There's a lot going on here. The music itself is dense but very enjoyable. An easy 4 on its own. The vocals, on the other hand, were shrill to the point of distraction and annoyance at points. Would love to listen to a fully instrumental version of this.
Pre-1001 Generator I would have guessed that I wouldn't like this album because I'm not really into metal. Now I can confidently say metal isn't my favorite but it's not without its positives. Still searching for the positives in this one. Can't believe they got Ice Cube on this.
3.5 That was an interesting first listen. It started off with “Oh, ska. Nice!” and ended with “Wait wtf just happened?” It felt like a trip that started out all nice and fun and ended in a weirdly scary place. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. I'm a sucker for horns.
3.5 I feel like I need a little more time to sit with this one to decide if it really deserved a 4. I listened to only the original track listing for the rating (there’s stuff from an album released posthumously on the Spotify link). What’s Wrong, Dreamer, and Pacific Ocean Blues are new to me bangers. The beginning of Friday Night sounds like the beginning of It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.
1.5 I can’t believe I listened to that whole thing. I like his voice and I can tell everyone on here is good at their instrument. It was painful, but I think that’s the point. Not all of the tracks were tough (Ella Guru, Sweet Sweet Bulbs, and Sugar N’ Spikes were legitimately enjoyable) but I can’t get above 1.5 considering the remaining hour.
It seems a little ridiculous to give the first of 1001 albums a perfect score, but if this isn’t a 5 what is? Not a truly bad song in the bunch. The worst songs on her would be at least above average on most others. Here Comes the Sun and I Want You are tops. I immediately started it again after the last track ended.
Really cohesive and easy to listen to all the way through without noticing how quickly the time is passing. A lot of familiarity with the beats suggests that it’s heavily sampled, which is not surprising given how catchy it is. Can’t help but make the funk face and bob your head.
Gotta be honest, hate that this isn’t on Spotify. Made it difficult to listen to straight through/get a feel for the album as a whole. While I already knew I found Neil Young’s voice annoying, I really like quite of few of his songs. I was surprised at how much his voice stuck out to me here and how much it diminished my enjoyment of this album. My My, Hey Hey and vice versa are good but the rest was a slog.
A completely fine album. I listened through once and barely remembered any of it (except Highway Star, but that could be Guitar Hero nostalgia). I thought maybe I wasn't paying enough attention so I started listening through again. Two hours was too much for a full second listen but I am unmoved. Also, I’m not sure how I feel about listening to a live recording when I’m not familiar with the studio version. I like to compare. Maybe one day I will listen to the studio cuts of the new to me songs. I have a feeling this band is better live (guitar solos, etc.)
3.5 This album made me really want half stars. I thought Mothership Connection could have been a 4.5 but was fine putting it at 4. Now this deserves to be somewhere between Made in Japan and that. I’ve made the formal decision to round halves down and mentally move Mothership Connection to 4.5 retroactively) As for an actual review, I am an uncultured swine and sorry I can’t understand the lyrics. Very interesting groove to the whole thing and I really love their voices. The second half (Wayei and on) made me want to bother with that whole half star thing.
Another perfectly fine album. If every track was as good as Foreplay/Long Time it would be a 4. This is the first album I expected to rate higher before listening to it. More Than A Feeling is overrated (or at least overplayed)
This is my first album so far that got better on successive listens. At first a thought “there was a time in my life when this would have been a solid 4 for me” but was going to give it a 3. Ended up looping it all day and it really grew on me. Still Take You Home is a highlight.
Faith the track is a 4, but it’s only a few minutes of nearly an hour. I had never listened to the rest so I had high hopes but I wasn’t as impressed.
Surprisingly country/bluesy, though I admittedly haven’t heard much of their discography that wouldn’t appear on a greatest hits album, I was expecting something harder. Sympathy for the Devil is a great song and Factory Girl is a new-to-me goodie.
3.5 I feel like I need a little more time to sit with this one to decide if it really deserved a 4. I listened to only the original track listing for the rating (there’s stuff from an album released posthumously on the Spotify link). What’s Wrong, Dreamer, and Pacific Ocean Blues are new to me bangers. The beginning of Friday Night sounds like the beginning of It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.
3.5 I started this at basically the same time as my best friend and husband and this is the first album that any two of us have gotten. I thought it was good and appreciate the context it was released in, it’s just not my jam.
4.5 Another album full of bangers that I probably never would have discovered but for this project. Also super excited to get some more stuff that isn't classic rock or adjacent. Eclectic is the perfect word to describe the album as a whole, almost to the point that it feels disjointed. Regardless, I have a feeling most of these tracks will make it into my regular rotation. Angryman and Sky Holds the Sun are immediate favorites.
This was not as bad as I feared it would be, as I was expecting more metal, but it’s still not my jam. Photograph was the high point and not great. Slightly curious to know if I was wrong about Def Leppard being harder or if this was a weird time for them.
3.5 I’ve never listened to The Smiths and I truly cannot decide if I like Morrissey's voice. It took a second listen to hear much of anything else and a third to realize how bizarrely dark the lyrics are. I love the music either way.
1.5 I have a feeling there’s something I’m supposed to “get” about this, but I’m definitely not getting it. Many cool instrumental parts but also a lot of weird sections. More importantly, this guy’s voice and delivery are brutal. Feels like endless samples of Christopher Walken talking.
3.5 Weird and funky in the exact ways I like it. Quite a few bizarre choices and the whole album didn’t flow together as much as I would have hoped but I feel like this one will grow on me over time.
