520
Albums Rated
3.58
Average Rating
48%
Complete
569 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Rock-and-roll
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
59
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
Kala
M.I.A.
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
|
5 | 2.93 | +2.07 |
|
Black Monk Time
The Monks
|
5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
|
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Devil Without A Cause
Kid Rock
|
4 | 2.06 | +1.94 |
|
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
Permission to Land
The Darkness
|
5 | 3.15 | +1.85 |
|
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
|
1 | 2.89 | -1.89 |
|
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
|
2 | 3.36 | -1.36 |
|
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
|
3 | 4.3 | -1.3 |
|
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
|
2 | 3.23 | -1.23 |
|
Rocks
Aerosmith
|
2 | 3.12 | -1.12 |
|
Youth And Young Manhood
Kings of Leon
|
2 | 3.1 | -1.1 |
|
Make Yourself
Incubus
|
2 | 3.07 | -1.07 |
|
Microshift
Hookworms
|
2 | 3.03 | -1.03 |
|
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
|
2 | 3.01 | -1.01 |
|
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
|
3 | 4 | -1 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 5 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Who | 3 | 4.67 |
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beatles | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4.25 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.33 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.33 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (59)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Monks
5/5
Hoooooly shit. Literally? These boiz are living on another plane than the rest of us. Tonsured heads gimmick, 6 string banjo, every instrument a rhythm instrument, ludicrous horny antiwar lyrics from a bunch of post discharge germany stationed army men all years before any of this would ever happen again. Showmanship and innovation. If you can't see this is a 5 you may as well give up.
6 likes
Fela Kuti
5/5
Love Fela. Tony Allen is a contender for greatest drummer across time and genre. This all follows the Fela formula - extended groove, improved electric piano and brass, lyrics ranging from jokes to sociopolitical stuff, but you gotta wait for them. Its a hell of a formula, and the layers his African James Brown backing provide more than justifies the repetition. Not sure how valuable ol Gingers contribution was - but kudos for coming to learn off Tony Allen, and for promoting these guys!
1 likes
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Man the names of the band and the album are so damned cool that I really wanted to like this more. It is competently produced beats with interesting sounds admixed. And I'm sure it's fine for dancing. But listening? I dunno man I don't think I could recognize any of these songs as distinct entities, and wouldn't notice if the album was played back in completely different order. Except for the one with weird vocal "bips."
1 likes
Common
3/5
ha all the intellectualish rap from a certain point had to have those jazzy beats I guess. Anyway its pretty good production, feels timeless, and the lyrics are coherent and good.
1 likes
4-Star Albums (203)
1-Star Albums (1)
All Ratings
The Prodigy
3/5
Lots of amen beat adjacent british electric music. Sorta industrial. Sirta samey. Tight A-rab singin indian chanting sometimes. Best 1,2, 10
The Doors
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Tight. Good 1st track
Pixies
4/5
All like 3 minunte classics w/frank blackisms and guitar over driving bass with slightly off kilter beats
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
i yam what i yam
Jurassic 5
3/5
The kool keith freestyle was funnest (ddt) the rest slightly too intelligent too socially conscious to be too fun. Solid classic beats, sampled?
Cat Stevens
3/5
Not as many familiar as i would have thoight. Hard headed woman tight
Steely Dan
3/5
clean. Jazz rock. pretty enjoyable
Kraftwerk
3/5
Fun. Weird. Probably pretty simplistic. We are the robots is catchy and the next one is almost baroque or renaissancy in melody.
Stereolab
3/5
Interesting. Francoanglaies. Cool songs harmonies keyboards builds kinda electronic, but still rock/indie. Bears further investigation
Beck
3/5
Mostly low key odelay with some gentle mellow gold ie slide geetar. Less interesting rapping and droney singing. Fine but nit as memorable as first two. Becks liked
Solomon Burke
4/5
Solid soul. Sang from a red and gold throne later when wheelchair bound led a church / cult similarly. 4 wives
The Cars
4/5
tight, literally. Restrained. Moving in Stereo has that famous synth riff.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
exactly what it needs to be. Tight, spare. Proud mary. Good golly miss molly, pretty themed. the unkowns are tight. Keep on chooglin still silly
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Baroque pop good lurrcs not my favorite of his tho
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Cool stuff. Title track had to be spliced from takes cuz so complicated apparently the bass player resorted to miming his parts on one occasion
R.E.M.
4/5
Very acoustic not so jangly drive tight
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Known quantity. Interesting jazz
The Pharcyde
4/5
Funner than jurassic 5 misogynist
Jane Weaver
3/5
Ok. Not groundbreaking lady art pop. Slow motion, the architect, i wish stand out on first listen
Metallica
4/5
Masterful crossover metal. Tight. A little samey
Various Artists
4/5
Tight af. Darlene love is best. Hilarious spoken word from phil at end
Iggy Pop
3/5
Ok . Apparently bowie did most of it. Not enough lust for lifet
Hawkwind
2/5
Stoner space rock. Samey and looong. Points for the chutzpah i guess
Solange
3/5
Tight, mellow but angry solid sorta minimilat priduction. Prefer to yonce
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Questionable attributions at time nonetheless did own thing and it was new and spectacular. Good time bad times all time banger
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Its fine. Baroque pop inspired but doesnt sound too different to any other pop eock. Interesting back story
Mylo
1/5
So boringk. Presumably danceable but only cause so simple. Would make me embarrassed to be British.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Did not realize they were not one hit wondwrs. Solid white soul
MGMT
3/5
Is what it is. Couple bangers
Frank Zappa
2/5
Its ok. Not quite the fusion jazz genius composer he is sometimes touted as. Not so tight composition and meandering feeling solos even if composed
Radiohead
3/5
Clicky with thom whines. That may be too harsh some tinteresting parts
Traffic
3/5
Competent blues rock
The Beta Band
2/5
Background music. Borink
Public Enemy
4/5
The good protest stuff. Flava flav keeps from gettong to serious. Terminator x occasionally makes it dound like kettles boiling
David Bowie
3/5
Reasonable bowie. Quicksand all time banger
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Classiqe. 4.5 would be a more accurate but can’t argue w/songs nor innovative
Mercury Rev
3/5
Yung art rock
Björk
4/5
Cool af some bangers. Tight when piano comes in, but the voice stuff is fun
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Tight fuzzt rock. Not many solos? Raisan tight. Cure cover tight. Poledo long and annoying
Queen
4/5
Fun - only knew killler queen. Lots of old school rock and roll with parsi twist
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Tight. Inner city holler!
Buzzcocks
3/5
Tight, catchy but not as much as maybe later stuff
The Cramps
3/5
Psychobilly! Wanted to like more than i did. Rockabilly influence pervasive enough in all punk to make it hard to differentiate. Still cool names and some songs get it done
Soul II Soul
3/5
The back to life we know and love is an acapella without that line. Fine for what it is
Johnny Cash
4/5
Man in black. Probably had to be there for san quentin reprise
John Lennon
3/5
Slight lennon but still lennon
Adele
4/5
Some bangers on this. Would that she could return to this eras energy
Aerosmith
3/5
Sleazy, fun. Ignorant in the best way. Care taken in musicianship, and double entendres
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Some all time bangers. Cool instrumentation, bomb ast percussion on cecilia specifically. Basic? Perhaps but still so consistently good. Bolivia represents
Snoop Dogg
4/5
G funkt. Nate dogg and warren g. He dont love girls. Exactly right line of ignorant/clever to make rap classic
Prince
5/5
So tight. Housequake. Slept on. The croost
Public Enemy
4/5
Anthraxt. So solid as to become cliche. Lostsa horns from terminator x
Suicide
2/5
Weird. Innovative, but weird and a lil abrasive
Tori Amos
4/5
Indie girl singularity- less indufferable than much of what followd
OutKast
4/5
Tight. Big boi goes hard of course- i like church, war. Dre gets jazzy and silly she’s alive ( i think) has mf brushes! Draculas wedding tight day in the life tight. Liked roses better than i remembert
Blur
4/5
Would that they could go back to rocking this hard. M.o.r. Sounds an awful lot like a green day cut
Suede
3/5
Mid tier brit pop. Reminds me of pulp and stone roses just not as good. Still catch well crafted competently played
The Electric Prunes
4/5
Garage psychedelia at its near apex. Bit much for a whole album
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Expansive. Now maybe i csn pick gershwin out if songbook line ups. Gets a little samish and midtempo jailed. The lyricist brother was a rhyminal criminal ! So many puns and wild ast rhymes. Squawky gal from Milwaukee my fave. Succumba to the rhumba. S’exceptional ! Cheeky ast mfs
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Interesting journey of the folkies. These cats lived ludicrous lives. Cool harmonies and tight wrecking crew? Backing. I think its big hal blaine on drums. CA dreaming strong non-tull case for flute rock
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Pretty tight. Best part is the transition to the ID i ever get out of here but lots of the songs follow the live and let die model of jarring transitions between disparate ass parts. Even the slight stuff gets a holt of you like bluebird. Reminds you its still a mf beatle making this. Tight sax solos on a couple. Dum macine on picasso? 1985 a banger. Recorded in Lagos in part at least some interesting stories there
The Who
5/5
So good 1 2 blues punch on first side my generation with medley 2nd side substitute all era banger. Doesn’t even need future baba, fooled or 515 or o’er me to be so great. Once heard who live was a bit scary - this reinforces that idea. Notes: ive never got the magic bus thing. Still 5 stars easy
The Cult
3/5
competent, dare say workmanlike rock. Young boy sounds like a low rent danzig though. One of the songs, I think love removal machine has got the start me up, ie worst stones song riff. Still they are masters of the stop/start either exiting or entering noise with the boom/crack 16ths. And low rent danzig is still on the danzig spectrum.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Had it all kept the energy of the opener, weird ass not quite fugue, round, march (I don't actually remember music terms) would have been a 5 easy. After catchy chamber pop that earns the name, not like the shadow puppets earlier, with some pseudo thom yorke caterwauling from our foppish boy.
Otis Redding
4/5
Known quantity. Originals better than covers. Stax house band tight. Prefer live at Monterey- captures a bit more something
Meat Loaf
3/5
Fun enough. It’s got that broadway rock thing where the songcraft is immaculate but its a showtune despite all the rock and roll trappings.
Oasis
4/5
More filler than i recalled. Rock and roll star sucks. Two showpieces live forever and supersonic ironically derive a lot of atmosphere from simple opening beats from a drummer i believe they fired for incompetence. Supersonic constantly hooks, bitch ast Nordic ‘hitmakers’ of today could learn. Hard to tell what is glorious ignorance and what is being British but lyrics are the best kind of ridiculous. As is pronunciations on cigarettes and alcohol
Leftfield
2/5
The trouble with house is its boring as just a listen. Reggae affectations dont reslly help. Probably tight if on molly at uk rave but thsts a low bar. The african language one was ok
Pulp
4/5
This is a good one. Kinda like that first arcade fire for middle age. Follows the formula of "common people" - deeply sung/half spoken verse with simple bass and drums, soaring chorus. Malaise and shit. A week or two after listening again, have kinda been unable to remember specifics of songs. First half stronger. Have to be in the mood a little, unlike the common people album which puts you in the mood for itself.
Adele
3/5
Obviously still a great singer, but barring one or two songs this album could have been one long midtempo ballad with soaring vocals. Nothing new and nothing with the raison de etre of eg rolling in the deep
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Makes a lot out of a little. Memphis shit.
Metallica
4/5
Surprisingly formulsic. Half time-feeling 4/4, hetfield chugging, pentatonic wah or up and down s minor scale lead. Lyrics are all ominous fragments with implied subject. Eg twisting up your dreams, waits for foggy death, dying time! Kinda corny. However formula was probably bracing when first heard. Sanitarium has sick hook foreshadowing songwriting advances. Leper messiahs good , orion instrmental too. Theres a yardbirds like psychedelic riff on one of the back half songs. Sometimes the spoken word s are corny as shit, but the whispered damage inc is tight
The Slits
4/5
Unexpectedly cool and polished. Clever lyrics. Not amazing singing but good personality. Was expecting much more abrasive. Favorite drum genre : white English attempting reggae see: watching the detectives. Standout grapevine. Solid bass too.
SAULT
3/5
Unremarkable. Not a lot of rapping. The black is beautiful stuff veers a little corny in this presentation vs 70s stuff or solange. Like the singing, kids choirs etc.
Radiohead
3/5
Just cause Radiohead makes more interesting clicks and instrumental/vocal whines than you or I might doesn’t mean it was an entirely worthwhile effort. Just listen to big karlheinz stockhausen. At its best with driving bass and occasional hooks. Idioteque is pretty tight though. These boys need to get back to blaming it on a black star where they belong
Michael Jackson
5/5
Songcraft and singcraft at an apex. Love call abd response, especially contradictory eg ‘don’t think twice!’ Mf Paul McCartney,(these boys dueling!) Vincent price, evh. On cursory relisten only the lady song remotely skippable.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Solid leads from stills. Interesting stuff always surprising how experimental folks were in the 60s re song structure relative to your kids today with their math rock/black midis. Far and away best songs to Mr Young, ol’ Neil. Learning to fly is like his ur track. Not sure I’ve ever heard it but could fill in Melodie’s on muscle memory. Broken arrow a masterpiece of wistful weirdness
The Offspring
4/5
Hard to separate from middle school nostalgia. These guys take a lot of shit, and rightly so. The social commentary and mental health introspection are on the nose and cheesy. However. Very catchy vocal and instrumental hooks, and a lot of energy. Dexter's voice is right, and the oohs and Oh's and ohwaye-o-os are pretty fucking cool. And really to compare to a 90s album that I would have thought deeper at the time - "I'm not a trendy asshole" is essentially same lyric as "fret for your lattes," "wearing vans 501s" from Tools Aenima, and equally catchy. Though granted much simpler and 4/4er. The closest thing to a novelty song, Bad Habit (I would guess everyone in my middle school could still belt out the breakdown from memory) in looking at LA driving culture presaged our current driving state of the union: Assume you are sharing the road with a bunch of fats who are packing heat, and are paranoid, angry, and eager to shoot.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
I like this. The production is very solid, adding industrial and live instrumentation in ways that do not really sound dated. Rono Tse's contribution sounds interesting : Angle Grinder, Tire Rims, Chains, Break Drums, Electronic Springs, Sheet Metal & Steel Drums. The lyrics are something. See David Bennuns takedown in the Quietus - he makes some fair points vis a vis on the nose, listing, and telling not showing, and sometimes there is hilariously dry narration. However there's some good word shit going on here. ie: bail out the banks, loan art to the churches - satanic reverses; methadone metronome etc. And longstanding theory of myself and my brother - all genres, but particularly hip hop are at their best when no one's to smart or clever for their own good. And theres some of that glorious ignorance here. Plus this Bennun guy has (d)evolved to some unsubtle takes on say - Israel/Palestine. Its like watching the soul drain out of Roger Ebert on his revisit of the graduate "actually "plastics" was great advice." Whereas I find it like revisiting RATM, which in my fat young republican days I would have thought went pretty hard, but was hopelessly naive. Now along with the disposable heroes, it is evident more and more on many things that they were just right.
The Zombies
5/5
Sometimes I worry that I'm too stingy or too loose with the 5'ers. Then there's something like this, which, like pornography, you know when you see it. Absolutely spectacular - breathy bluntstone, electric piano argent, a bit less of their guitar/drummer, who are very effective when they come in, and wild soaring, contrapuntal vocals soaring in and out. Cool ass complex arrangements and song structures. Rose for emily is basically a more complicated eleanor rigby. Changes is a typhoon of a sad take on Creams I feel free. Time of the season of course and epoch defining banger. THis will be our year transcending simple blues base. Words are good too - ie world war one core - butchers tale, setting up a good template for Tom Verlaines later lyrical explorations from the front with the absolutely brutal:
And I have seen a friend of mine,
Hang on a wire like some rag toy
And in the heat the flies come down
And cover up the boy
Yeesh. This one brings out the boomer in me- who is creating music this out there now, with such good song structure underlying? Who is following up on these innovations. You kids and your Gizzard Lizards could never...
