715
Albums Rated
2.75
Average Rating
66%
Complete
374 albums remaining
Submitted Album
Fashion Nugget
CAKE
Featured Review
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes • 4/5
Chef's early work is top notch. It doesn't have the comedic punch of Chocolate Salty Balls, but it's every bit as sexy. Seriously though, this is interplay between music and vocals is so delightful on this album, with its looong tracks that feel like a grand tour. Had to listen to it three times before being fully convinced: it's a four star showing.
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
19
5-Star Albums
58
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
Stripped
Christina Aguilera
|
5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
|
Kala
M.I.A.
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
The Blueprint
JAY Z
|
5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
|
GREY Area
Little Simz
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Odelay
Beck
|
5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
|
OK
Talvin Singh
|
4 | 2.56 | +1.44 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Disintegration
The Cure
|
1 | 3.85 | -2.85 |
|
Metallica
Metallica
|
1 | 3.79 | -2.79 |
|
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
|
1 | 3.72 | -2.72 |
|
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
|
1 | 3.68 | -2.68 |
|
The Clash
The Clash
|
1 | 3.54 | -2.54 |
|
Rio
Duran Duran
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
|
Garbage
Garbage
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 4 | 1.5 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1 |
| Morrissey | 2 | 1 |
| Hole | 2 | 1 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 1.67 |
| Motörhead | 2 | 1.5 |
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 1.5 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 2 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 2 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 2 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 2 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 2 |
| David Bowie | 6 | 2.33 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 2.25 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Fleetwood Mac | 2, 5 |
| Beck | 3, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (19)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Iggy Pop · 2 likes
3/5
Absolutely a classic. Obviously I had heard the title track, but mostly not the rest of the album. It's all great. Iggy deserves fame for sure.
On a whim, I listened to Lana Del Rey's album by the same name, and it is absolutely fantastic. Obviously she has the benefit of 40 years of advancements in technology, and no doubt a lot more funding. But damn, hers was better.
Various Artists · 2 likes
4/5
Genuinely wonderful Christmas music--an asset to humankind that will be appreciated for centuries. It is genuinely difficult to detangle the joyousness of this music from the darkness of the whole second half of Phil's life. My huge crush on Ronnie Spector masks enough that I still deeply love this album.
David Ackles · 2 likes
2/5
Alright! This was a bit strange, but not objectionable. It brought me very few feelings of pleasure though.
Ravi Shankar · 2 likes
5/5
Absolutely wonderful! With this album, Ravi helped introduce the Western world to Indian music, and probably changed the very arc of human history. It's hard to imagine any other musician alive having more impact. It's also truly beautiful music.
Def Leppard · 2 likes
2/5
There is some genuine artistry to be respected in Def Leppard, and their story of overcoming adversity is very heartwarming. But the cheese factor is so very strong.
1-Star Albums (58)
All Ratings
Coldplay
3/5
Better than expected, although still hard to shake off the cloud of bad feelings from later work.
Garbage
1/5
Wasn't my favorite in the 1990s, and it's even worse in the modern ear.
Kraftwerk
2/5
It was good. Not super interesting by modern standards, although I respect how revolutionary it was at the end.
Parliament
2/5
Funky indeed, with some real classics
Norah Jones
2/5
Nice, soothing. Know the hits, of course, but it's interesting to hear tracks that I never have before.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Hold up even now, 25 years later. Truly great.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
Struggled to make it through. This is truly bad. Who the fuck likes this?
Blondie
3/5
Definitely a classic that had my head bobbing along at least a few times.
The Crusaders
3/5
Top notch disco-y jazz--very warm and friendly. It lands a little cheesy these days, but is nonetheless quite enjoyable.
AC/DC
3/5
Big energy, fun and feisty. I'm not really a rocker these days, but this one gives me some nostalgia.
Aerosmith
2/5
Just barely saved from one star by Sweet Emotion, a genuinely good song. All the rest made me grit my teeth in regret.
The Byrds
3/5
Folksy and rich, dripping with the innocence of a simpler time. Even this far in the rearview mirror, it's hard to hear it as apolitical, with country music now serving as the marching songs of red states. Was caught between 2 and 3 stars, but the darker thoughts did not prevail.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
Quality music driven by a modern crooner. As good as it might be, who wants to be caught listening to Justin Timberlake?
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Somehow made it through the 30th Anniversary Edition / Deluxe, but really didn't like even a single track.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
They call her the Queen of Soul for a reason. Listened to it twice!
Basement Jaxx
4/5
Remarkably good. Hard to believe I have never heard this whole album. It's right on the border of 5 stars.
The Jam
3/5
Not exactly my style, but genuinely enjoyable. Doubly surprising because I've never heard of The Jam.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
World class! The interludes were great, but definitely not safe for work. There are a lot of great tracks with fresh beats in the back half that I had never heard before.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Feminine classic country. Good variety of sound without being too sappy. I'm a fan of Dolly Parton as a human being, even though I would probably never put this on voluntarily. Solid work, but not what I want to listen to.
Brian Eno
2/5
Some truly putrid tracks, but mostly decently listenable. I would call it a failed experiment, but I didn't truly hate it.
Eminem
3/5
I big part of me doesn't really want to like this album, but honestly it pushes a lot of buttons. The nihilistic, toxic masculinity with little gems of vulnerability make for a stunning texture.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Definitely a classic that I had never bothered to sit down and listen through. Rich, folksy, and full of character. It's clear why he became such an icon.
Can
2/5
Super weird experimental rock. I probably would have loved it if I was a music-appreciating age in 1971. Today it's just okay.
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
Technically stellar and endearingly folksy. Require a particular mood though, because it's slow, soft, and wants your full attention. Not for me, but I respect it a lot.
Nas
4/5
Wow, I did not think of myself as a Nas fan, but this album is genuinely great. And at least track I have long loved, without even knowing it was Nas.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
It was fine; nothing to write home about.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Drum and bass is drum and bass. This is definitely top drawer in the genre, but it feels very flat without vocals. The last track is a with-vocals mix of the whole album, which I enjoyed a lot more. That alone would probably be 3 stars, but this one is definitely 2.
The Beta Band
2/5
Shrug, it was okay. Feels a little bit like going back to high school.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
It's so fun to hate on hair bands, especially given how terrible their behavior was. This album deserves is legendary status, but I would absolutely never put it on for fun. It was interested to hear some tracks that I never had before, but think I'd be happier listening to almost anything else.
Eminem
2/5
Not as good as the Marshall Mathers LP. Felt over the top and more screechy. Definitely has some classics, but I wouldn't dig it up.
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
Super cool! Amazing variety with lots of weird, funky sounds.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Wow, so great! Didn't realize I was not familiar with the man behind so many classics. Great energy live too 😁
Manic Street Preachers
1/5
Pure stereotype. Everything I disliked about 90s rock--bland, whiney, screechy. Kinda can't believe I made it to the end.
3/5
First few songs were definitively meh. The lyrics felt clunky and a bit like gibberish, and the instrumentals felt monotonous. Some of the songs feel sexist or abusive, like Just Like a Woman or You Belong to Me.
It does pick up quite a bit in the back half, which makes sense for a live show. Mr. Tambourine Man fuckin' slaps, and Like a Rolling Stone is huge.
Would go with 2.5 ⭐️ if possible.
The Fall
1/5
Yipes, I genuinely hated this. Angsty bullshit just does not hold up well, and early '90s rock almost always lands with a thud for me.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Absolutely top notch jazz, a big band sound with improv front and center. It's almost impossible to go higher than this without vocals. Deepest respect for Basie ❤️
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
Weird experimental rock, seems like the Bjork of its time. It was okay, but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again.
Cypress Hill
3/5
Still great even 20+ years later. Full of great tracks that prove their range far beyond Insane in the Brain.
Supertramp
3/5
Actually really liked this. It has a freshness to it that lots of other '70s rock really lacks these days.
4/5
Absolutely wonderful! Great variety, good energy, strong vocals, and all super duper lush.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Legendary for a reason. One of the greatest albums of all time. A lot of these tracks felt totally unfamiliar to me, so I'm not sure whether this was my first time listening all the way through.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Pretty jaunty and fun. Kinda halfway between the Springsteen and the Magnetic Fields. Liked it a lot more than I thought I would.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
I remember when this came out, and friends were very into it, but I didn't understand the appeal. Maybe the general mood has changed in my life, because now it seems lovely.
Elis Regina
2/5
Twas good, but honestly didn't really wow me. Looking at her list of albums, it seems like she just pumps out huge amounts of content. At that volume, I imagine it's hard to really keep the quality up.
The Hives
2/5
The Hives have a great sound, although it's pretty monotonous. This album is only 28 minutes, and honestly it's hard to listen to all the way through, since it's almost nonstop thrashing and belting.
Carole King
3/5
Simple but so good. Chocked full of soul, with good variety and depth.
Lorde
4/5
Beautiful! Big stretches have minimal instrumentals, which gives the vocals room to shine. Listened to it with headphones, which maybe gave it extra kick. I'm officially a big fan.
2/5
Meh. Early punk is not really my thing. Funny that they're actually American, because it has a very British sound.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Pretty enjoyable. Listening to Vieux Farka Toure recently kinda spoils it though, since Vieux is much more enthralling.
ZZ Top
2/5
Technically excellent, but really really not my style. Active since 1969 => holy fucking shit!
Coldplay
2/5
Meh! More Coldplay. Thanks.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
Folksy and fun. Not really my style, but I can see why they're famous.
Bon Jovi
2/5
Went back and forth on whether Bon Jovi is better or worse than Backstreet Boys. I think better, but not by a lot. Didn't hate it, but wasn't proud to be listening to it.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Such a great album! Only bad thing I can say about it is: it's not especially distinct/sharp. Technically strong, lots of variation, and so head-noddable.
The Sugarcubes
1/5
Don't really like new Bjork, and apparently I also don't like old Bjork ⭐️
Oasis
2/5
It was good but didn't feel super special. Unclear why anyone thought Oasis was the biggest thing since the Beatles, because there's really not much innovative sound in this album.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Superb. I've been really into reggae recently, and Bob is obviously one of the greatest of all time. Rest in peace, homie.
3/5
Every single track on this album is a masterpiece. The man basically invented a new genre. Rock (even Fantasy Rock) is just not my favorite, so this is right on the edge of four stars, but not quite there.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Noooooooope! Nope nope nope. If he says, "sucking on my ding dong" again, I'm flip a fucking table ⭐️
David Bowie
3/5
So many classics on this album. I'm just not that into rock these days, even Bowie's far-out corner of it.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Tom is really great. I never gave him a fair chance when I first heard his music in the 90s. It's still not really my thing, but I have a lot of respect for it.
The Zombies
2/5
Actually pretty fun. Didn't realize what I was listening to until I hit "Time of the Season". Not really my style though, so I'm sticking with my typical two stars.
Suede
2/5
Can see why this is beloved within its genre. It's just not my genre.
Beach House
3/5
When this came out, I was at a stage of life that wanted higher energy. So these relaxing thumps didn't really land with me. But they do today,
Prince
2/5
I'm that one weirdo that doesn't like Prince. Even giving the whole album an honest listen didn't change my mind. At first I thought I might dislike When Doves Cry because it's in A minor, but I love Stairway to Heaven, Rolling in the Deep, and Smooth Criminal. Maybe it's the lack of bassline? Honestly I don't know. Bordering on one star, but I didn't hate hate it.
John Grant
2/5
Obviously very talented and at times captivating. But ultimately not really my style.
Television
2/5
Pretty cool. Feel like a broken record explaining why 70's rock is not really my thing. The Doors were clearly much better, mostly because of the additional richness of the organ. This is just passable.
Jack White
2/5
Pretty good. Doesn't quite have the intensity of The White Stripes, but it is a technical masterpiece.
Eurythmics
2/5
Sweet Dreams is my karaoke song! Obviously love that track. All the rest is kinda meh.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Wow, so slow and soulful. This album gives me a deeper respect for Bruce.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Wow, fantastic, soup to nuts 🤯
Pixies
2/5
Quite disappointing. I have such a fond memory of Pixies from Where Is My Mind, but I mostly disliked this whole album.
