Music to arc-weld by. Which is awesome if you are arc welding. But if not, it can be a bit….much. You’ve really got to be in the mood for this.

The Wiki on this album says it’s the first album they did in a pro studio. You’d never know. This is the worst sounding album I’ve heard in a long time. Maybe they should start with everyone playing the same tempo and go from there? Plodding, untuneful, meandering on top of totally terrible production. Hey I get the whole Albini raw sound thing, but this is another level. A level below, a few below really. This is time I’ll never get back in my life. Unless you like listening to your neighbour’s kid’s garage band bleeding through a wall, just do yourself a favour a skip this.

It’s a classic, but this amount of time later not a popular style any more.

Didn’t love it at all. Not that it is bad per we, it’s just not really my bag.

I hadn’t really ever listen to this previously, but of course once hearing it there are several songs you’re going to know anyway. I never really realized the similarity (to me anyway) to Husker Du and Sugar in a lot of ways. Great album though.

Loved this, great to find music I should have discovered decades ago!

Thought I had never heard of him before, then along comes Strawberry Letter 23, and whoa, mind blown. Oh! Album is awesome. Another buried treasure unearthed.

Meh, I know it is a big classic album. I was never a huge fan of it and this listen didn’t change my feeling.

Not really my flavour. It was okay enough, but I won’t seek it out again.

What an awesome gem this is. It’s amazing how good it sounds for such an old recording. Great put it on and chill album.

I love Chemical Brothers, but you really need to be in the mood for it. Not exactly passive sit back and chill stuff, but if you want to get the party moving, well….this is the ticket.

A total classic, can’t say anything else.

Meh, it’s okay but doesn’t do a lot for me. I was thinking when this came up, “I don’t know a lot about Suede” and really, this doesn’t make me want to go any deeper.

Meh, it’s RHCP. If you’ve heard them you’ve heard them.

I hadn’t listened to early ZZTop in a very long time. It was great to hear the essence of the band without so much modern-day production and layers. ZZ Top at it’s purest.

Not really my thing, I don’t feel it has aged all that great to my ears.

Great album, had forgotten about it over the years. But it’s a classic through-and-through!

I’d never heard this before at all. Enjoyed it, will circle back on it for another listen for sure.

Meh, I know it’s classic yada yada, but I have never been able to get into Joni Mitchell at all. So I can’t rate it badly because it is supposed to be such a Huge Important Album. But, it’s just not for me at all.

Great album, have listened to it a million times before, and will probably listen a million more.

I had never listened to this album, but was aquatinted with a couple of the songs though. Lang’s voice is simply magnificent, a total treat to hear the perfect and respectfully restrained use of such an incredible instrument. No modern-day over singing and false emotion. Just absolutely miraculous to sit back and enjoy such a supreme talent.

It’s a great album, it made them famous for a reason. I not a giant fan but none-the-less it’s a solid album and equally importantly a real snapshot of the time.

Not really for me, just not in my wheelhouse really. It seems okay, but halfway through I found my interest really waning.

Incredibly I had never heard this album. Everyone has heard the classic Bang A Gong track, but the rest was a mystery. Sonically it’s pretty interesting considering when it was recorded. I’m not so sure the songwriting overall stands up a well as I would have hoped. But still, pretty solid.

Meh, I remembered this as being way better than it is. It all sounds the same, but they don’t have the skills to get away with it like say AC-DC. Immediately recognizable, but also kind of tiresome and repetitive. The songs all blend into one karanging power chord with Wolf Child yarling over the top.

Everybody knows the big hit that opens the album. Not sure the rest of the offering lives up to that, but it’s much more solid all-around than I expected. Will definitely listen to it again.

I’m not sure this ages very well. It’s certainly of a time, I can feel the sequins and glam makeup as I listen to it. It’s interesting for its time frame for sure, but you really have to be in the mood to be transported back here. I’m generally not. It’s not bad, it’s just a bit threadbare by now.

I have coincidentally been getting into Husker Du lately, so I like this. But I don’t see it really making many converts at first blush.

I know the album well from my youth. Jeff Lynn is a semi-under-appreciated genius songwriter. And while some of this is a little bit of the time, it’s still masterfully done.

I loved it, never heard it before at all. Just fantastic, absolutely will circle back in this again.

