0OrE p$yCh3DeLic~*~*~*
2/5
There are some musically interesting things happening here, but I just can't get past the cheese.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Bob Dylan truly at the peak of his powers. One of the greatest albums ever made.
Steely Dan
3/5
One of the finer examples of musical & studio prowess sucking the life out of a work of art. Is it good? Technically yes, of course it is. Is it boring? Definitely yes, it sure is.
The Beta Band
2/5
This sure is an extra ordinary album. Not extraordinary. Just ordinary. But REALLY REALLY ordinary. Yawn.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Full of all-time classics & excellent deep cuts. The world would be a better place if everyone just put this on & chilled out.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Balding men without musical talent might want to steer clear of this album, or risk an acute bout of jealousy. Pretty enjoyable listen overall.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
On the one hand there is a lot to like here and it isn't hard to see why this album is considered a classic. On the other hand the music isn't really up my alley and can only hit so hard as a result.
George Michael
2/5
Despite heeding the album title's advice and abandoning all firmly established George Michaelian prejudice before listening to the album, it still didn't do much for me. Just not my thing.
Richard Thompson
3/5
A perfectly fine but not at all exciting listen.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
This album has some really enjoyable moments, and its highs are quite high. But between those highs, and during moments that would otherwise be highs, is just oh...so...much...wankery.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
They struck gold with the title track, but mixed about 14 minutes of bronze into it to completely diminish its splendor. The other tracks? Nothing precious about those metals either. Standard fare psychedelia.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan's version of paint-by-numbers. Perfectly okay, but a far cry from his classic material.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
They could have changed their band name to Rocking Stones for this album and people would have been all like "yeah, they sure are."
Metallica
3/5
They really wrote one song and decided "hey let's just do that 8 more times and call it a day", eh?
Gene Clark
3/5
If I ever need to be lulled to sleep, this is the album I'll put on.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
This is some 80s slop and I don't particularly care for it, actually.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Elvis Costello is never a bad listen, but nothing on this album was particularly exciting either. It did do a good job getting my head bobbing though, so I will give it that.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
A few flashes of brilliance, and if the goal was getting plenty of radio play then it totally succeeded at that. But when it isn't hitting its highs, it's just ho-hum run of the mill music.
The Jam
3/5
A consistently enjoyable listen, but lacking much for particular standouts.
Van Morrison
4/5
A downright lovely listen.
Jamiroquai
3/5
I'd say this album generally agrees with me, but also didn't jump out in any significant way on this first listen.
The Who
3/5
An enjoyable, fun album to listen to. A few more songs that I would classify as fairly average thant those that I would call great.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Is there a legal requirement in the UK for men with THAT voice to front a synth band?
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Come for the completely over the top, ridiculous song titles. Stay for the completely delightful, wonderful listening experience. Perhaps the creative peak of this musical era.
PJ Harvey
5/5
My favourite album of all time. A complete & utter masterpiece.
I fell in love with this album the first time I listened to it when it was released back in 2011, and my love for it has grown deeper with the many subsequent listens since then. Polly's efforts to write about war not from a political perspective but from an entirely human perspective resulted in an astounding album, with stark, heavy words contrasted with beautiful, uplifting music. This is an album that becomes part of your core, if you let it in.
No amount of praise could adequately sum up my feelings for this album. I just love it so much.
Björk
4/5
Incredibly unique. Delightfully weird. The rare album that made me say "wow" out loud after it ended.
Never heard anything like this before, and it would need numerous listens to truly digest and appreciate. If nothing else, this is a stunning, unparalleled work of art.
Dr. John
5/5
Oh hell yeah this is what I'm talkin' 'bout. Dr. John was a special, unique talent, and this is his swampiest, most voodoo-tinged album. A shining example of how music can transport you to a very specific time & place.
Robbie Williams
2/5
Generic as hell, but it surprised me by being more in the generic rock realm than the generic pop realm. Better than expected, but still not great.
Living Colour
3/5
This definitely rocks, but is held back just a bit by some lyrical & musical cheese. It sounds VERY 80s. Pretty cool, though.
Cornershop
2/5
Some interesting things going on sonically, but not enough to overcome how irritating the songs are.
Depeche Mode
3/5
This project is giving me good opportunities to figure out just why I don't particularly care for this kind of music. I didn't hate this album, and it even got my heading bobbing here & there, but the music just didn't really resonate with me and I'm not entirely sure why. Not bad, though, and there were a few standouts that I would like to hear again. Progress!
Thundercat
3/5
This one hit me when I was absolutely not ready to be hit by something like this. This was a lot for the ole noggin.
A lot of the songs didn't connect with me, but there were definitely some gems in there. The funky basslines throughout the album were pretty nice, too. An extremely interesting and perfectly titled album.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Pretty nice but not all that exciting. Certainly some good tunes on here, but more of a background music album than a deep listening experience album.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
A pretty chill listen with some nice moments. Not a lot that stood out above the crowd but I still enjoyed it well enough.
Funkadelic
4/5
Oh my funk is this ever groovy! Impossible not to enjoy yourself listening to this album.
Eminem
2/5
Look he's clearly a talented rapper and can write hits, and there's some brilliance on display here. But the whole being shitty to shock people schtick comes off as contrived and sure doesn't do it for me.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
I'm not a pop guy, but I would consider this good pop. While it doesn't resonate with me, it is a decent piece of work.
The Cars
3/5
Maybe the most classic rock radio album out there. I didn't think that I knew anything by The Cars, but turns out I have already heard a lot of this on the radio over the years. Pretty catchy and certainly not bad, with a nice strong finish to the album to boot.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Proof that not everything from the olden days was good.
Nick Drake
3/5
Nick Drake is always an enjoyable listen, but this slightly more rockin' version of him connects with me a little less than his purely acoustic stuff. Still a decent listen, but not my favourite of his.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Some of the songs are somewhat interesting on their own. But holy liftin' what a slog it is to get through this thing as a whole. An absolutely dull, plodding experience.
Crowded House
3/5
A brilliantly shining example of perfectly average.
Janet Jackson
2/5
And 80's R&B/pop album is gonna be skating uphill with me at the best of times, and this one did not overcome my biases. The songs are well-crafted, and she's a talented singer, but it's just not for me.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Too irritating to even work as background music.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Go big or go home, and b'ys, Led Zeppelin did NOT go home. While their blues influence shows up here as always, they added some experimental, bombastic sounds on top of it and it really brought their whole sound to a new level. A sonic journey unlike anything they had released previously.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Some decent, fairly catchy tunes. Not a big fan of the synth work (mostly in the first half of the album), but overall I didn't mind listening to this.
Paul Weller
3/5
Started off pretty strong, and even had me excited that I had stumbled onto something great. But then it just kinda fizzled along for the rest of the way. Not bad, but lacking something.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
A pleasant, mostly unremarkable listen.
Spacemen 3
2/5
A few fleeting moments of enjoyment scattered throughout, but overall l can safely say that I am not a this enjoyer.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Nothing special. If there's one thing punk music is usually good at, it is being an exciting, highly energetic listening experience. This one didn't achieve that.
Elastica
5/5
One of my favourite albums! Thrilled to see this one included here! This album packs a real punch with great, energetic tunes with a punk edge, with catchy melodies to bring it all together. A fun time all around.