Jan 05 2024
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Pink Moon
Nick Drake
A really nice chill album. Definitely sounds like more modern folk artists like Amos Lee
4
Jan 08 2024
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Debut
Björk
I can see why it’s so highly regarded but it’s not for me. Sometimes it feels like it’s trying too hard to be different but from everything I’ve learned about Björk I doubt that’s the case
3
Jan 09 2024
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Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
An absolute banger. Some of the all time great songs like “Higher Ground” and “Living for the City”. My day was better having listened to Immersions
5
Jan 10 2024
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Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
An absolute classic. Every other song is a song you know if you enjoy rock. One song I didn’t know previously was “Love in Vain” which was really good.
5
Jan 11 2024
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Ace of Spades
Motörhead
Not for me. I’ve always loved “Ace of Spades” and was excited to expand my knowledge of Motörhead. But every song was just “Ace of Spades” with different lyrics.
2
Jan 12 2024
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Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
This is one of those albums that I can listen to over and over. Zach de la Rocha’s lyrics and distinct voice mixed with the technical mastery of Tom Morello’s guitars, Brad Wilk’s driving drums, and the funkiness of Tim Commerford’s bass lines creates sound that odds uniquely Rage‘s. Every song is good listening if not great
5
Jan 15 2024
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Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Not a fan at all. The singing comes off monotone and the music behind it never catches me. It quickly became background noise
1
Jan 16 2024
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The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
I can't help but love Maiden. The music is just fun to listen to and everyone in the band is so talented. But in the spirit of fairness, I do have to admit how repetitive the sound can be. I've never listened to this album end-to-end but the majority of the songs do just sound identical if you're not paying close attention to it. I'd never listened to "Children of the Damned" which I really liked because it was a ballad and different than most of the other songs. The title track is the best of the bunch for me, though. Overall, fun listen, but not one I'll listen to end-to-end again.
3
Jan 17 2024
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Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
Not a country fan but tried to give it a shot. I couldn’t get engrossed in it
2
Jan 18 2024
View Album
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
Listening notes
1. "Mandela" - makes me feel light and happy. Oddly makes me think of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", but it's really poppy
2. "Song For Sathima" - is airy and beautiful, but there's a lot of emotion coming out of the sax
3. "Manenberg Revisited" - feels like driving music for a sunny fall day; relaxing and light
4. "Tuang Guru" - love the drums on this; the repeated ascending/descending scales are ominous
5. "Water From An Ancient Well" - starts off very soulful; the trumpet work is great, love the vibe the whole way through
6. "The Wedding" - gorgeous, I can feel the love here; this is pretentious, but this song feels like what it is to look into the eyes of someone you love
4
Jan 19 2024
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Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
Obviously the first track, "Girl from Impanema", is a classic but the rest of this album is just as catchy. What can immediately feel repetitive deserves a closer listen. Around what feels like the same guitar riff in every song are a lot of beautiful phrases from other instruments. The guitar provides the anchor for all of the rest of the music to flourish.
4
Jan 22 2024
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Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Everything about this album is just great. So many emotions conveyed through the trumpet. I've listened to this in the past and it's just as good as the first listen
5
Jan 23 2024
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Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
The album is really solid and definitely deserves to be on this list. Feels like a bluegrass-leaning folk music with heavy rock influences as well, which right in my musical wheelhouse. The only thing I will say is that despite being solid overall, none of these songs is a standout to me that I will proactively listen to
3
Jan 24 2024
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Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
This album is a classic for me. Has some of the quintessential rock tracks of the 2000s with “Knights of Cydonia”, “Starlight”, and “Supermassive Black Hole”. Great musicianship and lyrics.
5
Jan 25 2024
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Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
I’ve got this in vinyl. My dad said the was a must-have on the medium and he wasn’t wrong. No other live album makes me feel like I’m at a concert like the one
5
Jan 26 2024
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Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
An absolute surprise for someone who never listened to Amy Winehouse outside of “Rehab”. Her voice is amazing and haunting. The music behind her vocals is so good too
5
Jan 29 2024
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The Cars
The Cars
This album is better as a whole than its individual songs. As I listened to the first couple of songs I felt indifferent, but the further into the album it went, the better it got. I can see why The Cars found the success they did. I also have to say that the last track "All Mixed Up" is so different than everything else on the album that it's almost jarring
4
Jan 30 2024
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Rio
Duran Duran
From the first few bars you can tell that this is a talented group, but I just can never bring myself to care about the music. It's good for sure, but New Wave music is just not my bag.
3
Jan 31 2024
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I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
Really enjoying this music but struggling to get past the singer's voice. It's not that I hate his voice, but the constant vibrato hurts and his pitch is slightly missing the target. And since it's *just* off, it feels really noticeable. It feels like a very deliberate choice because the backing vocals are solid, but it's just really hard to get past
2
Feb 01 2024
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Shleep
Robert Wyatt
This is very avant garde. Through the first three songs it sounds like this guy loves sounding like an orchestra warming up before a concert. There are definitely bright spots in the music but it's intentionally such a mess and the vocals are also intentionally non-traditional that I find it hard to make it through the album
1
Feb 02 2024
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Dookie
Green Day
This is absolutely an all-time great album. I'm not a big Green Day fan, but this was one of those records that had a massive effect on music. It took punk and made it more accessible. Whether or not that was a good thing, it had that effect and I think rock changed as a result
5
Feb 05 2024
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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
I always forget how much fun The Kinks are to listen to. It's a great vibe to start your day to.
