Dec 18 2023
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Live!
Fela Kuti
I haven't listened to much afrobeat before. My main intro to it is the song Ice V by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard where they draw influence from afrobeat and I love that song. This album is jammy, groovy, and jazzy. A very enjoyable listen. I loved learning about Fela Kuti and the story of how the album came to be. I will definitely be listening to more Fela Kuti and other afrobeat artists.
4
Dec 19 2023
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Live At The Regal
B.B. King
I don't know if I've always just been a fan of the blues and that's why I like jam band music so much or if I like the blues so much now because I've been into jam band music. I'm hearing tons of influence that the blues had on the Grateful Dead. Did American jam bands just appropriate jazz & blues? This album is so good. Will definitely be revisiting.
5
Dec 20 2023
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Homework
Daft Punk
I like Daft Punk and electronic music. I sometimes have a hard time getting into house music though just because it feels too repetitive. There were some cool parts but overall I kind of got bored from the repetition. I do appreciate it's significance in french house music and dance music as a whole.
2
Dec 21 2023
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Raw Power
The Stooges
This was a pretty rad record and was easy to listen to for me. I can definitely see how this could have been such a big influence on the punk scene. I bet for the time it was really crazy but listening to it now it's a good punk record but there isn't anything that really stands out as unique or exciting. Without the context and history I'd just feel like it was a pretty good punk record.
3
Dec 22 2023
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Rio
Duran Duran
There is a lot of nostalgia for me around this album. My parents love this album and played it a lot when I was a kid. The title track is such a banger. Didn't realize hungry like the wolf was about a horny boi trying to get some. A lot of the album sounds very similar but it's very obvious that a lot of the modern indie synth pop drew inspiration from this sound. There is also a psych aspect to this album which I appreciate.
3
Dec 25 2023
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Back In Black
AC/DC
I can’t believe a band with a singer like this got as popular as they did. It feels like parody. What did the other band members think when the singer was like hey guys I’m gonna sing like this? Some catchy hits and I knew most songs but I just really don’t care for AC/DC.
2
Dec 26 2023
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A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
A bunch of classics in . I appreciated that most of the songs were secular. It’s crazy how so many of these songs are still listened to regularly even though the recording and production quality is so bad.
3
Dec 27 2023
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If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
Sounds just like the era which I really enjoy. A good, easy listening, catchy, and wholesome record. Listened to it while I waxed my skis the day after Christmas which felt very fitting.
3
Dec 28 2023
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Electric
The Cult
This record sounds like hair metal but better. It was actually pretty enjoyable to me. This genre from this time period can often times come across as super cheesy to me but this record didn't feel as cheesy. I don’t think I’d ever revisit the album but it was easy to listen to. Born to be Wild is a classic but it’s a bit cheesy. Reminds me of my dad.
3
Dec 29 2023
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Wow what an album! It’s seriously such a shame Jimi Hendrix died so young. Will be returning to this one a lot. My faves were All Along the Watchtower and 1983 Merman. Hendrix’s playing is so expressive it sounds like he’s talking through his tone.
4
Jan 01 2024
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Low-Life
New Order
Sounds like pretty basic 80s synth pop. Not a fan of the 80s clap drum sound. Reminds me of Eurythmics but not as good. After hearing the whole album, I was just very bored with the whole thing. Also the singing was trying too hard to be that 80s synth pop sound.
2
Jan 02 2024
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Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Had to get my credence tapes back to listen to this one. Fun country rock album that’s super easy to listen to. Fun guitar riffs, fun harp riffs, fun all around. Some bangers in there.
4
Jan 03 2024
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La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
Great background noise. Listened while I was coding and it was easy to get in the zone. Not sure I'd ever listen to this outside of that context though because I think I'd get a bit bored. A lot of the songs feel repetitive. I haven't been paying close attention but I feel like I keep noticing some repetition between the songs.
3
Jan 04 2024
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xx
The xx
Chill atmospheric music. Easy listening but honestly it's a little boring. The instrumentation doesn't sound as smooth as I'd like. You can hear every single strum of guitar and it doesn't feel very layered. I do like the duets vocals though. I feel like I remember liking this when it came out and there was a lot of hype around it but overall listening to it now I'm just waiting for it to be over so I can listen to something more interesting. Giving it 2 stars feels harsh but 3 stars seems like to many. I'd probably actually give it a 2.5.
2
Jan 05 2024
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Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Really can’t stand the vocals or cheesiness of this album. The production is pretty good though. I really couldn't stand the first half of the album but the second half is much better. This seems like the influence for a lot of 80s music which I can appreciate. I'm hearing some ska sounds on the back half of the album which is interesting. What's So Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding is a great album closer.
Final thoughts are that the first half of the album is a 2 star album but the second half is a 3-3.5 star album. If I were to listen to this album again I'd probably just start at Party Girl.
3
Jan 08 2024
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Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Such an amazing record. Pretty crazy it's the first hip hop record to go platinum. I've enjoyed this one since I was a kid. I love the rock samples and the rock fusion. It seems like this was a major inspiration to subsequent artists. I wonder if they were thinking that they were being innovative when they made this record or if they were just having fun.
4
Jan 09 2024
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Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
I bet this was such a fun concert. It’s so high energy. Is Money a Jerry Lee Lewis original? I think I’ve only ever heard more modern covers of that. The fast tempo and keys are so fun. My most favorite concerts I’ve been to in the last few years have had this level of energy. It’s something I really value in live music. My only real complaint about this album is that it’s way too short.
5
Jan 10 2024
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Justified
Justin Timberlake
JT!!!! This is a genre of music that I've never gotten into. I didn't listen to it growing up so I don't have the nostalgia like so many other people do when they listen to this genre. Starting with Señorita, it's fun, catchy, and I like that he's okay being silly on it. The bit where he was telling the ladies the part they were going to sing was funny. Even though this style of singing isn't really my jam it's very easy to recognize how good of a singer JT is. He really did have me nekked by the end of Rock Your Body.
Several times during the record I noticed some record pops. I'm curious the recording process for this record. I'm wondering if they recorded, pressed to vinyl, and then recorded the vinyl playing. Or if it's just like artificial record pop dubs.
This record is too long. I started getting over it with like 4-5 songs left.
3
Jan 11 2024
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Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
First of all I love how this album opens. Only Shallow is a banger.
Overall it's a pretty cool album although I found myself getting a bit bored a few times. I can appreciate the heavy pedal effects, the reverb vocals, and weird noises. I also usually like when songs are drawn out but in this album it got a little boring at times because it wasn’t changing much.
From a historical perspective, I cannot believe it cost as much money as it did to produce this album.
3
Jan 12 2024
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Fun House
The Stooges
First off it sounds like there are two guitars running lead. Down on the Street has that one part where one guitar is soloing in one ear and other guitar is soloing in the other ear and that was very enjoyable. I love the crawling bass lines and that the bass is essentially playing rhythm. The random hoots and hollers throughout also make me happy. This album one hundred percent influenced Viagra Boys. I actually think Viagra Boys are paying homage to Loose in Punk Rock Loser. Dirt was a cool slower song. I enjoyed the slower tempo with the guitars wah wah-ing and the vocals over the top of it. It broke up the faster paced songs nicely. This album even has saxophone!!! I love a good rock band with a saxophone. Viagra Boys also has a saxophone... lol. Fun House was a fun song. The sax and the lead guitar just going nuts in the background with the hard vocals was pretty sick. It was maybe a little longer than it needed to be though and that's coming from someone that loves long songs. L.A. Blues is such a crazy closer hahaha. So chaotic.
4
Jan 15 2024
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Blue Lines
Massive Attack
The vocals and lyrics are almost too cheesy to bear in the first two songs. Does every song just repeat the same lyrics over and over while mostly just playing the same beat in the background? Every now and then I hear a cool change to the beat or a new sample or something but overall it’s just the same thing over and over. This would be pretty decent study or work music because it's smooth and chill and repetitive but I can't see myself ever wanting to listen to it intentionally. I've never been much of a trip hop fan though.
