227
Albums Rated
3.49
Average Rating
21%
Complete
862 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
48
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live / Dead | 5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
| White Light / White Heat | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Veckatimest | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Ambient 1/Music For Airports | 5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
| Fetch The Bolt Cutters | 5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
| Deloused in the Comatorium | 5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| Chicago Transit Authority | 5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| Let It Be | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| Countdown To Ecstasy | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| Urban Hymns | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| American Pie | 1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
| Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde | 1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
| Chemtrails Over The Country Club | 1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
| Rapture | 1 | 2.94 | -1.94 |
| Appetite For Destruction | 2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
| Tea for the Tillerman | 2 | 3.69 | -1.69 |
| Band On The Run | 2 | 3.67 | -1.67 |
| Sheer Heart Attack | 2 | 3.65 | -1.65 |
| Out Of The Blue | 2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Steely Dan | 3 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 4.67 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.67 |
| The White Stripes | 2 | 5 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (48)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Grateful Dead
5/5
While this doesn't necessarily contain the definitive versions of each of these songs, as a whole it is an essential encapsulation of the early dead when they were still pushing the psychedelic aspects of their music. They've always been a jam band, but they really embrace the improv explorations here. Lovelight and Death Don't Have No Mercy take a more typical type 1 form, bluesy numbers that let Pigpen shine as a front man with a lively call and response from the rest of the band. This is the Dead at their most adventurous, exploratory, and unburdened by the machine they'd become. Jerry's voice is clear and cogent. A classic Betty board with excellent sound, and the best Live compilation album that captures their raucous, psychedelics beginnings.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
Queen
3/5
The Smiths
2/5
David Bowie
5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Björk
5/5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Not as musically exploratory as What's Going On, but he took Al Green's subtle erotica and cranked it to 11. His voice still carries everything and the musicianship is tight shit from the funk brothers, but overt themes of sex and love dominate over the powerful political messages. It's definitely a cohesive suite of songs about yearning (and fucking), with Let's Get It On is the high point (and by extension, Keep Gettin' it On). I don't typically prefer the soul slow jams, but those vocal harmonies on Just To Keep You Satisfied are worth it.
The Doors
4/5
Overall a more blues rooted record, missing a lot of Manzarek's psychedelic organ. Love Her Madly a bit of an exception here with the Continental leads. Morrison's voice and delivery complement the songs well. I love his growls in the Been Down So Long. Cars Hiss By My Window sorta drags in the middle but it just makes the title track stand out even better. I'm sucker for a Rhodes and the interplay with the guitar in the intro is great. Overall the high point here, and probably for the Doors in general. Tempo change into the bridge before the soaring outro is a great showcase for John Densmore and just feels exuberant when they come back around - great encapsulation of a car speeding down the highway out of LA. Sounds like a nod to Alice's Restaurant in L'America? Crawling King Snake oozes with sleaze.
Happy Mondays
3/5
It's madchester man! Easy to hear the same stew brewing from the Stone Roses and Primal Scream's Screamadelica. Touches on jangle pop (Kinky Afro), blues riffs (God's Cop), dancy beats (Step On), shimmery guitar over proto trip hop drum and bass (Loose Fit). Lots of auxiliary percussion and samples throughout. Very distinct sound while also running the gamut of forms and styles.
k.d. lang
2/5
The guitar in Constant craving has some 80's tom petty vibes (that Jeff Lynne 12 string sound). But overall this album sounds like something I'd hear in the dentist office waiting room.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Not as big a fan of these more mellow tunes. What Goes On probably my favorite.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I got out of the 5th grade spelling bee because i misspelled Subterranean. Shoulda been a Dylan fan earlier. I'd probably be ok never hearing Mr. Tambourine man again, but Subterranean, Love Minus Zero/No Limit, Maggie's Farm, and Baby Blue are classics. It's Alright Ma is an absolute masterpiece (Philharmonic Hall '64 being a prime version). Much more surrealism, vivid imagery, and literary lyrics (and electric guitars) on this album than his previous folky protest songs, marking the beginning of an unparalleled 3 album run culminating in Blonde on Blonde.
The White Stripes
5/5
It might seem overplayed but that 7 nation Army intro is iconic. Ball and biscuit still prob my favorite.
Suicide
3/5
so dark and heavy. can feel the influence of this on all sorts of post-punk, early electronic and even new wave on here. Ghost Rider sample used perfectly, both musically and thematically in MIA's Born Free. One of those albums I really appreciate but don't want to listen to often (filed right next to Bauhaus).
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Love the sax melody on Dumb Waiters. They do a good job of creating a sort of post-punk template with more pop sensibilities. The sax adds a lot to their overall melodic sound and it makes me happy everytime it comes on. Drums are the huge banging reverby type that were de rigeur in the 80's. They remind me of a more brooding INXS, and overall feel like they did a good job threading the needle between the dourness of New Order/Joy Division and more overt pop of Duran Duran and Tears for Fears, and it seems easy to trace the thread more modern Brit post-punk back to the Furs.