I am quite surprised to find myself enjoying a punk album. Not my favorite thing I’ve ever listened to, but I didn’t find any of it offensive and even liked a few tracks. That’s a feat for me in this genre.
What a find. This feels like the good angel to Johnny Cash’s bad angel (who is one of only a handful of country artists I would have said I really liked before starting this project). Marty is on the list! Can’t wait to listen to more of his stuff.
RZA is the king. Surprised I haven’t heard this before considering how much I love 36 Chambers.
I can appreciate that they’re doing something unique here, but that doesn’t mean I like it or really understand what’s going on.
I was tempted to give this a 5 as soon as I saw it because I am a sucker for Muse, but I listened through quite a few times today to make sure I wasn't being biased. Turns out I was. I still love all of the tracks I already have in my regular rotation, but the rest of it didn't excite me as much as I remembered.
4.5 The whole world has heard Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button To Button but I think they deserve the hype. In The Cold, Cold Night has been a favorite of mine for a while as well. Happy to have discovered Black Math and Ball and Biscuit today.
3.5 That was an interesting first listen. It started off with “Oh, ska. Nice!” and ended with “Wait wtf just happened?” It felt like a trip that started out all nice and fun and ended in a weirdly scary place. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. I'm a sucker for horns.
Two Specials in a row. I think this dampened my review of this one (with the only Specials song I’ve heard before). It’s likely just as good as the one before, but I’m feeling less excited. Too much ska is definitely a thing.
4.5 This is only the second album of 25 that I was very familiar with prior to starting this project. While critics would disagree, I liked 19 more than this. She has an amazing voice nonetheless. One and Only, Take It All, and Don't You Remember are great and didn't get the play they deserved.
I’ve never really listened to Grateful Dead. First impression: I’m pleased this isn’t super long. Overall, I didn’t hate it but it didn’t excite me in any way. Truckin’ is pretty cool though.
Music was fine, but I had such a hard time finding a way to play through the whole album. Probably lost half a star just for that (petty I know). Will revisit with more patience one day.
Elton really set himself up opening with Tiny Dancer. Definitely a top 5 Elton track. Levon is pretty good but the rest of the album was not as enjoyable as I expected.
I appreciated this bad boy more after reading the context and it started off much stronger than it finished but overall fairly enjoyable.
I’m far from a metal fan but I was pleased by how inoffensive this was.
3.5 Started off in solid male Carole King territory, got a little weird in the middle, and finished off nice and poppy again. 90 minutes is a bit too long but overall pretty fun.
4.5 I am quite certain that there is a lot I don’t understand about jazz, but that was a great listen through and through.
2.5 A little gothy, but I think that’s mostly because of her voice. I enjoyed the beginning of the album but felt it got a little tired at the end. Not the worst thing I’ve heard by far.
I like the horns all over the place, but Karma Chameleon is really the only above average track.
Despite never hearing of this dude, this album sounds familiar in a good way. Quite a few bangers. Looking forward to more listens as I feel it may move up.
I hated just about every second of that. The best thing about the album is that it’s only 20 minutes long.
What a treat. An hour forty-five is way too long but I’m really loving the more traditional sounding stuff on disk two so I’m not sorry it’s there.
2.5 Second Megadeath album on my journey and sadly it was not as good as the first. I am realizing there are parts of metal I appreciate though.
4.5 This is the first album I've discovered through this project that I wish was longer. The storytelling is obviously a highlight but the instrumental tracks are really just as good
It feels like I am supposed to like this more than I do. First few tracks hit nice. By the end it felt more pretentious than ambitious. I don't get the hype but I didn't hate it.
A medieval canticle? Demonic children’s music? What were they on when they put this together? Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it though.
Deliciously stupid and incredibly fun. Rock Lobster is a 5 and Planet Claire is close behind.
I was already familiar with a number of the tracks on here and didn't realize until I got back to the beginning that I didn't catch one clunking filler track.
1.5 The first few tracks were a true test of my patience. The second two thirds was better, but not by much. It felt like weirdly discordant electronica and not at all my style. Not as unpleasant as Minor Threat though.
I wouldn't call this groundbreaking in any way, but it was really enjoyable. The only song I had heard before was Alright, which still hits, but Mansize Roof, Time, and Sofa of My Lethargy are even better.
I am quite conflicted about this one. He seems personally abhorrent, but my general policy is not to knock art for that (though I'd hesitate to put money in his pocket). He is an amazing musician and I love this genre, but most of these songs (the best ones) are not his and his versions aren't particularly transformative. Also, I am generally not a fan of live recordings. All that being said, I can't stop listening to this, so I will settle at a 4.
3.5 I'm a sucker for a good harmony but 2.5 bangers out of 12 tracks does not a masterpiece make.
The Queen is Dead has moved up in my ranking since I reviewed it earlier in this endeavor. Now I know that I like The Smiths more than I like Morrissey. Still not sure if I like his voice.
There is a LOT happening here. Not every track is a banger but none of it is bad. Much better than I was expecting based on my limited experience with Elvis Costello
I was starting to feel a little silly getting 50 albums in and giving only one 5 (my first album, Beatles), but here it is. Each track is different but the whole doesn't feel disjointed. What a pleasure.
In a sense, that’s exactly what I expected an hour long demo from a man on a comedown from a nervous breakdown to sound like. Seems like it would have been a good album if it was edited.
3.5 Excellent beats and flow but the lyrics leave a lot to be desired. The first listen where I wasn’t paying much attention to them was the best run through.