Five Man Army stands out.
2
Jan 16 2024
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Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
I don’t think I’m very qualified to have much of an opinion of jazz music. It’s a very cozy album. Makes me want to sit in front of a fireplace with a comfortable blanket. Makes me think of the Christmas music I enjoy, or a fancy hotel lobby or nice restaurant. It sounded very technical. That mixed with the song lengths is very impressive.
4
Jan 17 2024
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Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys owned this genre so hard that if any other white boys try to do rock/hip hop like this it just sounds like Beastie Boys. I love this album and have since I was a kid so it's hard to review/rate this album without any nostalgic bias. It's fun and innovative. One of my biggest gripes with this album is that it's pretty misogynistic.
4
Jan 18 2024
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It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
Solid rap record. Love the political messaging and I love the snippets that sound like they're from their concerts. The sampling is so solid on this record. My biggest beef with this album and with Public Enemy in general is I don't love Flava Flav's hype man stuff. It feels a little annoying and cheesy at times. I'd like it a lot more if Flava Flav just stuck to the regular rapping instead of the hype man stuff.
3
Jan 19 2024
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Your Arsenal
Morrissey
I grew up listening to The Smiths but I don't think I've ever listened to Morrissey's solo stuff. It almost feels wrong hearing his voice singing more upbeat music but it definitely works. Glamorous Glue is such a banger. I love the guitar work in it. I'm really loving the psychedelic elements he's got going on with the guitar on this record. It makes things a lot more interesting. Certain People I Know caught me off guard haha. It has like a more country sounding riff.
3
Jan 22 2024
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Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
I haven never really given Stevie Wonder a chance. I think it's because I had a different idea of what kind of musician he was. I think maybe I just thought he was a bit of a mainstream pop artist that wrote love songs. The opening track was a bit of an eye opener. I didn't think he'd have a song about being too high haha. The synths sound awesome and funky. I'm a sucker for synth. The political messaging in Living For The City was powerful as were the female vocals. Higher Ground is amazing. Jesus Children of America is such a great soul/funk song.
4
Jan 23 2024
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Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
An emotional and hard hitting acoustic pop album. You can feel so much emotion in most of the songs. The melodies and songwriter are top tier. I also love that there is some variety on the album. Variety in style and a variety in instruments. It's an interesting album all the way through.
It opens so strong with Where Do The Children Play? Wild World is another amazing song. On Spotify, But I Might Die Tonight and Longer Boats are the least popular songs on the album which is surprising to me. I feel like they're both underrated. I think my least favorite song is probably Sad Lisa mostly due to how he says the word Lisa. Father and Son is just one of the best songs ever written.
5
Jan 24 2024
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Chelsea Girl
Nico
I really enjoy the instrumentation of this album but I’m not a huge fan of the vocals. They’re not bad but I just found myself getting bored fairly often. I can’t believe she didn’t want the strings or flute. Those add some layering and depth. Without them, I think the record would have been pretty boring. I love her record with the Velvet Underground but this one just isn’t doing it for me as much. I had a crazy day at work and I usually listen to a lot of music at work but I didn’t listen to to any because I didn’t want to listen to other music before finishing this record and this record was just so boring that I didn’t want to listen to it. I think I’d give it a 2.5 if I could but I’ll go with 3 because I didn’t necessarily hate it. I just didn’t love it and didn’t want to listen to it during a high energy day at work. Okay I finished the album finally and I realized that the vocal melodies were just so damn boring that I have to give it 2.
2
Jan 25 2024
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Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
I had never listened to the 2LP Deluxe Legacy Edition of this album. This one is great. River Song and Pacific Ocean Blues are incredible. Such a good album. Sad to know what happened with Dennis Wilson but I'm happy he could get this record out. This is an easy listening pop album with catchy melodies and some more introspective songs.
4
Jan 26 2024
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First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
Pop vocals but not quite so pop instrumentals. It definitely works. I love that they have a flute. The song transitions really make the album feel cohesive and they are well done. I really appreciate an album with good song transitions. I really liked how Heartbreaker transitioned into a minor key darker outro. Gave the song an eerie feeling. With the current state of pop these days, this album hardly feels like "pop" music. It's pretty enjoyable and creative. This album reminds me a lot of the indie music being made right now. I was wondering how I had never heard of this band since I grew up listening to the radio all the time in the 90s and then Lovefool came on. Feels like one of their poppier songs on the album so it makes sense that this was the radio hit. Lovefool to Losers was quite the whiplash haha. I'm not really a super hero person so Iron Man was kid of silly to me. Album ended strong with choke.
3
Jan 29 2024
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Mothership Connection
Parliament
Really made me want to get funked up. The fun energy, great instrumentation, and good vibes make this album fun and easy listening. It's hard to not dance a little while you're listening. I knew the Give Up The Funk song before but I'm glad I could hear the whole album now. I love the jammy sections. This is another album that reminds me that modern jam bands have basically just taken inspiration from black artists. Jazz and funk is such a part of the modern jam band sound.
4
Jan 30 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
After going down the psychedelic music rabbit hole the last few years it's really nice to revisit one of the records that helped kick off that genre. This record is fun, interesting, and high energy. I love that it has the classic rock and roll sound but with some psych elements. The organ is so good. Did Smashmouth rip off Soul Kitchen for their greatest hit? Light My Fire is probably my favorite on the album. I absolutely love the guitar work in The End.
4
Jan 31 2024
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Clandestino
Manu Chao
Easy listening vagabond vibes. Feels like traveling and a chill carefree lifestyle. There were some good song transitions and I appreciate hearing several languages on the album. He seems observant of what’s going on in the world with his travels with some political commentary and philosophy. It kind of feels like musical journalism. Lots of different sounds on this album too. Overall it’s fun and easy listening.
4
Feb 01 2024
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Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
Honestly this felt like a pretty standard garage rock album. It wasn't bad at all but nothing really stood out to me. I enjoyed it but it didn't blow me away at all.
3
Feb 02 2024
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A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
I found this record to mostly just be okay. Rod Stewart's voice is kind of cheesy to me. It feels like it's trying to be an American country rock album but it doesn't quite land. Probably due to them being English. Best song is probably Stay with Me which is pretty catchy and has fun guitar riffs.
3
Feb 05 2024
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You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
I didn't know who fatboy slim was. I thought he was some stupid white rapper. I wasn't expecting him to be a DJ making sampledelic music similar to The Avalanches. I sing the line "right here right now" all the time as a joke and had no idea it was a fatboy slim song. The Rockafeller Skank is a pretty fun song as well. Some sections of songs kind of hurt my ears which wasn't pleasant. Overall it was pretty good background music while I worked.
3
Feb 06 2024
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Low
David Bowie
I had no idea this David Bowie record existed. It's whacky and experimental. It's pretty fun but I feel that the instrumentals get a bit repetitive sometimes. The synth sounds were a fun addition and added some depth though. The second half of the album has some pretty cool and unexpected instrumental songs.
3
Feb 07 2024
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Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Had to go to youtube to find this one again. I gave this one a listen a year or so ago and really enjoyed it.
I enjoy the folky/country singer songer writer aspect of it but it has fun grungy guitar and fun/chaotic solos throughout it. It kind of scratches two itches for me and overall it's a fun, and easy listening album that I'll revisit regularly.
4
Feb 08 2024
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Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
Something about this record annoys me and I can't quite figure it out. I don't love Lucinda's voice and I don't love a lot of the lyrics. The songs feel repetitive in an uninteresting way. You can either be repetitive with the instrumentals or the lyrics but not both and Car Wheels On A Gravel road was repetitive in both ways. It definitely sounds like the 90s too which isn't bad but it's just interesting. Can't Let Go was actually pretty decent. It was the only song that really caught my ear. I really enjoyed the guitar in Joy. Jackson was pretty decent too. I don't think those three songs are enough to make this whole record redeemable though.
