Hms Fable
ShackNot sure how this one snuck in... Its good, its fine. I like the songs, some songs were better than others. I probably won't revisit, but I wouldn't be mad if it was on. I guess it was somewhat forgettable?
Not sure how this one snuck in... Its good, its fine. I like the songs, some songs were better than others. I probably won't revisit, but I wouldn't be mad if it was on. I guess it was somewhat forgettable?
So good and so fun. Moody and poppy at the same time. A good mix of both. Quintessential British indie post-punk. Common People is obviously the best track, with Pencil Skirt being the one to def skip.
Love this album. Good times as a junior in high school listening to this one. I love how they incorporate elements of punk and folk into a collection of songs about life, love and sex. Some songs are funny, others are sad, others are creepy. Its raw and sometimes over the top, but it works.
So stoked to get this one today. Classic. A perfect record for the time. Bored teenager suburban punk rock. Most of the songs sound the same, but the bangers are all time. Longview, Basket Case, When I Come Around, Welcome to Paradise. All perfect 90s pop punk.
Very groovy. Super easy listening, and vibey. Good to have one while working. Not sure when I'll revisit, but I'm happy I'm aware of it. I recognized a lot of the songs. Glad I can put a name to it.
Admittedly, this is not really mu cup of tea. But I do really like the full on prog elements on this music. It feels like a step beyond Led Zeppelin, while opening the door for 80s metal and prog rock. Though, I do feel like this sound gets appropriated and is not fully appreciated. When listening in this avenue, you can really see and feel the vision of the artist and what they were going for. It works.
Not my favorite, but cool and interesting. The rap sections were fun and flowy.
I had it in my head that I didn't like Steely Dan, but this album slaps! Super creative, unique, and honestly fun to listen to. Love the genre bending of blues, rock and jazz.
This is a great timestamp in British music. It feels like The Clash, The Smiths, The Beatles all in one wonderful mash up. I like the punk rock energy of the record, and flowing nature of the songs. They also have interesting transitions and elements of each song.
Not the vibe.
Super fun! Definitely good ol' indie rock with a Southern influence. I liked the energy and song writing. Definitely want to revisit more of Kings of Leon.
I love how by 1966, they were adding in Indian influence, as else as experimenting with the psychedelic sound. Taxman really sets the tone for the album and then launches you right into Eleanor Rigby. Psych rock + sweet ballads + short punchy rock songs. Its so so good and so unique. Especially considering when it was made. A few more notable songs that stand out to me: - Love You To. Fun trippy, rad. - Here, There, and Everywhere. Sweet, sentimental. I love it. - Yellow Submarine. Still to this day, I don't care for this song. It obviously catchy but I don't know WTF is going on. - She said, She said. One of my fav Beatles songs. I love how it builds and flows. - For No One. Always almost makes me cry. Genius song. - Tomorrow Never Knows. Simply amazing.
This one is fun, but not my favorite Tom Petty record. It feels like a very formative album in creating the TP sound. I like the mix of old rock n' roll with singer songwriter and 70s rock influences. Some of they lyrics are a bit cheesy, but that feels intentional. Obviously, American Girl is the biggest and best banger on this record.
Elemental. You can really see a lot of elemental aspects of British Indie and what would become indie. It starts out kind of punky-poppy, but it really starts to pick up in the second half as they add in more instruments and interesting song patterns. The horns + brass are really good. The deep drums on songs like Kilimanjaro is also really interesting and unique. Really fun album!
Really cool and interesting album. Its kind of a mixed bag of singer-songwriter, rave / techno, eastern music, into a really cool pop mix. I'm most impressed with Madonna's voice. Its super unique. I like how real and mature it sounds, its of mystic but not cheesy. Overall, really cool and fun to listen to.
Super good. This is definitely one of those "important" albums that contemporary artists reference as their intro to Eastern Music. Its super cool, and really interesting. I love the microtonal sounds and finger picking. Its wild how the music sounds so complex, when in reality, it's quite simple. Basically, a Sitar and a Drum for most songs.
Loved it. I really like the singer-song writer influenced, fused with R&B. The instrumentals for the intros built up and flowed nicely into each song. This is a really unique record for 2019. Super stoked on this one.
Super fun. The flute was really cool, and the lyrics + music is all really stellar. Not a huge prog fan, but I get the hype after listening to this.
Love this album. I like the exploration of genres, like pysch and irish folk songs. It doesn't start the strongest, but it gets better as it goes.
Loved it. The instrumentals, the grooves. I love how jammy everything felt, and how cohesive one song to the next feels. The lyrics are sharp and pointed.
So good. I love the synth and even proto-auto-tune on some of the tracks. The music feels so flowy, bouncy and groovy. Really cool composition of keys, brass, drums and vocals. With really cool bass lines. Stoked on this one.
This is the epitome of "vibe indie." Most songs sound vibey and moody. It kind of feels like the artist just discovered reverb effect on their amplifiers. So. Much. Reverb. Not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoyed it. Its chill and vibey, but ultimately not the most engaging record. Save for it for a rainy day after your ex reaches out to you instagram.
As a person who was born in the 90s and came of age in the 2000s, its easy for me to write off all indie rock bands as "dime a dozen," but when I listen to this record, I'm reminded that this is the source code of all modern Indie Rock. Its in the punchy punk adjacent rolling downbeats in songs like "Goon Song." Its in the lonely longing vocals of songs like "Big Boys" or "Party Girl." I mean does Weezer ever happen if there is no Elvis Costello?? It feels like he must have been listening to The Specials or The Clash when he wrote "Sunday's Best" and "Moods for Modern," not explicitly Ska songs, but it definitely have the influence. Which I think is a good nod and homage to the scene in London at the time of writing. And obviously the big blaring banger of this record is (What's So Funny,) which is anthem we should all cherish. Maybe the 3rd greatest karaoke song of all time? 🤔 Also, I'd be hard pressed to not mention "Oliver's Army," which again, is another indie pop rock banger. We should all give Elvis Costello a bit more love.
