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Fri Jan 05 2024
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
Wildly overrated everything made it seem like it was supposed to be some deeply profound work the songwriting is mid at best and good lord his voice is agonising to listen to for more than 15 seconds.
2
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Pretty okay album. Liked the instrumentation on it and señor Nick’s voice was nice (better than Bob Dylan’s by far). Liked that most of the songs told stories but lyrically some of it made no sense and was just kinda weird. Supernaturally (track 5 on the second album) was pretty solid.
3
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Tue Jan 09 2024
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Pretty good, didn't love it but it did remind me of a stripped-down down more chaotic version of Cage the Elephant's album Thank You Happy Birthday or kind of like the Black Keys. The sound was really interesting but I did not love the lead dude's voice (still better than Bob Dylan).
3
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Well, that was an experience. Look I love the Chilis but this was just not even close to their best album. They had some solid songs on here, Breaking the Girl, Under the Bridge, I Could Have Lied, but that was completely offset by the brain-numbing experience that was the 8-minute, 16-second long atrocity that was Sir Psycho Sexy. I mean that song is up there with The Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands by Bob Dylan for worst song I've heard so far, this one mainly because of the lyrics, the Dylan one because of his voice, and the fact it's so freaking long. Overall you can hear where the band will be going, which is Californication and By the Way which are both vastly superior to this so there's that I suppose. Any Chili's album before Californication is not worth your time and this album is proof of that. I'm going to give it four stars but that's only because I cannot give it 3.5 which is what it deserves.
4
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Play
Moby
Ok I was not expecting to like this at all since it's electronic but I absolutely loved this album, it'll probably be my go-to study music if I want something without too many lyrics. It isn't the harsh almost dubstep-type electronic I was expecting and I really like that. Really, really nice actually knew a couple of the songs he sampled from which made those more enjoyable. I do wish this site would stop giving double albums though since they are obnoxious and nobody wants to sit down and listen to 29 songs.
5
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Fri Jan 12 2024
Goo
Sonic Youth
Originally I was gonna give this a 3 but I bumped it down to a 2 because the lyrics don't make much sense most of the time and half the songs are just fuzzy, scratchy, overdrive-filled guitar riffs. For Mote and Titanium Espose about half the songs were just overdrive guitar screeching. That takes no skill and just hurts your ears I don't understand what you think you're accomplishing by doing that. Also the song Mildred Pierce is absolute trash. Who in the world even is Mildred Pierce and why should I care that she's dead? We will never know because the whole song is just screaming Mildred Pierce or why. It's just not good songwriting or good songs.
2
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Mon Jan 15 2024
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Phenomenal. All those idiots who wrote bad reviews about it are fools. You listen to Clapton play precisely so you can hear him noodle around on the guitar for 3 minutes a song because he is one of the greatest to ever do it. The fact that you believe this isn't how blues "should be" is moronic because have you ever considered that maybe blues could be more than just what you have in your tiny little box or the fact that Eric Clapton transcends blues? Anywho, the album is incredible, best we've had so far, Layla remains one of the greatest songs ever written, and Bobby Whitlock's vocals add so much depth to this album when paired with Clapton and the guitars. So choice.
5
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Teen Dream
Beach House
Well that was 55 minutes of my life I will never get back. That was like staring at a beige wall for almost an hour. It was bland, uninteresting, the lyrics made no sense, you could barely tell what was even being said, musically it was a total drag, nothing happened. It was like they were trying to make an album with as little emotion or flavor as possible, and they succeeded. Sarah and Ian might like this but I hated this it didn't make me feel anything and that is the opposite of what music is supposed to do. Blah.
2
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Back In Black
AC/DC
All things considered that was pretty meh. Angus Young's guitar was pretty nice but that was offset by Brian Johnson's voice which I strongly dislike (though not as strongly as I dislike Bob Dylan's). There was also very little variety across the album it was mostly the same feel to every song. Yeah this album didn't really do it for me it was just overall very monotonous and monochromatic in terms of sound, lyrics, and feel. I really don't get all the hype around AC/DC I don't really think they're that special.
3
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Country Life
Roxy Music
Ok so overall I really liked this album it was really nice to listen to. The guitar was nice and not monochromatic (unlike Back in Black), and the guys voice was nice to listen to (unlike Bob Dylan). I also liked the stylistic changeup after the chorus in the first song it kept it interesting and lively. I really liked the last song it was really solid had a fun feel to it. The only real critique I have is the cover art, which while not as bad as some of Jane's Addiction cover art, is still not something I would like to have a poster of in my room.
