Love: Smooth Criminal
Like: Bad, Another Part of Me, Dirty Diana, Leave Me Alone
The instrumentation really cement this album as of its time, and is pretty sparse in some sections despite Jackson's apparent perfectionism in recording.
The vocal inflections and delivery (shamona, heehee, ah-ah, etc.) make it really difficult to get immersed in many songs and take them seriously.
- preachy (Man in the Mirror)
- muzak (Way you make me feel)
The sound of Mayfield with none of the heart or musicality from his other stuff I've heard. Very one-note, downtempo and meandering album where it all kind of blends together. Decent as background music but that's about it
2 is the score for 'I don't hate it, but it's not distinguishable and I won't remember it tomorrow'
Not a fan of the vocalist
Definitely familiar with this one. Good memories of a solid album, with some definite duds (Never had no one ever, vicar in a tutu, some girls are bigger..), but most of the rest are gems.
Bigmouth Strikes Again is still far-and-away my favourite Smiths song, and I don't understand how it isn't everyone's. 4/5
Have been wanting to hear more REM. This one was a nice surprise; song structures, transitions, and melodies are pretty well-crafted for a debut.
Favourites here are Shaking Through, then Laughing
Nice surprise in this one. Not huge on the main single 'Our lips are sealed', but some other gems in here make this a foundational album for women-lead, not to mention women-only rock bands, and a pretty good one at that.
Loved:
Lust to love
This town
Liked:
Tonite
You can't walk in your sleep
Not bad, I like her sound a lot. Not many standout tunes, but I'd like to hear more
Wow. I've heard so much about this album my whole life and thrilled for the opportunity to actually listen to it.
This is absolutely godawful.
Have this one. Has some bangers but is hit or miss
Pretty listenable early sample jams with a few solid hits (mostly the opening title track and Frontier Psychiatrist)
This one's a surprise, kind of a goofy album but decent sound. A couple good songs on this thing
Eric Clapton's band. Layla is great, and the Love Sad song too, but the rest is pretty bland honky tonk.
Was looking forward to this classic. Love Race for the Prize, but overall it's actually pretty mid. Wayne's voice is pretty terrible and strains to hit most notes
Not terrible but sounds like an AC/DC side project, who I'm not a fan of anyway. A few decent jams in here
This album has a great sound, but not great songs. This is refined over subsequent albums
I know this one pretty well. Bumped up to 4 for some nostalgia and solid jams (Waiting for the Bus and Beer Drinkers/Hell Raisers are awesome)
- Plus that one other ZZ Top song...
I like it! Nice suprise with this one, might actually keep it in rotation.
Love: How Could I Be Wrong, Show Girl
Stoked to see this come up, never really gave this a listen before.
Anthems for grumpy incels. Or, should be the soundtrack to Fight Club -- which isn't a compliment.
I know this one well. Some nice standouts, solid playthrough for a beautiful winter day like today
Top: Tiger peasant mountain song
White winter hymnal
Doesn't include the Mykonos EP
This is an album I NEED to listen to before I die? THIS one? Who made this list?
Good Grief is the only tolerable one in the lot. Not saying the band are bad musicians, just not great songwriters -- plus the production is awful.
2/5
Classic. Enjoy this album, but nothing as good as 'Down on the Street'
Sweet. Only ever heard Immigrant Song on here. Some good tunes on here, not their best though
Haven't heard much Doors, just a few tunes here and there, but stoked to get the opportunity to hear more.
This album is sweet. More stompy blues stank than I expected. Classic album that lives up to its name (this album is on the same list as the Foo Fighters, somehow)
I know a lot of tunes off this one. Some decent jams but overall it's pretty mid. Some tracks like High Fidelity and Oh Yeah are pretty grating, and Burnin' is downright obnoxious -- can't make it through it.
I was stoked I've never heard of this before. I usually get into odd stuff, but I really didn't like this at all. Sounds like a combination of Robert Dawson in a fever dream, new Brian Eno, and Teeth of the Sea songs being played over each other.