1.5 I can’t believe I listened to that whole thing. I like his voice and I can tell everyone on here is good at their instrument. It was painful, but I think that’s the point. Not all of the tracks were tough (Ella Guru, Sweet Sweet Bulbs, and Sugar N’ Spikes were legitimately enjoyable) but I can’t get above 1.5 considering the remaining hour.
Nice, tight, and full of bangers. Pretty same-y but it’s so short that it doesn’t rub me the wrong way. Chooglin’ might be my new favorite word and, like other commenters, I heard “voulez” all through Bootleg.
2.5 I have been putting off rating this one because I've tried to get into it a few times over a few days and kept leaving halfway through with "sad and boring". I finally got through it all and this is where I am landing but I am wiling to try again in the future. A Minor Place is dope.
Before listening I was familiar with the name LCD Soundsystem and nothing else. They were older and less electronic in my head. I read a review here that called this "dance music that you can't dance to". That sums up about half the album perfectly. If they had cut that out, you'd have a normal length perfectly fine album.
Again, I find it hard to fairly rate a live album when I am not very familiar with the original recordings. The Ecstasy of Gold and The Call Of Ktulu made me really excited for the remaining two hours. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy myself that much again until the last few tracks. Maybe that's just because I am most familiar with One and Enter Sandman, but maybe there's a reason I am familiar with them. Those few tracks were solid 4s but the middle 90 minutes brings it down to a 3.
There's a lot going on here. The music itself is dense but very enjoyable. An easy 4 on its own. The vocals, on the other hand, were shrill to the point of distraction and annoyance at points. Would love to listen to a fully instrumental version of this.
3.5 Beautiful piano and an interestingly haunting voice. Definitely a little Kate Bush-esque, but if that’s the worst thing you can say about an album you’re in great shape and good company.
More punk than I was expecting, which is not my favorite genre. Didn't love the probably purposefully low production quality, but other than that nothing stuck out as terrible. Just not my bag.
Starting an album with Peter Piper, It's Tricky, My Adidas, and Walk This Way is ballsy. The rest of the album certainly isn't bad but it's a little samey and pales in comparison.
3.5 I was expecting to like this more than I did based on what I knew of the Pixies before starting this project. Very happy to have discovered Is She Weird but the back end of the album really dragged on.
I hear a lot of interesting instruments here but this is a perfect example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should".
3.5 I haven't listened to R.E.M. much beyond the greatest hits, but I was pleasantly surprised here. Pretty enjoyable all the way through and not as samey as I was expecting based on the little I knew before. Nice surprise sax in Fireplace and Indian sound in King Of Birds. Exhuming McCarthy is joining the obvious in the regular rotation.
4.5 Funky and enjoyable all the way through. Another one that I just played over and over on loop all day. Beats for days and such an interesting voice
The pros: I like blues and the whole band is crushing it on their respective instruments. The recording also sounds exceptional. The cons: The best parts of this album are standards and none of these versions are the best I've heard. This What'd I Say cover should not exist. Would probably be a 5 if I had never heard the originals.
2.5 I made it a full 50% through this album thinking it might be my first 5 on an album I wasn’t very familiar with before. And then we got to the rap track. What a travesty. It never really recovered after that. Plus, I’m all for eclectic but this was truly all over the place.
4.5 I think I like dad rock now… (Slowly transforms into Tony Soprano driving while dissociating)
Hadn't heard much Jethro Tull beyond this title track before this. It certainly slaps, as does Hymn 43 and Locomotive Breath, and I could listen to the intro on Up to Me on loop for hours. Enjoyable all the way through, including all the flute.
3.5 Second R.E.M. album this week and second time in this project that I've gotten two albums from the same artist very close together. More pop/commercial than Document, which isn't a negative for me, but it feels less impressive so I am going with the same rating.
I am a sucker for this genre and Dusty certainly has a beautiful and iconic voice, but this album falls into to the same category of complaints I had with Jerry Lee Lewis and the Bluesbreakers. It's hard for me to give an album a 5 if I am enjoying a track but thinking of a better version of it.
I am learning that I really dislike that I think intentionally fuzzy sound. Also, while I am generally a big fan of brevity and often criticize albums and songs for being too long, this swings too far in the other direction. Every song feels like an incomplete thought and even ones I am enjoying (A Salty Salute, Game of Pricks) seem to end abruptly. Not a great experience overall.
4.5 This one took a few listens to grow on me as I felt irrational loyalty to the White Stripes, but this is pretty unquestionably just as good if not better. Sixteen Saltines, Freedom At 21, I'm Shakin' (admittedly a cover), and Trash Tongue Talker rip. The finish is a bit weaker but not a clunker to be found.
2.5 This is my second Elliott Smith album and about halfway through this I decided to see what I gave Either/Or. I was shocked to find a 4 because I am finding this guy's voice annoying and didn't note it at all in my first review of him. Maybe that says something about how compelling I found the first album, but this one doesn't hold up for me.
Interesting that most of the criticisms of this album on here reference the length but the current Spotify link pulls a shorter compilation album. I agree with many reviewers that a best of compilation album is not very fair and decided to click over to the 3 hour original. As you can see from my other reviews, I am predisposed to dislike albums much over an hour long and this definitely fits the "way too long" bill. Also, I usually take points off for extensive use of covers, and this is essentially a cover album. At the same time, if aliens came down from space and we needed had to show them what music is and wanted to be sure it wouldn't get us obliterated, we'd have to pick Ella Fitzgerald. Sure, it's old and it's jazz and that's not a lot of people's thing, but she has the greatest voice to ever exist. 5s for all 3 hours!