This is great old-school Brooklyn-style rap. It would never be my go-to music, but I can appreciate it for what it is.

Well, I know she’s a big deal and all. And she can certainly belt out a tune, but this album really left me flat. I don’t know if it is the production or what, but it just seems really soulless. She definitely has the vocal chops, but everything is just too big, overdone. I don’t think it does her justice.

I’ve never been a big Morrissey fan either on or off stage. But I approached this with as open mind as I could. I can see why it was successful, but for me his lyrics are bitter and self-indulgent. This did nothing to dispel the impression he’s a big moaner I’m afraid. I’ll still give him an okay rating because the album’s not bad. I just don’t really like him.

It’s a great travel-back in time, it gets a high rating for me just because of Buffalo Stance which I’ve always loved. I hadn’t really heard the rest of the album and was pretty pleasantly surprised how much I like the rest. It prompted me to seek out ever more so I spent even more time going through her catelog. Great stuff.

Music to arc-weld by. I don’t really do that, so, not so much an album for me.

Well, this is pretty well a timeless classic. If you’ve never heard it, well, you must at least once. Appreciate his lyrics, and also put it into perspective - this is early 1960s. Incredible depth matched by very few.

Although I’ve heard parts of this album many times over the years, I hadn’t really realized what a great album it is. Boy, I missed out not seeing them live at some point, they would have been amazing. I can’t believe this came out so long ago. The musicianship is amazing, I never really heard it from this perspective previously. I have a whole new appreciation for Chicago for sure. Can live without the one guitar noise tune though, a bit self-indulgent.

Reminds me of everything from that era that sucked and sounds the same. The drum machine work does not wear well over time, it’s as exciting as a Rumba cleaning the floor but with less fun. The album is soulless and un-musical. Matt Johnson’s vocals are meandering and at times sort of tuneless. I won’t be revisiting this album, ever.

Great album that shows good songwriting can hold up to the rest of time really well. One of those albums you out one and go yep, that’s them. Great stuff.

A couple of what would become classic tunes on here, but a whole lot of not-at-all classic stuff too. Sounds like they are throwing plates of spaghetti against the wall to see what would stick. There’s a reason they have so many Best Of compilations, stick to those. Some killer, mostly filler.

The Wiki on this album says it’s the first album they did in a pro studio. You’d never know. This is the worst sounding album I’ve heard in a long time. Maybe they should start with everyone playing the same tempo and go from there? Plodding, untuneful, meandering on top of totally terrible production. Hey I get the whole Albini raw sound thing, but this is another level. A level below, a few below really. This is time I’ll never get back in my life. Unless you like listening to your neighbour’s kid’s garage band bleeding through a wall, just do yourself a favour a skip this.

I was hoping the rest of the album lived up to the one song I knew off of it, the one song everybody knows. Alas, there’s a reason why after all this time it’s the only breakout from the album. The rest is pretty lack-luster compared.

Well, this is an old-time rock concert recorded live. It’s the sound of real musicians, playing live, listening to each other, and letting it fly where it goes. It’s the sound of taking a hill-top corner at breakneck speed as the wheels slip on the gravel and you’re on the precipice of glory or catastrophe. This is a time when concerts were all live, not timed to sync to light shows and backing tracks. Very much the real deal. It’s nothing short of glorious.

This is one of their best albums by far. Consistent in vision throughout certainly top two in their post-big break era. There’s a reason why it spawned a few massive hits. But the rest of the album holds up just as well.

I found this to be sort of middle ground OMD. I’ve heard. A fair amount of their music, and this I find is not as dark as some but also not as upbeat as a lot of their later stuff. It’s good though, I’ll listen again.

My son assures me this is a major, classic hip-hop album. I had never heard it before, yes I guess I’m a troglodyte, so I was expecting something special. Even though it’s not my favourite type of music, I can still appreciate work well done. This just doesn’t come close at living up to the hype for me at all. Very disappointing really. It just didn’t connect with me one iota.

A lot less heavy than I thought it would be. Even the heavier tunes in comparison to today’s music is pretty low key. But it’s great stuff. I was surprised by how much more low-key most of the album is. But the recording is great, sounds very much like a band playing in a room, warts and all. Not overly polished, but still a gem.