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Very good. I started out thinking he reminded me a lot of Julian Lage and just then he started the Lage-ian move of grunting along semimusically. Can be distracting from both of them, but the performance is so good can't blame them. Like Lage this is jazz I can wrap my head around, feel frisson with etc. Not sure what it is - structural elements- simplicity? Surely Miles Davis and some others have the thematic build to great moments and tension and release that I hear here but I'm just too dumb to recognize it?
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Its not bad. Title track is good. Maybe a little drum machiney? and some indian type droning stuff for innovation to americana. Apparently she wrote most of it. Guy clark helped with one! Surprise dave matthews! Jai f'ait tu is pretty good.
Miles Davis
3/5
Tried so hard for this not to be background music to me. Mostly unsuccesfully. The bowed bass and guitar parts are cool. The rest of it is obviously very good, and of course with a quiet hinting title probably not trying to go too hard. Still after the Koln concerts I had been hoping to find the same pleasure in music I could get from that among the other jazz greats, and just couldn't on this one. Surely a me problem.
Elvis Presley
4/5
4 for innovation - though yung boi mostly just sung ray charles and lil richard worse, with affectations he probably borrowed somewhere else. Still blueprint for rock and roll can be found here and scotty moore and chet atkins (! news to me!) laid down some hot fucking guitar. Cool cover too.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Pretty good. Who's that lady a classic. Love the call and response. Ernie apparently was watching Hendrix a lot when he played with the boyz in the early 60s and it shows some hot psychedelic (not over/misusing this as so often seen) guitar leads here.
The Cure
3/5
OK. More weird short but still plodding and simple isntrumentals than I would have expected. Cool use of drum machines, otherwise, sounds like the Cure - just not songs I know nor that have stuck with me.
Thundercat
3/5
Well it's smooth, and the bass playing is immaculate. Some fun nerdcentric lyrics. But, overall, I'd classify it as low effort soul/rb. Not a lot of dynamic change, nor the tortured luv singing that algreen or Mr. Gaye, or David Ruffin would bring. Just kinda amelodic high pitched lines that seem like they could interchange songs without much trouble. Modern (in my adult life) R and B feels like it hasn't been exciting since the heyday of he who shall not be named. I would love to be proven wrong.
Method Man
4/5
Wutangish production from the RZA still sounds good as hell. I must finally get around to giving their catalog its due listenting. Retro and fresh all at once. Pretty good rapping for my tastes and finds that balance of stupid and smart that makes for all the best rap albums. Example ignorant/clever lyrics:
Alaikum as-salaam, drops bombs like Qur'an
The ism helps to stimulate my pugilism
I bust rhymes like jism
Impregnate the rhythm with the wisdom
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
This one's cool. Like a proto Rick Rubin american Johnny cash rehabilitation before that was a thing. Her voice is rough, and suits the material perfectly. Excellent snarl and bitterness when needed, or world weary sadness on the ballad of... one. New wavish and punk influenced and likely influencing. I remember her and that distinctive voice from metallica in the late 90s? I thought I remembered her from REM around the same time, but turns out that was Patti Smith on E-bow the letter.
Bitching cover too.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Is exactly what it is. Every now and then you can hear the disco funk that Dave Grohl was so inspired by. I like the other stuff better than the famous family one.
Beatles
5/5
There's a great Jack White interview where he claims to not trust anyone who likes the Beatles. Fair point (he also makes it about zeppelin, which is a little more questionable) - I see revisionists/poseurs all the time claim the Beatles are overrated, or they just don't get them but charitably at best they are doing it for attention, or at worst are missing some fundaments in their ability to appreciate music, cause these boys in their prime are something else. Always compare any post 60s album described as innovative/diverse to this or the white album and it will likely come up short or be a retread of something these boys already did. Prefigured short attention spans of the tik tok era with the 1 minute songs stitched together. Everypones firing on all cylinders. Bitching ringo drum lines. I even like silver hammer and octupuses garden.
Lorde
3/5
Better than i expected. Still a teenager singing about teen shit, but i prefer olivia rodrigos take. Sometimes clever and catchy though. I guess on the list cause of antonoffs production taking over the world, impression i had without looking into it was sophomore slump. Antonoff was better when he was fun. Aim and ignite era. Puns son!
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Well sung, cool drums and world percussion, but this gets a five cause of the allman leads. And the part in layla where they’re like: ‘hoo hoo hoo!’ They dont overdo it but when the lead guitars duel/ intertwine its pretty fucking amazing
Grateful Dead
3/5
A me problem that comes up in jazz as well as jam bands: i cant follow the plot, climaxes tension of the solos. It just sounds like noodling. Especially noticeable on dark star. The rest actually has some tight arrangements and transitions evident in st steven to elevens. Not a me problem : the singing is not great. And i love limited voices in rock eg mick bob tom verlaine. Its tight when he yells in death mercy though. They slways pick tight songs but Reverend Gary Davis and the other originals generally do it better. Feedback hilariously just that, no cobain esque explosion at end. Farewell hymn is a nice touch
Bob Dylan
5/5
Must have been thrilling to discover Dylan in real time with this one. First album's fine and all but this one lays the groundwork for the soon to ensue verbal torrents (hard rain) absurdism/pop culture/great (wo)men/historical references (pretty much every song), sappy vs biting love stuff ( girl north country, don't think twice, corrina) , just biting stuff, contrarian and anticontrarian all at once (masters of war, oxford town). Guitar playing is masterful - simple but endless variation on themes, creative chording, rhythms etc. Singing is next level good, less potentially grating than some stuff in immediate future. Minimal harmonica.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Some titanic rock and roll here. Trademark Young weirdness, and lots of native american (or for him first nations - but regardless, what about them?) themes. Powderfinger is at a literature level of narrative, with that protogrunge crazy horse backings and solos where neil elevates shit, rather than the bashing that he can sometimes devolve into. Would have been very interesting had skynyrd gotten this one. hey hey my my and vice versa. perhaps the most elegant and fitting bookends of any album. Hard to find a job!
Sex Pistols
5/5
I try not to think in terms of genre too much, but I have this opinion about punk: "Bodies" could have been the only punk song ever, and the genre would be just as good and important. What a blast; makes everyone uncomfortable - false end into fuck it all to fucker, fucking brat! I feel similarly about no shelter by RATM ( ie it could have been their only song and accomplished everything they went for). Regardless the rest of the album has some hooks, and lines, and sneering attitude and importance and all that shit, but 5 * for bodies.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Pretty tight. Zevon later played with these guys and I seem to recall they were jerks from his bio? Maybe not. I knew their harmonies were a big influence on the beatles, but this makes it evident they influenced them a lot more than that in terms of song choice and song structure. Harmonies are great though. Love Hurts!
Funkadelic
4/5
Half of the songs are "funk" double entendres, the other half are about playing funk music, and the 10% of the 110% is the supercalifragelisticexpitalipsycidelicbootyliscious word play weirdo george p ramblings. Pretty fucking tight. Amazing guitar by kid funkadelic. Fun beats, fun call and response, silly ass but fun lyrics
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Actually fun, which is not always the case for these british electronic mfs - unlike say Mylo, or the Beta Band, young boy's got hooks, and energy - like the Prodigy. Some nostalgia - I seem to remember the Rockafeller skank from a soccer video game in HS? Only downside is praise you is annoying, but catchy, and sticks.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Like Cazales run of movies in a similar time frame, or Eddie Murphies comedy in the early 80s - it doesn't make sense that that much talent and energy can congregate in one person. Not only is every aspect immaculate but he made a whole ass double album after making multiple world-changing albums just before. Sir Duke is pure Joy. Saturn is hilarious. So much funk, but so much musical movement. Easter eggs: Coolio, wild wild west, probably some more I just didn't quite catch. If this doesn't do it for you, there is no hope.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Certainly a historic document, I'm not a hip hop head and I recognize a lot of the samples. The drumming is top notch. A little one note.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Solid beats and rhymes from a guy I'd never heard of. Associated with gangstarr. This one won my heart with the prophet track in which he battles his nemesis "Mr. Ignorance." Finds that perfect balance of dumb and clever.
Deep Purple
3/5
Riff rock. Competent. Boarders on butt rock occasionally, but hey, they were creating this sound, not derivative. I always hear ritchie blackmore is more than just smoke on the water, but this album did not convince me. Does get better toward the middle/end. And the high pitched singing on Child in Time is pretty tight.
Dolly Parton
4/5
This one's awesome. Starts with the classic tearjerker, and was worried that it would get a little maudlin, but then it cracks in with traveling man, and a twist i did not see coming. Man, T. swift might have a little musical sophistication on her but geez these lyrics are so much better than the piffle she's putting out in the last decade- God to cuckolding to down home corn pone - it's all good!
U2
4/5
Before they head got up they ass. Height of their powers, pushing their limits. I always wonder if they even thought about Mike Scott and big music (Like did willie and waylon think about david allan coe?) or just made a prime example with the drums in the stairwell. Like all the best rock and roll : they have a little violence little peace little wistfulness, little sex, little Jesus.
Radiohead
4/5
Before they head got up they ass. It's innovative enough to create catchy songs with structure and climax and tension and shit, no need for the faux innovation that made their later years dreary. Always struck me as innovative music for people who don't listen to innovative music. There are some dirty good songs on this one, good hooks, and good lyrics. J. Greenwood still gets to pull weird solos and riffs off. If only they stuck with this line of thinking.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Ahhhh shit. Swampers and Aretha at the height of their powers. Love some Roger Hawkins drumming, some Spooner keys. Apparently Clapton and Cissy Houston too? Whoever did the high pitched note at the back of "Ain't no Way" earned it a five right there. Also the hollering on "Good to me."
Public Enemy
5/5
More of a unit and more a sense of dread? than their others. I was not really aware of the hot streak these boys had. Lotsa flava, and Terminator x goes easy on the horns. Ice Cube! Eddie Murphy! All their albums serve as a historic document to count the late era fat republican talking point (something along the lines of race relations were getting better until obama and wokeness and identity politics created BLM and CRT just to mess with the nation). Of course nothing new under the sun, but the fats don't have the processing power - maybe if they listen to enough Chuck D they'll catch the woke? 5 for fight the power and 911 is a joke. Muthafuck Elvis and John Wayne!
Prince
4/5
Good. 80s synth all over the place. I've heard the hypersexual stuff was a put on - gets to be a bit much. Undeniable genius and all but this one didn't excite me too much. 4 for the prince airlines and lady cab driver, and hippy call outs.
The Doors
5/5
There was a period in the earlier 2000s where it became fashionable to shit on the Doors. Fortunately the winds of change have shifted and all and goddamn the blues, flamenco, classical, jazz juxtaposition is just so good. On revisit even ones I didnt' care for in past, like backdoor man hit hard. Sure Morrison was a bit of a ridiculous cat, and pretentious, but he wrote some really really good lyrics. Song structure is immaculite. Krieger contributions are otherworldly good. Stumbling in the neon groves!
Soft Machine
2/5
Just kinda meanders. The moon june song has some lyrics, structure and ok soloing. Re: the opening track - it is interesing to see all these prog bands creating "innovative!" noise and 30 years before radiohead deconstructed rock and roll or whatever
TV On The Radio
3/5
Fine. I remember when the pitchfork crowd was loving on these guys, and didn't really get it then. Sadly still do not get it now. Its competent music. Dancing choose, stork n owl, dlz and lovers day are ok. Almost points off for non-musical silence (ok John cage) but maybe get it back for the french spoken word (ok Serge Gainsbourg)
The KLF
3/5
Fine. More energy and hooks than say - leftfield or similarly ignorant english electronics. Rapping is a bit dated. Singing dated too, but in the good sense. Interesting back story and art ambitions on these guys. Still pretentious ass move taking down the original for some remix. Ok George Lucas.
Nirvana
5/5
Impossible to separate this from being the formative album of my youth and musical taste. Really good. Mr. Cobain was a generational talent, and took the influences of the pixies, beatles, daniel johnson, et al and made something truly new and cohesive. Novoselic bass ranges from punk 8ths to genuinely slinky. Grohls drums are era-defining. I respect Mr. Vigs production: clean, but in the good sense- for all the imitators, nothing sounds like this - awash, underwater (matches cover) in chorus - wide range of songs, screams, wild solos yet all belong completely to the album. All songs are distinctly memorable - you could quote pretty much any lyric, or describe : acoustic four chords, acoustic two chords, starts off with the youngbloods, he goes yeah ay ee ee yeah!, starts off with slinky bass, monkey see monkey do - amonaway!, and anyone paying attention will remember. Cannot say that about many of the albums on this list. Sell the kids for food!
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Another formative one. Wild that Jimi had so much guitar in him, but also a pretty impressive songwriter, composer, studio wizard. Lyrics can tend toward ... i dunno cheesy is not the right word, but whatever it is it is the best sort of that. Guitar and drums (mitch mitchell criminally overlooked drummer) are amazing, and bass keeps up. Hell noel even wrote a song. Amazing song structures - its wild that "innovators" later through today still havent really developed on ideas he was coming up with just messing around. If you have never in your life gotten chills on the solo to axis it is cause you have no soul. Sing on brother, play on drummer
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Listened to this by good fortune on the way to mountain view arkansas where they just kind of hang out and play this stuff on the town square most evenings. Kind of a greatest hits of bluegrass and classic nashville country with a lot of the original artists. Interesting shop talk interspersed - i dunno if that was on the preremastered album. Anyway its fun to hear but I don't think anyone would consider these the definitive versions of the songs. Both sides now is a nice touch, and stands out just cause it was composed by big joni and not a country standard.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Serviceable rock. Heard a lot of sex on fire and its a decent track. I like the one with the bells.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Still not sure what acid jazz is - but feels like an apt descriptor among many I've seen for this. Good, but didn't stick for me this go round. Revolution 1993 sustains some pretty incredible energy throughout. Awesome drumming on this and throughout.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Pretty good. Unified albums, memorable music memorable lyrics. At times he leans into the whole goth thing a bit much (especially for his age!?) but say what you will about the tenets of goth, at least its an aesthetic. The brown apes pretty wild as is the title track of the second.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Good. I was aware of her and heard criminal back when it came out, but I was a teenager into louder stuff, and not all that interested. Genuine chamber pop (a term like psychedelic or polyrhythm that gets thrown around a lot here without necessarily applying). Cool variety of dance influenced to acoustic sort of stuff. Pretty mature songwriting and recordings especially given IIRC she wrote a lot of it in her teens. Apparently she just gets better, looking forward to it if any of thats on the list, if not will seek it out. Don't sleep to dream.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
The UK and american track lists are confusing. I listened to the hour long american remaster with bonus tracks this time, but I've probably heard all the versions at some point or another. So good. The man wrote amazing and diverse, catchy, innovative, songs - with some pretty decent lyrics. nerds will forever go on about how he didn't invent stuff like feedback. Irrelevant, he crystallized the experiments of the decade on the guitar into perfect pop songs. Some of these approach the mountain stream that axis conjures up with mitchells cascading drums and hendrix's watery guitar. Some just go really hard. Tritones! Have you ever been experienced? Well I have - let me prove it to you g - 4(6)--(6)-(6)-(6)4--2h4(6)-4p2-
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Amazing the divide between this and public enemy. I used to mix these guys up all the time, but the difference is stark - Run DMC is firmly in the old school. Sillier by a lot, but still with social concsiousness, other rap standards. The back and forth rapping feels almost clunky sometimes! Though sillier - it is a lot of fun! and give this a thought. The next time someone’s teaching why don’t you get taught?
Peter Frampton
3/5
Decent songs, pretty good melody's, rocks pretty hard toward the end. Good soloing. Overlong than a mug, and nothing to explain its remarkable and noncharacteristic popularity for young PF. Hair? Talkbox?