3.5 I was surprised to see how many reviewers knocked this for the guy’s voice. I am usually very susceptible to focusing on a voice I find grating and decreasing the rating because of it. While his voice isn’t good, I wasn’t distracted by it. Slightly above average album for me. New to Billy Bragg and happy to have discovered Greeting to the New Brunette and The Marriage. Not rating on reissue material but this cover of The Tracks of My Tears was interesting.
Funktastic. I regret being so hesitant to call something a 5 at the beginning of this project because I like Mothership Connection more than this but I am not going to penalize this album for my stinginess two albums into this project. Consider this a post-hoc bump for Parliament too! The intro to Just Like a Baby is transcendent and Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa is hypnotizing.
An arguably perfect pop album from one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Even the most slept-on tracks here (e.g. Way Over Yonder, Smackwater Jack) are beautifully written, performed, and produced. Insta-5.
3.5 Finally, some electronica that's actually meant for dancing. Certainly something that I would prefer listening to in a club than at my desk or in my car, but still a genre I enjoy. Wasn't familiar with the album or artist before this project, and it's fine. More enjoyable in the first half than the second.
3.5 Like most I would imagine, I was familiar with the big hits before listening here. I was disappointed that none of the remaining 10ish tracks excited me as much. Maybe it's because this isn't exactly my genre, but I don't think I will be adding anything else to my playlists.
Never heard of him. I can see why some reviews have referred to this is as background music, but being pleasant to listen to isn't a knock. I am curious but not dying to listen to his other stuff.
Spent my entire first listen recognizing this woman's voice but unable to place it. Then I got to Brass in Pocket, a great song that I am embarrassed I didn't know the title or artist of. Lovely new wave with great vocals and fun instrumentals.
Already knew how much I loved her voice, which is the standout of every track. Musically not that complex and a few of the top tracks are covers, but I could listen to this all day long. Again, easy listening is a positive!
A true neutral for me. Nothing to dislike, but also nothing that really spoke to me. Coyote feels like a good example of Joni Mitchell's sound, but it's not all that exciting. Legitimately surprised this is here.
Again, it feels like I am supposed to like this more than I do. I'm starting to think I just don't like Radiohead, which surprises me based on the albeit few songs I had heard before starting this project. Still don't get the hype, still I don't hate it.
3.5 I am a big Beatles fan, but I am not very familiar with their solo stuff (except for All Things Must Pass, which I love). I had only heard the title track before this listen. I was expecting to like this much more than I did. I guess the band really was greater than the sum of its parts.
Considering my general distaste for punk-y things, I wasn’t too excited to listen to this. I am so happy to be doing this project because I loved it and never would have heard it otherwise. Funky in a weird way and so much interesting instrumentation.
3.5 Short, sweet, and to the point. I like disco but unfortunately the rest of the album can’t hold a candle to Le Freak and I Want Your Love
Her beautiful, hypnotic voice is the best thing about every single track. The hits are bangers, but the album overall is a little samey and I didn't hear a standout track that I hadn't heard a million times on the radio. Nonetheless, enjoyable through and through
One of the most interesting voices I've ever heard, but that was really the most noteworthy part of this album (negative or positive). I'm not a prude by any means but Why'd Ya Do It had both of my eyebrows up by my hairline for six whole minutes
This reminds me of the My Bloody Valentine album I got a while back. Not a ringing endorsement. I didn't have to aggressively power through any tracks, but I was kind of wishing it was over so I could move on to the next one the whole way through.
3.5 I was very young when Garbage was a cool bad to like, but in my mind they were significantly more grungy than this. This album is quite pop-y when you listen to the whole thing. Not surprising it was so successful. Queer and Vow are new to me and going on the playlist. Like the intro to Milk too
3.5 What a trip. Smooth, jazzy space western vibes. Human will be stuck in my head all day.
3.5 Some new-to-me bangers (Mr. Soul, Bluebird, Hung Upside Down) but overall eclectic to the point of disjointed. Starting to wonder if I will come to the same conclusion about CSNY as I have about the Beatles (solo/different groupings stuff just doesn't hit the same).
Perfect music to work to. I know that sounds like a diss, but there is something to be said for something you can loop to carry you through the day. While there's nothing bad on here, Eple and Poor Leno stand out as especially good.
I know I am less than 10% of the way through the project at this point, but I am confident enough to commit to writing that this album will end up being a top 10 find for me when this is all said and done. Minus points for Duck Rock after hearing this. Couldn't help but bop around through the entire hour even after I realized what it was about.
Hadn't heard much of these guys beyond the big radio hits and those hold up. Unfortunately, the rest of the two hour runtime isn't as good and a solid chunk goes beyond "not as good" and into "just not good". I think I would have given this a 4 if it was average length. Points for diversity though.
Pre-1001 Generator I would have guessed that I wouldn't like this album because I'm not really into metal. Now I can confidently say metal isn't my favorite but it's not without its positives. Still searching for the positives in this one. Can't believe they got Ice Cube on this.
4.5 I repeat, RZA is the king. Definitely my favorite Wu solo album prior to starting this project. The beat on Liquid Swords is one of my favorite of all time. GZA is so, so smooth throughout. I could listen to this on repeat all day.
3.5 I was expecting to like this more. Really strong concept and her voice is outstanding but I found it a little boring musically. Usually I appreciate something so short but this left me wanting more in a bad way.
Trippy in the best ways. Somewhat sad to find out that one of The Bees songs I fell in love with early on in this project is a cover, but happy to have now heard the original (A Minha Menina). I do wish I could understand the lyrics but thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.