Spacemen 3
4/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Kraftwerk
2/5
Europe endless is long but interesting. Hall of Mirrors is long and boring. Showroom Dummies would be better without lyrics. Reminded me of Bowie a bit, but I just found it annoying eventually. That's how I found most of the songs on this album - I get that at the time this was pretty groundbreaking electronic music, but overall the simple syths didn't really build much and I felt like unless you are really into repetitive minimalism, it gets boring. And i like ambient minimalism. so maybe it was just the lyrics that jogged me out of a nice space-out mindset. Last half of the album is much better, especially Franz Schubert. No coincidence those songs are shorter and have less vocals.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
not nearly as bad as I was expecting, really. not a fan of the 80's glam metal contemporaries, but the addition of some sax and harmonica kinda elevates it? floor is still pretty low though. Tooting Bec Wreck is the worst name but maybe best track here with a good sing a long hook. Until I get you is a decent blues rock song filtered through cocaine and neon. If you like 80's glam radio rock, this is a head above the rest of the pack. but not enough to redeem it. I guess there's a better chance I listen to this again before Motley Crue ?
David Bowie
3/5
Title track comes out swinging. Dirty Boys a stomping dirge that works because of the bari sax. The drums on If You Can See Me sound like a workout. Valentine's day probably my least favorite. That sax again on Boss of Me doesn't quite resuscitate the track. Even the worst songs here have something of interest, whether production, Bowie's delivery, or instrumentation, but suffers from being too long and not cutting some clunkers.
The Temptations
5/5
This album rules. Temptations are most known for their more pop oriented Motown ballads but they made some of the best psychedelic soul in the early 70s. The thick funk of Papa and not even a snare hit until 8 minutes in ! just insane.
Slint
3/5
Manu Chao
3/5
Would be really good pool day music, if you want your pool day to be about anti-globalization and Bolivian water crises.
Fleet Foxes
2/5
This is something that on paper I should like, at least a little. But I just find the boring outweighs the beauty.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
America and Mrs. Robinson are the only two I was familiar with beforehand. I like Is Voices of Old People the first attempt at ASMR? Mostly pleasant folky tunes that sorta float away once they are over, except maybe Hazy Shade of Winter and At the Zoo.
Jacques Brel
2/5
like a French musical theater soundtrack. Isn't bad, but I don't think I will ever listen to this again.
Brian Eno
5/5
Tangerine Dream
4/5
Sequencer-driven epics that feel cinematic, shifting between eeire and calming. Hypnotic loops blast you off to the cosmos; kinda feels like the soundtrack for being at the planetarium on a field trip and watching the timeline of the universe.
The Who
3/5
Much more of the R&B and classic rock 'n roll sound than their more experimental/synth stuff that came later. More vocal harmonies and blues licks. Whole album rocks pretty hard for 1964, the title track being the obvious standout. Moon and Entwhistle are brilliant throughout. Probably an album I'll mostly just revisit via singles.
David Bowie
4/5
Title Track doesn't feel like a 10 minute song. Golden Years is a Top 5 Bowie song for me. TVC15 is fun, big singable chorus. Wild is the wind is maybe my least favorite but still a nice closer.
N.W.A.
2/5
I like the instrumental on Parental Discretion Iz Advised. Some of the tracks have a very of-their-time sound (the drum machine/synth sounds). 8-ball remix is bad, in fact most of Eazy's verses are kinda bad. MC Ren and Ice Cube are the highlights there. I was a little fatigued by the end of it - partly because it starts so strong but also there isn't a lot of dynamics in the instrumentation/melodies in the last 1/3. I get how it was groundbreaking at the time, but that also gives a bit of a dated feel 35 years on.
John Coltrane
5/5
The Specials
3/5
Otis Redding
5/5
That voice. The power. Despite being mostly covers (and an original made more popular by Aretha) this album is a landmark of Memphis soul.
Metallica
3/5
It's grandiose. There's times when the strings really complement the songs, adding a building, eerie contrast to the guitars. Other times it can get a little busy with too many counter melodies going. Devil's Dance really feels like the weak one here. Heavy on Load, Reload, and Black Album. No Leaf Clover is a good addition to the metallica canon. Sometimes the flute melodies feel a little forced and silly. Overall I think the concept works, but it feels like the symphonic arrangement sometimes tried to be too front and center, fighting for space. Better recording and mixing quality than most of their studio stuff. I get it's a live album, but it really runs long. It's Metallica and and symphony - over the top but still pretty awesome.
Lots of nostalgia for this one, but it's really buoyed by the singles. Bono's lyrics can be a bit trite and heavy handed at times, but the album is a cohesive collection of songs, bereft of most of their experimentation of their 90's albums without totally smearing their signature sonic pallete.
Steely Dan
5/5
Laura Nyro
4/5
Gives immediate Carol King as a lounge singer vibes. Lu and Sweet Blindness are fun little bops. Eli's Coming is pretty great too. Overall, an upbeat album with string and horn arrangments under piano-led tunes.
