826
Albums Rated
2.91
Average Rating
76%
Complete
263 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1980
Favorite Decade
Electronica
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
75
5-Star Albums
63
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
The White Room
The KLF
|
5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
|
Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Adam & The Ants
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
|
5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
|
Leftism
Leftfield
|
5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
|
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
|
5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
|
Dare!
The Human League
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
The College Dropout
Kanye West
|
1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
|
Closer
Joy Division
|
1 | 3.22 | -2.22 |
|
John Prine
John Prine
|
1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
|
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
|
1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
|
Hysteria
Def Leppard
|
1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
|
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
|
1 | 3.18 | -2.18 |
|
Pyromania
Def Leppard
|
1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
|
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
|
1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 7 | 4.71 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 5 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 4.67 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Prodigy | 2 | 5 |
| Depeche Mode | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| The Pogues | 2 | 5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Kate Bush | 2 | 5 |
| ABBA | 2 | 5 |
| Peter Gabriel | 2 | 5 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | 3 | 1.33 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 1 |
| Def Leppard | 2 | 1 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 2 | 1 |
| Scott Walker | 2 | 1 |
| The Fall | 3 | 1.67 |
| Robert Wyatt | 2 | 1.5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 1.5 |
| Barry Adamson | 2 | 1.5 |
| Grateful Dead | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 2.2 |
| Radiohead | 5 | 2.2 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 2 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Beach Boys | 3, 2, 5 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3, 1, 4 |
| Metallica | 5, 2, 4 |
5-Star Albums (75)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Sebadoh · 3 likes
1/5
This.was.bad.
Pantera · 3 likes
2/5
I don't get how this was "era-defining". There is nothing on this album that wasn't done by others before. In most parts, it's quite repetitive.
The Libertines · 2 likes
2/5
Mediocre production of a mediocre album of a mediocre band.
Leftfield · 2 likes
5/5
Progressive house, Electronic, EDM, it all fits here. Excellent production, a wide variety of styles. Works in the background as well as listening intensely with headphones. Some tracks reminded me of Massive Attack, Faithless, and similar acts of that decade.
Soft Cell · 1 likes
5/5
It is one of my oldest records here. I loved it then, and I still do. It might seem odd or even bad from the current point of view, but back then it was simply genius. Tainted Love was THE definition of British synth-pop at that time and the album was a landmark. Plus the controversies around Sex Dwarf and the inevitable banning of the music video made it extremely popular back then.
4-Star Albums (158)
1-Star Albums (63)
All Ratings
Judas Priest
3/5
Well, Judas Priest. The typical sound, and the unique voice. Some of their more famous titles like "Breaking the Law", "United" or "Living After Midnight".
It's not one of my favorite bands, but not bad.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Well,it's Jimi Hendrix. I like to listen to him once in a while, some nice tracks on this album, psychedelic as always and he really liked stereo effects.
Afrika Bambaataa
4/5
Ah, the good old 808 drum machine, what an iconic sound. There are some nice tracks on this one, Planet Rock for sure, or Renegades of Funk.
I don't know about the other stuff about Lance Taylor, as it seems that no charges where brought against him.
ZZ Top
2/5
Ah, well, those days... From today's view: mediocre music and bad lyrics.
Klaxons
1/5
Never heard of them. Glad I didn't.
The Prodigy
5/5
Firestarter and Breathe!!! What else is there to say?
It is a worthy follow-up to Jilted Generation, a bit more aggressive, still, all titles are absolute bangers (minus the first title because of the title-giving sample, could've done with any other).
Billy Bragg
1/5
This was underwhelming.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
This was underwhelming.
Stereolab
4/5
This was a pleasant experience. I had never heard of them. It is quite a genre mix, a bit experimental, but I liked it. I will re-listen to this album and will check out other albums of Stereolab, too.
Van Halen
2/5
I had doubts if I would like some of the tracks today as I had some 40 years ago. Van Halen started a whole new rock genre back then, and Eddy's guitar play is still outstanding. But that's it. This music belongs to an era gone by and should stay there.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
Boring and repetitive. Too many substances were involved in the production of this crap.
Tori Amos
3/5
Not bad, but nothing I would listen to regularly.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
I listened to it. There's worse, so not just 1 Star.
Deep Purple
5/5
Brilliant album, a weird story about the recording of the album and the origin of "Smoke on the Water". If you like this genre, this is one of the top albums.
Adele
4/5
Well, I like her, she's such a talent. Just the "briii-i-i-iiidge" in "Water Under the Bridge" annoys me.
The Black Crowes
4/5
Usually not my genre, but this is an excellent blues/root rock album. Straightforward and honest. "Seeing Things" best track for me.
Tom Waits
2/5
Tom Waits is...special. "In the Neighborhood" would be the most popular track on this album, and I quite like it, the rest of this album, not so much.
Paul Simon
4/5
This album was a landmark at that time. Collaborating with South African musicians was a first, especially because of apartheid. I liked the album then and I do still.
John Grant
1/5
Nope.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Kraftwerk! What else is there to say? Pioneers of electronic music, influenced generations of musicians, even today. This album was their breakthrough internationally. The title track Autobahn was unconventional, kind of mezmerising and despite its length not boring at all.
Made me relisten all their other albums.
Django Django
2/5
I mean, it's not awful or some such. After listening for a while, I stopped hearing the music consciously. It was just something in the background.
The Who
3/5
The title-giving track "My Generation" is still a banger, the rest is too much beat, R&B, and stuff, nothing outstanding, besides "The Ox", where Keith Moon was showing his amazing talent.
Duran Duran
5/5
I've been a fan since '81, even before their debut album "Duran Duran" was released, so this vote is easy.
Duran Duran's 2nd album was a worthy successor to their first album. Nick Rhodes's synth work was outstanding. He created fantastic and unusual sounds. All members of the band are excellent musicians and have evolved since "Duran Duran". I like most of the tracks, but outstanding are "New Religion", "The Chauffeur" and "Save a Prayer", followed by "Lonely In Your Nightmare" and "Last Chance On the Stairway".
Elbow
4/5
I was skeptical but positively surprised. Re-listened directly after the first time to get more details of the tracks.
I will listen to their other albums, too.
FKA twigs
2/5
"Two Weeks" was kind of cool back then, but now it's a bit worn out, like the rest of the album.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
Disgusting. Should be 0 stars.
The Byrds
2/5
I haven't listened to The Byrds for ages, but I thought I liked their music then. But as I now discovered, this is not the case (anymore?). This is not bad nor a total waste of time, but no type of music for me.
The Bees
3/5
Indi Stuff, not too bad, but nothing remarkable.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Beastie Boys! Sabotage! Sure Shot! What else is there to say?
Fever Ray
3/5
Not so bad as expected and even as I never heard of them, I somehow knew „Keep the Streets Empty For Me“, that I liked before, so a pleasant experience.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
So far this is the „youngest“ entries in the list. Really enjoyable album, an interesting mix of classic and current stiles, that works really well.
Will definitely listen to this again.
The Modern Lovers
1/5
Nope. Didn't like the voice and the lyrics, the music was nothing remarkable.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
RaTM. Nothing else to say.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Not bad, reminded me a little of Everything But The Girl. Overall a pleasant experience.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
I knew their name but couldn't recall any records of them. Earliest punk with the unusual addition of a saxophone, her voice is one of a kind, so this is a remarkable album. Punk is usually not my choice of music anymore, but sometimes one is in the right mood, and then I will listen to this album.
Cypress Hill
4/5
Lyrics are essential for me and so are these. Great debut album.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Music for the Masses was one of my first CDs and absolutely fantastic. This was the first album I had that was without any gaps between the single tracks. "To Have and to Hold", "Never Let Me Down Again", "Behind the Wheel", "I Want You Now", and "Little 15" are still my favorites—one of the best DM albums.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Too much Noise Rock. Not for me.
Television
3/5
Well, this was a nice listening experience. It's not the usual punk rock power chords strumming, but something more complex without losing its connection to its roots.
Beatles
4/5
The Beatles. Listened to all their albums al lot as a kid. Rubber Soul was a new and different approach after Help et al. More mature, playing with different styles and genres, foreshadowing what will become of The Beatles. My favorites are Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, and In My Life.
Björk
4/5
It's Björk! What did you expect? It's unusual, experimental, sometimes annoying, sometimes elevating. It's music you should listen to, it's not made to please you.
Tom Waits
3/5
This is the second Tom Waits album I had to listen to here. Rain Dogs had much more material in it that I liked than Swordfishtrombones. I can listen to him occasionally, but a whole album is too much.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Led Zeppelin II is such an epic album. I love "Thank you". 'It is a masterpiece, as all the band members can show their skills.
The Byrds
3/5
My second Byrds album on this list. The typical sound of the 60s, the jangling Rickenbacker, the harmonics, and the Dylan songs all guarantee a good listening time.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Listened to it yesterday. Can't remember anything of it, so there was nothing remarkable, but also nothing bad.
Eels
4/5
I was skeptical that this would be another mediocre alternative album. Well, this is isn't. There is this grungy sound, but combined with such interesting, partly surprising instrumentation, that this album stands out. "Susan's House" was the one with the most impression on me, followed by "Flower" and "Guest List".
The Pogues
5/5
Irish Folk Punk. It doesn't get better than this. This album is pure fun. Always a pleasure to listen to.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Buddy Holly was a significant figure in the early days of Rock And Roll, so this album surely deserves a place on this list. Other than that? Repetitive patterns, simple, sometimes cringy lyrics, and overall a bit boring.
The Police
4/5
Synchronicity is one of the most successful albums by The Police. The second side contains most of their biggest hits. The first side is... different. As Sting usually wrote all their music, it was the first time Summers and Copeland could include pieces they had written themselves. They knew that Summers' "Mother" would cause trouble, but they did it anyway. It might be one of the most obvious signs that they had grown apart as a group.
The second side starts with the most successful Police song "Every Breath You Take". Its lyrics are nowadays seen as a description of a possessive and obsessive partner in a relationship, even as it was perceived as a love song for a long time.
Michael Jackson
4/5
One can see that Quincy Jones produced this album. He did a spectacular job transforming the teen star Michael Jackson into the young adult aspiring singer Michael Jackson, later known as the king of pop. Twenty-one years old, Jackson also wrote the first track "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". This upbeat disco-funk mix opened up a whole new genre of music. Jackson's signature hiccups and grunts were featured here for the first time.
The album mixed several different music styles perfectly into a new sound that would dominate pop music in the 80s.
Guided By Voices
1/5
I can't think of any reason why this is on this list. Would give 0 starts if possible.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Not a bad RnR debut album. Nothing remarkable, but solid. Later releases were better.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
This album has some nice tracks, but I would not listen regularly.
Fairport Convention
2/5
As is with all folk music for me, it's somewhat uniform and boring to listen to after some time. Yes, there are some Bob Dylan titles, but they weren't published by himself then for a reason.
Spiritualized
2/5
There is some interesting stuff on one side, but it is drowned in endless repetitions. Try this: start listening to a track, then skip forward a bit, listen again, then repeat a few times. It will nearly always sound the same. There is no real development.
The Beach Boys
3/5
If you expect the classic Beach Boys sound, you'll be disappointed. This is no feel-good album. The themes are environment, student protests, health issues, etc. The sound is more contemporary and experimental and leans into prog/psychedelic rock. Not bad, but nothing outstanding either.
Gotan Project
3/5
This was fun. The mix of Tango and some EDM-style beat sounds worse than it actually was. I guess it will do perfectly as work music.
SZA
1/5
wow, this was bad.
DJ Shadow
4/5
This was actually cool. Completely composed out of samples, this is quite extraordinary. Will listen again.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Not bad for a debut album. Quite a mix of musical influences. The lyrics are often angry, bitter, and sarcastic. It was a low-budget recording and production, most tracks were recorded live and the first take was used, so the overall quality is surprising.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I can't recall when I heard of Jeff Buckley first, it wasn't related to his music, as I didn't recognize any of these tracks. I believe it was when I read about the lyrics in Massive Attack's "Teardrop" written by Elizabeth Fraser around the time he went missing.
That said, this album didn't resonate with me. It is good, but nothing, not even "Hallelujah" made an impression on me.
The Cure
4/5
The Top was the last album I had from The Cure. I loved their darker sound, but then the success changed that a lot, and I lost interest in them. I missed Disintegration as an album. I knew some titles like Lullaby or Homesick, but I never listened to this album before.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I like concept albums, and this is no exception. Intricate instrumental and vocal arrangements, extraordinary lyrics, and a fitting production made this a joy to listen to.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Typical 60s sound. Dusty's voice is a bit over, there is too much tremolo for my liking. Nothing outstanding, besides "Son of a Preacher".
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Grace Slick made the difference. Her powerful vocal performance in "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" is outstanding. Besides that, the usual 60s psychedelic rock, nothing notable.
George Harrison
5/5
The best solo album of a member of The Beatles. His signature slide guitar, the mixture of musical styles, and the spiritual themes all contribute to a phenomenal piece of music.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
The music's ok, but his voice is exhaustingly boring.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Not bad, I've heard worse. Nothing outstanding on this album. The beats are good, the lyrics are a bit mixed, and the samples are sometimes a bit out of place, but I suspect that this was on purpose.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Amy Winehouse! Not much more to say.
The Auteurs
2/5
I listened to it but I cannot recall anything outstanding.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Too sad and dreary for me.
Pet Shop Boys
5/5
Was always a fan of them, and I still am. "Behaviour" was an excellent album. They always accomplish the task of combining danceable, but not shallow music with good lyrics.
Nico
1/5
Let's ignore her German accent, that made it a hard task for me to listen to this album. The production is bad, the dominance of her voice over the music is distracting, and the music is in shambles at times.
The Yardbirds
4/5
Recorded in under a week, this is a gem among the many, many mediocre albums of the 60s. Blues, Boogie, Blues-rock, Psychedelia, and a bit of Country all rolled into a refreshing sound that was fun to listen to.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Never was a fan of noise rock. I see the complexity and the heavy use of dissonant tunings as part of their experimental avant-garde approach to their music, while somehow trying to be more mainstream, if that makes any sense. Overall dark, I wouldn't label this as goth. Still not my thing.
Jeff Beck
4/5
I'm not a big fan of Rod's voice, but nevertheless, this album was pretty decent. Enjoyed listening.
5/5
Oh, that's an easy 5. The first album where you can see the members developing their own thing but then play it as a band, forming the first concept album in a very intricate way. Production is flawless, and each track has its place, even though they are so different in style. I haven't heard Sgt. Pepper's in years, still most of the lyrics were present.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I love her voice, his not so much. The music is mediocre at best, and the lyrics suffer from the overall package.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
Suzanne Vega is a real singer/songwriter, not one of those many who claim to be one. She‘s a story teller, not a lyricist. The music fits the themes, so the delivery is nearly perfect. Fun to listen to, not just the music, but also the lyrics.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
I think that I bought the album back then. The title track is legendary, there is nothing more to say about that. The rest is quite ok, but doesn't come close to the geniality of "The Message".
R.E.M.
3/5
Was ok to listen to, but nothing that I really could connect to. Nothing really bad, but nothing outstanding either.
Sebadoh
1/5
This.was.bad.
Japan
3/5
Solid album, reminded me a bit of Brian Ferry and Roxy Music. Sometimes the singe's voice is a bit unnerving.
The Smiths
3/5
The music's ok, Morissey's voice and singing style is, at least for me, difficult to listen to for a whole album.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
No. -5 stars.
Leftfield
5/5
Progressive house, Electronic, EDM, it all fits here. Excellent production, a wide variety of styles. Works in the background as well as listening intensely with headphones. Some tracks reminded me of Massive Attack, Faithless, and similar acts of that decade.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Haven't listened to this album for decades. It still is as powerful now as it was then. Alanis was 20 when recording this and her writing prowess is amazing. The way she tells her stories, full of emotions and depth, is unique and captivating. "Hand in My Pocket" is still my favorite track.
Girls Against Boys
4/5
This was not as bad as I feared after reading some of the comments. Forget the vocals, as most of the time, I couldn't understand anything due to the low, growling voice that was drowning in the music somehow. The sound is grungy but raw so post-hardcore may be an adequate category.
The Cramps
2/5
Mix Rockabilly, a bit of Punk, RnR and a lot of 50s movie themes together and you get this.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
The music's ok, more folk/country than rock. Neil's singing is mediocre at best. It's sometimes even irritating for my ears.
Terence Trent D'Arby
5/5
"Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trend D'Arby" was a tremendously brilliant album back in 1987 and is still—an easy 5 Star.
Black Sabbath
4/5
A solid hard rock/metal album with everything one expects of Black Sabbath. Heavy riffs, solid drums, Ozzy's sometimes eery voice, and, as a counterpoint, Changes and Laguna Sunrise. And let's forget FX entirely.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Reminded me a bit of The Killers, the vocals are a bit annoying, production quality was mixed. + for the use of a pipe organ, but - for the excessive use of it in Intervention. No Cars Go was the only thing that stood out for me.
3/5
I don't know. Had some stuff by PJ heard before and was not impressed. Same with this album. Wasn't my thing.
The Slits
4/5
Ok, this was surprisingly good. It has a kind of bolt, energetic style, partly punk, some reggae, and the mixture works.
Soft Machine
1/5
No.
The Specials
3/5
This was fun. This is Ska well delivered. The music is light, detached, and carries a good mood. The lyrics on the other hand might be a total contrast.
