1001 Albums Summary

This album starts off strong with two great tracks. I still have a fondness for “Sledgehammer” because of the music video. The rest of the album has some great production value. The drums and synths really do it for me. But I doubt I’d ever want to listen to the full album again. “This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)” is aggressively awful. 2.5/5

The only Blacksploitation film I’ve seen is Shaft. The songs on this album seem to be overtly commenting about the actions happening on-screen. At least I assume. But this album rips! Super funky sound. I love those horns. And it’s capped off by the sweet voice of Curtis Mayfield. I’ve found a new favorite album. 4.5/5

Apparently I’m a bigger fan of funk than I thought. No skips at all on this. Just infectiously upbeat rhythms and melodies. My only minor nitpick, which is what prevents this getting a perfect score, is that two or three tracks tack on an extra few seconds of random noodling that I could do without. 4.5/5

Love The Beatles. But this isn’t my favourite record of theirs. As a bit of a nitpick I think the order of songs is weird. There’s not a good flow to this. Still there are some of my all time favourite songs on this. “Norwegian Wood,” “Nowhere Man,” and “In My Life” are my personal high spots on the album. 3.5/5

Some all time classic songs on this. But there are just as many, if not more, that are just ok. A pleasant listen that I’ll probably come back to. But I’ll skip around to hear the highlights like “You Don’t Own Me,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” or “Wishin’ and Hopin’.” 3.5/5

As a lover of musicals I’m prone to like this. Which I do! While none of the individual songs outside of “Overture” and “Pinball Wizard” I have a desire to listen to on their own I can’t deny being swept up in the rock opera when listening to the full thing. The movie is wild too. 4/5

I fell in love with this album when it was first released. I still groove with these Scottish musicians. I understand the criticism that it begins to “sound the same” after a while. But I like the sound and never get bored with it. “Recover” and “By the Throat” are my two favourite tracks. 4.5/5

One of my biases is that I’m just not a big fan of heavy rock or metal. That being said I can get behind Robert Plant’s unique voice, and Led Zeppelin is a band I can like in short burst. While “Kashmir” is undeniably a great song the rest of the album is only so-so. I saw another reviewer say that this is an 8 song record forced to be 15 and I wholeheartedly agree. It’s diminishing returns past the halfway point. 3/5

I really enjoyed my time with this album. I could see myself listening to the abridged version more where they remove all the filler tracks of Duke and the MC talking. The music is fantastic. This is really my first time sitting and listening to Duke Ellington and I want more. However the full record, at nearly 2 hours, is almost too much of a good thing. 4/5

This is probably going to come across way meaner than I intend. But this was generic jazz tunes without any passion. They’re performed competently but without urgency. I’ve heard Judy Garland, and other artists, perform these songs and I become emotional due to her performance. This elicited nothing from me. Ray Charles could do that with other songs that I’ve heard. This was a dud. 2/5

I can totally understand why someone would find this insufferable. The vocals and instrumentation are very much of a time. But it’s completely and totally my jam. I love the grungy sound, the whiny vocals, and the aggressive posturing. Plus I think the lyrics are great on both a thematic and technical level. 5/5

I’m trying my best to embrace hip hop more. My brain is so geared to enjoy melody that when music prioritizes rhythm I tend to become bored very quickly. There’s still some fun to be had here. This comes across as a goofy concept album complete with samples from Liberace and random French speakers. I liked some of the tracks. But overall I thought this was just ok. 3/5

This was pretty disappointing. Nothing about this record feels authentic. Maybe I’m projecting, but an Irish band affecting a Southern US accent and wistful recollections of travelling there comes across as try hard. The music is fine, but not exceptional. The presentation continually pushed me away. No individual song was a standout. I’ll never listen to any of this again. 1.5/5

I love Waylon Jennings’ voice. This is the type of country I enjoy. Most present era pop country is just not my thing. But this harkens back to when country music could have an edge. However, I don’t think there are many standout tunes. This is a pleasant listen but also one I’ll forget about in a few hours. Nothing urges me to return. 3/5

Certainly a festive selection to listen to today! But this is a weird one. Will I ever consciously return to this album? No. Is it a decent recording of Christmas songs? Sure. It does the job it sets out to do. But I’m not amazed at the production. 2.5/5

It’s just so lethargic for the entire runtime. Every track ends up sounding the same. There’s a reality where I could see myself listening to this while relaxing knowing that there will be nothing interesting happening musically. Mostly I was bored while listening to this. There’s some talent on display but nothing that I’d want to return to. It didn’t help that my autoplay had a Keane track and then a Radiohead track after the album was finished. That feels like what they’re attempting but failing at. 2/5

It’s been a while since I listened to this album in full. While not one of my all time favourites I still find it solid. There’s a few great songs. It definitely laid the groundwork for the alternative rock I still find pleasure in today. Totally agree that a couple of the songs can come across as noise. But overall this album keeps my interest while I groove out. 4/5

My guess is that in further listening this will be rated higher by me. However, on the first experience, while I enjoyed this quite a bit there were no standout songs. I love The Cure and Joy Division but I admit I’m not a deep fan who knows their entire catalogue and B-sides. I just know the hits. So that’s a long way of saying I enjoyed this a lot but I’m not in love with it. At least not yet. But I will be returning to it. Especially when I’m in need of existential dread. 3.5/5

I don’t really “get” The Band. I understand how influential they are and how much they were respected in the industry but they’ve never done anything for me emotionally. I’ve listened to a bunch of their song and I’ve seen The Last Waltz. Still nothing. I enjoy “The Weight” and some of the instrumentation in other tracks. That’s about it. 2/5

Currently the average rating for this album is 2.97. So I enjoy this WAAAAY more than the average. I think this is the perfect rock record. It has great songs and doesn’t overstay its welcome. There are different kinds of tunes so there’s a good flow to the whole thing. I’m a fan of Elvis Costello generally. I’d never listened to this before but so glad I did as I’ve just found a new favourite. 5/5

I’m just not a metal guy. It makes me feel angry rather than allows me to release anger. So I can certainly understand how this band is musically proficient. The drums and bass are crazy. But I can’t get over how I want to turn this off after 10 seconds. I still listened to the whole thing, but this is very much not my tempo. 2/5

I love this album. So many songs are among my favorite rocks songs. Totally get that Jack White’s voice is not for everyone. But for me he hits the exact right notes. This is just a great rock record. My only minor criticism is I think that it’s one or two songs too long. 4.5/5

I had no idea who these people were. It made me research Astor Piazzolla and his studio stuff feels very cinematic and odd. I wouldn’t be surprised if Danny Elfman was inspired by him. While I don’t think the live aspect improves this there are a couple of tracks that I love. I can see this is a divisive record, but as a guy who loves listening to movie scores this was a treat. 4/5

Really solid record. Listened to it twice in a row. While I can’t say there was a standout song, the album washes over you. Love the stripped down nature of it. I’ll probably revisit this in the future. 3.5/5

Some solid tunes. I tend to like Merle Haggard but this didn’t leap out as one of his best albums. Maybe his singles were just better. Not terrible but definitely not something I’ll be returning to soon. 3/5

I’m of the right age that this album came out as I was entering university. I understand that this is important to so many people. But I never liked it. I don’t like good metal music let alone substandard versions of it. 2/5

Granted I find a lot of these songs generic. But the title song and “Season of the Witch” are so strong that I have to give it an extra star. 3/5

I think my peer group did a disservice to Hole because I was always under the impression they sucked. But this rocked! Loved the production, and instrumentation, and the vocals. It’s lyrically pretty good too. Sad I’ve missed out on this for so long. 4.5/5

I think the majority of this album is great. The music is complex, the lyrics insightful, the production stellar. It can occasionally get too juvenile for me. I also think it’s a couple if tracks too long. But I always love listening to this. 4.5/5

Solid country record. I think the song “Night Life” is great. But I also think that’s the only standout. Not a terrible listening experience. But I’m not so sure it’s an essential one. 3/5

There’s some great jazz tunes on this. I enjoyed learning more about Machito. Weirdly, and this doesn’t happen very often, I found the tracks too short. I kept wanting them to be longer so that I could fall into the groove. But just as I was loving them the song would end. 3.5/5

There’s a rawness that I enjoyed about this. The original songs are good. I can see now this would evolve into the punk scene. But the covers, which is what most of this album is, range from underwhelming to terrible. 2/5