The Residents
2/5
Although I truly do not enjoy listening to this, I appreciate its inventiveness. It's weirdo music biiiiiiiig time, in a supremely discomforting way.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Super fun and weird! Didn't realize that I enjoy that I'm a fan of Zappa. How was he making this shit in 1969?!
Orbital
2/5
Pretty cool. Not something I would pick, but I'm glad I gave it a try.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Fan-fucking-tastic! Especially amidst this endless ocean of rock with icebergs of experimental, it's clear that this really is one of my favorite albums. Great job, Pharcyde.
Linkin Park
2/5
Clear to see why they were so famous for a hot second. It was a fresh sound, but really doesn't age well. It's angst without purpose, unlike a Rage Against the Machine or System of a Down.
Metallica
1/5
One of the worst things to happen to music in my lifetime.
Traffic
2/5
Remarkably good for a band I've literally never heard of before. What, me heap kindness on early country?
New Order
2/5
Didn't like it, honestly, but also didn't totally hate it.
Nirvana
3/5
Legendary for a reason. Funny that some of the tracks are quite meh, whereas others are outstanding. Clearly they were just finding their footing at this stage.
Lou Reed
2/5
Pretty good. Have heard some of these tracks before, and I know the name Lou Reed, but I wouldn't have been able to put them together before.
Drive Like Jehu
1/5
Strong dislike
Death In Vegas
3/5
Wow, actually I'm a big fan of this. It's a remarkable tour de force, with almost every track sounding completely different. It definitely has a strong 90s vibe, and many tracks feel straight out of the Tank Girl soundtrack. But still, I really like it!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Can see why he's famous. His vocals jut out of the ocean of electric guitars like an iceberg. Especially when his lyrics get trippy, it's a real delight. Still not really my thing, so dropping it in the default bucket: two stars.
Paul McCartney and Wings
2/5
Pretty fun and very skillfully executed, although it lacks purpose and passion. It seems like professional coasting, to be honest.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Droning lyrics with very eclectic instrumentals and LGBT themes. It's definitely a strong piece of work, but not really my jam.
Eagles
1/5
The Dude was right, the Eagles suck.
Kanye West
3/5
Don't love the human being, but there's no denying the music is excellent.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Really unique. Slow and throbbing. Sooooo far outside of other music I listen to, but genuinely quite enjoyable.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Not really my jam, but I appreciate the quality
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Loved listening to this on the drive out to Texas to see the eclipse. It made me want to get up and dance in my RV.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Meh. Don't really like it--kinda teetering on 1 star. Would give 1.5 if I could.
The Stranglers
1/5
Strooooong dislike
George Harrison
3/5
Oddly charming. Honestly, the B-sides put me over the top into 3-star territory. Nice work, George!
Jamiroquai
3/5
Very good! Funky, fun, and so unique. It's like jazz collided with R&B.
The War On Drugs
2/5
Technically excellent, but not really my style.
The Killers
2/5
Almost got me up to three stars with Somebody Told Me, but the rest is droney and feels empty.
The National
2/5
Meh! It's aloof in this way that feels moderately depressing. And maybe melodramatic feeling. Only a tiny notch about 1 star.
Stan Getz
4/5
Loved it! So soft and soothing--perfect for my Friday morning workout.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Masterful tour de force. Kinda lost me at the growlcore B-sides. But to be honest with myself, I'm just not that excited about Smashing Pumpkins. Respect this album a lot, but for my personal listening enjoyment, it's two stars.
2/5
Definitely some big sing-along hits on this album. My problem is I just don't feel good listening to Oasis.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Wow, totally off my radar. It was pretty good up to Filthy/Gorgeous, at which point I simply fell in love ❤️
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Legend for a reason. Castles Made of Sand is one of my favorite songs of all time, not to mention Little Wing.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Looking back at this point, it feels a lot like country music. Certainly I respect the Rolling Stones, although it's not my style at all.
a-ha
1/5
Woof, barely made it through this. It's what teenagers in the 80's thought would be cool, and maybe it was at the time, but it has aged very poorly.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Whoa, so good! Funky jazzy awesomeness, which still feels fresh almost 50 years later. Curtis Mayfield is a genius.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Awww, this is great. I love Nightmares on Wax, but somehow had never gone back as far as this album. Great way to spend my Tuesday morning.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Pretty cool, especially for its time, although not really my jam.
R.E.M.
2/5
End of the World is genuinely great, although all the rest of... kinda meh. Didn't previously understand this was from 1987--it sounds way ahead of its time.
The Smiths
2/5
It's OG emo, basically.
Soft Machine
2/5
Genuinely intriguing mishmash of rock and jazz.
The Jam
1/5
Seems like it was way ahead of its time, but I just really dislike New Wave.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Well done, I've just always felt pretty meh about Foo Fighters.
Morrissey
1/5
80s x crooner = ugh
Paul Simon
2/5
There's definitely something unique and timeless about Paul Simon's music, and I respect him a lot. The vocally-driven melodies are just not what I would pick, so gonna stick with my default two stars.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Wonderful. I've never listened to this whole album straight through, although I have heard many of the tracks before. Seriously, I'm proud of my country for producing such music.
Jethro Tull
2/5
Liked this more than I thought I would, especially given the super creepy album cover. Doesn't quite bubble up to 3 stars, but it's definitely a strong 2.
Happy Mondays
1/5
Couldn't make it through. Some tracks were mildly interesting, but many were just grating.
Janis Joplin
2/5
Totally understand why she was so adored. The instrumentals are fairly basic, so the vocals/lyrics carry it almost entirely. Not my jam, although I have very deep respect for Janis.
The Doors
3/5
Shout out to 13 year-old me for having great taste in classic rock. The Doors are still great, and many of the tracks I had never heard, because I was a greatest hits basic boy.
Iggy Pop
2/5
My kind of weirdo in so many ways, but just not something I would choose to listen to.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Whew, so many hits on this one. I wanted to chuck it into the bucket of 80s country music and fully shrug it off, but sing-along songs like Dancing in the Dark and earnest love songs like I'm On Fire knocked me over to a three-star rating. Bravo, Bruce 👏
UB40
2/5
Not bad. Technically strong and very smooth, although it somehow doesn't feel special. I've been on a reggae kick lately, and nonetheless this just doesn't do it for me.
Nick Drake
2/5
Umm, this was fine. Doesn't seem that interesting to me, but it's certainly not bad.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Vaguely interesting. Seems like it was probable more notable at the time.
New Order
2/5
Did not dislike as much as I thought I would, but it's very close to one star.
Santana
3/5
Honestly did not realize that Santana was so old. Especially for being released in 1970, this album is amazing. Great job, y'all!
Beatles
3/5
Quite good. Easy to see how they became so famous. The relentlessly romantic themes are a real grind, but the skillful performance through a broad range of sounds makes listening worthwhile.
Pearl Jam
2/5
Didn't understand this album when it first came out, and I still don't understand it.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Technically solid, but really not my style
Sex Pistols
2/5
Angsty British teens kinda goes down with a thud for me. Anarchy tends to put less advantaged people at risk, so this just reads as selfish these days.
Red Snapper
3/5
Amazing variety of different sounds. Remind me a bit of Radiohead, albeit with less interesting lyrics.
2/5
Hmmm, I guess I don't really like Blur. It was terrible, but it also really didn't give me any joy.
The Cure
1/5
Instrumentals are rock solid, but Pouty White Guy is just not my genre.
The Thrills
1/5
So bland and so beige. Complete lack of soul.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Respectable tour de force, although doesn't feel special to me. Maybe it would feel more important if I was really deep in the LGBTQ community, but as is, it's kind of a shrug.
Stereolab
3/5
Oh, wow, this is delightful. Stereolab was totally off my radar!
Gorillaz
4/5
Truly a masterpiece. More than 20 years later and this album still feels fresh, and brings me such joy. Giving a rare four stars to this one.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Actually pretty cool, especially for 1967 and espeically for a band I've literally never heard before. Nice job, y'all!
Pink Floyd
2/5
Didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Certainly masterful work. Maybe it's because of the sheer amount of time that has passed, but I just didn't really get into it.
Rush
2/5
Was shocked to learn this was their eighth album, and best selling. Didn't love it.
Björk
3/5
In general I'm not a huge fan of Bjork, but this album is pretty good. She's really a remarkable weirdo, and I love weirdos.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Truly a masterpiece. Such a unique sound, especially for 1992, blending elements of metal and reggae. Plus the energy is through the roof. This is one thing I loved in my childhood that I love even more today ❤️
Peter Tosh
3/5
Really good! Peter Tosh wasn't on my radar. Too bad he didn't live to see legalization.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bow down! This really is one of the greatest albums of all time, and Stir It Up is one of my favorite love songs. I've been listening to a lot of reggae on SomaFM's Heavyweight Reggae station recently, and so this really pops up as exceptional work.
Beyoncé
3/5
Love this album! Her unique combination of singing and rapping is wonderful, and the variation in instrumentals makes this album relentlessly entertaining. Bordering on four stars.
MGMT
3/5
Wow, really good! I didn't fully appreciate MGMT when they first came out, but going back now is surprisingly delightful.
David Bowie
2/5
Obviously there are some true classics on this album, and I really enjoy it, but I honestly don't feel any special affinity for it.
Roni Size
2/5
Clearly a very strong album, and it was teetering on three stars for me. I'm just not that into drum and bass.
Steely Dan
2/5
Obviously a skillful creation, but very much not my style. It's basically classic country. Didn't hate it, but it was teetering on one star for me.
ABBA
2/5
Sparkling disco, so beloved by all of the Swedes in my life. Not really my jam, but I appreciate the quality.
Cat Stevens
1/5
Sigh. I want to be the sort of person who can enjoy the earnestness of something like this, but in my ear it's just saccharine. Wholesomeness is just no respite for me.
Steve Winwood
2/5
Yeah, not bad. Didn't knock my socks off, but I'm glad I listened to it.
Elton John
3/5
Wonderful! Tiny Dancer is definitely my favorite, but the weird combo of folksy and glam is oddly charming. I honestly don't think of myself as the sort of person who likes Elton John, but this album is undoubtedly a triumph.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Pretty great, with at least a couple of true classics. I would put this back on basically any time.
Syd Barrett
1/5
Some decent tracks, but others were downright cringe.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
Some fun stuff, but overall feels cheesy and vapid, like watching Barney.
The Black Keys
4/5
I just fucking love The Black Keys. This might not even be their best album, but it absolutely fills my soul with joy. Top fucking notch! 👏👏👏👏
Green Day
2/5
I like Green Day, but honestly never really loved them. And strangely I think their later albums are better.
Merle Haggard
2/5
Twangy crooner. Country is *really* not my jam, but I honestly did not hate this. Songs about alcoholism slap me so much harder than any about heartbreak.
Madonna
2/5
Can understand why she is famous, but it still feels like watered down pop to me.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Undoubtedly one of the best albums of all time. Jimi is like a magical traveler from space. I hope one day to hear the music he has created since leaving earth.
The Who
2/5
Pretty good, I'm just honestly not a huge fan of The Who.
Sade
2/5
Smooth jazz is a little easier on the ears now than it was when I first heard this as a kid. But it's still pretty shruggy for me.
The Smiths
1/5
Nope nope nope. Make the whining stop, please.
Bob Dylan
4/5
So much to love about this album. Don't Think Twice is one of my favorite songs of all time.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Would say that he's "my kind of weirdo", but he's actually a very different type of weirdo that I don't like so much. Didn't hate it though.
Mudhoney
1/5
Really struggled to get through this.
Duran Duran
1/5
Aaaaaaagh! Make it stop!
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Very good! Really top notch jazz, and Hugh was totally off my radar before.
Nick Drake
2/5
Soft and soothing, although it feels so very beige.
The Waterboys
2/5
Folksy and fun, trad rock. Not exactly my jam, but I enjoyed it.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Lovely. Playful lyrics with a silky smooth voice.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Actually pretty great, and it's amazing that they've continued to exist until today with SO MANY members. They were completely off my radar.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
In one way, delightfully weird. In multiple other ways, heinously grating. I made it through, but just barely.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
Soooo weird but I like it.