4
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Fri Jan 19 2024
Take Me Apart
Kelela
That was awful. Every single song for the 53 minute run time was about a relationship or just sex. There was nothing else. Is there nothing else going on in her life or in the world that she could have drawn inspiration from? The album felt incredibly slow and just plodding along, was super boring. Musically nothing happened (mainly because the only instrument was a keyboard) and lyrically it was just the same things over and over again. This was just not an album I needed to listen to before I died. It's supposed to be revolutionary or so the critics say. How? Is it revolutionarily bad? I think I'm actually worse off for having listened to this album.
1
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Mon Jan 22 2024
So
Peter Gabriel
Very solid, definitely the best from this week. Honestly I would have given this album a 4 star even if all the other songs on it were purely mid because In Your Eyes is just that good. Thankfully the other songs were very nice to listen to. There was a nice mix of poppy stuff and then more relaxed and mellow songs such as Mercy Street. Mr. Gabriel has a very lovely voice and this was a very lovely album. In Your Eyes is the second best song we've heard so far behind Layla.
4
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Tue Jan 23 2024
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
Ok so you may call me a heathen but I don't hear how this is supposed to be some sort of masterpiece or revolutionary sound. The only reason I'm not giving this a 2 is because of God Only Knows and because some of the songs have solid lyrics. However, otherwise I found this whole album profoundly mid. Musically it was just kind of blah and I think that's just me I am not a big fan of The Beach Boys sound, it sounds plastic and like they're all smiles and basically 60's frat boys. Brian Wilson's falsetto isn't terrible which is nice but he uses it an awful lot and there's constant ohhhhh's and ahhhhhh's in the background which I just felt was completely unnecessary. Overall it might have been revolutionary in the 60's but it is well past its prime now.
3
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Metal Box
Public Image Ltd.
Ok there is a reason nobody likes experimental type music except for the "enlightened" music critics. It's because it sucks and is painful on the ears. Music shouldn't be a slog to have to get through or something you must force yourself to endure. That is exactly what this album (I feel like even calling it that is hurtful to other albums out there) was, a painful, slow, agonizing experience. John Lydon's voice is worse than Bob Dylan's (wow I know I can't believe it either). The songwriting was terrible as well. If you could understand the lyrics (which is a big if) they made zero sense for many of the songs. The guitar is screechy and shrill the whole time and entirely too bright and tinny. The drums are completely forgettable. The bass is the only non agonizing piece to this album but it's also quite boring (but at least not bad). This was the musical equivalent of Birdemic (if you know you know).
1
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Thu Jan 25 2024
System Of A Down
System Of A Down
Ok look I like hard rock/nu metal but more in the papa roach, HU, some Beartooth vein not the Korn/SOAD vein where it's just some guy screaming into a mic. I mean I don't understand how anyone could sit through that and think, "wow that was really good, I really enjoyed that". That was awful. The only reason it might not be the worst album we have listened to is because the instruments were played well (mainly the guitar and drums). Otherwise this album was an absolute pain to sit through. "Have you ever wanted to die?" they ask on one song. Yes, yes I have, because I had to sit through this album.
1
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Fri Jan 26 2024
The Clash
The Clash
Ok so I know what you're thinking. "Kieran I thought you loved punk how could you only give this album a 3?" Well I do love punk so just hear me out. This album is good but honestly I don't think it is great. Most of that has to do with Joe Strummer who does the lead vocals for most of their work. I don't like it. I don't like his voice and it is really hard to understand what in the world he is saying most of the time. Should I Stay or Should I Go is one of their best songs but that is sung by Mick Jones not Strummer. I really don't feel like this album is super special. I'm sure it was at the time because this was the birth of political punk as we know it (maybe not quite stylistically cause it is quite slow by comparison to punk in Cali later when punk became a big thing) but definitely in lyrics. However I think that kind of hurts it in the long run because eventually you will have people born (like me) who have no idea what events they are referencing and it has not meaning to us, which drains the songs (and the album) of some of its punch.
3
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Mon Jan 29 2024
Hotel California
Eagles
What a pleasant surprise. I had the same mindset for this album coming into it as So by Peter Gabriel of even if all the songs on it are purely mid its getting a four because Hotel California (the song) is just that good. It has one of the most rad guitar licks in existence and is such an incredible song lyrically, musically, and emotionally. The album itself was great as well, the songs were flowing and poetic. Musically it was a nice mix of rock and piano/strings on some of them so very nice variety. Very solid album.
4
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
Well I liked that a lot more than a lot of other hip hop/rap groups that I've listened to in my time. The lyrics actually meant something which was really nice and every other song wasn't about sex, drugs, and depravity, which was a refreshing change. Public Enemy was rapping about issues bigger than themselves not just how great they were which I really liked. This was really solid. I also really liked what the Bomb Squad did on this musically it was really solid and full of energy which was great.