The Shamen
4/5
I learned of The Shamen after the re-release of "Move Any Mountain" in 1991. I never came around to listen to this album, but I loved their next one, "Boss Drum", released in 1992.
"En-Tact" foreshadows what "The Shamen" would transform into. It is a bit rough at the edges, but still full of positive energy.
Suicide
2/5
This was... weird. Way ahead of time and amazing how they created this relatively modern sound with the simple tools they had. Nonetheless, not my kind of stuff.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I usually like prog rock, but this was simply not worth listening to.
Throwing Muses
3/5
A bit uncertain about this one. Generally speaking, I liked it. The singer's voice is a bit unnerving, but somehow it fits. It was difficult to focus on the music after about half the record.
Rush
4/5
Prog rock as I like it. Not my favorite band, but I like most of Rush's recordings.
Neu!
3/5
Well, the second part didn't fit to the first one. One can see, that each part was written by one of the two members. I enjoyed the first part more, but it wasn't up to my expectations as I compared it with Kraftwerk. I can see why the second part was a blueprint for the future punk music, but the tracks are too long.
Cornershop
4/5
This was surprisingly fun to listen to. What a mix of genres! Heavy Indian influence (no wonder) and obviously a lot of smoking.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Was one of the best pop albums back then and is still.
The Stooges
2/5
I can see that this album was a starting point for the whole punk genre. I didn't listen to the Bowie mix, but the Iggy mix is even for this kind of music of low production quality. The technical possibilities were better at that time. Maybe this is intended, but it makes my experience of this album worse. Iggy was never one of my favorites, and it didn't change with this album.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
What a contrast to "White Light/White Heat"! Far more accessible for me, this is the Lou Reed I remember.
The Young Gods
1/5
I don't know what this is, and I didn't like it. It tries to sound industrial combined with heavy guitars and vocal performance in a mix of Tom Waits and some generic metal "singer" delivered in French. And that's it. I cannot see any structure to the tracks or the album. This could be generated today by suno.ai.
Mekons
1/5
An uninspired jumble of words and sounds. Claims to be a concept album with obviously no concept.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
I don't know any other works of Joanna, but this is just too much. The singing often doesn't fit the lyrics, and the rapid changes in pitch are done out of context. Speaking of the lyrics: they are ok, but nowhere near Shakespearean. The orchestration seems to be meant to support the singing and the lyrics but is sometimes distractingly off in both regards. I think it would have served the songs well when they removed the orchestra completely or at least reduced it significantly as the harp itself can carry these songs alone. Then, there is the length of the tracks. Barely having some kind of structure, it is tedious to listen to.
Iron Maiden
3/5
The quality of the production is abysmal, but despite that, one recognizes immediately the Iron Maiden sound, even without Bruce Dickinson. But you can see the origins of "Run to the Hills".
Yes
5/5
"The Yes Album". Prog rock as I like it. Anderson's voice is, as always, exceptional. Then Yes' trademark vocal harmonies, the complex drumming/rhythm patterns, the melodic bass parts, and the guitar work of their new member Steve Howe made this the foundation for their later success.
Digital Underground
2/5
The music's somewhat ok, nothing outstanding, but not bad. The rest, lyrics, delivery, and all, is meh.
Supergrass
4/5
I think I never knew the name of the band behind "Alright". So here it is. And it was fun. A wide array of styles and influences by other bands, and it works indeed well.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
Electronica's baby steps, so to speak. Froese, Franke, and Baumann created a unique experience for this time, the early '70s. No wonder this was their commercial breakthrough.
Patti Smith
2/5
Not for me. It is too incohesive and too meandering regarding lyrics and music. No one star because of Gloria.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Excellent production, great instrumentation - most played by himself, Jeff Beck and Ray Parker Jr. as guest guitarists, and Wonder freed from the strings of Motown to be able to express himself for the first time, all this resulted in a remarkable album.
Massive Attack
5/5
This is easy. "Unfinished Sympathy" was the first track I've heard from Massive Attack and I was fascinated by it. So, naturally, I bought the album. The style, later dubbed Trip-Hop, was my thing. I still love this record.
Paul Weller
3/5
Production and music are decent, but nothing outstanding. Overall a quite boring experience.
Tricky
3/5
There are clear signs that part of this stuff was written by Tricky while he was part of Massive Attack. "Overcome" is his version of MA's "Karmacoma". In general, a much slower album than one might expect of this genre. This is a decent debut album and one might see the struggle of Tricky to cut the strings to Massive Attack. I think, that later releases by him were more distinct.
Lucinda Williams
1/5
This was somehow annoying. She slurs the words like a drunk, the whole album was half the time complaining, half the time about some random towns and cities down south. The music is generic country. No idea how the high praise and the place on this list are justified.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Chamber pop is not my kind of music genre, but I must admit that this album is at least well produced. But I cannot fathom this extreme vibrato in the singer's voice.
The Clash
4/5
It's The Clash—classic, raw, honest Punk.
R.E.M.
4/5
I'm not a big fan of R.E.M., but this is slightly better than "Green" IMHO. As "Green" received a three, but was a 3.5, I have to go for 4 this time.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Typical early 60's sound, like the early Beatles or Rolling Stones, Monkees, Beach Boys, you name it. It's a bit outdated, as only one year later The Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", one of the first concept albums. In contrast, this jumps around genres and tempo totally at random. Still fun to listen to.
David Ackles
1/5
Too theatrical, too self-indulgent, too tearful, therefore completely, annoyingly boring.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
I had difficulties not to skip forward in some tracks. It was uncomfortable and sometimes boring to listen to.
The Cars
3/5
There's already the IMHO typical The Cars sound. Solid production, the album starts well, but the second half gets a bit boring. But after all, it's their debut, so they need room for future improvements.
The Cardigans
4/5
I know of The Cardigans, and, of course, I know Lovefool. This is that kind of song you always hear on the radio over the years, and know it well, but somehow the title as well as the band aren't mentioned or you can't remember it. This changed now, at least for me. So at least one thing came out of this list. For the album: excellent production, Nina's voice is a perfect fit for the music, which is a refreshing contrast to all of that contemporary music then.
Ian Dury
1/5
Nope. Actually below 0.
3/5
This was interesting. I heard of XTC before, but I can't remember if I ever listened to a record of them. The production, arrangements, music, and lyrics range from weird to surprising to excellent. Nevertheless, this is nothing I would listen to regularly.
Brian Eno
3/5
I do see the art in it, but this doesn't resonate with me.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
This was a real surprise. I expected the usual metal junk, but this was anything but. Never heard of the band before, but this album is, I'm surprised to say that, quite remarkable.
Gorillaz
4/5
Every time I saw that a Gorillaz track was released, I knew it would be fun. And so was this album. There's this unique mix of sincere writing coupled with a kind of tongue-in-cheek attitude. Brilliant.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Back in the day, I was a fan of Adam And The Ants. As they often toured with Siouxsie And The Banshees, I knew of them, too. The band is aptly named and their music was one of a kind then. But there's a reason I was fan of Adam Ant and not Siouxsie. Still, I liked them on occasion.
Randy Newman
4/5
Although this is not the kind of music I listen to regularly, I enjoyed this album very much. Randy is a brilliant songwriter and his lyrics are a kind of multi-faceted. You can understand them one way or another, depending how well you can read between the lines.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
A brilliant grunge album, well produced and delivered.
Soft Cell
5/5
It is one of my oldest records here. I loved it then, and I still do. It might seem odd or even bad from the current point of view, but back then it was simply genius. Tainted Love was THE definition of British synth-pop at that time and the album was a landmark. Plus the controversies around Sex Dwarf and the inevitable banning of the music video made it extremely popular back then.
New Order
3/5
One instantly recognizes the resemblence to "True Faith", the hit single that was never released on a regular album, but preceded the production of Technique. Productionwise, Technique was much better than Substance. The tracks are ok, nothing outstanding, but nothing bad, either.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Didn't impress me much. There are the lyrics, and the production is quite good, but I think it does not fit Dylan well.
Richard Thompson
3/5
Although folk/country is not my cup of tea (with a few exceptions), this one was not so bad to listen to. Well written, produced, and arranged, sometimes Richard's voice was a bit annoying, while Linda delivered perfectly.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Incredible album. I just learned, that they played the whole thing live with minimal overdubs (just some additional vocals and guitar tracks). One day recording, one day mixing. The result was one of the most influential albums of modern (at that time) rock music.
Neil Young
3/5
The music's good, albeit folk-rock is not my thing. But the voice! I can't stand it.
Kate Bush
5/5
This was the first Kate Bush album I bought myself. My father loved her and had the older ones. Although it was completely different compared to the older material, I was mesmerized. She is a phenomenal storyteller, often using different dialects to fit her role in her songs. Knowing the back story of the songs helps to understand them better (like e.g. Pull Out the Pin). My favorites are still The Dreaming and Night of the Swallow.
Mudhoney
1/5
Some post-punk, proto-grunge stuff muddled together in a not-so-pleasant way.
Adam & The Ants
5/5
I bought Kings of The Wild Frontier as soon as it came out. I was a fan then and still am. The mixture of the musical themes was fresh, original, and fascinating. There was this heroic and adventurous touch to it. Pirates, gunman, native Americans, the Wild West, and other references in lyrics, music, and appearance of the group placed them in the time after punk and before New Wave in a unique spot. Remember, at that time there was no MTV, just Top of the Pops on BBC. The double drums were a centerpiece of the music, as were the sailor choir like backing vocals. The production was astonishingly good, so no wonder that this got number one in the UK.
The Police
5/5
Iconic album. Every single track is worth listening to. Each band member excels on his instrument. Excellent songwriting, and good production.
Tim Buckley
1/5
This was boring beyond belief.
Frank Black
3/5
Quite nice actually, better than expected. Never was a big Pixies fan, but Black's solo was ok.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Californian Surfin' sound, the trademark of the Beach Boys. It is somehow repetitive, and to some extent boring. Worse are the lyrics. Maybe acceptable at that time, they are now cringe at best.
Sigur Rós
4/5
As often with Nordic rock music, there are many gems to be found. Like Sigur Rós. Fantastic album.
Santana
5/5
Incredible album. If you know and like most of the tracks without ever listening to the album itself, this must be a banger.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
The album was ok, typical CSN sound. Nothing fancy or outstanding.
Lana Del Rey
3/5
This is a bit difficult. On one hand, there's good songwriting and her beautiful voice, on the other hand, there is the delivery that sometimes becomes a bit annoying. There is too much whispering and still, the music is just some distant ornament.
Jurassic 5
3/5
I didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. It is not just another hip-hop DJ sampling, rapping, and mixing as usual, but some quite excellent stuff here, both musically and lyrically.
Ute Lemper
2/5
I remember that I liked some of Lemper's songs some 30 years ago, when she became widely known for her roles in some big musical productions. This album on the other hand is somehow dull.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
Too much country for my taste.
Boards of Canada
2/5
I usually like Electronica, but this was too "flat" for me, nothing outstanding or notable. Maybe ok as background music, but that's it.
Femi Kuti
3/5
This didn't meet my understanding of Afrobeat exactly, but it was ok. The songs are lengthy and near the edge of being annoying or boring.
AC/DC
5/5
Indisputably one of the greatest albums of hard/metal rock and one of the best-selling records ever worldwide. Lyric-wise it is often quite primitive, sexist, and testosterone-filled. They could have sung some senseless gibberish and it would still be as successful as it is, as long as the crowd could sing/shout the refrain.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Quite different from "Come On Eileen", but one can still recognize the common parts. The brass parts are good, but Rowland's singing is sometimes annoying, even if it was probably made intentionally. Nevertheless, it's fun listening to.
Orbital
4/5
Some decent Electronica here. I even liked the phased intro and outro.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
There's much worse than this by Young on this list and too many.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
A quite good album, not too country-ish. Pleasant voice, production's good. Nice easy listening, nothing that stays rememberable.
The Kinks
4/5
Nice Kinks album, including the well-known "Waterloo Sunset" and "Death of a Clown". Nice changes in styles throughout the album.
Gram Parsons
2/5
I'm no country fan and this album hasn't changed that opinion.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Initially quite weird, alternative/indie on the art house side. Nevertheless, it grows on you once you get used to their style.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
I don't know what I should make of this. The music's ok, but the vocals range from boring to annoying.
Motörhead
2/5
Sounded like "Ace of Spades" on repeat. I generally like Metal, but never was a fan of Motörhead.
The Jam
3/5
It was quite ok, and I like the mod references. Not bad.
fIREHOSE
3/5
There's such a mix of genres and styles. Watt said they made records to promote tours, a notion you can see on this album. This is no shortcoming in this case and even if it seems that they haven't decided on the direction the band should take, this may be intentional.
The Doors
4/5
Classic The Doors album, "Waiting for the Sun" mixes the psychedelic into the blues, especially with the Moog synth sound. Was fun to listen to.
Screaming Trees
3/5
90's grunge. Technically not bad, but too repetitive.
John Lennon
2/5
This was worse than expected. I knew the duo Lennon/Ono produced some awful songs, and even while Ono is not singing on this, besides Working Class Hero this album is bad regarding music and production. The lyrics seem genuinely personal, so one can't judge here.
Can
3/5
I tried to listen to it, but it soon became pleasant background music. Nevertheless an interesting prog/experimental/kraut/space rock piece.
Dire Straits
4/5
Sultans and Mark Knopfler. Amazing debut album.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
This was a bit disappointing. I don't know, what these musicians tried to accomplish in genre or style, but in my view, they failed. There was some '60s psychedelic rock/pop, some more baroque style stuff, and then the sound of the italo western movie scores. Too much echo/hall effect, too much of nearly anything. This was an overaccomplishment in a very bad way.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Great soul and funk record. His falsetto was fitting to the music and lyrics, as all of the composition. Nice production. Too gospel-ish at some points for my own taste, but again, fitting. One can clearly see the influence Mayfield had on Prince.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Never was a Stones fan. Some few good hits, but that's it. While this album is much more blues than the usual Stones sound, it still didn't fit me.
JAY Z
2/5
Ok, Rap isn't my cup of tea, but I can recognize good stuff. I never understood the success of JAY Z. His rap is abysmally bad, there is no connection between the rhythm of words and music. It isn't very pleasant. But it fits his self-centered lyrics. He's the best and anybody else is sh*t.
Then there's Renegade with Eminem. It's such a contrast between JAY Z's performance and Eminem's.
Radiohead
1/5
A whiny, whimpering, mish-mash of something I can't even begin to describe. The falsetto parts are the worst. But even without the singing, the music itself is also just some thrown-together notes and stuff. Sometimes they try to do something more sophisticated but fail miserably.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
It's a very dark album. He knew his time had come, so this was about the ending. Most lyrics are just spoken, or better whispered, so there is not much singing on this besides the background singers.
No easy listening, so I think you have to be in the right mood to listen to this.
Suede
2/5
This was bland. Music, lyrics, production.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Tried too hard and failed completely. Somehow, any track would be ruined by something. +1 for Oldfield's signature guitar on the last track.
TV On The Radio
5/5
This is the second album of TVOTR on this list. The first was their debut, which was a high 3 for me. But this is so much better. The lyrics and the music are excellent, as is the production. This is one of those gems I hoped to find on this list.
Pere Ubu
1/5
The best thing about this is that it is just 36 minutes long. The worst thing are those 36 minutes. Total waste of time.
The Byrds
3/5
My third Byrds album on this list. The sound is ok, some beat, some country/folk, some psychedelic. Trying out new and different sounds and instruments gives it a kind of unique touch.
Taylor Swift
5/5
1989 is an excellent album. It continued her shift from her country roots to pop music in its broadest sense. And she did it with tremendous success.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
It is obvious that the title track "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" had a tremendous impact on the future development of hard rock/heavy metal. But the rest of this album is, to be kind, less than mediocre. Abysmal production, lyrics not even worth mentioning, and the music is just acceptable but is smashed to pieces by the poor production. Could have been a 4-star if the first side was anywhere near the level of the second side.
Def Leppard
1/5
You hear one track and you've heard them all. This is just another 90ies hear rock band using the same pattern over and over again.
Dull and boring.
David Gray
2/5
Too monotonous for my taste. Quickly faded into the background while listening. I perked up when hearing the last track as I recognized it. But the cover of "Say Hello, wave Goodbye" was again too monotonous compared to the original where Marc Almond made you hear the emotions of the protagonist, but Gray's delivery was a kind of depressing.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
This is the first soundtrack I've seen here. Even if you don't know the movie, this album lets you feel the emotion it transpires.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Too dark for my taste, too much drama and pain. Besides that, the music isn't my thing, maybe occasionally, but I'm not up to listening to a whole album.
Orange Juice
2/5
Didn't like the singer's voice.
808 State
4/5
808 State was one of the forerunners of Acid House/Techno at the end of the '80s and was an essential influence on the Electronica genre in the '90s. Either you like the genre or not. I do.
Pink Floyd
5/5
TDSOTM. What else is there to say?
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
I really tried to see the reasons for the high praise of this album. To my dismay, I couldn't.
Love
3/5
This remined me of some other 60s band but I can't remember their name. This was not bad, some interesting quirks along the way, but I won't listen to this in the foreseeable future.
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
It's Electronica, and I like Electronica. Broad ambient style, mixed with quite nice experimental sounds. Long? No, that's stuff that can go on for hours.
Hookworms
4/5
Never heard of them before. I like the multilayered music, some nice sound pads there. Each track is quite unique, in pace, volume and vocal delivery. Will likely return for a re-listen.