Listening to a 40 year old hip hop record, I find it hard to not feel like I'm listening to a meme of hip-hop. In certain songs, I half expect Andy Samberg to drop in and start rapping about something silly. Which I guess is the legacy to how successful and how big of an impact this record and band had on modern music. A few things stand out to me: fusion, humor, attitude. The obvious fusion is how they combined 80's hard rock into hip-hop. This is most overt with songs like "Walk this Way" and "Raising Hell." However, what impresses me the most is how they take that music and own it entirely. Even claiming they are the Kings of Rock in "Hit It Run." The boldness and attitude towards mainstream music is so palpable. Its hard to imagine that this didn't inspire other NYC rappers like Jay-Z and Nas. This is especially prominent in songs like "Proud to be Black" and "Is It Live." Beyond the attitude, they really just sound like they're having fun, and never take themselves too seriously. Especially in songs like "You Be Illin'" and "Peter Piper ", and "It's Tricky." It's a breath of fresh air, which is probably why a 40 year old hip-hop can still feel fresh.
The Star Club! Such a rad and historical venue. I had no idea this record even existed. For such a short album, there is so much energy in every song. You can feel that energy in the audience, he's really leaning into it and it compounds as the album progresses. The music is simple, but its full. However, the piano really elevates the music and brings all the energy together. Despite Jerry Lee Lewis being one of the biggest assholes in modern music, he sure knows how to work an audience and bring up the energy.
It's hard to objective about an artist that I would have punched myself for listening to as a teenager. I did, however, find some fun gems on this record. Mainly, towards the end of the album. Notable songs: "Rock Your Body" "(And She Said) Take Me Now" "Right For Me" These songs had the most interesting composition, vocal melodies and beats. I also enjoyed the latino influence on a few songs, and the overall blues R&B aspect of the album. Things I did not like: the drum machines are sooooo bad. They truly sound like a Window 98 computer with shit plastic speakers. There's also some weird mixing, where beeping noises just go on throughout the song. Once you hear it, you can't stop. Its brutal. It actually hurts my brain. All that to say though.. Its hard to hate JT. He's got unreal charisma, and it shows through his music. Especially in this album.
This album sounds like the album cover looks. Fuzzy but clear, vibrant but hazy. The songs progress in a moving and flowing forward direction. The lyrics and vocals feel almost adjacent to death metal, where they don't really matter, they just add to the vibe and composition. Some songs put you on edge, where others take you a drive. If I was to knock anything about this record, it would be that one song doesn't sound much different than the last. It's like one long song, which I believe was intentional. However, most of the transitions are seamless. 'Only Shallow' > 'Loomer' ; 'Touched' > 'To Here Knows When.' It all makes sense, and it all flows together into a wonderful moody mess of an album. This was obvious a pivotal moment for post punk indie to cross into noise rock alternative. There's no Smashing Pumpkins without this moving vibey blurb of static and feeling.
What a ride. This is one of the records that sounds raw, wild, and intense even 50 years later. I love the energy, the saxaphones, the vocals. Its a wild ride, and definitely keeps you on your toes.
I love the variation of sounds between songs. This record takes you on an awesome journey. Especially the title track. That song is all over, progressing, speeding up, slowing down. Its a journey. The brass, the keys, the bass are all on point and jam so tight together. The drums, however, really stand out. What I really like about this record is how they take risks but always keep it tight and progressing forward, each moment where you think its going one way, it always ties back to original song. I also did not realize the "Cruella Deville" is a total rip off of "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-lue-ares." Super cool. Plus, that song absolutely slays. The jams are so good. Every instrument gets a moment that feels natural and non-forced. The keys in Pannonica are so dreamy. I like how this song slows down the pace, its moody and vibey but keeps the aesthetic of the rest of the record. Really fun and deeply engaging record.
At a surface level, it's easy to write the Beastie Boys off as silly or even obnoxious. And frankly, there is some merit to that. They are "silly rap." However, their is so much variation and cleverness in this record. "Rhymin and Stealin," is so sick. I never noticed that they are literally "stealin" samples and music from other artists and pulling it all into one awesome song. Its deliberate and intentional. The first half of the record is filled with attitude and brash rap, where the second half is littered with all of the singles that we grew up with. Not sure why, but X96 played Girls, Fight for Your Right, No Sleep to Brooklyn, and Brass Monkey. All. The. Time. I love all of those songs. Also, interesting that no one else has really made a record like this since? The Beastie Boys are kind of an anomaly, they don't get copied very often.
I love this album. Chuck's rhymes are solid, the lyrics are striking and the beats and bass lines really groove. It feels really punk rock, especially the political nature of songs. I really like the keys in a lot of the songs. It adds kind of a cool jazz element to an otherwise raw sound. Even though it feels like "old school" rap, it doesn't feel old. It still feels relevant and still slaps. Also shoutout to Rick Rubin and Def Jam Records. Stoked to have 2 Def Jam albums back to back.
Smart, engaging and lonesome. Morrissey is original sad boy of indie rock, and he's leaning into that hard with this record. What's impressive though, is that the music is more than just "vibey" or "moody." He plays with different tempos and effects. The album comes in strong and very post-rock like with "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side" and "Glamorous Glue." He ends the album with a very similar vibe on "Tomorrow." Its loud, but not over the top, its noisy but its not "garage" or "experimental." Its clean and thoughtful. I love the humor in songs like "The National Front Disco" , "We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful" and "You're the One for Me Fatty." Its ironic, serious and lonesome all at the same time. Then he plays with different sounds like folksy country "Certain People I Know" or the soulful "Seasick, Yet Still Docked." Its clever. Say what you want about Morrissey being a weirdo and an asshole, but he sure knows how to write good music that makes you feel things.