The Stone Roses
2/5
Meh, bland late 80s rock. Not a great period for the genre.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
So earnest and so human. I didn't get into downtempo hip hop until almost a decade later, so this album was off my radar for a long time. It's really a triumph.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
It was okay. Twangy and folksy, and altogether forgettable.
Liz Phair
2/5
Ugh, I feel bad poopooing such an important feminist, although I really didn't like this. I'm gonna stuck with two stars in recognition of her important contribution to society, although I was honestly teetering on one.
Deep Purple
1/5
Wow, earliest known hair band? I don't like hair bands!
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Lots of songs were just too saccharine and sappy for me, although enough were more punchy that I tipped up into a two star review. I'd describe it as "okay" at best.
Jane's Addiction
1/5
Wailing, wailing, wailing, and wailing! Honestly I'm not a fan of Jane's Addiction. I respect the quality of the music, but I truly dislike the style.
The Who
2/5
It was alright. Rock is not really my thing, but I definitely appreciated the humor in this one.
The Go-Go's
2/5
Hmmm, I guess it was fine. Not really my thing.
Joan Armatrading
2/5
It was fine. Didn't really feel special 😐
Blur
3/5
Ha, I knew some of these songs without knowing that they were Blur. Nice work, guys!
Bob Dylan
4/5
Wonderful. Bob is a legend for a reason.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Wow, stupendous! I guess I had just not given Arcade Fire a proper chance when this first came out.
The Monkees
2/5
Feels like a watered down version of the Beatles, to be honest. Quality music, it's just didn't feel exciting at all to me.
Mercury Rev
1/5
This felt like punishment.
Funkadelic
3/5
What a journey. This one is not licensed in the United States on streaming platforms, so proved to be hard to track down. I looked at a few vinyl and physical CD options before resorting to TPB. The music itself was fun, silly, and very human. Maggot Brain, in particular, reminded me a lot of Jimi Hendrix. Overall it was worth the work.
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
British aught rock! There's definitely some catchy tunes on here, and it's kinda teetering on three stars for me. Honestly I'm just pretty sure I would never choose this on the jukebox, unless it was a really shitty jukebox.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Rockabilly is oddly charming. Totally get why this guy is famous!
Beck
3/5
Pretty good stuff. Not as off-the-charts weird as his earlier stuff, but still quite enjoyable.
The Pogues
3/5
I love the Pogues. It's like getting a big fuzzy hug from your sarcastic grandmother. Keepin' it real, keepin' it jaunty.
The The
2/5
Pretty cool, although not really my style. Didn't realize that "This is the Day" was by The The--I actually know their stuff.
Public Enemy
4/5
Fuck fuck fuck yeah! One of these tracks was played on a boombox on the first day of my Rhetoric 20 class at Berkeley my first day of college, and Public Enemy has been near and dear to my heart ever since.
N.W.A.
3/5
Legends for a reason. I'm a huge Hip Hop fan, and therefore kinda embarrassed that I never listened to this whole album straight through before.
Public Enemy
2/5
Fight the Power is fantastic, but a lot of the rest of this album is pretty meh. I love Public Enemy, but Apocalypse 91 is just way better.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Still a unique idea more than 50 years later. Cash's voice and way with the crowd is absolutely perfect. Plus the gritty lyrics make this one of the greatest albums of all time ❤️
Moby Grape
3/5
Wow, this is a really impressive album--truly a tour de force. It's especially shocking because I have never heard of Moby Grape before. Their name is remarkably bad, but the music is wonderful!
Fela Kuti
4/5
So fun and so full of life. This album is a treasure!
Sparks
2/5
Pretty cool, although not exactly my jam. I'm glad I listened to it, but it seems very unlikely I'll go back for more Sparks in the future.
The White Stripes
4/5
Stupendous! Seven Nation Army is one of my favorite songs of all time. At first I thought this might be a 5-star album, but many of the tracks are just good. For 5 stars tracks need to be almost all great.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Really really good, unsurprisingly. Mingus is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time.
Erykah Badu
3/5
So distinctive and so soothing. Somehow I never really got into Erykah Badu, but listening to this album certainly fills me with respect for her, and curiosity about her other work.
D'Angelo
2/5
Silky smooth to the point of being cheesy. It felt fairly one dimensional. So kind of a shrug, although I didn't dislike it.
The Kinks
2/5
Yawn. It felt like a watered down version of The Beatles, to the point where I thought they must be a predecessor. But I was wrong--they were contemporaries.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
Very wholesome and very classic, it feels like a hallmark of a simpler time. I didn't dislike it, but I also genuinely don't have much esteem for it.
3/5
Very funky and very cool. Somehow War was totally off my radar.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Kinda fun and jaunty. I guess I'd call it aughts comfort folk. It just doesn't really seem like much to get excited about.
3/5
Was bracing for another yawn after getting another The Kinks album just a few back. But this one I liked a lot more. Nice work, gents!
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Wonderful! It's interesting to hear her voice when she was so young.
Ice Cube
3/5
Damn, this album is amazing. Given how well I know Ice Cube, it's funny that I have heard almost none of his early stuff.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Very fun, very weird, very arty.
Cream
3/5
Wow, super cool! Seems like it must have been first wave psychedelia.
Genesis
2/5
Heady and unique. Between the punchy lyrics and weird sounds, it reminds me a little bit of Pearl Jam. Didn't love it, but I do respect it.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Ummm, I don't know. Certainly well executed, but but really attractive to me.
Johnny Cash
3/5
What a treasure of an album. I'd heard "Hurt" before, but most of these I hadn't. And I didn't realize there was a whole series of this. Much respect for you, Johnny ❤️
Slint
1/5
Ugh, it was really hard to get through this. I truly hated it.
Mike Oldfield
2/5
Very weird! Really takes you on a journey. Don't expect myself to go back, but I'm glad I listened to it 🙂
Sepultura
1/5
Ugh, heavy metal always puts me in a bad mood.
Supergrass
2/5
The Damned
2/5
Certainly seems like part of the bridge to punk. Not exactly my jam, but I respect it.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Really enjoyed this. Put it on while cleaning up from Burning Man.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
So fun. Maybe not LCD's very best album, but their talent is showing huge on this one.
Pretenders
2/5
Well executed, but not really my jam.
CHVRCHES
4/5
Love Chvches! I've seen them live before and am totally in love with Lauren Mayberry. This is a sterling album--really groundbreaking and well executed.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Pretty great, although I'd call "Stupid Girl" problematic by modern standards.
David Bowie
2/5
It's funny that this is such an iconic album cover, because it really doesn't seem to be Bowie's best work. Just honestly okay.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
So fucking good. It's a notch down from "Are You Experienced", but still one of my absolute favorites.
The Bees
3/5
Seems like it was part of that wave of absurdism with Quiznos' Spongmonkeys, Tom Green, Napoleon Dynamite, and Space Ghost. I still enjoy this kind of freakiness, but certainly identify with it a lot less than I did at the time. Still, surprisingly good for a band that was completely off my radar.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
I'm not exactly sure why I don't really like this album. It does have some songs that I love, and make me feel nostalgic. I really don't like Aerosmith, so that cameo was super meh. Maybe it's just too shouty?
Sister Sledge
3/5
Iconic disco, and a lovely collection of voices. They feel like a predecessor to Destiny's Child. I put it on while cleaning the pedicab this morning before work, and I was getting smiles from the neighbors!
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Soothing and gentle. I think it helps, actually, that I don't know what she's saying 😅
M.I.A.
5/5
Truly a masterpiece
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Wow! Just fucking wow. I honestly don't really like rock, but this album is amazing.
Skepta
4/5
Spectacular! Really a tour de force. Totally caught me by surprise, because I had not even heard of Skepta before today. How'd I miss?!
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Todd was not really on my radar before, but this is solid stuff.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Lots of fun stuff on here, but honestly it's the beginning of Michael Jackson jumping the shark, so it's just hard to feel good about it. He already is starting to look like a white woman on the cover 😒
Brian Eno
2/5
I appreciate the artistry in this, but I prefer airports to have gently energetic music, to strum my excitement about traveling.
Motörhead
2/5
Metal is a chore for me. Motorhead is not so bad though. Lyrics are pretty blah blah blah, but I prefer that over something ripped from a horror movie.
Billy Bragg
2/5
Umm, yeah, this was weird. Didn't dislike it, but it would also not be something I would choose.
Violent Femmes
4/5
Wow, this album is amazing, especially for a debut album I'd heard a few of the tracks before, but not the whole thing. Earnest but silly in the most delightful way.
The Streets
2/5
Fit but You Know It is great, but the rest is just okay. The style is definitely unique for its vintage, but I honestly wasn't excited when The Streets came out, and I'm still not.
Femi Kuti
4/5
Soooo great! Full of character and life. It's supremely uplifting.
Van Halen
2/5
It's just hard for me to muster the slightest respect for hair bands. Technically this is good, but I just get no joy out of it.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Woooooooow! How come no one told me about Jane Weaver. This was absolutely fantastic. So lush and unique.
The Slits
3/5
Whoa, hey! Remarkably good. The Slits were not on my radar at all, but this album is an unmitigated triumph.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Have long been a fan of Bob, and this is a great album. It feels a little less human than some of his other stuff, and maybe more polished.
Michael Jackson
3/5
It's hard to set aside everything that happened since, but this album was absolutely a triumph.
Faust
3/5
Amazingly weird. Almost felt like it might have been the original inspiration for creating 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Not sure if I really understand what krautrock is, but at least it feels a little more familiar.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
Unbelievable!
Iron Maiden
3/5
Totally caught off guard by how good this was. Now I'm questioning my very identity. Am I an Iron Maiden fan?! Hard to get over how bad the cover art is; the music is so much better.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Love this album so much. Truly took hip hop in a new direction. Even though I was never a skateboarder, "Kick, Push" always felt very personal for me 🛹
Beatles
5/5
An unmitigated triumph
Digital Underground
2/5
Granted, this album went on right after The White Album by the Beatles, but I was truly unimpressed. Humpty Dance obviously stands out, although most of the rest are almost comical. One star would be too harsh, but this is certainly a weak two.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Quality classic and hip stuff. Dusty really was a treasure. It's an almost painful reminder of simpler times.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Have a lot of respect for Joni, but her music is really not my style.
System Of A Down
3/5
The most metal thing that I have ever truly loved. Although I've been enamored with System of a Down since high school, I had never actually heard their whole debut album. So this was a real treat 😁
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead is great. Definitely droney and somewhat melodramatic, but a lot of the songs feel very personal for me.
Morrissey
1/5
It's not clear to me exactly why I hate Morrissey, but it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. Ugh, just fucking stop.
Screaming Trees
1/5
It's like a watered down version of Radiohead. So very meh.
Sugar
1/5
Do respect the quality of this work, but it's really not enjoyable listening for me. Mid 90s rock is soooo full of meh for me.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Truly wonderful--it's clear why all of these guys are so famous, although kinda hard to believe this was the best selling album any of them ever made.
Gary Numan
2/5
Seems to thread the needle between experimental and approachable. Obviously I had heard "Cars" before, but don't think I had ever even heard of Gary Numan. It's maybe teetering on three stars, but honestly I don't think I would listen to this again without a reason. Plus checking in on Gary on Instagram is profoundly depressing--fame has clearly fucked up his family royally.
Al Green
3/5
Even 52 years later, the romance does not land as sappy. I'd gladly put on Al for sexy time. Top notch work!
The Doors
3/5
Very good! I was a big fan of The Doors back in my early teenage years, when I had long hair and baggy pants. But honestly I mostly just stuck with a single greatest hits album. This one feels a little more... all over the map. The almost growling vocals are still super unique to this day, and at my current age I see them as more aggressive.
Simply Red
2/5
Pretty cool, and completely unfamiliar to me. It's not super well aligned with my tastes, but I have a lot of respect the quality of the work.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
So earnest and gentle! The later album with Young is definitely better, but I can certainly see why this one got so much attention. Well done, guys 👏
Portishead
4/5
Dummy really is one of my favorite albums of all time, and truly stunning as a debut. Wandering Stars, in particular, is amazing. Although as deep as my feelings are, I can see the space between this work and perfection, so landing at four.