I recognize the place this album holds in the pantheon of great music in the 20th century. Lyrically it’s Dylan further cementing his legend, and musically, when taken in the context of the time period it was released, it’s a rollicking ride. That said, I’m just not a big Dylan fan. I can totally respect it, but I’m not going to seek this out again.

I love Coltrane, well most anyway. This one is a bit more of a challenge in that it has a lot more edge to it. The first half is frenetic, a bit chaotic even. You really have to be in the right frame of mind. This is not the laid-back and cool Coltrane, this is the more urgent one - bursting through the door with a manic energy. We settle down a bit in the last quarter, feeling like some demons have been quelled maybe. Still, it’s Coltrane and there’s only one.

Blah, I’m not a fan of the loop/sample-based stuff. While it can be be done well, this did nothing for me at all.

Bah, two okay songs and a lot of pretty average stuff.

This did zero for me, boring, bland, go nowhere music.

It doesn’t get any better than old-school Motown.

It’s incredible. I mean, really, what more can be said? Hit after hit roll past as you listen to the album. It’s absolutely astonishing they were already on their third album at this point, just cranking them out. But the truly amazing thing was how much better they were getting. It’s just mind boggling. John is doing the majority of the singing at this point, which I prefer for these tunes anyway.

Very familiar with Kost of this album, most of it can be pretty passive listening. First half is a bit stronger, but if you like any of it you’ll like it all.

Very much old-school rap v2.0. Not as far back as the original stuff, but definitely in the zone of when rap was becoming mainstream and very popular just before Hip Hop. It still has that early feel from DJs spinning records, but I’m going to assume most are actually samples at this point. So it does straddle eras. Overall it doesn’t wear great, the title track is of course a classic and a standout, but for me the rest of the album doesn’t ever reach that level again.

It’s okay, not a giant Thin Lizzy fan but the dual guitar lines are great. It’s good just not maybe the most subversive songwriting for me.

Pretty uneventful, nothing hooked me at all.

This album is great, a ton of fun. Lots of good old guitar rock, great interplay. Put it on loud and love it. Love. It.

I was expecting a lot of drum solos…but instead this is an amazing album. Great combo of Afrobeat/soul/jazz, absolutely fantastic. Okay ya, last track is a 17-minute drum duo duel, but it is still listenable. This was a real treat to find.

This not much for me, kind of bland mediocre rock. Meh.

It has a those few songs you’ve heard a million times, that’s good. But the whole rap/rock thing isn’t wearing all that well over time.

John always to me to be trying too hard, forcing it, post-Beatles. I feel like he really let his cynicism take over and it’s not a nice edge. Still, he’s John and while not all his best, Working Class Hero of course focuses all of cynicism really well.

There are of course a few classic tracks on here, and there’s a reason why 50-odd years later people still listen to them. They are really great. How well the rest stacks up depends on how big a Bowie fan you are.

It’s going to make any I-hate-jazz people a convert. If you like it, you’ll like it it, but if not it’s some tough sledding.

This is fantastic, but I feel like I’m watching a soundtrack to a movie that would have been stunning. You can hear him working the crowd, and I’ll bet there are lots of JB dance moves. The album is great but I makes me wish I was hearing and seeing this.

I emerged from my yurt, which was located on a mountain outcrop. As I looked over the mist-covered mountain valley, my hot, naked body steamed in the cool morning air. I was just coming down from the vision quest peyote I had taken the night before. I felt a bit sheepish. Amazed, I saw myself. I said to my own self “self” I said, “you are ewe”. This album played from inside the yurt and the world made sense.

It’s Herbie Hancock, the guy’s a legend for a reason. So even if you don’t like it you can appreciate it. I was surprised I knew one of the tunes even, somehow. It’s not my bag, but hey, it’s Herbie.

Music to arc-weld by. Which is awesome if you are arc welding. But if not, it can be a bit….much. You’ve really got to be in the mood for this.

Oh boy, this is a tough one. Personally I hate it. I don’t know how you listen to this without feeling anxious and angry. I know some people love them, but I just don’t have space for this type of music at all. I like heavy music, but this has all the nuance of a steamroller but without the reward of that fresh asphalt smell.

I know she’s great, even almost revered is some circles, but this album did little for me.

This is what a crap AI-generated album sounds like 40 years before AI. But it’s the same principle - unsurprising and ultimately just boring generic corporate rock. I can smell the hairspray and sweaty spandex, and it’s not pretty.