The Replacements
3/5
Kind of a mixed experience here. Post punk with some indie ingredients. Sometimes they try too hard and then it is all a bit too much. Production is not bad, but I think this would have deserved something better.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
A very soulful album and even though the tracks were in part excessively long, it was not boring. Even the monologue in By The Time I Get To Phoenix wasn't misplaced. I think Hayes wanted to give this song due credit and thought that the story needed more space.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
An absolute brilliant classic album. Production was pretty good, but they could have done better. The rest is almost perfect.
Solange
3/5
Nothing besides F.U.B.U. stood really out for me, the rest was basically the same in different variations. Not bad, mind you, but also not really good.
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
Oxygène was actually the second album I've heard back then. The first was Equinoxe, which I had borrowed from our public library. This was around 1980. I was mesmerized by the sound. So I lent Oxygène the next time. And of course I recognized Part IV instantly.
Fan erver since.
Anthrax
3/5
I'm a bit torn about this. Metal, especially Thrash Metal are usually not my cup of tea. Anthrax's delivery is very energetic, and very angry and it is done in a very coherent and fitting way.
Traffic
4/5
Quite a mix here. Winwood's rock jams are a superb counterpart to Mason's folk-rock tracks. Very well produced, an easy listening.
Happy Mondays
1/5
Didn't know them. Wish it stayed that way.
Ryan Adams
3/5
To be honest, I started listening to this and thought, well, not that bad. Then the album was over and I couldn't remember anything.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Out of key, out of tune, absolutely not worth listening to.
Ryan Adams
2/5
At the beginning I thought, oh, maybe this one's better than "Gold", to which I listened to just 2 days before, but I was wrong.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
This was abysmally bad.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Aaaaand another one totally misplaced here. Nothing about this that I need to listen to before my death.
Morrissey
3/5
There's definitely worse on this list, the music's ok, the vocals are much better than his performance with the Smiths, but still not my thing.
Daft Punk
4/5
A decent debut for this extraordinary duo. It seems a bit lengthy, but considering that this wasn't planned as an album but is a collection of several tracks they've written before, it's a minor fault. Some real bangers, some tracks that feel like fillers, and a bit repetitive at times.
George Michael
5/5
A nearly flawless classic.
Black Sabbath
5/5
And another nearly perfect album. Not much more to say here.
Fred Neil
1/5
Boring and superfluous.
Boston
4/5
A signature album for Boston, and a signature album for the rock sound in the late 70's. Well produced, and well executed.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Amazing production for that time, arrangements are nearly impeccable, and it all perfectly fits to Stevie Wonder's kind of singing and playing. Still not my thing. I can listen to him now and then, but that's it.
Steely Dan
2/5
Nothing outstanding about this.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Folk Rock isn't exactly my thing, but I think that the music is okay. The rest, that is Dylan's lyrics and his voice and the way he sings, especially on this album, is between boring and annoying.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
This... this is torture. I listened to many bad records here on this list, but I couldn't continue after the 4th track or so. Couldn't find it on Apple Music, so I had to use YouTube. The commercials were a welcome break. -5 stars if it would be possible.
Calexico
3/5
This is a decent album, well produced, easy listening, and nothing outstanding bad. I've seen their name before, but as they have a connection to Germany, that is no real surprise. But, alas, not really the music I fancy.
The Stooges
2/5
I listened to Raw Power a while ago, and my opinion didn't change with this album.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
I knew the name but never really looked into their music. I know Elizabeth Fraser through her work with Massive Attack, especially Teardrop, and I liked it a lot. So it is not surprising that I also like her performance on Treasure. Her ethereal voice and those aural/atmospheric soundscapes combine to a dreamy experience, sometimes contrasted with the beat of the drum machine.
k.d. lang
3/5
She has an exceptional voice, but I've never heard of her before. Excellent production, easy listening big time. Season of Hollow Soul is very ABBA-esque.
The lyrics are very self-centered and not really deep.
The Clash
4/5
The Clash is so much more than the average British punk band, and this album proves it impressively. There's punk, ska, reggae, rock, rockabilly, jazz, and so many more styles and genres mixed and mashed together in this double album and each track is unique.
Joan Baez
3/5
This is a traditional folk song album by a folk singer. Baez has an exceptional voice; if you like that genre, this is an excellent album.
I can listen to folk occasionally if I'm in the right mood.
Somehow the publishing company botched the digitizing. The center is shifted to the right, but her voice occasionally shifts back to the center for short periods. It's extreme on Apple Music, but I also checked YouTube, where it was also noticeable, and I also tried different earphones.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
I expected much more country music, which I don't like, so this was a bit of a surprise. It's okay as a pop/country-pop album, but still not my thing. Credits for production and the singer's voice.
The Zutons
3/5
I have heard the name before but never listened to their music. It was quite an experience. There are so many different styles and some extraordinary instrumentation. Production is a bit flat, so there's room for improvement.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Although its predecessor is my favorite DM album (one of my first CDs), Violator isn't far behind. So still...
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
2nd album of Echo And The Bunnymen. I'm no fan, but I listened to much worse stuff here.
The Cure
3/5
Pornography was the album I left out back in the days. I had Faith and The Top, but for some, now unknown reason, not Pornography.
I remember The Hanging Garden, but the rest of the album sounds now a bit repetitive. I know that the older albums featured a similar problem and were in parts equally dark and depressing, so this should come as no surprise.
Fats Domino
3/5
Several decades ago, I enjoyed listening to Fats Domino and the like. This was the transition from RnB to RnR. Blueberry Hill is and will be an all-time classic. I liked listening to this, but will certainly not come back to it.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Tried hard, but failed miserably. There‘s no heart in it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I like the straightforward sound of this album, as it fits Costello, like his debut album. Sessions were recorded in one room with a kind of stage setup. The music is somewhat raw and simple but has a kind of charm to it. I can listen to Costello occasionally, but he's no artist I deliberately seek out when looking for music.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
This is a stark contrast to their older stuff. I think they overdid it. It's too ambitious and, at times too whiny.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
I expected something unlistenable like Trout Mask Replica and was pleasantly surprised. Nice RnB album, though the singer's voice is not my thing.
Funkadelic
4/5
Funk meets Rock. Not as bad as expected. Solid album.
Tom Waits
3/5
The first few tracks were challenging to listen to, the rest was quite ok. And as I said before, I can listen to Waits occasionally, but a whole album is too much.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Classic, although a bit too sweaty for my taste. But the n again: thinking about some situations one might play this album it may be just about right.
The Fall
2/5
I have no idea how to comment on this. The "singing" is just annoying, the music sometimes makes some kind of sense, but then there are some weird noises in between, and that is annoying, again.
Talking Heads
4/5
David Byrne and the Talking Heads. Always something unique and special, and sometimes challenging. No difference here. Byrne's extraordinary way of singing perfectly matches the music and carries it throughout the album. As stated in the wiki article, the rhythm section is essential to this experience.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Compared to E.V.O.L., this is much more accessible for me. One reason is, that they made this album grungy, which works well with their dissonant guitar play.
Hot Chip
3/5
Never heard of them before nor did I recognize any of the songs on this album. Some descend Brit electro-pop. Nothing remarkable, but better than many.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
It's better than Henry's Dream, but still not my kind of music.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
I never heard of her before, and I honestly don't regret it. It's just another hip-hop act that doesn't stand out. It's not really bad, but nothing I would like to listen to again.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I'm not a big Stones fan, but I recognize the merits of this album. From today's point of view, the lyrics are mostly way off, but that was another era. Musically, one can see that the Stones were trying to evolve, experimenting with different instruments and kinds of sounds, like many others at that time.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
This was way too much. It was overproduced, and his way of singing, e.g., holding a note for a longer time, is at some point annoying. There is too much technique, and it lacks emotions.
David Bowie
2/5
I'm not a Bowie fan. A few songs of him are ok, but there's nothing of that on this album. More often than not I had the impression that Bowie's voice track was overlayed over some random music, especially in Sue. Music and the singing weren't connected at all. More parts on this album are similar. Then there is his way of singing. I can't stand it for a longer period.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Musically, this is a masterpiece of blues. Waters is a legend in that regard.
The lyrics are, as is often the case for music from several decades ago, in some tracks strange or even cringy.
The Who
4/5
Tommy is something special. Concept albums were new then, and to compose a whole Rock Opera was a daring idea by Townshend, especially as he had kept it to a level so that they could play Tommy live and that's what they did. The story is interesting with its twists and turns and doesn't shy away from difficult themes. And as you cannot keep up the pace over such a period, there must be breaks and slower parts.
I think they did pretty well.
M.I.A.
4/5
This was something unique. Rap/Hip-hop mixed with electronica is not that unusual, but her lyrics and the fusion with the music of her origin really does the trick. The tracks are often a bit too long as more often than not the hook lines are repeated nearly endlessly. But other than that, this was fun.
King Crimson
1/5
So there's prog rock that I like, and then there's King Crimson's Larks' Tongues in Aspic. I didn't like it. At all. Like absolutely not. I can't even remember much of it besides the starting seconds of the first track. After that, nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
It is a fantastic album by CCR. Nearly all tracks are bangers. Some stuff never gets old.
John Prine
1/5
Country isn't my thing and I cannot understand the praising of the lyrics. It's crude craftsmanship at best, but nothing near a lyricist would write and be proud of.
The Hives
3/5
This is the stuff one expects of a Punk garage band from the beginning of this millennium. Loud, shouty, fast riffs, simple, raw.
Deerhunter
2/5
It's another indie album by another indie band I never heard of. My expectations were low, so it was no surprise that listening to this album didn't leave anything memorable. A quick scan through the tracks acknowledged this impression right before I wrote this.
Primal Scream
3/5
Not much to hear of a indie rock band. This is more a mixture of house, electronica, and psychedelic rock while using tons of substances. But, in a way, entertaining.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Like it‘s predecessor, this SY album eludes me. Too much noise rock, I can’t see a connection between music and lyrics most of the time.
Minutemen
3/5
I've listened to songs of Minutemen before, but nothing memorable. But this double album is something unique. 43 songs in 1:15h! Short, fast, and loud are usually the trademarks of punk rock. But this is not just punk. There are so many different genres and influences. And because most of the tracks are under 2 minutes, they are quite direct and honest, just a short intro, maybe a verse or two, sometimes a bridge, and that's it. It's a bit breathtaking at times, but worth the listen.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
While musically not the worst I heard on this list up to now, the rest is boring and sometimes really bad.
The United States Of America
1/5
As is often the case, these artsy and avant-garde productions are missing an important point, at least for me: it is simply impossible to listen to that stuff for long. It starts to be annoying after some time.
The Cult
1/5
This is so mediocre, blant, stale, boring hard-rock. They just copied stuff from other bands. Bad.
Pixies
2/5
I never was a fan of the Pixies, and this one's a bit noisy to me.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Nothing remarkable for me here. I never heard of her before. Some tracks remind me of The Bangles, especially the harmonies, but they are not catchy enough. Production and arrangements are quite good, so it is not a total loss.
The Prodigy
5/5
My favorite Prodigy album. Total banger. Pure energy.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This is my third Costello album on this list. Somehow, this sounds much more genuine than the other two. More versatile, complex, and sophisticated than the others before. The production is much better, and so are the instrumentation and lyrics.
Beatles
5/5
This is my third Beatles album here. After Sgt. Peppers and Rubber Soul, both landmarks in the Beatles' evolution and a massive influence on the music of their time, A Hard Day's Night was the first evolutionary step they took after their international breakthrough.
All the tracks were written by band members, and not one was a miss.
I haven't listened to A Hard Day's Night for years, maybe decades, but still knew most of the lyrics by heart. Easy vote.
Air
3/5
Movie scores usually work best in context with the scenes they were written for. The titles generally give a hint, but if you're not familiar with the movie (as it is for me in this case), this also doesn't help.
That said, the ethereal, atmospheric electronic music of Air is quite entertaining, well arranged and produced.
Frank Zappa
4/5
I'm not a Zappa fan, but this was a surprise. Mainly instrumental, very jazzy. Massive overdubbing making this sometimes a bit overloaded. Still not my kind of music, but I recognize this as an outstanding and important work of art.
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
Never heard of him before and seeing that West and Jay-Z were involved lowered my expectations. Well, I wasn't wrong. Lyrics are mediocre at best, often trying too hard, and way too much self-importance. The music's not much better, I heard the same stuff too often. Overall a boring experience.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Dead Kennedys are a few punk bands that wanted to convey their message. Not just playing loud and shrill to annoy the establishment, but good songwriting and playing.
Ash
3/5
Never heard of them before. Some indie/brit pop band. There've been worse on this list, but they're not bad, just a bit boring over time. + for the Tie-Fighter sound at the beginning.
The Kinks
3/5
Ok, this was a bit strange. I do see a glimpse of a concept album. The music is the usual Kinks stuff, nothing eally surprising. The lyrics, though, are something completely different. And there's the fun in this album.
The Damned
2/5
Another British punk band that tried to expand a bit into other areas. Didn't go well.
Underworld
4/5
Some time ago, Apple Music suggested Stagger, the last title of this album, to me. It stood out as electronica because of the lengthy lyrics, a bit unusual for this kind of music. Their mix of electronica, ambient, techno, and prog house is unique. Even the longer tracks have a nice build-up.
The Mars Volta
2/5
What was that? There are some widely popular songs with lyrics that don't make much sense but sound like they could have some meaning. This is just bat-shit crazy. Nearly the same goes for the music. It seems like someone took some well-written and structured music tracks, put them in a meat grinder, and, et voila, there's an album.
2/5
There are much better albums out there for this kind of music. There was too much of everything, just overloaded. Then those long tracks, just jammin' on and on. And the lyrics: always repeating to the point of annoyance. Some shorter tracks were okay, but that's it.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
His vibrato is annoying to such an extent that it drowns anything else. The music, when recognizable, is merely a support for the singer, not much more.
Justice
3/5
Nice French electronica. Some reminiscence of Daft Punk. Nothing outstanding, above average, but not much.
Talvin Singh
2/5
As background music ok, I guess. Still kind of boring.
The Pogues
5/5
Older Pogue album than the last one here on the list, but the comment is still correct:
"Irish Folk Punk. It doesn't get better than this. This album is pure fun. Always a pleasure to listen to."
The Beach Boys
5/5
What a progress compared to Today!, the earlier BB album I listened to here on this list.
Arrangements, vocals, instrumentation, lyrics, and production are one of a kind— an outstanding album. I haven't heard many albums that belong on this list, but Pet Sounds belongs here.
Air
4/5
Nice debut for this French electronica duo. I like their integration of analog instruments and not just relying on the electronic components like so many others in this genre do. I never realized that "All I Need" was from this duo.
Willie Nelson
3/5
The outlaw country legend covering american classics. Why would anybody think that this could go wrong? Although I'm no fan of his and don't particularly like the songs he covered, I see the reason for this to be on this list.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
As I don't understand the language, I'm at a loss how to review this properly. The music is ok, the production is a bit flat, the singing is ok, but that's about it.
Green Day
4/5
After Dookie, which was quite a success, the next view albums weren't similar hits, but American Idiot remedied that. They kept their roots but broadened their portfolio to include other styles and genres. This is some concept album telling a certain story, A thing that wouldn't be possible if they kept just to their punk rock music.
The process of creating this album was much more complex, and it was worth it.
The Residents
2/5
I honestly couldn't make any sense of it. There's much worse on this list, thus not just 1 star.
Gene Clark
2/5
It's just another country/folk/blues knockoff of Dylan. Maybe technical ok, it's just boring.
MC Solaar
3/5
My French is terrible, so my understanding of the lyrics was nearly nonexistent. The music was ok. Is the place on this list justified? Maybe if it was some important album for French Hip Hop. Other than that? No.
Moby
4/5
I didn't know that he was struggling commercially at that time. To turn this around to a soundtrack of many people's lives back then was a remarkable feat. His ability to take old song clips and arrange them into a fitting electronica track that sounds like this was always meant to be this way is unique.
The Charlatans
3/5
It's another Britpop band I've never heard before. It's better than most, but still somehow boring. The music itself is okay, but standard—nothing fancy. The vocals are mediocre at best.
Fela Kuti
2/5
I respect the background of this album, but it is just not my kind of music.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
This happens when some weird musicians are closeted somewhere with a recording machine and too much drugs.
Frank Ocean
2/5
The producer failed, in my opinion. The songwriting felt hushed, and the whole album had an unfinished touch. Ocean, as a singer, is quite good for this genre.
Hawkwind
1/5
There were a few listenable moments, the rest was, to be polite, rubbish.
Not even remotely deserving a place on this list.
The Fall
2/5
My assessment of their 8th album, This Nation's Saving Grace, seems to fit here, too:
I have no idea how to comment on this. The "singing" is just annoying, the music sometimes makes some kind of sense, but then there are some weird noises in between, and that is annoying, again.
Van Morrison
2/5
The music's ok, somehow each track is different but also somehow similar. Morrison's singing bothers me. It's somehow similar on each track. Didn't care for the lyrics as they were nothing outstanding. Don't get the hype.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
The first seconds did it for me. Absolutely disgusted.
Bad Brains
3/5
I never heard of Bad Brains and, reading that they were a hardcore punk band to include other styles, I expected something different. There is much more metal than punk in this, but in a more sophisticated way. Most of this was kind of fun listening to, although I doubt that I will return to listen to it again.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
This was something. Social and cultural criticism is packed with good hip-hop music. Some 30 years later, many issues are still present.