I already got this one a few weeks ago. So here is my review: So good. I love the synth and even proto-auto-tune on some of the tracks. The music feels so flowy, bouncy and groovy. Really cool composition of keys, brass, drums and vocals. With really cool bass lines. Stoked on this one.
There are only a few artists that can cut me with sincerity, sadness and optimism. Yusuf's song are always full of journey, wonder and longing. His music is always telling the story of the evolving quest that he is on. We're lucky enough to be able to join that quest via song and album. Nowhere is more true than Tea of Tillerman. - It starts out with the building and thoughtful "Where do the Children Play?" a good reminder to slow down. - Hard Headed Woman always kills me. I'm right there with him as he's looking for that hard headed woman. - Wild World. Classic and always relevant. - Sad Lisa though a less popular one has elements on HHW and is a good palate cleanser as the album progresses. - Miles from Nowhere reminds us that we're back on this journey. Another thoughtful relic. - But I Might Die Tonight just makes sense after Miles from Nowhere. Am I listening to a musical?? - Longer Boats is somewhat obscure, but one of my favorites. It reminds me of Sloop John B in island inspired sound. Again, the lyrics ground you. - Into White another palate cleanser and we lead into the final third of the record. - On the Road to Find Found another one of my favorites. Let's hit the rowdy road! I love how this builds. - Father and Son don't make cry. This song is important. - Tea for Tillerman one of the best ways that I've ever heard an album finish. A one minute choir anthem?? Its so rad. I want more, but its also perfect.
I've mainly listened to Nico through the VU, and typically her songs are the ones that I don't really gravitate towards. While this album is artful, its not necessarily my cup of tea. However, there are a lot of elements that I can really respect and enjoy. I love the boldness of this record. To record an avant garde dead pan (is it folk? is it rock? is it pop?) kind of record in 1967 is impressive. I love the soulful musings of "These Days," (though I still prefer Jackson Browne's version). I like the experimental and dullful intensity of "It Was a Pleasure Then." "Chelsea Girls" is a great follow up and kind of brings you back to earth. Again, not my favorite album. I respect the craft and boldness of this record. Its cool to see this influence playout in female artists like Bjork to even Billie Eilish.
Fantastic. I like how thoughtful and soulful the sounds and lyrics are. The music is reflective and strays away from the lighthearted nature of The Beach Boys. The music is really "big." A lot of instruments, synths, horns, big drums. Some songs almost feel psychedelic. If I had one knock, it would be that I want more of it. The songs are kind of short, some extended jams would really let the listener immerse into the songs and sit with it longer.
Super fun. I like the whimsical ebbs and flows of the vocals and music. You can really tell the band is having fun. The horns, the synths. It feels like a non-superficial pop album. However, I do feel like Lovefool makes it feel like a one hit wonder kind of record.
So good. The bass, guitar, synths, horns and drums. Chorus style sing-along vocals. This record is fantastic. The music is full, interesting, jammy and psychedelic. I love how they committed to a concept album, but kind they tell the story with humor and slang. But it's not Frank Zappa hilarity. They're having fun and adding humor and jazz to this record in a way that feels natural and fitting. It goes in an out of jams and sections, and then connects everything back to sing alongs. It really grounds the listener after taking off. Absolutely fantastic. Its cool to see how this has influenced modern artists like Childish Gambino.
I've always enjoyed The Doors. It was fun to revisit this one. I loved this album in High School, particularly "Break on Through", "Twentieth Century Fox" and "Light My Fire." I love how psychedelic the record is, and how wild it gets. It builds and then it crashes over and over again. Especially with songs like "Alabama Song" , "End of the Night" and "The End." However, the record is not necessarily linear in a building and crashing fashion. It takes swings and plays on conventional rock and roll (for the time) and takes it a totally different direction. I don't feel that this record is "easy listening," I definitely enjoy it better in doses. The keys and organ start to sound repetitive after awhile and I need a hard palate cleanser. However, despite how much "keys fatigue" that I feel when I listen to this record all the way through, I can't deny how much of a masterpiece "The End" is. Pure genius.
Super fun. I love the pan Latin America sounds. It was groovy and bumpin. I enjoyed it. I couldn't understand a damn thing, so not sure I can really make a good review. But I did enjoy it!
It's kind of a bonkers album, but even with how wild and brash it is, it somehow doesn't feel very unique and actually feels quite conventional. Maybe it's because this music got ripped off a lot in the early 2000s or if it's just the kind of music that was in every iPod commercial. Or maybe this music itself is already a ripoff of earlier forms garage and proto-punk. However, I do remember even at the time that this album came out, it felt like The Hives were a a band we were all supposed to like, but no one really did. I don't know of anyone that was actually a big fan of the The Hives then or now, but this music was being sprayed all over the place. The sound is good and fast. Its garage rock. They're having fun, they're making noise. Its not quite punk, but it also is punk. I like how fast and punchy it is. Though, most songs sound very similar and they don't seem to break it up with sing along choruses or oi chants that you find in most punk music. On the flip side, they also don't have many bridges or guitar solos or really anything to break up the quick progression of distorted power chords to align closer with rock music. I hate to say it, but I'm kind of bored with this record even with it being a wild ride.
I love how much British rockers from the late 60s - early 70s loved electric blues. The strings bend and moan and the vocals wine and cry and ground the listener into feeling something. They even get some good slides on the guitar in a few songs. This is especially with songs like Love Lives Here and Debris. They're nailing the blues with those songs. The more conventional rock songs are also great, Rod Stewart is excellent on the vocals of songs like Miss Judy's Farm and Memphis. This album feels like everything you'd want in a 70s electric blues album. Its great.
Actually kind of fun. It feels like I'm in a Guy Ritchie film when I listen to this. Its not exactly my cup of tea, but I like the different grooves, instruments, beats and samples. Its weird how surprisingly "British" it sounds and feels. Probably won't revisit, but I enjoyed it for the time.