The Stooges
5/5
Goes harder than anything before, and arguable after - sure others are faster or more distorted, but this has a hardness that is more difficult to quantify. Listened to the Iggy mix - unclear what the difference is from Bowie and from the original. Still remember getting introduced to Search and Destroy (what an opener) through The Life Aquatic. Love the dingy piano in Raw Power. No one's learned how to do what they did - despite 50 years to do so.
Talking Heads
5/5
First existential crisis on the list. Four or five? The back half does kinda fade out, but the songs on the first half are something else. Amazing that they managed to blueprint this with big Fela Kuti, and come up with this, which really only gives away the african influence to my ears on the great curve. Great call and response. There might actually be real polyrhythms on this (usually just music journalist's take on more than one percussionist), though I don't have enough of an ear to tell. Belew solos! Not my beautiful wife! The world moves on a womans hips/The world moves and it swivels and bops!
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Exuberant, and I would argue this and James Brown get funkier than say funkadelic, just by virtue of the tightness. Some folks still aren't listening to everyday people and it shows. Sex machine mebbe a little long.
Massive Attack
4/5
This is tight. Hits harder than more ignorant UK electronics such as the beta band. Or maybe I just prefer trip hop to house. But, real songs, with real beats. Nice weird light my fire cover. I drink on a daily basis though it seldom cools my temper. It never cools my temper.
The Kinks
4/5
I assume a slice of english life. Not overproduced by any means. A little oompah - ish. I suppose that is the "music hall" influence, whatever the hell that is. Still death of a clown, fantastic, and situation vacant, love me til the sun shines go hard like some of that protometal kinks of yore. This is the one with waterloo sunset, a should be universally acknowledged banger.
The Who
4/5
Lots of townsend singing. Lots of the rolling-hill-sounding who : orchestral guitar chords - driving bass, and those eternally rolling toms. Anyone who gets on Keith Moon cause he didn't really do beats just doesn't get it. Some songs a little twee or uncomfortable, but hey, points for the chutzpah. I see the millions.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Memphis shit. And NY shit I guess. Greasy ass drums show how funky one can make a soft slow beat. Restrained singing. More poppier than I would have expected. First few tracks go the hardest.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Pretty tight, nice melodies, not too annoying singing. Less abrasive than their early stuff. Some all time classics of course. One was Cat Steven's though. Prancin!
The Flying Burrito Brothers
5/5
Is it a five for gram parsons tortured songs/singing? The harmonies? "Sneeky" Pete's nickname and pedal steel? the barbituate/cannabis nudie suit? The sawtooth organ that swells at just the right moment? Possibly the definitive "dark end" take (memphis shit!)? Wheels? You'll never know. Not afraid to ride or die, but 31st floor notwithstanding, your gold plated door won't keep out the Lords burning rain!
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Young boys took the girl group structure/beats (particularly young hal blaine's be my baby) put some fuzzed out yet quiet guitars over it, in the 80s fashion, reminds me of psychedelic furs/big country etc ( I have no idea the timeline of these acts) and created something that sounds like nothing else, and sounds pretty damn cool. Not a 5 cause that's pretty much all they did.
4/5
More 4/4 rock than "something else by the kinks." I did not realize how many albums and good ones they had. All told more of a unit than Tommy, something to be said for economical storytelling. Great hook on victoria, good licks from dave.
Pixies
3/5
Kinda a lesser pixies. Like the full sound and the instrumentals and the weird track lengths, but criminal underuse of kim deal. And the songs just aren't as interesting as we know young boy is capable of. Velouria I'd heard before, and it's the best.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5/5
One of my late discoveries, wonder if it would have impacted me the same had I discovered it from this list. Gets a five for the gloriously horny, weird, chaotic nomadic revery breakdown. But all these songs while hipster folk of their time manage to transcend into american standards. His voice is thin and fragile, but somehow powerful and perfect. I've tried his other stuff, but nothings matched. My only quibble is death to everyone which on my naive read is just recycling my least favorite philosophical trope: that the fact that life ends is what gives it meaning. Fuck that noise, I've got plenty of meaning in life without it ending, and I've got a lot more than 1001 albums to listen to literally and metaphorically. All the city's on me. Nip nap, it's all a trap!
System Of A Down
4/5
Cool ass debut. Almost 5 starts just for the "america awake" breakdown of spiders on Conan. Worth looking up if you haven't seen it. Serj can really sing, and the metal vocals are tastefully used with moderation, which entire genres could learn from. Tight as drums. The kombucha mushroom people, sitting around all day!
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Fun. Weird. I like the early bjorkisms, and the B-52 esque male counterpoint. Deus is a highlight, and the icelandic ones. Deus deus!
The Black Crowes
4/5
Derivative and all, but like keith richards who they borrow from liberally its about the competence and the feel. Solo's aren't quite to ol keefs level, but the rhythm is slinky open chord shit, and is very tight. And they just have good songs, and even give a rendering of one that otis owned without making it feel inessential. White soul singing is competent. Pretty much all the songs I recognized (missing remedy, a tight one) are on this album as well making it a powerhouse. Hey little thing let me light your candle.
Nick Drake
4/5
I've really only heard pink moon the song. I like it, but the album has been influential enough that the first half almost felt trite now and a little samey with the droning open chords and mid range kinda adynamic singing. Starting with parasite it picks up and I really like the penultimate 3.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Very of it's time. Clapton gets a lot of hilarious hate for being a goober, and for the clear overpraise of his guitar playing. That's all reasonable, but the boy still did Cream (with some heavy hitting help!), and the geetar here is energetic and shows a true love for the source material. The doughy englishman take on some of these songs veers between embarrassing, hilarious, innappropriate, and somehow pretty cool. I.e sometimes they're singing songs about MS penitentaries, or trying straightforward delta blues or ray charles covers they have no business with, but then they put the day tripper riff in or come up with something new cause of these very limitations, and its kinda nice .
Randy Newman
4/5
His voice is something. Usually a cool choice, sometimes just weird. A little heavy on the boogie woogie adjacent backing, but diverse lyrics, from horny, to smartass political to smart ass antireligous, to ironically? religious lyrics. Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo!
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Hipster folk. It's fine.
OutKast
5/5
They were so unbelievably good. Cool guests (killer mike! - this album would be a 10 out of five if they included his other feature on their greatest work: the whole world), rip gangsta boo (memphis shit), ceelo ( I imagine this is the closest we'll get to a goodie mob appearance on this list, but what do y'all even know about the dirty south anyway?). Anyway even the sketches are somewhat interesting and don't overstay their welcome. Great production. Great rapping. Good advice, like being careful about taking your hoe to the cheesecake factory. It's a good album, but gets a 5 just for BOB. And of course not the advice we want, but that we all need: don't pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang. Bob your head!
Dire Straits
4/5
Tight ass tone, never to be recreated from the half down wah at george martins Caribbean studio. Brought in a ringer for the drums. Walk of life, title track, and of course money for nothing all bonafide classics, even if the organ is annoying on walk. Solid guitar work as always from big M. K. That's the way you do it
Queen
4/5
I'm pretty sure I've never heard any of these songs. Remarkable that this album hides out as it does. Also hilarious - very dark fantasy centric, to a nerd-asst level seldom seen pre D and D, which I think it was. Anyway all the queen ingredients and bombast are present, Brian May's guitar, immaculate songcraft, sweeping harmonies, stadium drums etc etc.
Kraftwerk
3/5
More squiggly arpeggio reliant than the man machine, which I liked better. Simultaneously pretentious and silly yet pretty fun lyrics, pseudophilosophical man in the mirror stuff. We are the showroom dummies! Never saw it that way, but now that you mention it, mein german friend...
Brian Eno
4/5
This is pretty cool. Nice and weird music, nice and weird lyrics - I've tried to get into roxy music before, but this hit better than they ever did. Not gonna be a regular play, but I'm glad I heard it.
Little Richard
5/5
Wife noted that Adele took some notes on the more ballady numbers, and I'm afraid this can't be unheard. Man between him and chuck berry, I dunno - who is the true king and father of rock and roll? The philosophers can hash that one out. Wish recording technology at that point had caught up to whatever far distant future he was pulling this in from. 5 for long tall sally and the many 'whoo's that so captured Paul McCartney, and you know, the importance. Claimed he had the misery but he's having lots of fun. Better duck back down the alley
Deep Purple
4/5
Ok, Lots better than In Rock. More swagger, more swing. I heard a lot more fancy guitar work from young mssr Blackmore. Lots of tremolo, maybe some tapping? Masters of riff rock.
The Darkness
5/5
In a college drawing 101 class we would play CDs while we drew. Usually the teacher's, sometimes student contributions. 'I believe in a thing called love' played on a student mix-CD, and after it ended a taciturn latino kid who always wore a dodgers cap, and who was rumored to be in a cult-like church walked across the whole large ass studio, not saying a word as we all watched, also silent, and hit repeat on the boombox. We all (fairly diverse crowd of yung'ns, first generation hippie teacher, architecture and other serious students who had to be there, arty weird kids, and misfits like me taking it for fun) immediately knew and acknowledged that this was the only correct course in that moment. What a song. These boys (like the oft-maligned kid rock in his salad days) understand rock and roll. Catchy melody, energy, and singing that is fun to sing along with. The guitar is neither innovative nor virtuosic, but they sell it (solos get objectively better if you call them, and have a guitar drop into your hands in the video). The falsetto is ridiculous but perfect. I'd heard and like some of the other songs, and really the entire album catches the right balance of perfectly dumb and perfectly fun. Guitar!
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Hilarious that the whole Elvis Costello is an important artist phase of music journalism passed so many of you kids by. Weird one to nitpick on, he sings plays and writes really well. I (US born and raised) was introduced to him by my dad in HS and developed a taste. not sure what you chuckleheads are up to crying about him being on the list so many times. That said, this ones mostly just OK. I want you is an ominous asst atmospheric crusher though.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Ah divorce, good times for all. Pretty BDE - or the opposite? move to make an album like this. Unfortunately the raw funk and motown of better years was becoming the discofied string section (synthed!) monstrosity of late 70s early 80s soundtrack funk by now, so it's more interesting than pleasurable. Attorney Fees? What a joke, I need a smoke...
Jack White
3/5
Take me down to the PolEEEECE! There's a few more ghost notes in the drumming than when he was with meg, but the backbone of the beats is still pretty simple, in the best of ways. But geez just do another stripes album. SOmetimes the solos sound like me myself dicking around with a new synthguitar sound. While it breaks no ground from the stripes or raconteurs, it is Jack White, a generational talent, and is fun neoblues/rock. It's a tough task it seems figuring out what relatively contemporary (last 20 years) stuff is gonna stick.
Coldplay
4/5
my roomate used to blast these guys constantly, was disappointed spies (a silly, but fun song) was not on this one. Anyway clocks is a pretty good song. Scientist, politik, not bad. I used to do the mazzy star slide part from fade on my bands version of green eyes. It sounds less mazzyish hearing cold play actually do it. Whatever they are dorks, but the albums pretty good.
New Order
3/5
They've got a sound and they execute it competently. A week out nothing really sticks. Love vigilantes, and all the little guitar riffs are nice.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Perhaps overusing the ride? Nah this one's ok - and has some fucking vigor and swing, unlike my favorite whipping boys the beta band or mylo. Still, if you're gonna do instrumental, vary it up a little bit or it becomes background music.
Bob Dylan
5/5
A contender for the best bob. He was of course drawing on tradition for all of this, but it all came out so wholly new. Love the apocalyptic 2nd half, love the angry driving first half. Love the captain arab saga in the middle. Still relevant too re: our good friends the supreme court
I walked by a Guernsey cow
Who directed me down
To the Bowery slums
Where people carried signs around
Saying, "Ban the bums"
Cream
5/5
Dang. Ginger and Jack are forces of nature. Clapton never did better. Sure sure racist twat and all, but goddamn the solos and fills on this are good. Love the tightness, love the blues, love the psychedelia and surrealism.
Coming to me with that soulfull look on your FAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaace. Coming looking like you never ever done one wrong thing...
Eagles
3/5
"It's been a long night and I hate the fucking eagles." My take is not the Dude's but I get it. Edgeless, overpolished corporate country bitchrock. Still. take it easy's a good song, the harmonies, banjo and the meisner singing on take the devil are all pretty tight.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
This does a lot of stuff competently, and it is a unified work despite the disparate genres. Unfortunately the common thread is it sounds just like these boys doing metal, electronica, folk etc. The singing is not good nor is it a bad singer like mick jagger making awesome music within his limitations. Nice puns. Hard to figure out which track listing is remotely the album vs the DVD video vs the special edition ad nauseum.
Supertramp
3/5
Like the logical/responsible song, which I'm pretty sure is these guys, there are hints at greatness and the melodies/riffs hint that they are going to go somewhere awesome any moment, but they never do.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Can see the REM, etc influence. Pretty catchy, the lyrical absurdity feels a little much, I think Robyn learned to tone it down later as a solo act. Still sounds like it could just as easily have been released last year as 1980. My favorite song was wey wey ep eh hole or whatever, which shows up on spotify despite not being on many editions of the album, so it stays 3.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Oh man, I guess if a singles band creates enough epochal singles they get to be an album band. Unbelievably good. Shame their live act and comradery didnt match the quality of the songs.
Black Sabbath
4/5
So cool. Apparently recorded in a day. Interesting in that you can see all the influence and history and still see them doing something entirely new. I like the big/merge/into eachother tracks.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Dance rock. It's ok. I like the weird horny one. bob's yer uncle?
Talking Heads
3/5
Cool enough. Byrnes voice is a little thin yet, they don't quite create the soundscapes nor scale the heights they do elsewhere.
Fun stuff. Lots of swagger to Stewart, Wood, Bassist, et al.
The Black Keys
3/5
It's alright. There's a little energy to it. I like the rock revival 10 years prior with the strokes and the white stripes etc better tho.
Beastie Boys
5/5
One of those albums that was innovative and influential, and still holds up and still goes hard. I thought the egg man bass was cymande for a while, but I guess it's superfly? The rappings really good too, unlike Run-DMC's album I got on this list on which I feel I could easily pull of the swapped words/lines without rehearsing, theres a lotta complex interplay. Perfect mixture of dumb and clever. More stories than JD's got Salinger.
CHIC
3/5
Fine. Nothing too essential. Would be good to dance to. Appreciate the instrumentation. Always fun to listen for the grohl influences in disco.
Van Morrison
4/5
Van the man. Caravan and Bring it on Home are my favorites. Not all of my favorites are on there, but goof though he became, he's a hell of a singer, songwriter, and showman. I like the new caledonia orchestra, strings and horns are where its at. Night shoit!
Wilco
3/5
I remember this one being a huge deal for a while among the kinda nerds I roll with. I did not get it thena and still don't. There are some nice poignant-ass hooks/lines - ie: all my dreams are only wishes, or what was I thinking when I let go of you. Some decent lyrics and melody, but the radiohead level "innovation" ie noise just serves to distract, and homeboy's voice is just ok.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Damn near a five just for that fuzz bass break into WhoooaaaaOOOOAAAAH on sabotage, arguably the only rap rock song that ever needed to exist. Cue some of the nutjobs on here whining about how a rap group from brooklyn, named the Beastie Boys,"yells too much." Jesus. Hits like Rod Carew. Interesting music, violin, tibetan chants, but not as fun or as cool as Paul's Boutique.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Pretty tight. Would have got a five if it had had Ohio like I thought it did. I like stills guitar work, and neils, the harmonies are crystalline, and a pretty common observation but neils are the best songs. Like the garcia pedal steel on teach your children. Dig the CSN songs too but to a lesser degree. very much products of their time, while neil manages to make even Kent state timeless around the same time frame.
Brian Eno
3/5
Its fine. Backwater was pretty good. Young boy should have stuck to rock and roll instead of going all ambient. Good to get these, roxy music, Eno, Genesis, Peter Gabriel are huge blind spots of mine, and lots of people seem to think they are important. Not convinced on Eno, but they're pretty fun albums so far.