Parliament
5/5
Funky. Weird. Classic. Good.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Heard Brown Sugar more times than I need to and was honestly never a big fan of Wild Horses. Can't You hear Me Knocking feels out of place almost on an album full of acoustic blues and ballads. Knocking and Sister Morphine are my favorites.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
This sounds way older than 1999. I would have guessed 1985-1988ish. Very euro electro sound. Annoying at times. I heard it - couldn't finish it, don't want to hear it again.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Very open about female sexuality and her struggles with it. It was a very compelling lyrically and a good listen as an artistic work. I thought the production was good and the rapping pretty decent. I don't think many songs are going to make it onto playlists or get revisited though.
4/5
Listened to a mono, which had nice separation of instruments across the L-R channels. been listening to a lot of War since I was a kid, but not some of the deep cuts on here. The harmonica differentiates from their other soul-funk contemporaries. Heavy emphasis on rhythm and groove. Delves a bit into jazz funk.
GZA
4/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
All About Love (First Impression) sounds like a direct predecessor to SpottieOttieDopaliscious. Highly produced album with funky dance songs (Shining Star, Happy Feelin', Learnin' Yearnin') slower ballads (That's the Way of the World, Reasons). Leaning into a bit of soft jazz (See the Light). Overall a mixed bag. Good musicianship but it feels almost too polished and cheesy at times.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This album is where's waldo for a music fan, trying to find all the samples.
T. Rex
3/5
Buick McCane is my favorite on here. Definitely a distinct vibe and obvious influence for Ty Segall. Paradoxically feels a little grimier and glammier than other early 70's rock. Ringo took the pic on the front cover. Less vision but similar sound to spiders era Bowie.
Love
2/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Immigrant Song song is a pretty epic opener, but it's been driven into the ground. 3 is really where they started to get more weird with it beyond their blues licks. Friends is great string and percussion arrangements. Since I Been Loving You is a top 5 Zeppelin song. Lots more folk and americana influence (Gallows Pole, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur stomp).
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Most of this was new to me. Kicks off with a rock song with sax about Memphis, so they know how to suck me in. When I was a kid I confused Mott for Bowie. Still can see the comparison (mostly the double tracked slap back on the vocals). Rock songs that sorta have a musical theater quality to them. I'm a Cadillac is a slide guitar slow jam
The Cure
3/5
almost sounds primitive at times. definitely a cohesions throughout that sets a consistent mood, but also leaves it sounding a bit same-y. hints at robert smith's ability to write gloomy pop songs. Secrets (bass leads the melody?!), A Forest (prototypes their goth jams to come).
Radiohead
5/5
Miles Davis
5/5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Super jangly acoustic tunes with his charming British delivery of punky folk tunes. Part Clash, part Elvis Costello. None of the songs have the catchiness of either of them, and this probably works best as an album than singles.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
The Stooges
4/5
1969 offers up a psychedelic screamer to open the album, giving the wah a workout and the rhythm section holding a steady, repetitive beat that hearkens to a darker version of the psychdelic soul starting to come out of motown around this time. I wanna be your dog eschews any sort of pop leanings and goes hard into the proto punk, and we're off to the races. Wah tinged guitars appear throughout the album, as is Iggy's distinctive snarl. We Will Fall is a 10 minute spoken word doom spiral. Ann is a sad sludgy love song. Little Doll closes out with a familiar sounding vocal delivery and some guitar heroics. Overall the album dances with greatness but always in the shadows, afraid to come out of the basement.
T. Rex
4/5
I liked this a bit better than the other T. Rex album. Mambo sun and Jeepster have almost southern rock-ish, dirty boogie grooves. I've always loved the guitar tones on Bang a Gong, but it's clear it pervades this whole album. His voice keeps reminding me of Bowie and Ty Segall. Rip Off is a fun closer, percussion and drums, strings and sax playing the same melody lines.
Hot Chip
4/5
Upbeat dance music that is held grounded by very subdued, sometimes monotone vocals. Motion Sickness is great and Flutes is the crown jewel here. Look at Where We Are is a somewhat poignant ballad. Despite borrowing house and disco style synths and rhythms, the songs often still have an almost acoustic feel (that super dry snare a big reason). It's best when it's trying to be dance music without being 'club' music (e.g., Night and Day). Don't Deny Your Heart has all the ingredients of an 80's soundtrack song but somehow comes off not cheesy.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Every time Laura starts I think it's gonna be 9-5 by Dolly. Take Your Mama is George Michael's Freedom! 90. Comfortably Numb doesn't sound anything like Pink Floyd, but definitely has some BeeGees. Mary is a late 70's Elton John B-side. Not to say they are bad songs. (Lovers in the Backseat is though). Tits on the Radio is kinda funny and branching into an original sound, and Filthy/Gorgeous fully realizes a runway fabulous electro pop sound. Then Music is the Victim and Better Luck Next Time are piano-led bar rock bops. Then closes with electro pop and a soft ballad (Return to Oz). Overall a somewhat schizophrenic album that vacillates between really fun and solid but middle of the road songs.
The Cult
2/5
This is some cock rock. I definitely have to be in a mood for this. File it next to AC/DC for big crunchy open chords and half-yelled vocals. That voice is distincitve and commanding. Born to Be Wild was terrible.