4
Feb 06 2024
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Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy is far more awesome than "The Boys are Back in Town" (even though that song slaps). This live album is just a showcase of their showmanship and talent. Their sound is incredible and I can't believe I never knew how good they were. I think I loved the ballad "Still in Love With You" more than any other song and I loved just about every song on this album. I'd give it 6* if I could and will be coming back to it
5
Feb 07 2024
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Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
I don't know how I feel about this. There's definitely a cool sound here that I can get in to, but nothing really grabs me. The lyrical flow is really solid and it's bizarre in a good way, but just isn't for me
1
Feb 08 2024
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The Only Ones
The Only Ones
I'm enjoying this quite a bit. The vibe of the music is really good but the singing is the "I don't care" style singing of a lot of punk which usually doesn't get me engaged.
2
Feb 09 2024
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Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Sabbath is Sabbath. Tony Iommi's guitar playing is legendary, Ozzy's voice is unique, and they cultivate such a vibe that it's impossible not to like at least one song. When an album opens with "War Pigs" you know the album is going to be fire
5
Feb 12 2024
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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
It's a fantastic album. “Monster” is one of the best collabs ever and there’s such great production. Too bad Kanye is unhinged.
4
Feb 13 2024
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Young Americans
David Bowie
It's hard for me to view Bowie as the eccentric he came off as in the 70s because he laid a foundation for plenty after him to be even more bizarre. His music is pretty much the same for me. It's good, but I can't see it as great because it sounds like a bunch of stuff that came after it and built on top of it. I obviously love the title track and "Fame" but nothing else catches me enough.
3
Feb 14 2024
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Achtung Baby
U2
I just straight up don't like this music. It's a chore to listen to. Bono's voice is not good and hits the same 2-3 notes throughout each song. I can never actually hear the music behind his voice because it just sounds like noise mashed together, which I suppose is a production issue. It's always shocked me how popular U2 is because the songs just don't do it for me, I got through 5 songs hoping for something and called it quits. First album in the generator I didn't finish
1
Feb 15 2024
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Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
I've never actually listened to Erykah Badu despite the immense praise. The first son on this album, "Penitentiary Philosophy", is an absolute banger. The soulfulness of her voice and the intensity of the accompanying music hits you right in the face. It has a lot of the musical vides of Stevie Wonder but with more attitude.
Little decisions in presentation as she sings make her songs so good. I'm not sure if it's how the words are supposed to be pronounced, but at about 1:00 in track 4 ("...& On"), she sings "Zika deka del" and the way she does it adds a flourish that makes the song that much better.
5
Feb 16 2024
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If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
Feels like a bridge between some softer 80s new age and more modern folk or singer/songwriter type music. Very pleasant and chill.
Also it’s cool to see a Disney process and the companion of another Disney princess do a collab
4
Feb 19 2024
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Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
I'm not a Bon Jovi fan, but they are a very talented group and have some all-time bangers on this album ("Living on a Prayer", "Wanted Dead or Alive"). Great, fun album
4
Feb 20 2024
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Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
I only knew Sigur Rós from their album "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" which I bought because of how much I liked the single "Gobbledigook". They tend to make me think of Radiohead a lot because the music is delicately orchestrated and has a haunting quality about it, but it's not for me. I could never really get too deep into them, but I'm sure it's hits for tons of people.
3
Feb 21 2024
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Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
This is pretty dope. Some fun takes on popular songs like "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire". Shankar gets some funky sounds out of the sitar and it's not music I'd normally listen to but I enjoyed it. It couldn't be any more of a 70s-type of music
3
Feb 22 2024
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Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Most people in the US are at least familiar with Little Richard's big hits like "Tutti Frutti" and "Good Golly Miss Molly" which are high-energy dance hall tracks. But I think where Little Richard's voice really shines is in the more subdued songs like "Oh Why?" He really has a great voice that is very reminiscent of the time. The length of the songs makes it really to stay engaged with each son and I'll keep coming back to this album
5
Feb 23 2024
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Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
The opening song on this album, "Intruder", is like a template for Trent Reznor. It's also amazing how different his sound can be from song-to-song; track 5, "Family Snapshot", is such an emotionally-driven yacht rock song.
4
Feb 26 2024
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The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
Today I learned that Kraftwerk is responsible for one of my favorite Flight of the Conchords bits; the opening track of this album is "We are the Robots", so that's pretty dope.
This is not my type of music at all, but I can't deny that it's well done for what it is. Solid orchestration with some innovative (for the time) sounds.