Public Enemy
3/5
Such crisp and clear racial/political angst. The juxtaposition between the vocals of Chuck D and Flava Flav really gives this a lot of character. The punchy drum kit and occasional electric guitar are not really my favorite, but I do cherish Public Enemy nonetheless.
John Prine
3/5
Twangy, folksy, and overtly Christian. Liked it more than I thought I would. The storytelling reminds me a bit of Bob Dylan. Much respect for staying out of politics all the way until his death in 2020.
Incubus
2/5
Crooner grunge, basically. I liked Incubus when I was a teenager, but it's honestly slowly faded in the intervening decades. It feels, I guess, a little childish and empty-hearted. But I also don't hate it.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Truly and forever the Queen of Soul ❤️
Slayer
1/5
No no no no no noooooooo! Death metal puts me in a bad mood every time, and this is even worse than average.
M.I.A.
3/5
Love MIA in general, and this album is definitely solid. URAQT and Galang are my favorites, for sure. It's not nearly as good as Kala. Plus I just learned that she's a Trumper, so it's hard to muster true admiration right at the moment.
Os Mutantes
4/5
SO. FUCKING. WEIRD. I love it! Seriously, every track is very different. It's a tour through sounds jazzy, rocky, funky, loungey, and experimental.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Stevie is amazing human being, although this album was more hit-and-miss than I expected. Some tracks really lost me, whereas others had me totally hooked.
Ian Dury
1/5
It's as if the horny 12-year-old version of me could create an album. Maybe it was edgy in a delightful way at some point, but now it just feels dopily crass. I didn't truly hate it, but even two stars feels too generous.
Neil Young
2/5
Okay, I think I still understand Neil Young a bit better now. This is not my jam, but I don't hate it.
3/5
Basically crooner rock. It's definitely high quality stuff, although I was never able to get very excited about Muse. It's right on the boundary between two and three, although I'm feeling generous, so going one notch higher.
Bill Callahan
3/5
Straddling the line between hammy and sincere. It's almost like a country version of Frank Zappa. So yeah, I dig it!
Motörhead
1/5
How does Motörhead have two on this list?! Speed metal just feels like it stimulates the evil in people, which is such a huge turnoff. Really wanted to be done after Hammersmith. Although I will say I was tickled to learn that they're all from the UK and Lemmy is from Staffordshire!
Stop. Metal. No. Don't. Go. Away.
Ray Price
2/5
It's funny how tame and kinda boring this is compared to music that came only four or five years later. Ray is clearly talented, and a master of a style of music that was just tailing off in the early 60's, but it's just not something I can get excited about.
Pulp
2/5
Wow, what a bunch of weirdos! Would have thought that this album had come from the 80s. I just didn't love it. Sorry, guys.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Super fun!
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Pretty fun. Very 80s. Clearly a talented bunch of guys, but it has a bit of that hollow, airiness that typified the decade. Flirted with the boundary of two and three stars, but ultimately I don't hold a lot of esteem for it.
The Clash
1/5
Truly, I was ready for this to be an amazing piece of work, which launched a whole genre. It fell far short of that. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but I really didn't like it.
Bert Jansch
2/5
Lovely music by a very talented guy, clearly. Compared to later artists like John Denver or Woody Guthrie, it feels kinda two dimensional. Although maybe it was more groundbreaking at the time.
Wire
2/5
It is a big surprise how far this was ahead of its time. It reminds me a lot of the music I used to listen to in the mid 90s. Later stuff is just a lot better, just like with the Clash.
Björk
3/5
Dig it! Going back to Bjork makes me appreciate her more and more--really missed out on enjoying her when she first came around.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Whoa, this was amazing! I had heard some of these tracks, probably most sampled in later electronic songs, but didn't know where they came from. This is easily one of my top foreign language albums so far.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Truly top notch jazz. Monk's mastery of the piano shines here. Truly love this, but it's almost impossible to bump me up to four stars without lyrics.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Wow, this is exactly the sort of super weird, High Art stuff that would tempt me to four stars. But it's grounded in 90s rock, which is generally pretty meh for me. So I'm sticking with three stars. Still, great job, guys!
Tears For Fears
5/5
Unbeliveable! I knew Tears for Fears but never let them sink in before. I laid on the couch and really let this what works, but this literally wept while listening.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Holy shit, PJ Harvey, this album is amazing! I knew of her before, but didn't realize she had been making amazing music for so long 👏👏👏
MC Solaar
4/5
Wow, the hits just keep coming. This was stupendous. I must have heard MC Solaar, since I listen to to French hip hop from time to time, but never really latched onto him.
Faith No More
2/5
Ugh, real love/hate relationship with this one. There are some great tracks, to which I gleefully sing along. But at its core, this is not far away from speed metal, which I tend to despise. I respect the skill, but find so much of it cheesy.
Steely Dan
3/5
Very good! I was familiar with both the name and the music before, but don't know if I would be able to connect them together. Listened in the car on the way up to Tahoe with Lemur.
Def Leppard
2/5
There is some genuine artistry to be respected in Def Leppard, and their story of overcoming adversity is very heartwarming. But the cheese factor is so very strong.
Pavement
2/5
Pretty good. I honestly don't understand why it was seen as such an important album based on the content itself, although maybe it inspired many others.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Wow! A complete unknown. What a treat. Love at first sight.
Metallica
1/5
It's hard not to see crowds of fans in my head when hearing this album. It's good artistic work, but I really don't like what it created.
Underworld
4/5
Wooooooooow! I knew about Underworld, and in fact have seen them live before, but had never heard this album. It's magnificent--really takes you on a journey.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Utterly marvelous. I really enjoyed this a lot. I like Arcade Fire a lot, but have never really spent serious quality time with them.
David Bowie
2/5
I appreciate the artistry of this album. It wasn't particularly well aligned with my mood, so I had a hard time getting into it.
David Holmes
3/5
Oh, wow, super cool! Had never heard of David Holmes, but the artistry here is remarkable. It's genuinely impressive!
Duke Ellington
4/5
Hot damn, this was fun! Duke is a legend for a reason ❤️❤️❤️
Fats Domino
3/5
Wasn't about to listen to a few of the tracks, so I wasn't able to find them anywhere on the internet. But everything I did hear was great. Fats is a legend for a reason ❤️
The Verve
3/5
Really good. Mid 90s rock is not really my jam, but there is real artistry in this one. Good job, guys!
Lou Reed
3/5
Oh, hey, this is the guy from Walk on the Wild Side. This album is great. I knew the name before, but would not have been able to pair it with the voice.
George Michael
4/5
Wow, this was so good that I went on to listen to the MTV Unplugged version too. I know George Michael, and am reminded again every Christmas. Faith is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. But I had never heard this album, and I'm really glad that I now have.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Love Jurassic 5. Love this album. Soooooooo great! Love love love ❤️❤️❤️
Talking Heads
2/5
Hmmm, this was just okay. I've learned to love the Talking Heads from a friend, but this album didn't really hook me. I'd rather re-watch Stop Making Sense.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Good quality stuff, but it pulls me toward a low mood. So it'd be hard for me to go above two stars.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Made me uncomfortable in the most delightful way. This is also the name of a local coffee shop that I frequented for at least a decade, so it makes me a little nostalgic.
Randy Newman
3/5
Love the juxtaposition between the wholesome sound and the lyrics. Pretty sure I had heard "You Can Leave Your Hat On", but never really paid close attention to the lyrics. How in the world is the Joe Cocker version more famous?
Bauhaus
1/5
The bleakness is this is just not something I can handle today.
808 State
2/5
Really liked this, didn't quite love it. Maybe I've been spoiled by too much great electronic music made later.
The White Stripes
4/5
Stupendous. The White Stripes single-handedly revived a dying art form 🤘
ABBA
3/5
Wonderful! I'm familiar with ABBA, but had not gone back to listen to whole albums. This son was definitely a treat.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Truly amazing! Had a general fondness for The Rolling Stones before, but listening to this album really cemented it. So much variety in the sound--it's almost like every track is off of a different album.
Beatles
4/5
Excellent! Really great job guys, you absolutely deserve to be famous.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Splendiferous! It takes you on a whole journey. Absolutely, Herbie deserves every bit of fame he has.
Eels
4/5
Fantastically weird. I listened to it twice, actually, and then went on to listen to his secret solo work--MC Honky, which was also great!
The Clash
3/5
Very well done! Honestly I liked this more than I thought I would.
Pixies
2/5
This was okay. Kinda lost me at Debaser, and then even good tracks afterward had a hard time winning me back. Where Is My Mind is my favorite Pixies track, and isn't on this album 😐
2/5
Fun and funky and weird. Had never heard of Spirit. Clearly they're talented, although this isn't really something I'd ever reach for.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Pretty great! Would need to be in just the right mood for this, but by luck I was when it came up.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Wonderful! Really top notch jazz, and especially amazing given how early it was. Without lyrics, four stars feels like a little too much to me, but it's certainly close.
Ride
2/5
This was okay. It would have me for a song or two, but then totally lose me again. Maybe you had to be there.
Ministry
1/5
Speed metal just always makes me feel bad. Maybe this sounds great on meth.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Really lovely! Honestly I had never heard of Astrud, but this is top notch stuff ❤️
Willie Nelson
2/5
Canonical country. In the context of all the other albums, it's pretty clear that Willie is just twangy + crooner. I say "just", but he really nailed it. It is earnest and simple in a way that's unfortunately hard for me to appreciate these days, so hard to go beyond two stars. Nonetheless, I respect Willie a lot, and believe he's a national treasure.
Culture Club
2/5
New wave is not my jam in general, and Boy George is all the way at the Nope end of the spectrum. Clearly lots of talent behind this, but it's not for me. Still, I don't hate it, so sticking with my baseline of two stars.
Metallica
1/5
Ugh, another Metallica. See my previous review--feelings have not changed.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
This was exactly what I needed tonight. Especially after Metallica last night, the soothing powers of this are absolutely magical.
Magazine
2/5
Pretty cool. Not what I'm into these days, but I was glad to get acquainted with Magazine.
Various Artists
4/5
Genuinely wonderful Christmas music--an asset to humankind that will be appreciated for centuries. It is genuinely difficult to detangle the joyousness of this music from the darkness of the whole second half of Phil's life. My huge crush on Ronnie Spector masks enough that I still deeply love this album.
Julian Cope
2/5
Stopped at the first remix, since it seems to go on forever. Julian is definitely talented, and the album has a very unique sound, but I just didn't find myself getting even remotely excited about it.
ZZ Top
2/5
Pretty much the defining sound of classic rock, with good energy and plenty of twang. Not really my style, but I respect and appreciate ZZ Top.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Knew and respected Leonard Cohen before listening to this album. But something about this album on this day made me fall in love with him. Far Out Magazine's list of his best albums puts this one at #4, so I've been listening to the others, and really enjoying. Days like this are what this project is all about 😁
Slade
3/5
Honestly liked this more than I thought I would. The album cover is, in my taste, truly horrible. The vibe is fairly puerile, but the artistry is real and it's quite energizing.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Very jammy with a real Grateful Dead vibe. It's certainly not my favorite style of music these days, but it gave me a nice warm feeling today. So split between two and three stars, I'm going towards the generous end.
Joe Ely
2/5
Classic country. Not really my style, but it's certainly well executed.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Yeah, so twangy. Really not my favorite of music, but Dwight is a consummate crooner.
Love
3/5
Super unique sound, although the lyrics seemed flat by comparison. Certainly on the borderline, but giving it a generous rating because of its age.
Steely Dan
2/5
Feels a bit watered down, compared to the last Steely Dan album that came up. Squarely in the realm of easy listening, which I generally find meh.
The Only Ones
2/5
Seems like Diet Britpunk. Bit monotonous, and didn't really pull me in, but certainly well-executed.