Miles Davis
3/5
Not as big of a fan of the big band cool jazz stuff from Davis. Definitely more lyrical melodies, with more unison playing from a pair of horns, with counterpoint and harmony from some of the other. I don't like french horns. Overall feels more like a soundtrack to an old Disney movie than 'jazz'. It's not a challenging listen and makes for better background music or relaxing. The drum break on Move is cool though.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I'm kinda over Hurt. Overall, it's a solid album from a great voice of classic country music; the arrangements and instrumentation are sparse, but that works for his almost spoken word singing. The duets with Fiona Apple and Nick Cave are good. Frusciante wrote the acoustic arrangement for Personal Jesus, and the barroom piano is great, but the vocal delivery here is almost like pulling teeth. It's an album I think is really good, but I don't really like late era Cash because it feels almost tiresome and plodding.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
I mean, track 1 sounds like a Muzak santana song. A Bonnie Raitt/Hooker duet is a pairing of some of blues' most distinctive voices. Los Lobos add some texican flair to a typical Hooker boogie and was a standout for me. Curious why this Hooker album is on here; it seems geared toward a completist or an established fan and doesn't feel essential, but still has some gems for casuals.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Fuck yeah. No notes.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Tears For Fears
5/5
Tears for Fears were so good at packing layers of sounds without making it sound too busy or overwhelming - everything has a place in the mix. I think the guitar solo from Shout is a perfect example of a relatively simple line that is so melodically well composed within the context of that tune. Despite having a rather 'of the time' sonic palette, it doesn't feel dated. And the songs themselves are just well-crafted pop tunes.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
this one is just Devendra and his guitar. Not sure why it's on here - he definitely has more interesting songs and sounds and this one feels pretty run of the mill.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
South African soul-jazz. Part of a Whole and Maesha are probably my favorites, but it's a solid collection of songs that feature afro-cuban rhythmic influences, melodic leads from the flugelhorn and alto sax, and the distinct electric piano offering a bit of american funk and soul.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
The Rolling Stones
5/5
doesn't matter how many times i've heard it, the into to gimme shelter gets me hooked every time. Midnight rambler is a throw away for me. Country Honk seems to intentionally sound like a B-side. Monkey Man may be my dark horse favorite on here though. Opens like a Motown funk tune and Keith adds that sleazy guitar riff that suits MIck's delivery.
Joy Division
3/5
Joy Division is a band I should like more but I cannot stand that snare sound. Clearly though, no Joy Division, no Interpol,
The Fall
2/5
This album is not this nation's saving grace.
Fela Kuti
5/5
funky, soulful, aggressive. I love afrobeat. Fela's sax is good but Tony Allen is the heart here.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
it has all the ingredients but the cake comes out with a weird aftertaste.
Van Halen
3/5
hear me out: VanHalen was to the 80's what nirvana was to the 90s. sorta broke the mold on the musical zeitgeist (disco) at the time, and spawned a bunch of derivative copy cats (hair metal) that watered down the sound. they obviously did it in different ways (and david lee roth and kurt cobain couldn't be more different) but I see them sorta fitting into the same role in popular music when they really got to the scene.
eddie was a great guitar player and most of the other hair metal frontmen felt like a pastiche of David Lee Roth. when I was a kid like 8-12ish I thought they were awesome. don't really ever listen to them anymore but damn I remember air guitar battles at sleepovers listening to eruption. I don't really listen to the anymore, and in my head I sorta grouped them in with a lot of the bad hair metal-y 80's hard rock, but relistening to their debut was lots of fun.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
oh man this is so goofy. the songs are only like a minute long, which is good when you've got something like 'dogfight giggle' which just sounds like its title. sometimes campy, like an 80's movie soundtrack concept album. Whten the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Bvld. is a good proggy epic and Le Feel Internacionale is a great guitar workout.
Willie Nelson
4/5
It's willie nelson singing the great American Songbook. Booker T's arrangements are pretty unadorned and leave plenty of room for the stripped down band, rooted by his distinctive organ sounds and Trigger's twang. With his tender, textured voice and intuitively around-the-beat phrasing, Nelson gives these songs fresh readings, with just the touch of sentimentality and nostalgia they demand.
Cat Stevens
2/5
folky, calking peaceful voice. reminds me of being a kid and hearing this as I was trying to go to sleep. it sorta made me feel weird, and I can't shake that feeling.
Röyksopp
4/5
This is a peaceful and fun album that is too catchy and boppy for ambient bt can still slide nicely into the background. Aptly titled - it was perfect for morning coffee.
The Stone Roses
4/5
So much I love about this album. It's definitely an album of a place and time. Some stone cold classics on here, but I always seem to start losing interest about the middle third before they bring it all back home.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Steely Dan
5/5
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Perry Farrell's voice uniquely cuts through the power trio rock. Navaro somehow gets a mean but somewhat thin sounding guitar tone and the drums sound like they were recorded in a warehouse - huge but not Phil Collins' 80 sound. toys with some psychedelic, metal, and grungy hard rock without fully encapsulating any of them.
Small Faces
3/5
Honestly never given them a real listen. was more psychedelic than i thought but overall pretty forgetable. You ask: "Who do the Small Faces sound like?"
and most people would scrunch their face and quizzically respond "the who???" and they'd have no idea how right they are.