2
Feb 09 2024
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Bone Machine
Tom Waits
Such a raw and primitive sound. It sounds incredibly rough around the edges which could make this a really hard listen for most. I wonder if Tom Waits inspired Isaac Brock's music at all. I feel like Modest Mouse is a bit of a more polished version of this. The existential lyrics are powerful and thought provoking. I like that this album goes back and forth from super rough and raw to more melodic.
3
Feb 12 2024
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Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
An energetic and raw album that was fun to listen to. I don't know a lot about the history of punk rock but it's easy to recognize that this was a very influential and culturally significant album. I could definitely see myself revisiting this album because I enjoyed pretty much every song and there were some true bangers on there as well.
3
Feb 13 2024
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Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
I really enjoy rock and roll and I appreciate the impact this record had on rock and roll but it is hard to fully appreciate it when it's almost fully covers of black artists. I know there is debate on Elvis and how much of a culture vulture he was but B.B. King claims that he was alright. The songs are great and Elvis does a great job covering them but it's just too bad the black artists that wrote the songs didn't get as much credit as they deserved.
3
Feb 14 2024
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For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
Initial thoughts are that the album cover definitely does not match the vibe. I was expecting something totally different. I really enjoy the instrumentals. Like a lot. I do not really enjoy the vocals as much. I love the experimental and psych instruments but the vocals are more like glam rock or 80s pop and the two don't work super well together. The Bogus Man sounds like it could have maybe been inspiration for Radiohead. It's super psych and the vocals work a lot better on that song.
This album gave me more mixed feelings than most of the other albums I've received so far. I'm obsessed with the instrumentation and psych/experimental elements of this record. I really don't like the vocals on it though. If the vocals sounded more psych rock or raw/rough, I'd be super into it.
4
Feb 15 2024
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School's Out
Alice Cooper
The title track reminds me so much of my dad so there is definitely some nostalgia there. The lyrics are so incredibly cheesy though haha. I actually don't think I've ever listened to anything else on this album. Was not expecting Westside Story on this album!!!! Blue Turk actually isn't too bad. I like the more jazzy feel to it and the saxophone. My Stars was actually pretty good too.
Okay the first part of the album was what I was expecting but I really did not expect this album to go where it went. I was mostly expecting the glam rock stuff like School's Out. But I didn't expect it to get jazzy/bluesy. I also didn't expect the broadway Westside Story bit.
3
Feb 16 2024
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Hms Fable
Shack
To me this album sounds like really easy listening 90s radio music. I'm a bit confused why this album out of all albums made it on the 1001 albums list. It sounds very basic and like all the other music in the genre that came out around this time. It's crazy that this artist only has 18k monthly listeners on spotify too. Streets of Kenny was a pretty cool song though. Probably my favorite on the album except the ending of that song was so abrupt and terrible. Like why did they end it like that?????? Since I Met You was also a decent song. The psychedelic nature of it was kind of a surprise.
2
Feb 19 2024
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Master Of Puppets
Metallica
I've never been able to get super into thrash metal. After spending two years being obsessed with KG, I thought I'd like classic thrash metal more since they draw a lot of inspiration from 80s thrash. Turns out I mostly just like KG's version of psych/prog thrash. I don't dislike this by any means, I just found myself getting a little bored at times. I can totally understand why this was such a cultural phenomenon though. Getting music like this in the 80s would have been a lot of fun and would absolutely generate a cult following. I think this genre was slightly ruined for me by high school sports. It seemed like classic thrash metal was the anthem for high school sports teams and I can't help but think about that whenever I listen to it. Makes it feel a little cheesy to me.
I like the technical aspect of the album. I wish the riffs and solos were a little catchier though. I liked the anti-war messaging in Disposable Heroes.
3
Feb 20 2024
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Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
Overall a pretty average rock record. Most of it is pretty meh but there are some interesting bits, some surprises, and a couple of classics on there.
3
Feb 21 2024
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Faith
George Michael
I feel like George Michael had sex with me on this record and then left in the morning before I woke up just to never contact me again. I Want Your Sex was a little much with the grunting and stuff. Honestly I did not like this album and it's not just because I'm not really into this genre. I feel like he's just trying to rip off Michael Jackson but make it more sexual? It was a pretty sleazy feeling record.
2
Feb 22 2024
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NEU! 75
Neu!
I've been enjoying Krautrock from bands like Radiohead and KGLW so I was pretty excited to listen to one of the bands that were part of the Krautrock scene of the 70s. I found the opening track a little boring honestly. Second song was also a bit slow and chill but it got a little more interesting toward the end. In Hero the music started getting more interesting and I was enjoying it quite a bit but I wasn't a fan of the singing haha. It was kind of comical. It's interesting that they end each of their songs with ambient noise. I had to go to youtube to listen to the last song on the album which might have been the best one on the album.
3
Feb 23 2024
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Illmatic
Nas
This album is sick. I can't believe this was his debut. I love the samples, I love how hard the songs go, and I love how much flow Nas has with his lyrics and the way he presents them. While I listened, I looked at pictures of the Queensbridge houses and the surrounding area in the 90s. I feel like this album can transport you there. The production on this record is sick as well. It feels super cohesive yet varied. Not a single skip on this album.
There is definitely some Public Enemy inspiration in this album too which is cool.
5
Feb 26 2024
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Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Kind of a good blend between 80s and 90s. It’s like 80s synth pop meets 90s shoegaze. It makes for really easy listening and enjoyable music.
3
Feb 27 2024
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Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Fun poppy folky songs. Biggest complaint is the production makes the music feel far away if that makes sense. Almost cut my hair is a banger. I’ve almost cut my long hair multiple times in the last 7 years of having long hair and I have been happy that I never cut it and have let my freak flag fly all this time.
3
Feb 28 2024
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The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
Not my favorite genre of music but I actually liked it more than I thought I would. Chock full of riffs and sick solos which are pretty fun. I'm a fan when bands have 3 guitarists so that they have one rhythm guitarist and two guitars that can harmonize on the solos.
3
Feb 29 2024
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Closer
Joy Division
I like the weird and experimental nature of the instrumentals. The vocals are not great and they sound a bit disconnected from the music. It makes sense if the band lost their lead singer. Someone else in the band had to step in which would be difficult. Supposedly this is one of the first bands in the post-punk movement. I can definitely hear it a little but it sounds like a lot of other 80s new age music. I guess this was released in 1980 so maybe all the 80s new age bands drew inspiration from this?
Biggest complaint is that the album is lacking solid melodies which make it feel like it's dragging on a little. I enjoy experimental sounds and I'm okay with some repetition but there needs to be more melodies to help drive the song forward without feeling like it's droning.
2
Mar 01 2024
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Such a smooth album. I love the introspective nature of the music and the lyrics. It sounds wise. His super low voice caught me off guard at first. I dig it. It's a bit slow and sad so I don't know if I'll ever revisit it but I definitely appreciate it.
3
Mar 04 2024
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Liquid Swords
GZA
If I'm being honest, I'm so busy with work that I couldn't pay super close attention to the lyrics of this album which is unfortunate because this album is known for its solid lyricism. The album flows very well. The low-fi production makes everything feel so smooth. The instrumentals/samples are atmospheric and keep things interesting.
4
Mar 05 2024
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Abbey Road
Beatles
How do you even review such a classic album? One of the best ever. So many classic songs on this record but even the ones that aren't considered classics are great. I don't think there is a single skip on this one. I've been listening to this since I was a kid and will continue to listen to it probably until I'm dead. It deserves all the hype it has ever gotten.
5
Mar 06 2024
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Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
Wow what a beautiful record. This was so enjoyable to listen to. I loved the melodies and the instrumentation was so good. Lots of different instruments adding flavor to each song. Just weaving in and out. Loved the harmonies and the songs were just written in interesting ways. I love that it's a poppier album but has folk and jazz influence. It makes it easy listening but also interesting.
4
Mar 07 2024
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Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
Tim Buckley belts it! The instrumentation definitely sounds like it came from the late 60s. It fits right in. It seems like his vocals are what make it more unique though. I love a good folk, psych, jazz soup.