David Bowie
2/5
Pretty far from my favorite Bowie album. Lacked imagination and had a kind of stale sound, like it came out of the 90s. Still it's a pleasure to his voice, and to know he was devoted to making music, all the way to the very end.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Wonderful! Some part of me thinks the Beatles would have made music like this if they had kept going. So much variety and so many layers, it's truly lush.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Super cool early hip hop that was completely unknown to me! Relly enjoyed listening to this, and I'm glad to now know Jungle Brothers.
Tom Waits
4/5
So amazingly weird, and just what I needed tonight. Honestly I had not given Tom Waits a proper listen in the past, although he clearly deserved it.
Wilco
3/5
Totally a triumph of music making, although I somehow just can't get super excited about Wilco. Maybe it's the low-emotion lyrics. Still, much respect!
4/5
Almost the pinnacle of silliness for the Beatles, although Yellow Submarine was probably the tipey top. It's amazing and really fun, and was way ahead of its time in terms of complexity. They absolutely deserve their legendary status. I actually just got back from visiting Liverpool for NYE 2025, but I skipped the Beatles Museum. Still, this feels lucky.
GZA
4/5
Top notch hip hop, especially for its time. If it came out even five years later, I might bump it down to three stars, but this early it really deserves four.
Little Richard
3/5
Very energetic and fun. It's weird hearing him talk in between tracks, because his natural speaking voice is so high.
Boston
3/5
Power rock at it's finest. Boston is not really my style, but I respect them. Three stars feels a little generous, but their spaceship looks cool.
John Martyn
3/5
So great! Lovely being swept along by this.
Radiohead
5/5
Perfect. No notes.
Radiohead
4/5
Very very good! Coming up right after OK Computer, this one is not nearly as wow, but I still love it. Tipped just barely over to four stars, since I can still hear the riff from Idioteque in my head from 25 years ago.
Talking Heads
3/5
Pretty great. I'm honestly not the biggest Talking Heads fan, in part because I know the biggest Talking Heads fan. Anna--she's great. This one feels like a middling performance for them. Quite enjoyable, but not wow.
Gene Clark
3/5
Wow! Gene Clark was totally new to me and this album is really good. He's no Bob Dylan, but certainly in the same league.
The Saints
2/5
Huh, not bad! Don't think I've ever heard of The Saints. It's impressive that had a sound I would describe as similar to The Hives, although 15 years earlier. Although I didn't actively dislike it, I found myself wanting it to be over.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Wonderful. Fame well deserved. Takes me back to being a teenager. I didn't catch on to Smashing Pumpkins until later in the 90s, but I was right to revere them then, and I revere them now.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
Liked this more than I thought I would, based on looking at the album cover. Maybe that was an alluring image in 1971 record stores, but provokes a huge ugh now in 2025. Little on the border, but I'm inclined to be generous because it reminded me yet again to not judge a book by its cover.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Whoa, what a triumph! This is bordering on five stars. Top notch artistry, yo 👏👏👏
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Basically the definition of Jaunt Rock. It was not especially cool to like RHCP when I was a kid, but I do enjoy their music.
The Smiths
2/5
Not sure if it was the coincidence of last name, but The Smiths landed wrong for me a long time ago, and has not changed since then.
Tom Waits
3/5
Weird and crass and very human. Certainly not as good Swordfishtrombones, but I enjoyed it and respect the artistry.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Usually I'm all about weird. But something about Cee Lo just lands with a thud for me. Maybe I'm just not the target audience. Fuck You (from his Lady Killer album in 2010) is on my deserted island playlist, but this album honestly just feels okay.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
This album definitely means a lot to me. I gave it on vinyl as a gift to my old doctor, who as it turns out went to school with Lauren Hill. Love the schoolhouse sounds between tracks. Also Everything is Everything is one of my favorite tracks of all time. Still don't love it enough for five stars, but damn is it close.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Tell. Me. About. It. I fell in love with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs when I first heard them, and Maps is one of my favorite tracks of all time. It was a life goal for me to hear them perform it live, and I finally got the chance at the Greek Theater in Berkeley a couple years ago. It was so crowded I couldn't even see the stage, but I didn't care. I sang along to every single word, and I wept tears of joy. If the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are not proof that music is the mountain top, I don't know what ever could be.
Elastica
2/5
Okay, I get it. It's just not that exciting for me, to be honest.
Kate Bush
2/5
There is at least one Kate Bush track that is very close to my heart. But at least last night when I listened to this album, it totally landed with a thud. One day I should definitely give it another try when I'm in a better mood.
Adele
4/5
So many great sing-a-longs. Very simple music, but it gives me big feels.
Talking Heads
3/5
Maybe not my favorite Talking Heads album, but I enjoyed it a lot.
Judas Priest
1/5
Noped out of this one in the first track. Currently I'm bedridden with abdominal pain, so suffering through metal is a hard no.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Solid Dylan. Not especially distinctive or outstanding, but definitely a good listen. I love Dylan, so going deeper into his catalog is a treat.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Mega cheesy. I listened to this while filling out medical forms, and the irony was stupendous.
Dr. John
4/5
Wow, super cool! Dr. John was not on my radar at all, and I feel like a fool. The voice was a little meh in the beginning, to be honest, but I was able to get into it. I went on to listen to another album of a live performance he did a couple of years later. He clearly had one hell of a career 👏👏👏
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Whoa, this was wild! Hard to believe they never were super famous. Ultimately it was a little heavy for me as I got into the bonus tracks, so I had to turn it off. But genuinely enjoyed listening.
The Cars
3/5
Oh, very fun! I know at least a few of these songs already, but could not have told you they come from The Cars. Nice work, y'all 👏👏👏
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Noped out about halfway through. This was probably very fun live, but very much not the vibe my Friday night needed. I guess I understand the term post-punk now, but I want to put this back into the punk bucket.
Bee Gees
2/5
Very interesting to hear the Bee Gees before their disco hits that are so familiar. Kinda lost me at "remember you're just a woman." Also learned while listening that I was holding an old wives tale in my head, that the Brothers Gibb all died of cocaine in the '70s. So wrong! Two are still alive today and the other made it to 2012. Glad you're still here, guys.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Whoa, so good! I was dancing around in my kitchen to this one. Wonderful to hear such good music emerge from such a terrible situation. Renews my faith in humanity.
Scritti Politti
1/5
One of purest representations of '80s music I've ever heard. It might have been just right for the time, but I just don't think it holds up. It's honestly hard on my ears. I made it all the way through, but only just barely.
Beatles
3/5
Well, obviously the Beatles are wonderful. Not sure if any of these songs are new to me, but to sit down and listen to the whole album straight through is a lovely experience. Lots of songs on this album have already wormed their way into my soul: Michelle, In My Life, Drive My Car. Also love that they threw so much poetry into this album. Not as amazing as their later stuff, but still great.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Wow! Starts so strong with Immigrant Song, which I know so well, but then ramps down from there. My lean is definitely towards their later stuff, so it's interesting to listen to the turning point.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Very impressive! Never heard of Keith Jarrett, but he's clearly a boss.
Massive Attack
3/5
Whoa so good! I knew of Massive Attack before mostly from their 1998 album, Mezzanine, especially the track Teardrop.Although I had never sat down to listen to a whole album, nor their earlier work.
2/5
Definitely respect the artistic direction here. It didn't really pull me in, but I am impressed by the amount of work to create this.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Absolutely a classic. Obviously I had heard the title track, but mostly not the rest of the album. It's all great. Iggy deserves fame for sure.
On a whim, I listened to Lana Del Rey's album by the same name, and it is absolutely fantastic. Obviously she has the benefit of 40 years of advancements in technology, and no doubt a lot more funding. But damn, hers was better.
SAULT
4/5
Whoa, did not expect the list to include such recent music. I fucking love SAULT! Wildfires is very high on my list of favorite tracks of all time. Every time its on, it just takes me away. Love love love love love love love!
Otis Redding
3/5
Wonderful! Otis' voice has such emotion in it, weaving from buttery to gritty within the same track. I did not know browsing Wikipedia while listening to this album that Otis died two years after making this album, in a plane crash at age 26. What a tragedy; he was truly a master of the craft.
The Verve
2/5
Maybe I'm biased by my social group in high school, when this came out. Objectively it's wonderful music, but it somehow feels uncool. And I don't know why.
Nick Drake
2/5
Lovely! Although I'm not sure if it's exemplary for a top 1001, but I did enjoy it.
Talvin Singh
4/5
Super cool! This is basically the best of SomaFM's Suburbs of Goa station, which I listen to a lot.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Solid Dlyan. Doesn't seem to be a standout album for him, but it was just what I needed last night.
The United States Of America
3/5
Wow, super cool! It's a shame they did not manage to stay together to make more music. Reading their story on Wikipedia, it makes sense why it fell apart so quickly. Impressive that they managed to make this in their first go!
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Not sure why, but I've always felt kinda meh about The Flaming Lips. Some tracks really can hook me, and I have enjoyed seeing them live, but somehow I am not generally attracted to their music. This album is no exception.
Röyksopp
3/5
Super cool! Heard parts of this album when it first came out, but never listened to the whole thing through. Such a treat 🍬
Rod Stewart
2/5
Rod is certainly fun and folksy, he was always just too easy-listening for me.
Fred Neil
2/5
Old time country. Definitely near the interesting end of the spectrum, but still not really my thing.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Whenever an album description includes the words, "a truly challenging listening experience", there's a very good chance I'm going to hate it.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Easily one of the greatest rap albums of all time. C.R.E.A.M. is one of my absolute favorites. The interludes make it really immersive, and honestly a lot more approach than the gritty hip hop would be on its own.
Roxy Music
2/5
Love the album cover. The music was just okay.
Common
4/5
Love this album so much! In particular, it has many more uplifting lyrics than most of the genre. Common is a national treasure.
After seeing the dedication to Fela, I looked it up. It is, indeed, Fela Kuli, and apparently because of his activist movement. I learned after that about Fela's beating after making Zombie, so I listened to that album next. Splendid evening all the way through.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Wow! Had heard Super Furry Animals before, but never really let it sink in. Actually listened to the whole 20th Anniversary Edition, including endless remixes, to cover up PG&E loudly doing work across the street all through the night 😴
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
Super bounced out of this one! Often groan whenever 1001 gives me esoteric rock, especially from the 90s. As an artist, I do feel bad poo-pooing genuine works of art. The Afghan Whigs put some top notch creative energy into this, but it was very contextual, and listening now is better left to specific or historical interest. This is not an album to listen to before you die. Die without listening. Or if you do listen, try not to die.
Dire Straits
3/5
Wow, liked this a lot more than I thought I would! Paused in the middle to play the AD video on YouTube about the Harbon House Inn, and the two went together remarkably well. Will definitely put it on again if I ever get the chance to go.
Björk
3/5
Bjork being Bjork. This album is great. Seems like not her best, but it's really good.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This! This Flaming Lips album is the undeniable triumph that made me fond of them. Previously wrote a meh review their older album, The Soft Bulletin, and I think this means they grew a lot in the time in between.
Primal Scream
3/5
Haha! Was definitely expecting not to like this, given the artist name and album name, but it was actually quite enjoyable.
Coldcut
3/5
Super cool! So many of these sounds were delightfully familiar. Honestly never heard of Coldcut, but they seem to have an impressive catalog.
Def Leppard
3/5
Cheesy as expected, but honestly pretty fun.
The Police
3/5
So fun and jaunty. Definitely feel good music, carried by strong vocals.
Fever Ray
3/5
Very cool! It's like wofting through a dark dream, slow and deep. Had heard several of these tracks before, but don't think I'd be able to attribute to Fever Ray.
Prince
3/5
Honestly, I'm generally not a huge fan of Prince, but this album I quite liked.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Don't know why I didn't expect that to be so gentle and soft. It's still not quite my jam, but I now have clear respect for Elliott Smith.
Tori Amos
2/5
As a feminist, I'm certainly glad that women have Tori Amos. I know many women who love her and I get it. Honestly not for me, but I wouldn't jump up to turn it off.
Jacques Brel
3/5
What a French crooner! The lyrics are lost on me, but the quality of his voice really is special. Would recommend this one to curious music types.
Moby
4/5
Listened to The Complete Recordings by chance, and it was very worthwhile. Love ya, buddy ❤️
The Cure
3/5
This is really good. I don't think of myself as a fan of The Cure, but this one definitely landed for me.