Garbage
2/5
Sorta mixed industrial electronic beats/sounds with grunge. Kinda sounds a bit dated and outside of a few tunes it doesn't really stand out.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Apparently no creative barriers for Hayes and he relishes it with long, psychedlic soul songs and ballads. A true melding of the Stax and Motown sounds with the lush strings added in post in Detroit. Epic, layered compositions. Walk On By is an slow burner but upbeat slice of soul funk that ends with a Eddie Hazel style solo while Hayes works the leslie. Funkadelic comparisons continue on track 2, not just in stylizing of the title but the funky backbeat and wah guitar that perfectly frame that deep baritone singing about modus operandi and medula oblongota. One Woman is a bit saccharine and overwrought, thankfully the shortest one on here. By the time I get to phoenix starts with the epic story of a love gone wrong before a gut wrenching ballad, punctuated by horns, strings and woodwinds over a slow thumping bass line and Hayes' tinkling piano. His voice is again the centerpiece here, telling the story of heartbreak with an almost desperate bittersweet pleading before a final build up and coda.
Beatles
5/5
dave maynar is a dummy. Is she so heavy the first stoner rock song?
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Sometimes that Janis caterwaul comes through like late 70's Donna in the Dead and it's all I can hear.
Metallica
3/5
The Unforgiven is Ennio Morricone with a distortion pedal. Lars Ulrich is a pretty pedestrian drummer and overall holds them back. Kirk Hammet plays very nice melodic solos. When comes in at the end of Nothing Else Matters is a highlight moment here. Don't Tread on Me and Of Wolf and Man are low points here. I still dig it, but not like I did in middle school are early high school.
David Bowie
4/5
Feels like a polished barroom band but with more sophisticated arrangements. Keef and Jagger through a Bowie filter.
Paul Simon
3/5
In Steamboat Willie, this is the album mickey mouse is whistling along to.
Stan Getz
4/5
This was a surprisingly great poolside listen.
Coldplay
4/5
I really liked this when it came out, and I still really like this. Hard to describe it while avoiding 'radiohead-lite' type of comparison but I don't think that's fair assessment.
10cc
4/5
Glad I listened to this. Really only knew them from the Lock Stock soundtrack (Dreadlock Holiday). They play around with genre through a slightly bent 60's neo psych lens. Some clever/humorous lyrics. Band of goofballs. Stands as a worthwhile listen but probably just select tracks make a regular rotation from this one.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
Guns N Roses isn't a band I can listen to without feeling like i'm doing it a little bit ironically. Some bangers on here but I feel exhausted listening to the whole album. My HS drama teacher used to always tell us that we needed dynamics in our performance - if you start out too high/intense, you'll have nowhere to go. Axl Rose is always too high. Duff McKagen is the best part of Sweet Child o Mine.
Don McLean
1/5
Did you know Don McLean had other songs besides American Pie? May as well not. this is fucking boring.
The Mars Volta
5/5
For real I don't know how they do this. Proggy, funky, heavy, dynamic. This shit rips. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt is probably my favorite here.
Yes
4/5
I love the vocal harmonies and Chris Squire's bass lines. The acoustic guitar lines are great. It's much more accessible than some of theirs and their contemporaries really proggy, out there stuff. Bumping it an extra star for that instant karma.
The xx
3/5
I love the vibe and the intro is classic but this is an album for going to sleep.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Interesting choice for a Muddy Waters album but his voice and style are such unique aspects of old classic blues.
Aimee Mann
2/5
I anticipated subdued acoustic singer songwriter stuff (it's here) but there's more of a rock edge to these songs than I was expecting. Not bad, but probably nothing I will listen to again.
Spiritualized
3/5
I like spiritualized quite a bit, but this album is a 'going to sleep' album. more like an ambient extension of spacemen3 and not quite as exciting as his later efforts.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Somebody to love is the obvious standout here. Grace Slick is a great singer. White Rabbit is a perfect example. The ones that lean into the psychedelic sound are the strongest, and the more poppy 60's fluff kinda gets in the way sometimes.
Elton John
3/5
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding was one of my favorite elton songs as a kid. The timbre of the synths and guitar in the intro sound sorta cheesy but melody is there and the overall make an epic intro to this song, and Love Lies Bleeding is great. Don't think I ever need to heard candle in the wind again. The syncopated piano chords with the one-off inversions during Bennie and the Jets gets me every time. Jamaica Jerk Off is aptly titled. Sweet Painted Lady, All the Girls Love Alice, Saturday Night are all bops. Overall felt a bit long, but even the weak songs are boosted by Elton's vocal delivery, which can be honky tonk charismatic, soulfully wailing, or just delivered with his distinct swagger.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I dunno. Just couldn't really get into anything on here.
Solomon Burke
3/5
feels more doo wop than either rock or soul, with a hint of Caribbean influence on a couple tunes. do love that there's a song basically about how he wants to fuck every woman but there's just too many.
Talking Heads
5/5
how were they so good?
Lana Del Rey
1/5
it's like less funny father john misty witticisms and melodrama. and also really boring.
Donovan
4/5
60's psychedelia with some indian/eastern influences. knew some of the highlights on here, but never given it a full listen.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
way too long. kinda reminds me of early beyonce. some real bops on here though. takes me back to TRL days.