4
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Very funky. Loved this thought it was great, very different from pretty much anything else we've had so far. It was different but not in an experimental way. Loved the instruments, really well done. Even though the songs were long they didn't drag (take notes Bob Dylan). Loved this.
4
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Well that was at least novel to hear. Dude had a really cool voice and this was certainly unique although honestly I'm not sure I really needed an hour and a half of it. Did get a wee bit repetitive after about the first disc. Again what is the deal with this site and giving double albums nobody likes them. Overall all a rather enjoyable and interesting experience although I haven't the foggiest idea what was actually being sung. I actually rather liked that to be honest cause it meant I didn't have to pay a lick of attention to the lyrics which is normally something I try to focus on.
3
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
So much better than Public Image, I mean seriously it's night and day. I still am not over the moon about it, I'm gonna give it a 3 but that's just cause I don't love Lydon's voice and the lyrics get real repetitive in a lot of the songs. Otherwise I thought it was a solid album, this is the first one to sound like what punk would become, at least more so than The Clash. I also didn't realize this was their only album, pretty alright job for just a one and done.
3
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Pretenders
Pretenders
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand I really liked Chrissie's guitar playing and the overall music of this album. Instrumentally it sounded really good. Gave me some Police vibes on some of their songs especially on "Private Life". That was cool to hear. On the other hand I don't love Chrissie's voice. I don't really know what it is about her voice that bothers me but I don't like it. Also I was just kinda ambivalent about most of the songs except "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket" those were both pretty good although "Kid" was by far my favorite. Overall the album was just kinda okay.
3
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
So at first I was kinda lukewarm about this. To be honest I've never really listened to Stevie apart from "Isn't She Lovely" and "Superstition" and his two Christmas songs (which are both incredible). Also this is really embarrassing but I didn't know he was blind til today just found out about that. Didn't love the first track felt really plastic but then after that the album really deepened (in my opinion). The second track deals feeling that sense of brokenness in the world (which is very relatable) and was pretty profound. After that there's a nice mix of deep meaningful tracks, some about love, some about the world, and overall it was a really solid album. He has a very nice voice (take notes Bob Dylan).
4
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Wed Feb 07 2024
World Clique
Deee-Lite
Well that sucked. This album had a lot of the things I hate in music. It was stupid, the lyrics were dumb and naïve, they had no depth, it was all just love and smile more and flower power. Musically it was buns as well. It was all just electronic crap with equally bad and worthless lyrics over top of it. I hated this. That felt good to get out of my system.
1
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Virgin Suicides
Air
I listened to this while doing some school work so I can safely say that apart from the last song this is very nice study music. It had nice variety to the sound, and was musically very interesting. I have no idea what it's about other than it's a soundtrack for a movie but I like it. I found it very pleasing to listen to.
4
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
Finally some So Cal punk. Was not my absolute favorite punk album but def my favorite so far. Sure they had some questionable songs but they also had stuff like "Beverly Hills" and "What's Your Problem" or "Red Tape" that have some substance to them. All of the songs at least had a point which is more than can be said for some of the other albums we've been forced to endure. That's why I love punk because it's not about making the music sound pretty and getting everybody to like it, it's about getting a point across and playing really fast. I thought Circle Jerks sounded great on this album (they played really fast), their songs were short and catchy and very punk, very anti establishment/the man and I really liked this album. Can definitely see hints of this in early Green Day and other So Cal punk bands. Also I really liked that the album was only 16 minutes that was refreshing (wish Bob Dylan's albums were this short).
4
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
Did not like. All the songs blurred together. It wasn't even interesting enough to keep my attention I started doing something else and just had this on in the background. Not my cup of tea. If the songs had other subjects besides just love and relationships this might have gotten a three. But it didn't so its stuck with a two.
2
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Tue Feb 13 2024
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
Eh. Didn't really love it. I mean I don't really care who the artist is (maybe with the exception of Eric Clapton or Hendrix) I don't want to listen to a song that's almost 20 minutes long, especially when half of it isn't even music it's just the artist telling a sad story about a broken relationship. Mr. Hayes has a nice voice and the first two songs were pretty good but I didn't love the second two on the album and the last one was about half the album's length so yeah. Not really my style, lyrically and in their subject matter the songs are very monochromatic.
3
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
Pretty solid. Was very enjoyable to listen to. The whole thing reminded me of Midsummer Murders which made me happy cause that's a great show. The instrumentation was great and the lady's vocals were very nice. Loved all the story telling. Very solid.
4
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Thu Feb 15 2024
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
Did not like. The lyrics were terrible and this dude is incredibly horny. The only reason this isn't a 1 is because of the instruments they sounded quite nice. Did not like.