Beck
3/5
It is cool how much beck can do. I prefer the James Brown imitations, and the musical collages though. While competent the market on acoustic guitars and heartbreak is long saturated.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Pretty tight. Maps is a perfect song. The beep boop guitar, tom grooves, and Karen's singing work together to range between a unique sound with coherence, and limitation otherwise.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Cool to hear a great singer with orchestral backing. Different times. Not my favorite batch of his songs, but cool title.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Love Fela. Tony Allen is a contender for greatest drummer across time and genre. This all follows the Fela formula - extended groove, improved electric piano and brass, lyrics ranging from jokes to sociopolitical stuff, but you gotta wait for them. Its a hell of a formula, and the layers his African James Brown backing provide more than justifies the repetition. Not sure how valuable ol Gingers contribution was - but kudos for coming to learn off Tony Allen, and for promoting these guys!
John Grant
3/5
This ones interesting. Maybe what I thought fleet foxes should be with the orchestral pop. He does it better with clever, sometimes too clever, lyrics.
Ice Cube
4/5
He recycles a few lines from NWA, the production sounds pretty dre-ish despite apparently being the bomb squad and Dre's cousin. Lotsa misogyny, casual violence. But - some true strong words on social conscience here and once again serves as rebuttal to the fat conservatives of today who like to dream a world where race relations were hunky dory or getting better from the 80s forward. Really proves how instrumental cube was to NWA. I only found out embarrassingly late that he was writing pretty much everyone's lyrics.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
What a motherfucker of an album. Boy's got couplets, stanzas, bars whatever the kids are calling them. And yeah I hear the "music to slit wrists by" criticism, but its more complicated - so long marianne is pretty triumphant for a break up song - it turns almost to a military march. Love his singing uses its limitations, and shows the same raw edge as his lyrics on Teachers and the gloriously unhinged outro to One of Us. Musically beautiful too - even when its just guitar bass and voice it creates momentum and menace. And there are perfect touches all over - strings, mandolin?, pan pipes, choir. It all combines with his pseudoflamenco cadences and pseudopiano fingerpicking to create something pretty amazing.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Memphis Shit. Very cool. Power of Love demonstrates that though he was imitating bluesmen, gospel singers, his take on it became his own thing. The memphis boys are a good backing. The hiccups, and stutters and repeats are effective, young boy was a stylist. Love the spoken word bits. Shame about Tom Parkers weird ass managment of him. King is dead, long live the King.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Listened loud on vinyl to flex in my own sad little head on the anti Elvis chuckleheads you find here. Cool story (did this while at a day job punching cards at a makeup company I think). Cool sound. Interestingly the record I have contains watching the detectives, although apparently this was a single only at first? Nevertheless, one of my favorite drum parts - if the UK really knew what was up this skittery noise would be the basis of jungle/drum and bass variants. WTD aside, lots of poetic anger about wage slaving, unhappy marriage settling, sexual repression, semi original sin (what do we call Cain's transgression anyway) etc. It's a good album.
Big Black
3/5
Interesting more than good per se. Heard some touches that remind of in utero an albini adjacent work I'm much more familiar with. Drum machine really works with what they are doing.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
So cool - these guys (probably mostly polly styrene) had an ethos, a vision, a style! Singing in what I think of as Johnny Rotten delivery - often sadly imitated by punks to come but she and he were pretty much originating it as far as I can tell. Love the aesthetics, the themes, the saxophone, and the songs have pretty solid hooks.
Chicago
3/5
Well at least at this point they had more edge than I vaguely associated them with later. I approve of working horns and hendrix inspired noodling into rock, but mostly fades into background. I thought peter cetera came from genesis, but genesis and chicago are bands I'm probably gonna continue to know little and care less about even after this project.
AC/DC
4/5
Effective rock and roll. I'm not sure I can tell the difference between singer eras. Songs on this are pretty memorable, especially coming out from under the tragic loss of a lead singer. As these boys do: lotsa double entendre and simple yet swinging drum beats, with excellent riffs and rhythm guitar from Malcom who I did not recall had tragically died with dementia...
The Avalanches
3/5
Funner than the ignorant mylo/beta band contingent. A little less interesting than pauls boutique say in the sampling realm, I like the psychotherapy one, and really anything with lyrical content. More energy than aforementioned electronics but still kinda fades to background. Just did a crossword to occupy my mind during the last few songs.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Noise rock. Like the old saw about jazz, I am not ever sure if it is good. How do they know when they are done? These guys are interesting enough - locked in tight drums and bass with real riffs, and some beats and structure. I respect instrument mods, and this guy does a cello tuned bass with a Banjo string! Anyway, its not without talent, but like Mark Rothko or something - I could probably do this.
The Only Ones
3/5
competent pop rock from a band I've never heard of, and am fairly certain I've never heard. Will ahve to revisit to form a final opinion, but this is a solid one for the list to reveal.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
really don't care for reggae but with this guy its almost sui generi. Love the stutters, the repeats in the singing, the lopsided bass and drums. Good stuff.
Blondie
5/5
Not their song but hanging on the telephone is an amazing opener, and sets the stage with some pretty impressive energy. Also tight song structure throughout with themes being hinted at then delivered, each song with a clear A B A' or C bits like its classical. Harry's voice is perfectly glassy and cold but not without passion. Five for the woahooWhoa -a - Ohh-oh on hanging.
ZZ Top
3/5
These boys had an aesthetic that was their own, musically and all less interesting trappings eg cars and beards and two steps. Memphis shit! (Ardent studios). Cool recording history - Ol Billy Gibs got into bpm drum machines and moog bass etc. Kinda left the other boys hanging. Songs are tight, well produced, best is Sharp Dressed Man. High 3, almost four for effort, but the other songs aren't as good, and La Grange, and maybe tush are their best.
Ray Charles
3/5
Cool that it exists. The best parts are when Ray cuts loose with the jazzy or bluesy piano, but ultimately the arrangements are a little too polished or something
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Reminds me of the fleet foxes. Ingredients are all there, but somehow the beats aren't hit. It's kinda catchy, cool instrumentation, real lyrics etc, but even after a double listen I couldn't make it work for me. Tried to write the review a week after and couldn't remember, listened again and nothing stuck.
John Cale
4/5
A very cool project. Been a minute since I listened, but remember quite a bit of diversity. Respect the ambition.
The Verve
3/5
Has all the ones I know, and they're decent tracks. Apparently they've another album on this though. I didn't even known they had another album period. Whatever they've got a style and it works ok, does get a lil grating at album length though.
Fugees
4/5
Solid album. Ms Lauren Hill, like the Y in CSNY, is making all the real contributions. It kinda sounds like wyclef jean was always corny, with shakira shakira level contributions. Lotsa 90's nostalgia - Judge Ito gets a call out! The beast is a pretty good track.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Barely remember this perhaps two weeks out. Kinda wispy singing and unfinished music that walks the line between ethereal and boring.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Maybe cause it's been so influential, and imitated it sounds like not much special. Apparently there was a lot of tuning and guitar playing innovation, but a lot of it just sounds like... maybe weezer? power chords.
The xx
3/5
Definitely understated. It's nice. Duets always a cool touch. Like the reverby guitar riffs (apparently just practice amp setting). Real lyrics, all about love. Mellower than I'm usually in the mood for.
Neil Young
4/5
Tight. Southern Man is a phenomenal song to rage too. The rest of it has nice weird rockers and weird soft stuff, very much on brand. I like when you dance, don't let it bring out down, only love...
But. Southern man. Mr Young a master of the d minor blazer. Not like the d major (controversial?) Sweet home. When will you pay them back? - folks, who think they are serious people, will dance all around themselves to say why it's not a legitimate question, or why it's not young's to ask. It is a legitimate question, but I've done the south extensively and expect those greasy cocksucker sons of slavers will never answer.
Ramones
5/5
In addition to the pretty awesome gimmicks this album lays down a sound that shows up throughout the 90s in the formative albums of my youth, nirvana to weezer to green day to mounds of the lesser stuff too. Love the silly singing, the catchy bops and melodies (later punks could take a lesson or two), ridiculous lyrics, and holy shit, open an album with the blitzkrieg bop, and the rest just happens I assume.
Lana Del Rey
3/5
I hear this is not the LDR that should be on her, but who knows. It's ok, there are real songs under all the occasionally annoying vocal affectation. I like the opener just cause its kinda storytelling with some cool choices/focus
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Sounds exactly like someone only ever heard the Byrd's take on Mr. Tambourine man and Goodbye Hello by tim buckley. Turns out this was released in July 67, and GH by timbu was released in august 67 so likely just some remarkable convergent evolution. Good songs, I like the 9 pound hammer cover a lot too. And yeah just vaguely 2 degree away from dylanesque and primary buckleyesque, but on their own terms.
Scott Walker
3/5
Ambitious. I respect the hell out of making a weird polished pop album with bergman references, and many wilder topics. I like the spanish guitar, the horns. Songs don't land that hard though.
Boston
3/5
Not sure why Cobain was so derisive on this band, specifically more than a feeling when he made smells like teen spirit. It is impressive, and one could argue, punk, that some guy made this in his basement. The delp vocals do soar and I love the held high notes into a solo. Foreplay I've heard before and it always sounds like it is going into something much cooler than what it does. In the hall of the mountain king adjacent, not sure how that works. Everything else finds a four chord sort of riff, puts a solo with a lot of mordenting in it and chugs along. Its all good without ever being great.
Nirvana
5/5
Another formative one. Albini's (RIP) production is on point. And man such lyrics and hooks, which with such a powerhouse rhythm section makes Nirvana stand out still, despite prior overexposures. Lot's of great lines, apparently lyrics were a bit of an afterthought for young boy, but man he came up with some memorable bits. Always in that sweet spot of relatable vs specific. And man, not my observation but the tortured screaming in Scentless hits harder than any nerd future subdivision of metal ever would. Come back as fire, burn all the liars
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Competent enough. Sits in a weird blues pop zone not many do? So respect I guess for that. Hiatt song naturally the strongest, she does good with his stuff.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
So many folks whose taste I respect rate this highly. I can sing and dance along and all but I think I missed whatever age window I needed to catch this in. Listened multiple times to try to make it hit harder. Did he or jack white start doing this weird singing first. Better call the po-LEEEEECE!
Madonna
4/5
This is pretty good. Her voice is a weak point, but she makes it work like all the best-worst rock singers do. Prince puts some very recognizable fingerprints on his, but all the songs go personal familial catholic, and are still extended and danceable without outwearing their welcome. The title track is a monster pop song.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Known quantities are the strongest, but they are strong.
Elton John
4/5
He and Taupin were/are forces, and at the height of their powers here. No single song strong enough to push to 5 like madman or rocket man but a lot of good songs.
Roxy Music
3/5
Album I've heard about, and of course seen a lot of the cover somehow (wonder why) but never actually dug into roxy music other than on occasional underwhelming youtube top of the pops exploration. I also though big brian eno was more involved with these boys but i guess he was just keyboard and left before this album. Anyway its kinda pointless. A John Cale song (fear is man's best friend I think) came on after, and before I realized the album had ended I was thinking they'd suddenly gotten good in the weird way I hoped they'd be. Alas, despite awesome things like having an oboist they never make songs worth it.
N.E.R.D
2/5
Haha this really kinda sucks. I had a favorable impression of NERD from the only album I'd ever heard by them, and still quote rhyming on top of a cop car all the time, apropos of no appropriate situation. I respect that they learned instruments or whatever, but it starts boring and only the weird fishing vignette, and a couple more catchy ones at the end save this from a one.
Slade
3/5
I may have learned that a band called slade was behind cum on feel the noize, but still defaulted to thinking it was twisted sister most days. So this was pretty much all new to me as a thing that existed. I'd heard one of the songs though. These guys are ridiculous in the best way - like the darkness. Silly spellings. Slow songs are best on this one, but respect the partying attitude.
David Bowie
3/5
Its's ok. Very much fragments, and though he was getting clean this feels like I can only imaging coming down off cocaine does. Not sure I want instrumentals from this guy, whose whole lyric containing songs are pretty good. Still some cool moments. Better than the idiot.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
remarkable unity despite being recorded everywhere - ardent studios even (memphis shit!). Cool experimentation without losing sight of the fact that it is masters of their craft doing what they do. RP has a lot of the gurgles. Classic rock radio used to overplay a couple of these, but its been a minute, and that reverse/pre echo in whole lotta love is still the coolest production trick ever, even if it was as is the legend a happy accident. Cool robert plant gurgles, and the theft is less egregious than the first album.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I liked it better than the sound of silver, maybe just cause it feels like a middle aged manifesto, and I'm uncomfortably close to fitting that demographic. Still, fun, but not as earthshattering as some folks try to act like this cat is.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Amazing that he managed to create grunge, when he's mostly a country folky, and just built on those. Rocks harder than I realized he still could in the 90s, and while he is neither a virtuosic singer nor guitarist he is effective and he is a virtuosic songwriter, even if he love and theft's the occasional melody - IE my back pages is pretty straightforwardly lifted on this one, who knows where bob lifted it. Other interesting neil take - ambulance blues was apparently off some british folkies numbetr.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
This is weird in the good sense and fun. More on the nose catchy than say the scott walkers that inspired it (I've only heard 4, on this list) and shadow puppets that it inspired. I like the ambition of just doing stuff like this, although everything that has been called chamber pop thus far has not really earned the coolness that this name suggests. Inexplicable some of the low reviews of this, there is a share of egregiously boring stuff on this list, but this ain't it.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Point off for recording at the scene of the murders? though I guess he repented. There are some pretty great songs on this, and very cool innovations in sound. Hurt and closer, march of the pigs all time bangers
Eminem
5/5
Hi kids. He references NIN, who I got yesterday. Synergy. There's more art in some of my 5 rated, but he's got as much talent as any of them. THere are always lines that make you notice them. The sick soul of white america and the horror that comes with it is the theme, and it has only become more observant somehow in retrospect. Nice bouncy production from young dre, at his best around here.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
whole vibe going on. Love that we get some canuck gibberish at the end. Cools story, cools songs, but almost too cool, too laid back. Nice harmonica and other instrumental touches.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Hmmm, I think I've seen that young boys have been removed from later editions of the book. I can remember in real time as an adult when these guys were the saviors/flag carriers of rock or something, but even then that rang hollow to me. WOuld ordinarily be a 3 but relative to the last two I can't
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Nice country/acoustic blues on this one. Sympathy for the devil is so good it beggars belief (Banquet notwithstanding) . Love keith's stereotypical ability ot make the cliched sound vital. What's a poor boy to do? Did I hear a fiddle somewhere?
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Back to back stones. In my ignorant youth, both this and beggers banquet would have felt like singles bands albums, ie i liked sympathy for the devil, paint it black, but as age and discernment are creeping in can see clearly the supra-american country music competence in beggars, (better country to come), and blues and innovation competence in aftermath, shit even ol' B. Jones had some tight contributions on this one.
Charles Mingus
4/5
Pretty enjoyable jazz. I like the spanish touches, and the conceit of structuring it as a ballet, which I am told rather than knew - ie how tf is a ballet structured?
4/5
This is cool. The rockabilly influences much more pronounced than say - the cramps, and the singing and lyrics are far and away better than the rest of the LA crew who were just yelling about depression and aggression. I only know this cause I just watched the decline of western civilizaiton on Prime. Anyway, some real poetryand harmony to be had.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
I like the album as education conceit. Still can't wrap my head around indian classical, and I even took tabla lessons in a different life.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
The best are the spoken word protesty ones, which I guess he was getting away from at this time, the sung stuff is not sung all that well and kinda corny but the instrumentation and heart are alright.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Not sure we needed this and San Quentin. That said, this is the better of the two. More interaction with the audience, than I recall, no san quentin reprise. Man June's singing sounds kinda dated on Jackson. Did Glen Sherley's song at the end that's a good wikipedia deep dive, and introduced me to spade cooley, a wild and horrific story there.