Nirvana
4/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Maybe my favorite Dylan record. He's loose and weird and rock 'n rolling.
The Verve
5/5
Less drugged out and shoegazey than the earlier records but still has the combination of delay and reverb. Love Nick McCabe's guitar tone and Richard Ashcroft has the best slacker singer voice in rock.
U2
3/5
There's some stuff on here I love. Edge has always loved his effects without going full psych or shoegaze, but on this record he sounds more like a guitar player, even though is sonic palette is a lot more experimental. Even better than the real thing and the Fly sorta give me some mild madchester vibes, acrobat is a great psych rock number. One and Wild Horses are the U2 schlock that sorta feels hollow in such a Bono way. Overall, an intersting curve in the U2 sound.
Depeche Mode
2/5
Depeche mode is a band a think I like and then I try to listen to a whole album and i realize I don't like depeche mode that much.
The Clash
5/5
Let's give it up to St. Joe Strummer.
Can
4/5
nice long weird jams. cool.
R.E.M.
4/5
R.E.M.'s starts experimenting outside their jangle pop roots (though it's still pretty jangly) and adding some new instruments and pushing their sound outside what was a pretty well trodden sound for them. Still got some catchy ass pop songs on here.
Taylor Swift
2/5
Her shift to pop from country fully complete, this album didn't age well and compared with other contemporaries feels a bit weak and propped up by her cult of personality more than artistic merit.
The Jam
2/5
Sheryl Crow
3/5
She listened to a lot of Anthony Kiedis before writing the Na-Na Song. The funky Solidify should be a non-sequitur here but still works. Her almost laconic delivery of seemingly stream of conciousness lyrics carries the weaker songs. Ultimately more a jack of all trades than master of one, in the sense that nothing is extraordinary, but comes together as geater than sum of its parts.
Deerhunter
3/5
Take beach house, make it a little lo-fi and more interesting, and you got Halcyon Digest. A lot a like here but it also melds together. Desire Lines and Fountain Stairs are standouts.
The Allman Brothers Band
5/5
Yeah man.
Talking Heads
5/5
It's the Talking Heads!
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Like much of Cohen's work, the lyricism is multi layered, each line intentional and pretty heavy thematically. But it's kind of a downer, and musically doesn't do much for me. I feel bad rating it low from an objective standpoint but subjectively i doubt i'll listen to this again.
Pearl Jam
4/5
This was always my favorite "grunge" album from the Seattle 4. Not really a weak song on here though they are all kinda samey.
Queen
2/5
I think I'm just more of a Queen's Greatest Hits type of person. I don't need the deep cuts.
Stephen Stills
3/5
long double album split into 4 themes; the country and bluegrass one is a bit droll, but the opening side and last half are pretty solid.
Calexico
4/5
Oasis
4/5
mixing/mastering aside, I love this album.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
harder and more fun than i expected. makes me wanna crank it loud and clean the house.
The Pharcyde
1/5
can i get the instrumental version? this is cringe.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Creedence is maybe the best patio band. But I don't think the is the best representation of their work and it drags in the middle.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
An throwback to old soul music that's drenched in reverb and modern production touches from Danger Mouse. Mournful lyrics delivered like a more folky solomon burke.
Lou Reed
3/5
Bad form to put crying kids on record.
Grateful Dead
5/5
While this doesn't necessarily contain the definitive versions of each of these songs, as a whole it is an essential encapsulation of the early dead when they were still pushing the psychedelic aspects of their music. They've always been a jam band, but they really embrace the improv explorations here. Lovelight and Death Don't Have No Mercy take a more typical type 1 form, bluesy numbers that let Pigpen shine as a front man with a lively call and response from the rest of the band. This is the Dead at their most adventurous, exploratory, and unburdened by the machine they'd become. Jerry's voice is clear and cogent. A classic Betty board with excellent sound, and the best Live compilation album that captures their raucous, psychedelics beginnings.
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Minutemen
4/5
weren't full of sub 2 minute songs, it would get old fast. but none of them feel incomplete nor overstay their welcome. more melodic and rhythmically interesting than most punk. and god that bass tone is so good.
Baaba Maal
3/5
The Doors
3/5
Frank Zappa
5/5
Coming to Frank Zappa non-contemporaneously must be how osme people feel about King Gizzard these days. Just an immense collection of eclectic songs. This is a great place to start though and one of my favorites. Jazzy, jammy, funky. I don't know why I don't listen to Zappa more often anymore.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Really don't know why I never got more into Elliot Smith. I think I was a little too young to really connect when he was 'big' and then with his death he fell off my radar except for the theater kids in HS. This is less americana than Ryan Adams, but hits that same tortured poet feel with a touch of emo. Incredible pop hooks here and a wonderful collection of songs, albeit rather a downer.
Kate Bush
2/5
For a Kate Bush record, this one is kinda boring. Not that I need songs to have a good hook, but there were none here and meandering felt aimless and uninteresting.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
I don't really like skits, but the beats on this are great Ghostface is probably my favorite from wu tang.