Soundgarden
5/5
What a great listen! This was one of the albums that defined Grunge.
Spiritualized
2/5
Like Ladies and Gentlemen, there are some moments, but the rest is too repetitive with no or little development. Ambient background music at best, nothing really rememberable.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Now that's what I call hip-hop. Head-bopping beats and lyrics that are not just word salad.
Small Faces
3/5
Lazy Sunday is the one track everybody knows. I knew of the Small Faces but somehow forgot that that track was by them. Oh my.
The rest is more or less decent prog/psych rock. Not bad but nothing outstanding.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
Not for me. There was no progression, just some recorded Jazz sessions, which were boring and too long.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Again a group that I didn't know until today. When I saw Rock, Punk, and Indie as genres for this band, I expected something completely different. I was surprised to listen to some sort of mix of synth-pop with an alternate attitude. Kind of contradictive, but making it work together beautifully.
Deep Purple
4/5
I don't think a live album has to be on a must-listen-to list as they are, although live, not as good as a studio recording. This is one rare exception and it is telling that the group was hesitant a long time before recording a live album.
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
I lived in Berlin as the Neubauten emerged. One of the places they played was the SO36 in Kreuzberg, where the newly formed Punk and New Wave bands performed. DAF, Fehlfarben, Die Toten Hosen, Die Ärzte, Slime, Neonbabies, but also Dead Kennedys, The Cure, Adam and the Ants, The Fall, and Joy Division/New Order, to name a few.
Kreuzberg was a quarter of the Anarcho culture, Hausbesetzer (squatters), violent demonstrations, and clashes with the police where places were completely wrecked. But Kreuzberg was also the biggest Turkish settlement outside Turkey, called Klein-Istambul (little Istambul).
In this strange and crazy mixture, Neubauten was formed nearly by accident. Their unconventional approach, breaking rules and norms was like a trailblazer for many emerging artists.
Don't get me wrong: I don't "like" the Neubauten. But I lived in West Berlin during that time and it was a very intense atmosphere in the city.
This is reflected in their music.
Pulp
3/5
I was today old when I learned that Disco 2000 was by Pulp. It's that title that you hear on the radio and know quite well after a while without knowing its name or the artist.
Well, it looks like this album is one of the better products of the Britpop wave. Still nothing I would relisten on purpose.
Badly Drawn Boy
2/5
I don't know what to make of this. There's some good stuff in here, parts and pieces but somehow it doesn't work together. Nothing that sticks.
Beside The Song, which is absolutely annoying with headphones.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
It's a tad better than its predecessor, but I still don't understand how this is getting such high rates.
Joy Division
3/5
Very dark post-punk proto New Wave stuff. Occasionally one can recognize that this is the predecessor of New Order. I might have liked it back then, but now it is a bit too gloomy for me.
Def Leppard
1/5
This might be a tad better than its predecessor, Pyromania, but it's still generic hair metal. It should've stayed where it belongs to: the '80s.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Nice voice, but Country.
Talking Heads
3/5
David Byrne and the Talking Heads are special in this industry, and I greatly respect them. Usually unconventional, sometimes even bizarre, and always surprising. The simple disco beat, that many of the tracks use, often contradicts with the intricate layers of unusual sounds the band puts over it. Byrne's lyrics and vocal presentation give the songs then a different spin. All in all weird in a positive way, but nothing I would listen to regularly.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
So many good Simon & Garfunkel songs...
To the album itself: the first side was meant to be a concept album (part). This may have worked if they had used both sides of the LP. 15 minutes is just too short and to fill it with some recorded voices is a bad idea. It seems that they liked the idea but lacked enough recorded material so they just filled the first side and used the second side for older hit singles.
Long story short: this has failed as an album, but the music on it is great.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees evolved a lot since their debut The Scream. Much more refined, this is one of the best albums of this genre, musically and lyrically. Still a pleasure to listen to.
Sonic Youth
3/5
It's not as good as their next album Dirty, but here it is recognizable where their path will lead them. There is still too much noise and screaming, but the first few tracks are especially much more to my taste than the previous albums.
Taylor Swift
4/5
I haven't listened to this album until now, although I like Taylor Swift. More on the folk-ish side again, quite stripped-down arrangements. Well-written and produced, this is not the usual sing-along album, but still entertaining.
Orbital
3/5
Well, ambient techno. I have Orbital occasionally in my Apple Music curated playlist, so some of the tracks on Snivilisation were familiar to me. It's nice background music, but nothing I'd listen to intentionally.
Raekwon
2/5
I respect Wu Tang Clan, but this was just dull and boring.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Decent debut album. Nice EDM with good beats and rhythms. One plus for the Kraftwerk sample.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
This is a cover band. Nothing really original. Heard it a thousand times.
Björk
4/5
Again, this is a Björk album that is very different from the previous ones. Here, she uses string arrangements in nearly every track. There is even a version of this album that only has strings.
As always with Björk's music, this is meant to be listened closely to. You may not enjoy some parts, but that's how she works.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Ok, it's the Boss. The songs are not bad, it's basically the same stuff Bruce & the E-Street band did for years. 2 tracks are somewhat new, for him at least, but nothing you haven't heard elsewhere.
So, it's not bad, but a bit outdated.
Van Morrison
2/5
I have the same opinion as to Moondance. The music's ok. His singing bothers me, and it's somehow always the same.
The music's ok, somehow each track is different but also somehow similar. Morrison's singing bothers me. It's somehow similar on each track. Didn't care for the lyrics as they were nothing outstanding. Don't get the hype.
Arcade Fire
2/5
I never listened to Arcade Fire intentionally; this album showed me why. There's nothing in it for me, no head bobbing or foot tapping.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This album is strange. Cohen and synth-pop don't fit, in my opinion.
The KLF
5/5
I never thought of seeing The White Room on this list. It's still one of the best albums of that time. Some years ago, as I dissolved my CD collection, I had to keep this CD because there was no online music spot where I could listen to it besides YT. So I was amazed to find it on Apple Music now.
Okay, back to the album itself. The KLF, or Kings of Low Frequency, was a project designed to be a commercial success. They wanted to do hip-hop without prior experience and created a sound that pioneered several subgenres of house/dance music. TWR was the peak of this success story.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Outdated and unoriginal. The covers are better.
Kraftwerk
5/5
For me, it is the second Kraftwerk album here after Autobahn. TEE is obviously the successor of Autobahn (even though Radio-Activity was released in between), much more refined, partly because of the sequencing equipment specially developed for Kraftwerk. Ralf's flat singing style and vocoders are key elements of Kraftwerk's music, as are their often minimalistic and repetitive soundscapes. You can imagine sitting in the TEE, watching the landscape flying by, and always hearing the monotonous rhythm of the cart's wheels on the rail tracks.
This album was very influential for many musicians, but I still vote for Computerwelt as the most important one.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I've owned this album, and I loved it then and still do. So many great songs. Easy vote.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Nice and easy listening. There is a certain sound to it that one can recognize as Paul and the Wings. There is no miss on this one. Very decent album.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Indie folk, acoustic guitars, a bit of a dark mood, and all throughout this album. I've heard worse, but definitely nothing I would care to listen to again.
Sepultura
2/5
The singing destroys it all. Music's ok, 'tho I'm not a fan of that kind of metal.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Jazzy R'n'B rock. Pleasant at times, like the all-time classic Spinning Wheels, but the rest is a bit much for me.
Slayer
2/5
I was never really into Metal, and Thrash Metal is worse.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Sadly, 5 tracks are missing on Apple Music, cutting it down from 37min to merely 22min. Still, the power of this live album can be felt throughout. Many classics, we would say cover versions today, which was the norm at that time. Just look at the debut album of The Rolling Stones.
At that time, it was all about performance, not original content. This recording is an absolutely fantastic performance.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
I listened to it. I can't remember anything worthwhile.
The Libertines
2/5
Mediocre production of a mediocre album of a mediocre band.
Faust
2/5
I knew some parts of this album due to Apple Music suggesting me Krautrock due to other albums from this list like Can. I always skipped them, but this time I took the time to listen to the full album. Well, what should I say? Not a totally horrible experience, but still nothing I would listen to.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Bruce Dickinson really was a game-changer for Iron Maiden. His vocal training and range added a depth to the songs that was impossible before. That made this album such an outstanding piece of music and was often named as one of the best metal albums, ever. Run to the Hills and The Number of the Beast are really eternal classics.
System Of A Down
3/5
SOAD isn't easily labelled as a specific genre. This makes them kind of unique. This debut album is still rough with weird edges and some quirky stuff. But you can see the potential they are up to unfold in future releases. Usually not my kind of music, but the energy alone is enough when in the right mood.
Suede
2/5
Pretentious and boring. Not much more to say. I was relieved when it was over.
Aphex Twin
2/5
I usually like Electronica and ambient music. Aphex Twin and this album just don't meet my expectations. It's shallow and boring.
The Beta Band
3/5
Very generic. Nothing outstanding. Not really bad.
Weather Report
3/5
I knew Birdland, of course, but I never knew its origin. Jazz/Jazz fusion is not my cup of tea. Production and instrumentation are quite good and they are excellent musicians.
Pavement
2/5
Never liked Pavement. The singer's voice is awful. The music is mediocre at best.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
This one was not for me on several levels. Musically, it was a bit dull. The concept might have been well intended, but the execution didn't deliver the assumed effect. Lyrics, even more, were not meant for me.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Noisy but otherwise unremarkable, mediocre "rock" (?).
Beatles
4/5
The early Beatles. Still trying to find their way. As always for bands of that time, many tracks by other musicians, now called covers, are on this album. Nice and easy listening.
Cheap Trick
2/5
I don't see anything outstanding on this album that makes it worthy of being on this list—well, besides the crowd's screaming. Other than that? Nothing noteworthy.
Carole King
5/5
I guess nobody can say that they have never heard at least one of these songs. This is truly an amazing album. King is way above all other so-called singer-songwriters. Her talent for all-time classics is amazing.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
This.was.bad.Really.bad.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Some good titles, a bit heavy on the Country side. I still don't like Young's voice.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
There are some obvious highlights here, the rest is ok, but nothing earthshaking.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
This is a great instrumental album. The title song is one of those songs that everybody knows, but nobody knows its name or who released it. Many cover songs as usual for that time. Easy listening, good background music.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
I'm sorry. I know this is Zappa, and it was meant to be a concept album, but I'm totally lost on the concept. This seems to be a work of monkeys rummaging through a sound archive and gluing the tapes together.
Radiohead
2/5
Maybe I was in the wrong mood, but this was just boring and dull.
Slipknot
2/5
The only thing standing out was the drummer, but besides that: rapping/screaming, guitar riffs, and the rest like 1000s of other bands.
Various Artists
3/5
It's a compilation of some of the most modern classic Christmas songs (by that time). Nothing really outstanding besides the fact that these were all produced by Spector. This was released almost 40 years before his crime, so to judge this album by his later deed is pointless.
The Byrds
3/5
For me, this is the 4th Byrd's album on this list. Some nice songs, but the rest is not noteworthy.
Minor Threat
2/5
Why on earth is this on this list? Shortest album ever with 21 minutes? I do not know if that's true (there are EPs longer than that). Other than that, this is just some fast punk stuff, and not very good.
Fishbone
2/5
I don't know what to make of this. Ska, Funk, and Hard Rock are all in the same place—neither fish nor flesh (pun intended). One might call this versatile, but there is nothing common, nothing to identify that this is all by the same band.
Bauhaus
3/5
Not my favorite kind of goth. Not unpleasant, but not my cup of tea.
k.d. lang
3/5
Too much Country, not enough Singer/Songwriter.
Metallica
5/5
I owned that one back then. It's much slower and less aggressive than their older releases, but still undeniably Metallica. There are many great and classic Metallica hits, but the rest are also excellent.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Compared to Rumours, this is dull and much too long. Don't get me wrong, there's no bad apple in the basket, but nothing shiny and delicious either.
1/5
Well, as this is not listed in the current issue of the book, I'll ignore it as it clearly has no place here.
So, it's crap, besides Rollin'.
Coldplay
5/5
I love this album. They evolved extremely well after Parachutes. Not one track I don't like.
Sade
5/5
Diamond Life is superb—Sade's voice, the arrangement, and the songs are all perfect for that kind of music. Usually not my genre, but Sade is the great exception.
2/5
Although I knew their name, I had never heard a song by Devo. Now I know that I didn't miss anything.
Pantera
2/5
I don't get how this was "era-defining". There is nothing on this album that wasn't done by others before. In most parts, it's quite repetitive.
R.E.M.
4/5
I must admit that I am not a big R.E.M. fan, but this album is simply great. There are so many great tracks, and the album as a whole works really well.
Khaled
2/5
I'm not sure that this belongs on this list. It has its highs (El Harba Wine) and lows (Imagine) but overall leaves no impression.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Disco at its best. What a fantastic album.
The Gun Club
2/5
Punk x Rockabilly x RnB. Sounds a bit generic to me, as they just thrown together pieces of these genres and it get's a bit repetitive after 2-3 songs.
Portishead
3/5
I usually like Electronica, but this has a too-dark mood for me. Beth's sometimes eery voice, the disharmonies, and the occasionally a bit too experimental music weren't my thing.
The Roots
4/5
This was quite astounding. I expected a hip-hop album, but I got something completely different. Later, I connected the band to Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show. They are versatile and talented, and there are some quite complex arrangements here. Thirsty! reminded me of The Prodigy.
Arrested Development
3/5
I can't remember when I last heard anything from AD. It's not the usual, angry hip-hop/rap stuff one was used to back then—maybe a bit too much love and peace, but still quite pleasant: interesting writing, good production, and some nice voices.
ABBA
5/5
Well, it's ABBA! They were part of the soundtrack of my childhood. Their voices, the harmonies, and the typical arrangements prevailed over time, even on this much more mature album, with all the changes in the production equipment. It's still the easy listening one is used to (and if you ignore the lyrics). But this is so much more.
Iggy Pop
2/5
Never liked Pop much and this album didn't change that.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Missy is not one of my favorite artists, and I don't like this kind of Rap. But the production by Timbaland shows. So musically this is quite good, as is the production. But the rest is meh.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Just no.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I was surprised that I knew "Soy Loco Por Ti America". Still not my kind of music
Killing Joke
3/5
I knew Killing Joke only by their 1985 song Love Like Blood, but one can glimpse a bit of what will be release 5 years later in there debut album. Industrial, electronic, heavy post punk that was their foundation for their path to goth/new wave.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I can understand why this album is the way that it is. I can appreciate the melancholy, the heartbreak, the dark and sober mood.
It is just too much for me.
Kid Rock
1/5
Besides that, this is that stinkin' scumbag, this album is abysmally bad.
Kings of Leon
2/5
This was a bit underwhelming—generic '00-Rock, weak production.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
It's a solid album, a bit samey, and just not the kind of music I usually listen to.
The xx
3/5
This is a refreshingly unique album. The almost minimalistic music and low-key voices add up to a pure experience, as there is not much distraction. However, it becomes a bit the same after a while.
The Only Ones
2/5
I don't understand how this might be labeled Punk. Musically, it was mediocre British (Power?) Pop, but the voice was the showstopper.
3/5
Well, it's still Brit Pop and a far cry from the quality of the Gorillaz.
David Bowie
2/5
The first thing I noticed was the weird production. Drums and piano drown out everything else, even his voice most of the time. It's a randomly thrown-together melange of tracks, even a Stones cover, and not a good one.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This is my fifth SY album on this list. Did they include all of their albums? I wonder.
Nevertheless, it was okay, too much noise rock now and then, but it was bearable.
Pixies
3/5
My 2nd Pixies album. Not as noisy as their debut, but still doesn't do anything for me. Can't really tell why this doesn't appeal to me.
Black Flag
3/5
So this is how Henry Rollins started. Same raw energy. Abysmal production, but maybe fitting to this kind of punk. Still too much hardcore for me personally, but I can respect the importance of this.
CHVRCHES
4/5
Ah, CHVRCHES! I always liked Mayberry's voice and their special kind of Electronica/Synthipop.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Never heard of them before. And it could have stayed that way. Not a nice experience.
Steely Dan
3/5
This is my second Steely Dan album. Countdown to Ecstacy wasn't exactly my kind of music as it just didn't appeal to me. This one's a tad better, but still just music that would play in the background.
Simple Minds
5/5
I started listening to Simple Minds around the time this album was released. I was impressed when I watched their '82 Cologne show on TV (Rockpalast). I lost track a few albums later but once in a while, I pulled out one of their albums I had and always liked their music, to this day.
LL Cool J
2/5
It's a solid rap album, there's much worse on this list. It was a good production for that era, but as is often the case with this genre, lyrics are mostly problematic.
Blur
3/5
Better than my other Blur album here on this list, Modern Life Is Rubbish. Song 2 carries a lot, the rest is somewhere between quite ok and forgettable. Still not enough for 4.
Lorde
4/5
This is a solid pop album, and the producer is clearly recognizable. Antonoff did a good job here. There is a good mixture of several catchy tunes, some slower, more sober (pun intended) ones, and some in between.
M.I.A.
4/5
It's the same I said about Arular. Interesting mix of genres, her lyrics are rare and unique, but too many repetitions. It's a tad better than it's predecessor.
Venom
2/5
Despite the lo-fi production and the uninspired vocals—mainly just screaming—this album seems to have inspired the whole black/extreme metal genre. This may be an indication of low quality in that genre in general, but I won't go into that any further.