Yea it has one of his all-time classic songs on it that everyone knows and mostly loves. But I’m just not that big a Dylan fan so…

Wretched. Just totally wretched.

The album is pretty great, but Morrisey is such a moaner he really ruins everything for me. If it wasn’t for Johnny Marr this album would be unlistenable. Full stars for Marr, deducted one for the moaner.

Why is everything on this album the same locked-in 4/4 tempo? It’s like hipster marching music. Definitely some good things here, but the repetitive nature grates on one halfway through.

C’mon it’s classic Steely Dan. An audiophile’s paradise and musician’s dream. How they made albums that sound this good back then speaks to their enormous talent. True they went on to make albums that song-wise were more consistent than this, but this has Do It Again and Reelin’ In The Years so, like, shuddup.

I started off thinking, oh boy this is some pretty basic kind of garage punk. But as the album went on I found myself really liking the energy a lot and in the end I liked it well enough.

I think with each album Lorde gets better and better. This being her second she’s grappling with newfound fame and all the pressures that come along with getting a follow-up to her blockbuster premier. It’s a good follow-up, and the one that follows this is even better.

This was the big kick up for ZZ Top, coupled with the mega-saturation of the videos of the hits on MTV propelled them to superstardom. The production is super glossy and flawless, ushering in the Top’s blues with all the rough edges filed off. Gibbon’s playing is always, always bang on if not maybe a touch predictable but still he’s a king for a reason.

Well, Common is a good name because nothing on this album stood out. I put it on, fairly decent mix of kinda laid-back hip-hop….and then it was over. I just sort of listened to it but it went as fast as it came. No very memorable.

A like a few things by Bjork, I find she’s alright in small doses. But I’m just not a huge fan of her voice, and some of her songs can be a bit meandering. I think she’s super talented, it’s just not really for me.

This is a classic, of it’s time, really S&G in their prime. Also the first blast of synthesizer on an album. How can not recognize that fat Moog bass? Spawned two of my favourite songs of all time.

Oh boy, back to the rainforest with you and take your flutey things with you and be gone.

I feel like Newman is a great songwriter - I can hear all of these songs getting the production treatment and being hits for big singing stars. This album feels like it’s a collection of demos that are being shopped out for other people to do. The bare-bones production highlights his skill as a songwriter, stripping the tunes down to bare essentials. On the other hand you fell like so many people could actually perform the song better.

I love this album, I’ve listened to it sooo many times. Top-to-bottom, play right through every track. It’s a classic as far as I’m concerned.

Seems a little dated by now. Aqualung is a total classic though, but over time maybe it feels a little plodding. I had to struggle to make it through the album. It gets an extra star just because it is a classic of an era.

Amazingly raw and raucous. Having seen Igggy and the Stooges a few times, I can only imagine the spectacle of their early shows. This album captures that, the only downside is the last track is just trashy trash.

Early hip-hop lite - kind of jokey and not overly serious. It was only okay but time doesn’t treat it well.

Critically acclaimed…although I not sure why. Their first foray into ‘concept’ album territory does not succeed overly for me. It doesn’t have the story arc of Quadrophenia or Tommy - or the songwriting quality, eventually giving up on the concept album idea with the failed Lifehouse project which became Who’s Next (which is totally brilliant). I like lots of Who stuff, but this just to me is not great.

I had never heard of them before, but I was hooked from the first few bars…somehow. Like a filthy and dark version of Sugar, slower, heavier. I actually listened to it three times in a row. Another one of those “how did I not know about this” albums. Albeit, admittedly this is not for everyone’s taste.

Not a huge fan, I’m sure others are.

This is before they kind of kind lost all their mojo….

I love Eno, more so the later ambient stuff but this gives a good look ahead to what is coming. He’s a sonic genius.

There’s a reason why this is the ultimate Prince album, it’s fantastic. A couple of minorly less strong tracks, but the big famous ones more than make up for it.

Old-school rap, although chockoblock with language not suitable for tender ears. It packs a mighty punch, unrelenting. But it is fantastic.

Willie’s a gem. I never really listened to him, I mean we’ve all heard him now and then, but I’ve never listened to an album. I was expecting a little more hard-core Hank Williams old-school country with all the weeping pedal-steel guitar. Surprisingly sparse really, just Willie and Trigger banging out the tunes for the most part. He has has a friendly, relaxing voice.