4
Mar 08 2024
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The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Funky and kind of silly but enjoyable none-the-less. I like how weird they get on some of the more electronic songs. Hahahaha the Stevie Wonder love song!!!! I enjoyed a lot of the bass lines on this album. This made me realize that Hamilton's Cabinet Battle #1 is totally paying homage to the song The Message. "It's like a jungle sometimes it makes.me wonder how I keep from going under"
3
Mar 11 2024
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Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
A fun and funky record but it feels very juvenile due to the lyrics. The number of times talking about dicks and balls and bitches is a little much. I don't think I'd ever listen to this record again because the lyrics are just so bad. It's ironic too because today is international women's day hahaha.
2
Mar 12 2024
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Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
I was raised on 80s synth pop and 90s grunge which I think maybe makes it hard for me to really take this vocal style seriously. I can't help but think of Jack Black when I hear this style of singing. I really love the guitar tone though. Especially on In My Time of Dying. It has some really cool guitar effects and noises. Kashmir is a sick song.
3
Mar 13 2024
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Some solid songs on here but some questionable production. Some of the high pitched screeching noises hurt my ears. I realize it was made in '67 but I think they probably could have avoided the high pitched noises. I also think I have some Nico PTSD from the last Nico record. I find her music so incredibly boring. I think this is more a record to hand pick songs. Listening to the whole thing through really kind of hurt my ears.
3
Mar 14 2024
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Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
This album was just a delight. A lot of great songs on here. Loved the instrumentation and the lyrics. I honestly don't mind Bob Dylan's voice that much but I feel like I start to get tired of how he is constantly modulating his pitch up and down. It's just constantly going up and down and up and down and up and down. The album also feels a bit long. I started to zone out a little bit on track 9.
4
Mar 15 2024
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Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
My second Tom Waits album in this project and I was pretty stoked about it. I love just how absolutely bonkers this record is. I said this in my last Tom Waits review but I'm a huge Isaac Brock fan and this Tom Waits album feels like an even bigger inspiration for Isaac Brock than the last one. The instrumentals and production are really fun and interesting and the vocals/lyrics really go well with the style.
4
Mar 18 2024
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Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
It's always a little cheesy when people tell you how cool they are. Even if these guys were as hard as Nas in NYC, they come across as posers a little bit because how much they feel the need to tell you how hard they are. Nas actually came across as hard because the music portrayed that very well. I didn't hate this record but I also didn't love it. Dr Dre and Ice Cube can flow pretty well. I don't care as much for the Easy E sections though.
3
Mar 19 2024
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Aja
Steely Dan
Loving the Wurlitzer solos on this record. They're fun and add a lot to each song. I love the jazzy elements of this album as well. The instruments are also mixed super well. It sounds very good. I don't love Deacon Blues, the story is a little silly in my opinion. I'm starting to like this less and less the deeper I get into this album. I feel like it had a lot of potential from the first couple of songs.
3
Mar 20 2024
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John Prine
John Prine
This album is amazing. Really interesting storytelling and catchy tunes. I don't think I've ever listened to this album all the way through but I found myself knowing a lot of the songs. Pretty relatable lyrics and some of them are really clever/ironic. A staple in folk/country. It's too bad covid took John Prine.
5
Mar 21 2024
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Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Pretty cool record. I've never really been into reggae so it's hard for me to be critical of this record. I do love how they're able to put political messaging into music that sounds so light hearted. Overall it was an enjoyable, easy-listening record that I will likely revisit.
4
Mar 22 2024
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Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra's voice is wonderful. The music is super chill and easy listening. I was feeling stressed all day and this honestly helped me feel less stressed. A lot of the music reminds me of Animal Crossing for some reason though haha. None of the songs really blow me out of the water but overall it's a pretty decent record.
3
Mar 25 2024
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Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
I love this record. I love the prog and the synth and the psych elements to it. It's a journey that doesn't get boring. All the subtle sounds effects are great. It's an album I've revisited many times over the last decade and will continue to revisit. It might be my favorite Pink Floyd album.
5
Mar 26 2024
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Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
I loved this record. It was varied and really interesting. You'd have more upbeat songs and then a slower song to break things up. Things got really jammy towards the end. The drum solo in Blues For Huey when the riff started coming back in, followed by the whole band was so sick. The trumpet solos/riffs were so good and the harmonies were amazing. I also loved all the piano noodling. It was the perfect album to listen to as I drove to the canyon early in the morning to ski powder. I'm also just really stoked on the name of the album. It really resonates with me.
5
Mar 27 2024
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Yeezus
Kanye West
I was kind of hesitant to listen to this due to Kanye being just an all around terrible person. The production on this album is insane. The instrumentals are so unconventional for hip hop and honestly it works so well. I really don't love the lyrics on this album and they're even worse due to how bad of a person Kanye is. They're very misogynistic and egotistical which I don't care for at all. It's hard to give this album a score because the instrumentals are amazing and the production is amazing but I very much dislike Kanye and his lyrics in this record.
2
Mar 28 2024
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Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
This was pretty enjoyable overall. I like world music and African music. Some sections felt a little too repetitive but overall an easy listen with some found sounds. I enjoyed the drums a lot and the vocals. I probably wouldn't revisit this album but I liked hearing it.
3
Mar 29 2024
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Permission to Land
The Darkness
This was an interesting album. 80s hair metal but written in the oughts. Super campy but honestly not too bad. A lot of the album made me laugh with the funny lyrics being sung in the super high falsetto voice. Not really my vibe but it was fun.
3
Apr 01 2024
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Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
I love Marty Robbins' voice. His story telling is very fun and he has some true classics on this record. It's country that just feels truly western.
4
Apr 02 2024
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Dookie
Green Day
A great pop punk record that is culturally significant. I understand the significance of this record and how it influenced a lot of the music I grew up listening to. There are about 5-6 absolute classic bangers on this record that I have listened to so many times in my life and will always love. The rest of the album is actually pretty forgettable in my opinion. It might feel blasphemous but due to the other like 9-10 forgettable songs that are pretty repetitive, I think I'm going to have to rate this one a 4 instead of a 5.
4
Apr 03 2024
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Wild Wood
Paul Weller
Sounds like music my dad would turn on during camping trips and road trips. Easy listening soft pop rock that's borderline boring. I hate when you get one of these albums that is kind of boring and then you see that it's longer than a standard LP. I think the only song that really caught my ear was Shadow of the Sun. It got more psych and prog and the longer track length let the song develop more. I would have liked him to lean more into that although I understand that isn't really something that sells in the mainstream music world.
2
Apr 04 2024
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Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
I love how whacky the instrumentals are on Have a Talk With God. Some fun electronic sounding stuff. This album actually just has a wide variety of styles and sounds that make it interesting. Contusion caught me off guard because I didn't really expect a random instrumental prog song in this record haha. I've never noticed all the weird sound effects in Isn't She Lovely. Honestly I think that song probably could have done without all those lol. Wow this is one long record. It was pretty enjoyable overall but it took me all day tp get through.
4
Apr 05 2024
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Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
I feel like this record is timeless, classic, and influential. Surprisingly good for being recorded in 57. I can only imagine the energy that Little Richard brought in front of an audience. Some real classic bangers on this album. It is kind of repetitive but it's fun and energetic.
4
Apr 08 2024
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Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
I love live albums and I was pretty excited to listen to this one. It was good but I will say I was expecting a bit more energy. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely energy with this one but it's not quite what I expected after listening to other live albums from this time period that have shown up on this list. It was fun hearing these songs live though. Good soulful classics in a live, and energetic environment. Sam Cooke has an amazing voice and is very charismatic with the crowd. I love hearing him work the crowd and hearing them sing along.
3
Apr 09 2024
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Zombie
Fela Kuti
I was stoked to get another Fela Kuti album. I loved the last one that was on this list. I enjoyed this one but it definitely grab me like the last one. Zombie was a great song and Mr. Follow Follow was pretty decent but I don't feel like Observation No Crime was as engaging. It got a little repetitive to the point where I didn't even want to finish the song.