Excellent harmonies and lots of impressive guitar throughout, but nothing really jumped out at me. I found the whole album really fading into the background even on successive, more focused listens. Enjoyable but not particularly memorable (except for Mr. Spaceman)
I am irrationally bothered by the fact that this is referred to as a concept album when it feels like they gave up on the concept half way through a 30 minute runtime. I won't go below a 3 because neither side is bad and I love A Hazy Shade of Winter but I was close.
It's a shame that these guys didn't stand the test of time they same way the bands they obviously influenced did because I don't recognize anything other than the That 70s Show theme song (which I didn't realize was a cover). A few too many ballads even though they're all perfectly good but Feel is going in the rotation
3.5 Perfectly fine but nothing exceptional. What You Do to Me is catchy as hell. I am sure I have heard it in a commercial at least. Half a star for being a fun 45 minutes and for naming your last song of 12 "Is This Music?"
Interesting to learn how many of these songs were familiar to me without knowing they were Dire Straits (only could have named Sultans of Swing). Definitely never heard the second verse of Money for Nothing though. Not surprising. No absolute clunkers and lots of great guitar. Your Latest Trick intro is lovely. Minus points for being 55 minutes long on only 9 songs. Could have been better at half the length (lose a few tracks and half the runtime of a few others).
Feels like music written explicitly for the band to be playing during the prom scene of 90s coming-of-age movie. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Props for the intro to The Girl Who Wanted to Be God, for giving Willem de Kooning a shoutout, and the guitar in No Surface All Feeling.
Got Rust Never Sleeps early on in this project and was surprised by how little I enjoyed it seeing as how I basically like Neil Young. This felt much more like what I was expecting. Side two is perfect "let's get some work done" music and See the Sky About to Rain is going in the permanent rotation.
Lovely and funky. Found myself thinking of Paul Rudd yelling "slappin' da bass!" frequently throughout. Unsure if there is any actual bass slapping in here. In any event, thoroughly enjoyable.
3.5 Wasn't previously familiar with anything this album or these guys by name, but happy to have heard them. That being said, I was a little bit bored. Maybe it will grow on me with future listens (added Mis-Shapes, Common People, and Disco 2000 to the rotation) but for now slightly north of fine is the best I can do.
Felt more like a movie soundtrack than anything else, but a great one. Music made entirely of samples is certainly legit, and there are a lot of really interesting things going on here, but I am not quite at a 5. Curious to see how successive listens may change my rating.
One of my favorite voices in all of music. Could probably listen to him sing anything and enjoy it. Second half of this album really outshines the first. A little disappointed to learn that this is their only album to have ever appeared on this list.
3.5 My husband got this album a while ago and, if I recall correctly, described it as just okay with glimpses of what makes Queen so good. I wouldn't say falling short of A Night At the Opera, etc. is mediocre, but I'm certainly biased by knowing what comes after. Side White was fine but Side Black has the operatic quality that I love about Queen. The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke and The March Of The Black Queen are going in the permanent rotation.
This is something that I expected to be right up my alley. I had only heard/loved Smooth Operator before, and thought 45 minutes from them would be an easy 5. It was everything I expected (the band slaps and her voice feels tailor made for this), but I am less excited than I expected I would be and a little bored by the end. Torn between 3.5 and 4 but going up for being jazzy.
Wasn't expecting to like this very much as I am not a big fan of metal. Had to listen to Love Me Like a Reptile twice because I had to make sure I heard the lyrics right. Sadly, I did. Then I got to Jailbait... All in all, not the worst thing I have ever heard, but I did not have a good time. Ace of Spades is still cool though.
An orchestra and the Arctic Monkeys guy! What a pleasant surprise. Heard him for the first time on Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not earlier in this project. I said at the time that it grew on me. Can now confirm that it has grown farther (I would give it a 5 now). Curious to see if I have the same thoughts about this James Bond feeling bad boy down the line.
Alright, maybe I do like Radiohead a little. I was at least somewhat aware of Paranoid Android, Karma Police, and No Surprises, but I don't remember enjoying them this much. I'm also very happy to have heard Airbag. I wish Electoneering was less lo-fi, as this project has taught me that I don't really like that. Now I feel compelled to give Kid A and Amnesiac another try after listening to this...
Lyrics aren’t typically what I come to music for, but that’s undoubtedly the highlight here. Nothing wrong with the music itself, but I felt like this could have been just as good as a poem.
For the first time in 119 albums in, I can't figure out why this is here. I wouldn't consider any of it offensive, but it felt like an album full of what I would consider the filler tracks on better albums. Aggressively fine, which would be a 3 if it wasn't 17 tracks and over an hour long.
Overall a little heavy for my taste but his unbelievable voice and the great riffs carry it. Black Hole Sun is a forever favorite. My Wave, Fell On Black Days, and The Day I Tried To Live are new-to-me bangers. Extra points for that one time I sang "spoonman" (just the one word in the chorus) in conversation and my husband insisted it wasn't a real song. Even he had to admit I nailed the melody when I played it for him.
I was surprised to see that this record is more highly regarded that A Girl Called Dusty, which had more instantly recognizable tracks. Happy to have heard Just A Little Lovin', So Much Love, and Don't Forget About Me.
The beats and flow are so incredibly smooth and funky. I could listen to this on repeat for days (at which point, the lyrics would thankfully fade into the background). Passin' Me By has gotten to the love it deserves but I think Soul Flower is right up there.