The Band
2/5
Did nothing for me. Had it playing while working, but with headphones. I eventually noticed that the music stopped.
The Band
2/5
Folk-rock country is not my favorite kind of music.
Cat Stevens
4/5
There are so many songs I know on this album. Although Stevens's music is not usually my favorite, it is something special. Stevens is the ultimate model of a singer-songwriter.
Blondie
5/5
OMG, how long ago was it when I listened to this album? It must have been ages. It's still one of the greatest pop albums ever. Harry's voice and this almost crazy mix of different genres with a breadth and depth seldomly seen created something very special.
Erykah Badu
3/5
This is a nice and groovy RnB album. It's a bit lengthy and several tracks sound quite similar, but it' still a solid album.
Meat Loaf
5/5
Oh my god. This is so good. Rock opera in one of its best incarnations. The bombastic soundscape, combined with Meat Loaf's exceptional vocal delivery truly deserves its place on this list.
Living Colour
4/5
This was not what I expected. The genre descriptions of Living Color were a bit misleading. This was much more hard/funk rock than metal. Their blending of the different styles is well executed. Production, arrangements, and writing are good and this album is fun to listen to.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Typical 60's feel-good music, in a very positive way. Very nice harmonies and several all-time classics.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Late 80's hip hop. There's been worse, but this is nothing outstanding. Solid, nice beats, the lyrics are... well, 80ish.
Kate Bush
5/5
When I first heard this album, I thought it was ok, a bit strange. But as always with Kate, her music grows on you. After several re-listenings, I loved it. And still do, as I listen to her albums regularly. So this is a no-brainer for me.
Sparks
2/5
The music is okay, and there is nothing to complain about. But I cannot fathom the singing. Way too artificial for my taste. It's done because it's "art", but not for the reason that the music needed it to be that way.
The Darkness
3/5
Technically, it's not bad. The drums are a bit boring, and there is generally the same pattern in nearly every song. There is way too much falsetto for my liking, but it's not as bad as Sparks.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
This is another album I once owned. It was very commercial, very pop music, and still Peter Gabriel. Every single track a gem of it's own.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Always loved her voice and her step away from her Disney image was an important one. Lots of really good stuff here, but this was a bit of an overachiever. Excellent production, despite all the producers and studios involved. Seems that she had trouble deciding which of the fully produced tracks should be on the album so she chose all. And made it too long.
2/5
Thanks to this list, I heard some of these tracks before due to Apple Music's algorithm suggesting tracks. I usually skipped them. I didn't this time but I found out that I didn't miss something. I usually like prog rock, but this was too bland for my taste.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
Again, thanks to this list I heard portions of this album before, to my dismay. I don't like the singer's voice, it unnerves me.
Brian Eno
2/5
Well, this album did exactly what it was meant for: easy, soothing, forgettable soundscape.
Traffic
3/5
Jazz-rock is not my preferred genre. There are some nice parts, but overall not my kind of thing.
Billy Joel
4/5
What an album! It's one of those rare recordings that you know every single track of without ever listening to the album itself.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Well, this is one of the not-so-bad Britpop albums. It's always just a little bit below being overly pretentious.
The Fall
1/5
Still, after the third The Fall album on this list, I can't fathom the singer's voice. Worse, what they've done to Lost In Music is an abomination.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
Wow, this didn't age particularly well. Just It's Like That stood out; the rest was meh.
Nina Simone
4/5
What a wonderful record. Every track is a masterpiece on its own, carried by her tremendous voice.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I first learned of this group when reviewing Ritual De Lo Habitual last May. That album took me by surprise, and its predecessor - this album - has nearly the same quality.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Essentially, this is a record of some more or less good 70s-style rock songs with bongos added. It gets a bit boring after some time.
Pink Floyd
5/5
WYWH was probably my first Pink Floyd album. I loved it, and unsurprisingly, I still do. Back then, the lyrics just made some kind of sense to me; the references to the music industry and Syd Barrett's departure evaded me. The context makes this album much more complete and nearly perfect, as the music reflects the lyrics and vice versa.
50 Cent
2/5
Honestly, it's the same gangsta rapper BS like many others have done before and after. Even Eminem and other guests couldn't change that.
Richard Hawley
1/5
This.was.soooo.boring. Could be used in black sites for torture.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
This is way better than their self-titled debut album. Besides the classics, the rest is still quite good, although not of the same quality.
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
This one's a true gem, both the album and the artist. Lauper has so much force, talent, and an absolutely unique and impressive way to perform. Maybe that was a bit too much for that time to give her the credit she deserved. Time After Time is my favorite, followed by All Through The Night.
Paul Simon
4/5
Although not of the quality of Graceland, this debut has some true gems and other quite promising tracks. It also offers a wide variety of styles and themes.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
I don't get all the hype about this and how it deserves a place on this list. It has a grating voice, annoying production, stupid arrangements, bad lyrics, and unoriginal composition.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Never liked Cooper, and this album didn't change that.
Scott Walker
1/5
Great Scott! Or not, in this case. American trying to cover Brel and to sound like a chansonnier is doomed to fail.
Eminem
2/5
I'm a bit torn about this. Eminem has undeniable talent, but on the other hand, this is so cheesy and hard-trying that it's just too much.
Slint
3/5
I can't say that I liked it or that I didn't like it. This album is something unique and I can understand the fascination of some musicians.
Radiohead
3/5
I'm not a Radiohead fan, but this album was quite good. It was well produced, with good writing, and some complex music that made it fun to listen to.
Jamiroquai
4/5
This is a solid debut album. It's a bit samey overall, but still not enough to be boring. It's well produced and written, very funky and groovy, showing the trademarks Jamiroquai is known for.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
5/5
I bought this double album when it came out and it was a killer. Horn's production was astonishing, although it was abysmal of him to rerecord most of the tracks with his studio musicians, as the band was not up to his expectations.
Nevertheless, I love every single track of it. Back then, I didn't recognize all the direct and indirect gay insinuations (well, besides Relax, where there was not much not to be understood).
Cocteau Twins
3/5
I liked Treasure, but this is a bit too dreamy, and I didn't notice any difference between some tracks. It is short before being boring, but it is just a soundscape in the background for me.
Neil Young
3/5
The music's ok, but the production is a bit flat. I still don't like his voice.
American Music Club
2/5
Blant, boring, unremarkable.
Elvis Presley
3/5
There are lots of cover versions as was usual in those days. It's not his best recording, but ok.
Parliament
3/5
This was actually fun(ky). I'm not that much into funk, but you can hear the fun the musicians had recording this album, and it gets you.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Actually a quite good Stones album. The lyrics are sometimes at least cringy and often nothing anybody would write today.
The music with Taylor as the new lead guitar shows that the band is at the start of getting much better, resulting in the signature Stones sound that one recognizes even without Jagger's voice.
King Crimson
2/5
While this is much better than the other King Crimson record I had to endure listening to, it's still not the kind of thing I think of when it comes to progressive rock. Some parts are quite good, but then there are those that I usually skip immediately.
Madness
3/5
Some classics on this album. The rest is of a wide array musically, but still recognizable as Madness (pun might be intended). A bit too sober at times for my taste.
The National
2/5
Dull and boring.
Hole
4/5
Love is controversial, but this album delivers. Hadn't expected that.
Red Snapper
2/5
Never heard of them before. Sometimes reminded me a bit of the later Massive Attack releases, but in contrast to MA, I can't remember anything I've heard after finishing the album.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
I can see why they call him the biggest rapper of all time. His rhythm and style are much more to my liking than many other "big" rappers.
But then there are the lyrics and the nonsensical interludes.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Later records are much better, this one gets boring pretty quickly. A standout is Rescue.
Method Man
2/5
Somehow, all tracks sound similar. Basically the beat is always the same, never changes significantly. Same bpm, same rhythm.
Boring.
Moby Grape
2/5
Why is this on the list? One of the many 60's R'n'B/Country/Rock bands. Like listening to several bands, so generic this is.
The Stranglers
2/5
Stranglers never were my thing. This debut album was a far cry from their more successful releases, and it's closer to The Fall or the Pixies, which I don't really like either.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
This must be Cave's fourth album on this list, which I had to listen to. It's not as dark as others, but this somber tone and melancholy are depressing.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
This was way too long. I never heard much of The Smashing Pumpkins, and after this album, I don't regret it—nothing there for me.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Well, there's no debate about Genius Of Love, and the rest of the album is of the same cut, albeit not as catchy. You can feel the fun they had making this record, and it shows.
Kelela
3/5
While this is a good R&B production, I don't see anything outstanding or "futuristic". Combining R&B with other styles is nothing new, even with electronica. She has a nice voice. The themes may be personal, but they're a bit bland to me. Nevertheless, if one of the tracks comes up in the future, I probably won't skip it.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
No.
Alice Cooper
2/5
I didn't expect much of this album as I'm not a fan of Cooper. The title track is ok, but the rest reminded me of a mediocre theatrical production with some musical interludes.
Madonna
4/5
I remember the ruckus when the video for Like A Prayer came out. As always with such things, it had a Streisand effect. This and her album made it clear that Madonna wasn't just some pop singer but wrote her songs with themes that mattered to her, controversial as they might be.
There's still enough pop and dance on this album to make it a mainstream success, and that's what it is in the end.
Marvin Gaye
1/5
Musicians often use their work to express their feelings, grievances, fears, mourning, hate; you name it. But to produce a whole f*ng double album is so much over the top, it's disgusting.
Big Star
3/5
I don't see much of the Beatles' influence, but more of The Byrds and the like. They were a bit late to the game when they released this album, but maybe that was to their advantage. The production was quite good, and the quality of the songs throughout the album was mostly on par. The vocal harmonies and their guitar work were better than most other bands from that genre.
Oasis
4/5
This is a solid debut album. It's nothing unique, but Liam's voice and recognizable singing style are present, which one will later associate with Oasis. Production is flat but not bad overall.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Well, it's Snoop. His laid-back way of delivering his lyrics is his trademark, making his music so unique. Even if you're not into that kind of music, you'll like at least that. Then, the combination with Dr. Dre's G-Funk is a perfect fit. This sounds much less outdated - besides the shitty lyrics - than almost any other Rap/Hip Hop of that time, and thanks to this list, I heard quite a few of those.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
60's psychadelic rock. Beside the jug nothing outstanding.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Really? This is the 5th Nick Cave album for me on this list. It is still not my cup of tea, but it is a bit better than the rest and his duet with Kylie (Where the Wild Roses Grow) is great.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Never heard of them, like many others on this list. And it seems for a reason, as I could've continued my life perfectly without knowing this record.
The Strokes
2/5
I think there's a reason that they had nearly no success outside the English-speaking countries. They are simply too generic, with no real appeal to them. I can't understand the hype.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
A talented singer-songwriter, with good production and a good variety of styles. Still, nothing really outstanding amidst a myriad of similar talented singer-songwriters.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Well, another incredible CCR album. Enjoyed all of it, front to back.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Incredible live recording for that time, there are much worse studio recordings made later in that decade. One can feel the connection between the audience and Cooke and his musicians. Great listening.
The Black Keys
3/5
Never heard of them. It's a somewhat decent album, quite bluesy, not bad, and sometimes a strange mixdown.
This is not an album I need to hear again.
4/5
Well, I like Prog Rock, and I like Yes. And that's that.
Public Enemy
3/5
Hearing this over 30 years after its recording and so many issues still exist is devastating. And it still sounds fresh.
Happy Mondays
3/5
This one's on the better side of Manchester. Nice listening, Loose Fit was a standout for me.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Gabriel is an exceptional vocalist and more often than not quite experimental in his choice of instrumentation and arrangement, as with his 3rd solo album. Biko is one of my favorite (and, as it seems, quite underrated) tracks. For the rest: for me, not one track disappointed.
Scritti Politti
3/5
I remember Scritti Politti from back in those days, but I cannot put my finger on a specific song. They all sound so similar. It's nice synth-pop that was very popular then and gazillions of bands using nearly identical instrumentation. Still, it's fun, and a bit boring.
Circle Jerks
2/5
This is probably the shortest album I've ever listened to. It's punk as it should be—short, fast, hard, and loud.
It's still not my cup of tea.
Napalm Death
1/5
Nope.
The B-52's
3/5
They were unique, always tongue-in-cheek, sometimes cheesy, but always fun to listen to.
Julian Cope
3/5
Well, it's not bad, more often than not actually quite good. But, to my regret, nothing would even occasionally listen to.
Cream
3/5
Cream. I, like many, have issues with Clapton. That said, it is a quite bluesy and psychedelic album. Sunshine of Your Love is a classic, no denying that. The rest is, at least for me, forgettable.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I generally like electronica. This is not bad; it has nice beats, but it is still a bit generic, and there is nothing really outstanding.
Megadeth
3/5
Although thrash metal is not my first choice of music genre, it has its place. I can appreciate it if I am in the right mood. MD would be entertaining if they had a decent vocalist. As this is not the case, they should stick to instrumentals. There they do a pretty good job, although many other bands sound just like them.
Madonna
4/5
This is not one of her best works, but I liked it nonetheless. She tried a new approach and did it quite well.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
I never heard much of Skunk Anansie beyond Hedonism, but Skin's voice is always recognizable. This album is much more on the harder, heavier side. It's not bad, although her voice not always fits the music.
Missy Elliott
3/5
While I'm not much into Hip Hop, the music, beats, and production are quite good. The lyrics are not so much, though I appreciate her departure from all this gangsta BS that was so popular back in those days.
John Martyn
2/5
I don't know if it's because of the remastering, but the mixdown was odd. Several instruments were far too present in the foreground. Then his voice was somewhere in the middle. This bothered me more than his vocalization or folk/jazz fusion, which I didn't particularly like.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
I always knew that something bothered me about Buffalo Springfield. It's Neil Young as I now realize. I cannot stand his voice. The tracks without him singing are ok.
2/5
Dylan's voice and way of singing are still my biggest issues with him. Whether it's the acoustic solo version or the electric with the band doesn't matter. It's still bad.
The Specials
2/5
Well, I didn't really enjoy myself listening to this album. It has some better moments, but most of it drones along in a lounge or elevator music style.
Elastica
2/5
Postpunk with a female singer. Pretty much generic.
2/5
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Some tracks are quite good, while others don't really fit, resulting in an overall mediocre experience. Production/mixdown is horrible.
Holger Czukay
2/5
This is not ambient enough to play in the background, but not interesting enough to listen intensely to. It's a bit experimental, but again, not enough. This is between everything, so it accomplishes nothing, at least for me.
Donovan
3/5
Ok, there are the classics everybody knows. I never realized that the title track and Season of the Witch were by Donovan.
The rest of the album is quite listenable, with nothing really outstanding, except perhaps Celeste and Guinevere.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
This is an excellent debut album. Cool beats, decent sampling, Q-Tips, and excellent lyrics combine for a very smooth listening experience. Head bopping and foot stomping during the whole record.
T. Rex
3/5
Most of the tracks sound remarkably similar, which can become boring over time. Nothing outstanding though solid 70's rock.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I already had their debut and their third album, which couldn't be more different. Too Rye Ay is an excellent follow-up to their debut. There's development, more refined, and a bit smoother. Overall, an entertaining record that's fun to listen to.
Beatles
5/5
Abbey Road by The Beatles. What else is there to say?
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Nothing is outstanding about this album. Sold craftsmanship, descent songwriting, good production. Like many other bands during that decade. Not at all bad, but nothing special.
The Doors
3/5
There is quite a mix here. It's a very blues-heavy record, a bit too much for my taste. Some good tracks, some filler, and, of course, Riders on the Storm.
Meat Puppets
2/5
Sorry, this is rubbish, despite the Nirvana covers.
The "singer" is anything but, the drums are amateur level, and the guitar work is just above average.
The Avalanches
2/5
Usually, I like Electronica and EDM, but this was just too much sampling. I appreciate the effort it took to mix this, but 'plunderphonics' is the fitting name for this kind of music.
Metallica
2/5
They made the mistake of just adding the orchestra to the band without altering anything else. They didn't take the opportunity to create a fusion between the classic symphonic orchestra and a metal band. 2 hours wasted.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
About a year ago, I had to listen to their 4th album Idlewild. It's a stark contrast to this one. Tracey's voice and lyrics combined with Ben's instrumentals, which now adapted to the more modern DnB and Electronica sound, finally fuse to form something great.
The Who
3/5
It is a somewhat interesting album, with a clear ironic undertone in all tracks. The Who, still on the rise to fame, still were oriented to the rock-pop music of the '60s, though some mod pop shines through.
U2
4/5
One of my favorite U2 albums. It was more direct, overall rawer and harder than the older ones, and political during a time of great uncertainty and fear of war.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
I suppose this is one of the better examples of Britpop, a bit harsher and faster, still emphasizing drums and guitars. Lyrics and vocalizations are ok.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
There's noise, grunge, punk, metal, and rock. Some tracks are actually not that bad, but nothing I would like to ever listen to again.
The Young Rascals
3/5
I never knew that Groovin', You Better Run, and Hw Can I Be Sure were by The Young Rascals. They are clearly classics. The rest is ok.
Roxy Music
3/5
I never was a big fan of Roxy Music and Brian Ferry. The music isn't bad, it's just not my thing.
Hole
2/5
Nothing interesting for me here. I probably wouldn't skip a song on a random playlist, but it's nothing remarkable. Listened to the album and couldn't remember one piece afterwards.