There’s three absolute bangers on this. But like other Michael Jackson albums there’s at least one that’s godawful. (For me that’s Liberian Girl.) The rest of the album is fun. But those great songs are phenomenal. 3.5/5

A solid album featuring some of the greatest songs. I really love a lot of Carole King’s body of work. But I have to admit that as an album I get a bit bored by the end. 3.5/5

I’m exactly the right age for this to hit a lot of my nostalgia centres. However, while I love Billie Joe Armstrong’s voice and there are a handful of songs that are among my favorites, there are a bunch of tracks that just kinda sound the same. That last track is awful. Still had fun revisiting this, though. 3.5/5

I’m not going to say anything new about this album. If you don’t like whiny voices you’re going to bounce off of this really quickly. But for me it hits right to my core. Coupled with the production and orchestrations this becomes one of my favorite albums. 5/5

I love Loretta Lynn’s voice. But this doesn’t feel like one of her essential records. A pleasant enough listen. I doubt I listen to any of these again. 2.5/5

I went on quite a journey with this album. At first I hated it. Then there was a run of songs I found enjoyable. Then I hated it again. I probably need to relisten at some point but for now I’m rating it 2.5/5

Totally understand the importance of this. There are some good hooks. But this is just not my kind of genre. It was a bit of a chore to get through. Especially due to the lyrics. 2/5

What can I say? I mostly live The Velvet Underground. Until they get too bizarre and screechy. That only really happens once on this album. Otherwise this is mostly filled with bangers. 4.5/5

May need to give this another listen. I honestly can’t say I hated this. It does feel like a bunch of theatre kids made a rock band replete with jazz flute. I can see why some would absolutely loathe this. To be honest I should love this but was only slightly amused by it. It’s possible it’ll grow on me over time. 3/5

Really liked listening to this. I expect the score could rise after relistens. Lauryn Hill’s voice is gorgeous. The production is great. The beats and samples perfect. Wish the skits were on their own tracks. Often they ruin songs. 4/5

Really enjoyed this. Haven’t delved too far into this band before. But it make download the album. Just some fun indie tunes. 4/5

While not as dreadful as I was led to believe I also didn’t enjoy listening to this. Occasionally I found something musically interesting. But that was soon followed up by annoying noises. 2/5

I love this. I know Chicago tangentially through some of their bigger hits and especially when they became a far more commercial band. But this debut is great! Kinda a jazz infusion with a wicked lead vocalist and a killer guitarist. It’s a shame that the track “Free Form Guitar” exists because it’s truly awful to listen to. 4.5/5

Solid album. Reggae isn’t always my jam, but Bob Marley is always Jamin’ for me. 4/5

Another artist where I was convinced by other people that they were bad. I loved this! Bjork’s ethereal voice mixed with banging music is a recipe for greatness. I’ve found a new favorite. 5/5

Listen. I love George Gershwin. (Ira Gershwin is hit or miss with lyrics.) Ella Fitzgerald has a beautiful voice. But there’s no reason why this should be on the list. It’s a box set. It’s way too long. And many of the songs use a tempo that’s far too slow for my taste. Only a handful are what I’d considered great. 2.5/5

I was pretty underwhelmed by this. I’m not the most knowledgeable of Springsteen outside his major hits. This seemed far more down tempo than what I’m used to. And none of the tracks really grabbed me. The production and vocals pulled me through. I’m gong to give another listen soon to see if I’m just having a bad day. Not for now this just seemed like mostly filler. 3/5

I would love to be a contrarian. But I must be the stereotypical white guy who loves this album. I wasn’t even alive in the 70s for this to be a nostalgic record. It’s just undeniably great and is one of the few albums that I enjoy listening start to finish rather than skipping to the good stuff. It’s all good stuff. 5/5

Was only able to listen to this once today. There were some good parts but nothing truly grabbed me. I do like a lot of other Neil Young music. So maybe this one will grow on me. 3/5

Not really my thing. Kelela’s voice is beautiful. The music is only interesting a couple of times. Otherwise it’s just repetitive drum loops and I get bored. 2.5/5

I guess I’m turning into a Radiohead freak. I can’t say there’s a bad song on this. Such a great album to just vibe to. 5/5

For sure there are three songs on this that have seeped into the popular culture. It kinda needs to be on the list. But this is aggressively not my thing. I tried convincing myself for years that I liked it. But I don’t. Plus, I don’t know if I’m alone in this, but this music sounds like completely uncool people trying to be cool. I guess it worked. But beyond having to hear these songs in every grocery store for the rest of my life I won’t seek them out. 2/5

Extremely not my cup of tea. Maybe had this artist gone on to do other albums there would have been a novelty with their freshman effort. A couple of melodies are fine. But he mostly mumbles incoherent lyrics with the urgency of someone who knows they only have access to the recording studio for two hours. Anyway I didn’t like this and won’t revisit it. 1/5

Previously I got Physical Grafitti from Led Zeppelin which outside of the one great song I found seriously lacking. This on the other hand is full of almost all bangers. With the exception of “The Battle of Evermore” all of these songs are good to masterpieces. But that one song prevents it from getting a perfect score. 4.5/5

One of the great things about going through this list is discovering things about yourself. I had no idea I was such a lover of funk. But I am! This album is great. Just groovy beats to vibe out to. Plus it features one of the best songs of all time. An easy 5/5

Perfectly fine. If you love The Who I’m sure this hits deeply. I can enjoy two or three of their songs before I need some variety. Not sure if this is an essential live album. Anyway I wouldn’t be mad if somebody played this but I won’t ever choose to listen to it again. 2.5/5

Solid. But another album I can’t see myself ever going back to. I also am starting to see that a live album has to do a lot for me to like it more than a studio album. Most of the time I prefer to listen to something where the crowd isn’t interrupting the performance. Anyway, King is very good. This just didn’t blow me away. 3/5

This is what I love about this project. I never would have come across this unless it was forced upon me. But I loved it. I listened to it three times today. Sometimes haunting, then bizarre, but always interesting. There’s only a couple of boring parts. Can’t wait to revisit! 4.5/5

The second half of this album is great. However the first half is filled with forgettable tunes and what even is “Mother” trying to be? The good is very good but the bad is head scratching. 3.5/5

Another great find because of this challenge. Every song grew on me on the second listen. Really enjoyed the production behind this. Looking forward to hearing more from Roxy Music. 4.5/5

Marvin Gaye’s voice is beautiful. But after the first banger of a song it’s just variations on a (not that impressive) theme. He’s horny and wants sex. That’s about it. Still love “Let’s Get It On” but I will never listen to these other songs let alone the album. 2/5

I had two Marvin Gaye albums in a row. This one suffers from the same issue I had with his other album. This first song is awesome and then the rest of the album is forgettable. This has the slight edge because I think there’s two other songs that are good. But the highlight is the first track. 3/5

Was only able to listen to once today. I was intrigued but not blown away. Need to revisit to know for sure. But cool to be introduced to a band I’ve never heard of. 3/5

The first half I was on board with. Then the second half just felt like a repeat and I became bored. 2.5/5

I only discovered that I love Talking Heads in the last couple of years. This is a very good album. Listening this time proved that the first half is killer. And the second half is just good. Therefore it just misses the perfect rating. 4.5/5

Really loved this album. The voice, the production, and the lyrics. Except that last song stinks. I actually turned up my nose at it. 4.5/5

Not really my thing. There’s some ok tunes. But nothing I’d intentionally seek out to listen to again. 2.5/5

I wouldn’t call myself a huge Beastie Boys fan. I’ve heard a handful of their songs and enjoyed some. This is the first time I’ve listened to one of their albums in full. I liked it! 4/5

I keep feeling that I should love The Who. Most of the time I just have a grudging respect. I don’t know why. This opens and closes with a banger. The rest of the album is solid. I will never choose to sit down and listen to The Who. 3.5/5

There was a moment in my life that I really liked the Sex Pistols. Their style and attitude were attractive to a jaded teen. Now I can’t get past their corny lyrics. The attitude still works, but far better punk bands have come along since this made waves. 2.5/5

Really liked this. I know some find Neil’s voice grating but I’m not one of them. There’s a few bangers on this record. I can see myself returning to this. 4.5/5

I’ve enjoyed the occasional Grateful Dead song. But they feel so much like background music. Nothing urges me to relisten to them. And I certainly won’t be coming back to this. But also it isn’t really bad. It just kinda exists. 2.5/5