2.5 Surprised to see this is listed as Metal/Hard Rock with no mention of Pop. Pop isn't necessarily a negative for me, but I would call this soft metal if anything. Not moved by anything other than the usual suspects. I admit I may not be giving those three track their due based on sheer oversaturation, but there's only so many times one can listen to them before you die. Cool guitar though.
I will start this by saying Stevie Wonder is top 5 artists of all time for me. Be that as it may, this album is underrated. I understand the impulse to think of 10 Stevie Wonder songs you like better, but being prolific shouldn't be a knock. His voice is beautiful, the lyrics are meaningful, and he's wrote and played almost everything on here.
3.5 This may have been groundbreaking at the time, but it doesn't feel all that special now. If you're listening on Spotify and feeling inclined to skip the 50% of the album unavailable there, you've basically gotten the idea already. Half a star above average for Fascist Groove Thing and making me want to dance throughout.
Metal still isn't my thing (as evidenced by the fact that the only song I like on here is Drive and I wouldn't call it metal at all). Not aggressively bad but probably never going to revisit.
Bluesy, funky, rock'n'rolly, and one of the most iconic voices in music. I know it's a cover but this version of Cry Baby is criminally underrated and "I'd like to do a song of great social and political import" pops into my head more often than I'd like to admit (usually while watching someone be messy in public). Another Insta-5 for me. It's a shame we didn't have an opportunity to see more of what she could do.
3.5 Pressed play expecting hip hop, per the generator, and got aggressive dance music. Got a little more hip hop in the middle, but I liked the beats and flow on the dance-y tracks more. Adding Sittin' Here, I Luv U, and Jus' a Rascal to the rotation.
2.5 Can't say there is anything bad here, but it is not a good sign that I was not moved positively or negatively after an hour of listening. The whole thing feels competent and maybe they're foundational for what came later, but I was pretty bored throughout.
3.5 Like Radiohead, this album existed in my head as a thing I was supposed to like that I had never actually listened to. Also like Radiohead, I wouldn't call it the greatest album of all time or give it the hate it gets from the other side of the fence. I generally lean toward less discordant stuff (Sunday Morning is my favorite on here) but Heroin is pretty cool.
While I felt that the vocals were the highlight of the Ella Sings Gershwin behemoth I got a while back (same composer, surprisingly enough), the band somehow outshines Frank Sinatra's voice here. That's not to say that it isn't smooth as butter, but I would seriously consider giving an instrumental version of this a 5 as well. The only knock I can give it - Anything Goes brought on an itch that it didn't scratch. I had to go down a 30 minute rabbit hole of musical theater divas belting the hell out of it before starting How About You.
3.5 Still like The Queen is Dead more than solo Morrissey (would give it a 4.5 if it came up now rather than over 100 albums ago). This is way closer to that than Viva Hate and more enjoyable. Three albums in, I've finally decided that I do in fact like his voice. The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get is lovely.
3.5 Jazzy, a bit bluesy at points, and so much interesting percussion. I was disheartened to see two songs over 10 minutes long, but Gypsy Woman was worth it. That and Buzzin' Fly are getting saved.
Stadium rock, which I don't particularly love, but some of the best of it. Lots of shredding as expected but pleasantly surprised with some of the bluesier stuff. Particularly enjoyed I'm the One, and Little Dreamer, and Ice Cream Man (after it picks up at least).
Damn, now I am certain I like dad rock. Fewer outstanding tracks than Can't Buy A Thrill and an overall softer, jazzier sound, but consistently good. Saving Bodhisattva, The Boston Rag, and My Old School but the whole thing is worth repeating.
More excellent harmonies and guitar, but pretty boring. Straight up thought an ad started playing on some forgotten tab open on my computer halfway through C.T.A - 102. Have You Seen Her Face was my favorite but I'm only halfheartedly saving it.
Happy to have gotten this after Something/Anything? because now I have an idea of what Carole King might have been doing if she was on drugs. Enjoyed all 63 seconds of You Don't Have to Camp Around and most everything after Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, but the rest was all over the place. Offsets to a 3.
I came in assuming this was overhyped, but I found myself bobbing my head the whole way through. Sunday Bloody Sunday may be suffering in my estimation from overexposure, but New Year's Day is excellent and happy to have heard Drowning Man. Not one true clunker in the bunch.
Metal still isn't really my thing and the every single track could have been cut by 50% but Welcome Home and Orion are pretty cool.
This album felt like a hug. I could loop it over and over. Another top 10 find for me I'm sure. I guess I have to start listening to African music now. Loved it all, but if I had to pick top tracks I'd go with Soukora and Gomni
As something other than a straight white dude, I very rarely experience something that makes me long for an earlier time and place. This makes me sorry that I wasn't in a New Orleans club in the 1950s swinging away. Happy, energetic, so much brass, and beautiful voices.
3.5 Not sure I have consciously heard a single Beck song other than Loser. Nice, but a little sad and samey. It faded into the background a bit too easily. Saved a few tracks for revisiting to see if they grow on me.
TIL the thing I didn't like about the first Sonic Youth album I got (EVOL) is called noise rock, I think. Parts of this were enjoyable, but most of the promising songs ended with a 3 minute discordant jam. I can appreciate the talent behind what they're doing, but I think this genre just isn't for me. Teen Age Riot is worth saving though.
3.5 I wanted to like this more than I did. I love a good instrumental, but my favorite part is catching something so cool that I have to stop and restart the track to listen more closely. Not a ton of that here despite over an hour of runtime. As much as it pains me not to give a funky instrumental at least a 4, it was good but not great. Definitely saving Nights Introlude and Gambia Via Vagator Beach though.