R.E.M.
4/5
This was better than expected. I had 3 other R.E.M. albums on this list before, with some mixed results. So I didn't expect much of their debut.
Nirvana
3/5
I like their approach not just to play their best songs unplugged, but to use that intimate setting to play cover versions of songs that seem important to them, for whatever reason. I liked their songs, but some of the covers weren't my thing.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
It's Motown, it's Marvin Gaye. A good combination for a good record, especially if it's Blues and Soul. Inner City Blues is my favorite, and still as relevant as it was 50 years ago. Most other tracks are too religious for my taste.
The Who
4/5
What a phenomenal album. Many argue that live recordings don't belong on this list. For the majority of live albums, I agree. There are a few exceptions when the live recording creates something new and special. I don't mean some instrumental solos, but something that would only work in a live setting and not in a studio.
The Verve
3/5
Besides Bitter Sweet Symphony, there's nothing The Verve released that had that quality. Same with this album. It's Britpop, a bit better than the average, but without any highlights I could remember.
Os Mutantes
2/5
It's some weird Brazilian '60s stuff. Not my cup of tea.
Magazine
2/5
Post-punk, ok. New wave, not so much. Maybe a bit artsy, but I honestly can't understand the hype.
Animal Collective
2/5
I usually like this kind of music, but this was too repetitive for my taste. It was ok to listen to it once, but that's it.
Scott Walker
1/5
This is nit as worse as Scott 2, but still horrible.
Brian Wilson
2/5
What a coincidence that I got this album a day after Wilson passed away.
This album left me a bit confused. All the things that made the Beach Boys sound so unique are here. However, there is also this peculiar choice of sounds, instruments, and lyrics. Somehow, I'm reminded of a children's music album.
The Monks
4/5
What a surprising experience! This is a '60s Beat sound meeting proto-punk, characterized by heavily rhythm-based, distorted tunes and radical lyrics. It's way ahead of time.
Records like this make it worth wading through so many bad or mediocre albums on this list.
Ray Charles
3/5
So this stuff is over 60 years old. The effort in remastering that material must have been enormous. Excellent job in the arrangement of the instruments, but Charles' voice seemed to be a too difficult task.
For the material itself: the first half is big band, the second half string arrangements, and a lot calmer.
No real complaints here, but there was nothing I would remember because it was sung by Charles.
Otis Redding
4/5
Otis never disappoints—a classic '60s long player with many timeless hits.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Technically, it's a brilliant album. I never was a Steely Dan fan, and I don't like Fagen's voice. Lyrics and vocalizations are... special, another thing that started to annoy me after several tracks.
CHIC
4/5
This is disco at its finest. The opener alone is an iconic classic. The rest of the album, although not on par with the first track, still delivers high-quality disco music. Forget the lyrics, most of it is just to carry the melody.
Syd Barrett
2/5
This sounded like a worn-out musician who was forced to record an album. And it seems that this is exactly this.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Hancock's achievements are undeniable. This record was another cornerstone of his success. He bridged the gap between funk and jazz, making this music accessible to a broader audience. I'm not a jazz guy, but this was a nice background on a hot summer day.
John Martyn
2/5
This record did nothing for me. Somewhat boring, and the voice was a bit annoying.
George Michael
4/5
An excellent follow-up to Faith. Much more serious without being boring, with a wide range of musical genres, it may not be his best record, but this showed that he wasn't just the pretty boy from Wham!
The White Stripes
2/5
Garage rock. Not much to it. In parts, very repetitive.
The Dictators
3/5
One must be deaf not to hear the resemblance to The Ramones. No wonder, as Shernoff also worked with them as a musician and co-writer. Very tongue-in-cheek, it's fun to listen to.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
I haven't heard that one in a long time. I liked it then, and I like it now. Some sounds and instruments are a bit dated, but most of the tracks don't sound like they are nearly 30 years old.
Mercury Rev
3/5
This was unexpectedly better than anticipated. I can't quite put a finger on it. Still, the strange mixture of unusual arrangements, a certain somber and dark mood, and the sometimes eerie voice made an interesting listening experience. +1 for the singing saw.
PJ Harvey
3/5
My second PJ Harry album. It had some moments, but I'm still not impressed.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Without You by Nilsson is a monster of it's own. Known it like forever, but never knew the name of the singer. At least that did this list for me. The rest of the album is really not bad, but nothing I would listen to on a regular basis.
XTC
3/5
I love Dear God. The rest is not bad. There are some interesting arrangements, and it does not get boring, but then, nothing I remember was outstanding.
Incubus
4/5
This reminded me so much of Mike Patton and Faith No More. As I like FNM, I also liked this album. Not a 5, but a solid 4.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
It's not my favorite type of music, but I like some good funk and soul tracks now and then when I'm in the right mood.
This album would be one I would listen to then, great production, excellent musicians, and great voices.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This was much worse than I expected. The other Mitchell album I had to listen to here was okay-ish, but this was just someone telling stories over the background of some droning music. Everything's somehow the same and then not. At least it wasn't really disgusting.
Silver Jews
1/5
This is nothing I had to listen to before I die. What a sad, bland, underwhelming, and sometimes even depressing album.
U2
4/5
Quite a change musically compared to their previous records, but it worked well for U2. Several great classics on it, and the rest is not far below.
Morrissey
2/5
I didn't like his voice on this record; the music's somewhat ok, but the whole album is forgettable in a manner of speaking.
William Orbit
3/5
Several Electronica/Ambient albums in this list didn't match my taste. This one is much more to my liking. Nothing excellent or outstanding, but nice and comfortable.
The Offspring
3/5
Self Esteem is still a banger. The rest is somewhere between quite good and so-la-la.
Common
2/5
I don't know... I have heard worse hip-hop/rap records here. Maybe it's because it's produced by West, or because there was nothing really outstanding here, but this was kind of dull.
Radiohead
3/5
I don't get the hype around this album. It's not bad, but like Radiohead, I think this album is overrated.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Sampling all this stuff must have taken forever. Incredible work. Some might find this repetitive, but don't hear or appreciate the details.
Still, this is just party music, with nothing deep to it, just to have as much fun as possible.
The Undertones
3/5
There's Feargal Sharkey with his unique voice, and there's this Northern Ireland proto-garage-new-pop-punk sound. Some tracks sound similar, others are more unique, but nothing new.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
I had never heard of her before and did not recognize her voice. And I don't regret it.
This mishmash of genres on this record doesn't make it better. It seems that she "borrowed" from other artists who were successful during that time.
Tortoise
2/5
I usually like this kind of music, but this was just bland, uninteresting, and boring.
Tom Waits
3/5
This was actually quite entertaining. I'm not a Tom Waits fan, but I can listen to a track now and then. This jazz club live recording felt real, even as it was staged in a studio. Jazz isn't my thing, but I can tolerate it if it's well performed, like it's the case here. Tom's skits might have been ok in the '70s, but now they are massively outdated.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Once again, this is another album with relatively high ratings that I cannot comprehend. The production is mediocre at best, and his voice drowns most of the time in the wall of sound. The music is not bad, but nothing outstanding. It's just another '70s rock album like a thousand others released in that decade.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Most people today don't understand that nearly all the tracks on this album were previously published by other artists. One exception is, of course, in the Ghetto. Suspicious Minds wasn't part of the original recording, so that doesn't count. In the end, we have a compilation of covers that are not bad, but nothing exceptional.
OutKast
2/5
Some great tunes and beats, but then there are those lyrics, and I'm done with that sh*t.
Van Morrison
2/5
This is a first for me. I listened to almost all 567 albums I had been presented with on this list. I had to Van Morrison albums, Astral Weeks and Moondance, on here before. And the first few tracks on this just confirmed my opinion. So why bother and waste 1.5 hours of my time?
Foo Fighters
3/5
Incredible DIY record by Dave Grohl. Laid the foundation for a band that still had to be formed, with tremendous success. A bit rough at the edges, this may have needed some polish before release.
Blue Cheer
3/5
This might have been remarkable during the last millennium, but now it's just another Proto-metal-psych-blues-hard-rock band.
Kanye West
1/5
Even though I can't stand West, I managed to get through this record. Heavily overproduced (just look at the track table listing the writers/producers), this is some artificial, soulless junk that centers on a sociopath and egomaniac. Never will I understand the hype.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
What an amazing album. Nearly half of the songs are included in my favourite (Not-)Led Zeppelin album, No Quarter, and the rest is also great.
Supergrass
2/5
There had been many worse Britpop bands on this list. Still, nothing to go back to. At least, it wasn't annoying.
Sex Pistols
4/5
So, first of all, this is a great punk record. Rotten's characteristic way of "singing" and the lyrics are remarkable. Some tracks are very similar but still interesting enough.
I always thought of the Sex Pistols as a typical punk band. After reading the Wikipedia articles, I tend to think they were much more the product of Malcom McLaren and Vivien Westwood, promoting their punk fashion style. McLaren did nearly anything to keep the Sex Pistols on the front pages, including setting up Sid Vicious to induce several violent altercations. In contrast to boy groups, as one comment mentioned, Rotten, Vicious, and the rest were as original as it gets, but McLaren forcefully built their bad reputation to get the desired effect: by banning their music from the radio and the stores, they became enormously popular, and started the whole UK punk movement.
Neil Young
2/5
Another Young album, and I still cannot fathom his voice. Additionally, this is way too much country folk for my taste.
James Taylor
2/5
Another country/folk singer songwriter on this list. Again. Granted, his voice is great, and the guitar works are not bad, too. It is still not my kind of music.
Common
2/5
One problem I have with nearly all hip-hop/rap records from that time is how the lyrics are often socially critical, exposing racism and other issues. At the same time, they include homophobic, misogynistic, ableistic, and fat-shaming lyrics. On top of that, all they then add is that idiotic gangsta stuff. Great beats, samples, and production cannot level that sh*t out. Running times of +1 hour make it even worse.
That said, Common is a bit better than most, but still too much.
ZZ Top
3/5
This is better than Eliminator; La Grange is a banger. Gibbon's singing voice is mediocre at best. Maybe that's the reason La Grange is so good, no real singing there.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
The first track was nearly unbearable. The stereo Leslie effect of the Rhodes piano was irritating as hell when using earphones.
Thankfully, the rest was much better. The music, while supporting the lyrics with a relaxed and held-back style, is really good.
The lyrics are more poems than song texts, with H20Gate Blues at the top. It's uncanny how that era and the current situation in the USofA are so similar in so many ways.
While it's not my kind of music, I respect this record's significance.
De La Soul
4/5
Aah, De La Soul... This hip-hop/rap album was entertaining to listen to. Their approach of using unusual samples and sometimes even surreal lyrics, while projecting generally positive vibes, is a welcome relief after all that gangsta rap stuff.
Jacques Brel
2/5
Chansons and particularly Brel should be listened to live, so I don't mind this being another live album. This doesn't change the fact that this is still not my music.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Dylan again. I still don't like his voice and the way he sings, but it's worse on his later records. The harmonica is annoying almost all the time.
Queens Of The Stone Age
2/5
This is the first time I've ever listened to QotSA consciously. I can't see the reason why it is on this list. The song structure is simple and, in most cases, nearly the same. It gets boring pretty fast, and the singing doesn't help, either.
Bland, boring, repetitive.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Ok, that's an easy one for me. About a month ago, I saw Kraftwerk live in Stuttgart at the Jazz Open. They played all titles of Die Mensch-Maschine (the original German title) except Metropolis.
This was also the first Kraftwerk album I listened to back in the day.
It was the definition of how Kraftwerk would develop during the coming decades: more danceable, shorter tracks suitable for radio play without giving up their unique way of creating music. It also highly influenced the then-future synth-pop, new wave/romantic, and electronica genres.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Another angle on the idea of a concept album. Not bad and quite well executed. It's a bit too long for my taste. You can hear all the different influences she had incorporated deliberately in a way that one can spot them. But that's about it. There is nothing that triggers me to revisit this.
Radiohead
2/5
Radiohead. Again. 5th album for me. Alas, just one more to endure on this list.
A bit less whiny, there were some moments that caught my ear for a second, but that passed fast.
Dull and boring most of the time.
The Youngbloods
2/5
Nothing interesting here. 'Nuff said.
4/5
Excellent album. Well produced and arranged. Muse is not my regular go-to music, but it's ok from time to time.
Mariah Carey
3/5
She has a great voice, and the album's well-produced and arranged. The songwriting is not on par, a bit too generic IMHO.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
The album is okay. The production and arrangement are good, and the lyrics are much deeper than the usual blaxploitation soundtrack. But Mayfield's falsetto unnerves me after some time.
Iggy Pop
2/5
The sole standout is The Passenger, of course. The rest is mediocre at best. Some tracks could even be on a Bowie album, and you wouldn't notice that it isn't Bowie.
And I still don't like him.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
I like Electronica. Part of it is repetition, usually combined with progression. In some cases, the progression is missing or not noticeable enough, and then this stuff gets boring pretty quickly.
Like in this case.
B.B. King
3/5
Well, B.B. King and Lucille live. Forget the lyrics, they are just the means to "get the blues". The performance and the interaction with the audience make this a special record, and I agree that this truly is an album one has to listen to.
Still not an album that I would listen to regularly.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
It's hard to judge this one. On one hand, this album takes the folk-pop genre into the new millennium; on the other hand, despite all the differences between the songs, they somehow sound the same. Oh, and I've never heard of them before.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
"Ok band, here's what we do in our next show, as we are really crap in writing songs: we just take some random song, use the basic part of it and then we show off one after another. Apparently the audience just loves our soli, so we'll give them what they want".
Laura Nyro
2/5
Joni Mitchell rip-off, and not a good one. Went from boring to annoying pretty quickly.
The Triffids
3/5
Based on the comments here, this wasn't as bad as expected. It is a bit dated, reminding me in parts of The Stranglers.
The Temptations
2/5
As with many Motown acts, it isn't the artist that makes the difference; it's the music. This album is pretty much standard stuff, except for the first few tracks.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
As it is for many debut albums, this is a bit rough around the edges, some good moments, and the lyrics are... well, I can't really remember anything, so they seem forgettable. At least it's recognizable Lenny Kravitz.
Le Tigre
4/5
This was a nice surprise. Don't judge a book (or in this case: album) by its cover. It's a hodgepodge of so many genres and yet, it all fits perfectly together in a way that one can't explain.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Aretha Franklin is a legend, no doubt. However, the production of this recording is not up to the task. The instruments and backing chorus are much too dominant. I tried several sources, and they differed a bit, but in the end, the recordings would be so much better if the focus were on her voice. But even with this flaw, this album is great.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Junk.
Brian Eno
4/5
Eno and Byrne are not my favourite musicians, so I was a bit sceptical. The start was a bit bumpy, but then the album grew on me and I quite enjoyed it. It reminded me of the early records of The Art Of Noise.
The War On Drugs
2/5
Nothing original, everything's "borrowed". The Dylan-esque way of singing, song structures from Springsteen, arrangements from (place your favorite Americana band here).
The Vines
3/5
Not bad, but nothing groundbreaking. Stuff one heard from a gazillion bands during that time.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I think that this was the last Eurodance album by the Pet Shop Boys. Nevertheless, still a good album, catchy tunes and lyrics as always.
Neil Young
3/5
This should be the last Neil Young album (7! in this list) that I had to endure. A +1 for Heart Of Gold, the rest is meh. -1 for his voice and way of singing.
Goldfrapp
4/5
I liked this more than Felt Mountain.
Doves
2/5
Little cousin of Coldplay? Maybe a very distant relative. Production is sometimes a bit weird, as is the songwriting. I can't quite put my finger on it, but more often than not, the parts of a song don't really fit together. Then there are those lengthy intros, sometimes over a minute. This might be okay as background music, but nothing to really listen to.
Love
2/5
Doors rip-offs and a whole side with a bad jam recording.
Joy Division
1/5
Overall, a bad listening experience. Most of the tracks sound similar; if you skip through them, you often hear no difference. The drooling, drowning, monotonous singing makes it even worse.
Elvis Costello
2/5
The other three albums I already listened to on this list were way better and were recorded before this one. Bland, uninteresting, uninspired.
Bob Dylan
2/5
This is the 4th Dylan album (of a total of 7 here) on this list. I don't like his voice, I don't like his harmonica. The rest is ok-ish.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I must have listened to this album hundreds of times in my youth, and I still know most of it by heart. Easily the best Rock Opera/concept album of all time.
Janis Joplin
5/5
My father owned this gem, so I listened to it often at a very young age. Of course, I couldn't understand the lyrics at that time, but the energy of her voice impressed me.
While the music isn't anything I normally listen to, it's simply amazing. And my favourite happens to be the last song she recorded just days before her death: Mercedes Benz.
Madonna
3/5
Generally, a nice experience. Some memorable hits that still work, the rest is not far off, just a filler here and there.
ABBA
5/5
Well, it's ABBA. Perfect '70s disco/pop music. One surprise for me is that Mike Oldfield covered Arrival on QE2. I knew his version like forever, but never suspected it to be an ABBA cover.
N.W.A.
1/5
Never liked this Gangsta rap shit. And the rest is misogynistic trash.
The The
2/5
Quite weird. I don't like the singer's voice, but the music is pretty standard. Boring at times, nothing outstanding IMHO.
Green Day
4/5
This is a fun pop punk album with some great tracks. The rest is still nearly up to par. Enough pop to be accessible, enough punk to reflect the mood of that time. Drumming's great, the guitarwork is not great, but fitting for this kind of music.