I stumbled across The Stone Roses when I noticed them on the Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Best Albums of all time. This is the first time I actually listened to the full album and really enjoyed it! It feels like the lyrics of the 60s matched with the instrumentation of the 80s. So it was great! 4/5

Pop music isn’t exactly known for its lyrics but that can be hidden behind hooks and infectious melodies. This band brings the lyrics front and centre but they’re dopey and sometimes overwrought. The music is fine. But I’m never coming back to this. 2/5

I’ve always regarded this band as a joke who only were able to be a one hit wonder. While I wasn’t blown away by this album there was a lot of the production elements I loved. The changing of the radio stations on the first track, the instrumental interludes, and the use of horns. Only able to listen to it once all the way through. But I think I’ll return to this. 3/5

I’m a Beatles fan. Sue me. So listenable with a bunch of their best songs. Of course I’m giving it a 5/5

The musical theatre flair should thrill me more than it does. (I mean he samples West Side Story for goodness sake!!) But outside the title track I don’t find much to be enthusiastic about. Mostly it’s a fine rock record if not a little bland. 3/5

A wild album. I love Dr John’s voice but a few times I thought the record just meandered around. I did end up enjoying it. But another listen will confirm whether I love it or not. 3/5

Had never heard of this album or group in my life. Was entranced by the whole thing. It becomes unwieldy by the end and almost went off the rails. But I enjoyed it. A few more listens may convince me this is a masterpiece. 4.5/4

Except for the one song that became a hit this was mostly a waste of my time. 2/5

There were individual moments that I liked. But no single song made me want to return to this. Completely fine. 3/5

Wanted to give this a second listen today but ran out of time. I’m in the minority based on the average rating. I loved this! It’s weird, funny, and always musically interesting. Will definitely be revisiting this. 4/5

Energetic raucous rock record. I recognized one song but all the others were new. Never knew the name of the band. I’m a new fan. 5/5

Song 2 is a banger. But everything else is so bland on this album. This is definitely one of those bands I “don’t get.” Sorry. 2/5

Not the hugest hip hop fan. I know how important this is. There’s some fun tunes. But there is a corniness that’s inescapable from early hip hop. 3/5

Kind of disappointed in this one. I normally love The Kinks! But this early album doesn’t feature much of what would make them great. Too cutesy and generic pop for me. 2.5/5

I like “Highway to Hell” and I enjoy a couple of the other songs. But mostly this falls into the category of music that is ultra masculine that I can engage with for a couple of tracks and then become increasingly tired with. I don’t think it’s garbage but the aggressiveness drives me away. 2.5/5

Solid album with a unique history. I can see myself returning to this. Enjoyed the variety of voices heard on the record. 4/5

I’m not the U2 hater that many seem to be. A couple of the songs on this album are quite formative for me as they mark the time I left high school for university. Though released pre 9/11 they would become mega hits post 9/11. So there’s a lot of history here. However, after revisiting this with the exception of the first two songs (which I still say are good) this becomes a bit of a slog to get through. 2/5

I think this is the first time I’ve ever listened to a full album from The Rolling Stones. I certainly know their hits. But this was far more country and blues focused than I was expecting. I dug it. It was a busy day so I could only listen once. But I’ll be back to listen to it again. 4/5

I don’t know. I actually liked the first song and thought I was discovering a hidden gem. But the more it went in the more I wanted it to stop. 2/5

Call me a hater because I didn’t like this at all. I’m even the right age for this to be a seminal work. But I never “got” Beck. I enjoy weird. But this is mostly nonsensical. It feels like I’m being trolled the entire time listening to it. I look forward to never doing so again. 1/5

I’m starting to suspect that for many of the renowned 60s musicians I’m going to remain impressed at their impact but not necessarily love their work. This has sick guitar riffs. A couple of songs are great. But I’m never going to intentionally listen to the full album ever again. 3/5

I guess I just love whiny men who sing. Everyone has a type I suppose. Anyway all of this is entirely my jam. Love it from start to finish. Can’t wait to listen again. 5/5

Really enjoyed this even though some songs felt like they were from an entirely different genre. Unlike the last Kinks album I was given this felt more like the band I love. Ending an album with Waterloo Sunset automatically makes it good. 4/5

I’m discovering that I have little patience for psychedelic music. I didn’t enjoy any of this. I could barely finish it. Yes there’s some interesting instrumentation. But I’m never listening to this again. 1.5/5

I know it’s controversial now because of Morrissey’s words and actions. But I love The Smiths. This is no exception. However this isn’t my favourite album of theirs. Still solid. I can groove to it. But it doesn’t feature what I consider their absolute best. I still love it, though. 4/5

I had a good time with this! I have no frame of reference of how this compares to other Cuban music. Or even other Spanish artists. But I was never bored. Just a solid record that I’ll probably return to. And my score will probably climb. 3.5/5

As I type this the average rating for this album is 2.9. I done know why! I loved this. Great rhythms and melodies. The orchestration, such as it is, is wonderful. Maybe I’m just an electronic guy. The more I spend with this it could creep up to be a perfect 5 but for now it’s 4.5/5

Completely not my thing. I wish I could like this kind of music. But every fiber of my being rejects it. I can hear the talent in some of the playing. However this makes me angry. I get angrier the longer I listen. There’s no catharsis for me. This completely ruined my day. 1/5

It’s an ok record filled with covers of great songs. There are a few that have a unique orchestration that makes this a non-typical collection. It’s a reinterpretation of many of these songs. All that being said the back half started boring me because I’d rather listen to the originals. 3/5

I’ve only tangentially known about Nick Cave and now I need to listen to his whole discography. I loved this! Moody, poetic, and musically dense. Can’t wait to listen again. 5/5

You wouldn’t think the two halves would work together. But I totally think they do! Just a great collection of songs that range in complexity and danceability. 5/5

I quite enjoy Marty Robbin’s’ voice. The entire album is pleasant although never veering into greatness. I love the song “El Paso” but only two other songs come close to it. It’s fine. Wouldn’t mind listening again but I’m not going to rush to so. 3/5

Had no idea I was this much of a Cars fan. Nor would I have guessed they released this in the 70s. Just some great rock with some punk attitude. 5/5

Perfectly fine for the most part. But I guess I couldn’t get a wrangle on what made it great. As an outsider it felt like one long song stretched across the entire record. Nothing was specifically bad but I can’t see myself ever listening again. 2.5/5

Just hippie bullshit. I can’t stand this kind of stuff. Like kids pretending to be a rock band. 1/5

“Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion” are great. But the rest of this album is disjointed and, in parts, completely unlistenable. Stick with the two hits and ditch the rest. 2/5

I enjoy later Stones’ records. I don’t feel they had their harder edge yet on this first record. You can certainly hear the Blues influence. But they also feel too beholden to older pop music that just feels cheesy. 2.5/5

Solid record but not at the level as some of other Costello’s work. Only a couple standout songs. 3.5/5

This one didn’t grab me like the other Radiohead albums. I still grooved to it. But there didn’t seem to be any standout songs. It was more of a sound bath. Will have to return to see if anything jumps out for me on a second listen. 4/5

This was a blast to listen to! I didn’t thing I knew The Go-Go’s but it turns out a handful of the songs I was familiar with. From top to bottom this is all killer stuff. Can’t wait to dive in again. 5/5

I love so many Joy Division songs. But I was a little let down by this one. Nothing really hooked me. And the first song I thought was kinda bad. There’s still a couple of standouts. But this is something I’ll have to return to and see if it rises in my estimation. 3.5/5

For some reason what I’ve discovered is that I’m not much for the 60s sound unless it’s The Beatles. This was ok but once again I’ll never choose to listen again except for one or two tracks. But there’s nothing overtly bad either. 3/5

I’m a Prince guy. Love his sound and his eccentricities. This is great beginning to end. Good grooves and catchy hooks. Will be listening forever. 5/5

I wish I could unabashedly love Morrissey. But outside of his music he makes it so hard. Anyway, this is essentially my catnip. I like his vocals and ethereal instrumentation. It’s mostly a home run, but might have a couple of songs that could’ve been cut. 4/5

I kinda liked the first few songs. My bias against most 60s bands was melting. Then it devolved into mostly forgettable tunes. But nothing overtly terrible. Might need to revisit at some point. 3/5

Solid live set. Loved the interplay amongst the band mates. Even though was the exact right age to be obsessed with Nirvana I never was. I’ve begun to warm to them over the years. I could see myself returning to this. 4/5