2
Feb 27 2024
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Blackstar
David Bowie
I wasn't feeling the title track until about two-thirds of the way through its 9:57 run time. It being Bowie's last album, the sounds are a bit more haunting than they normally would be. There's a lot of classic Bowie themes in the music but it feels sad, like he's saying goodbye
3
Feb 28 2024
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Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
Too industrial for me. I can't get through it. I know a bunch of people I went to high school who would love this shit. They were all great friends but also were exactly like the goth kids from South Park
1
Feb 29 2024
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Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk has always been an artist I knew about but never listened to and I was so happy to finally have a chance. The quality of the musicianship on this is just so good and despite its complexity, extremely easy to listen to. It prompted me to keep listening to jazz for hours after.
5
Mar 01 2024
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Sulk
The Associates
I can't finish this album. It's terrible singing on top of very generic 80s new age synthpop music. There's nothing special about it and it's a 23-song, 2-hour commitment I'm just not willing to make
1
Mar 04 2024
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Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull is one of those bands that was always on in my house growing up. It is genuinely good music and evokes a lot of emtions...but some of the lyrics are suspect.
4
Mar 05 2024
View Album
Brothers
The Black Keys
This album dominated the early 2010s. It is really impressive how tracks 2-4 ("Next Girl", "Tighten Up", and "Howlin' for You") were just massive hits and all are from this one album.
The rest of the album delivers as well. The sound may be a bit repetitive for some, but The Black Keys really have a consistent, soulful vibe in each song.
5
Mar 06 2024
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More Specials
The Specials
A really fun album with a lot of variety to mood and tone. I’m not usually asks guy but this album was a nice listen
4
Mar 07 2024
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Violator
Depeche Mode
I really don't like this band. It's just so boring and feels like it's trying hard to be moody.
1
Mar 08 2024
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Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
Every New Age/post-punk singer sounds identical and is using the same off-key vibrato. I'm sure when it came out all the kids went gaga for it, but it just doesn't do anything for me.
1
Mar 11 2024
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Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
This album rules. It's just good blues; solid musicianship with real emotion coming out of every instrument. Lots of guitar riffs you know but they don't ever seem out of place or like they're trying to show off.
5
Mar 12 2024
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Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
I don't even need to listen to this album to rate it. This is one of those albums that I can listen to over and over and over. Dave Grohl is one of the greatest rock song writers of all time. The fact that he could go from Nirvana's drummer to leading one of the best rock bands of all time is a testament to his talent. Also the fact that he wrote and recorded this album solo just multiplies how talented he is.
I'd give this 6* if I could.
5
Mar 13 2024
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NEU! 75
Neu!
This music is atmospheric...I guess? There's a lot of ambient sounds throughout but the music is so incredibly (and purposefully) repetitive that it just feels boring to me. Track 3 ("Leb Wohl") is 8 minutes of the same 3 slow piano chords with what sounds like a metronome instead of drums and waves crashing; there are lyrics for part of it that are breathy and maybe if I spoke the language they were in they'd resonate with me more.
2
Mar 14 2024
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All Directions
The Temptations
It's impossible for me not to love this music. Motown is just the music I enjoy the most. I was surprised to find out "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was almost 12 minutes long! Solid album from start to finish
4
Mar 15 2024
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Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab
3
Mar 18 2024
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Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
I don't hate it, I don't love it. The thing I kept thinking was "This is jam band music for people who love The National"
3
Mar 19 2024
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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
No notes. Perfection.
5
Mar 20 2024
View Album
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
I really love Queen but only know their hits, so I came into this pretty ignorant. Right out of the gate they blew my face off with "Brighton Rock". Freddie Mercury's voice is as iconic as ever, Brian May's riffs are legendary, Roger Taylor drums drive so much of the music, and John Deacon's bass lines are perfect in each song.
It was really interesting to hear the medley of the"Tenement Funster"/"Flick of the Wrist"/"Lily of the Valley" trio. It really gives a preview into the band's style that would lead to "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the next album. This album for me seems like it's where Queen's sound became what they were famous for.
5
Mar 21 2024
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Electric
The Cult
There's nothing exceptional about this album, nor anything completely awful. There's solid musicianship, the singing isn't that bad, and the vibe is good. It's just nothing special, especially for an album released in 1987 when you couldn't change the radio dial without stumbling onto a band with the exact same sound.
3
Mar 22 2024
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#1 Record
Big Star
I'm enjoying this album, it's not trying to hard to be something other than the pop rock it is. Hearing the original version of the "That 70s Show" theme was pretty cool, too ("In The Street")
4
Mar 25 2024
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Moondance
Van Morrison
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. When you think of Van Morrison, this is him at his Van Morrison-ist. Even though "Brown-Eyed Girl" is probably his most famous song, every song on this album was (and still is) capable of being a radio hit. The fact that three amazing songs like "Moondance", "Crazy Love", "Caravan", and "Into the Mystic" are not just on the same album, but one after the other is a testament to how good this album is
5
Mar 26 2024
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Imagine
John Lennon
I have a really hard time listening to John Lennon's music. As time has gone on the more I've learned about him, the less I like him and it makes it hard to appreciate his music.
Listening to this I tried to put that aside to listen to the music. He really was an amazing song writer. He just had "it" and knew how to make songs that would become an earworm.