2
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
I quite enjoyed this here album. At first, when I saw that the first song was 7 minutes long and there was another that was 8 minutes long I was a bit apprehensive. I thought this was going to be another Public Image Ltd. debacle like that of four weeks ago. However I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this, not quite enough to give it a five star but a solid four. The instrumentation was very well played and there was quite a bit of variety. Some of the lyrics were a little bit questionable but I can ignore that because the rest of it was quite good. There were songs with many different styles which helped the album not to drag. Would listen to again.
4
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
It was interesting. Liked the sound of it but it was also just really weird. It wasn't necessarily a bad weird (like Public Image Ltd. or Sonic Youth) more just the album lacked consistency and even in some of the songs themselves there wasn't much unity. Not really my style but still sounded nice.
3
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Tue Feb 20 2024
Is This It
The Strokes
I really liked this album. I had heard a couple songs by The Strokes before but never really listened to them much. This was pretty solid, not enough to get them a 5 since quite a few of their songs kinda sound the same and there isn't much variety in terms of what their frontman does vocally or really overall with their sound. However lyrically I felt there was enough variation and combined with the different feels to each song, I felt there was enough variety to keep one interested for the entire album so this gets a 4. Kinda reminds me of Cage the Elephant.
4
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Well I had a really low bar for this album since it said it was British post punk and Public Image Ltd. did not give a favorable impression of that, but this passed it. A solid 3 although on another day I might have given it a 4 but I had just finished studying o chem while listening to this so that may contribute to it getting a three. Regardless, it was an interesting listen, the vocals were great the instruments were played quite well and the overall sound was very different which was kind of nice. I don't love the 7 minute song at the end, that just kind of drug on.
3
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Thu Feb 22 2024
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
Well it wasn't bad so that's cool I suppose. I dunno this kinda falls under the category of an album by a band that sounds okay but didn't blow my socks off or anything, it was just kind of mid. I didn't hate it and they sounded good it was just kind of weird and we've had a bunch of kind of weird albums back to back to back so that has kind of gotten old for me. I'll probably never choose to listen to this album or this band again and will most likely forget about them in a couple days.
3
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
I saw a review on here that I completely agree with. This album is great but it's also kinda disappointing because the first four songs are so fire that after that it's just kinda a letdown. Seriously the first four tracks are absolutely baller. After that it's not that the songs are bad they just don't measure up to the opening set which is understandable. Overall a very solid album.
4
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Mon Feb 26 2024
C'est Chic
CHIC
I really struggled #1 to get through this album but then #2 on whether to give this a 1 or a 2. I finally landed on 2 but that is solely because of the bass and the guitar (especially on track 3). Otherwise I hated every second of this album. I don't care that Chic is supposed to be some revolutionary band that inspired generations. They're overrated. I don't care that the did Le Freak. The lyrics sucked it's all just get up and dance and that will somehow make everything better. Also the songs just repeat the same couple phrases for about 5 minutes. It's awful. There's a reason disco died and I really hope it stays dead. I did not like this.
2
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
I'm gonna give this a four but it's really more of a 3.5 for me. I love Page's guitar playing, it is supremely rad. However I don't love that literally every song was about a woman who had done them wrong and several of them were over 5 minutes long which I didn't love. I do like Plant's voice though so they've got that going for them which is why I decided to round up to 4. Seriously though Page is an absolute beast on the six string.
4
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Wed Feb 28 2024
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
This album is fortunate it caught me on a good day otherwise it would be getting a 1. Happily for all parties involved I was in a good mood so this gets a 2 but my goodness I did not enjoy sitting through this album. So far all the indie albums this site has forced me to endure have been absolute buns. I don't know if that's just because this site is choosing stupid indie bands or if this just means I do not like indie as a genre (which could very well be the case and I'm perfectly fine with that). Wayne Coyne's voice is awful. He cannot sing. Somebody had to have told him that early on because I don't understand how someone could enjoy listening to that man try to sing. It is unpleasant on the ears. The instruments were great.
2
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Follow The Leader
Korn
That was so much worse than anything I could have expected. I was really trying to keep an open mind to start off with but then we got to tracks 4 and 5. That's when I would have stopped if I was just listening to this for kicks. However I am a man of principle so I soldiered on. Then we get to track 8. I mean where do I even start? That made me want to weep and then die it was so pointlessly bad. I mean who thought that would be a great idea to write a diss track between Limp Bizkit and Korn and have it just be a bunch of slurs? Seriously why? Jonathan Davis has a serious problem with women apparently. Almost every other song's main idea was just violence against women. Also what in the world was his attempts at scatting? That was balls. It actually made me laugh a couple times because it was so out of the blue and so wildly awful. I mean Anthony Kiedis does a better job and he's not really known for incredible vocal prowess. The only small glimmer of not terribleness was the instruments, they were played well and sounded at least not god-awful. However almost all the songs sounded the same. This was such a stupid album from a stupid band. I listened through all of it and I still don't know what in the world was the point of all that. Also I would like it to be known that after enduring this I listened to Lenny Kravitz (5 specifically) to help restore my faith in humanity and remind me that there is good music out there that is pleasant to listen to.