While the rest of the album is ok to very good, the crowning achievement is the 17 minute long titular masterpiece. Call me basic but I love all of it. 4/5

I’m such sucker for horns and music that feels like a small orchestra is playing it. I had a lot of fun listening to this. Weirdly it’s hard to find streaming. So I had to suffer through a bunch of ads while listening on YouTube. The first two thirds are pretty great and then it loses a bit of its lustre. 3.5/5

Another album where the average rating is far too low in my opinion. Apparently I love the electronic industrial stuff far more than most. And I didn’t think I did! Anyway I listened to this twice through on my drive today just drifting along to the music. It’s very good! 4/5

I’ve actually never listened to Iron Maiden but know the name. Was expecting a much harder sound. So there was stuff to like even if it wasn’t completely jam. 3/5

I just love this kind of whiny white boy music. Especially from the 80s. Will be listening to this over and over. 4.5/5

I’ve heard one song from Kacey Musgraves before this which I thought was fine. But I loved this! Beautiful melodies, quality songwriting, and a collection of tunes that fit nicely together. A perfect album. 5/5

Slightly better than the other Iron Maiden album I listened to (only two days ago!) I like this one marginally better. And I could actually see myself listening to this again. For some reason this reminded me a lot of Spinal Tap. The lyrics aren’t as funny but there does seem to be the same level of irreverence. 3.5/5

I’ve liked a lot of Gorillaz’s songs in the past and was sure I was going to love it. Except for “Clint Eastwood” and a couple of other times this was mostly just fine. I don’t think I’d really ever re-listen to the full album again. 3/5

This was a weird one. I liked a lot of the music and could see myself vibing with it. But I couldn’t stand the vocals. They ruined the song almost every time. 2.5/5

I know this is highly regarded. But except for a couple of songs this didn’t vibe with me at all. Not that it was bad. A lot of the lyrics, music, and production I can recognize are good to great. I just was never moved by it. 3/5

Just perfect from start to end. It’s an album I’m very familiar with. But each time I think there might be a lull it’s just another great song. One of the best! 5/5

Two Clash albums back to back. Not a bad week. Maybe it’s because London Calling is perfect that this felt a bit lesser than. It’s not bad. There’s some great tunes. But it’s no London Calling. 4/5

This is just Old Man Yells at Cloud: The Album. 2/5

I think Kate Bush is mostly an artist you either love or hate. I’m on the love side. Does every little choice completely work for me? No. But as a complete work this is challenging, trippy, and has more than enough pop hooks with ethereal vocals to make me adore it. 5/5

Still love Talking Heads. But what I’ve discovered is that I adore individual songs and not entire albums. At least not yet. There are a bunch of individual tracks that are great. But as a whole it’s just good. But my epic playlist with all my favorite Talking Heads songs flows better. 4/5

I don’t dislike CCR. It’s just find them to be OK. I’m down to listen to their most popular songs. But for an entire album it just washes over me and then I forget about it. I’m never eager to listen even when I recognize their musicianship and cool vocals. It’s simply fine. 3.5/5

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Steve Winwood before. Some of the melodies I enjoyed. But every song is too long and outstays its welcome. Plus I felt that each song sorta sounded like a rough draft for a 1980s sitcom. 2/5

I’ve known about Belle & Sebastian for years. Even liked a couple of their songs. So I was convinced I’d love this. It was ok. Certainly there’s three, maybe four, songs that I’ll come back to. But the rest of the album really didn’t do much for me. 3/5

I know my rating is mostly due to nostalgia. I own that. Because nowadays this type of artistic activism drives me nuts. It’s performative and makes it feel like you’re doing something when you’re actually doing nothing. But the songs slap and I enjoy listening to it. 4/5

It’s always hard to rate an album that I recognize is just not made for me. I think this is well produced. Some of the lyrics are great. There’s a smooth quality to it. But I’ll never listen to this again. It’s not terrible it just isn’t my thing. 3/5

The album has two gears. One where I’m completely in tune with what Adele is singing. The other where I’m not vibing at all. There is no in-between. I still enjoy it more than I don’t. But there are a handful of tracks that are very skippable. 3.5/5

I lived through this. Thought he was edgy. Probably even cool. But rap has just never been my thing. Now listening to it as a 40 year old I just think most of it is cringey. I will say there are some great rhymes. But that doesn’t make up for the rest of it which I find distasteful. 2/5

Perfect from start to finish. Some of Bowie’s best work. I never tire listening to this. 5/5

I don’t think I “get” Wilco. It’s not like I hate anything on this record. It’s pleasant enough. I wouldn’t turn it off if someone started playing it. But nothing grabbed me either. It just felt like background music. 3/5

Once again an album that just isn’t my thing. There’s some good rock licks and I understand on a fundamental level why someone would love this. But I can’t stand listening to this kind of thing more than a couple of minutes. 2/5

Normally it’s difficult for me to keep my interest with a double album. But this record has such a great variety with so many banger songs that I’m never bored. More than anything I’m eager to listen to the full thing again. 5/5

I dug some of this. But nothing ever leaped out and got me by the throat. Perfectly good record that I probably will never revisit. 3.5/5

I really like “Black Hole Sun” but the rest of this album is mediocre for me. Not exactly terrible. But there were times that I forgot I was listening. So many of these times are interchangeable that it makes for a boring listening experience. But I can’t quite say anything specifically was bad. Just unmemorable. 2/5

I’ve really never been a fan of REM. This album didn’t do anything to change my mind. There’s an occasional song that’s good. Or a musical riff that’s interesting. And then it just changes to elevator music to me. 2.5/5

It’s impossible for me to listen to this without nostalgia. Love this from top to bottom. Not a bad song on the album. Love the grungy fuzziness of it. I know detractors say that it’s derivative. Maybe it is. But I still love it! 5/5

Another record that just isn’t made for me. I can’t say it’s awful. There seems to be quality beats and rhymes. But I didn’t enjoy even one second of this. 2/5

A pretty standard country record. I grew up with parents that listened to country radio. I know Dwight Yoakam quite well. Yet I didn’t know any of these songs. What’s that about? Anyway I know that part of his persona is that he was a throwback to older style country music. And that’s that this is. Perfectly fine. But I doubt I’ll be rushing to relisten to this. 3/5

The vibe feels like someone on the beach playing some songs. I liked it! Not my favorite Young record but a strong one. 4/5

I like the title track. Always have. The rest is fine but gets a bit too repetitive after a while. There’s a reason only “Green Onions” popped from this. 2.5/5

Frank Zappa is like David Lynch. I love hearing them talk about art, life, and politics but I just don’t really like what they make. This record has some great lyrics set to music that I find incredibly annoying. 2/5

I love Arcade Fire. I return to certain songs again and again. This album nearly gets crushed by its own ambition but the wall of sound is beautiful and especially the first 6 songs are all bangers. The middle couple of songs bring the mood down a bit but it ends strong. It’s a fun album to experience from start to finish, although I think two or three of their other albums are tighter and stronger. 4.5/5

Had never heard of The Stranglers. Really loved a lot of this. The lyrics about rape not so much, but the musicianship and attitude I enjoyed a lot. 4/5

Doesn’t reach the highs of Dark Side of the Moon or the best of The Wall. But I still vibe with a lot of it. 4/5

Pleasant enough. In fact I quite liked portions of this. But this is quality background music. I can’t see myself ever throwing this on to enjoy. 3.5/5

I’m finding these classic rock records so hard to rate. Outside of the songs that have stood the test of time a lot of these tunes are first time listens and I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan. It’s not that they’re bad it’s just that they don’t do anything for me. They are of their time and I’m not nostalgic for them at all. I’m happy others find so much joy from this but to me it’s bland rock. 2.5/5

I don’t know. I just don’t think shoegaze is my thing. There are moments where I’m vibing. But mostly I find it too pretentious and grating. 2/5

What a strange album. There’s some times that I quite liked. The music feels kind of like a cross between musical theatre, pop, and traditional folk music. Which on paper seems like I’d love it. But the lyrics are not that great. And ultimately, at 26 tracks, this just goes on too long. 2.5/5

There’s three songs on this record that are among my absolute favorites. The rest range from good to forgettable. But I still vibe with the record overall. 4/5

Had a great time with this! I’ve known of Patti Smith for years but have never listened to her before. I’ll need to remedy that as this is mostly my jam. Two or three songs go on for too long. But half of this album is a complete banger. 4/5

There were some beats I would occasionally groove too. But more pervasively I was just looking at the clock waiting for this album to be over. 2/5

Had never heard of The Jam before. I ended up loving them! A sort of punk band with good lyrics and melodies. I became a fan. 4.5/5

Not as good as To Pimp a Butterfly. And honestly I just don’t vibe with most of this. Overall I’m not much of a hip hop fan. I can recognize that many of these lyrics are good and I really enjoy some of the melodies and beats he raps over. But there’s just as many misogynistic verses. And I just don’t enjoy hearing the N-word this often. But that’s me. This isn’t made for me. And that’s ok. 3/5

Once again this is an album that is clearly not for me. That doesn’t mean it’s objectively bad. I can tell that the musicianship is talented. But I’m not a metal guy so it’s semi-torture for me to have to listen to an entire album in which I actively dislike everything that’s going on. Not because it’s “bad” but simply that I don’t like it. Anyway, I guess 2.5/5?