I don't like track 6 ("I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama"), the blues guitar is good but other than that its pretty uninspiring. Also not a fan of the last track "Oh Yoko!" But that could just be my distaste for Yoko Ono in general
3
Mar 27 2024
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E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
This music just isn't for me. It's from a time and a scene I was never part of and can't vibe with. The weird part is that it had a huge influence on the angsty music I do like. I can absolutely hear the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in this music. I head Dinosaur Jr. But I just can't get into it.
And despite all this, I haven't stopped listening, so maybe there's something in this for me.
3
Mar 28 2024
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Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
I really like this so far and it really exemplifies the sound of women's rock in the early 90s.
The more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Definitely has a couple tracks I'll come back to! There's a variety of sound to the album but it never strays from a core sound so that it all ties together really nicely
5
Mar 29 2024
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Vespertine
Björk
She’s talented but I really don’t like the music
3
Apr 01 2024
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Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
I've never been a big RHCP fan. I enjoy their songs and think they're talented, but I've just always found the music to be a little too one-noted. Anthony Kedis vocals seem to dominate the sound and Flea (who is one of if no the greatest bassists of all time) goes hard, while John Frusciante plays riffs that oscillate between tinny, high-treble sound to wah-wah heavy funk, and Chad Smith goes ham on the cymbals. Rinse and repeat.
But after giving Blood Sugar Sex Magik a real, solid, critical listen I feel I couldn't be any further from that opinion than I am. This album has such a great variety of sound and themes including some of the greatest and most well-known RHCP songs. The funny part is that I'd say those mega popular songs ("Under the Bridge", "Give It Away Now", etc.) are not the strongest songs of the album. I like "I Could Have Lied" a lot and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" was a funky, weird song.
Giving this a real listen has definitely changed my opinion of the band
5
Apr 10 2024
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Teen Dream
Beach House
In the 2010s there were so many bands like Beach House that just seem to be making music to be background music on an episode of Gossip Girl.
2
Apr 11 2024
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Legalize It
Peter Tosh
Very chill, very legal
4
Apr 12 2024
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Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
My mom problem love ever note of this album. It's got some nostalgic vibes to it because it sounds like things I heard as a kid. Definitely has that Wilson Phillips sound to it but with a synth pop/post-punk/new wave flavor
3
Apr 15 2024
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MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
No notes. A perfect album. One I've listened to no less than 100 times
5
Apr 16 2024
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Murmur
R.E.M.
This is way better than the R.E.M. I know. Even though Michael Stipe's voice isn't much different in terms of its emotion, there's just something better going on here. Maybe it's that when I think of the R.E.M. of the late 80s/early 90s, I think of a darker tone? I dunno. This was really pleasant to listen to.
4
Apr 17 2024
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The Real Thing
Faith No More
Really liked the combination of so many different genre.
4
Apr 18 2024
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Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
I really try but I don't get what's so great about Radiohead. Every song just sounds like Thom Yorke whining the same note and moaning.
2
Apr 19 2024
View Album
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
It's really good for what it is. It's hippie music and it does it really well mixing the psychedelic with some pop sounds. It gets a bit to avant garde for me at some points, but then has some well-written songs like "Stranded in Time" that require talent.
3
Apr 23 2024
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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
If you don't like this album you're an idiot or you just really hate great hip hop
5
Apr 24 2024
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american dream
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem is the offspring of The Talking Heads. The song "other voices" has the same vibe as "Once in a Lifetime"
3
Apr 25 2024
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Django Django
Django Django
Definitely one of those I wouldn't have picked by myself. It's very reminiscent of late-60s/early-70s hippie music. The first band they sound like that comes to mind is Jefferson Airplane. Not bad music even though it's not my taste. There's some really solid orchestration and use of synth throughout
3
Apr 26 2024
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The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
I've always liked the Bowie radio hits but I'd never listened to a full album except before starting this 1001 generator journey. I didn't really like Young Americans as much as I'd hoped nor his final album Blackstar (rated both a 3).
But this album is the absolute tits. Every song hits for me. I can't put in words why, but every song makes me happy I'm listening to it.
5
Apr 29 2024
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Bossanova
Pixies
This is the type of indie rock I like. Give me this style of music every day. I'd never listened to a Pixies album and this is super dope.
5
Apr 30 2024
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Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
Bill Evans Trio is always a winner. Great music for a sunny weekend afternoon or when you're trying to work
5
May 01 2024
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The Libertines
The Libertines
The music isn't bad, but it's nothing novel. I didn't hate listening to it and enjoyed it, but when Spotify autoplayed a song after the album was done, I didn't even realize the album had ended
3
May 02 2024
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Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
This album opens on an absolute all-time great song, so +100 points right off the bat. It's a really good album if you like Neil Young, but I'm sure listening to him sing the same notes for 40 minutes might not be for everyone
4
May 03 2024
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A Northern Soul
The Verve
This album is exactly the type of music it's trying to be, which is good. It just doesn't particularly grab my attention
2
May 06 2024
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People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
Fantastic album, no notes
5
May 07 2024
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Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
My dad LOVED this band. Solid Yacht Rock album
4
May 08 2024
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1999
Prince
Prince is ultra talented and the first two songs of this album are mega popular. That being said, the songs were all too long and at certain points it felt like I was on a bad trip.