1
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
It was pretty good, I dunno I didn't really love it but it was much better than yesterday's album (although that was not a very high bar). I liked the lyrics on a lot of the songs, they were very interesting and very much got your attention. It sounded really nice overall, just not really much my style.
3
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Mon Mar 04 2024
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
I really liked this album. Not quite enough to give it a fiver but it was very pleasant to listen to (I could very well have such a high opinion of it bc we had to endure Korn a couple days ago so anything sounds really good compared to that). The only real critiques I have of this album is the fact that most of it is so quiet and slow. That’s not a bad thing but it might be nice to have just one or two songs that were a bit more upbeat but that’s a minor critique. Also I didn’t really love the Murder Mystery song, it was just weird and very hard to understand. I do really like the album other than that it has a very cozy feel, something I would very much choose to listen to on a dreary day while I sit inside and stare out at the rain.
4
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Tue Mar 05 2024
S&M
Metallica
Ok I know it was over 2 hours so y’all are probably gonna knock it for that but I really liked it. I like Metallica’s sound a lot and it was really cool to hear them with the orchestra as well. Yes I would probably prefer if it wasn’t over two hours but at least it was an enjoyable two hours with a band I like and enjoy the sound of. If this had been two hours of Korn I may have done something drastic.
4
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Wed Mar 06 2024
25
Adele
I cannot give this a 5. I want to but I simply cannot as there is not enough variety. I love the album overall it's a very solid 4. There are a couple songs that aren't just her belting out melancholy lyrics (which she does incredibly well) as in Send My Love, but overall most of the rest of the album is just kinda slow melancholy songs. Again she sings them super well its just that's not really something I want and entire album to be. Also every time I hear Hello all I can think of is the scene from The Amazing World of Gumball where Pluto is singing about not being a planet, "the hurt I feel is deep insiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide/my planet status has been deniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiied". It makes me laugh which is unfortunate because Hello is not exactly a super happy song but I can't help it.
4
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Highly Evolved
The Vines
Yes they sound like Oasis, however unlike Oasis, they are not (to my knowledge) a bunch of pretentious jerks who think they're God's gift to music. Also I don't think they're the second coming of Nirvana. You can definitely hear Nirvana's influence on them, but they are not in the same league. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed this album. It honestly reminded me a bit of Cage the Elephant on their debut and Thank You Happy Birthday. They had nice variety on their stuff so it wasn't just 45 minutes of garage band rock. Really liked the fast hard hitting songs, they sounded great on them, but then they also sounded really good on the slower more melodic songs which was really cool to hear because normally bands on this list (at least recently) have been really good at one or the other but not both. Really liked this one a lot.
5
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
The piano was nice and the lyrics were interesting I suppose but I really didn’t care for her voice all that much. Also having two songs that are over 6 and a half minutes long on one album was a bit much. I don’t understand why artists do that.
3
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Mon Mar 11 2024
On The Beach
Neil Young
I liked. Nice guitar, I know some peeps don’t love his voice, I didn’t have a problem with it. Yes the lyrics are a little weird in spots and I didn’t understand what he was getting at but he sounded nice and it was kinda relaxing to listen too. Again, I do wish there weren’t three songs that were around 7 minutes, that’s just not necessary.
4
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
I mean it's Elvis, I like his voice and "Blue Suede Shoes" is a great song but honestly other than that I feel like his songwriting was pretty mid. The album seriously slowed down after the first couple tracks and his guitar playing was also not great. Maybe that had something to do with the recording equipment that was available at the time, but I didn't think his guitar skills were very good. Overall just kinda meh.
3
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
I was not expecting to like this album at all, however I really did. Ritchie Blackmore on guitar was exceptional and I loved the variety going from crazy guitar licks to organ (??!! I mean what hard rock band uses an organ?). I really liked it, it added some nice spice and uniqueness to their sound. Yes, they had some long songs, but they sounded really good and weren't monotonous in their sound (mainly because of the organ and guitar licks). Overall very solid and a nice surprise.
4
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
This was such a stupid album. I can't in good conscience give it a 1 because the instruments were played well but holy cow I did not like this. He sounded so pretentious, I can't really describe why but he sounded so pretentious. The lyrics were super medieval themed for some stupid reason and oh, of course, there's an 8:41 song for absolutely no reason right towards the end of the album where this fool just rambles on and on and on. Then there's some random song about a hobo. Did not like this album, I mean what was even the point of making us listen to this?