I've always been a Bowie fan, but I can't figure out why this album is on the list. It's good, and interesting. However, the songs don't catch me like some of the earlier (and even later) Bowie songs do. My best guess is that the experimental elements and bits seem elemental for future music? Anyway, its fine. I probably won't revisit.
Such a great album. I love the fusion of rock and folk. It never feels forced or trite. For me, this record climaxes in the middle with Down By the River. That song just feels like a perfect combination of blues and rock all at once. Its epic, but its also mournful and somber. On either side of if you have Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, which feels a little more lighthearted after Cinnamon Girl, even though it really isn't. Round & Round brings you back to earth and grounds you back into those folk roots, before taking you off again on Down By the River. Before Cowgirl in the Sand takes us out of the album with an epic long psychedelic jam, we're treated with Running Dry, which is such a great homage to celtic folk. Its so good, and ambitious, but it works and is the perfect palette cleanser before Cowgirl in the Sand.
Fantastic. I love that alt-country was going strong in the late 90s at the same time that country music was being ruined by pop music. Lucinda has such a unique voice, which sounds half lonely half strung out but always strong and piercing. I love the fusion of southern rock, folk and country. The lyrics and good and grounding. I love this album.
Fantastic. The song writing is unconventional and even avant garde at times, but it never loses me as a listener. Some songs are dark and grimey (The Earth Died Screaming , In the Colosseum) where others are blusey, soulful and thought provoking (A Little Rain , Whistle Down the Wind). I really love how he plays with his voice to make a unique and interesting sound. He plays with genres, especially old genres but never jumps away from a cohesive album sound. The album sounds like walking into a 1890s Vaudeville show in Los Angeles and getting the full range of weirdness and blues. Its entertaining and also makes you feel everything.
Despite the genre expanding upon The Sex Pistols original work, no one quite does punk music quite like them. Somehow every song feels like a live recording, it feels like you're in the crowd. As a listener, you're right there with them. You're ready to roll. Is Anarchy in UK really necessary? I don't know, but when I listen to the Sex Pistols, it seems plausible. Does every song sound almost the same? Yes. Is it basically just a mash up of power chords, distortion, and 4X4 drum beats? Yes. That's not the point though. Its powerful, its emotional, its angst, its aggression, its turning social norms upside down. Candidly, it's not my favorite punk album. Probably not even in my top 10 favorite punk albums, but I do know that I every punk record I've ever listened to has Never Mind the Bollocks in its DNA.
Very fun. I love the way he uses his voice. Its rock n' roll, but its also crooning like Bing Crosby. The country and rock-a-billy flows are fun. I like how the guitar leads are solid tones without any bends, it meshes nicely with the boogie keys. I can only imagine what people in the 50s thought about his weird vocal inflections, especially in songs like "Just Because." It's pretty weird, but also kind of wild.
This is a super weird album, and not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed it though! It was kind of cheesy, but also kind of psychedelic and also pop-rock. It was fun. It reminded me a bit of David Bowie, but without David Bowie. I liked all of the different instruments and different directions they took songs. This feels like proto-indie. I imagine Elvis Costello jamming this stuff and getting inspiration.
Super fun and again, not what I expected! I like how theatrical it is. Especially, the full blown West Side Story revival right in the middle of it. I also love how it closes out with the Grand Finale, tying it all together. For a pretty surface level album, it somehow feels deep like The Wall by Pink Floyd. However, instead of being deep, it's just kind of about nothing. Which is maybe the brilliance of it. I had a great time listening to this record.
Not sure how this one snuck in... Its good, its fine. I like the songs, some songs were better than others. I probably won't revisit, but I wouldn't be mad if it was on. I guess it was somewhat forgettable?
Really cool and tight album. I love the full on trash , it feels like a hardcore album. However, at any moment where it starts leaning to hard one way, they pull you back in with methodical guitar solos or licks. It really grounds me back into the song. Its loud, its aggressive, its heavy. The tempos and vocals are fast, but it never really gets away from itself. I'm not a huge metalhead and probably won't revisit this often, but I do like how intense and full this sound is.
Kind of great, kind of awful. Kind of cringey, kind of lovely. This is the root of garbage rock. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. 10 Inch Record is disgusting, but Sweet Emotion is amazing. Walk this Way is fun and definitely a classic.
Holy shit. How did this album get created? Did George Michael really have THAT much game? I can't tell if this album is bold, arrogant or the confessions of a sexual predator. Really not sure, but damn. He made an 9 MINUTE SONG ABOUT SEX. 9 MINUTES!?!?! PART 1 & 2??!? Admittedly, George Michael has not been in my repertoire of music. But damn, I gotta respect a 9 minute boner ballad. Also, lets not ignore 'Faith', which yes, overtly sexual, but still really really good. That song is fantastic. It's fun, its creative, its vibey. It riffs that old Bo Didley tune. Just great. But then its followed up with 'Father Figure'?!? WTF is this song? I don't wanna yuck on someones yum, but personally I don't don't want daddy role play as the second song on a sex album. Wow. Did not need that one. However, as soon as you stop feeling weird about Father Figure, ol George drops a 9 minute sex song. How many people on earth have boned through the entire duration of this song? Foreplay to completion with George in the bedroom. What a guy. This song is a gift. After sex, George has to let us know that he's deep, mysterious and actually a bonafide sad boy. So as soon as he's done boning our brains out, he cranks out 'One More Try'. Which is a ballad for the saddest boy ever, but he really wants us to know he's more than just a simple fuck boy. 🥹 However, as to be expected. He bones, lamments, smokes a cigarette and then spends the next 45 minutes playing absolute garbage. Meaningless, pointless, music. How can such a passionate lover be so empty??? The next 5 songs are skippable and forgettable. Did you even spend the night with George Michael? I can't decide if this record is a masterpiece or a complete dumpster fire. I can say that this would fit perfectly as the background music for the Snake Hole Lounge in Parks and Rec.