2Pac
2/5
Good West Coast G-Funk Hip Hop music, 2Pac's rapping has a flow. The lyrics, on the other hand, are mostly dumb gangsta stuff or immature, misogynistic bs.
The Cure
4/5
One of the Cure records I listened to a lot back in the day. Not my kind of music anymore, but I still can see what attracted me to this back then.
Wilco
2/5
I don't understand the whole fuss about this record. Never heard a single track of this, or if I have, I've totally forgotten about it. Why? I just listened to this record, and I can't remember any details other than that the singer's voice was slightly annoying.
White Denim
3/5
Never heard of them before. Not bad, but '60s sound from an indie band of this millennium is a strange choice.
The Temptations
3/5
Papa was a Rolling Stone is still a banger, even though the album version is nearly 12 minutes long.
The rest is a bit too corny.
Faith No More
4/5
I love this album, but Angel Dust is better. I saw them live, and that was a totally different experience.
Germs
2/5
Punk and Hardcore Punk are not my kind of music, but I must admit that the music was good and well-produced as far as I can tell. Lyrics and vocals, though, are annoying.
Kings of Leon
2/5
As this is no longer in the current book, I'd say it was correct to be removed. The singer's voice is annoying, and the music and production are mediocre at best.
Arcade Fire
2/5
I don't get why this was so highly praised. It's totally overrated. The production is mediocre at best (well, it cost just 10K), especially the vocal production. The female voice doesn't fit well with the male one. There were some disharmonies on several tracks that I doubt were intended. Not one track had me tapping my foot or bopping my head, like The Suburbs (which is no longer in the current version of the book), their third album.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Epic debut album. Every track is a banger. Eddie's vocal delivery is outstanding.
Alice In Chains
4/5
Listening to Alice in Chains' "Dirt" right after Pearl Jam's "Ten." While Dirt is really good (I owned the CD), Ten was IMHO way better.
Mike Oldfield
5/5
This is an easy 5-star for me. I have loved Oldfield's music since I discovered him in the early '80s. Some of his later stuff was not on par by far, but that's another matter.
Tubular Bells is not for listening to in the background while doing chores. It should be experienced intentionally to fully appreciate its brilliance. The original recording has some flaws, which he addressed in a later re-recording—mainly disharmonies and instruments slightly out of tune, along with some technical limitations.
Big Star
2/5
I endured listening to all the tracks, but it wasn't easy. There was no consistency, just some unfinished and unproduced sessions thrown together. It's like catching a fish by hand: you try to grasp it, but it just slips through your fingers.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Much more RnB than I'm used to from the Stones. 2 classics, the rest is okay-ish but nothing groundbreaking.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
The lyrics are in parts ok, but the whole package didn't do anything to me. Not my cup of tea.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
What is this? Honestly, it's not something I'd want to hear again. The singer's over-the-top vibrato and his Dylan-like singing style only made it worse.
Robbie Williams
3/5
A pretty good debut album. I never realized that some of his most well-known songs were on his debut album.
The Kinks
3/5
This is my 4th and last Kinks album on this list, and the oldest. Besides the classics, the rest is ok, nothing really outstanding.
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
Another album, I have no idea why this is on this list. There may be millions of other records that would deserve a place here over this. Heck, most of the records that have been removed from the current book are better than this.
Kanye West
1/5
My second West album. The other one, Yeezus, was worse. Still, I cannot in good conscience give this 2 stars.
Pulp
3/5
This is my 2nd Pulp album. The other one was this album's predecessor, Different Class. I liked that one a tad more, but this is still quite listenable. I won't return for a re-listen.
Stereo MC's
3/5
First of all, on Apple Music, the title track is unavailable with this album. There are other versions on different records, so this can be circumvented. Probably some licensing problem.
Nevertheless, a somewhat nice album, albeit a bit dated IMO. Connected and Step It Up are the obvious bangers here, the rest is not bad, but nothing outstanding.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
My third CCR album here. While Proud Mary is obviously one of their best songs, the rest were not on the same level as the other albums. Without Proud Mary, this would be a 3, but alas, still a 4.
Paul McCartney
3/5
This is a bit tricky. I do like Paul, but this album is too much like an unfinished symphony (what it is, quite literally). If he really liked the stuff, he would've come back at some point to do a finished version of this. So this is more like a kind of therapy thing, something transitional. Important then, but not now. Hence, nothing for this list.
Aerosmith
2/5
I was never a fan of Steven Tyler or Aerosmith. Walk This Way only became a real hit after the Run-D.M.C. cover. The music is standard '70s rock, and the lyrics are mostly abysmal.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I bought this after Give It Away was released. I liked it then, but didn't listen to it often.
In retrospect, the singles were good, and no discussion about Under The Bridge, which is an absolute masterpiece. The rest of this is good regarding the music, but the lyrics are, in parts, juvenile and bad.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Want Two is just an iteration of Want One. Overproduced, annoying singing, and somehow lacks emotion—everything over the top.
Wire
2/5
I don't get the high praise this album has received. Music is bland and repetitive, and so is the "singing". Most of the lyrics are somewhere between nonsensical and meaningless, with very few exceptions.
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
How the times are changing. This is a double album with a total play time of 70 minutes. Today, that would be one of the shorter albums.
Please remember that this double album had to be split into 4 parts, and E.L.O. did that really well. Those tracks fly by so swiftly, as they are written, arranged, and produced so perfectly fitting. It's just a lot of fun listening to this.
Tina Turner
5/5
What a bunch of Tina Turner hits. Those alone justify 5 stars for this album. Ok, it's '80s sound, but come on, it wasn't that bad, and it was my teenage years. Back to Private Dancer: a treasure-trove of well-produced and performed songs, no filler.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Aquilera has a phenomal voice and seems to be able to sing nearly anything. Although I kind of enjoyed listening this double album, everything blends together after some time, not in a bad or boring way, but somehow it's all a bit too much of everything, and you can't distinguish the better parts from the good parts, if that makes any sense.
Roxy Music
3/5
I first heard Roxy Music and Brian Ferry in the end of the '70s / beginning of the '80s, when they released much more mainstream pop music, during the New Wave / New Romantics era. While there is a large gap between that and this album, there are still many similarities. While the early RM sound much more like Bowie or The Talking Heads, Brian Ferry's voice made them indistinguishable. So, back to this album. Much more glam, arty, posh pop punk that I kind of liked. First and last track are outstanding.
Ministry
2/5
Not my cup of tea, this one just droned along in the background. Nothing outstanding that would've perked my ears.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
I somehow like the fusion of british pop and Indian / SE asian music. Most of the time it actually works quite good. This mix also comes with a downside as repetition, like a kind of mantra, is excessively present. You will also find this in the albums of M.I.A. And this gets boring after some time.
Nonetheless, this album is still quite listenable.
Motörhead
2/5
The title track is an obvious banger, but the rest is the same song with different lyrics. Jailbait is absymal, The Chase Is Better than The Catch nearly so.
T. Rex
3/5
I thought that I would like this album more. As it turns out, only Get It On really stood out; the rest was quite uninteresting. There's the typical T. Rex sound and all, but the album as a whole didn't do anything for me. And I usually like Glam Rock- to some extent.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Besides the singer's voice, which reminds me of Neil Young, and not in a good way, this album just didn't reach me in any way. I listened to it and couldn't remember afterwards if I heard the whole thing. So I listened to it a second time, with the same result. That whole thing just slipped by and I didn't even notice the different tracks. Totally unremarkable.
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
So, this was basically a double album trying to tell us that not all Southerners are bad, that Young and LS were actually friends, and Wallace was a bad governor. Not things I care for, and nothing that I had to have heard.
Talk Talk
4/5
I always liked Talk Talk. There are some of their best songs on this album, especially Life's What You Make It.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Since this is no longer on the current list, there is nothing to say here. Still, a downvote for the abysmal cover of Comfortably Numb.
Public Enemy
4/5
Such a strong and genre-defining album. It's excruciating that some topics still exist after decades.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
The beats and the music are ok, the lyrics are between weird and disgusting.
John Lennon
2/5
In the end, it's John & Yoko, again. As a result, it's self-centred and whining about stuff no one is interested in, especially his beef with Paul. I also found this musically uninteresting and quite boring.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Uninteresting, unremarkable, and unrememberable. Did absolutely nothing for me.
The Pharcyde
3/5
It's quite a contrast to the '90s West Coast Gangsta Rap sh*t. It's well produced, has great beats, and very jazzy arrangements. The lyrics are funnier, lighter, and tongue-in-cheek, and not that dark and aggressive bs that usually came with this genre then. They didn't age well, though.
2/5
Nothing of interest for me. I was surprised that this was just 32 minutes long, as it felt longer.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Solid glam rock, but nothing outstanding.
4/5
This is the third Bowie album here. As I said before, I'm not a fan, but Ziggy Stardust is a completely different thing. It is a loose concept album that conveys its message in 38 minutes, which is exceptional. The production is great, although the instruments are sometimes too dominant. Still, it is a classic for a reason.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Costello album number 5. Still one to go. Way too much if you ask me.
This one was musically somewhere between ok and boring. I am a bit undecided regarding the lyrics. Some are quite good, others are a bit quirky, but not in a good way.
Mj Cole
3/5
First of all, this is more UK garage or House than Electronica. Second, the link to Apple Music is to the Deluxe version with an additional 2nd disc, so the originally released album is much shorter.
That said, it's well produced but gets a bit repetitive after some time as the rhythm patterns are mostly the same. However, repetition is a kind of trademark for garage music, so that's not a big surprise here.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
Pretty decent rock album, nothing mind-blowing, in contrast to the mind-blowing fact that the American music magazine Spin judged this to be better than Nirvana's Nevermind.
Eagles
3/5
A bit too much Country Rock for my taste, but endurable. Besides Take It Easy., there's nothing really outstanding on this album.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Incredible album. Incredible voice. Incredible production.
Doves
2/5
Best debut album since Oasis? Nope. Mediocre stuff that has been made dozens of times before and after. Nothing original or surprising, least of all memorable.
Beatles
5/5
Revolver contains many of my favourite Beatles songs, so this is an easy one. And I was today years old when I learned of the massive impact the production of Revolver had on the music industry due to its many new and unique recording and production techniques.
Little Richard
3/5
Unlike other well known artists from the same period, most of these songs were written by or with Richards himself, while others just published now called "cover" versions. On the other hand, music and lyrics were pretty basic and formulaeistic. The outstanding things were the performance by the singer and the band. To sum this up: the music is not the reason this should be included in such a list, but the performance of the artist. And he delivers.
Fugazi
3/5
One of the better debut albums of a post-hardcore band. Felt more original than others in that respect. Still, besides some nuances, the tracks end up sounding extremely similar. Not bad, some parts were even memorable.
Eric Clapton
2/5
It's Clapton, which is bad enough. Then, 7 of the 10 tracks are cover versions. Why is this album on this list?
Soul II Soul
3/5
The title gives it away and proves to be right. The music is flawless, though a bit repetitive. The female vocals are exceptional, but Jazzie B should stick to rapping; his singing is awful.
Mylo
3/5
Never heard of him before. Nice album, solid EDM production, with some nice references to pop and rock classics.
David Bowie
3/5
This is Bowie album number 4, so 5 more to go...
Blackstar got a 2, but this is a bit more coherent IMHO. It somehow drags on, and although it was his first album after a 10-year hiatus, it felt like a farewell album.
Heaven 17
4/5
I know Heaven 17 primarily by their second album The Luxury Gap, which I owned back then and still think is a brilliant album. I didn't know that Heaven 17 (and B.E.F.) was founded by former Human League members. No wonder some tracks remind me of early HL records. They continued their social and political criticism, and there is currently an astonishingly similar thing going on between the BBC and the US, as when the first single of this album was banned by BBC Radio 1, claiming that the record libeled Ronald Reagan.
So, back to the album at hand. I like that synth sound, and it's less New Wave than Post-Punk-Pop-Synth music. A bit edgy and too much relying on the Linn drum machine (which sounds quite weird today, but was the thing back then).
Funkadelic
3/5
Funk rock still works, and this album has its ups and downs. Overall, not bad.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
This album definitely belongs on this list. Chapman is a phenomenal singer-songwriter. Extraordinary voice, excellent lyrics, simple music that emphasizes her voice and her message.
Sepultura
2/5
Nothing I would ever want to hear again. The second and last Sepultura album.
I can't relate to this kind of music; it's just fast kick drums, fast riffs, and screaming. And all sounds the same at some point.
Ice T
3/5
Gangsta rap is not my thing. The album had some good moments, but it was too long in the end. Other than that, nothing really bad.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Well, it was okay-ish. I heard of her before, but I can't recall anything released by her. It didn't connect with me, and if you're amazed that she wrote that at 18, Morissette's Jagged Little Pill was recorded when she was merely 20.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
This was too long, and somehow - despite the changes of style and genre - all very similar. Maybe the idea of developing a song while recording it isn't the best way to create something unique.
The Lemonheads
2/5
Generic '90s indie pop with no grit nor flesh.
Big Black
1/5
American punk junk. It is hard to believe that this is considered one of the greatest albums of the '80s.
Well, I thought, at least it's just 37 minutes long. As it turns out, it felt much, much longer.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
I didn't like Blur, but I love the Gorillaz, so not all projects where Damon takes part are bad.
But then we've got The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Somehow, he managed all tracks to sound actually alike.
KISS
2/5
In my early teens, I was a big Kiss fan. Well, listening to this made me aware that their main talent was the show, not the music.
Jethro Tull
4/5
What an epic album. Truly enjoyed this one.
Metallica
4/5
I had some Metallica albums in my youth, in my metal phase, but I don't think that I had Master Of Puppets, although I know some tracks. Well produced, fast and aggressive, good riffs and solos. This is not my genre anymore, but I can enjoy it sometimes, and this album would definitely one of my choices.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Too weird, too long, too boring.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Another '80s alternative rock band. Not standouts, gets boring quite fast.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Industrial is definitely not my kind of music. Hurt stands out, especially because I only knew Johnny Cash's cover version, not realizing that the original was by NIN.
The Pretty Things
3/5
Can't say much about the concept part of the album, as the songs didn't really kept me listening. The music is pretty much standard late '60s psych rock. Didn't do much for me, but it wasn't bad.
Aerosmith
3/5
Not bad for an Aerosmith album. The lyrics are what you would expect from Steven Tyler. Corny, obnoxious, terrible, cheesy, you name it. Except Janie's Got A Gun. That one is really a highlight.
4/5
Excellent album with quite a few bangers on it. Never get tired of listening to Wanderwall.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Nope.
The Smiths
3/5
As with Meat Is Murder, the music's fine, but Morrissey just wrecks it for me.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Well, well, well. Let's say that I was glad when the music finally stopped. Weird and boring at the same time.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Although this is not my genre, there are some good beats and riffs. Overall, it's still quite boring.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Britpop again. I knew the name, but nothing they released. After listening to this record, I can say for sure that if I've ever heard a song by them, it was not memorable. The same goes for this record. No real standouts, nothing memorable. Just the feeling that I've heard similar songs before. And there we have it. This is not especially bad or such, it just lacks originality.
Dr. Dre
2/5
The beats and riffs are good; one can recognize Dr. Dre's signature even in his debut album. The colab with Snoop adds the cherry on top. And then, all goes down with the lyrics. Gangsta, misogynistic, and homophobic, as most of the lyrics from this era are.
Queen
5/5
Back in the days, this wasn't one of my favorite Queen albums, although I had all of them. Killer Queen and Now I'm Here were always some of my favorite songs. Now, after decades of not listening to this album, I can appreciate it much more for its spectrum of styles and genres.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Not bad for Afrobeat, especially as a live recording. Lengthy most of the time, but not boring.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Just another Country music album. Nothing special or noteworthy.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
I have no idea why this is on this list. There is nothing unique or outstanding about this.
New Order
3/5
Some stuff by New Order / Joy Division is quite good, and some is crap. This one sounds like a merge of The Cure and the older New Order stuff. Not bad, but nothing overwhelming.
The White Stripes
3/5
Seven Nation Army is epic, no doubt about that. The rest of the album is refreshingly reduced and sometimes minimalistic. No sound of wall or overproduction. Clear and crisp.
Rush
3/5
Nice prog rock album. The behemoth 2112, whose story seems to be based on an Ayn Rand novella, is a bit controversial for me because of the Rand connection. The second side is a good listen, typical Rush style.
Bee Gees
2/5
This was surprisingly bland.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
I'm a bit torn that live recordings were overdubbed in the studio, which makes the whole point of a live album meaningless. This feels like betrayal.
PJ Harvey
2/5
PJ Harvey 3 of 4. Still don't get the high praise. It has its moments, but most of it is just meh.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Funky, a bit repetitive, nothing mind-blowing.
MGMT
3/5
Not on the current list anymore, so I pass this one.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Phenomenal album, excellent song-writing and storytelling. That's the Springsteen I like most. His big hits are great, too, but this is just a man and his guitar and a 4-track recorder, telling sad stories about the lives and stories of people that weren't so lucky in their lives.