I feel bad because Bob Marley is always somebody I want to love unabashedly and I always leave underwhelmed. Perhaps he was amazing to see live. “No Woman No Cry” is great. Everything else is ok to forgettable. 2.5/5

I guess I should’ve got into Depech Mode way earlier. Loved this! Dreamy vocals, great lyrics, and rad music. 5/5

I love Lemmy’s voice. The snarling growl is perfect for a rock/metal band. I wish I actually liked the music. It just does nothing for me. I have a bias against angry music mostly because I end up feeling agitated for the entire day after listening to it. I know that’s a me problem but it is my reality. 2/5

I enjoyed the other Spiritualized album I listened to. This one didn’t grab me as much. I vibes do a lot of it. It too much of the album felt repetitive in a bad way. 3/5

I can’t quite put my finger on it but this didn’t entirely wow me. I did enjoy a lot of the musicianship on display. Obviously the members of the band are talented. Occasionally I could groove to the tunes. But it only stayed pleasant. There was nothing that tipped the scales so that I loved what was being played which seems to be a recurring problem as I listen to more 60s and 70s albums. 3/5

For whatever the Beasties are more fun than eye rolling to me. They still have questionable lyrics at times but there’s this ever present sense of goofiness that I enjoy. 4/5

That was unpleasant nonsense for me. 1.5/5

Wasn’t sure about this at first but ended up really enjoying it. Will need to listen again to know if this remains a “good” album or a great one. 4/5

This didn’t have a lot of the Elvis classics that I love. Although it did have “Blue Moon” which is great. Otherwise it’s fine. 3/5

Another psychedelic record that I don’t really “get.” I don’t hate it. But I find most of these songs aggressively mediocre. Nothing that stands out. Some good production value that’s for sure. But I’m left completely unmoved. 2.5/5

This is a weird one because I like some of the music. But I find the vocals to be so dreadfully boring that the back half of this album was a chore to get through. 2.5/5

CCR has been just a cultural behemoth that it feels like they’ve always been here. Half this album is classic. Enjoyed this. Great summer driving music. 4/5

At the very least there are 3 all time classic song that were inescapable in the 80s. The rest of the album is fine. This type of hair metal has never really been my thing. But I do like those three hits. 3/5

Definitely a concept album. Most of the interludes are there to add ambience rather than be good songs. Everything else is solid. I like a lot of the stuff on this album even if I never fully fall in love with it. 4/5

Call me basic but I like the two big hits from this (Jump and Panama). Then everything else is pretty generic hair metal. Completely fine. 3/5

It’s the most mainstream of tastes to love The Beatles. But I do! This is hands down one of my favorite albums of all time. Just a great listen from start to finish. Even the goofy stuff is awesome. 5/5

This is a hard album to figure out. On one hand there’s some great musicianship. But most of the vocals I don’t care for. It feels meandering for most of it. It’s not aggressively terrible. But there were long stretches I zoned out completely and forgot I was even listening to an album. 2.5/5

I don’t really get why the average rating for this is so low. I think this is fun, poppy, dance music. I can see myself returning to this when I want to cheer myself up. 4/5

I found this more interesting than good. Ultimately it’s just not my thing. I’ll never return to this. But I did like parts of it even when things got far too repetitious. 2.5/5

Maybe it’s because I’ve been sick the last couple of days but I could not fully vibe with this. I liked parts of this. And other times it got a tad too austere. 3.5/5

I do enjoy Apple’s brand of rebellious music. I just think I like her earlier stuff a bit more. 4/5

I don’t know. There’s some fine bits I guess. But my patience for psychedelic music wears thin after a couple of minutes. 2.5/5

Once again this just isn’t my thing. I’m not much of a fan of heavy metal. And this also doesn’t have any of the popular Black Sabbath songs. So I pretty much endured it while totally understanding why others would love it. 2.5/5

I’m so baffled by this album. I simply don’t understand (or hear) what elevates this above other live albums. To have this be on the list (and Rolling Stone’s list) as one of the most essential albums ever just does not compute. I wouldn’t say anything is aggressively awful. But all these songs are done better on their studio albums. How this is what got radio play and then made Cheap Trick huge I’ll never understand. 2/5

I’ve been getting a lot of heavy metal recently. And just like those last albums this just isn’t made for me. I find a lot of this genre (not all) has a paradoxical effect on me. It simultaneously bores me and makes me extremely angry. I get that the anger part is part of the selling point of the music, but it’s an emotion I don’t enjoy wallowing in. It’s obvious the prowess the band members have. But after 30 seconds I just want it to end. 2.5/5

No. That’s a no from me. 1/5

Solid funk album. Good stuff!

There’s a few classic songs that still hold up. But most of this record is bland. What even is that “Help” cover? 2.5/5

Maybe this is a hot take but I think this album takes a while to get going. Once it hits its groove, though, it becomes great. 4/5

A very strong rock record. I’m not the biggest fan of super hard rock, which I think this is, but this album is pretty undeniable. 4/5

I think there’s some strong songwriting on display. But the songs themselves all sorta sound the same. It’s a perfectly fine listen but I doubt I’ll ever come back to this. 2.5/5

This once again proves that my patience for psychedelic music is nil. I won’t deny that the irreverent tone is occasionally fun. But it’s a lot of nonsense underscored by music that I mostly find insufferable. 2/5

There have been other Roxy Music albums I’ve enjoyed, and certain songs that I love. But this was fairly tepid. Nothing really stands out. I don’t hate it. But I doubt I’ll revisit. 2.5/5

Outside of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” I found this far too slow. The covers are lethargic. All the other songs feel they’re at half speed. Great vocals though. 2/5

There’s a Bollywood influence to the music that I appreciate. There’s some great horn playing throughout the record. I don’t like this version of “Imagine” and by the halfway point I was over the initial sense of wonder and became bored. There are some standout musical moments that are drowned in an album that’s too long. 2.5/5

I was in my formative years when Oasis were huge. I won’t deny that there isn’t a bit of nostalgia for the popular hits. But I’ve also always thought they were completely overrated. Outside of those big hits this is a bit of a dud of an album. 2.5/5

I do like some of these songs quite a bit. But I’m continually baffled by which live albums are included on this list. Was this record truly that revolutionary or “must listen”? I don’t think so. It’s occasionally fun but mostly tedious when they go on their fifth 10 minute guitar solo. 2/5

I like Amy Winehouse. But this feels like the unrefined act that would become the perfect Back to Black album. Some good songs. But there’s something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. 3/5

Love “Theme from Shaft” and the rest of the album is a solid film score. Not one of my favorites, but still decent. 3.5/5

Really loved this. Reminded me a lot of the soundtracks to my favourite video games of the 80s and 90s. I think I’m just genetically engineered to love this kind of stuff. 4.5/5

Even though Alice in Chains was a popular band when I should have heaps of nostalgia for them I don’t. I’m not really into hard rock. I guess there’s some good guitar playing. It this does nothing for me. 2/5

Another album that’s just not my jam. I can totally understand how someone would love this. Unfortunately I’m not that person and found it pretty grating for most of it. 2/5

Really only knows the song “D. A. N. C. E.” but loved the whole record! Turns out I’m much more of a fan of electronic music than I thought. 5/5

I don’t know. I lived through this period of music and I still can’t get into it. I know they are beloved by many but it all comes across as static to me. There’s some interesting musical idea occasionally. But not enough for me to care. 2/5