Super fun and vibey. It felt like a movie soundtrack in the best kind of way. Hero felt so punk rock. The 70s were just so rad. I love that this was just happening for no reason.
Love this record. The lyrics, the beats, the rhymes. Its so good. This is a true pivot record in the evolution of hip hop. It doesn't feel like an "old school" hip hop album, but at any moment in the last 30 years its felt relevant. It's pretty impressive to make such a timeless record. That ages so well. The beats are simple, but engaging. They're easy to roll with, especially with the way that Nas tells stories. Which I think is his strongest point. He's a master storyteller and a master poet, as soon as this record starts, you're in it with him. Favorite songs are: - NY State of Mind - The World is Yours - Memory - One Love
That was good! It reminded me of indie pop and synth pop. I can see where Lucius gets a lot of their inspiration. There were some cool psych elements as well. Not sure if I'll revisit, but I enjoyed it!
I enjoy this record! To me, this is a transitory record. Its taking that folk acoustic country roots and mixing it with psych rock and blues. However, I feel like they never quite get it there with the rock songs. Even when they're really going for it on songs like Woodstock and Country Girl. They're really good, and I think they inspired other artists to do it better. The album is strongest for me, on songs like Our House , Teach Your Children and Helpless. Which are obviously the most famous ones, but they're the most grounded and polished. I really do love this band and this record, but its not my favorite from the era.
This album was a blast! I like the opera style vocals and just kind of overall epicness of the album. I don't know if it always lands, but I love what they're going for. The whole album just feels like you're going on an adventure with the band. The guitar, bass, and drums all just gallup along as you journey through hell, prison, invasion. The guitar solos are a nice break up of the opera lyrics, and kind of keep it going. I totally get why people love this band. With 2024 goggles, it all feels a little cheesy, but there's a lot going on here and lot of craft. Songs of note: -The Prisoner (I just dig the whole journey and freedom thing going on here.) -Number of the Beast (so rad! And sinister. This song is cool.) -Run to the Hills (Definitely didn't have the right to write this song, but it still slaps.)
While I don't actively listen to this music on a regular basis, I always enjoy some raw 80s post-punk. It feels like Fugazi + Talking Heads, but I know this came before all of that. The raw / non-heavy effects is fun and makes a natural sound. This album is pretty moody and kind of depressing, but I like the swings they're taking.
What a gem. He finished this 17 days before he died?!?! I love this record. While I've been familiar with Leonard Cohen for a long time, I had never gone through this album. I love the ironic, skeptical, and thoughtful nature of the songs. It's so smart in its storytelling. LC is a master wordsmith, especially when relating life and love to religion and tradition. He so carefully and poignantly uses religious imagery in these songs, where you're never sure if its irreverent or purely serious. It reminds me almost of a George Carlin routine, where is smart, funny, true, untrue, serious, sad, thoughtful, lovely and apathetic all at once. I also love how unapologetic he is with his tone and voice. A lot of these songs are uneasy to listen to, because the style feels so foreign, where others feel akin to Johnny Cash's work with Rick Rubin. Its soft, sentimental and endearing. It's that old man wisdom, where he's saying his piece and singing his truth but he doesn't really care what you think of it. Its clear and confident.
Love this one. It feels so New York. The rhymes are awesome, the beats are chill and flowy. It does have that old school vibe, but it doesn't feel out of date. GZA is so sharp and calculated with his delivery. The record also feels kind of proto-MF DOOM. I wouldn't say its a concept album, but it has a lot of connection between songs and an overall lore to it. They lyrics are probably the strongest part, GZA is deep and spiritual with his delivery. I dig it. Wu-Tang Forever!
I freakin love this album. Maybe not my favorite album by The Beatles, but for sure in my top 3. I love how it starts out with all the bangers mixed with weird lovely songs. No one can hate Come Together, it slaps every time. Something is such a good follow up, kind of grounds the listener and get more emotional. And then just get weird Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Oh! Darling. But then gets rrrrreal weird with Octopus's Garden. Shout out to my guy, Ringo. Just glad he snuck this one in there. Its such a gem. Then the record starts to be bi-polar. We have the 8 minute heavy jam of I Want You (She's so Heavy) that then lightens up with the best happy song of all time, Here Comes The Sun. And then it goes right back into Because and You Never Give Me Your Money. They're just toying with our emotions. I love it. But I think what really does this album, is the final 7 short songs that all kind of feel like 1 song. Sun King > The End + Her Majesty. It flows so well. It tells a story, its almost prog? But then not at all. Its just so perfectly The Beatles in all their glory and weirdness. Its endearing, its emotional, its sentimental. Its just kind of everything.
What a gem. Joni is such a phenomenal song writer. Not only are her songs full of soul, meaning and introspect, but her voice always matches the character of the song. Sometimes she's playful and having fun, and other times she's in a deep place right there with you. I really love Blue, but I love the direction she took with this record. A lot of instruments. It feels more like a singer songwriter rock album than an acoustic folk album.
Fun psych folk record. It's a shame he didn't make any more, but glad he helped bring Jeff into the world. I like how reflective a lot of the songs are, but I also really the eastern psych influence. This is one of the "formative" records, like I see how it influenced other artists. It also strangely feels like Jim Morrison in a lot of songs.
Love this record. I've listened to The Message and a few other songs, but never the whole way through. What really stood out to me was how varied the sound is between songs. Some of the songs on this record feel very experimental. Especially, Scorpio or It's Nasty. Scorpio sounds like early Daft Punk, then later Kanye West, which is pretty rad to see that influence. She's Fresh and It's Nasty feel like they're building on Parliament or Funkadelic, but almost feel kind of punk rock. It reminds me of Red Hot Chili Peppers or Bad Bains. And then what about the Stevie Wonder love song?? Dreamin'. WTF is that? Fantastic is what it is. You Are is 100% ripped off by Chance the Rapper, but it totally works when he does it too. The Message is homaged in Hamilton. This record really is the blue print to so much rap and pop music. I think more than anything though, what stands out to me is the political and social elements of the song writing It's a Shame and The Message are sadly just as relevant today as they were in the early 80s, when this record came out. I think that's the biggest legacy of this record. Saying things the way that they are.