Elvis Presley
2/5
One original song, the rest are just covers, and not the best ones, to be frank. In retrospect, Presley was more about the performance than about the music. Well, he brought R'n'B and R'n'R into the mainstream by whitewashing it.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
Never was a Skynyrd fan, nor of that gruesome Southern Rock. Ok, this is a debut album, but highly praised for the musical prowess and especially the guitar solos. I found most of that quite boring, simple, and repetitive, especially the end of Free Bird. And on top of it all, this obnoxious southern attitude.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Rod has a remarkable voice, but it's too "thin", if that makes sense to you. Then, this album consists mainly of covers, and not very good ones. This might have worked 10 or 20 years earlier, but not in the '70s.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Slow country is boring.
Buzzcocks
2/5
Early British punk rock, with a little hint of Malcom McLaren and a whiff of The Ramones.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
I must admit that I liked this more than I thought I would. I've never heard of them, but there are some artsy twists in this punk stuff that I liked.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Not my favourite Springsteen album, but still good.
Tom Waits
3/5
This is my 5th Tom Waits album here. This is, like Nighthawks, quite listenable and not as challenging as, say, Swordfishtrombones. Never realised that he wrote Jersey Girl that sounds so much like other Springsteen songs. There is some similarity betweeen Waits and Springsteen, I guess.
Linkin Park
4/5
Great debut album, not one track that doesn't work for me.
I don't understand why this album was removed from the current book listing.
The Waterboys
3/5
This wasn't that bad as I thought. Despite its folksy vibes, it was somehow okay-ish. And if you keep to the original release, it's just CD1, and below an hour in length. That's ok.
Beck
4/5
This had a refreshing variety of genres, all of which were somehow merged while still being coherent in a way.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Some songs are a bit lengthy, but nonetheless good. No real fails on this album, but some classic songs.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
My third of four Joni Mitchell albums on this list. This was also a pleasant listen, with some more experimentation that would ultimately lead to the successor Hejira, which I found difficult to listen to.
Deep Purple
5/5
Child In Time would justify 5 stars alone; the rest is not on par, but not far behind.
Simply Red
4/5
I always liked Simply Red, though I never owned a record. To realize that I know (and like) half of the songs from their debut album was a surprise for me.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
There are some Punk bands that I like, although it's not my usual kind of music (anymore). I've never heard of this band or any of their songs. It's okay-ish, though nothing remarkable or memorable.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I had to listen to this before, and the second time didn't change my opinion. I have no idea why this is so much praised. Lou Reed and his heroin trips' outpour are as bad as Nico's awful German accent.
The Monkees
4/5
Never listened to a Monkees album before. It's a lot of fun and a surprise for me that Mistadobalina was actually based on Zilch.
Turbonegro
2/5
I don't get the hype. Totally overrated.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Musically, not bad, just not my thing. Droned on in the background until I realised that I was way past the original 9 tracks, so nothing really interesting for me here.
Roni Size
2/5
I usually like Electronica and DnB to some extent. But this was way too long and too repetitive, even for Electronica.
Barry Adamson
1/5
Another album of the kind of: why is this something that I have to listen to before I die? Because it definitely isn't.
Lou Reed
2/5
The music and lyrics are good and fitting for the concept of this album. Production is fine, I just don't like Reed's voice, his music, or VU.
Gene Clark
2/5
Uninteresting country music.
Talking Heads
3/5
I bought this record when Once In a Livetime became a hit. Revisiting now, I kind of remember that the rest of the album was not bad for me then, but nothing I would regularly listen to. This changed a bit; I like some TH now and then. Eno's not my favorite producer, but he fits TH quite well.
Nick Drake
3/5
Well, another English singer-songwriter. I've heard worse; the minimalistic approach works to a certain degree. The guitarplay is not bad, but not outstanding, and so is his singing. His voice isn't what I would call pleasant, but that's on me.
James Brown
3/5
It's James Brown, what else is there to say? Actually, quite a few things. First of all, it's a live recording, and a bad one. Then, there's the audience. Some like it, some find it annoying. I tend to be in the latter group. And then there's the band. Am I the only one noticing that they are not always in tune with JB? There are several sections where part of the brass is slightly out of tune, and I don't think that this is intentional.
Britney Spears
4/5
Although this album is no longer in the current edition of the book, it still deserves a spot in my opinion. This album had a tremendous influence on pop music back then. Sure, it's a pure commercial product, and the producers and Britney delivered an iconic product. The lyrics are, from today's view, in most parts way too cringy. But they're not important; the way Britney delivers them is.
CHIC
4/5
As with Risque, this is pure disco. Le Freak is one of those classic disco tunes everybody knows. All other tracks, even the slower ones, are nearly as good as Le Freak.
Muddy Waters
4/5
I don't think that there's a record that's more blues than this. One would place this somewhere in the '50s, but not in the midst of the Disco era.
Of course, many songs sound similar; the blues is based on a few basic riffs and rhythms, and the rest is the singing and the improvisations/solos.
Steely Dan
2/5
Most of the Steely Dan stuff is nothing that I'd listen to on purpose, and this album no exception. I find this extremely artificial, clean, polished, nearly sterile.
Don McLean
3/5
The title track is an all-time classic; the rest is the typical Americana music from that time, reminding me of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
A few days ago, I had Muddy Waters' Hard Again here on this list. As The Healer, Hard Again was a later album by that artist, and that was a real Blues album. This one is a much more modernized, but also soft-washed version of Blues, and not to its benefit.
The Smiths
3/5
As with the other Smiths albums here, music and lyrics are ok, but not Morissey, albeit his voice isn't as bad as on the other records.
Sugar
3/5
Hüsker Dü had some good records, but nothing I would revisit intentionally. Copper Blue is much more to my liking. It has the right mix of some of the music styles of that time. A bit Nirvana, some R.E.M., maybe AiC or Soundgarden, and several others. That said, I never heard of them before or any of the titles, besides the closing track, Man on the Moon, though I didn't know the band behind that title. A strong 3, but not quite a 4.
Grateful Dead
1/5
This was boring and sometimes even hurtful to listen to. Too incoherent, too long, too uninteresting. I still listened to this live album till the end. A big NO.
Little Simz
3/5
I didn't know her. This was actually quite a nice listen. Nice beats and rhythms, a broad range in style. Better than most current rap or hip hop.
Peter Frampton
3/5
Another live album that doesn't deserve a place on this list. Sure, Frampton is a good guitar player, and the solos are quite good, but not ground-shaking. The music is fine, the lyrics and singing are just an adornment.
Elliott Smith
3/5
About 400 days since my last Elliott Smith album appeared on this list. The general perception and the dark mood haven't really changed, although the instrumentation has been extended and the music is much more complex. I'm not sure about the Beatles' influence (due to the Abbey Road Studios), as I was more reminded of Art Garfunkel and the like (but in some kind of depressive state).
Jane Weaver
3/5
This is usually my kind of music. But somehow it didn't really work for me. The music is too flat in a way, the spectrum is too narrow. Sometimes I was reminded of Stereolab (which is usually a good thing), but her voice didn't really fit there, either.
Destiny's Child
4/5
Excellent production, great voices and harmonies, the music is surprisingly broad in style. The lyrics vary between powerful, silly, and even cringy. Nevertheless, some really great tracks, and the rest is not much behind. Didn't listen to the Gospel medley, as it wasn't available on Apple Music.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
I've never heard of them before. I expected the usual Alternative/Grunge stuff and was positively surprised—a concept album, interesting lyrics, well-written songs, and a good production.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Not another live album. And a double album nonetheless. First LP consists only of covers, while the second one bloats the studio version of a song (5 minutes) to a 22 minutes monster. Those are jam sessions. While I do like some improvs or extended solos, this is way to much. And definitely nothing I nead to hear before I die.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
My fourth Springsteen album on this list (of 5). This sits between Born To Run and Nebraska, in regard to the time it was released and how I rate it. Good storytelling and songwriting, you can feel the hope and despair, the love and the hate, the desire and the frustration in the music, his words, and his voice.
OutKast
3/5
The concept is a bit strange, but you can see where their collaboration came from. The first part worked better for me, the second one just in parts, particularly up to Hey Ya!.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
And once again, an album I have no idea how this could end on this list. Boring, meandering storytelling, nothing remotely memorable (besides the boredom).
Beastie Boys
4/5
Beastie Boys at their best. Excellent production, the samples are excellent, the beats are great, and their vocal delivery is on point in their own, very recognizable way.
Bon Jovi
4/5
Ok, it's dated. The production isn't the best, the sound feels somehow flat. Their hits still work, and the rest of the album is not far behind, if you're just looking for some fun.
Randy Newman
2/5
There is the thing that many Newman songs are a bit formulaic. Then there are his lyrics that often counterpoint the mood of the music. This is definitely an album that may had its place in the '70s, but not today. I understand the motivation behind the lyrics, but it is highly inappropriate now, regardless of the intention.
Steve Earle
1/5
No. Generic Country music. Just bad.
Ice Cube
3/5
This wasn't actually that bad. I expected more of that stupid Gangsta stuff. Yes, still a lot of anger and violence, but one has to see it in the context of the '92 L.A. riots.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Finally, my last PJ Harvey album on this list. This is slightly better than Rid Of Me, though its theme is quite dark and somewhat depressing.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
It was as bad as I expected.
Eurythmics
4/5
I bought the album back then, but I haven't listened to it for ages. Typical Eurythmics sound, an astonishingly good production if you think about their equipment. I still think that most of the tracks are quite good.
Shack
2/5
Bland '90s Brit pop. Nothing new or outstanding. Heard similar a gazillion times before.
Ozomatli
3/5
It was quite and ordeal to find a version of the album that was close to the original. I ended up on YT with some tracks replaced by live versions.
But that's primarily not the fault of this list or the artists.
Ok, back to the album: I kind of liked it, although this is usually not my kind of music.
The Crusaders
3/5
The title track is an absolute classic and a banger; the rest is jazzy funk or funky jazz, depending on the way you see it. Not bad, but nothing I would listen to intentionally.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Not bad, but I liked their 3rd album, It's Blitz!, more. This is a bit more on the Punk side. Still, not bad.
Prince
3/5
My first (of 3 on this list) Prince album. Not my favourite, my last Prince album that I bought back then was Parade. Still, the title track is iconic, and the rest of the album is quite good, although it drags a bit to the end.
Bee Gees
2/5
This is slightly better than Trafalgar, but still nothing memorable.
Q-Tip
3/5
Nothing really outstanding, but it was a nice experience.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
This is not as bad as its predecessor, but still...
Pretty generic Brit Rock, nothing outstanding.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Never heard of them before, nothing outstanding. This is all a bit dull, some '80s guitar pop, reminding me a bit of Echo & The Bunnymen, but the singing is uninspired and tiring.
Lambchop
2/5
I listened to it and can't remember a thing, besides that it was quite boring.
Beck
2/5
I never had a thing for Beck; he just doesn't work for me. Although this album is a bit different, it still didn't leave any impression on me. It was ok-ish, but that's it.
Liz Phair
2/5
Her singing voice, especially in the lower regions, is abysmal. And she's doing that a lot on this album. I had a hard time getting through this one.
The Sonics
2/5
Some '50/60s standards mixed with a few originals. A kind of shouty and aggressive garage rock, unusual for that time period. But overall, nothing really outstanding or groundbreaking that I absolutely had to listen to before I die.
The Jam
3/5
It was ok, nothing really remarkable for me besides the last song on this album, which I heard before, and I kind of liked more than the rest.
Ray Charles
2/5
IMHO, this doesn't work well for Charles's vocal talent. Some Big Band swing standards with debatable lyrics and no real vocal challenge. Mediocre music leads to mediocre singing. He could do way better.
Coldcut
4/5
People Hold On with Lisa Stansfield is possibly the one hit most people remember, but not the band Coldcut. To be forced to listen to this on YT was not a nice experience, as there is definitely a loss of sound quality. Then, as I have now discovered, there is quite a difference between the UK and the US release. The UK version contained the well-known Doctorin' the House featuring The Plastic Population & Yazz. The US version included "Not Paid Enough," a version of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid in Full" mixed by Coldcut, which was a massive global hit in 1987.
Rod Stewart
3/5
This is way better than Gasoline Alley. His voice is working better on this album, and the "abrasive" backing vocals really do a good job supporting him. There's a bit too much Country music in here for my taste, but it seems to work for him.
The Zombies
3/5
Besides Time of the Season, which is a total standout and a classic, the album is just the usual '60s sound, a mix of The Beatles, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, and others.
Bobby Womack
3/5
I can appreciate the quality of music and production, but this is not my usual kind of music.
The Human League
5/5
Wanted to give this 4 stars before listening to this after so many years. Then I realized that I knew all of the tracks and loved most of them then and now.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Nice album, I like her voice. As usual for that time, cover versions of various hits of that time. Not bad, but nothing outstanding enough for this album to deserve a place here.
The Verve
4/5
I'm not a big fan of BritRock from that time; there were some good songs, but most of it somehow blurs (pun intended) into one another. The Verve stands out a bit for their broad, sometimes symphonic touch, with Bittersweet Symphony as the pinnacle. The restof the album holds up to this as well.
5/5
I honestly don't understand the hate for U2 and Bono in particular, and that this leads to dismissing this excellent album. It is extremely well written, performed, and produced. The buildup is phenomenal, starting with one of the best intros I've heard. Some criticize the second half of the album as being weaker or dragging a bit. I believe that this was intentional, and it fits perfectly with the overall concept of the album. For me, not one track is a miss.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
This sounds more like a mix of Fat Boy Slim and The Prodigy. Not bad, but nothing outstanding.
The Streets
2/5
This was both boring and unnerving, if that makes any sense. But the record doesn't, either.
Beatles
5/5
Naturally, this must be a 5, no doubt about that. There are so many of my favourite Beatles songs on it, and there is such a variety of styles while still recognizable as Beatles. There are a few tracks, Revolution 9, for example, that weren't meant to be "hits," but they served a purpose on this album.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Finally! One of my favourite albums that I still listen to regularly. Besides the obvious bangers and all-time classics, this is such a well-executed production, and, along with the songwriting and excellent instrumentation, it forms a true gem in pop music history. Although intended to be commercially successful (which it definitely was), they still managed to be more explorative musically and honest and direct lyrically. They were able to reproduce this quality even live, which can be heard at the end of Head over Heels/Broken (one of my favourites!). They used a live recording with a cheering crowd (this is no simple studio overdub!), and you do not notice the transition from the studio recording to the live band.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Never realized that so many hits by RHCP were on this album. Overall, a cool experience, no real misses.
Culture Club
4/5
I'm not quite sure but I think that I bought this album back then. Surprised that I know so many tracks from this album. On the other hand, several tracks sound quite similar, but not the boring way. +1 for its culture impact in that decade.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Nope
Dr. John
2/5
I'm not sure what this was, but I didn't like it.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
This is practically the definition of Goth-rock. Liked it then and still do.
John Cale
2/5
While much better than other stuff Cale has released, it's still boring and somehow unambitious.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I don't get the high ratings—boring, unremarkable, nothing memorable, generic synth pop rock.
Giant Sand
1/5
This is not on the current list anymore, so I'll skip this review and just rate.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Psychedelic rock. The sound is right, but the music is just meh. Too much usage of substances?
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I understand that many people would overlook the flaws of this double album because of Hendrix's musical prowess. Besides the mostly forgettable lyrics, several tracks just serve the purpose of letting Jimi jam. I still can see the necessity of this album being on this list, but it isn't a 5.
Al Green
3/5
Funny thing that RAYE just released her new Album with a song featuring Al Green. His voice has changed a lot in these 54 years since the release of this recording, but it is still recognizable as Al Green.
Ok, back to this album. Opener is an all-time classic that many of us know, regardless of the decade in which we were born.
The rest of the album is in par with that track. Soul's not my favorite kind of music, but I like to listen to it once in a while.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Forgettable. Listened to it an hour ago and can't remember a thing.
The Byrds
2/5
Finally, the fifth and last Byrds album on this list. Nearly all tracks are covers of country songs or played in country style. I don't particularly like The Byrds or Country music, so it's a bad combination for me. The other 4 albums were better, but to be fair, I can't give this just 1 star.
Kanye West
2/5
Never liked him, nor his music. Production is mediocre at best, and if intended, didn't work. Most of the lyrics are the way you'd expect from this kind of music, and I still detest it. There were some short, quite good parts, mostly when other artists were performing, so no credit to Ye.
Massive Attack
5/5
Still a fan of MA, so an easy 5 stars for this one.
Pere Ubu
1/5
This was slightly better than their previous album, because it's 1 minute shorter.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Never liked Marilyn Manson, absolute trash.
Wild Beasts
2/5
The falsetto parts were annoying, the rest was okay-ish.
The Saints
3/5
Solid punk rock, but nothing outstanding. I hear some of The Ramones, The Clash, and even a bit of The Cure.
Slade
3/5
I knew that Slade was pretty long in the game before their MTV-driven success in the mid-'80s. This was more like The Who or the Stones combined with Glam rock. Nice, but nothing breathtaking.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Finally, the last Costello album on this list. And all sound the same, somehow. This is his second album, so a bit more on the lower end.
Dolly Parton
2/5
I'm not a Country fan, so not much in it for me here. Beautiful harmonies, but it all sounded a bit uninspired, but that's most Country music for me.
Fairport Convention
3/5
This was far better than their first album. Although folk is not my favourite music (anymore), I can appreciate a good production and musical artistry.
Norah Jones
4/5
Nice album, liked her back then. Timeless music, laid back and somehow soothing and relaxing, just at the brink of boring.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Joplin delivers a raw and mesmerizing performance, and although it's a studio recording (except Ball and Chain), it feels very much like a live recording.