Norah Jones
3/5
I like the slide and other guitar work on some. But man, it is sleepy. All jazz and jazz adjacent musicians of the last couple decades should be put on Charlie Parker's drug regimen, and get some mf pep in their tunes.
White Denim
3/5
Another one of these late period records on the list where the contemporary praise doesn't quite live up to the current reality. That said, as far as broadly defined jam bandish stuff this was more catchy and structured, with some decent melody and playing. Kinda what all the kids today think their king gizzards are doing, but the ozzies lack a je ne sais quoi that these boys have, even if not much of it.
Goldie
3/5
I like the choppy rhythms of drum and bass/jungle whatever other subgenres of britronica are based on chopping up and reassembling the amen beat or whatever. Not sure how one dances to it. Apparently his son knifed somebody!? Classic pom ignorance. Anyway the choppy stuffs fun, but there are too many beatless interludes and the whole damn thing, at least what's on spotify and appears to correlate with the wiki track list, is too damn long.
Living Colour
4/5
What an unbelievable opener, cult fires all the cylinders, and fires them hard, whatever that may mean. One of the greatest songs of all time, easily. Cool riff, cool solo, cool lyrics, cool structure ( try drumming along with the 4-3 bits) Love the metal adjacent fun rock of the rest of it. Fuck landlords. Mick played the harmonica!? I am going to have to explore these fellows more deeply but I have known that for a while .
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
A rarity in that the double feels entirely earned. Its got an aesthetic. Chamberlain is truly a great drummer. The adolescence of it all is intentional, and works well with that voice, which in other contexts gets pretty annoying, but works here, and we can see why Iha's not the singer. Some more D'arcy backing vocals would have been cool, but really the production is rock solid and everything across a very broad variety of styles sounds pretty amazing. All the songs have reason to exist, a trait lacking in most albums, even most albums on this list.
Louis Prima
4/5
Exactly what we're here for. I knew king louie of course, had heard brian setzers jump jive and, but had no idea, about this. So many pasta references. So silly and chaotic. Not on the album but felicia capice is a gem.
The Triffids
4/5
Thoughtful, jangly rock and roll. I'd never heard of these guys, and I've seen some loooow ratings, which are inexplicable.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Very known quantity, Wilco much more tolerable in this context and they still had that Jay guy. Natalie Merchant always a cool feature. Really a cool collaborative effort taking big Woody's stuff and making something really beautiful out of it. Christ for president, please.
American Music Club
3/5
Man I had to go to you tube, not spotify and I don't remember much, just competent but not spectacular rock.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Her affectations can be a bit much but ms Joplin was a force of nature, and the holding company provides an appropriately raucous bluesy background. Ball and chain at Monterey with her feet slapping in the sandals next to an inflatable pencil and mama cass's mind blown remains a contender for greatest rock moment. Rock you and sock it to you, unironically.
Dire Straits
4/5
There's just some good guitar playing on this and everyone else is competent in a way we don't get to see too much outside of studio musicians touring with a star. An acquaintance saw him play and said is thumb was the fastest moving thing she ever saw. Good hooks. Sultans is a titanic song: story, capturing a feeling, climactic solo, come on!
Morrissey
4/5
Ha Morrissey gets some hate, probably rightfully so, but man he manages to be so sincere with such overly dramatic nonsense and has hooks for fucking days. You're the one for me, fatty!
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Post hardcore, hardcore, whatever, definitions are dumb, genres are dumb. I guess it's ok but nothing sticks out.
The Monks
5/5
Hoooooly shit. Literally? These boiz are living on another plane than the rest of us. Tonsured heads gimmick, 6 string banjo, every instrument a rhythm instrument, ludicrous horny antiwar lyrics from a bunch of post discharge germany stationed army men all years before any of this would ever happen again. Showmanship and innovation. If you can't see this is a 5 you may as well give up.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Hm. Like the radiohead of their time. Portentious ass motherfuckers with a lot of talent, but not quite enough to support their pretension or to earn the right to not just deliver some tight rock and roll that they have proven they are capable of. Shine on has an interesting story, and sid fucking showed up even, but it just kinda sounds like their keyboardist just got the first pitch wheel in the world for christmas. Roy harper an interesting cat, and the title track is powerful good, but the record company bad shit just like 'money' is some plodding ass moralizing.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
That thundercat guy should listen to this more. I know he already had, but big Curtis manages to actually vary up his melodies and tell interesting stories, and the bass while simpler goes soooo much harder. Pauls boutique sample - full circle!
Slint
3/5
Its not bad. And I imagine so influential that it sounds old hat, but I'm pretty sure no one was doing this kind of stuff late 80s early 90s.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Fun enough.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I had no idea this existed. Misses the complex ass vocal harmonies one expects, but I guess big BW was down for the count at this point. Anyway, interesting to see them do the socially aware stuff, and take down the fun a bit.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Some really solid swan song stuff here. The lyrics are consistently pretty good, he can barely sing anymore, but the talk sing works, well produced, hopefully serves as an f u to all the chuckleheads who are bothered by his singing on earlier records.
Blur
3/5
Fun. Love Oasis hating on this one. Not home to their all time bangers however.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Misleading, I think his son? may have done a remake? Anyway the spotify is a different Sharma, and listed as 2012. You tube had it. I love the aspect of indian classical music that relates to time of day, but I have not gotten anywhere near the ability to interpret or recognize say a dawn raga. Cool concept though, and enough western style guitar to keep my brain somewhat oriented.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Lots of classic songs and folk tropes. Had to do the american release, called something else, as the jack takes the floor was apparently. Bit of a blaccent? Knew most and mostly liked. Competent renditions. All time gray goose is Leadbelly with the golden gate quartet though.
The Byrds
3/5
Pretty tight. They had a sound. Crazy the winds of change - in terms of cultural and monetary cachet these guys weren't too far off from the beatles contemporaneously but in hindsight have been erased to a whole different tier. Anyway the psychedelic shit is fun, and they are competent musicians (not sure if wrecking crew was still helping out) reaching out to eastern and hippy and other influences, and doing so while preserving that cool ass jangly sound.
Green Day
4/5
Punks been dead so many times, but now time has blunted the 1977 to 1994 to the point where the kids are probably unable to tell the difference. These boys sang british, confusing matters. Any Billy Joe is a pretty good frontman and songwriter, love the Dirnt harmonies, simple but effective, and Mr. Cool is an effective drummer. And a better one than say the lately "GOATed" Mr. Barker, at least for my tastes. Anyway some pretty assured songwriting and performance, and some memorable epoch defining songs on this one.
Massive Attack
4/5
Not sure why anyone else British and electronic matters relative to these boys. So good. Real songs with real hooks and energy - laughable that mf's that came after such as the Beta Band couldn't build on this rather than producing their boring drivel. Driving bass that I didn't ever know bush stole on the first track. tricky is so good, and the horace? guy the first rap break feels a little dated, but the rest of it begs the question of why we have travis scott or some of these other chuckleheads nowadays and they aren't remotely to the same standard. Don't call me officer, you can call me sarge, I'm going to america when I gets a green card.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Not as good as the other one. It's got its own sound for sure, but just not good enough or exciting enough for the trouble.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
The production is pretty good/ at least timeless - genie in a bottle came next on spotify and sounded notably dated, while this sounds like it could have come out last year, probably any year. Singings good, some hooks, some beyonce-ish trilling. little corny self actualization stuff. But it's all alright, solid pop.
Saint Etienne
2/5
Hm. It's not bad per se, but unclear why it is on this list. Probably need to educate myself. The lady singing tracks are the strongest and the willie wonka one gets very annoying.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Pretty cool stuff. Love the harmonies and classical affectations. Never got the contingent that puts these boys on par with or even ahead of the beatles, cause they ain't tho.
The Specials
3/5
Had never heard of these guys, and was not really familiar with a british ska movement which seems like it was pretty big for a while. Definitely picks up for the second half. First half feels like background ska with occasional nice touches, second half gets pretty dark and angry. Rolling stones ass little bitch.
Donald Fagen
3/5
Steely Dan's an interesting one. I almost like a lot of their songs. Or do I like the various session musicians parts. Like all of the dan, this is immaculately recorded, ironic lyrics etc. Everything always sounds like its gonna be great, but is only ever good.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Its ok, interesting even, I respect what they are going for, kinda post minutemen jazzy free punk? I am impressed that I'd never even remotely heard of these boyz, but reviewing this a week out I remember literally no hooks nor anything about songs, except maybe a pretty jazzy drum intro?
The Byrds
3/5
The byrds are a tight band, and it's very interesting how far tastes/accepted wisdom on the history and importance have swung away from Mcguinn, hillman crosby et al. Anyway, I liked 5d better, but there are some fair bangers.
Joy Division
4/5
Very cool, like sabbath's debut you can see the influences but at the same time they are creating something new. Voice, band, and production are all real cohesive in creating music that sounds liek the cover looks.
Green Day
4/5
Powerful ambitious. Love me a rock opera, and this delivers more so than tommy with discrete, yet part of the whole songs. If dirnt had done more harmonies rather than multitracking BJ (at least on my ear read) and there had been a bit more variety would have been a 5, but its close regardless.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
very interesting. apparently mostly sly in a drug haze sometimes even singing from bed. It sounds like it too, the production is dense, but far from energetic. It's got it's own sound, and was influential just by my naive listen, but i prefer their positive funkier stuff.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Doesn't match the soaring sort of heights that funeral attains occasionally. Tends more toward the insufferable hipster stuff they are accused of, but not too close
The Pogues
4/5
Legends. Elvis Costello ran off with their lady member before this I guess but Kristy Mcall does them right. Tragic life. Maybe less so for shane but yung boy's the true electric poet, good story teller. Christmas eve, babe
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Some of the stax stuff was accused of being unsophisticated soul relative to say detroit, philly, etc. It was always better and young mister Hayes pulls some serious sophistication out with this - strings used right for funk - later this would not be the case. and just generally weird long ass arrangments far cooler than shaft later on. He earned his cadillac with this one, though probably not literally yet. Memphis shit.
Pixies
4/5
Before Mr. Black got too pudgy and insecure to let Ms Deal contribute. Peak pixies!
Air
3/5
Interesting. But not that interesting. One of the few where I'm not real sure why its on this list. Gotta educate myself.
3/5
Tragic story of this guy - dedicated to the music mother fucker. Anyway this is nice, keeps it interesting while remaining mellow, although some try to say it matches the freneticism of its namesake city, it does not feel frenetic.
Sparks
3/5
Really want to like this more. It's just a little too busy, and the melodies feel underdeveloped. Clever lyrics though, and interesting singing and music that scrapes greatness but never grabs ahold of it.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
I'm gonna have to keep trying with these guys. Everything just feels half finished. Apparently the prior one from them was literally half finished, not sure what the excuse is here. Like her voice.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
This is a lot of fun. Aerosmith crossover a look into the future from 86 or wherever. It's a compilation per spotify? Anyway apparently these guys were 'new school' rather than old school at one point but it feels firmly old school now. More polished rapping and produciction than the last one I got from them.
Neu!
3/5
Kraut rock! Real interesting and you can see where the pistols got the inspiration on that one song.
David Bowie
3/5
Also a cat inspired by neu, though i hear the sex pistols, I don't hear heroes as much. Anyway I didn't know this album existed, and am surprised it was on the list. Seems kind of like a 'late return to form' sort of thing.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Man I heard this just over a week ago and don't remember a damn thing. OK listening . It is nice, doesn't sound like much else of the time. Nirvanish at poiunts.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Some real good songs on this. A little blues bbased locked, but nice. Best rock and roll always has a bit of jesus in it, and some sex. Amazing how dirty he gets without being obscene. Put the jelly on your shoulder!
Amy Winehouse
4/5
She mastered the genres she was inspired by and created a true classic here. Respect.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This is cool. Feels a little wordy. Sometimes the portugues sound just like mushmouthed spanish, sometimes I can't understand it at all. Anyway he takes the brazilian shit and mashes it with folk rock quite nicely.
Deee-Lite
3/5
I thought what is love was gonna be something else. Anyway groove all time banger, and the rest of it is very danceable while still being songs with good lyrics and shit that later dance acts struggle with.
The Strokes
4/5
Out the gate with a sound that is their own. A little limited, but works well within that. That solo still sounds fresh coming in on last nite. New york city cops ain't so smart, I have plenty of first and second hand anecdotal evidence of that myself, but the pussies took off their most evergreenly relevant song.
The Doors
4/5
Doors haters are dipshits. Sure Jim's a drunken buffoon who thinks he's a poet or whatever, but LA woman captures a city's essence in ways even novels struggle to. Cool ass guitar, ranging from slide blues to just about everything else from Robbie, interesting jazzy drumming from big Densmore, and titanic musicianship from big Ray. Anyway they drank their own koolaid and Jimbo drank himself to death, but give the devil her due.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Solid fun Jazz. I should figure out if this is Bop? Post bop? Hard bop? Bebop? Whatever it's jazz I can wrap my head around melodically, and I like it.
Primal Scream
3/5
Scottish wizards. Late 80s early 90s UK dance music continues to prove that it can be done while still having songs, with lyrics and structure and shit. Later ignorant british mfs take note!
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I wonder if Kris Kristofferson ended up putting bird on a wire on his tombstone. Thats a helluva song. I didn't know big david crosby was involved in this at all. Love the stripped down arrangments that still sound like the world coming to an end. Lots of Jew's harp. Some of y'all still ain't listenidn to the story of Isaac hard enough. J' reprise mon arme, so to speak.
UB40
3/5
Huh. Love the british american dichotomy of hits and relevance and fame. See also dexy's midnight runners. I of course only knew red red wine, but these were some socially conscious mother fuckers, huh? Nice. Anyway its all midtempo reggae but competent, hard hitting lyrics and musically the medusa one, strange fruit cover sound a bit different.
Marty Robbins
5/5
A true body of work, in the sense that eyolf olstrem on dylan chords said about world gone wrong. Everything serves the whole: the lonesome wail, the perfect leads, the stories, the murder, the redemption, the love. It sounds like all of american music and nothing else at the same time. In the glory days of napster my roommate downloaded a couple of these cause his dad had listened, and I'm grateful to be let into this. What an album.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Out of the gate with some hot rock and roll. song craft, jangle, the boy had a knack and a pleasantly phlegmatic voice or somethign according to big christgau. I new the big ones not the other except the one that was a hit in in england?!?!? odd for such an american ass mother fucker.
Tom Waits
3/5
Like much of Tom Waits, I want to like it more than I do. HIs voice affectations can be a bit much. The acoustic organic sound making is nice. The lyrics are ok.
George Michael
3/5
Huh, knew nothing about this - bit cheesy on the nose but whatever the boys got pop sensibilities and it works well on the more acoustic arrangements. Same guy who came up with that sax riff from days of yore in his head as a teenager right?
AC/DC
3/5
I'm not sure what it says that I cannot pick up on the difference between Bon Scott and the next guy's voice. Now I've had back in black and this so I should be able to right? Or can everyone just kinda sing like taht in Oz if they want? Anyway, ignorant fun rock. Good riffs from big Malcolm the true wizard of this band. Interesting story of them hating Eddie Kramer and getting on with Mutt Lange two names you see all over classic rock. Also interesting connections between them and the easybeats, a truly legendary aussie band.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Prophet shit. I like the electric guitar, weird effects. Didn't realize one love was just people get ready. Woe to the downpressers (mf made up a word!?) - and believe they will eat the bread of sad tomorrow.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I have been meaning forever to get to these guys. This was solid ,some nice energy and cool songs. I am going to have to give it a further listen to focus in on Mr. McGeoch's guitar.