Tina Turner
3/5
Wow, what a thing! And the collaboration with David Bowie was totally off my radar. Great job, Tina ❤️
Fiona Apple
4/5
Love this album so much! Bolt cutters were definitely a big player in my teenage years, and so this feels like going back in time. Big fan 👏👏👏👏
The Style Council
3/5
Remarkable variety, track for track--really a tour de force. If you gave me the 13 tracks randomly and asked how many were from a single album, I would probably guess 2 or 3. This would be less impressive even 10 years later with the rise of electronic music, but they did so much of this themselves!
Miles Davis
4/5
Tippity top notch jazz. Truly magical. Obviously I know and love Miles Davis, but I had never sat down to listen to this album and it's a masterpiece.
The Pogues
4/5
The Pogues in general are a beautiful collision between Irish trad music and punk rock, and this album is truly a delightful example. Just visited Ireland in January, and hearing this makes me want to go back 😊
Deep Purple
2/5
Ah, yeah, I know some of these tracks, but would not previously have been able to say who made them. Deep Purple is weirdo rock and honestly I like it. Being upstream from metal gives me some resentful feelings, but it's not really their fault to be part of an evolution. Overall, it was a worthwhile listen, but I'm not coming back.
Scott Walker
2/5
Punchy in a way that kind of blurs the lines between singing and comedy. Hasn't aged well, in some ways, but is fun in the others.
New York Dolls
3/5
This certainly seems like a landmark for the Queer community. As music, it's honestly not something I would choose. However, its sheer existence is a triumph over circumstances.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Wow, this was wonderful. It's kinda making me want to go back and re-listen to INXS.
Green Day
3/5
Harrowing political commentary and highly polished punk feel like such a strange combination to me, which might be part of why this album made such a big splash. It honestly always felt a twinge naïve to me, but maybe I'm even more jaded than most 😅
Bad Company
2/5
Definitely strong classic rock with zesty lyrics. Having no nostalgia for that genre, so it doesn't have a ton of appeal for me. (Although The Doors are a notable exception.)
Hookworms
2/5
This was pretty fun! Definitely a lot of inventive sounds, which are oh so endearing.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Laughed out loud multiple times when listening to this, because so many bits and pieces of it have been used in trailers and samples. Had no idea so many of them all came from one album. Truly delightful.
Ravi Shankar
5/5
Absolutely wonderful! With this album, Ravi helped introduce the Western world to Indian music, and probably changed the very arc of human history. It's hard to imagine any other musician alive having more impact. It's also truly beautiful music.
Klaxons
2/5
Too grating for me, especially last night. Didn't hate it, but it really did feel like a chore.
Black Flag
2/5
It's funny, I've probably seen more Black Flag t-shirts than listened to their songs by 1000:1 if not more. Definitely remember the fighty individuating teenage years, wherein I listened to fair amount of punk music, but I was apparently too late. Didn't super enjoy listening to this, but at least now I can say that I have.
Elvis Costello
1/5
Lyrics are excellent, but that's really the only thing I like about Elvis Costello. Genuinely have no reason reason why it doesn't work for me, but it really doesn't.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and this album has a bunch of great songs. Not quite as amazing as Fever to Tell, but still one of my very favorites.
The Undertones
2/5
Early British punk is honestly hard to appreciate for me. It's not as sharp and angry as the bigger bands that came later, and not as comforting as traditional rock. I like my coffee hot or cold, but never lukewarm.
Spacemen 3
3/5
Artsy, almost lullaby shoegaze. Like it, if only because it dares to be so different, especially in the go-go-go 80s. This rating feels somewhat generous, since honestly I don't expect to listen to it again.
The Adverts
2/5
Feels like more relatively mild punk. Maybe it just wasn't a great match for my mood this morning, but it didn't really land for me.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Classic Frank. The guy was a legend for a reason.
Finley Quaye
4/5
Whoa! So unique and artful. Such a fresh reggae sound, I had a hard time believing it was made almost 30 years ago. Truly a surprising treat!
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Appreciate the artistry that went into this, but it's not the sort of thing that tends to attract me. Listened carefully to the lyrics only in bursts--they never really called to me.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Lovely and sweet, without being cutesy. Artistically it's so unique, but also not really that interesting for me.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Noped out pretty quick on this one. Way harsher than my ears can take today.
Gonna listen to Writing On Airplanes by Neil Drumming instead.
Louis Prima
3/5
It's like jumping into a time machine, when it was cool to be a rascal. Very fun and slappy at times. Really takes you on a journey.
(Probably heard many of these tracks long long ago, since I was into swing dancing in high school in the 90s.)
William Orbit
3/5
Super cool! Honestly I listened to it three times--which is easy, since it doesn't distract me from work--but still, Orbit has a new fan.
Calexico
4/5
Whoa, this was amazing! Honestly I did not have a great first reaction to the cover art, but the music just blew me away. Spotify also has the 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, so I hopped over to listening to live recordings. Instantly I'm a fan.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Definitely have heard this album before, but it's probably been almost 30 years. It remains very weird and very fun. These days Meat Loaf reminds me of Fight Club. His name was Robert Paulson.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Old school country with a sweet and gentle voice. Had heard of Emmylou Harris before, but probably wouldn't recognize a single song. It's hard to ignore the culture rift that was downstream from this, but I nonetheless really liked it!
The Vines
2/5
Brash and clashy, with growling lyrics and the guitar sounds of grunge on cocaine. It feels altogether empty, although I might just be hungry for meaning today.
King Crimson
3/5
Pretty cool! It's clearly distinct from other music of that age.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Definitely unique, although I didn't really like it.
Haircut 100
2/5
Very fun, and seems quite wholesome. It definitely has a strong 80s vibe, which is usually a turn off for me. All in all, I liked this, but not super much.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Jaunty and hip. They're like a somewhat edgier version of the Beach Boys. Twas funny to learn they reconvened in 1999 and started recording albums and performing live again, although they're newer stuff doesn't seem to be on Spotify. Honestly liked this more than I thought I would, and am surprised that it's so good given that I have never heard of them before.
Q-Tip
3/5
Super cool. Q-Tip has a style all his own.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Lots of different sounds keep it interesting. Despite being released in the 90s, it has a very 80s sound.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Wonderful! Especially because the tracks I already knew (e.g. Genius of Love) were deep in. At first I thought, "this sounds vaguely familiar." And then, "oh, yeah, they made that!"
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
It took a long time to fall in love with this album. Time after Time (track 4) picked me up a bit, and then All Through the Night (track 6) put me over the top. Wow! I had no idea I was a Cyndi Lauper fan.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2/5
Hrmmm. I wanted to really like this. I really want to at least like it. Honestly, it's a hard listen. I love that they are pushing the envelope artistically, and for sure I love the decades of amazing music they helped inspire. But it was just too hard on the ears for more than two.
The Kinks
3/5
Wow, totally off my radar, but genuinely very good. They simultaneously remind me both of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, although not as polished as either of them.
3/5
This I call a shtick, and I go to parties where many people who attend have a shtick, so it's very close to my heart. It's also the 80s-style hard-on-the-ears sound that caps my love for Devo.
Also your hat was on my old Whip-It canister, because coincidence is funny.
Thundercat
3/5
Love Thundercat's shtick! Weirdo music definitely feels personal to me.
Björk
2/5
Yep, pretty much what we expect from Bjork at this point! The weirdness doesn't do as much for me this deep in her career, as it did when it was fresh and new. Strikingly abnormal just doesn't strike that many times. At this point what would surprise me is swooping through a more normal genre. Like what if Bjork wrote a country album?
TV On The Radio
3/5
Wow, this was a lot of fun! I've heard of TV On The Radio before, but don't think I could name a single song. This one was great enough that I might go back and listen to the deluxe edition.
Stephen Stills
2/5
Folky rock, almost country. It's enjoyable, but doesn't feel super special.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Although the first track kinda irked me, I grew to really like this. Halfway through, I learned that it was made in Ireland in 1997, which blew my mind, and doubled my enjoyment of the back half. Thanks a million!
The Who
3/5
Wow, early The Who! This is album is impressively long, and although it's great, it does get a bit monotonous. Generally enjoy the energy and playfulness.
Learned that Roger and Pete are doing a farewell tour through North America this year, including a stop pretty close to me at Shoreline. Apparently they also played there 25 years ago*, which is still 35 years after My Generation came out.
*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWdtcXnRYbs
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Liked this a lot. Honestly, the Helter Skelter cover was among my favorite tracks.
Gang Of Four
2/5
Oh, very interesting! Like punk with the edges filed down. Not really what I would pick, but it's easy to see how this was so influential, bridging sounds of the 70s and 80s.
Johnny Cash
4/5
High on the list of most important performances of all time. The music is great, but it almost doesn't matter, Johnny connecting with the men stuck in that horrible place is one of the most profound acts of kindness imaginable.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
It turns out my teenage angst is not dead, it was just sleeping inside of me, and Sleater-Kinney woke it up. Not exactly a great feeling, or appropriate for my current role in society. With true respect, I'm sticking with my standard "this is okay" rating of two stars.
American Music Club
3/5
Had to find this on YouTube* since Spotify didn't have it, but it was delightful. Folksy overall, with a huge variety of different sounds--reminds me of Beck. Tracks seem to explore the whole mood wheel. Definitely a artistic triumph!
*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUmXZEPwsTE
The Police
3/5
Pretty fun, although it honestly I didn't like it as much as their other album on this list, Reggatta De Blanc.
Hole
1/5
The grunge that ages well does so because of its musicality. Hole was always more about emotion than sound. That's a long way of saying this does not hold up for me. When it first came out, I felt kinda meh, and that has slowly slid down to a genuine boo.
Talk Talk
2/5
Not really my jam. Melodramatic with a very very 80s sound. I respect it as an artistic expression. Just feel like I can't relate at all with the singer. It's on the fence but I'm feeling generous.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Maybe I would feel more generous towards something that seems romantic, but I just got out of a 10-year relationship, so it's hard on the ears for me right now. Definitely skillfully made, but it just didn't land for me.
Billy Joel
3/5
Yeah, okay, this was great. It didn't super hook me, but I appreciate the artistry and uniqueness.
Killing Joke
2/5
Just alright, I would say. Honestly I'm not into rock unless it's near the fringes of the genre, and this is more typical.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Solid folk!
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Wow, what a rollercoaster. Honestly I went from yay to meh so many times listening to this. In terms of sheer quantity of creation, this is impressive, and it makes me feel generous. So I'm going to give Shuggie three stars.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Strummy! Much respect.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
So great! I'm even still a little mopey about romance after getting out a 10-year long relationship, and this was still lovely to listen to. Very close to four stars.
The Byrds
3/5
Pretty fun! Lots of imaginitive sounds--could definitely feel it pushing the boundaries of its era.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Silky smooth! Didn't really light me up, but it was worthwhile.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Amazing! This would be incredibly cool if it was played today, 64 years later. Truly timeless jazz--what a treat.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Haha, it's bonkers that this list has so much Bob Dylan. I really like him in general but feel like maybe I've had more than my fill in this project. Giving it three stars, but honestly didn't get very excited about it
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Soft and sweet, like a strummy lullaby. Great job, guys!
Fiona Apple
4/5
I just fucking love Fiona Apple, and this album is an undeniable masterpiece. Her vocals are entrancing and the lyrics are both deeply personal and deeply poetic.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Very endearing!
Big Black
1/5
Urgh, harsh harsh harsh!
Neil Young
2/5
Lovely! Not exactly my jam, but I appreciate the artistry.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Pretty cool! It feels very unique.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Pretty great! Hard to believe I've never heard of her before, since hip hop is such a big part of my music life.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Kind of a wistful, dreamy shoegaze. Not exactly my thing, but it was enjoyable enough.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Formidable talent hidden behind a jocular romp. What's not to love?
Aerosmith
2/5
Early Aerosmith is definitely better than late, but still tainted and kinda challenging to enjoy.
U2
3/5
Hard to truly love, given Bono's later antics. One is still pretty dope, and the whole album is daringly unique and energetic.