Not my favorite gangsta rap album, but I get the foundational elements of this record. Honestly, the Dre beats super cool and influential for kind of all hip hop after this. I also like how "chill" this record is compared to NWA or other early gangsta rap. While the lyrics are a bit silly and juvenile, I like how it just kind of flows and vibes. This is definitely smoke weed rap.
I enjoyed this, but its not my favorite LZ album. I like that they kind of played more with their sound on this one. They really lean heavy into blues and then really lean heavy into prog. It's like they leveled up on everything that people recognize them for. Down by the Seaside is my personal fav. I like when Led gets sentimental.
I can't remember the first time I listened to this album, but I do know that I've probably listened to it like 100 times. Its noisy, and weirdly produced, but I love it. I love how it starts with the gem of Sunday Morning and then goes into I'm Waiting for the Man. I like how Lou Reed always sounds intense and lazy at the same time. Run Run Run is such a jam, while Heroine always gives me the chills. Its so visceral. I know it's heresy, but if there was anything to knock, it'd be Femme Fatale and Venus in Furs. I get what they were doing with Nico but I almost always skip her songs. This record can give you a headache or it can be the best road trip album of all time.
Oh I love it when Bob Dylan decided to get weird and artsy. This record is so weirdly fantastic. He keeps everything tied back to his folk roots, but he just takes weird swings and make a really awesome unique record. It's hard for me to listen to this songs with new ears, because I've listened to his record hundreds of times. I think beyond the weirdness of this record, he really leans into blues and heartbreak. This is a pretty classic sad boy record, but my favorite thing about Bob Dylan break up songs are how matter of fact they are. He's like totally aware that he's not an easy person to be with and he gets it makes sense to just call it off. I guess I'll just through my favs: -Rainy Day Women #12 & 35: I remember the first time I heard this song, I was so confused. I really just wanted more "Blowin' in the Wind," and this was not all what I was expecting. I really love this song though. It feels like the circus and is just kind of bizzare. -Visions of Johanna: this one always kind serves as a grounding song for. Its more in line with Bob's roots, but its striving for more. -One of Us Must Know: this one always sneaks up on me, but its such a banger. He sounds so hopeless but also so sure. -I Want You: I always think I don't like this song, but I know every word and I always sing along. -Stuck Inside a Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again: one of my all time favorite Bob Dylan songs. I love how blusey and flowy it is. He kind of sounds strung out or drunk when he sings. I'm not even really sure what the song is about, but the characters and weird story are always fun for me to follow and kind of immerse myself in. (I also love when the Grateful Dead covers this one.) -Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat: I have absolutely no idea what this song is about, but I just feel like Bob Dylan was doing a lot of drugs when he wrote this one and no one questioned him. -Just Like a Woman: this one is sincere and sentimental. I don't love it, but I can always feel that he was feeling things when he wrote it. -Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine): I really like his break up songs. They're so matter of fact. -Temporary Achilles: another bluesy sad boy song. Still great. -Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands: always gets me. Love this one.
Man, these Tom Waits albums are wild. I love the how all over the place he is with sounds, but how relentlessly unapologetic he is. He's decides to make a polka song, and it happens. He rolls in a pedal steel and decides he's doing a country song. And it all feels insync with itself. Truly a master of his craft. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
The source code of all gangsta rap. I like how similar this is to punk music at the time. It gives no shits, they say it how they feel. Its angry, but also angsty. There are dozens of things that "don't age well," and things that just generally feel old. However, I think that's ultimately unimportant when it comes to the legacy of this record. They take the flowy but often somber nature of East Coast rap and make it more upbeat and more lively. The angst, crass, visceral (and often juvenile) lyrics and attitude fit right in. This feels like it belongs at the Venice Beach Skatepark as much as it feels like it belongs in the projects of Compton.
It was good! Not my favorite Steely Dan record, but I liked that they went full on jazz for this record. The extended songs lengths and different instruments was fun. I enjoyed it!
Probably my favorite song writer of all time. John Prine tells the most visceral stories about love, relationships, loss, loneliness, sadness, America, politics, and he always does an with underlying tone of humor. I love that his songs are about *things* but he sings them in the form of stories and characters that he calls by name. Cathy, Loretta, Sam, Dad etc. He writes about a real America and real American people, but it's neither negative or positive. It's just stories that anyone can listen and relate to. I feel like I've met every person that he sings about. My favorite songs: -Illegal Smile, these is maybe the most underrated weed song ever. Its so funny. I like the story of it and the underlying message. -Spanish Pipedream, another song showcasing John's humor. This song is kind of silly, but also a good message. -Sam Stone, have you ever heard a song so visceral about a Vet? "there's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes. Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose." Woah. This song is incredible. - Hello In There, who freakin writes a song about aging empty nesters and the loneliness involved? This song gives me the chills. - Paradise, maybe environmental protest song ever. I freaking love this song. I especially love how it ends: "when I die, let my ashes flow down the Green River, let my ashes roll up to to Rochester Dam, I'll be halfway to heaven, with Paradise waiting, just 5 miles away from wherever I am." I love that this song is a serious environmental song, but he still incorporates his dark sense of humor. - Pretty Good, not my favorite but I do like the humor and the bluesy guitar riffs. This one is a little more wild and edgy. - Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, has any song been more relevant to conservatism in America? I love how in this song he covers his truck in American Flags and then crashes it and dies and God won't let him into heaven. - Far From Me, I love the complicated relationship in this song. And I love how he uses a broken bottle as an metaphor for marriage. - Angel from Montgomery, the penultimate John Prine songs. This song always gives me the chills. I love the story about a relationship, hope, loneliness, love. Its got it all. I don't even know what to say other than I'm grateful that this song has been in my life for as long as it has. (this is also one that Meg and I play / sing a lot in our living room and have for years.) - Quiet Man, lesser known but still a great story. - Donald and Lydia, the poetry in this one. Lydia's story and then Donald's and then Love. And I love how he tells about them making love, but how they were really very far away. Funny, but real. - Six O'Clock News, "come on baby, spend the night with me." This song is sentimental at the surface, and then realize its the saddest most heartbreaking song ever. - Flashback Blues, this one is fun. Ironic, funny. Just good.