Not the interesting discordance I would have liked, this is a cacophonous mess.
One of my two well-known LZ albums (this and Physical Graffiti). This gets an automatic 4 (tough rater here -- I really like this but 5s only go to ones I really love).
Only heard Hee Haw before and liked that. Huge fan of NC (some stuff anyway).
I dug this one, more consistent that Hee Haw.
When you ask people who hate 80s music about what a stereotypical 80s band/album sound like, this is exactly what they think of. 0/10
Heard about this foundational work before. Timeless album by this singer-songwriter, there are quite a few gems here (and recognizable classics, Where you lead and Natural woman). It's unfortunate that overall it isn't quite my bag.
Sounds a lot like Gene MacLellan, which is a shame because I really like Gene's voice and work.
Muzak. Fine in an elevator or playing in a bar at an all-inclusive resort
Heck yeah. That's the lowdown!
Solid debut by a seminal band with some great tunes on it (ex-lion tamer, mannequin).
Their recent stuff is more consistent, though I like the two different sounds they have (earlier v later)
Heard some later Bjork, mostly Homogenic and Vespertine, and the one from around 2016?
Surprised by this one, very original sound and unique, ahead of her time for sure. Not a fan of Big time sensuality though, different from the tone of the rest of the album (and her catalogue), and kinda silly
I really like this. Easy to listen to, with a couple standouts for me.
(Concrete Jungle, 400 Years)
Only one I recognized is Stir it Up.
It's honky tonk, plain and simple. I don't hate it. I know Jennings is an old-time country figurehead, but nothing about this really jives with me
This is sweet. Solid 4/4 beats, swaggering form jazz with great melodies and backing tracks, headlined by Amy's unreal sultry voice
Music for dads who don't listen to music. This is what I expect Billy Joel sounds like to people who hate Billy Joel.
Pretty disappointed by this one. A cool band from my high school days that I always wanted to get into ('Return to Cookie Mountain' era).
I like the sound of this group a lot, just not the songs. The songs aren't good. The main redeeming piece of this album is 'Poppy', and that alone isn't enough to make me give it a 3 in good conscience.
Heard of Spacemen 3, always got them confused with Spiritualized (Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space).
This is pretty bad. Early shoegaze which has never been my thing as a genre, just sounds like some musicians got stoned and start a song then forget what they're doing. Suicide is the same two keyboard notes over and over for 11 minutes.
Easy 10. Haven't heard this one before (mostly only On the Beach). I see it's high on lists of best Young albums and I was not disappointed
One decent song. Pretty lame overall
It's fine. Two songs I really enjoyed were Partisan and Story of Isaac, and Bunch of Lonesome Heroes and Bird on a Wire were good too. Tonight will be Fine was.. fine. Then I saw they (P and BoaW) were by far the most played songs -- that tracks.
So, only the first four were interesting or novel -- none of the remaining songs improve upon or delineate from them in any substantial way. Giving it a 3, though that feels generous
It's gonna be a no from me, dog
Not my jam, but pretty good. I respect the craft and her terrific voice
More muzak -- nope to this one
One of the better ones. Definite return to form from 3.
Was waiting to hear this one... I love On the Surface and knew this was their classic. Love this weirdos, solid 4
Awful. Just a mess of his other projects without an inspired song to be found
This was good. Think I like it slightly better than Songs from a Room, but it still doesn't wow me
Know this one well. Wish I could rate them separately. Speakerboxxx has a few duds (I'd get rid of War and Church, and a few interludes) but the highs are so high. Love Below is good but not great overall; it hurts that the best song (Roses) has one of the dumbest chorus lines I can think of (roses really smell like poopoo??)