Uggh, I’ve had more pleasant-sounding farts.

Great album, lay back and let it go. It has a twinge of the era it was made in, but as much as many others. It’s a classic album for a reason.

This album shows The Smiths can be as boring and predictable as anyone.

Pretty surprised, I was expecting something…less. It’s decent enough that I’ll give it another few listens for sure.

Old-school blues done right. My brother introduced me to this album, as it turns out not that many years after it was released. It’s the real deal.

Not enjoyable at all. Seems like a pretty low effort endeavour to be honest.

I was pleasantly surprised, not expecting something so floaty and ethereal. Definitely add to my background and chill playlist.

I know I’ll be in minority opinion here, but I’ve never gotten them. At all. I just kind don’t like this one bit. I’ll give an extra star because I know it’s supposed to be good, but I shall never ever circle back on this.

Sort of most of what you probably hate about 80s music. He voice is good but the high gloss and void of personality production makes this all sound the same.

Just not very enjoyable. If your going to listen to something like this just go for Rammatein and be done with it.

If I could transport myself back in time, what a joy that would be just to be there, that night. Just an incredible live performance, brilliant and effortless.

I can’t listen to this and not think of poor Syd and what could have been. He never would have achieved the soaring chops of Gilmour so Pink Floyd would have been quite a different beast. But where would that experimental mind have gone? It doesn’t hold up as well as many touchstone recordings of that era, but it definitely shows the promise of what could have been.

Sort straddles the end of the psychedelic era and the coming of more country rock. It’s sort of the worst of both really. I found it to be pretty bland…

It’s interesting enough for another pass through, but I get the feeling it won’t stand up to repeated listening because it’s just all very much the same.

Tom Morello is a modern-day riff-master. I love his stuff. However, I am way way less enthralled with Zach de la Rocha’s shouty singing/rap. It just makes for way too much of an aggressive sound for my liking. Whereas when Morello was paired by Chris Cornell, it was just as heavy but without the yelling. I know it’s critically acclaimed and all that, but for me, it just ain’t it.

On of the earliest albums I remember as a kid is Pearl. But obviously I’m familiar with much of this album as several of the tunes have become ubiquitous late 60s anthems. The rest of the album is okay enough, I’m not a giant Joplin voice fan. But still, it’s a solid timepiece.

Meh, not my favourite. Just doesn’t jive with me at all. Puts me on edge.

I feel like I’m hearing the album from down around the hall, around a corner. It may have been something at it time, but the production does not wear well. It’s just a wash of conflicting sounds, which to me ultimately does a disservice to the songs.

Awesome album, back-to-front!

It’s just what you’d expect if you like this type of ambient-ish meandering music. If you don’t stay clear.

Total classic album, awesome to hear all those old-school Zep samples. Just fantastic.

C’mon, THE classic album of all time. With the exception of one song that shall not be named it is back-to-back perfect. Side 2 is the stuff of legend.

Like a velvet painting of dogs playing poker, this does not age well. At all.

What’s there not to love in all their grungy glory.

Meh, - I know he’s a big indy darling and all that but this was totally background to me. It’s okay enough to have pop up in a mix but I wouldn’t be seeking it out on its own. Somebody I used to know is all over all indy Spotify mixes, so I’ve heard that already a zillion times more than I want.

Kind of a classic if you can make your way through it.

As a prof-rock youth I grew up on this album. It doesn’t get much better. The Steven Wilson remixes are worth a checkout also for sure.

Only the one tune is on Spotify for some reason. Love Funkadelic though…

Another one I sort of grew up with. There’s a fine line between quirky and just grating. I give this a bit of a benefit of a doubt and give it an extra star for the inventiveness…but not an album I’m going to put on and kick back to listen to.

Umm, not my cuppa tea really. I mean maybe if I took up arc-welding or something.

C’mon, it’s a classic. Ya all AC/DC sounds the same. That’s the glory of it isn’t it?

Meh, rest of the album doesn’t live up the the lead-off tune.

Wow, this sucks.

Grating and awful. Should have been called ‘Music To Put You In A Bad Mood’.

Ha ha country and western, that’s funny Ray. You can certainly hear where some 60’s singers borrowed from him - looking at you Joe Cocker. This is great stuff by a legend.