I guess I’m just a sucker for British electronic music. This was a great way to spend a night driving in my car imagining I was the protagonist of a moody 80s film. I’ll admit it’s a bit too long. But otherwise I thing this was pretty good. 4/5

I tend to like this kind of vibe. And there are a couple of songs I really liked. But it slightly overstates its welcome. Still solid but not great. 3/5

I’ve know about the reputation of this album for a while. So maybe my expectations were too high. I thought it was solid. There are a few songs I’d consider great. But as a whole I wasn’t blown away. 3.5/5

I really do like some of Deep Purple’s stuff. I also think that most of their songs are one or two minutes too long. A bit of a tighter focus and I think I’d love this. But “Smoke on the Water” still rocks. 3/5

Pretty bland for me. And so long. One track felt like it led to the next without any discernible difference. Wish I could hate it but I can’t even remember it. 2/5

After the first two tracks, which I absolutely loved, I was convinced I’d discovered my new favorite album. Then it slides into mediocrity pretty fast with generic sounding tunes, without the inventiveness shown in the first couple. Disappointing. 2.5/5

This is now the epitome of dad rock. But I honestly have a good time listening to this. The iconic songs remain iconic, and the rest are solid tunes. 4/5

For me it feels pretty standard girl group sound of the time. That’s not necessarily bad, but I spent do much for me. Beyonce would go on to make some of my favorite things. Destiny’s Child is just fine 2.5/5

Perfectly pleasant easy listening. The type if stuff you hear in the background of a wine bar so that it doesn’t overtake the general conversation at the tables. 3/5

I appreciated how different this felt. Obviously it’s a very intentional work. But I mostly found myself being pushed away rather than drawn in. There’s a part of me that think on a relisten there would be a deeper appreciation. The unfortunate reality is that I have no desire to revisit this. 2.5/5

I honestly thought I was going to love this. I really like a few Dire Straits songs. One of them is on this record. But as a full album I mostly found this tedious and uninteresting. 2.5/5

I normally love this type of music. But I kept losing interested. There are splashes of stuff I really dig, but then it would be back to various vocalizations and “vibes” I wasn’t vibing to. 2.5/5

There’s some solid grooves and songs. I like that there’s some variety amongst the songs. But overall this isn’t really my thing. I can respect this from afar, though. 3/5

A great American pop record. Beautiful vocals and arrangements. A few classic songs. Solid! 4/5

This is my first PJ Harvey record ever. I really fell into a groove with it. Will need to relisten to fully appreciate I think. 4/5

I find these old folk songs are sorta comforting. A mythologized past that probably didn’t exist, but that nevertheless are pleasant. Jack has a nice voice. This is simple guitar music. Nothing that I go crazy for but fine. 3/5

This probably needs a deeper dive. There’s a lot going on in this album. A lot a like and some that’s just too dense. As someone who has seen The Roots live and loved them, this record doesn’t sound like that performance. It’s an ambitious work that’s near impossible to give a quick review after one listen. I respect it and could potentially love it on a relisten. 3.5/5

We once again arrive to something that just isn’t my thing. Most hip hop doesn’t do anything for me. Especially when there’s this much discussion around somebody’s dick. 2/5

This would be a great album to drive late at night to. I can’t see myself just casually listening to this, though. I think there is talent at cobbling together a bunch of samples and making it sound this good. 3/5

I get it if people hate this. I think at times it does degenrate into squawks and “noose.” But truly that’s why do like it. This isn’t something I can just throw on in the background. I need to be intensely focused on the music while it’s playing. And when I do that I’m taken on a journey that’s thrilling. 4.5/5

I generally like Joy Division but I guess I don’t love Joy Division. The couple of albums I’ve listened to because of this project have only been pretty good rather than great. 3.5/5

There’s moments on this record that I absolutely love. Specifically when it becomes a sweeping orchestral score. The singing doesn’t do much for me. Overall it’s fine but not one of the greats. 3/5

Upbeat and sometimes even fun. But the lyrics are stupid and most of the songs just aren’t my thing. 2.5/5

I feast on the tears of Elvis Costello haters. I gobble them up! It’s apparent that a sizabale portion of the people who are doing this project hate him. But I think he’s great. His style of rock is right up my alley. And in regards to his voice, I think he’s a better vocalist than Bob Dylan. (I also love Dylan.) So I don’t know. This was very good. Found some new favourites. I do think it’s a touch too long. I’d have cut two songs and made this tighter. 4/5

I do like this. But it just feels like background music at an upscale wine bar. It’s not bad but I also don’t yearn for it. 3/5

I guess I’m one of those people who just likes Elvis’ hits. Because this wasn’t an essential album for me. It’s pleasant enough. But none of the covers are among my favourites and it features 0 of his well known tunes. 2.5/5

Very dad rock. Nothing wrong with that it’s just not my thing. Except for the first song, their big hit, I found this pretty bland. 2/5

Just a really fun pop album with some all time classics. This is great. 4/5

While I didn’t find any individual songs so amazing that they became one of my favourites, at least on this first listen, l still enjoyed this from start to finish. So many hip hop albums I bounce off of because I find the drum machine beats in the background too repetitive. But this had more melodies and other instrumentation that drew me in. Plus the lyrics are pretty great. 4/5

Musically this feels all over the place. Some stuff I liked. Mostly the instrumental stuff. Other stuff I actively disliked. But I respect the attempt at being different. 3/5

I think I enjoy The White Stripes more theoretically than actually. That’s not to say I think this is bad. I still love “Seven Nation Army.” Jack White’s influences are on full display and he does a great job honouring what came before while also making it feel fresh. But there’s not a lot on this record that I yearn to revisit past the big hit and maybe one or two others. 3.5/5

I love me these Depeche Mode soundscapes. Not as good as some of their other stuff but still a solid record. Weirdly I love driving to their music. 4/5

The live albums on this list continue to baffle me. Why is this here? Is it truly one of the essential live albums of all time? I like The Allman Brothers. But I prefer their focus on a studio album. This is far too meandering for me personally to latch onto. It’s fine. 2.5/5

There were a couple of tracks I really enjoyed. But ultimately the album turned into something that was aurally uninteresting to me. 3/5

I didn’t find anything bad on this but it also came across as pretty forgettable. Two songs I loved but everything else was just there. 2.5/5

I don’t know how many times I can write “this is probably good it’s just not made for me” in regards to heavy metal. It’s not my genre. I don’t enjoy listening to it. But there’s definitely talented musicians. 2.5/5

I enjoyed a lot of this. Pretty fun listen. I can’t say I loved any individual track. But I also was never bored. 3.5/5

I’m a fan of a lot of the Beach Boys stuff. At least I think so. Most of this was pleasant but repetitive after a while. Wouldn’t complain if someone turned this on in the background but I’d never seek this out to listen to again. 2.5/5

I agree with another review I read. This album opens with a great song. “Sympathy for the Devil” rocks. But then it’s followed by 9 absolutely forgettable bluesy songs. It’s not terrible, but it is mediocre. 2.5/5

Another album that I can sorta understand its importance, but this genre really isn’t my thing. The beats are a bit too repetitive. The lyrics are ok but nothing stood out to me. 2.5/5

Mostly loved this. A handful of songs are amongst my favourites. Always thought “Coconut” was a novelty song and not part of a real album. Can definitely hear the Beatles influence. 4/5

Not as aggressively grating as the other Beck album I listened to. But there’s also nothing that I really loved either. It’s mostly fine. Wouldn’t have qualms listening again, however I’ll never seek this out intentionally again. 3/5

Some good stuff here. I quite like the long 9 minute song that takes you on a journey. The rest doesn’t wow me. But it was a pleasant listen. 3/5

Another album where I think it’s completely fine. The historical context was interesting to learn about. As a listening experience it was mostly good. But I don’t think I’ll ever consciously search for these songs ever again. But I’ll love it when they show up in a movie. 3/5

This is a wild, wild ride. I never knew what was coming next. Big band? Film soundtrack? Audio book? Honestly there was not once where I’d label this album boring. It is an acquired taste, though. I happened to enjoy it immensely but could just as easily understand if someone else found it utterly baffling. 4/5

Because of the heavy rotation of “Frontier Psychiatrist” on Much Music in Canada I have a soft spot for The Avalanches. It was probably my first time being exposed to this type of absurdist electronica mashup. I like their other songs on this too! Probably deserves a second listen but for now it’s a 4/5