What a gem! Bob Marley has been in my life for as long as I can remember. I've listened to so much of his music, but I'm ashamed to say, I've never gone through this record. I listened to the Jamaican version as well as the studio version. It was fun to compare and contrast, with the Jamaican version being more stripped down and Ska-like. The original studio version has that more classic full Bob Marley sound that we all love. I'd love the social / political / historical nature of the songs and concepts in this record. I think people often forget about the political nature of Bob Marley's music. Even though this is a good example of the evolution of that classic Bob Marley sound, I really like the R&B / Soul influences in this record. He's really leaning into American R&B, but then taking it a totally different direction with the reggae / ska / dancehall sound. One Love! 🇯🇲 ✊🏼🦁
I liked this way more than I thought I would. I think I've mostly heard the big hits that at this point kind of sound cheesy(even though they're probably not.) I really like how chill and jazzy this one was. Super mellow and soothing. I enjoyed it. Vibey.
This album is a masterpiece. I'm not super into prog, and frankly, I don't revisit this one often. However, its impossible to deny how cohesive this whole album. Every song is exactly where it should flows so perfectly into the next. It really does arch like a traditional story. "Wish You Were Here" is right in the middle and always blows my mind. I love how Shine On is on both sides of the record and serves and a book end. It's absolutely brilliant.
Wow. This one blew me away. The trumpets, the drums, the bass lines. It was so varied throughout. Each song flowed smoothly into the next, but kept you engaged and interested the whole time. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will revisit frequently. Also, shoutout to Selema Masekela's Dad! Been a fan of his for a long time.
This is probably the most conflicted I've felt about an album since starting this project, so I'll start with what's great about it. It's impossible to deny the experimental and uniqueness of this record. From the pure standpoint of music composition, it's pretty freakin rad. He mixes all sorts of different sounds, instruments, beats. Each song is super unique from the rest, but the whole record flows into each song perfectly. He also uses autotune in a super cool way including having Justin Vernon on a few songs). He collabs with a lot of rad artists on this too, and they never really take over the song but add to the holistic nature of the record. He has reggae artists and other rappers jump in when needed. Overall, the music feels progressive, intense, heavy, but even spacey in a few places. It's constantly moving and never really feels dull. This is truly one of the most unique and influential rap albums. This is 100 degrees beyond what Grandmaster Flash started. What I'm conflicted with: it's impossible for me in 2024 to separate Kanye the artist and Kanye the narcissist. Rap has a long history of songs being a first person narrative. And often these lyrics are satirical, ironic, or commentary on social issues / norms. Always towing an ever thinning fine line. However, knowing what I know about Kanye, it's hard for me to get behind really any of the lyrics or story telling. I would typically receive "I Am A God" as ironic, but listening to it now, it feels very serious. Even the social commentary on "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" feels off, because I know that he's a conspiracy theorist. Even silly sex songs like "I'm In It" feel weird knowing that he's done and said some really weird sex things. The back half of the album does lighten up on a lot of these things, so its a little more palpable. However, I think Kanye is maybe tainted for life.
Good time! Admittedly, I'm not super familiar with African music. And I also don't speak French, but I had a great time with this one. I'm glad I listened to it!
Today I learned that The Darkness was in fact, NOT an 80s Hair Metal Band. And when I was riding around in my sister's car in 2004, listening to “Growing on Me” and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” we were actually listening to very modern and recent music. I had no idea. This album is fun! Its pretty camp and very over the top. Even though its a 2000s album, they're very much going for that 80s butt rock vibe. And.. it kind of works. Its fun.
Such a freakin cool record. This is an overlooked time stamp in American and Country music. I love how every song is just a story. Its like listening to an audiobook or watching a movie. The music flows and bounces. Its engaging, but simple. The spanish guitar licks in the background keep it from sounding mundane. And then Marty's voice is just so unique. Who else sounds like this?? I love this record. This is one that was always playing in my Dad's truck when I was a kid.
This album has been with me since I was in elementary school. It's one of those creative mixes of "meh" songs and then absolute bangers. Everytime you start to feel a little fatigued, they throw in a Longview, Welcome to Paradise or When I Come Around. And frankly, I can't blame them for having a few boring songs. That's kind of how these records were being produced back then. They really just wanted to get out as much music as they could. I can't say this is the original bored suburban teenager, but it's maybe the most successful and maybe the most influential. Is there anything as visceral as Basket Case "do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once"? Or Longview's "masturbation's lost its fun." And yes, I would eventually become too cool for Green Day. They "sold out" in the lamest way possible. But when you take a step back and just listen to this record for what it is, putting yourself in the timeframe that it came out, it freakin slaps. It's impossible not to enjoy it.
Pretty rad little album. It feels very British. Like very post-rock British. Its exactly what I would imagine coming from a British rock star solo artist in the 90s. Its overall pretty fluid with genres, but never really strays too far. It feels cohesive and together.