2
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Live At Leeds
The Who
Eh, didn't really like. Not sure this album really had a chance with me cause I don't normally like live albums all that much so maybe that should be taken into consideration when viewing my review. They sounded pretty good instrumentation wise but I could not understand about 80% of what was being sung. Also fun little trivia, Green Day did a cover of "A Quick One, While He's Away" on 21st Century Breakdown. I thought it was a weird and strangely long song when I first heard them do it and I think it is just as weird and even longer upon hearing the original live.
2
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Mon Mar 18 2024
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
So I had never heard of Meat Loaf til now so my expectations were entirely based upon the album cover so I was expecting like thrash metal. I was quite wrong and I am oh so happy I was. I really, really liked this. It was like a mashup of Journey and Queen. He does an incredible job with the power ballads. On track 6 the little baseball commentary is perfect for that song and was a great touch and a great way to add some humor into it. I loved the opening song the title matched the feel and the intensity of the song, so well done. Really liked this a lot (again I'm quite surprised). Very swag only complaint I have is that spoken word stuff at the beginning of track 2 was kinda weird but I can ignore that because the rest of the album is so good.
5
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Tue Mar 19 2024
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
I was not expecting big things from this album because we have not had much luck with soul albums from this list in my humble opinion (cough cough Kelela cough cough), but this was fantastic. Easy 5 stars and one of my favorite albums that we've had so far. His voice is great, lyrics also great with a story and umph behind them. Musically it was great with splendid variety from slower more melancholy songs to more upbeat tracks. I absolutely loved this album.
5
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Wed Mar 20 2024
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
Another day, another album I simply did not need to listen to before I died. This album had a lot of things that I really dislike about alternative/indie music. The lyrics, for instance, made little to no sense for many of the songs. You can try and pretend that they're mysterious or profound or that maybe I just don't understand but seriously has nobody thought that maybe, just maybe, they're just nonsensical? I mean what was the meaning of the last song "Bird Girl"? No sense. Also I could not stand this fool's voice. Good Lord the amount of vibrato was just obscene. If this had been a solely instrumental track this would be an easy 4 maybe even a 5. But it isn't so this gets a 2.
2
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
Eh, I'm not a big Bowie fan. I mean his voice isn't awful but I don't love the vibrato. Also it's all just pop stuff. Not really my style. Wasn't bad but I really didn't need to have listened to this before I died, it just was not that good or profound.
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
Eh, it was whatever. It's just pop. Not my thing, "Take on Me" is a classic but it's kinda overplayed and this just wasn't my type. Totally mid.
3
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Mon Mar 25 2024
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
Look, he's an angry elf but I think this album was solid. Some of it, specifically "Role Model" gave me the same feel as "Idol" by Hollywood Undead. It's the idea of are you sure you really want to be like me? Are you sure you want to be just like your favorite artist? I really appreciate it when artists do that and for Eminem to recognize that so early in his career is kinda astounding. Yes his music is violent and twisted but there's a point to it. He's throwing a lot of the stuff that culture already revels in and profits off of back into the mainstream's face. Maybe instead of everybody hating on Eminem, we should take a look around at our culture and try to change that. Then again, maybe he's just pissed off and none of this has a deeper meaning. I kinda like that it's not clear, it makes him more interesting.
4
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Tue Mar 26 2024
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
I really enjoyed this. Listened to it whilst studying for O chem (I think electronica stuff is what I appear to gravitate towards for study music which I find interesting). I liked that there was actual singing/rapping/whatever vocals and not just sampling of other people's vocals. Also I agree with Big Kev, the cover art is very swag, I really like the crab.
4
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Wed Mar 27 2024
Dare!
The Human League
Another day, another totally meh pop album. This just was not even remotely good or special enough to be on this list but for some moronic reason it is. Everything is plastic and fake sounding. They also try to stick in some songs like "Do or Die" and "Seconds" I'm assuming in an attempt to sound serious but I simply cannot do that after listening to the first couple tracks and the ridiculous cover image. Yes, "Don't You Want Me" is a classic, but that cannot save the album. The only reason this isn't a 1 star is because his voice doesn't make me want to kill myself so they've got that going for them I guess.
2
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
This dude's voice is on par with that fool from The Flaming Lips. I don't care what he sounds like on other albums or other songs but he sounded bad on this one. The man cannot sing. The entire album is incredibly slow, boring, and tedious. It's just this fool with his acoustic guitar (which he does not play super well, he's about on Elvis' level) and a super simple bass line that even I could play and occasionally a keyboard. Why is this on this list? I know I keep asking that question and it will never be answered but I will ask it again. This album was absolutely not special and I never needed to hear it. It was drudgery.