Jimmy Smith
5/5
That B3 always gives me the classic memphis soul feel, but here's it's used in a jazz setting, with more melodic and improvised lines. A funky, soulful jazz record.
Eminem
2/5
Beatles
5/5
Mylo
2/5
album sounds kind of like someone who wanted to make music but only listened to music from the Super Nintendo game Top Gear.
the title track is unlistenable.
I don't hate it necessarily, but this is best for background music at a "hip" dentist's office.
Michael Jackson
3/5
She's out of my life might be the cheesiest thing ever. Wait, MJ did do The Girl is Mine with Macca. The whole second half of this album is pretty mid (especially by MJ standards). His voice and production are there, but it just feels a little...underwhelming?
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
the songs where he tries to sound like a bar room bluesman don't really cut it for me.
Metallica
4/5
Always amazing to me that metallica albums always sound so bad. I also realize I'm more of a casual metallica fan these days and I've generally had my fill about 3/4 the way through an album. This one is one of their best for sure tho.
The White Stripes
5/5
Loved the pure RAWK of white stripes when they came out. But for some reason I got obsessed with Doorbell and Denial Twist and the greater piano influence on this one. And this is really an album where Meg White's subdued 'Ringo' role really shines.
Van Morrison
4/5
Bummer he turned into an anti vax boomer weirdo. I always liked his weird voice since I was a kid. The first half of this album is a total classic to me and has my favorite songs of his. Sorta falls off near the end, but mostly that's because the first half is so strong.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Well written, well sequenced; all their strengths distilled into their most potent. These 4 were combustible combination, but held it together for a great album. One of my favorites.
Beck
4/5
The Cure
4/5
Coldplay
4/5
Supergrass
3/5
out of the gate gives me some elvis costello meets blondie vibes.
Steely Dan
5/5
Madonna
2/5
so euro-dance. it's got a distinct 2000 electronic big beat pop sound. At the time it was cool and different from the Britney Spears et al pop sounds, but today it feels a little dated. Nobody's perfect is perfectly awful. Album was probably a bit ahead of its time, at the time but retrospectively doesn't hold up.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
It's stevie wonder. he's great. I'm less fond of his gospel and spiritual songs, but there's plenty of his upbeat soul on here.
Michael Jackson
5/5
The girl is mine feels really corny, especially the spoken word part. By far the weakest part on this otherwise stellar album of 80's pop. While every other song has infectiously danceable rhythms it stands out as a such a weird choice. Didn't realize Wanna be startin' something is the longest song on here.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Hilarious that they follow up the very juvenile Stupid Girl with a baroque pop song about classical romance in Lady Jane. Other than Paint it, Black and Under My Thumb, I'd say Doncha Bother. they were still a band in their blues bar phase and honestly it's mostly forgettable.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
California folk rock.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Green Day
5/5
Hard to rate this without a major nostalgia influence. Opened the floodgates for pop punk to the masses. It's infectious and fun, isn't self-serious. Definitely a pop album, but almost feels hard-edged compared to later imitators.
The Offspring
4/5
Bought this album and Dookie at the same time, both being my first CDs. As a duo these were huge for bringing 'punk' into the mainsteam. Whereas Dookie was full of hooks and leaned into the hooks and pop sheen, Smash maintained a harder edge, but still undeniably catchy. I was less inclined to let my parents hear me listening to this.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Kings of Leon
4/5
Reminds me of the clash debut. It's raw, but the songwriting is there under the scrappy vocals and crunchy guitars. It'll all come together on their next one.
The Clash
3/5
There's some good here, but they don't really come into their own until later.
The Police
3/5
Man, when they tried to get weird here, the just sound bad. But there's some strong stuff on here. Overall, I think the Police work best on a greatest hits album.
R.E.M.
5/5
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
This is a pleasant loungy, bossa style record. I don't know what she is singing about, but I do like her voice and the subtle background arrangements. I guess it could be called elevator music, but it blended nicely into the background as I worked.
Eagles
1/5
Take it Easy really brings me back to being a kid. My parents loved the eagles, and I did too as a kid. I still like this one. Witchy Woman sucks. The rest of this is just so milquetoast - they need to lean into the folky/softer side more or lean into the rock side more but they try to find the middle and it just doesn't work. except to maybe sell a billion records to normies.
Radiohead
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Chicago
5/5
Jazz, funk, soul. Horns. Terry Kath's guitar. Standout playing across all the instruments and high energy extended jams. Man I love these horns.
Jack White
3/5
Don't really know why this was chosen. There's some good songs on here. Also some not good ones. It's a journeyman album, and his discography has all stars.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Doves
4/5
I feel like this album got sorta lost to american audiences. it's kinda like early coldplay without the melodrama fused with early verve without as many drugs. the studio effects work to elevate strongly written songs, rather than cover up any melodic deficiencies.
Björk
4/5
Her voice is the instrument.
Jeff Beck
4/5
seemingly overlooked these days, this album is full of dudes everyone knows - ron wood, jimmy page, rod stewart. A real harbinger of the "british dudes stealing the blues" late 60's era. Whereas Jimmy Page had a bit more of a raw edge, Beck, even within the typical blues guitar tropes, has a more classical guitar and polished feel to it.