2
May 09 2024
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Live At The Regal
B.B. King
I'm just astonished how his live sound and his recorded sound are so close to each other. What I didn't realize is that girls were losing it over him like they did the Beatles. Beware that this album does have lots of teenage girl screaming
4
May 10 2024
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New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
I know there's a swath of people who may enjoy this kind of music. I am not one of them.
1
May 13 2024
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Dirt
Alice In Chains
I have friends who swear by Alice in Chains. I literally cannot stay Layne Staley's voice.
1
May 14 2024
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Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CCR is timeless. They will make love to your ears. The soul that comes out of four guys who look like they should be running a very successful auto body shop is unparalleled
5
May 15 2024
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Be
Common
I like this album. This is the era of hip hop that really pulled me where there were lots of samples and overall influence from soul music. And the fact that mid-2000s Kanye is all over this album is 💯
The longer I listened to this album the more I liked it. This is one of the few albums I've felt like that about on this list
5
May 16 2024
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C'est Chic
CHIC
I think the cool rock fans in the late 70s would've said that disco sucks. Not a fan of this music, it's mostly because it feels like it lacks substance. I did enjoy the solid guitar playing on track 3 ("Savoir Faire").
1
May 17 2024
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Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
This is some folky-assed folk music for you folks. I don't hate it but I don't like it either. It just doesn't hit for me; perhaps its his approach to singing, but nothing gets me going in this music
3
May 20 2024
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Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Really enjoyed this album. Drake's album Pink Moon was the first album I reviewed on this site and I really enjoyed that too. His voice is really pleasant and his composition is solid. I can see how he was an influence on a lot of well known artists and bands.
Really unfortunate to find out that he died so young and that he seemed like he had a hard mental life towards the end.
5
May 21 2024
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The Joshua Tree
U2
This is obviously a good album. The first 3 songs are radio classics at this point and just looking at Spotify's count, they have ~200 million, ~700 million, and ~1 billion streams, respectively.
That being said, I've always just felt meh about U2. They're a divisive band and I sit on the side of the division that doesn't get it. I think my problem with the band is that their music sounds like it's been created to be pretentious. It just never feels genuine. From Bono's moaning, drawn out style of singing to The Edge's (I mean, c'mon with the name already) use of effects to seem artsy. It just doesn't sit well with me.
2
May 22 2024
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Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
It's an ok album. I've never really got the love the White Stripes gets. They're fine, some good songs, but a lot of stuff I just don't feel impressed by
3
May 23 2024
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Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
I enjoyed this album and it's really not my type of music. It stays around just long enough to leave you wanting more and has enough variety to keep interested while it's still here
4
May 24 2024
View Album
GREY Area
Little Simz
I really like this. I'm seeing some negative reviews and wondering what's up, then I listen and my head is naturally bobbing along. I dunno, maybe they just don't like hip hop.
4
May 29 2024
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The Clash
The Clash
I grew up hating bands like The Clash. It was the late 90s/early 90s and punk had become mainstream so the edge of bands like this seemed manufactured and forced because that's what record labels had started pumping out.
Now that I'm 20+ years removed from that time, this music is great. It's energetic, it's got a cause. I love it. I was moving to the music the whole way through.
4
May 30 2024
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S&M
Metallica
Don't even need to review. I'm not a fan of Metallica, but I love this album. The orchestra just makes Metallica's music so epic sounding. "Nothing Else Matters" and "No Leaf Clover" off this album has been in rotation for me since 1999.
The only thing tough about it is that it is a long album, so listening end-to-end can be a slog despite the quality
5
May 31 2024
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Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals
Never heard of Fuzzy Logic but I really liked this album. You can see a lot of modern bands' sound following in the footsteps of this band. Really enjoyed it!
4
Jun 03 2024
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Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Really enjoyed this album. Classic Sabbath. The hardest songs you ever heard right next to some of the most beautiful melodic music. Ozzy is in full swing, Tony Iommi is masterful. It's wonderful
5
Jun 04 2024
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Queen II
Queen
It was ok, I like Queen but this just didn't grip me like other Queen albums have in the past.
2
Jun 05 2024
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Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
This is definitely post-punk rock. It's not that it's bad or anything, but I'm just not a fan of the singing style and many of the tracks bleed together for me.
2
Jun 06 2024
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Manassas
Stephen Stills
This is really good music. It feels good to listen to. It's perfect for working, for doing yard work, for driving on a nice day with the windows down, for having a BBQ. Just really love it.
5
Jun 07 2024
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So Much For The City
The Thrills
I tend to like this kind of music and I do enjoy this. But there's something about the way that the singer sings that makes the songs bleed together. The actual music behind it is really good. Reminds me of a lot of music from this time.
I especially liked the last track "'Til the Tide Creeps In" and loved that, because it's an early aughts album, it has a hidden track on it
4
Jun 10 2024
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Surfer Rosa
Pixies
This band is massively influential to pretty much all alternative music that came after it and you can hear that in every song. There are themes and riffs that just seem to set the bedrock for so much music. I had never listened to this album prior despite knowing The Pixies place in history and I'm happy that I finally got the chance.