3
Apr 10 2024
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White Light
Gene Clark
Honestly this record felt kind of boring to me. I'm not sure why it made it on this list. It feels like a copycat Bob Dylan or a John Prine, or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It just didn't really do it for me.
2
Apr 11 2024
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The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
Personally I love that records like this make this list. The band has 30k monthly listeners on spotify which means that a lot of their listeners are probably from this 1001 albums project. It's nice to get something weird. This record feels intentionally weird and harsh sounding. I believe it actually takes quite a bit of skill to make a record sound so weird like this and I think most people that hate it can't appreciate that. Yeah, there are a lot of weird sounds going on but it stays cohesive. It kind of makes me think of black midi and Viagra Boys which makes me wonder if this album is an inspiration for post-punk. It also sounds like Talking Heads could have pulled some inspiration from this record or they had similar inspirations.
4
Apr 12 2024
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Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
This is a pretty good singer-songwriter style folk record. I had already listened to Leonard Cohen's final record before he passed so it's pretty fun to hear something from 45 years before. Some songs on this record reminded me of Johnny Cash and some reminded me of Bob Dylan. Overall, it was a really enjoyable record.
4
Apr 15 2024
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Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
This album is great. It’s such a time capsule of the 90s. Some serious 90s bangers along with some slower songs. It’s unconventional pop and I grew up singing a lot of these songs in the car with my parents. The mixing and production sounds so 90s which I can’t quite pinpoint what that sounds like but I can recognize it right away.
4
Apr 16 2024
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The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
I have actually never listened to Nine Inch Nails. They scared me when I was a kid haha and then I just always thought it would be stupid nu-metal or something. This is a really unique sounding rock album. The electronic music mixed with the industrial rock is pretty interested. It's very abrasive and angry sounding. Some really interesting production and surprises on the album too. Holy shit things got really heavy at the end of this record though. I understand that it's a concept album of someone in a suicidal spiral but damn the title track was a little heavy for 9am on a Monday.
4
Apr 17 2024
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Bright Flight
Silver Jews
This is another one of those records where I'm a bit confused how it ended up on this list. This album almost feels like a parody of indie rock at times. There doesn't seem to be anything really special about this one. I do enjoy country-rock and indie-rock so it wasn't an unenjoyable album by any means but it just didn't feel like anything special to me. The song that has stood out the most to me is Let's Not and Say We Did which is the least popular song on the album. I wonder what that says about me...
3
Apr 18 2024
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Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
I absolutely love how unpredictable Speakerboxxx is. The sound and style changes at the drop of a hat and its very fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Love Below however had elements that I really liked but my biggest issue with it are the lyrics. Cheesy, misogynistic, and cheap. The interludes are kind of stupid too.
My thought is that Speakerboxxx is probably a 5/5 and The Love Below is probably a 3/5.
I think they could have taken most of Speakerboxxx and then a few of the best from The Love Below to make a shorter double LP instead of a 2 hour long double LP.
4
Apr 19 2024
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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Kind of an average album with a couple solid songs. I wanted it to be better than it was. Probably won't ever listen to the whole album again but the classics on there are classics for a reason.
3
Apr 22 2024
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Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
Really impressive jazz that's pretty easy to listen to. I really like the background noises.
4
Apr 23 2024
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Stankonia
OutKast
Some seriously great songs on this record. I was caught off guard by a couple songs that reminded me of Funkadelic which was cool. A really enjoyable and unique sounding hip hop record.
4
Apr 24 2024
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Ray Of Light
Madonna
Surprised by the psych production on this record. A lot of psych sounds panned to one ear or alternating back and forth. I had no idea Madonna had an electronic psych record. Dude the title track goes HARD!!! The vocals sound dated to the 90s but the instrumentals/production doesn't. Honestly it makes sense that most people wouldn't really like this record. It's weird and not an easy listen but honestly it's right up my alley. I also love the eastern sounds on this record.
4
Apr 25 2024
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Lam Toro
Baaba Maal
Awesome world sounds on this one. Pretty easy to listen to. Some songs feel funky and some feel pretty tropical. I little hard to fully connect to it due to the language barrier but still something I could appreciate.
3
Apr 26 2024
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Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
This is another one of those records where it's fine but I'm not really sure why it made this list. It doesn't seem like it's doing anything special or influential. I'm sure we can find 1001 albums now days where all 1001 of them have some sort of innovation or musical significance. While this record isn't bad by any means (I enjoyed listening to it), there is absolutely nothing special about it other than it feels a little out of place for a 2005 album. I like the old country sounds to some of the songs.
3
Apr 29 2024
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The Chronic
Dr. Dre
Lyrics did not age well even though they do flow pretty well. The beats were pretty sick.
3
Apr 30 2024
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In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
I like this album a lot. It's very interesting and I love the fusion of genres and sounds. Incredibly creative for the time and it ended up being such an inspiration. Definitely a classic that's worth listening to.
5
May 01 2024
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Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Man what a fun salsa album. Tons of variety in terms of sound and lyrical content. I have a major soft spot for music like this since I lived in the Dominican Republic for 2 years. This was also such a breath of fresh air for this project.
5
May 02 2024
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The World is a Ghetto
War
This album was so sick. So much flavor with all the different sounds and tempos. The jams went hard. I also loved how layered all the tracks were.
5
May 03 2024
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Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Honestly I don't have much to say about this one. I previously had 3 days in a row of 5 star albums and this one just kind of played in the background. Nothing offensive but nothing really caught my ear. I enjoy funk, jazz, and afrobeat so overall it was pretty good but nothing seemed amazing.
3
May 06 2024
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Amnesiac
Radiohead
After getting totally obsessed with Radiohead this year, this was still one of the albums I hadn't spent much time with. It was pretty decent but I feel like Radiohead albums need to simmer and be listened to many times before you can really appreciate them. I didn't like this one nearly as much as I like Kid A, OK Computer, and In Rainbows but it was still pretty good. Pyramid Song is incredible and definitely the star of the album.
3
May 07 2024
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The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
Quintessential indie record. Very relatable as a someone who grew up in the suburbs. "Pray to God I won't live to see the death of everything that's wild" hits really hard as I've seen the suburbs eat up wild places I explored as a kid and as the suburbs are eating up wild land in the city I currently live in. Sprawl II is one of my favorite indie songs of all time.
5
May 08 2024
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Wild Gift
X
Why did the first song keep sounding like it was going to break into Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson? Interesting mixing different sounds into punk. There were definitely a few songs that had a rockabilly vibe. Honestly in 2024, this album is kind of boring. I could see how this would have been fun in the 80s though.
3
May 09 2024
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Smile
Brian Wilson
Lots of interesting things going on in this album. Definitely not traditionally structured and it has some fun surprises. I love that he's just singing about silly things. I think sometimes people think that songwriters always need to write poetic stories all the time but honestly it's kind of nice to get something silly sometimes.
4
May 10 2024
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American Idiot
Green Day
Such a classic. I also had never noticed this before but this album has some freaking long songs! Punk hardly ever has songs this long. I really respect that.
5
May 13 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
I was pretty excited when this started. I like electronic music and it seemed from the beginning that it might get pretty interesting. It ended up being slower and less interesting than I wanted but because of that it probably an easier listen for most. Not bad by any means but also just not super interesting.
3
May 14 2024
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Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
The rats were so hot on this one. Sweet jams and jazz fusion. Pretty fun and interesting listen.
4
May 15 2024
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Bossanova
Pixies
Fun and weird. The whole album listens really well as a whole.
4
May 16 2024
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Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
I was surprised by the Roxy Music album because I liked the weird aspects of the album. That makes me think I'll probably enjoy this one. Right off the bat I'm loving the guitars on the first track. The vocals are fun too. Brian sure knows how to make weird psychedelic music haha. I dig it.
4
May 17 2024
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...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
First song has me stoked. I had heard of the Dandy Warhols before but I didn't remember what genre they were. I was pleasantly surprised that they're like a 90s sounding psych rock band. First song really grabbed my attention. 7 minutes, psych and shoegaze rock, and with synths? After listening to this album, there were some fun and silly songs that were enjoyable but there were also a lot of snoozefest songs.