Big Star
2/5
The inception of power pop?! It's pretty fun, and I can see how it was groundbreaking, although not really my jam.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Truly a classic. Musical legends at the heigh of their career. But damn, it was a such a simpler time.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Poetic throughout, intermittently sappy, although quite earnest. Not my favorite Cohen album, but nonetheless enjoyable.
The Kinks
2/5
Jaunty and affable Brit rock. Doesn't seem that exciting to me, although I can imagine it was a bigger deal at the time.
The Beach Boys
2/5
More Beach Boys so soon? This is great work, and so wholesome. Pet Sounds certainly felt more enjoyable to me, so I'm gonna notch this one star lower.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Suuuuuper cool jazz and blues, tackling big social issues in such a smooth and enthralling way. Truly genius work.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Really love Creedence to a strange degree, given my relationship to rock in general. Don't love this one quite as much as Bayou Country, but it's still amazing.
Gang Starr
3/5
Wow, remarkably good. I know more than a few of these tracks, but could have not given you the name Gang Starr before yesterday, and now this is among my favorite rap albums.
3/5
Not sure how earnest the original intent was here, but it comes across as downright comical today. Certainly tackling a lot of romantic issues in a twangy, country-singer kinda way. Also the AA member in me appreciates the attitude towards alcohol.
Weather Report
2/5
Jazzy, taking a whole journey from low to high energy and everywhere in between. Some of the tracks sound like opening or closing credits music from a 70s sitcom or drama. Even though I generally love jazz, this is not super exciting for me, probably in part since I've never had a ton of fondness for the sounds of the 70s.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Pretty weird and playful. Not exactly my jam, but I certainly love how it pushes the envelope.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Amazing variety of sounds, tackling social issues, although still so relatable. Kendrick is like a gift from the cosmos.
3/5
Dig it! In general I love PJ Harvey, and this album does not disappoint.
Queen
3/5
Aw, wow, I honestly only knew Queen by their greatest hits. Listening to this album cover to cover is a very different experience. Truly feels like the soundtrack to a rock opera, with intensity and storytelling. Makes me think I should explore their whole discography more methodically.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Classic Dead--very jaunty and enjoyable as usual. Must confess I did not have any appreciation for them until meeting a woman on a dating site last year who is a huge Dead Head.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Good stuff. Clearly Paul was carrying a good amount of steam out of his time with the Beatles, and has plenty of talent and a crisp sense of his own style. Definitely has somewhat of an aura of afterglow, but I think that's unavoidable on the heels of such a massive success.
Tom Waits
3/5
Okay, I really like Tom Waits, but this is now my 3rd of his albums out of 523, which feels like too many. Swordfishtrombones remains my favorite, but this one is great.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I love LCD Soundsystem and this is a solid example of their work. Really my favorite of their albums is This is Happening, but it doesn't seem to be among the 1001.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Aaaahhh, I love PJ Harvey is this album is a strong showing. It struck me as a soulful, almost sultry picking apart of an profoundly violent topic, to bring attention with modulated shame. It ties "Rid of Me" at four stars, but I love it for *very* different reasons 👏👏👏
Ice Cube
3/5
Classic gangsta rap, and it still sounds great now more than 30 years later. It Was a Good Day really stands out for its positivity, and puts the rest of the album into even starker contrast. One of the defining albums of a generation.
Suicide
1/5
Certainly very unique, but it had almost no draw for me, plus the occasional screeching knocked it down to one star.
The KLF
3/5
Impressive variety of sounds, very well executed. The story of the cancelled movie is interesting, and makes me wonder if it could still be made.
The Temptations
4/5
Just amazing. Tackling tough issues, big and small, with warmth and grace to penetrate society's natural defensiveness. This album is a treasure.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Could almost call it circus rock. Definitely a cornerstone of the genre, but not exciting for me.
Kate Bush
3/5
Solid work! This album does not contain my favorite Kate Bush song, "Running Up That Hill", but still distinctive and full of artistry.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Basically a doo-wop crooner. Had heard Bobby's name before, but probably would not have been able to describe his music. Good stuff!
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Lime in the Coconut! Wow, I knew Harry Nilsson's work, just not by name. This album is pretty fun, but certainly didn't knock my socks off.
Mekons
2/5
Like a mellower version of the Pogues. Maybe this was influential as a lovechild of punk and trad Irish music, although with everything that has come after, it's hard to really get excited about. The vocals, in particular, weren't doin' it for me.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Truly a triumph. Top notch crooner tackles social issues, big and small, with so much emotion. It's captivating.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Good god, it's actually 69 songs. It's a marathon of rumbling, clunky emotions, quirky and witty lyrics. Because I consider myself a proud weirdo, I try to pay maximum respect to other weirdos, so I'm bumping this up to four stars. Great work, yous.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Intense and hip, like a James Bond theme song, but also downright weird. This album is downright outstanding!
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Really a wonderful album of emotion-forward American music--classics with a rag-tag feel. Raw human sound that makes me pine for live shows.
R.E.M.
2/5
Just somehow never got that into it.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Really interesting hearing the Ozzy's earliest work. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this. This felt actually approachable. And although it doesn't sound groundbreaking to my ears, no doubt it was back in 1970. In a vacuum, I would give this two stars, but since it was such a crisp reset of assumptions for me, I'll score it more generously.
The Pretty Things
2/5
Interesting to hear apparently the first rock opera. They're just not for me.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
4/5
This really was fun, especially if you are like me, living in San Francisco. Interesting to think about which sidewalks might have hosted Jack in the past--maybe we should make a plaque!
But I digress. Jack is a solo acoustic guitarist with a top drawer busker vibe. He folds at least one found song, from another busker in New York, which gives the album a good backstory.
Had to listen on YouTube, since it's not on Spotify yet. It was on the border of three and four, but the Woodie Guthrie cameo bumped me to four.
T. Rex
3/5
Well done. This one was a little borderline for me, but embracing weirdness is always a way to score points for me, so I'm being generous.
The Coral
2/5
Jaunty rock, but it feels shallow. Definitely a unique sound, but it doesn't feel interesting or exciting.
Eagles
3/5
This one was not new to me, and relistening was mostly familiar. Sorry, Dude, I actually kinda like the Eagles.
Sebadoh
2/5
Meh. Honestly pretty boring rock, which does not seem technically adept. Still, I didn't hate it.
Dion
2/5
Folksy, easy listening kinda vibe. It's technically adept, and Dion is definitely a talented guy. Just not my thing.
Beck
5/5
This album is very nostalgic for me, since I was a teenager when it came out. I loved it then and I love it now. Expressing quirkiness elevates it. Bajam. That's it. Five stars.
One thing I will add is that I want to meet Beck one day, and read this very review out loud to him. Wouldn't that be a day?!
Donald Fagen
2/5
Didn't realize why this sounded so familiar until I read the album description, honestly. Although it's interesting to learn about early digital recordings, this doesn't strike me as a successful experiment. It's weird, which I appreciate in general, but this particular weird doesn't feel like it goes well with mine 🤷
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Really super duper enjoyed this. I wiggled my butt in particular to Mbube. I don't care if it's a cover or an original, it lit me up.
Tito Puente
4/5
So lively and invigorating. Just love Tito's vibe ❤️
Black Sabbath
3/5
Genuinely surprised by how much I liked this. My whole knowledge of Ozzy was from after he jumped the shark, but I guess he would not have been as famous without some amount of mass appeal. Good job mainstreaming the weird 👏👏👏
Peter Frampton
3/5
Having heard about Frampton many times before actually hearing the performance, I feel like I might have been a little puffed up. Honestly I was expecting to be blown away and I wasn't. This was great, although I was really expecting to have my socks knocked off. Maybe it'd be a higher rating if I hadn't fallen victim to the hype.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Yup, very fun. It feels like someone intentionally pushing my buttons, which we've all grown a shell against, more and more over time. But in '92 it was definitely fresh. Respect!
Christina Aguilera
5/5
Wow, okay, this one caught me off guard. The first time I listened to it was the very same day I was experiencing a sort of mini heartbreak, and it helped a lot with my processing. A friend had counseled me that listening to Leonard Cohen had been very useful for processing his past breakups, so I was primed to understand the value of music in my situation. That time I loved it, but I wanted to be sure that my feelings weren't transient, so I listened to it again a week later when my mood was mood stabilized. I loved it again. Generally I don't think of myself as enjoying pop music, but this truly was fantastic.
Don McLean
3/5
Had to listen to this one twice to really get a good sense of my feelings about it. The title track is a true banger. The rest is good but not amazing, so I'm sticking with three stars.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Frank is great. Although I have not properly toured his other work, I will say this doesn't seem like stand-out work for him. Maybe I haven't listened enough to have a good ear, and I probably never will be sufficiently motivated to. Still, Frank reliably puts me in a good mood, which is certainly a superpower.
Realized while writing up my review that I was living less than 40 miles away from Frank when he died in Los Angeles in 1998. At that point I was mostly aware of his existence from one of my favorite Cake songs, released only two years prior.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Twangy and so wholesome. It's hard to listen to now that the world seems to have totally lost its innocence, although maybe it never had any in the first place.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Goldfrapp is do dope. This one didn't hit me quite as hard as Felt Mountain, but parts of it have been playing in my head for days. At this point I've listened to it three times, and although it doesn't tilt over to four stars for me, I will say that I love it.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Stevie is amazing. This might not be his very best work, but is is certainly quite strong. Truly a legend in music making 🕶
Traffic
3/5
Super cool! Really enjoy this sound, it was totally off my radar.
The Avalanches
5/5
Remember being totally transfixed the first time I heard Frontier Psychiatrist. Listening to the whole album now, it's just such a triumph.
Daft Punk
4/5
Big nostalgia points for this one, since it landed squarely in my high school years. Back then I wasn't into dancing, but I was still transfixed by Daft Punk's Around the World music video. It was so weird and so delightful, and I remember it now almost 30 years later!
The xx
4/5
Slow, sultry, like a sexy lullaby. It's really as if The xx invented their own genre. Hard to believe they were only 20 when this came out. Way to find a niche, y'all 👏👏👏
Neil Young
3/5
Had to listen to this one twice to really appreciate it. Neil Young really stands alone in musicspace. It's folksy, but not at all with a red state vibe. Lyrics are poetic, and he sounds so sincere. Not my very favorite, but plenty enjoyable.
Alice In Chains
1/5
I wanted to hate this. But I cleared my head and listened and gave it a real chance. Then I hated it. The end.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Hmm, I don't know. Maybe I don't get it. This was fine, but just didn't seem all that great to me.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Ummmm, this was weird in a way that's on the other side of the multi-dimensional weirdness hypersphere that I usually appreciate. So although it's not exactly my favorite, I really do appreciate it for what it is ❤️
R.E.M.
4/5
So very good! The lyrics make you think and feel, and the music is a tour de force. Great job y'all 👏👏👏
Air
3/5
Air is very cool. I'm not sure why I don't get more excited about them.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Amazing! Honestly, I went back and forth about whether this was a five. I have a long list in both columns in my head. But it's just so good. It has to be five.
JAY Z
5/5
If I could give this album six stars I would. The artistry simply stands above.
The White Stripes
4/5
Fucking love the White Stripes, and this is some of their best work.
The Cure
3/5
In general I'm not a huge fan of The Cure, since the instrumentals feel cheesy. Although the vocals really carry it.
Rush
3/5
It feels so uncool to like Rush, but honestly I do.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Very well done! The vocals give it a sort of haunting feeling.
John Lennon
4/5
The title track alone makes this almost five stars. The other tracks don't quite keep up. 54 years later, we're still imagining all of the same apparently unachievable things 😢
Little Simz
5/5
Little Simz is absolutely amazing. The combination of fierce vocals and musical artistry are simply magical. Her music videos are also enthralling. Could gush all day.
Ramones
4/5
Punk hasn't been my genre since high school, and even then it was mostly later skate punk and ska, but nothing old school like this. Although I was obviously aware of the Ramones before this, I didn't ever give them true consideration.