It's also so great to a listen to an album that isn't taking itself so seriously. I mean having a song that starts with the line "This is a song about a superhero named Tony! It's called 'Tony's Theme'" is just stupid fun.
4
Jun 11 2024
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Rubber Soul
Beatles
It's a classic album with some all-timers on it. Hard to rate it low
4
Jun 12 2024
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The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Not much of a country fan, but I grew up on music that was country-adjacent (Stephen Stills, Glenn Campbell, Eagles, etc.) and this feels like a true bridge between them. Found it to be a fun album that I could listen to again
4
Jun 13 2024
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The World is a Ghetto
War
A 6-song, 44 minute funk album? If you like listening to 10 minute instrumentals 2 out of 3 consecutive songs, this album is for you.
And the instrumentals were pretty dope.
4
Jun 14 2024
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American Pie
Don McLean
If you don't know the title track of this album you must be new to music. Obviously it's one of the most overplayed classics of all-time, but it's overplayed for a reason. Don McLean is a really good songwriter but his music may not be for everyone. Even his faster songs are ballad-leaning so it can be exhausting for fans of faster tempos.
4
Jun 17 2024
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Is This It
The Strokes
The Strokes are a fun band and this album has a few great songs of the 2000s.
4
Jun 18 2024
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Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
I've liked this way more than I thought I would. Psychedelic rock is not my thing but beyond the two hits ("Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit"), the album is really nice to listen to.
3
Jul 09 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
Tom Waits is one of those artists I really want to like. His voice is unique and the swagger in his delivery is undeniable. But the music just doesn't do it for me because the lyrics are too intentionally convoluted.
2
Jul 10 2024
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In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
I actually liked this more than I should've. Very high quality musicianship and enjoyable songs despite not being my kind of music
3
Jul 11 2024
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Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
Pretty good, liked the guitar. Singing was pretty good, but the songs sort of bled together
3
Jul 12 2024
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Destroyer
KISS
KISS as I know them is an overly commercial, money-grabbing quartet that made a career off of a few catchy songs.
I was not anticipating how much I would like this album. It made me understand why they became so famous. The music is catchy and that's not a bad thing. It gets your foot tapping and your head bobbing. I ended up singing songs I'd heard before but didn't know the words to. Any one who's heard of KISS knows "Detroit Rock City" and "Beth" off this album, but there are even more quality tunes on here.
On top of that, each song sticks around for just long enough for you to appreciate them before moving on to the next.
Definitely is getting another listen!
4
Jul 15 2024
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Aja
Steely Dan
This is one of my dad's favorite bands of all time. Steely Dan was jazz for white guys who don't realize they like jazz
4
Jul 16 2024
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Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
This is one of my go-to albums for a nice day. Every song is a banger.
5
Jul 17 2024
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Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
This music can be beautiful and haunting, but so depressing. I really like it.
4
Jul 18 2024
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Abbey Road
Beatles
No notes. It's a perfect album
5
Jul 19 2024
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Gold
Ryan Adams
When I saw the 1 hr 30 min playtime I almost skipped this one. I've heard Ryan Adams before and I really do like his music, but dedicating 1:30 to one album felt like a potential slog.
But because I've liked what I've heard before I jumped in. An hour and thirty minutes later I'm really glad I did. Adams is such a great singer/songwriter. I joked with my wife that he's like an aphrodisiac for people who like coffee house music. Definitely coming back to songs from this one.
5
Jul 22 2024
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xx
The xx
I really enjoy the music behind these songs, but the singing on each songs just ends up sounding like "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak
2
Jul 23 2024
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Music From Big Pink
The Band
I love The Band and this album is fantastic, including one of the GOAT songs, "The Weight".
4
Jul 24 2024
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Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Not my kind of music. But for what it is, it's pretty good.
3
Jul 25 2024
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From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Elvis has that swagger. He's just got "it" and you can't explain what it is. At face value, his music isn't better than anyone else's of the time. What makes it better is Elvis. There's something in his presence that makes. you pay attention. I probably won't listen again but every song caught my ear.
4
Jul 26 2024
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Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Another band my dad loved and played all the time when I was a kid. Really talented group that exemplify the sound of their time.
4
Aug 02 2024
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The Band
The Band
"Up On Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" are enough for me to make this a 5* album. But The Band delivers with every song on this album. This is southern rock at its finest for me.
5
Aug 05 2024
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Thriller
Michael Jackson
No one should need to review this album. Rating it anything less than 5* is a crime
5
Aug 06 2024
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The Wildest!
Louis Prima
A stellar album! Louis Prima is one of those artists you know the songs but may not know the artist. Just fun swing music that gets you moving
5
Aug 08 2024
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Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
I have never understood this type of music. The 80s just had so much of it. It just feels like mediocre (or even poor) singing backed by synth keyboards and electronic drums. There's nothing particularly exciting about the music and it doesn't feel ground-breaking. The singing on every singing sounds like its using the exact same notes and scales to every other song.
Even though they aren't alike other than genre, I feel like Kate Bush feels is the Wish version of Annie Lennox.
"Cloudbusting" is the only song on the album I like through the first 5 songs. It has a more orchestrated score and better singing than the previous 4 tracks. In general the second half of the album far exceeds the first half in terms of composition, but it's still just not for me.