Average to 4/5
Problem with early nu-disco (like early DP) is that some of the sound and instruments are great, but the songs are bland, repetitive, and annoying (see Disco II Disco). A couple standouts (Music makes, Hey you, Jacques)
Heck yeah I know this one. Great sound, album that hasn't aged. Timeless. Definite 4
Never really got into this one. Sure, songs like Someday and Last Nite are solid. But the rest sound so generic -- like golden-age Interpol without the gothic sadness and great breakdowns, or jangle-rock like the Wedding Present without the bittersweet lyrics and vocal delivery, or wall of stacked guitar riffs. This is bare bones and there's not enough meat to bite into
Another one I've heard a bit of and wanted to dive more into.
I gave this one a lot more time than most other albums. Unlike some others, this one had great sound BUT ALSO great songs. Unique, well-composed and produced, lyrically evocative and irreverent, great integration of jazz motifs. Really memorable and chock full of songs to revisit, this has huge replayability. And that's a massive rarity for me.
Solid 5.
It's okay. Not as good as his best stuff
This was always played around Christmas (for obvious reasons) but never listened to the album proper. The Celtic influences speak to my east coast roots, and the zaniness and musicality carry through. Really appreciate this one, and if they could replace the 'non-PC' word in Fairytale it could be a 5.
Listened twice: there are some good gems in here, but also with 19 songs, a lot of hoopy doopy doopy in-between
Good! Never got into Muse, but there are some good tracks on here. 4/5
Good background jam record. Pleasant tracks for working/writing, and still interesting (not just muzak). I can see myself putting this on a lot for work stimulation
It's fine - the songs are stronger on PV (Rag Doll, Dude)
I remember this one, some good tunes on here. 4
I like this more than I thought I would. Initially sounds like thin, dinky background music. But the mood of the cover seeps through, a blurred, bleak, sepia-tone shot of leafless trees, evoking a sort of depressed calm. Like a cloudy Sunday morning after a night of booze and molly, and it feels like there are no emotions left
Ol timey hoo-hah. Give every instrument a sassy air and slap a mute on it -- now that's music!
Known this one for a while, unmitigated classic. None of them reach the heights of the opener 'School', but it's a fun romp anyway
It's fine, kind of all sounds the same at this point
Why do multiple Wainwright albums warrant being on this list
Automatic 10 for this classic
Could only make it through four tracks of this trash. Hasn't gotten better with age
As someone from eastern Canada who was in their late teens when this came out, easy 10. By far their best, and still great today.
In the Backseat still gives me goosebumps.
Another auto 5, absolute classic - 2nd best album by my favourite band from my teen years - formative album in my music appreciation development
Seminal band, always wanted to try them.
It's fine. Obviously foundational to later bands (electronic like Daft Punk, and not like Teleman) as well as contemporaries (Sparks), but too minimalist to hold up.
Some good songs. Probably unpopular opinion, but not as good as PG4
New classic that was beloved by my brother when it came out - he bought it on our family trip to Iceland. Looking forward to this.
Not bad! It fades into the background though
I knew about half this album beforehand. Strong 4.
Some real beauties on here but too long. I didn't know 'O Children' was so dang popular! Must be in a film soundtrack?
..Oh right, it was in that Harry Potter at the end where they dance.
Has been my favourite LZ for forever.
Love Disc 1 so much. 2 is pretty hit and miss, so gotta be overall 4 - Disc 2 has some really weak spots. Not sure why 'Ten Years Gone' gets so much play, and everything after (besides standout Wanton Song) is trash.
Love the VU. The mellow sound is really fresh from their other records, but it's a little caught in the transition between pop, rock, and mellow. The sound is nice but (similar to WLWH) doesn't excel as much as their bookend albums, in their sound variety or quality of songs themselves. 3/5
Dunno why all those hipsters wear t-shirts of this album. The Substance comp was always way superior -- it even has a way better version of 'She's Lost Control' on it. 3/5
Fuck yeah. I'd only really listened to The Book of Love before, but this is a great testament to three 23-track songs that are somehow still listenable.
Was stoked for this one but I don't get the hype. He's just hollering with some flute accompaniment, or in the case of 'Ballerina', what sounds like a junior highschool band.