Gary Numan
3/5
Very cool. Distinct sound and voice. Interesting lyrics. Did a song repeat a riff somewhere in there. Was reminded that he also did down in the park - which the foo fighters of everybody once covered. When they were cool.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I once read a review that took brown sugar down a notch for me noting the raunchy ass opening riff, then built upon with layers that added little - ie strummed acoustic guitar. They used it as a metaphor for the whole album but I disagree. That's a ripping sax. Mr. Watt's toms sound like withdrawal kicking in on sister morphine. Thats a helluva organ on the blues one. Billy preston!? Dead flowers nice stones funny country classic. Wild horses has some beautiful parts. I like the harmonics. They wrote good songs these ones. Muscle Shoals shit. Often you can tell keith and mick apart, but not always was I sure. Well placed guitar bits from both, making the old new again. They were good at blues, they were good at country. At country blues they seem nearly untouchable.
The 13th Floor Elevators
5/5
Such glorious chaos. From everybody, nice drums, wobbly ass electric jug, nice leads but of course especially Roky who appeared to pay the price for unlimited creative energy with the large part of his sanity. I heard at some point he kept getting in trouble for stealing his neighbors mail. Anyway there's poetry, groundbreaking (true - this word gets tossed around a lil carelessly sometimes) psychedelia, and wild energetic innovative songs and singing. Sometimes the dylan influence is obvious sometimes its's hard to know where he's getting it from.
The Who
5/5
I've owned this one longer than perhaps any of the other albums I've already owned on this list. Figured out embarrassingly late that they peed on the monolith. Amazing stuff - some of the best Daltrey hollers, and he sings most of it. A very silly but hard rocking entwhistle bit. Staggering drums from Mr. Moon in all senses. Mr Townsends songwriting can border on silly but its only cause he's reaching for something. Some filler (really only love ain't for keeping). Am I mistaken or does Daltrey affect a bit of an american twang on won't get fooled again? Apropos - feels like we are getting fooled pretty hard right now. Anyway Baba and Fooled could be the entire album but you've got Behind Blue Eyes too, adn the other stuff's nice.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Young Stevie in the middle of his tear. This ones a little more subdued than say songs in the key of. One still has a clavinet bit redolent of superstition. Nice singing ad libs and weird little vocal noisemaking keeps it interesting.
Brian Eno
3/5
I've been liking this guy more than I thought I would. Ambient's a pretty hard sell on paper - shit I can listen out my window to some pretty cool ambient noise, but that's not really what this is- there's a lot of structure and creative instrumentation. Some heavy hitters guessed and he gets what so many noise/ambient/dance musicians of later years do not - you can still be fucking interesting within a repetetive framework. Mylo. Beta Band. Anyway the lyrical ones remain kinda silly in the best way.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Probably need to give this another listen with the lyrics and such. What stuck with me was nice and sardonic sounding. Anyway there's music for dancing and it doesn't always venn too much with music for listening, and this kinda felt like it was veering that way.
The Pretty Things
4/5
Interesting. I'd only vaguely heard of these guys and thought they were part of the San Francisco psychedelic scene. (I thought S.F. was gonna be something different!)Far from it apparently. Anyway wildly ambitious, cool ideas, nice songs hampered a little bit by them not being the greatest singers or musicians. They may have heard the beatles a few times. But respect for a pre Tommy work of such ambition. Listening I am reminded a bit of my attempts to see what people get out of king gizzard, but all I can hear is these guys actually innovate, write good songs, and cover an enormous breadth of genres 60 years prior and just so much better. You kids'll never understand.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Huh. This is no thriller. In my head it was part of his glory years, in terms of being good, and it clearly was sales and popularity wise, but listening with some distance - this is where he fell off. Apparently he produced a lot along with Quincy Jones, and it just sounds like polished boring funky pop of its time. His vocal affectations become more dumb and annoying than dumb and fun. The lyrics are corny and sappy and annoying rather than corny and fun. Your butt is mine. Hm. Smooth criminal is a great song. "Dirty Diana" and "The way you make me feel" are good. The rest of it not so much.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Its fun. Simple, but they have a whole defined sound and it's pretty catchy and energetic and fun.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Man the names of the band and the album are so damned cool that I really wanted to like this more. It is competently produced beats with interesting sounds admixed. And I'm sure it's fine for dancing. But listening? I dunno man I don't think I could recognize any of these songs as distinct entities, and wouldn't notice if the album was played back in completely different order. Except for the one with weird vocal "bips."
The Sonics
4/5
Glorious garage noise. Apparently there was a whole PNW scene I was unaware of.
Van Halen
4/5
In my callow youth I dismissed EVH as a bunch of flash with no heart. I think I was wrong. And David Lee Roth is a hell of a frontman and lyricist. Love the falsetto ad libs. My love is rotten to the core!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Ok. The heads will roll is a banger. Their sparse sound adapts well to the dance stuff.
Fats Domino
5/5
Perhaps doesn't sound like anything special, but that is because literally everything that came after owes him a debt across genres and nations. Effortlessly cool, and manages to rock and roll and be laid back all at once.
Roni Size
3/5
I had not heard of these guys. I like the drum and bass choppy sort of dance shit, but this does not remotely earn its original length, nevermind the anniversary monster.
The Specials
3/5
Fun music, sardonic, dark lyrics. I liked this better than the first.
Ice T
4/5
Ha, this is pretty fun, and doesn't even have the cop killer song. I like the body count rock, and his attitude and fourth wall breaking. Shoulda killed him last year, Amerikkka.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Very cool to listen to her work as a live artist with improv, adapting to mistakes and audience banter. She's a hell of a singer, I've looked into her long ago cause I heard she was who Tim Buckley emulated figuring out how to sing.
Carole King
4/5
Solid. I like her voice, like the rollicking piano and the clever lyrics. Earth move is the best.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Huh. A rubric I don't often have to use is how capable I would be of a) generating the idea, and b) playing the music. In this case, yeah I could have thought up abrasive ass vaguely blues based music with a "punk" attitude that is not as fun or irreverent as the source material, and yeah I can noodle out some blues shit on most of the instruments. I 100 % could have done this, and that is not to its credit.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Its ambitious. Very interesting history and I learned a bit about russian composition digging into it. There are some nice touches, and it's not often that its obvious that its live, these boys could play. That said, I'm not sure how often I'm gonna repeat the experience.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Oh man, this can't help but feel like a missed opportunity. Tony Allen, RIP, remains the greatest drummer across time and genre. (If you can't see this, you are to be pitied). But he's not even on all the songs. Like benching dumb Tom Brady (not the best analogy - Bo Jackson? Joe Montana?) at the Super Bowl. When he is its tasteful yet pretty busy drumming. Damon is starting to experiment in his late blur boring soft shit phase. The bass and guitar are nice, the bass kinda feels like the Clash guy is reusing the same tricks though. Now and again it comes together and its real cool, but man if Albarn had been in rocking blur or grooving gorillaz mode this could have been incredible.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Tight fucking cover and title. This is the fun, exuberant jazz I can always enjoy, even if it all kinda runs together.
Eminem
3/5
Stereotypical post massive fame album though young boy has got a little more insight than most into his situation and the world that made it possible. Anyway mostly more of the same from the other one on the list but some nice production, variety, and he is undeniably at the top of his powers. Brings his friends along too. Would that he could properly turn his tongue on the world, but latest releases are undeniably not at this top of his powers.
Television
5/5
Somehow captures a time and place, ie 70s manhattan by very vague feeling of course, I wasn't there, while sounding like nothing else. I wish guitarheads paid more attention to what Verlaine and Lloyd were up to, but they are to busy sweep picking or some shit. My brother put it best, the guitar solos on this album need lyric sheets. The playing is true poetry and the lyrics are too. Love Billy Ficcas drums. Bass is adequate. Joking, there are some nice riffs.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Solid 80s shit. The hits are the ones that stick out, but maybe that's familiarity. But real songs with real lyrics, never gets old.
Rod Stewart
5/5
Amazing energy, amazing that the star let the drums get mixed that high, and let the band be such a presence relative to his singing. The drums are so energetic and simple and everything feels a little like it's going to fall apart, and there are detours and slide guitar amazing graces interpolated, and when the mandolin kicks in on Maggie May you can almost feel that rock and roll will never die. Of course it did. Long live rock and roll
Patti Smith
4/5
Energetic and innovative. Love the tying in classic rock and soul with the poetry and avant garde shit. Didn't realize break it up wasn't a television song. Didn't realize the blue oyster cult guy was on this and that he and big Tom Verlaine were kind of feuding. Good stuff.
The Smiths
4/5
The boy has got a gift for melody and drama that supersedes the assholery, and the tomfoolery.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Looking at the cover is about the same as listening to it. Gated snares, synth hooks, deep voiced british guy singing kinda softly are all evident in that picture. Nah some of the songs, like the piano one break out of new wave and there are good lyrics and a nod to Dylan which never hurts.
The Kinks
3/5
Man they really did a lot of these. Title track is fun and silly, there's some that feel like their gonna rock, but never quite do. I think this may have been the first of their british pastoral/parklife style albums, but I think its the third I've gotten on the list and the oompah adjacent pacing, and slice of english life stuff does get a little threadbare after two (honestly good though) albums.
Kate Bush
3/5
Her I respect more than I enjoy. The singing can be a bit much, but she does her own thing and obviously puts a lot of craft into it.
Arcade Fire
4/5
For me this feels like a return to form to funeral, an album I like a lot, after the neon bible somehow lacked for memorable songs, the hooks are back. I miss the more choral and his wife singing a lot though. I am pretty familiar with the Houston suburbs this was written about, and like their debut this really captures the feel, the ennui and possibilities that come with escape.
4/5
Peak ignorance and talent collide with a lot of amphetamines. So catchy, yet dumb sometimes/all times. The sneering singing is dead on, always serves the song. Don't look back in anger right into the Great British songbook. Nice touches/overtures call backs.
Black Sabbath
5/5
On the self titled you could hear the blues base as it coalesced into a whole new genre. Here they transcend, making some approaching denovo shit. All the classics are on here, love the tumbling drum bits breaking up the high hat pulse in war pigs. Ozzy and the boys find their voice in spectacular fashion.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Interesting. Pretty cool to develop such guitar style before you could just you tube travis picking and weird ass chord voicings. Pretty good songs.
Traffic
3/5
It's fine. Traffic never quite reaches the heights that traffic affiliates did. Eg blind faith, spencer davis group
Yes
3/5
Jojo! Roundabout's the best one on this. It's all complicated and impressive and all, but no tracks really stand out.
Stan Getz
3/5
pretty tight. probably would be better just to go to the source, big Jobim, but really the whole bossa nova craze is a pretty interesting bit of music history. Anyway good music, well played, and there's probably a straight line somewhere between samba dees days and deez nutz jokes, so
Common
3/5
ha all the intellectualish rap from a certain point had to have those jazzy beats I guess. Anyway its pretty good production, feels timeless, and the lyrics are coherent and good.
Small Faces
4/5
huh, ok these boys swung for the fences. Lot a respect and a fair amount of enjoyment. Love the experiments and the jabberwocky ass made up language fairy tail b-side. This one will likely need a bit more exploration before it clicks much, but I'm glad I heard it.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I prefer the more abstract stuff on his debut, but this is peak boss bruce. No Maria, but plenty of putting hair up, state/county lines and car shit I don't understand, and am not convinced is real. Still his cliches are tight. Whooaaaaahhooooaahooo. If you don't get het up on the bit of prove it all night where it goes to just voice and drums and builds back up, that's on you.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
The kinda stereotypical fun ignorant rock I never thought the world would miss. Everything kinda sounds pretty similar to the boys are back in town, but I didn't know about massacre, emerald, the depth of young boys songwriting in general. Tragic story, Mr. Lynott, but hey we have this and he does the Irish in you joke unironically! Different times. Better times?
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Singles band, but they were so focused and stylistically defined that a collection of any of their singles works as an album - ie chronicle 1 and 2 could just be american ass albums with as much thematic unity. Anyway green river an all time great. People keep a talking they don't say a word/
Jaw jaw jaw jaw jaw.
Hookworms
2/5
It's not bad per se. It is entirely unclear what earned the spot on this list though. Maybe another listen it'll sink in?
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Competent 80s pop rock with clever lyrics. Triffids hit harder with similar to me.
Iggy Pop
5/5
Another album with a distinct holistic sound with each track instantly memorable and individual and still serving the whole. Like with the Stooges, Iggy is capable of rocking harder than anybody without cranking the volume or the speed. Masterfully dirty without much obscenity - what is the weird sin? What does it mean to have it in the ear? The imagination runs rampant. Jesus, this is Iggy...
David Bowie
3/5
Somehow, despite the omnipresent album cover, I had never heard any of this. Anyway its pretty good bowie, nothing stood out too hard.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
I like the al green rougher take on sexy soul (memphis shit), but this is good. Well produced well sung, unified in theme.
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
A protest song with teeth! Barry Melton's been a longtime guitar hero of mine, with a liquid sound that your Jerry Garcias could only imitate. I guess Joe and David took a lot of solos on this one. No so sweet martha lorraine has a great blues bridge that is way catchier than it has any right to be. Anyway, not really a jug band like they started, but there is a lot of interesting stuff going on here.
Röyksopp
3/5
Its fine. Competently produced, some real songs. Not sure why it was such a hit with the bri'ish
Cheap Trick
3/5
Ha, why does the guy doing the banter - or just stating the song titles sound so wimpy? Anyway, its pretty catchy, and not too polished. And the guitar's ok, but not guitar idol worthy. Also does not succumb to the bloat, and I like that they have dedicated intro and outro songs. And the clock chiming bits tight. Lyrics are so corny though.
Neil Young
5/5
What a motherfucker of an album. Pop country rock that noted corporate bitches the Eagles could study forever and never match. Weird ass symphonic overblown stuff like There's a world and Maid. Straight ahead Youngish protogrunge rockers. A protest song that he later apologized for but shouldn't have. (I'm from Alabama and as time goes on it becomes clearer that the racist fats should be given less of a break not more). Like nevermind, every song is distinct after first listen, plus catchy, memorable and serves the whole.
Björk
4/5
Glad that she's out there, keeping it weird for all us sinners. Interesting blend of jazzy and clubby. Like most Bjork, I respect the hell out of it, and it speaks well for humanity that there are people who dig on it.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Interesting, talking headsy sort of art rock stuff from a jehovah's witness cat, apparently. Convergent evolution, not sure why the heads got so much bigger. His voice can be a bit much at times, and Jonathan Demme didn't direct a concert film for em.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I didn't realize how much of a piece these early albums were. This one the production remains simple and clean but doesn't really soar like the first two. Some nice touches though with the strings and the occasional drums or steel. Anyway he's still writing some unbelievable bangers. Love when he draws his voice out on I think sing another song boys. And somehow corny and cool with Sincerely, L Cohen
Elastica
4/5
Much like the gogos, right out of the gate with their own sound, but much more complex and rich. Not sure if blur stole from them or vice versa. Seems like maybe a sad story with their lead guitarist. Dig her angular ass riffs though. Damon Albarn helping out back when he knew how to actually rock
Iron Maiden
4/5
Interesting, some metal you can see the connections- i.e Sabbath's first is pretty bluesy, this one sound like thin lizzy just a little faster and louder and can definitely see the lines afterward to to metallicas ballady stuff. Love the Eddy gimmick. Who's corpse should he stand over now?
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Unbelievable, improbable coalescence of talent. Like 4 dudes from a grimy ass port town just being the fucking beatles. Somehow all these talents manage to put together a very unified work of art but shine individually. Love the gimmicks, love the flows, love the simple but HARD production.
M.I.A.
5/5
This is really good stuff. I'd heard paper planes, but wow. Few have managed to incorporate that much eastern and western music, and those who have don't generally do it with such style. It hits hard, it has silly bits and it is thrilling when she interpolates the modern lovers and the pixies.
The Thrills
3/5
Hipster folk americana with an irish accent that really can only be described as cute. Somehow I missed this when it came out. It's fine.