3
May 20 2024
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
While I do think this is a masterpiece, a classic, and an all time classic album, it's not really an album I gravitate towards. I feel like I tend to get a bit bored with it. I do like prog rock and I'm an absolute sucker for concept albums so I can appreciate that bit but I would much rather listen to Animals, DSOTM, or Wish You Were Here.
4
May 21 2024
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Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
For me this is a classic but I could see how if this album didn't come out while you were in elementary school/middle school/high school, it might not be as good. This is maybe the most accessible Nu-Metal? And some of the only good Nu-Metal out there. The hardcore Nu-metal people might say this is too soft and overproduced. Then the people that don't really consume harder rock probably think it's too hard. I love this album.
5
May 22 2024
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The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
Man this is just really generic sounding pop to me. There's no character or anything interesting to this. Sure it's an easy listen but give me something interesting.
2
May 23 2024
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Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
The tainted love cover is amazing obviously but everything else is mostly just meh. Not bad, not that good.
3
May 24 2024
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Live Through This
Hole
I haven't really listened to much female grunge but I love female hard rock. This album went super hard. It was melodic and felt very punk/grunge.
4
May 27 2024
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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Apple's recently announced top album of all time. I had never listened to this record but I've been meaning to. It feels very personal and intimate. Her range on this record is very impressive. I love the themes of love and stuff as well. The snippets of conversations really made it feel intimate. I can appreciate this album a lot but in the end, it's just not really a genre that captivates me.
4
May 28 2024
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We Are Family
Sister Sledge
Good ol disco! I can enjoy disco because I think it's just good to have music that's fun instead of just trying to have such serious music all the time. I also appreciate disco because of how it might have created the punk scene. Not a bad record at all but I would probably only listen to it under certain circumstances.
3
May 29 2024
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Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
Real smooth and chill. The content matter of the album feels maybe a little dramatic haha. Is That Enough was really good and funky. Easily my favorite from the record. I really enjoyed the production of this one and I loved the sax. Overall I enjoyed this album but it did drag on for a bit too long.
3
May 30 2024
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Manassas
Stephen Stills
I really enjoy this genre of country/folky/bluegrassy rock. It makes me feel happy and is really easy listening. This record is quite conservative. It doesn't feel like they're taking any risks and everything feels pretty safe. I'm content with easy listening albums but they usually end up being 3 star albums for me. There wasn't a single song that really stood out to me. It all kind of just blended together. I think I'd give this one a 3.5 but I'll round up.
4
May 31 2024
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Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
3
Jun 04 2024
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More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
I've been getting really into Post Punk, Dance Punk and specifically LCD Soundsystem. The opening song to this album seems like clear inspiration for LCD Soundsystem. I grew up listening to Talking Heads because my parents were big new wave/post punk/synth pop fans but I've never listened to this album. I'm really happy to give this one a go. One of my main complaints about this record is that there are a handful of songs that could have been cut. It doesn't need to be an hour long.
3
Jun 05 2024
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Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Such a smooth album. Frank Ocean's voice is velvety smooth. Admittedly I've always struggled a bit to get into R&B but this record is quite enjoyable to me. Some really nice bass lines, keys, and groovy rhythms. There are some serious standouts. For the R&B genre, this is definitely a record that needs to be listened to. The perfect album to throw on in the background at a dinner party or something. I love the song Super Rich Kids.
4
Jun 06 2024
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Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
Oh jeez. I'm 3 songs into this am I'm really hating it. I just do not like CeeLo Green's voice, tone, or style. I don't like how full of himself he is. The production is pretty boring. I really can't believe this record made the list.
2
Jun 10 2024
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A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
An easy listening soft rock pop album with a hint of nostalgia for me. Listening to it 20 years later makes me realize that it really isn't more than just easy listening soft rock pop with a few radio bangers. Also, is Coldplay just soft rock Imagine Dragons?
3
Jun 11 2024
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OK Computer
Radiohead
It took me a while to finally "get" Radiohead. I tried many times for multiple years. Randomly one Sunday last year I thought to throw on OK Computer while I shopped at Costco and it all clicked. This album is so rad. This was their break away from the britpop scene and experimenting with more electronic sounds. It was quite a risk for them but I'm glad they did it. This is an amazing concept album with some really thought provoking lyrics and cool musical themes. This album has really held up and the production is very cool. In my opinion this might be the most 5 star album out of all the 5 star albums I've rated so far.
5
Jun 12 2024
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Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
Amazing cover of I Got You Babe. I haven't listened to much proto-punk so it's fun hearing a record that influenced so much music. I love the raw feel. It's just raw enough. Definitely hearing that they probably influenced Beastie Boys. Back to Africa is a little weird in a racist way... but the instrumentals are good with some cool guitar solos. Also what's this master race talk??? Also a Lou Reed diss line? Also misogynistic macho man lyrics. Basically these dudes seem like pieces of shit that would be super annoying and problematic. I appreciate their influence but that's about it.
2
Jun 13 2024
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Queen II
Queen
I was not aware of this record or really any of the songs on it but wow it's so good! There are some seriously good songs on here with a lot of variety in sounds and instruments. I also love the transitions between songs. I love the prog elements of it. I really wish I had known about this sooner.
4
Jun 14 2024
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Back to Basics
Christina Aguilera
I expect this to get low reviews because people love hating on female pop stars. This by no means is an amazing album and it's really not my style but you cannot deny her talent. He voice is amazing, she's very sexy, and she really nails that female pop star vibe. The album is a bit long and the songs kinda start to sound similar. I don't really care for the subject matter either but it is a solid pop album. I do like how the second LP is so different from the first LP and I much prefer the style of the second LP. Wow Nasty Naughty Boy was pretty damn sexy.
3
Jun 17 2024
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Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
It's hard to review this album. Incredibly hyped up with some absolute classics on it. It's pretty hard to beat Dreams and The Chain. Solid album and I think most people would give this a 5 and I do love it but it's more of a 4 star album for me because quite honestly I very rarely feel the need to go back and listen to this album.
4
Jun 18 2024
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Solid dance-punk record. I honestly did not care for Take Me Out when it came out. Listening to it now though, it's a solid fun song. I had never listened to this album before. It's fun and very dancey and I've been really into post-punk and dance-punk recently so this came at a perfect time.
3
Jun 19 2024
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Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Reading about this album beforehand got me pretty excited and then it ended up being a little bit boring to me. I was hoping for more variety of sounds or for him to lean into the psychedelia part harder. It wasn't bad by any means. It was an easy listen but nothing really stood out to me until at the end he busted out a sitar. It didn't help that I don't speak Portuguese which made it really easy to zone out.
2
Jun 20 2024
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The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
Not much standing out here. Lots of repeated lyrics and line it boring. Miracle song was pretty decent though. Definitely hearing Springsteens influence on the killers. Worlds Apart was pretty sick. Definitely the most interesting on the album so far. He also sounds like Eddie Vedder on some of these songs haha.
2
Jun 21 2024
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Guitar Town
Steve Earle
The riff in Guitar Town sounds like it clearly inspired the riff in Chattahooche. That was great. Solid country.
4
Jun 24 2024
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Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
That was a super fun listen. It was fun catching a lot of melodies and rhythms that have influenced a lot of modern music. My favorite one was A Woman, A Lover, A Friend being the melody of Hurts Me Too. I learned Hurts Me Too is a 1928 song but it's one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs/covers. Title track is amazing obviously. Seems like such a culturally significant record.
4
Jun 25 2024
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Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
I've never been a fan of Guns N' Roses. What's with all the moaning haha. I just can't take bands that sing like this seriously. Some of the songs on this record seem like the direct inspiration for shitty conservative country rock.
2
Jun 26 2024
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The Stooges
The Stooges
Not a bad record although I think it could be better under different circumstances rather than listening while working at 8 in the morning on a Tuesday. Felt longer than 35 minutes because it kind of drones on at parts. I appreciate the significance and influence of this record though. Up until today I thought Tropical Fuck Storm wrote Ann instead of it being a cover.