2
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
Very enjoyable 4. Really liked Morrissey’s voice and the juxtaposition of his floaty voice and happy feel to the song with the somber and macabre (at times) lyrics. Very much liked the guitar was great overall just very solid album.
4
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Ok look, this album has some really good songs on it like "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero", but it just doesn't need to be so freaking long. I do not understand why Billy thought making a double album would be a great idea. I don't want to listen to his voice for 2 hours. It starts to sound whiny after 2 songs. However I did like the variety between lullaby feel songs and the grittier, grungier feeling songs, that made this not absolute agony to sit through. I feel this deserves a 3.5 but I can't give it that so it's getting a 3.
3
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Tue Apr 02 2024
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
I'm gonna give this a 4 but that's only because I thought the music was so good. I could understand a 3 because it just kinda repeats. Over, and over. Didn't love that. They sound so, so good but seriously why repeat the songs? The different versions do not sound any different. It was kinda cool to have the interviews at the end to get some of their story that was neat. Again, sounded superb (loved the guitar and vocals) but I really feel some more thought could have go into the actual production of the album, that's the only thing holding this back from being a 5.
4
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Justified
Justin Timberlake
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮. This was abysmal. Point the first: Every song sounds the same, there is no originality or variety across this album, it's just Justin singing about girls THE WHOLE TIME. Point the second: This album gives the impression that this fool is just a total womanizer. Point the third: "Cry Me a River" is just not a very good song. It simply isn't. Lyrically it is the exact same as all the other crap on this album but it has the added bonus of terrible beatboxing in the background to try and make him seem like he's all that cause he got beatboxing on an album. Point the fourth: His voice is not that great. It sounds dumb and plastic. Point the fifth: WHY ARE ALL OF THE SONGS OVER 4:30 MINUTES LONG. I don't want to listen to any pop song that long, let alone this drivel. Absolute bunsssssssss.
1
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
This sounded exactly the same as his other stupid album the "Songs in a Room" catastrophe. This dude is buns. I know I gave that other album a 2 but this is getting a 1 because I was in a bad mood when I sat down to listen to it and this did NOT improve it. His voice is bland and uninteresting. The music is also bland, uninteresting, and boyishly repetitive. Seriously it's just an acoustic guitar with the occasional 4 note bass line. His lyrics are just mindless drivel that people think is profound or mysterious because they can't understand it. It isn't, it just doesn't make sense. This was such a boring album. On a totally separate note he kinda looks like a young Adam Sandler.
1
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
I'm not quite sure what I just listened to. Didn't understand a lick of it since I don't speak a word of Portuguese, however it was pretty fun and enjoyable. I'm not really sure if I would like it more or less if I could understand what they were saying. I did like the mashup feel to it, made it interesting and gave it nice variety. The cover was super wonky, the guy in the back looks really stupid ngl, while the guy in the front looks totally stoned, which is kinda amusing. This whole album was kinda amusing, much better than Cohen.
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
Look, usually with concept albums I can kinda take it or leave it. This I'm kinda in the middle with it. I didn't really love it, but that's not really through any fault of its own. She's got a great voice and the songs are really well made. It's just the whole dystopian cyborg thing that just doesn't really do it for me. I dunno, it sounds good but really didn't do anything for me, and the lyrics are kinda weird on some of the songs (which didn't really surprise me). Again, just kinda middle of the road for me.
3
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
Eh. I'm still not a Bowie fan, this album hasn't changed that. I just don't really like his voice and his stuff is so pop it's just not really my style. His eyes look cool though.
3
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Wed Apr 10 2024
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
Well at least we're a third of the way through. I did like this one slightly more than the other Bowie albums, "Starman", "It Ain't Easy", and "Suffragette City" were my personal favorites from this album. However all that being said I still don't think he has all that great of a voice and a lot of his stuff I think just sounds so fake and naive. He's still not my style and I have to go through another 6 of his albums. He is not good enough to justify 9 albums being on this list.
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
Aight I need to apologize to Mason for all the crap I gave him about electronic music back in middle/high school. I thoroughly enjoyed this here album. I loved the lyrics, they did a good job of telling stories. I felt that the sounds were different on each song so the whole album didn't sound monotone. I also very much liked that they had different vocalists (granted it was only for two songs but still that's more than most bands). Very nice album.