Pretty forgettable overall - doubt I'll ever listen to this again.
Not bad. Groundbreaking stuff but I dunno if it's aged well
I loved the first three tracks here. Then it falls off a bit - 4
It's not bad - kind of rough and all over the place. The Xylophone doesn't fit in Gone Daddy Gone at all. Vocals are pretty repetitive, beats and guitar are very simple. This is done way better by other contemporary bands (e.g. Gang of Four, Feelies).
Gets a 2 for Blister in the Sun and Prove My Love.
I had a coworker put me onto this album before, but it didn't really sink in then. I appreciated how different it was from his other work with Garf.
With hits like Can't get enough of your love and Feel like makin' love, this band is "classic rock" muzak of the highest order.
I liked this more than I thought I would from post-Smiths Morrissey. Before he went off the rails I guess?
Another boring-ass Aerosmith record.
Reason why I stayed away from this when I was 19 - pretty basic indie/garage/pop-punk. Tries to be cool and catchy and fails at both.
What's with the simpering titles? You couldn't see for lights but staring at me (or whatever)? Vampires is a bit strong but...?
Easy 2.
Good stuff! I've only heard maybe 3 or 4 of these before. Not their best (Kid A), but still holds up and marks their blowup from PH to OC
Ohhh I know this one well. So many times cranking 'Let it flow', which is lame and a banger in equal measure.
Easy 5 for rock and nostalgia (nostalgia from age 27, so pretty consistent)
It's not bad. Good for the time for sure. Not sure I'll listen to it again though
Only ever heard a handful or so of these (probably 2ish handfuls) of these 30 tracks before.
Quantity AND quality? Among the most beloved and influential albums by perhaps THE most beloved and influential rock bands of all time?
5.
Wow this gansta rap classic drops the hell off after track 3 (except Express yourself and I ain't the 1.
I can see why Cube and Dre left to do their own things
I like the atmosphere. Good background music that isn't stale and gets me through tasks, warrants at good 3/5
It's not terrible I guess - I just don't like it. Probably cooler in the 80s
Good foundation for the great PJ Harvey, but not my bag. Not a fan of the voice
Never really listened to the Boss so this was a good opportunity. Absolutely no clue how 'I'm on fire' has close to 500million listens on Spotify. Some decent tunes on here. Cover Me is better.
Not my cup - more 80s-sounding than I expected somehow. Unexpected but looking like this might be a 2.
Rollin on the river.
Keep on choo-glang
Not bad, some decent songs. Not their best
Great two first songs, meh after
Track 1, honky tonk -- not my thing.
Digging the later tracks way more -- Strength of Strings is beautiful, sounds like a David Gilmour track
Classic - I haven't heard this in about 20 years. Still great!
Hell yeah, love this one. It's been a while
Kinda jazzy, little too silly though
Pretty solid -- I like this
I never got into Elbow but always heard good things about them from people whose opinions I respect. This is no different -- listenable, but drab and uninspired
I like it! Second half dips though
I love Nick Cave, always been one of my favourites. This has one or two great songs on it. But it suffers the same as all recent Cave albums (besides Carnage) of having a great sound, a few great songs, and the rest pretty samey.
Hit and miss -- Doolittle is way more consistent
Never been a Bruce guy. This was better than the last one, but doesn't pump my crank
Too much Morrissey/Smiths on this list. Yeah he's a good songwriter, but try to branch out a bit
Yehh this is it. Love Tribe
Cool stuff - it gets old after a bit of active listening, but good chill background tunes
Some good tracks (opener Packt, plus mid-list tracks I might be wrong and Knives out, are the standouts) but overall meh. Not their most captivating or innovative
Nice stuff. Always liked Van, just doesn't strike me in any way in particular
I know this one - it's not bad
Know this one too. Some decent tunes here, but big dropoff from the three that came before it: Elephant, White Blood Cells, and De Stijl