3
Jun 27 2024
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Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
Wow. 1,508 monthly listeners on Spotify. I guess 1,508 users get this album a month haha. It says that Icarus Line was inspired by the Stooges. I had a Stooges album yesterday. Opening track was pretty good honestly. High energy and hard hitting. Most of these songs were pretty decent with a few songs that were a bit too much and a little headache inducing. Can definitely hear a lot of influence from The Stooges, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Strokes. Honestly not bad but I don't really understand why it made this list. Getting Bright at Night was a pretty sick song.
3
Jun 28 2024
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Elastica
Elastica
Fun and catchy with some cool riffs. Overall this was a pretty decent listen but nothing blew me away.
3
Jul 01 2024
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Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
This was a pleasant and easy listen. I typically like my instrumental music a little higher energy but I can't complain at all about this record. I bet it would be even better with a more intentional listen.
4
Jul 02 2024
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To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
I don't think I can write an adequate review for this album. It's amazing and dense. There's a whole season of Dissect dissecting this album line by line. It's very dense and experimental and incredibly interesting. My favorite art is the kind that gets better and better the more you listen to it and I think this album is that. It's dense enough and weird and creative enough that you could probably listen over a hundred times and still pick up new things. It feels like this album is the type to drive forward a genre and music in general.
5
Jul 03 2024
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Heroes to Zeros
The Beta Band
Instrumentally, this record is really fun. Lots of different sounds and layers mixing funk, rock, and electronica. Honestly, I love when bands mix rock and electronica. A bit of a psych production with poppier melodies makes this an easy, yet interesting listen. I think this one is better listened to intentionally with good headphones. If listened on like crappy car speakers, you'll miss a lot of interesting production. It makes sense this was produced by Nigel Godrich. While not being one of the masterpiece albums on this list, it is an album I think I'll choose to listen to on my own because of how much I enjoyed it. There were some boring songs on the record for sure but overall it was enjoyable.
4
Jul 04 2024
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Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
This felt like good classic country rock. Very easy listening and fun. Made me feel good.
3
Jul 05 2024
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Grace
Jeff Buckley
Wow Jeff Buckley's voice! It's so good. So much range and versatility. I love how he dips into psych and prog into this record. I honestly can't quite place what genre it all is. Like soft rock mixed with psych/prog??
The Halelujah cover is amazing. Corpus Christi Carol was probably my least favorite. Eternal Life was like quintessential 90s sounding rock haha. I love that this album was kind of all over the place.
4
Jul 08 2024
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Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
Even though Don't Know Why was played to death on the radio and in 2002 I was subject to my parents playing the radio all the time, I did always like this song and I still think it's a beautiful song. I had never listened to the rest of this album. This record was so wonderful and easy to listen to. I loved several tracks. Turn Me On really caught my attention. It has a really similar chord progression, and vibe to It Hurts Me too. Could be a fun song mashup haha. Nightingale had a really great jammy sounding bit that also caught my attention.
4
Jul 09 2024
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Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Ah man what a freaking album. I love this so much. The energy on this record goes so hard and I absolutely love how hard Paul Allan Oscher goes on the harp. This is one of the records that absolutely deserves a place on this list. It feels like a quintessential cornerstone album. I don't know the history of the blues very much but it seems like this was very influential.
My favorite band of all time is KGLW and Ambrose clearly has Muddy Waters as one of his inspirations which makes me super happy. Ambrose even teases Got My Mojo Working in one of their boogie-inspired songs.
5
Jul 10 2024
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Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
Who does Bill Callahan sound like? I turned on this record and I was like okay I've definitely listened to this guy before but I didn't recognize him or find him on any of my playlists. I'm a big fan of this style of sad indie-folk. The music is chill and easy listening while the lyrics are kind of intense and deeply personal. This album reminds me so much of the indie music I was into around this time which makes it incredibly nostalgic.
Okay I figured it out. Bill Callahan sounds exactly like Silver Jews or maybe it's the other way around, I dunno.
4
Jul 11 2024
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Larks' Tongues In Aspic
King Crimson
I've started to really appreciate prog the last 4 years or so but this one might be a little too prog for me to really love it. I think I gave In The Court of the Crimson King 5 stars because it was like the perfect amount of prog but it seems like they took this one even further. Definitely some cool stuff going on but it appears that this needs much more of an intentional listen than trying to listen while working on a random Wednesday morning. I think my favorite track was Easy Money.
3
Jul 12 2024
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Hejira
Joni Mitchell
First of all, what is that on the road?????
I like Joni Mitchell. I think she is an excellent singer-songwriter and I really enjoy her music. There are some solid songs on here. My problem is it's hard for me to pay attention to an entire album of hers. It kind of starts sounding all the same. Some similarly styled instrumentation while she's telling stories while sing-talking.
3
Jul 15 2024
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Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Such an intimate record. With just the acoustic guitar, his voice, and nothing else it feels like a friend playing music for you around a campfire. I was quite impressed by his guitar playing. It was so relaxing and full of skill.
3
Jul 16 2024
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Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dylan sounding vocals, and some cool guitar work but I honestly had a hard time getting into this one. I felt like it was lacking in energy and passion. I honestly was not familiar with Dire Straits at all. This may be embarrassing but I was thinking they were a country group? Ended up being some classic dad rock. Wasn't bad at all but I just felt like it was lacking a spark.
3
Jul 17 2024
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Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
This was fine. I didn't really have any issues with it other than I'm kind of confused why it made this list. It doesn't seem influential or like it was doing anything new or innovative at the time. It's folkish music with a 90s/2000s twist. The songwriting was pretty decent though telling stories.
3
Jul 18 2024
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Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
Man what a way to start a record! Also what a fun freaking punk record. So many different sounds, high energy, and it gets a little weird! I love when bands are willing to get a little weird. Honestly this kind of reminds me a little of Glow On by Turnstile. It follows the genre but adds different sounds to it to keep things interesting.
4
Jul 19 2024
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It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
A record that came out the year I was born. It's so 90s. The lyric "I've never been too good with names, but I remember faces" resonates with me. I'm a sucker for the 90s alt rock sound but all these songs sound exactly the same. Amazing Mrs. Robinson cover.
4
Jul 22 2024
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Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Main thought is that I absolutely love the flute on this. I mostly really enjoyed the instrumentation on this record but didn't care so much for the vocals.
3
Jul 23 2024
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This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Really fun classic blues/rock and roll. I don't have much to say about it other than it was a fun listen.
4
Jul 24 2024
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Third
Soft Machine
Long, adventurous, ambitious, and interesting experimental prog jazz. The first few minutes set a bit of a bad tone for the album. It's a bit long and hard to really appreciate unless listening to very intentionally. It is impressive however. I couldn't really get into it much this morning but I can appreciate it.
3
Jul 25 2024
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(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Such a good country rock blues record. So many classics and they deserve to be classics. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
4
Jul 26 2024
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Music From Big Pink
The Band
I was definitely familiar with The Weight but not really any of these other songs. The songs are full of soul and the production is raw. It's crazy that they can be Bob Dylan's backing band but make a record that doesn't sound like they're Bob Dylan's backing band. This is a solid record.
4
Jul 29 2024
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good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Interesting because the lyrics can be seen as offensive and stupid but it appears to be a big critique of his youth growing up in Compton. Musically, it's a little bit boring to me. Overall a pretty solid record that would probably get better with more listens or listening while having all the lyrics up. I don't like this one as much as DAMN. or To Pimp a Butterfly. The Art of Peer Pressure really sheds a lot of light. It seems like Kendrick was a good kid but caught up with the wrong crowd. After finishing the record, I feel pretty sad. It's a heavy record thinking about the kids that systemically end up in situations like this where at a young age they have to learn how to process things like sex, drugs, and violence.
4
Jul 30 2024
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Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Wow I loved this record! Some amazing psych/soul/funk. There was some fun pop and also some awesome jammy sections. I loved all the sounds and instruments going on with all their different effects. The highlight for me might have been the lead guitar. It seriously had so much voice to it!