The Temptations
4/5
Pretty cool. Didn't know the sly and family influence til I read the wiki, but its obvious. The motown house band's psychedelia goes well with their rock solid funk, and the percussion works either way. Billy Joel was right about it all being rock and roll in the end if nothing else. Love the traded vocals, especially with really good tenor and bass to do silly parts. The guy who replaced ruffin does good with the raspy lead stuff. Socially conscious and all, but pretty dark about it, title track feels just like Nas almost 30 years later - life's a bitch and then you die, thats why we get high - on cloud 9.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
The branding and the cover are great. The music is good, energetic but ultimately there's a lot of what seems like noodling for my taste.
ABBA
4/5
Nordic pop and its influence is pretty interesting. I'm not going to do much in the way of research, but I know there's a bunch of swedish mfs doing all the pop in the world, and as far as I know it started with these guys and silly eurovision shit. The lyrics are corny or clunky as hell, and the production which must have been state of the art sounds pretty dated now (can't put my finger on why, but I'm only an aspiring production nerd, not a real one), but man have they got hooks. Teacher didn't age too well.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
FAME, Dan Penn, Roger Hawkins, bama shit, memphis shit, all comes together. I don't quite like it as much as the lady soul one (mostly cause of the unhinged backings sometimes) but it is real good. Hilarious the RS review is quoted as saying the drums aren't hard enough when big roger hawkins drenched every beat in perfect grease, acknowledged at the time and forever RIP.
George Jones
4/5
so much classic country has a gimmick, a conceit that runs through a song to tell the story - the title track is a pretty good example. Man this possum looking mother fucker could sing. An inspiration as I understand for friend of the list Elvis Costello. A friend lives across a couple lawns from the house he shared with Tammy Wynette before the grand tour.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Interesting. He definitely produces some cool ass noises, and innovates in that sense. Somehow, as has always been my unearned impression of him, having only heard bits of sledgehammer, the experiments come together kind of boring? Quite a feat! I do really like the african musical syncretism on biko.
Queen
4/5
Somehow I'd only heard the big one. Still hits pretty hard. Interesting to hear the story of their old contract, screwing them pretty hard, and then listening to the opener, which is on the nose to say the least. Anyway bigger range then they maybe showed in later years. Good ass band.
The Cure
4/5
Very cohesive. The instrumentals on 17 seconds took me by surprise, here they just do really long song openings before they sing. Anyway props for having an aesthetic and developing it. Lovesong a pretty great culmination of their various cure stuff.
Pantera
4/5
Somewhere I saw that this is "groove metal." Folks get pretty nerdy about metal subgenres, but I can hear this. Sounds pretty basic in some ways, but probably cause everyone after was imitating. Lyrics about what you'd expect from angry texan and texan adjacent young men I guess.
Elbow
3/5
Its fine. Sounds just different enough to similar acts to merit existence. Shades of radiohead, L. Cohen, bowie etc. Not real sure what justifies it being on the list. Need to get a copy of the book sometime and see how cogent the arguments are for some of these.
Incubus
2/5
Drive's got a pretty great hook. The drums manage to be low energy nu metal somehow. Some innovation for the time maybe though I'm pretty sure turntables had been incorporated to rock before. The lyrics are truly atrocious. Experience the warmth before you grow old, bro.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
I like Jeff Lynne's work with the Wilburys. Mr. Blue Sky is a damned good song, and the production is immaculate. Still an interesting exercise in having good melodys, and good playing, but limited soul. So - heavy beatles influence, and sounds like them occasionally but doesn't hit the same. Vocoder hasn't really aged well either nor the sound effecty/gimmicky jungle mariachi stuff.
Elton John
4/5
Very cool. Not sure what it means that it is a prog rock album, Elton's first as reported in the wiki. Lyrics seem vaguely american themed, and I don't really always know what Mr. Taupin is on about, but they capture a feel if not idiom. What is the broken back of a ship? Worth checking out a Brandi Carlile take on the title track. And this one doesn't have honky cat, maybe the next? but there is no more poignant and ultimately triumphant story in american history than Brandi in Elton costume singing honky cat to a bunch of perplexed seattle area bar flies as a child, and going on to record an album with the man. Better grab your coat, dear, it looks like rain!
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Shit's tight. Love some syncretism, and just attention to craft while doing something new.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Content vs form. Though - "content" has taken on a different tone in our era of tiktokkery. Maybe form was wrongly (by me at least) looked down on. Anyway the form's pretty cool, lot of antmusic call outs, first peoples call outs, and it's not like his yelping and the guitar players music are not pretty innovative and influential. Just when you think it's over/with XTC on top...
2/5
Huh - I thought this was gonna be the one with rearranged and nookie. It was not. Really a rush job as it was accused of being. Fred's lyrics and rapping are pretty silly. The band actually goes pretty hard. Somehow got some real rappers to guest, and particularly the wutangs, but even DMX sounds electrifying next to big FD's persistent whining. Anyway, if you went to an american high school c. 1999 you'll understand why they are on the list. But maybe there was a better album. This one's not without worth, but its far from good.
Van Morrison
4/5
Man, his singing is so cool. I wasn't ready for caravan when I first got the last waltz as a band enthusiast way back in HS/college?. Now I am - love the weird vocal affectations and stereo audio chaos of the title track- flute, horns just kinda doing whatever. Anyway, turn it up, it's got soul.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
It's fine. Not real sure what elevates this v. other jazz albums.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Cool. Music matches the frigidity of the cover. Feels very arctic. Never quite reaches the haunt they achieved with killing moon, but close enough.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
These boys must have been mad as hell when the grunge stuff took off a couple years later. Goes a little harder than living I think.
De La Soul
4/5
Silly, in the best way.
Nick Drake
3/5
Its pretty good. Didn't realize big Richard Thompson played on this. Acoustic arrangements with all sorts of other instrumental touches. Pretty one note (not literally) singing. Reminds me of the L. Cohen Albums from the same time, just with not cutting lyrics.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Always too lazy pre-challenge to listen to a whole FM album. Impression I gathered was that Rumours was a "great album," for folks who did not listen to a whole lot of music (the chain is a real motherfucker of a song though!), and that this was more interesting. It is pretty interesting - charango! "post punk" Buckingham. But is it most expensive album to record in history to that point, reconstruct a cokehead bathroom interesting? Probably not. Some stuff despite all the speeding up and slowing down guitars and kleenex box snares still sound pretty much like the tracks off Rumours. Nicks songs are the strongest.
The Human League
4/5
simple electronics/waveforms etc, but good songs.
The Temptations
4/5
Love the bass singer being used for comedic effect. Run Charley. Would be a five if it were just papa, a tour de force, some of the last kinda drag.
Le Tigre
3/5
Silly fun. What was cassavetes anyway.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
If you gave rock and roll another name it'd be Chuck Berry, but it would also be Buddy Holly. Unbelievable if you've ever been to Lubbock or Clovis that some gangly ass kid was coming up with this.
U2
3/5
Decent U2, mysterious ways a banger. They always do sincerity best, but this is a nice experiment.
Kid Rock
4/5
Sure young boy went full retard in recent times, but before the drugs cooked his judgement he once had a preternatural talent for braggadocio and rock and roll. Before he became a parody he did come up with this album which sounds good, and while a bit one note lyrically, is not musically and has some genuinely good and hard songs. You can look for answers, but that ain't fun! Should take his own advice.
Portishead
4/5
Nice, haunting but relaxing somehow.
The Clash
4/5
Cool. Good songs. Minor gripe: Never got the respect they got for incorporating different styles into punk. Just seems like thats what you do. I mean the stones put bossa/reggae/disco in ordinary rock.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Crystalline isn’t a word that should be used too often but these harmonies are. Suite and wooden ships are monster songs. Marrakesh less so. Peak hippy shit.
Stan Getz
3/5
Good. Can get a little backgroundy but its bracing whenever homegirls vocals come in.
808 State
3/5
Its fine, but its dancing music, not album shit
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Nothing quite reaches that haunting vibe they got with deserts miss the rain, or anything portishead does. Not bad, but not great
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Wanted to like this more, just cause of his name and ignorant cockney shtick. Production and rapping borderline wimpy however.
Pulp
4/5
No war but class war. They really hit on a winning formula, and took it to an amazing end with common people. We won't use tanks, we won't use bombs. But should we tho
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
ha "cute if overcalculated" kinda hits the mark from big Christgau. Fun silly "glam punk?" paradoxical metal. And so superior to motley crue - just realized I'd heard the name of this band cause Vince Neil killed their drummer.
M.I.A.
3/5
Dont like it quite as much as the other one. South asian beats and her rapping still hit pretty hard, but some of her affectations get a little grating more so on this one than her second. up with the people, up with the poor
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Hm. I respect the decadence of the dyad. Shits clever and composed, and studiously weird. Nothing on either hits any harder than "what a world" though.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Ok so this is their rubber soul to pet sounds revolver. Rubber soul was always better. This I'm not sure, but lots of girl group spectorish production on tight beach boys harmonies and songs works well and hints at the deep ambitions and talent there. Young boy was powerful fixated on youth and marriage.
Tangerine Dream
3/5
one of the albums that has to be rated relative to the time that it came out. Mostly moog noodling, but they earned it and they were doing stuff no one else had thought of. Not sure it created anything too timeless, but solid for 73
Ananda Shankar
3/5
cool ideas, cool execution.
Boards of Canada
2/5
some genuinely tight beats, but it's really long and the vocal samples are almost without exception, annoying.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Cool, lays down some hypnotic grooves, doesn't really sound like much else I've heard, that said it does sound like itself a lot.
David Bowie
3/5
Man I had not heard as much of bowie as I thought I had. Its all that white funk like fame. Pretty good.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Good stuff. Busta Rhymes features! Are there any more groups that trade flows like this anymore? Love the fixation on the abstract/nickname the abstract. Wild that a founding member got his verses cut and went to chef school. Live bass.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Dave Barry had the classic line, re: the title track lays down an ok theme and then the members take turns demonstrating their incompetence for 11 minutes. Helluva theme though, and there's a lot of originality in the sound though it feels like their keyboardist is taking some lines from Ray Manzarek, who maybe took em from Bach? Anyway there's some true pioneering here, respect.
Nina Simone
5/5
Just a powerful album - singing, songwriting, playing
Willie Nelson
4/5
He is such a good guitar player. Like the themes and such - was this written for a movie or something?- A lot of the intros sound a little like on the road again. Blue eyes all time great.
Alice Cooper
3/5
There are some cool bits, but mostly theatre kids making music for theater kids.
Miles Davis
3/5
I wish I were more sophisticated. I like the boppy structured shit better than the modal stuff I think. Sounds pretty good, but as the joke goes - there's no way to be sure.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
There's some nice flows, and jazz shit fits real nice with rap. Sometimes it gets a little annoying/grating, and honestly sometimes his voice is a little thin or high pitched for my tastes. And sometimes the message is just that a community shouldn't tear itself apart. Fucking duh, man, it's 2015 when you're saying this. Some songs are pretty hard, i like King Kunta, but man I cannot shake the idea that dudes overrated.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I've tried her before and mostly not for me, but this is art. It commands attention. I'm probably just unsophisticated for the parts that don't resonate as much.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Well, its better than I thought it'd be. Kinda midtempo midenergy jailed. But some classic Bruce, perhaps too classic, ie sounds like some other stuff, and some innovation, electronic and foreign drums. Too long though.
Funkadelic
4/5
Play it like your mamma just died. Man dude wrenches a lot of emotion from a pentatonic over three chords. Pretty sure you can trace a lotta of our current cultural collapse to the downward slide of the guitar in the popular mind from these heights to a bunch of instagram technique nerds. Love the cosmic funk rock ridiculousness.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
These boy's catch a lot of flak, and rightly so. Nevertheless sometimes homeboy's lyrics are the right kind of stupid, and they craft pretty memorable songs. I wasn't even remotely into them when this was ubiquitous and I could still sing along for a lot of it. Then of course you've heard all the songs you know and there are 9 left! Not too horrible but only the london sticks out. not necessarily in good ways.
Gene Clark
4/5
Hell yes this is what the list is for. Nuttily ambitious psychedelic country rock with weird ass expansive lyrics. I've heard of him and the Byrds of course but had no idea this was out there being awesome. Love the effort.
Coldcut
3/5
The UK seems to have an inexhaustible supply of electronic duos. This ones fun though with actual songs with good lyrics and a silly sense of humor. Dreary ass dance groups that followed should have learned.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Gotta extend a lot of grace to the compilers for the post 2000 stuff. Obviously hard in the moment to know what will stick. And I guess this did better in the UK than the US. It picks up a bit when the gal starts singing through the back half. Any points for a comfortably numb/staying alive mashup detracted for being monumentally annoying tho. C'mon list, get it together.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Masterstroke pop transition. Tight fucking hooks and breakdowns with soaring background vocals. I am particularly partial to the "boys only want love if its torture" bit. She is definitely singing "lonely starbucks lovers" and not "long list of ex lovers." Can't fool me.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Solid 80s rock.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I like how weird and kinda loud this gets. Didn't know they had it in them, honestly. Full Mrs Robinson is all american anthem. Woo woo woo.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
You can tell he put a lot of work into it. The results just aren't too exciting?
Arcade Fire
5/5
Probably impossible to separate some formative young adulthood from this, but man - they really came out of the gate with hooks and a sense of the epic that they never matched again as far as I can tell. Got daydream nation a couple days later - looks like big Wes was taking notes on the Joni song for Laika. Sneaky Houston Canuck ass.
2/5
If you are going to be experimenting in 2004 try and come up with something actually new rather than rehashing all the dreary experimentation that has come before.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This was cool. I expect like fats domino it has become so ubiquitous in its influence to not sound too revolutionary, but the coming decades are all laid out here.
The Monkees
3/5
It's ok. Like the weird stuff and randy scouse git - hilarious that it did well in the UK.
Tom Waits
3/5
I like this better than rain dogs, while being on the same sorta sounds and themes. This just feels more like a carnival. The voice affectations are still a bit much, but less bothersome on this.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I first heard snowblind via a SOAD cover. Lotta songs on this obviously blueprints for the armenian boyz structure wise. Continue to develop their sound and expand it.
Stereo MC's
3/5
Oohhh. I've heard the ahh ahhh ahhhh ahha connected song a lot, and never had any idea who it was. They do dance music right with fun, good songs.
Fairport Convention
4/5
This is really good, big RT coming in hot with a couple interesting compositions, A sailors life foreshadowing the epic english folk to come, Sandy denny blasting away, Martin Lamble RIP.
Scott Walker
4/5
Absolute nutcase. It's not always for me but I love that he was out there doing this, and somehow getting orchestral backing. I think I like the Brel and other covers better than his originals on 4, but those were cool too. Next!
Fairport Convention
5/5
Does not start out as strong as Genesis Hall, but takes a couple child's ballads and transcends - Matty Groves is a hard pipe hitter of a song, but Tam Lin sets standards that still haven't been matched.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Jimbo and his magnificent genre bending and experimentation. All time classics, weird experiments and hidden gems. A stale thought, but so much music tries to be innovative and no one is really following up on say Burning of the Midnight Lamp.
R.E.M.
4/5
Serve your conscience overseas! Full jangle rock era REM. Some tight shit here.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
One of the reasons I did this project is that I knew I'd never listen to albums such as this without some kind of structured motivation. Impression I had from the singles was not Dad, nor even Mom rock - but Family Rock. So innoffensive and bland that the whole family could agree. On listen its a little weirder theres lots of Buckingham fingerpicking and a bebopalula sorta number. The chain is a real son of a bitch of a song though. I once told a fm loving friend that the best thing they did was the bass breakdown on this song, and he didn't know what I was talking about. Typical of the type of person who rates this so highly but doesn't really know why, or why there's so much better stuff to be in contention for greatest album or whatever. It's fine, but be better, World.
Gorillaz
3/5
some killer. Some filler too. Made a hook out of cymbal crashes on 3+4+ which is tight. Anyway, cool concept, executed coolly. Can see the beginning of the end of Albarn as a fun musician with the tinkly shit though.