I was momentarily tempted to give this a 4.5 because of how much I love What's Going On, but the king of the slow jam deserves all five stars. Maybe the sexiest 30 minutes in all of music. If I Should Die Tonight and Keep Gettin' It On are sleeper hits.
4.5 I haven't listened to a ton of true jazz. I like listening to it, but I don't think I get it. I saw a review that said "any perceived deficiency is probably due to my lack of context/knowledge". That hit the nail right on the head for me. I enjoyed listening to this whole thing but I lost the through line at points leaving it feeling a little disjointed. I am curious to listen to more jazz and revisit this.
4.5 Surprisingly slow for what I knew of Curtis Mayfield but every bit as enjoyable as his more upbeat stuff. When Seasons Change, So in Love (my favorite), and Love to the People are getting saved.
4.5 I started this project with Abbey Road and decided to make a greatest hits of the project playlist. I limited myself to 5 songs per album to keep it honest and not too unwieldy. I had the hardest time so far limiting myself to 5 on this one. There were many really good songs, but none that were head and shoulders above the others. I started with about half the album and ended up sticking with Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Ventilator Blues, and Shine A Light (I was tempted to pick Turd On The Run for the title alone). Will definitely revisit this album as a whole in the future.
First half was enjoyably eclectic and teetering toward a 3.5/4, but Revelation brought it down hard. It wasn't terrible but it felt like a huge waste of time (more than half of the runtime, in fact). This seems like one of those albums that requires a revisit to really appreciate, but I am not sure I am going to get there after this first listen. Loved Que Vida though.
3.5 Had heard Sex on Fire and Use Somebody before this. This is not that, which is good, but it's not the best. I like this genre and expected to like this album more than I did after hearing the opening track. A little samey and bland. Spotify plays suggest Joe's Head is underrated and I love that little lick in Genius.
I've mentioned in prior reviews that I don't particularly like live recordings. Still true, but this one at least made me sorry that I was never able to see James Brown let alone young James Brown live. This seemed like a super fun show, his voice is beautiful, and the band is tight, but the quality and crowd were legitimately distracting. I did put Try Me on a loop for quite a while after finishing though.
I can get behind the idea that each of these guys individually are masters of their instruments, but on the whole this is just a bit much for me. A little too hard, a little too prog, and a 20 minute opening number. I was a filler-inner on an open ticket to see them live once though and I was happy to have done that. Overall fine.
I wouldn't really consider myself a country person, but I loved every second of this. Not one clunker and I happy circled through it all day. Saving Honky Tonk Heroes, You Ask Me To, Ain't No God In Mexico, Black Rose, and We Had It All, but would happily revisit the whole album.
Meh. The title track is a legitimately good song, but the rest of the album (including the two other songs I had heard before) can't hold a candle to it. This is the sort of thing I thought I would like, but I will stick to the one good song for now. The intro to Victim of Love is a bop though.
I was having a hard time really getting started on this one, which made me think that I was just going to like Like a Rolling Stone and the rest was going to make me realize that maybe I don't actually like him. I was totally wrong. I know he's known as more of a lyricist and that isn't typically my thing on initial listens, but I thought the whole thing worked musically despite his objectively bad voice. I was expecting lots of Desolation Row, which isn't my favorite, but I am saving Tombstone Blues, It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry, Queen Jane Approximately, and Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues.
I always have a little bit of an itch to play these albums through one headphone and pump up the volume so I can do other things while listening. Definitely do not do that here. There were a lot of cool little parts in here, but overall I was bored to a little annoyed by the end of almost every track. Not much more to say than that.
Never heard of Shuggie Otis before. After the first track, I was very confident this was going to be up my alley. It was funky, jazzy, and all those good things, but it got a little lost in the middle there and it was almost *too* chill. Highlights are the title track, Sparkle City, Strawberry Letter 23, and Sweet Thang
3.5 I've listened to this a few times over a few days, allowing myself to fall even farther behind on the project, but I still can't make my mind up about it. It feels fine to slightly more than fine. Will revisit, because this seems like something I will like more as time goes on. For now, saving Black Mirror, Keep the Car Running, and My Body Is a Cage.
The best work music I have found on here so far. I am sure I would appreciate it more if I wasn't still an uncultured swine who didn't really understand jazz, but I dig it nonetheless.
3.5 More excellent music to get stuff done to. So easy to get into the groove and stay there all day. I was expecting something different/less enjoyable for me from a band named Massive Attack. Pleasant surprise. Saving Safe From Harm, One Love, and Unfinished Sympathy, but likely going to add the whole thing to my work playlist.
4.5 Talk about getting into the groove! My last two reviews (In A Silent Way and Blue Lines) remarked on how easy it was to get lost in those albums. Feels kind of silly now that I am listening to this one. In addition to the hits, happy to have heard So Much Things To Say.
3.5 I've never listened to Frank Zappa and didn't recognize any of the top 5 songs on his Spotify page by name, but I saw a shoutout to Captain Beefheart in the description, which made me nervous. Really loved Peaches En Regalia. The rest was a little weird but no where near as bad as I was expecting. Even enjoyed a lil Beefheart.
3.5 Surprised to see a Chicago album where I hadn't heard of a single song. Started off really strong (especially Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is and Beginnings) and I was leaning toward a 4. By the end I heard some solid 2/2.5s (I'm looking at you, Free Form Guitar). I'll settle at 3.5 because the rules don't matter here.