4
Jul 31 2024
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Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Pretty cool psych rock record that sounds influenced by some of the other psych bands of the time but not like a rip off. It seems like they were doing some experimental things to make it sound more psych which I really appreciate. Overall quite an enjoyable listen for me.
4
Aug 01 2024
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The Healer
John Lee Hooker
I really enjoy blues records and this one is pretty decent but I feel like blues really benefits from a more raw, and energetic production. It almost feels too clean. I think it would be better if it sounded a little more like a live album.
3
Aug 02 2024
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Groovin'
The Young Rascals
Honestly sounds kind of like some basic 60s pop rock. There were a couple moments that caught my attention and it's very easy listening but overall is was an inoffensive record that was a little boring to me.
3
Aug 05 2024
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Live At Leeds
The Who
The front half of this record was okay. Kind of cheesy with some cool sections here and there. Then we had the really weird opera about engine driver Irvins which I did not like. After the weird opera though.... things got really good. Amazing Journey / Sparks to My Generation was sooooo good.
3
Aug 06 2024
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After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
Was kind of busy working while listening to this one so I didn't write up any notes on it but I thought it was really enjoyable. My impression was that it was a 4 but I'm guessing if I actually paid more attention to the lyrics and songwriting that it would probably be a 5.
4
Aug 07 2024
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Odelay
Beck
This album really strikes an amazing balance between poppy and weird. It's experimental but not too experimental. It surprises you and you never really know where things are going to go. They could go anywhere at any point which is very fun. It has fun melodies and hooks mixed in with the weirdness too which is honestly my favorite. I also love the genre fusion on this album. It keeps things really interesting.
5
Aug 08 2024
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Tago Mago
Can
The first 4 tracks are awesome. Maybe like 4 or 5 star material for me. Experimental but still pretty easy listening and really interesting. It's the type of music I absolutely love. Track 5 & 6 are definitely songs meant for tripping so I understand why people wouldn't like it.
4
Aug 09 2024
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Crazysexycool
TLC
Okay I really am not a fan of this genre haha. This was a hard listen for me. I'm not against music made for teenage girls by any means but this one didn't do it for me at all. Waterfalls is by far the best song on the album. The interludes were hilarious though.
2
Aug 12 2024
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Made In Japan
Deep Purple
Well this is another really fun live rock album. Such a good recording for the early 70s that's mixed really well. I love them goofing around. This type of energy and improvisation actually reminds me a lot of my favorite band's live shows. I bet it was absolutely electric live. I feel like this is what rock music is all about. I can't even imagine being a big Deep Purple fan and then going to see them live and getting this show. It would be amazing. I've never been into Deep Purple at all but this was still very fun to listen to.
4
Aug 13 2024
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Morrison Hotel
The Doors
I had listened to this a handful of times before. I like it but it's not my favorite Doors album. There are a few pretty solid tracks but a lot of it is kinda of boring and feels like it lacks passion. I like the more bluesy sounding songs. I also like the organ and harmonica when it comes in.
3
Aug 14 2024
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Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
I really did not care for the radio hits from this album at the time. Rehab was so annoying to me when it came out. The production on this album is really interesting. It has a fuzzy feel to it which makes it sound like a lower quality recording which makes it feel older. I'm sure that was intentional and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The audiophiles online seem upset by it calling it "unlistenable". I don't mind it too much but I do think with her voice, it would have been better to have a cleaner sound. Overall this is a great album. It's a shame Amy Winehouse died so young.
4
Aug 15 2024
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Arular
M.I.A.
Overall I liked this! It honestly went by pretty quickly and I didn't pay super close attention to each song since a lot of them sound very similar. I like that I don't really know what genre this record is. It sounds pretty unique and seems a bit experimental for the time. Overall it was a pretty solid listen but it's not something I'd go out of my way to listen to very often.
3
Aug 16 2024
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Another Green World
Brian Eno
This is a pretty cool record. The birth of ambient music by Eno! It's a nice and pleasant album. Super easy listening. Perfect for certain moods but maybe a little slow if you like more upbeat music. I love the electronic aspects and the cool production on it. There is a lot of variety in sounds and noises that make it interesting.
4
Aug 19 2024
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In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
This was really awesome. It was such a journey and really made me feel some things. I don't really know if i need to say anything more than that.
5
Aug 20 2024
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Ramones
Ramones
Classic punk record. One thing I'm noticing in a lot of these albums is rock stars love writing love songs about "little girls" which is gross. Like why are these dudes on the album cover wanting to be the boyfriend of a little girl????? Also I'm being a bit critical but I understand that this is a pretty influential album and that the Ramones were quite influential but I completely zoned out after like 5 songs. They're all a bit repetitive.
3
Aug 21 2024
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Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
I listened to this record for the first time a year or so ago and was pretty into it. Especially Chameleon. I freaking love jazz fusion.
4
Aug 22 2024
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Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
This one just really didn't do it for me. Not totally sure why but I found it quite bland.
2
Aug 23 2024
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Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
I really like when music starts to get pretty experimental and weird but when it starts to go past experimental and into avant-garde then I start to enjoy it less. I actually appreciate that this was made but it definitely wasn't an easy or enjoyable listen. I love that bands like this get a little cult following though.
2
Aug 26 2024
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Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
Amazing opening track. I love the piano on it. I also love that the opening song is the title track and 10 minutes long. I respect the hell out of that. It goes hard.
4
Aug 27 2024
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Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
This was pretty interesting. Overall a solid rock record with some cool stuff. I don't love his voice but overall I enjoyed the record a decent amount.
4
Aug 28 2024
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Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Well that was just a pleasant record. This is the exact kind of music my parents were into and would play while I was growing up. I loved it.
4
Aug 29 2024
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Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
I get really stoked when the opening song is electronic krautrock fusion. I love that stuff so much. I also love the seamless transition into track 2. I wish that track 1 was 4 minutes longer though. It starts building really well and then just ends. I wish that she would lean into the weirdness a little more. There is definitely potential to make the music a bit more interesting. Favorites on the album were H>A>K and The Architect. The rest of the songs weren't bad but were maybe a bit slower than I would have liked.
3
Aug 30 2024
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At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
This was a really fun live album with some solid jams in there. Admittedly I wasn't paying super close attention to write a thorough review but I enjoyed it so much that I listened to it twice and will probably come back to listen to it again later. A couple standouts that I remember were In Memory of Elizabeth Reed and Whipping Post. I remember a few times that the harmonica parts were awesome as well.
4
Sep 02 2024
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Rubber Soul
Beatles
I haven't spent much time with this beatles album compared to other beatles albums. I have really loved Norwegian Wood though for a while. I don't love the hard panning on this album. It kind of hurts my ears. In My Life is an amazing song. The lyrics of Run For Your Life are terrible.
4
Sep 03 2024
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Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
This was unexpectedly really good to me. Insane production style for the 80s. She kind of reminds me of Florence and the Machine or that style of like indie pop. This honestly sounds way ahead of its time. I feel like there are a handful of really popular alt-pop or progressive pop artists now that sound a lot like this.
5
Sep 04 2024
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Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
Some pretty solid alt-country. I was more into the first half of the record than the second half. I think I could listen and get into this more if I didn't know that Ryan Adams was a sexual predator piece of shit. It's hard for me to separate the art from the artist sometimes. It's not that hard to refrain from being a sexual predator.
3
Sep 05 2024
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The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
This was a solid listen. Very easy listening for me in the background. It was hard for me to pick anything out specifically that I liked but also hard for me to pick out anything that I disliked. I don't listen to Tango ever or vibraphones and it was quite pleasant. I feel like it wasn't very Tango-y though. It felt almost more like classical/jazz with tango influence in some songs but I don't listen to any Tango.
3
Sep 06 2024
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Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
Man, R.E.M. is a special band for me. It reminds me a lot of my parents and growing up. This album came out the year I was born and we listened to a lot of R.E.M. as I grew up. This album is quality and the production still holds up so well.
4