Holger Czukay
3/5
Interesting. Madlad german/polish? experimental shit. Respeck more than enjoy. But some of it grooves.
Elis Regina
3/5
The most difficult album to figure out what the book is actually talking about. Looks like they fucked up and put a compilation/reissue on. Appears to be mostly the green self titled from 1980. All that aside - pretty cool - doing its only thing, with gusto sorta disco/samba mash up.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Clean S n G. Philipic indicates that maybe Bobby D not so easy as it looks. Come at the king best not miss, and this is a miss. Otherwise stellar harmonies and tight songwriting/production.
Crowded House
4/5
Clever, catchy rock from the Kiwi/Ozzies.
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Glad to be introduced this. This guy was apparently involved in the whole Sape thing, which is tight. Real mellifluous singing and polished bass. Almost too polished, sometimes this sounds like the soundtrack for tropical levels of video games from the 90s/00s. Anyway this invented that, and is very much its own thing and cool.
Bobby Womack
3/5
This dudes history vis a vis poor Sam Cooke and his wife is fucking wild. The album is cool kinda pioneering 80s soul. Some vocal affectations I associate with rick james, not sure who came first.
Khaled
3/5
Don't have enought background in arab world pop to know where this stands, but certainly is pretty to listen to, with some tight oud? breaks and other nice scalar touches with that wild half steppy singing these folks are so good at.
Paul Weller
4/5
Cool. I've only vaguely heard this guy or his Jam. Straightfoward catchy rock. I hear hints of Neil Young/Allman brothers - not style wise, but like real familiar chords and melodies. Maybe thats strong songwriting, maybe he got borrow happy? At its best on the less straightforward rockers.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Man Willie Dixon was a great songwriter. Anyway the history of this is interesting (who knew the Newport Folk Festival got wild?!?! - all the current nerds just know about dylan's electric shit). Langston Hughes wrote the closer?! Interesting stuff and Muddy is a true titan - however this maybe is just noted as one of the first live blues albums? It's all very good - great, I dunno.
Mekons
4/5
A true introduction for me. I'd never heard of these guys, and it seems the group went through some ship of theseus ass changes. Anyway this was supposedly influenced by country - but don't let that fool you only lost highway remotely sounds like it, they have fiddle and twang and shit, but it sounds more like fairport convention esque english folk takes than anything like american country. Anyway good songs, cool performances, and new to me!
Julian Cope
3/5
huh. Guess I'm glad he's out there taking it easy for all us sinners, but nothing weird is weird enough, nothing not weird is essential enough.
Joan Baez
4/5
Cool. Sometimes her vibrato can be a bit much, but here its only grating on the spanish one. Anyway impressive on a lot of counts from a kid.
The Cardigans
3/5
Some strikes against this one - mostly generic rock, she apparently pioneered that sorta whispery annoying voice in rock ladies, confusing Nordglish lyrics, borderline misogyny in some of the songs, I think? Some HRs too, a truly unhinged take on Iron Man, and lovefool (ohhhh that song!) is interesting and has no end of hooks.
Calexico
3/5
It's serviceable but not essential indie rock. The mariachi touches are the only distinctive nice bit.
The Coral
3/5
Huh, struggling in the 21st century. However, when I was a lovesick dude in my twenties the one scene in scrubs where JD and Eliot get back together at Christmas was soundtracked by Dreaming of You which remains a monster cut. Impossible to separate from nostalgia.
Talk Talk
3/5
Like the prefab sprout cats, I imagine they are going for something real cool, I'm just not hip to it yet.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Apparently this was anti thatcherite? But if you can't tell does it count? Reni's drumming an inspiration to us all. All the fats on here crying about the 60s 70s rock probably love this, which is taken from that. The backwards bits a bit much.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Goddamn young boy at the height of his powers here. Masterful guitar playing and singing. And I think booker T produced? Memphis shit.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Huh. Not so weird for avant garde. If I could play a string quartets worth of instruments and had a synth and a harpsichord I could probably come up with similar.
Sade
3/5
Cool. I did not know this was a band. Kinda the Rihanna of her day it seems like. I did not know about "quiet storm" music. Genre is ridiculous. Anyway not my style but it is smooth and competent as shit.
Ian Dury
3/5
Mad British silliness. Fun. Respect the Gene Vincent respect.
10cc
3/5
Back to back silly brits, this after Ian Dury. Sophistipop. Avantpop? Genre remains dumb. Anyway they are doing some interesting stuff some fun lyrics some beatles inspired singing - I didn't know Paul had a brother but he was recording an album while this was being recorded. Pauls brother.
TV On The Radio
3/5
It's fine. They are competent and there are some good ideas. Still nothing very memorable. They probably did not need two albums on this list.
Ride
3/5
When people described My Bloody Valentine to me before I heard them this is what I thought they would sound like. Y'know, good. Anyway some nice songs here not so lost in the fuzz.
Linkin Park
3/5
Man 90s boyz were angsty. So insecure! Tries to go hard but the production, while clean is too clean, sterile.
Tricky
4/5
It's cool. Pioneered a whole new genre and such. Nice sounds, some pretty clever lyrics.
The Fall
3/5
Fine, gotta respect their output, it sounds like though this really all I've heard from them.
John Martyn
4/5
Love to see folks like this, keeping it weird for all us sinners. Called out specifically in a recent Slits documentary as a reason Island records was tight. Anyway, not all for me, but its going for something, his singing is weird as shit, and that dealer song's catchier than anything has a right to be. Geese on the finale! Let me in!
Hugh Masekela
3/5
It's cool. He plays a flugelhorn, which is objectively funny. Anyway, this is subjectively, a bit too smooth and objectively a bit too long, but there's some nice bits and rhythms.
Jethro Tull
5/5
This has got all the little bits of silliness that get the Tull in trouble - ie Ian Anderson extending vowels into multiple syllables like a weirdo, a little indulgence etc. But they groove, and they rock. Bass lines are tight. Drum lines are tight. Every transition and return in aqualung is thrilling and its all about some dirty old homeless man with a COPD exacerbation. Locomotive breath goes hard. The flute's cool as shit as a rock instrument. "The flowers bloom like madness in the spring" is a great line where you aren't sure what it means, but it sounds cool as hell. Don't you start away uneasy.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Fun more mainstream/ less abrasive than the various namings and packaging would suggest. Anyway kinda britpop adjacement, nice and catchy. whiteamericastillintrouble
Sonic Youth
3/5
Lotta sonic youth lately. This one came later and is less exciting than the last one I got. Thurstons voice is appropriate, but does kinda drag. Kim gordon is an interesting singer. This one does pick up toward the end. Was the fascism always here - did they see it clearer back then than the rest of us?
Slayer
3/5
A gloriously brief album, which counts for a lot. Anyway metal is corny as hell. Kinda fun, but just silly, musically and lyrically.
Tom Waits
3/5
Third Tommy W. album I got. They are all kinda the same thing with some stomp/organic percussion stuff, and those same affected ass vocals. Some nice stuff and ideas, but no new ground from swordfish or the other one. I don't wanna grow up familiar for years from a Ramones cover. It's pretty good.
Ryan Adams
4/5
This guy took some turns into the ditch and didn't work out for him as well as it did young Neil Young. Some bits are very derivative, the subterranean homesick blues is instantly recognizable, and other songs have a lot of hints. Still he wrote some damn good songs, and I've a lot of nostalgia as I think old bands have played 3-4 of them. And he got some fucking heavy hitters to guest. Jesus gillian welch backup singing occasionally emmylou!!?!? David Rawlings is the lead. Can't fail with a team like that.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Hm. Seemed like they were already out innovating DSOTM long before it came out. Some's a bit much, the panning on the interstellar one almost hurts the soul with good headphones. Still cool stuff, some goes pretty hard.
Beach House
3/5
Lil bit generic. 2005-2012 or so I was out of the country, so maybe my perspective's skewed, but I just don't get much value out of this tho it's not bad per se.
Talking Heads
4/5
The afrobeat influence is easier to see on this one than remain. Some all time great songs on this, and was Tina once bad at bass as rumored? She got so good by now! We got some groceries - some peanut butter! All I ever needed.
Steely Dan
3/5
Some true bangers on this. Reelin in the years a favorite. Still these boys tried to have sardonic lyrics but took themselves far too seriously to properly deliver them.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Only sabbath can overcome the corniness of metal lyrics with the power of their rock. Everyone else tries real hard, and does ... ok. However, traitor/faggot/soft boi Petey Hegseth would do well to listen to Run to the Hills on repeat and meditate on how mammothly goddamn stupid and weak he is.
Bee Gees
3/5
The endless SNL sketches make a lot more sense now, I thought they were SN Fever era beegees mockery, but its the histrionic singing on this album that really seals the deal. It's competent folk pop otherwise.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Like Tom Waits, I've gotten 3 of their albums, all fine but relatively indistinguishable in the scheme of things. This one has less kim singing, a mark against it.
Arrested Development
4/5
Good album. I'd heard a fair amount of Mr. Wendell, on the radio, and then later got into Tennessee though I probably didn't really get it at the time. Themes of revolution, procreation, spirit. Like all the best rock and roll. Thoughtful lyrics good flow, tight beats. Save your rounds for the revolution. Prescient as shit. Seriously, save your rounds for the revolution tho
3/5
When folks on here complain about too much 70s rock, this is the kind of stuff I and they probably think about. There's not really that much of this sort, and seventies rock includes everything from blondie and television to pink floyd and zep so its a dumb argument. Anyway this felt pretty dispensable.
George Michael
4/5
I had no real idea how gifted he was before this projects. Anyway impressive songcraft/writing and singing.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Solid stuff. A few too many songs diminishes the power somewhat but he adds a lot of power to some covers like hurt and personal jesus. And I actually really like the original opener. It is hard for thee to kick against the prick...
Beatles
5/5
The best Beatles album. Just masterfully crafted song after song, with pop sensibility full intact and the experiment serving the song rather than vice versa as could occasionally happen revolver onward. Paul figured out overnight how to play like James Jamerson. Ringos got the beats. Ludicrous. I'd hack the site and give it 6 if it weren't for run for your life.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Man I do not remember much of this from just a couple weeks ago. Ergo I guess it was pretty forgettable, but certainly not unpleasant rock and roll of its time.
The White Stripes
4/5
This was invigorating at the time, and remains invigorating now. Long live rock and roll son! One sounds a lot like dead leaves tho.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Very cool stuff here. Takes blues conventions and african conventions - real repetitive loopy guitar, mordents, chants etc and mushes them together for something not new exactly, but nice.
Heaven 17
4/5
Fun. I dunno why later electronic acts thought they could ditch the song aspect of music and still be tight. Somehow he sounds like every other singer singing this year. But clever lyrics, and slightly aged, but pleasant production. Fucking fascists...when will song defeat them?
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
Sure, sure there's a little repulsive about the whole thing in theory. But I only understand about ten words of French, so it's pretty easy to ignore, and the genius of it all is impossible to ignore. The music blends a few layers of funk and rock with absolute mastery on all players parts, and somehow it works under whatever his vocals are. Cargo cult!
King Crimson
3/5
Some cool drumming. Occasional misophonia provoking sounds. Some goes pretty hard, fortunately not so long as some of these things get.
The Auteurs
3/5
It's ok, feels perhaps a little generic, but maybe because of all the inspired-by-it britpop I've heard already.
Tim Buckley
5/5
Amazing that some stoner drop out teen father working at a taco bell, with the not insignificant contributions of his HS friend on lyrics came up with this. Ambition only occasionally outstrips its grasp and this only highlights the incredible reach. Works in world percussion, freak folk, free jazz, amazing singing and unique lyrics. All to have some fats on here complain about "ren faire" or whatever. Love that they tried that parallel poetry that we all learned about in middle school and seldom saw another example of.
Burning Spear
3/5
Feels like kinda run of the mill reggae, the themes are on point, and brevity is the soul of wit. Just don't care for reggae generally
Hole
3/5
Solid songs, solidly performed. I prefer the live through this rawness. Anyway, lady had some talent, and did bald billy cowrite some of this. Anyway shit's tight. Swing low.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Classy. Catchy stuff and well produced. How did every english frontman in the 80s sound exactly like this? - excepting morrisey and robert smith i guess.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I liked this a lot in my younger years. Mostly holds up but too much slow blues drag. Standing in the doorway spoke a lot to my heartsore self in my twenties though, and the arrangements/production are nice and dark and mysterious. He was only in his 50s I think, which felt ancient at the time, but he's still doing it! Voice has perhaps even mildly improved?
Supergrass
3/5
Billy Corgan's finsta? I kid, but only kinda. Anyway it's all kinda bog standard ok rock.
4/5
Huh doesn't have the famous intro shout. But really all the talk of revolution and hard rocking imply the "motherfuckers!" anyways. Such a hilarious thesis statement to start Ramblin' Rose with that falsetto, really sets the tone.
Sepultura
3/5
LOL metal is so corny. Fun enough, I wish they would do more of the brazilian/samba sorta shit, which I read was on here but couldn't really detect. Would help it stop sounding just like the slayer and iron maiden etc.
Paul Simon
4/5
Cool piece of work. Melds his best poetic instincts pretty seamlessly with all the african stuff. World's a better place for it.
Germs
4/5
Sounds a bit old hat now, but just cause they were innovating. If you watch the penny marshall? doc - decline etc I think - its a wonder anyone depicted, but of course particularly darby could manage to get something workable out of a studio. Pat smear, who of course my generation knew from Nirvana/Foo axes, is pretty good, seems somewhat more together. Regardless cool. More beyah!
Frank Sinatra
3/5
This one is very cool in concept, cover and singing etc, but fast upbeat frank is generally the most captivating, and a bit missed on this one .
Steely Dan
3/5
Would never really put this on just apropos of nothing, and these boys took 'emselves too seriously and it sounds like maybe were very undude with their studio musicians, but there's some songcraft here and if you can't see or appreciate it that's a you problem.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
genericest generic of all the generics that genericed. Lot more unearned yelling than anything.
Gram Parsons
4/5
Talented ass songwriter, with an interesting dream. And emmylou singing alongside. Can't lose. I've stayed at the Joshua Tree in a couple doors down from the room he died in.
The B-52's
3/5
My brother always questioned - who is this music for? Its a good question, but it must have sounded really fresh at one time. Now mostly just silly, albeit fun.
Sebadoh
3/5
A little incel coded? Anyway I had kinda vaguely heard of these guys, but wasn't to impressed. 2nd half different and better than the first.
Q-Tip
4/5
The abstract returns to my awareness Like 2 decades after! He's still got it, this is pretty good.
Björk
3/5
Keeping it weird. Lots a classical like LUX. Sometimes I think her songwriting is just taking multisyllabic english words and pronouncing them all icelandic and stretching them out melodically. Like someone somewhere said, a lot of tension, but no climax.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Impressive that their sound is still intact so late in the game, but did we really need 3 albums that I will never be able to distinguish from eachother?
Aerosmith
2/5
The other aerosmith album on this list has some raunch to the riffs and the lyrics and some big ol hooks. This one not so much. Lots nitty gritty - old timey speak...
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Hi Desert Stoner Rock - Genre is suckers game, but young JH did kinda pioneer a legitimate distinct subgenre. Fun, thought got better later.
SZA
3/5
It's fine. Some nice chords from time to time, but not sure why she's as revered as she seems to be from an admittedly very cursory bit of research.
Missy Elliott
4/5
The 90s were a time. Timbaland, at his timbalandist. Fun raps lots of guests, some legendary ie Aaliyah and Busta some I do not remember if I ever heard of - 702, magoo, etc. The production while painfully timbalandish is good. Ann Peebles sample, memphis shit. Everyone seems like they're having a good time.
Paul Simon
4/5
This was cool, just the right amount of weird (allergies!), and the distant trains one hits hard. Some hints of graceland, and for a cool change, it was entirely new to me.