This is a really awesome album. So many cool instruments, lots of cool blues harmonica, saxaphone, brass, great keys. The sound is really full. This is not music that was played in my house growing up and as my music tastes evolved, I didn't listen to a lot of R&B. So when I listen to this type of R&B, it always sounds a bit foreign. It's probably how some listeners feel when they hear John Prine, his voice, the style is objectionally great, but it sounds a bit foreign. Which is a shame, because this is truly great American music. I have put in the work and effort to listen to more Stevie Wonder over the past 2 years, and so I am familiar with this record. This one does feel a bit more "poppy," than Inversions (which I think I like more.) However, I really love the social and civil rights focus of the lyrics. For as fun and playful as this record sounds, its has some heavy undertones. The thing that I notice the most though, is just how much fun Stevie and the band are having with each song. He's just bringing the heat with every song. They're mixing instruments, sounds, vocals, even like full on choirs at some points. There is a lot going on, but it never feels overwhelming. This is a great record that I need to spend more time with.
This one is great! This is like the ultimate "roots" album. I mean, this is the source of code of all like modern rock music. Its upbeat, its edgy, its fast paced, the vocals are kind of gender fluid. Yes, most of the songs are pretty similar, but for the time, this thing was out of control.
This is rowdy Sam Cooke! I love how much energy is in this one. I've listened to a lot of Sam Cooke songs, and I'm always drawn in by how smooth his vocals are and smooth the music. This feels like some real rock and roll. There is a ton of energy in this record, you can hear the crowd in some songs and the band is going for it with every song. However, Sam is next level. His voice is coarse, which is kind of wild. It reminds me Twist and Shout by the The Beatles when John's voice is shot. Bring it On Home To Me is the obvious winner on this record. I don't love the recording quality, its not great, but its also not terrible.
What a record! I loved this. Its progressive and aggressive, but also so smooth and flowy. The jams / reggae / rock roots are so rad. Super fun to listen to. I'm by no means an expert on AfroBeats, but this one has been one of my favs so far. It has the power of Bob Marley, but totally different style of music. Its really fluid and engaging.
You know for being an aficionado for all things singer-songwriter 70s country rock, I really did not vibe with this album. It felt very... basic..? Like it was fine. I enjoyed it. There was certainly nothing wrong with it, I just don't feel like there was anything that really spoke to me. Maybe I need another listen to engage with the lyrics? IDK. The Stand By Me cover was a high point for me.
What a rad album! Super experimental and honestly kind of punk rock. I had a mostly good time listening to this. There were a few songs that were too much, but I love that they're going for it in 1978.
Leonard Cohen is such an incredible song writer. Some of his songs cut me so deep. This particular album, did not quite do that for me. Its probably one you need to spend more time with. Out of the Leonard Cohen albums I've listened to, this was the most mundane. Which, I know is kind of part of his thing, but it didn't really draw me in like others. Joan of Arc was the winner on this one.
Super fun album. I hate saying albums feel "nostalgic" because when it came out, it wasn't meant to feel nostalgic. However, this album is so baked into the sound of the 90s, its almost impossible to avoid. This is 90s alt rock at its finest. She has such a great voice, really cool lyrics and I love how she just goes there with every song. The harmonicas, acoustic and electric guitars, its all on point.
This album was wild, but so well done. Extremely aggressive and sad, but really cool and interesting sounds. Some songs feel like heavy disco, while other songs are down right metal. It reminds me a lot of Depeche Mode but again, way heavier. Some of the slow songs surprised me though, really methodical and deep. Overall, I really liked this one.
Silver Jews is another one of those bands that I never got into because the name. I just didn't know what it meant. I remember listening to a few songs here and there in the early 2000s, but I was really blown away by this record. Its that perfect mix of apathetic deadpan indie, but winking at country music the entire time. The lyrics are clever, the music is engaging. And I really like the monotone singing. It feels like its *trying* to be country but fully aware that it isn't. Its true outsider music. If I was to put Silver Jews into a headline it would say: "New York Jew Goes to Nashville Does Drugs." I super enjoyed this record.
I love this record! I love the hip hop from Speakerboxxx. The mix of sounds, instrumentation and genres is super unique, I also like the political / social nature of the songs. The Love Below is more interesting to me. The lyrics are lighter and even silly at some points, but I like the R&B, Soul, Rock influences and how they merge with Hip Hop. I'm also just stoked that they went for it and made a freakin 40 song, 2 hour long record. Its pretty bold. I'd like to spend more time with this entire record, but when will I have time??
I reviewed this 82 albums ago! Here is my analysis: This one is fun, but not my favorite Tom Petty record. It feels like a very formative album in creating the TP sound. I like the mix of old rock n' roll with singer songwriter and 70s rock influences. Some of they lyrics are a bit cheesy, but that feels intentional. Obviously, American Girl is the biggest and best banger on this record.
Super cool record! I love the keys and bass lines in this one. It almost feels opposite from what I'm used to where the keys fill almost foundational and grounding and the bass solos kind of take me on a journey. Also, the drums are really really good in this one too. Its chill, but its engaging. Its very soooooothing. Big fan of this one.
One of the best! I love this album. Super unique with sounds, fusions, beats. I love the mix of silliness + socially conscious lyrics. They never take themselves too seriously, while they're breaking down very serious issues. I also love the elements of soul and psych. One minute they're singing and flowing, and then next minute they're spitting lightning fast.
Reviewed this early on: Really cool and interesting album. Its kind of a mixed bag of singer-songwriter, rave / techno, eastern music, into a really cool pop mix. I'm most impressed with Madonna's voice. Its super unique. I like how real and mature it sounds, its of mystic but not cheesy. Overall, really cool and fun to listen to.
This one was fun! It was 100% what I imagined it to be. Cool drums, cool keys, and really fun guitar. Probably won't revisit, but fun experience!
Super cool and interesting album. I love the old country, R&B, rockabilly influence. A lot of the songs were slow and moody, but overall enjoyable. I'm not really why this is on the list..? I feel like songs on the list should have a cultural impact, formative for the artist or for the genre, or push the genre forward. And... I don't feel like this has really any of that. Like its cool music, but I don't feel like it means anything or really has anything bringing me back. I'll probably revisit some songs, but I don't see myself revisiting this album anytime soon.