2
Aug 09 2024
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Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen is emo for the late 60s and 70s. I'm fairly sure he only knows how to sing 2 or 3 notes. He only knows how to play melancholy melodies. His music is haunting but it can never seem to capture me the way I expect it to
2
Aug 12 2024
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Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
Here's the thing about jazz. I like it, it's the perfect music for the background, but I'm not a talented enough musician and I don't have the attention span to really evaluate the complexities and skillfulness of the jazz greats. So while I didn't dislike one note I heard, I don't feel like I can properly appreciate the album to give it a fair rating.
3
Aug 14 2024
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Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
I don't hate it. It's weird, it's not my normal type of music. But there's something really enjoyable about it and all of its artsy style.
4
Aug 16 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
I'm not a fan of The Doors and think Jim Morrison is only held in such high regard because of his early death, but it's hard to deny this album's impact on rock. The hits off this album ("Break on Through", "Light My Fire") are well-regarded but I think the 3rd biggest song off the album, "The End", is such a better representation of the psychedelic rock that The Doors actually were.
4
Aug 19 2024
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Gorillaz
Gorillaz
I don't like dislike this album. I just don't like it either. Not really a fan of most of the falsetto singing. It's always (intentionally?) off-key and grates on me. I think the composition of all the music is really good though. It is right in my wheelhouse, so it's hard to completely write Gorillaz off. But that singing is...yeesh.
A song I'd never heard before that I really liked was "Double Bass" had a similar feel to Beck with that suburban techno-funk sound (and no falsetto!)
3
Aug 20 2024
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Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CCR is my shit. Drown me in this sound, bury me with it. This album is the balls
5
Aug 21 2024
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The Stranger
Billy Joel
Billy Joel is one of the GOATs. Amazing song writing and variety. In a career where every album has one or more absolute hits, this album is his best.
5
Aug 22 2024
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A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
This album is bizarre. I don't even know where to place it. It's like lounge music mashed up with musicals but with the vocals of Depeche Mode or Morrissey. I actually like the type of music that's being played but the mashup of all of these things together made for a long 32 minutes...
2
Aug 23 2024
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Highway to Hell
AC/DC
AC/DC will never not get a positive rating from me. They classic rock at its finest. Bon Scott's voice was a one-of-a-kind, too and gave the band such a cool sound. The title track is obviously one of AC/DC's greatest songs but the rest of the album has that classic, guitar-driven AC/DC sound
4
Aug 26 2024
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Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix is easily one of (if not the) greatest and more innovative guitarists of all-time. His ability to put pure emotion and soul into his sound puts him echelons above his peers with the same level of technical skill. This album is wall-to-wall sound with not a note being wasted or overdone.
5
Aug 27 2024
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Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
This double album is long but not a slog at all. There are so many classics on this, so many riffs that you absolutely know even if you don't know the songs. Any rating less than 5* is an insult to the perfection that Stevie brings
5
Aug 30 2024
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D
White Denim
I really like this. Some songs feel like a jam band mixed with Tom Petty. Definitely music that's nice in the background and makes you absentmindedly start tapping your foot or bobbing your head.
As I listened, one artist I found myself thinking of on more than one track was Beck. This is like a more folksy, less electronic version of Beck.
4
Sep 02 2024
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The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Really enjoyed this album. It was great background music to start my workday
4
Sep 03 2024
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Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
I wasn't feeling this at first, but once "Down by the River" hit through the end of the album I was locked in and loving every riff
4
Sep 04 2024
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The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
Some of the other reviews I see for this are really not putting this album in the context of when it came out. This record is really good and brings some things that weren't as prevalent at the time it came out. You can hear that NY sound coming through strong and it has the same feel as a KRS One album
4
Sep 05 2024
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Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
Yeah, this ain't for me. Alice Cooper is just a 1970s edgelord to me. The music is slow, plodding, and just sounds like he's trying to be the scary voice at a Halloween haunted house
1
Sep 06 2024
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At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
No notes. Live album perfection.
5
Sep 09 2024
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Master Of Puppets
Metallica
Goes without saying that this is one of the classic metal albums of all time. Metallica isn't my cup of tea but they and Megadeth brought this flavor of metal to the mainstream
4
Sep 10 2024
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Live!
Fela Kuti
My initial thought was "An hour for 5 songs?" Then the first beat hit and I'm locked in. This is like big band and jazz had a baby that was touched by the hand of the funk gods. Even at 13+ minutes the song "Ye Ye De Smell" was dope as hell. I found myself getting mesmerized by the extensive drum solo--and I can get bored of drum solos very quickly.
Now that being said, if you don't like jazz or instrumental, solo-heavy music this is going to be an awful experience for you.