The Pogues
3/5
If I want an Irish folk-punk song, it's here or Billy Bragg. It's fun music, some more traditional than others but solid all the way through.
Orbital
3/5
Doves
3/5
Some high points that preview some of the high points of later albums, but also a lot here that feels a little underdeveloped and plodding.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
noisy and abrasive, droney and maxed out on distortion. it's not pretty, but it's beautiful.
Funkadelic
5/5
Everything on here is a 5/5
The Crusaders
3/5
After the first song, I thought this was going to be like an obscure late 70's soul/R&B type album. But then it was all instrumental after that, a mix of jazz, funk, and a little rock. But it felt a little too smooth jazz for me. It was high quality musicianship, but the whole thing felt a little to sanitized, especially for an album called "street Life"
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Stark, spartan arrangements. An album that really requires careful focus on lyrical content. Mostly slow tunes, but they can quickly stab you in the heart.
Supertramp
2/5
These songs come off as so cheesy.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Somehow never listened to them. It's more gothy than punk. Powerful vocalist and easy to see their influence on later punk, new wave, and even dream pop stuff.
Klaxons
2/5
Fiona Apple
5/5
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
It's like a less campy Queen, but each song is packed full of sound effects and production tricks it feels like a movie or stage production. I guess Electric Light Orchestra is an apt name.
Aphex Twin
4/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The Replacements
5/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
It get's kinda old quick but there's some bangers in here.
The Prodigy
3/5
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
music for junkies. so slow.
Air
4/5
This album is just 'cool'. Songs mostly have such simple elements that are built out so nicely - that repeating bassline on la femme d'argent is sublime. Sexy Boy has always annoyed me, but most of the sound design on the synths is so great.
Public Enemy
4/5
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
Never knew Alex Turner was a part of this project. Very orchestral arrangements, with an in your face movie soundtrack sound rather than as background embellishments. Gives a very 60's pop song feel with the organs and drum style and a reverby tambourine. Some tuba here and there. Vocal delivery still very arctic monkeys-esque but lyrics have more depth (akin to some AM releases that would come later) . Understated acoustic guitars throughout - not a strum along type album and when there are electric guitar sounds they are dark, echoing out of a tunnel. Overall, this album isn't an understatement, but a grandiose embracing of 60's baroque pop, epic movie soundtracks, and orchestral romanticism.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Hawkwind
2/5
This was a long album. I think it's live? Some of the spoken word stuff was kinda weird - don't know if i need a monologue about space orgasms. Some of the long psych jams felt like unfocused wankery (maybe apt for space orgasms?)
The The
3/5
This is a perfectly fine album, that feels like an artifact of mid-80's british political protest music, right down to sorta cheesy 80s synth tropes.
Soundgarden
4/5
Everything But The Girl
4/5
a bit of a mix of some downtempo, trip hop, breakbeats, and house; soft female vocals offering a stark contrast to the harder beats underneath. the contrast works.
Daft Punk
4/5
absolutely pivotal and love most of the songs on here. listening at my desk at work with a cup of coffee makes it feel really repetitive, but drinking a beer dancing in my kitchen and these are ATB. missing some of the high level production and sound design from later years, but maybe just a product of the time?
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Talking Heads
4/5
Eric Clapton
2/5
this whole thing is just a bunch of half baked covers. growing up I always hated his version of I shot the sheriff, but somehow that's one of the best things on here? there's not excitement here. vibes of a knock off juke joint.
The Sugarcubes
2/5
if this weren't the band with bjork before she became bjork then it wouldn't be as interesting. as it is, it's an album for that nerdy kid who reads all the plaques at the art museum, even in the room that's just a bunch of clay pots.
Crowded House
3/5
Fairport Convention
4/5
british and celtic folk music. the vocal harmonies are great. some exploration of almost psychedelic influences, making it feel rooted in very tradition with its instrumentation but also boundary pushing in a way that keeps it interesting 50+ years later.
Paul McCartney and Wings
2/5
Starts out strong. but there's some goofy stuff on here. Paul McCartney should have written children's music after he left the beatles.
Anita Baker
1/5
Not that this is bad. her voice is incredible, but it's got those cheesy 80's keyboard sounds. when i think of super cheesy and overwrought 80's R&B this is a perfect example.
Queen Latifah
4/5
lots of diverse samples and styles here. some reggae, afro beat, and old soul samples throughout. still has some of that 80's rap sound.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Never really listened to Badly Drawn Boy before this. Gives me major Elliot Smith vibes, but a little more alt-folk. Everybody's Stalking sounds familiar, but maybe because it sounds like it could be some 90's alternative B-side? Once Around the Block and Bewilderbeast are a couple of my favorites here. I think it goes on too long.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This album made a lot more sense once I realized it was really like 4 EPs with different themes strung together. The first quarter is some catchy, if somewhat saccharine 'soft rock' type pop songs.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Grizzly Bear
5/5
The Only Ones
2/5
Never heard of these guys. Can't stand the vocalist, and it brings down some otherwise pretty decent rock. Almost like a polished garage rock sound, kinda reminds me of Think Lizzy a bit, but ultimately pretty forgettable.