Sad and depressing rock is my bread and butter. Plus the instrumentation behind the whining is great. 4.5/5

This felt mostly like the light music you hear in an elevator. The covers aren’t all that spectacular and the originals are just ok. 2/5

Far more atmospheric than the other Cure albums I’ve listened to. It’s a vibe I enjoyed. More than their other albums this felt like one long piece. I probably need to listen a second time to fully settle on my thoughts. But for now it’s 3.5/5

I think I’m discovering that I’m not that big of a Paul Simon guy. A couple of good songs, but mostly just banal pop music. 2.5/5

Fairly innocuous stuff. Nothing really stood out. Kind of bland rock that u forgot I was listening to something. 2.5/5

My first Dylan album only took 264 days to get here. There are some standout tracks on this. But I think it peters out at the end. Still some great songwriting on this. 4/5

I love Iggy Pop’s voice. Occasionally I loved this record. But for me half is a strong record and half is fairly mediocre. 3/5

I think I’m becoming Nick Cave pilled. I knew of him for years but never really listened. But each album that’s been given to me during this challenge I love. This is no exception. A few less 5 star songs from the last but still a great time. 4.5/5

Another performer and album where I get why they’re adored, and seen as influential, I just don’t enjoy the experience. Far too slow a groove for me. 2.5/5

I’m a Talking Heads fan. So this was a great morning listening to this. Plus a couple of my favorite songs! 4.5/5

There’s some pleasant tunes but nothing that rises to great for me. But more egregiously it overstays its welcome with a runtime that’s far too long. 2/5

Another Radiohead album I enjoyed. It just doesn’t rise to the level of their two masterpieces. 4/5

Didn’t really enjoy most of this. Far too frenetic. I’ll never revisit this on purpose. I did like their sample of Lawrence of Arabia, though. 2/5

First half is a masterpiece for me. Just a great infusion of disco and pop. The second half isn’t as strong but has some really good stuff. 4/5

I didn’t find anything uniquely terrible about this album, there was some good atmospheric music, but nothing that I could foresee wanting to return to. Perhaps a second listen would unlock it for me. But for now I’m just underwhelmed. 2.5/5

Call me basic I guess because I love this band. Their first album was a gem when it was given to me earlier in this list and I loved it. This has just as high highs but I think I slightly prefer the rawness of their first record. 4.5/5

At one time I would have argued Eminem was a master. Others will do that nowadays. But listening to this with fresh ears it’s hard to get past the sophomoric humour which basically boils down to raping women and being scared of homosexuals. The skits are bad. The rhymes are fine but I’ve heard better rappers. What I still do believe is that “Stan” is a great examination of a superstar trying to reckon with the responsibility of influencing the younger generation. It still works for me. But the rest of it is best forgotten. 2/5

The last couple of weeks I’ve had quite a few entries that just aren’t my thing. I’m glad other people like this. I sure don’t. 2/5

Have to agree with the majority of the other reviews. This is palatable background music while you sip a latte at a cafe. I do really like Norah Jones’ voice. But none of the songs are particularly amazing or different than dozens of other performers. 2.5/5

I like Madonna. The Immaculate Collection album is one of my favorite things ever. But whether this album was done by her or somebody else it slides into annoying bad rather than regular bad and it makes my skin crawl in places. Plus her cover of “American Pie” is egregious. 1.5/5

This is very good. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” never fails to make me emotional. I think having the same song three times, albeit different iterations, is a bit weird. Especially when that’s only for the first half. Would not hesitate to listen to this again. 4/5

I read somewhere that Queen is better remembered for the singles rather than the albums. I tend to agree. They’re a deeply goofy band with obvious comedy and musical theatre influences. As an album I do enjoy this even if there’s only two or three great songs. Everything else fits the tone they’re looking for but aren’t exactly something you’re hoping pops up on the radio or a playlist. 4/5

I don’t know. I kinda liked all of this. Is some of it just kooky to be kooky? Probably. But the music is good and I never got bored. 4/5

The first couple of times I was convinced I was listening to a masterpiece. I know that Steely Dan is a love it or hate it band but I’ve never delved into them that much. There was a lot I liked but then found it was diminishing returns the longer it went. 3.5/5

I do like their version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” but that’s the first track. After that it’s generic 60s pop that I’m increasingly becoming exhausted by. 2/5

Yep. I’m a Nick Cave guy. I love all his weirdness. There’s a couple of songs I think go on a tad too long. But overall I was interested in hearing these murder tales and enjoyed how they were musicalized. 4.5/5

I pretty much vibed with the whole thing. Was surprised I even knew a few of the songs already when the band Air had no name recognition from me. Will probably return to this again in the future. 4/5

A formative album for me. But I still love the entirety of this. So many good grooves and melodies. A perfect experience. 5/5

Never locked into this. I like Fiona Apple’s voice. And I’ve enjoyed her songs in the past. But this album didn’t do much for me. 2.5/5

Rush is one of those bands that you either make your whole personality or you kinda shrug your shoulders at. I’m shrugging my shoulders. It’s mostly just fine. I think the rock vocals are good, the instrumentation is interesting, but every song sounds the same to me. 2.5/5

Just not my jam. It’s not atrocious. But I don’t particularly like any of the songs. All of which sound the same to me. 2/5

Didn’t like him when I was a teenager and he was super popular. Certainly don’t like him now. 1/5

I’m just a sucker for these dreamy vocals. The whole album feels like I’m in some sleep word and that’s a good thing! Saw them live once and they put on a great show. 4/5

Another generic 60s album. I didn’t find one standout song. It’s not amongst the worst I’ve listened to but there’s nothing here that I find essential. 2.5/5

What can I say about Miles Davis? He’s a master. I enjoyed listening to this. A couple of tracks are in my favourites. I don’t find his music something I can relax to. I need to be listening intently. And because of that I’m rarely going to throw him on to listen to. 4/5

Overall I enjoyed my time with this. There’s a few songs I found to be great. It this album is also 20 minutes too long. 3.5/5

Call me basic if you must but I love ABBA. I guess the production of their music can be seen as cheesy, but their vocals are killer. Plus, something that isn’t valued in pop music but that I respect is that they usually use perfect rhymes. As a stickler for that sort of thing I appreciate it. Anyway, fun album! 4.5/5

Not the best solo album from a former Beatle. But pretty close! You really can hear all the things that John brought to that band without any other influence. And for a brief moment it’s magic. 5/5

Not terrible but this is just not my thing. Some of the backing music was enjoyable but the vocals kept taking me out of it. 2.5/5

It’s odd. Because on paper I should love this. What pushes people away is what I greatly enjoy: the bombastic theatrical style of the music. But the lyrics are often quite awful. 3/5

I … I don’t know what this was. Mostly cheesy tunes, and then that’s parade song was a bridge too far. The music is fine, I guess, but the lyrics are suspect. At least it’s under 30 minutes. 2/5

I don’t know if I fully “get” Stevie Wonder. There’s certainly individual songs I like. But the two albums this challenge has served me are just ok. Nothing that I’d choose to revisit. 3/5

Her voice is pleasant enough. But every song just sounds the same. 2/5

I don’t even really like their big hit. Plus it being over an hour long seems egregious. Also admit this is just not my thing. 2/5

Maybe my expectations were too high. I’ve enjoyed other Joni Mitchell stuff and this is considered one of the best albums of all time. And I thought it was pretty good! Just not excellent. 4/5

These type of albums are so hard for me to rate. Did I groove to it? Sure. Will I ever seek this out again? Probably not. But I did enjoy my time with it. 3/5

Elton John has created some of my all time favorite songs. But his singles are often better than listening to his albums. At least in my opinion. So many forgettable tunes on this and one that’s embracing. But the bangers are just so good. 3.5/5

Because of the nature of this list I don’t get to spend a lot of time with an album. I need to return to this because I liked a lot of it. But I do think it’s a tad too long. They being said I also have never listened to any other LCD Soundsystem album so maybe I just don’t have context. 3.5/5

Really loved my time with this album. Just pleasant songwriting. A handful of songs are among my favourites. Maybe this is just because I love Harold and Maude. 4.5/5

This project has revealed to me just how little patience I have for psychedelic rock. It’s at a zero. Didn’t really enjoy this at all. 1/5

Here’s the crazy thing with expectations. Basing it on the current consensus I was preparing myself to have this. Instead I came away kinda liking this. I definitely appreciate it! An attempt to show the music of India isn’t “weird” to an English speaking audience. I thought there was some good stuff in this. 3.5/5