5
Sep 11 2024
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Beyond Skin
Nitin Sawhney
Not bad, just not for me
2
Sep 12 2024
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
I find the music grating. Definitely some bright spots but it's just from a time and culture that I can't connect with. I know Velvet Underground changed music in the long run, but I just don't get it
1
Sep 13 2024
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Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
I this is one of my most liked albums of this era. "Kicks" is a dope song and gets things rolling nicely. From there it's just variety, "There's Always Tomorrow" has a country vibe to, followed by the ballad "Little Girl in the 4th Row" (suspect title there thought). "Ballad of a Useless Man" has a surf rock vibe to it. The rest of the album continues along this path of variety which I really enjoy. Sometimes it feels like they're poking fun at other bands ("SS 396" sounds like they're going at The Beach Boys)
4
Sep 16 2024
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London Calling
The Clash
I think every song by The Clash is very much the same song but I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would, so I guess that makes it pretty good
3
Sep 17 2024
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The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Not a big electronica fan but this album is an absolute masterpiece if not for just the major hits "Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe", and "Firestarter". These songs made me think going to a rave would've been fun
4
Sep 18 2024
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Goo
Sonic Youth
This album is every ounce of rock I've listened to since the 90s. I love the entire thing. They have this natural quality of indifference that is cool, but if someone acted like this today it'd be seen as manufactured and try-hard. Maybe Sonic Youth is the indifference template or something
4
Sep 19 2024
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Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
The soundtrack that has inspired every cyberpunk game of the last 20 years and the template for all lofi beats playlists/videos.
I'm sure this is great to get high to, but as an album while sober its forgettable and nothing better than background music.
2
Sep 20 2024
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Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
There's some bright spots on this album but I wouldn't call it an all-time great. The first track has great meter/lyricism and the message overall is one that resonates today, but overall it does nothing special to separate itself from the other socially conscious rap of the early 90s
3
Sep 23 2024
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(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Some of the best southern rock of all time. Lots of classics on this album by a band that could shred with soul. It's worth talking about the fact that "Sweet Home Alabama" is a jam, but has it's controversies about whether its about racist Southern pride or just a retort to Neil Young to point out that all southerners aren't racists (see https://www.npr.org/2018/12/17/676863591/sweet-home-alabama-lynyrd-skynyrd-southern-discomfort-american-anthem).
On a purely musical level, this album is a banger though.
5
Sep 24 2024
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Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
One of the best things about this era of music is that the songs don't stay around longer than they should. Each album gives you just enough to enjoy it and leave you wanting another listen. This is great music for a sunny day in early fall because it's just chill and happy
3
Sep 25 2024
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Space Ritual
Hawkwind
This is jam band music. I think I need to be a little high to enjoy it more but it's not terrible. But it's insanely too long. I'm not listening to this for 2+ hours
2
Sep 26 2024
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Woodface
Crowded House
This is pretty good, I like it a lot. It sounds a lot like Crosby Stills Nash & Young but with a more 90s vibe infused in
3
Sep 27 2024
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Back In Black
AC/DC
Easily my favorite AC/DC album. Pure hard rock at its finest.
5
Sep 30 2024
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Since I Left You
The Avalanches
No thanks. This music is not pleasing to my ears at all.
1
Oct 16 2024
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Fragile
Yes
Yes is a really talented band I definitely enjoy listening to the album. And despite it being one my dad's favorite bands, I never connected that the famous "To be continued..." riff was from "Roundabout" so that was a nice little surprise
4
Oct 17 2024
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Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Prince was an insanely talented musician and had soul for days. But his songwriting was very hit or miss. I couldn't get myself into this album and found the album fading into the background and not engaging at all.
2
Oct 18 2024
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In Our Heads
Hot Chip
A couple songs and this is the type of electronica I like. It's poppy with some artistic flair and leans into other genres. Was dancing hard to track 3 ("Don't Deny Your Heart")
4
Oct 22 2024
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Illmatic
Nas
Nas is one of the greatest rappers of all time and represents NY rap better than almost anyone. I really like this album, but its lyrics have aged poorly and have a lot of misogyny, homophobia, and racist tones. I suppose that's part of Nas's life experiences through 1994, but it still needs to be included that despite the excellence in flows and beats, the content of the lyrics doesn't fit in with the social conscious of today's world
4
Oct 23 2024
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It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Really enjoyed this one. I've enjoyed the YYY hits (like "Gold Lion"), but this had some enjoyable ones I'd never heard. I particularly liked "Dull Life"
4
Oct 24 2024
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It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
Damn this is a great album. Every song is a banger. I'm someone who hates it when the sound of an album is so monotonic that the tracks blend together. Somehow, Public Enemy can produce very similar sounding tracks while keeping each track distinct from the next. Love this one, despite the fact that when Public Enemy that made this album, they would've not wanted me as a fan.
5
Oct 25 2024
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McCartney
Paul McCartney
I really liked this, just fun music, nothing prolific or ground-breaking. Just fun.
Even if you don't like McCartney, at least the album is fast.
4
Oct 28 2024
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Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Enjoyed this since I heard it the very first time when I was 11 or 12
5
Oct 29 2024
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Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
On the list of punk The Sex Pistols are probably the best. Besides being true, traditional punk (what a weird phrase that is) they fully believe in their message without just being noise.
4
Oct 30 2024
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
3
Oct 31 2024
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Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
I love getting albums like this. I've never heard of Jorge Ben Jor or would have ever had reason to listen to his music. But this sort of rock + Brazilian flavor is outstanding. You can feel the energy surging through the speaker and it's engaging even without speaking the language
4