5
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Very solid album. I love Tracy Chapman's voice and the guitar is great too, very melodic and fits the feel of each song, and has nice variety too. Her songwriting ability is tremendous and she does such a good job of telling a story and making you feel what she's feeling from the song. That's a powerful gift. The only reason this album isn't a 5 is because I have to hear enough about racism, violence, and how broken the world is regularly on the news and I don't necessarily want to be reminded of that in the music I listen to. However, Tracy Chapman does such a good job of making it personal that it doesn't feel preachy or showboaty, she sounds very genuine and that is something that is also very difficult to do in the music industry.
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Guero
Beck
The first time I ever heard Beck was as a kid when "Loser" came on the radio and I hated it. Thankfully my musical taste has vastly matured since then. However that was the only song by Beck I had ever heard until this here album came along. I had no idea what to expect. I absolutely loved it. This was such a good album. It starts off with E-Pro and that has such a nice guitar riff to drive it along. Each song has something that drives it, be it Beck's voice (which I think sounds better on this album than it ever did on "Loser") or the jangly acoustic guitar on "Farewell Ride". This was such a good album. If I still listened to CD's I would totally go out and buy this one.
5
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Tue Apr 16 2024
L.A. Woman
The Doors
Another day, another album that I don't understand how it made it on this list. I mean it wasn't awful, the guitar was nice and the instruments were played well and sounded good in the songs but I did not like Morrison's voice and the songs were just kinda weird lyrically and did not resonate with me at all. Seriously what is supposed to make this album soooooo good that it makes it one of the 1,001 albums that I NEED to listen to before I die? Someone please explain.
3
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
Please no more. My farts sound more melodic than his voice. The man literally cannot sing. His voice is so flat and out of tune it is painful. Again, see my previous reviews of his previous terrible albums. He's straight up awful. The guitar is pathetic and a joke that sounds the same, not only on every song, but on all of his albums too. He is a one trick pony and it's a terrible trick. No mas por favor.
1
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
I didn't love this album. I liked it a lot and it was very nice to do some school work whilst listening to it but I didn't love it. I did like the sax men wombo combo of Cannonball and Coltrane, but that's because I am a little biased towards the saxophone. I did not however very much enjoy the trumpet, but that is through no fault of Miles Davis. He is a phenomenal trumpet player I just am not a big trumpet/brass kinda guy, I think it sounds too bright and tinny for my taste. My favorite parts of this album (kinda surprisingly to me) were the parts where it was just the piano, the bass, and the drummer keeping time in the background. It was very lovely.
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
This was, once again, not an album I needed to hear before I died. It was boring, uninspired, lackadaisical, and generally kinda stupid. I could not tell you what the point of the album was at all. The samples were just strange (the one asking Willy if he wanted any sweets was particularly stupid and annoying). Was this supposed to be revolutionary or impressive cause it was neither. Does not deserve to be on this list at all.
2
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
This is the stuff that ruined hip-hop/rap for years. There is no justifying this, and definitely no justifying this being on this list. It's just violence, misogyny, and drugs. All this album does is glorify the depravity of humanity. There is nothing redeemable about this album. Stuff like this is the reason I stayed away from rap for so long. Gangsta rap is up there for me as a contender for one of the worst genres of music of all time.
1
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Tue Apr 23 2024
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
This album probably had a shot at getting a 5 from me if I hadn't listened to the second half after watching the Bruins lose tragically. It still gets a solid 4, I really liked the lyricism and the way they told the story of suburbia and nostalgia and looking back on where you came from. The instrumentation was also really solid and had some very nice variety. Liked that they switched up the lead vocalist every now and then, variety is the spice of life. Solid album.
4
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Totally whatever. Really did nothing for me. Didn't hate it but it just really was quite boring. I couldn't understand a word of what she was saying and it felt like there was no passion to it, just sounds. I mean I guess it didn't sound bad so that's cool I guess. Really not my cup of tea, very uninspiring.
2
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Back to Basics
Christina Aguilera
Eh, I mean she can sing and has an incredible voice but WHY WITH THE DOUBLE ALBUM. I hate double albums don't understand the point of them. Anyways I also don't really understand why this album was on the list, there really wasn't anything super special about it beside's her voice. Her songwriting abilities are mid at best, the only reason this album doesn't get a lower score is because of her voice.
2
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Heroes to Zeros
The Beta Band
Honestly I was expecting to hate this album with every fiber of my being. I did not. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Maybe it was because I was listening to this after studying for o chem all day and the vibe was just what I was looking for. Maybe it was because it was super low-key and they didn't seem to take themselves stupidly seriously. Whatever the reason I really liked this one. What an unexpected, pleasant surprise.
4
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Mon Apr 29 2024
Diamond Life
Sade
Totally and utterly mid. Her voice is pretty good I guess but the songwriting is just the same sort of feeling over and over. Did absolutely nothing for me. Very boring, very bland, not nearly special enough that I NEEDED to listen to this before I died.
2