Pleasant record. This is a great example of an album I wish I had the time to listen to a second or third time as I suspect my admiration would grow. But for now it’s going to be labelled as “good.” 3/5

I listened to this yesterday and now can’t remember a single thing. Neither positive nor negative. It just washed over me. 2.5/5

I’ve heard of T. Rex but never engaged with their music. Had a great time! Some new favourites. 4/5

The Zombies have made some of my favorite songs. This album was a slight disappointment as I was expecting a bunch of bangers. The good songs are great. The others are merely passable. 3.5/5

Not aggressively bad. It’s just not my jam. I can hear elements of precision and talent but I’d never choose to listen to this again. 2.5/5

The beginning songs are fine I suppose but the last two songs, especially, devolve into screeches and noise. 2/5

Foo Fighters have never been my thing. There’s obvious talent and well crafted songs. But I’m just bored the entire time. 2.5/5

To be fair I don’t think, overall, I’m much of a grunge person. There was the occasional moment that I enjoyed but overall this was a slog to get through. 2/5

I listened to this two days ago and forgot to rate it afterwards. I can’t remember a single thing about it. So it couldn’t have been awful. But certainly not something I’ll be returning to. 2/5

I had a very different understanding of what Portishead was like as a band. I think I’d conflated them with Prodigy. Anyway, this was a pleasant listen. Ethereal vocals. Would put this on if in the right mood. 3/5

Somehow I know a lot of Fatboy Slim songs when I didn’t think I’d ever heard more than two or three. Had a blast listening to this. Fun mashups and grooves. 4.5/5

As someone who loved the last Kate Bush record that was given to me I was shocked by how much I hated this. There’s a lot of screaming and weirdness but not much of it is good. 2/5

Need to give this another listen someday. At first I wasn’t sure what I was even listening to. Some parts felt a bit too goofy. But by the end I’d fully been swept up into it. Has the potential to rise highly in my estimation but for now I’ll give it a 3.5/5

This album is an anomaly for me. I’m not that much of a Taylor Swift fan. I find her lyrics far too over praised and her music lacks a dynamism that appears in stuff from her peers. And yet I think this is a solid pop record. There’s some good bangers on it. The only one of her albums I’d ever come back to and listen in full. 4/5

I did enjoy listening to this. But I put it on while painting a room. Can’t say any song jumped out at me as being essential. 3.5/5

This felt like the lost soundtrack to a David Lynch film. Vibed to a lot of it. Didn’t find any individual songs that I found I wanted to revisit. 3/5

There are isolated moments where I vibe to this. But an entire album is a bit much. 2/5

I think I’m discovering that I’m just not a Springsteen guy. It’s fine. But nothing that thrills me. 3/5

I know some Beach Boys fanatics so I knew that their later discography was different than what most people know them as. I was enjoying the first half of this. But the second half wasn’t as strong. Some songs felt like noise while others just felt like a rehash of the earlier songs on the album. 3/5

Love how short this is. Also love the attitude. But u can’t get over how amateur the lyrics are. I get that punk music is more about the attitude but it was grating how bad the words are. 2.5/5

Ray Charles is another artist who I like in small doses and not really an entire album. It’s not bad. But I start checking my watch halfway through. 3.5/5

I really vibed with this. I liked the punk influences. The melodies are good. I’ll definitely listen again. 4/5

One of my great discoveries in this project is how much I love Kraftwerk. It’s like they’ve burrowed into my brain and harvested sounds that I’ll enjoy. 4.5/5

I was listening to this while on a long distance drive. One song blended into another. I can’t even really remember much about it other than it being alright. 2.5/5

It’s a seminal album for sure. The highs are very high. But there are a couple of duds on this. 4.5/5

Listened to half of this in the car and the other half with headphones on. While wearing headphones I began to appreciate the textures more. Don’t know why that is. 3/5

Some standard punk stuff. I swayed from liking it to tolerating it. 2.5/5

I liked this. But once again while I didn’t hate the experience I wasn’t overly in love with anything either. 3/5

Still so sad what happened to her. The lyrics are quite good and I groove with most of the music. 4.5/5

I’m a huge Beatles fan and I can confidently say this shouldn’t be on the list. Great for the Beatles completions, and there are some good songs but this is not one of their essential albums. 3/5

Good performances of these songs but I’m not sure why this live album was selected for this list. A Muddy Waters studio album would’ve been better. 3/5

Good in small doses, I suppose. There were a few songs I liked and could see myself revisiting. But as an album I found the “cuteness” became cloying after a while. 2.5/5

No argument that Aretha can sing and sing well. But with the exception of “Respect” I found these songs mostly bland. And they all kind of feel the same. It’s not awful but I was pretty bored while listening. 2.5/5

The template for rock and roll to follow. A great collection of tunes! But I do find a bunch of filler is on this too. 3.5/5

“Wake Up” is probably in my top 20 songs of all time. I really like the rest of the album too. 4.5/5

I think you had to be there. 2/5

Sounds like old school country. I know that turns a lot of people off. I didn’t mind it but also didn’t find anything that elevated it beyond a pleasant listen. 3/5

I think I’m just a fan of their greatest hits because I found this album to be severely lacking. Plus it doesn’t even have one of their more famous songs. It’s ok, I guess. 2.5/5

Did vibe for most of this. But probably not something I’d return except for a couple of songs. 3.5/5

I pushed play on this expecting to hate it. So maybe because I had the lowest of expectations, especially because I haven’t really enjoyed most of the live albums on this list, this was a pleasant surprise! I really liked it! It’s not revolutionary. But maybe because it’s mostly a straight ahead record without a lot of crowd work it worked. Good recording. 4/5

Fun change of pace! Loved the instrumentation. But this isn’t really my jam, especially for 7 songs in a row. 3/5

I like Tom Pertty’s later output far more than this first record. Still some good stuff but a lot of this feels like filler. 3/5

This is just my kind of thing. Totally get if people are turned off by Jack White. But his melodies always sound right to me. And his vocals match the music. 4/5

Once again we return to metal and I just don’t like it. The fuzzy guitars are cool. But the vocals and the aesthetic are turn offs for me. I believe that those who love this get some kind of catharsis that I don’t. It just leaves me feeling anxious and angry all day. 2/5

Guess I’m an outlier on this one. Really enjoyed. Far more than most of the other Britpop I’ve encountered on the list so far. Liked the memories, and the attitude, and the whole production. Will definitely listen again. 4/5

There were individual songs that I loved. But as a whole album there are a few dull parts. 3.5/5

So maximalist and so fun. Very theatrical. As a musical theatre fan it’s right up my alley. 4.5/5

Pretty generic punk from my untrained ear. 2.5/5

On paper I should love this. But I’ve tried to like Wilco in the past and it just doesn’t take. Some occasional good melodies but mostly I’m checked out. 2.5/5

While I liked the other album from Hole better I still found myself liking this a lot. 4/5

There was nothing I hated. It just washed over me and left absolutely no impression. 2.5/5

Had a great time having this on in the background while making breakfast this morning. It’s a perfect record to just relax to. 4/5

It’s fine. There are individual songs that I find undeniably great. But I’m not convinced this entire album is at the same level.

This is a bunch of musical ideas, none of which are explored. Anything good is quickly abandoned so that the next song can start on this far too many 28 track album. Had they dug into the truly good melodies and songs, and tossed the actively annoying tracks, this could’ve been something special. 2.5/5

Was never a Devo devotee. A lot of this is just annoying noise to me. 2.5/5

I don’t dislike CCR but I do also feel like once you’ve heard one song you’ve heard them all. 3/5

Some good grooves but I found this mostly dull. 2/5

I think I need to return to this sometime. I liked it but it was not at all what I was expecting. I’ve never been that big of a fan of reggae but this hit different. 3.5/5

Never been the biggest The Band fan. There’s a couple good tunes. But overall this is the type of music you license to play in the background of a movie scene that takes places in a Southern bar. 3/5

There are some undeniable bangers on this. But unlike Dark Side of the Moon this overstays its welcome. Way too many songs that feel more masterbatory than essential. Still, I can’t deny that when it’s great it’s fucking great. 4/5

Don’t know why I can’t lock into The Stooges. But everyone I try I bounce off. The punk attitude is great but I simply don’t enjoy their songs. 2.5/5