I suppose you should skip this review if you've stumbled upon it because I am biased as hell. This is my favorite album of all time. Don't even need to listen to it to rate it, but I will never miss an opportunity to do so. There is not a single bad song on here. I will pick 5 for my paylist (Dreams, Never Going Back Again, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, and Gold Dust Woman, if you're curious), but the whole thing is already in the permanent rotation. Cutting Silver Springs off the original release was a huge mistake, but I am glad we have it nonetheless. Go watch a video of Stevie Nicks staring a hole into Lindsey Buckingham while singing it live. It's worth it, I promise.
2.5 Eh. I expected to like this more. Almost smack dab in the middle, but I was waiting for something exciting to happen and clicked back to Spotify to see how many more tracks I had until the end and noticed I was back on track 2. That feels like it deserves a little ding.
Meh. Song 2 is head and shoulders above the rest except arguably Beetlebum and the first 45 seconds of M.O.R. Seems like the perfect band for British millennials to love so much they get upset when others don't know who they are.
Sometimes I get to the end of an album on here and think I didn't enjoy it because I didn't get it. I think I got this one, just didn't enjoy it much. Nothing in particular stuck out as bad. Her voice is actually very good and I generally like strings. Just perhaps a bit too avant-garde for me. Cool that she seems be be doing exactly what she wants though.
Significantly more musical than I was expecting a punk album to be. Really enjoyed the politics and the number of sub-three minute songs. Hard to make it much past 3 in a genre I don't particularly enjoy, but this is up there.
4.5 A shocking number of hits including probably 3 of my top 5 favorite CCR songs (Lookin Out My Back Door, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, and Long As I Can See The Light). Adding Ramble Tamble and Before You Accuse Me to the list. Not quite a 5 for reasons I can’t quite articulate right now (and may come to regret) but there are definitely two tiers of songs here and while there are a lot in the top it’s not all of them.
You can start smelling the mojitos on the first note. Can confirm that this can still be heard on the streets as of at least 2017, though I am sure these musicians are the best of the best. The entire thing was lovely but Chan Chan really stood out for me.
I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would given it's proto-punk description. More musical than I was expecting. Still not my favorite, but I'm saving Down on the Street
2.5 Meh. I expected to like this more than I did. Nice voice, generally pleasant instrumentation, colossally boring. Would have enjoyed a single track (not that any one stood out in particular) but not 17.
Second Rush album of the project for me. Enjoyed this one significantly more. Can't tell if that's because I am more familiar with these songs, or if I am more familiar with them because they are more enjoyable. Felt less heady and nice and tight. Red Barchetta is a new to me banger.
Another insta-5. One of my favorite albums from one of my favorite bands. Just the right amount of pop-y. Top five for me are: Is This It, The Modern Age, Someday, Last Night, and Hard to Explain but there's not a single bad track on this album. You could argue that basically all of the less popular ones are underrated.
Tracks 1-4 were in solid 3/3.5 territory, which is an accomplishment since I usually hate things as long as Halleluhwah on principal alone. Then we got to Aumgn. I successfully powered through, but then there was Peking O. Bring Me Coffee or Tea wasn't bad but I can't decide if I actually liked it because I was still fighting off the prior two tracks. Too avant-garde for me.
Far inferior to The Queen is Dead (still would give it a 4.5 if ranking today), but better than solo Morrissey (probably rated those too high). Can't really decide if anything is worth saving, which maybe isn't a good sign for a smack dab average rating, but I guess I'll go with Girlfriend in a Coma and I Won't Share You.
3.5 Liked this more than I thought it would. Started off a little hard for my taste but there are softer elements from other genres woven in throughout (especially Glamour Boys). The expanded edition I listened to had a cover of Should I Stay Or Should I Go which doesn't count but I still loved.
There was a time in my life (college) when I really loved this album. I don't think "American Radiohead" is too far off or that much of a criticism. I Am Trying to Break Your Hear, Kamera, Jesus, Etc., and Heavy Metal Drummer were already in the rotation and will be keeping their spots. Adding Pot kettle Black for good measure.
Three of five (!) Sonic Youth albums down and I gotta be honest, I get why they're here but I have a hard time believing anyone legitimately likes this. So many song at a minimum end in something weird and unpleasant. This one is slightly better than Daydream Nation, which was slightly better than E.V.O.L., but not enough for another half a star. Kim's voice is cool though.
I can't quite put my finger on why, but I had an even harder time getting into this one than Highway 61 Revisited. Still more lyrical focus than I would like and his voice is still bad, but it was fine. Saving I Want You. I will have to revisit this one with more attention to the lyrics.
2.5 Gotta be honest, totally shocked by the average rating on this. A little harder than it needs to be but I guess that's the point. I didn't hate it, but I am taking off half a star for the first track. I am far from a prude but it put me in a bad mood for the rest of the album. Breathe and Funky Shit were pretty good though.
1.5 So, I took a nice long break from this project. While I am not exactly sure how long (this album was generated on July 8th and I was already quite a bit behind when I gave up but it's November 13th already). I can't believe the first thing I am coming back to is The Fall. The Infotainment Scan was my first 1 in this project. Maybe seeing this was up next is what prompted me to stop trying. On to the album itself - The Fall is still not for me. Frightened was the best on the album, but that's not saying much. I think I disliked this less than The Infotainment Scan, but that could be my excitement for starting this up again talking.
The gist of most of my jazz reviews before this one came down to "I am not sure I get it but I like it anyway". I'm sure there's plenty I'm missing here, but this album didn't feel that way at all. The first 90 seconds of this really set me up for a wonderful 45 minutes and I didn't feel like I lost the thread at any point.