Now I'm thinking about taking a tour through the rest of their catalog: https://www.reddit.com/r/ramones/comments/14yzlfu/albums_ranked/
Steely Dan
2/5
Just too bland for me.
2/5
Pretty cool if you're 15 years old. But also genuinely not terrible.
Primal Scream
1/5
In general, I like a lot of experimental music, but this feels like a failed experiment.
Frank Ocean
4/5
Very sexy and very real, with syrupy smooth vocals and stellar instrumentals throughout. Only bad thing I can say is that it makes me kinda sleepy.
Nico
2/5
Not sure why this feels like a contradiction. Perhaps the low vocals make it feel like a woman pantomiming a man. Try as I did, could not take this seriously.
The The
2/5
Second unremarkable 80s rock album in a row. These seem like a Gen X nostalgia choice at best.
The Shamen
3/5
Good variety of dancy tracks with a psychedelic feel. Clearly genre-straddling, and an especially unique pairing.
Apparently in interviews, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons (The Chemical Brothers) often namecheck early acid house and rave pioneers (The Shamen, 808 State, The Orb) as part of the environment they absorbed when they started DJing. Bumping up to three stars for being influential.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Hmm, doesn't seem remotely special to me. 80s rock might be overrepresented on this list.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Nick Cave being as weird and cryptic as ever. As a fellow member of Weird Union Local 898, I must appreciate this for contractual reasons. (But I would give it three stars even without a contract.)
Simple Minds
2/5
Third album in a week that's more yawnable 80s rock. Why is this in the book?!
XTC
2/5
It was good, and well executed, but doesn't seem remarkable.
Radiohead
4/5
Of course Radiohead is amazing. This isn't their very best work IMHO, but it's solid example of why they have so many fans.
Leftfield
3/5
Pretty fun. The vocals were hit and miss, but the throbbing baselines made me want to jump up and dance for sure.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Not bad! Lots of variety between the tracks. His voice is definitely not as strong as his younger years, and you can feel the shark-jump coming soon.
KISS
2/5
Honestly not as cheesy as I expected, but my expectations were pretty low. KISS just feels like such a gimmick, it's hard to much respect for them. Reading about their early struggles on Wikipedia humanizes them a bit, I'll admit.
De La Soul
4/5
Such a counterpoint to the predominant sound in the rap genre, De La Soul is earnest and affable. Their cover of The Magic Number gives me a lot of nostalgic feelings. And I love that they're still making (great) music today, nearly 40 years later ❤️
The La's
3/5
Of course I know "There She Goes", but would not have been able to tell you that it comes from The La's. There's a lot of strong stuff on this album. It's not exactly what I'd reach for when it's quiet at home, but it is quite enjoyable.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this landed with a thud with me. The production and performances both felt amateurish, although the songs seem like they could be done very well. Maybe I'll see if I like I'll Be Your Mirror (tribute album) next.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Oooooooooeeeeeooooooo beeeeaaaaabeeeeerooooo laaaaaalaaaaaaa mmmmmmmmmmm
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Peak Fleetwood Mac! It's amazing that such a triumph came out of such a dark time in their lives. I'm only a mild fan of Mac in general, but this album is off the charts.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Rehab reliably makes me contemplate my own mortality. Back to Black is among my favorite dark-lyric songs of all time--there's a great black and white video of her performing on SXSW on YouTube, which is totally haunting. Still haven't see the biopic, but need to find time.
Also love the reggae covers on the Deluxe Edition 😁
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Strong debut album, which must have generated a lot of excitement. My heart really belongs to his next album, "You've Come a Long Way, Baby". Fatboy Slim was really the first electronic music artist to land on my radar--this album came out when I was 14 and the successor when I was 16. He made me excited for the future of music, and I was right to be.
Van Morrison
3/5
Pretty great. To be honest, I was expecting to hear his most famous track, but it's on "Blowin' Your Mind!" instead. Van's voice really dominates, and it deserves the spotlight.
Also I just learned that he is from Northern Ireland.
Funkadelic
2/5
Umm, I wanted to love this, but honestly it was too funky for me.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Wasn't expecting to like this, since Alice Cooper has been a weird old dude for basically my whole lifetime. But it was honestly pretty good.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Amazing! So many bangers on this album, and it was made a lot earlier than I thought. Bravo! 👏👏👏👏
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Haha! Honestly in my ear, the vocals sound like a pantomime of an American English speaker, so it's hard to take this too seriously. Still, I really liked it. Teetering on four stars, but it wasn't quite something I'd get excited to hear.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Impressively early for this kind of 90s-ish sound, so clearly ahead of its time, although I genuinely wasn't super excited to listen to it.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Interesting choice of album for QotSA. I love them, but definitely would have picked Songs For The Deaf. Still this is a very strong start as a debut album, and many of these tracks I had simply never heard.
Also today I learned about the woman on the cover, Sylvia Bayo. Sex work in the 1970s sounds hard, no pun intended.
Tortoise
3/5
Essentially ambient shoegaze, with a little jazziness thrown in. Perfect for my current debugging session.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Very fun soundtrack! Many tracks use melodies from American pop music, with a distinctly Indian twist. Interesting to have something feel near and far at the same time.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Haunting without being morose--a tricky needle to thread. Clear emotional pain ripples through every track, with the Anohni's warbling vocals. Not something I would pick, but I have deep respect for it.
Paul Simon
4/5
Huge team to make this one, and it was truly a triumph. It's just so strong in every column. I don't think of myself as a Paul Simon fan, but this was very enjoyable.
Aaaaaand I also just learned that he's also the Simon of Garfunkel 🤦
Beck
2/5
Obviously a very different Beck than Odelay. Although I do try to allow artists to change, I don't think he would have rose to fame on this. The instrumentals are mostly the sort of slow, throbbing notes that I imagine make the band bored, leaving on the vocals that are not his strength. I respect him for daring to jump to the other end of the spectrum. Honestly I like Guero better.
This does make me want to peruse more of the rest of his work though--there are a lot of albums that I missed.
Neil Young
2/5
Didn't like this as much as Harvest. It's good stuff, but all the songs kinda sound the same. Just realized this is my fourth Neil Young album, and I don't understand why.
Deep Purple
3/5
Feels like the roots of heavy metal. Generally I'm enamored by rock of this era, especially when it has screamy lyrics. But Made in Japan has just enough instrumental creativity to nudge it up to three stars.
Giant Sand
3/5
Not bad! Not super exciting, but clearly better than your average rock album.
3/5
Pretty interesting. Didn't generate a strong attraction, but it's clearly something special.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Oddly underwhelmed by this one. I guess you had to be there.
2Pac
4/5
Supreme work. It's been a while since I've listened to it, but I'm pretty sure I like All Eyez on Me better. Love the interplay of humor and seriousness, and 2Pac's somber tone was unique in hip hop at that point.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Pretty cool. Definitely hit some lulls, but overall I enjoyed it more than the average album.
k.d. lang
4/5
Wow, this was dope! Somehow I had never heard k.d. lang and I wasn't expecting country music, but really did enjoy this.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Wonderful! I've also really enjoyed the music of Vieux Farka Touré, Ali's son. In fact I saw him live at The Chapel, a music venue around the corner from my house. If you're reading this, also check out Mdou Moctar.
Queen
5/5
Stupendous. Of course I already know and love many songs on this album, and it's really a treat to hear them in the original context of the album. Listening to the Deluxe version includes some great live performances at the end, and truly warmed my heart.
This little story from the Wikipedia page put it over the top for me: "The album title was inspired by the Marx Brothers film of the same name, which the band had watched during recording sessions. Subsequently, they became good friends with the film's star Groucho Marx, to the point where Marx sent the band a letter praising their 1976 album A Day at the Races. Marx also invited Queen to visit him at his Los Angeles home in March 1977 (five months before he died). The band thanked him, and performed [the song] '39 a cappella."
The Fall
1/5
This did have to follow Night at the Opera by Queen, but even if it didn't, I think I would have found it gratingly bad. I made it through the original recording, but had to turn it off when the bonus tracks came on.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
More great work by the Stones. This one doesn't have the standout singles like Beggars Banquet or Let It Bleed, but it's very jaunty and enjoyable throughout.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Almost top notch Zep. Kashmir is among my favorite hooks of all time. Much love ❤️
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Solid, crisp punk with some punchy lyrics, for sure. Despite being into punk in high school, I'm not sure if I ever heard Hüsker Dü before today.
David Ackles
2/5
Alright! This was a bit strange, but not objectionable. It brought me very few feelings of pleasure though.
The Cult
3/5
Hair metal is not usually my thing, although Born to Be Wild is an all-time classic, and it's nigh impossible not to nod to it. Nice work, guys.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Hmm, I still don't love Sonic Youth, but this was noticeably better than Sister, so I feel I must give it a higher grade.
Ute Lemper
3/5
Strong work, no doubt in part thanks to collaborating with so many big names. Honestly I'm kinda amazed that I've never even heard of Ute Lemper before. She's still putting out music now 25 years later, including weird music videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmmm0H2rYk
Whoa, of course I know of Rod Stewart, but I had never heard of Faces. This album is great, and Stay with Me is an all time classic.
Bad Brains
3/5
Pretty interesting. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it's clearly very unique, especially for its vintage. Reading the Wikipedia article was also impressive, particularly their artist breadth.
The Stooges
4/5
Super cool. Truly had no idea this existed. Some of the sounds feels cliche, but I realize looking at the release date, this is only because so many later bands copied them. Listened to both the Iggy Mix and the Bowie Mix, and I might go back and listen to the 50th anniversary legacy edition too.
U2
4/5
Clear why they're famous. It's hard to ignore Bono's behavior in later years, but these were the golden days of U2.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
I'm not usually a fan of country music, but this is truly excellent. It has that mix of sincere-almost-wholesome and brutally-real, which reminds me of Dolly Parton.
Miles Davis
3/5
Jazz at this level can truly carry you away. Miles is distinctive and immersive as usual.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Great stuff. Lots of classics on this album. This was sort of on the border between three and four stars, but Free Bird put it over the top. Absolutely love that track.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Pretty great. Hard to believe I never even heard of the Youngbloods. Certainly now I want to dig deeper.
Kelela
3/5
Lovely! It's very likely I would enjoy this more if I gave my full attention to it, although R&B tends to fade into the background for me, even when I'm doing something as simple as tidying up my house.
Spiritualized
3/5
It's funny, some tracks on this album are absolutely amazing (e.g. "Broken Heart" 😮), and others are truly meh (e.g. "I Think I'm in Love" 🙄). Overall I'm quite impressed, especially for a group I've never heard before!
Venom
2/5
Normally I despise most speed metal, but this has a sort of rare artistic balance between grating and easy sounds. So I don't hate it. But I also don't really like it.
Scott Walker
2/5
Hmm, this seems like a mid-range crooner to me. Admittedly, I don't have a great ear for this genre. Scott is certainly talented, and this album was soothing, but I don't understand why this is on the list.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Wow, I've heard and enjoyed so many of these tracks, but all put together I can see why Ozzy was so famous. This album is stupendous.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Well, this was delightfully weird. My upper limit is lower without lyrics, unfortunately, but this is close to it.
Frank Black
2/5
Ummm, vaguely interesting. There's probably something about it that I just didn't get; it seemed like kinda middling punk. Quality work, for sure, but doesn't seem super special.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Quality stuff. Whenever I see a DreamWorks album, my mental image is a wunderkind showered with money and resources, like the orchestra that appears on this album. That might not be the truth here, but the preconception does make this less relatable.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
Interesting sound. The title track has by far the best hook. I guess maybe Iron Butterfly is important as a predecessor to metal--but I don't really enjoy most metal. So shrug.
Living Colour
3/5
Very cool. Clearly a super 80's sound, which is not usually my jam, but I liked this.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Almost as good as it gets for punk music, especially so early in the genre's trajectory. This is right on the boundary between 3 and 4 stars for me, but I'm in a good mood, so what the hell.
Method Man
3/5
Dope. Just absolutely fucking dope. Well done, yo!
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Chef's early work is top notch. It doesn't have the comedic punch of Chocolate Salty Balls, but it's every bit as sexy.
Seriously though, this is interplay between music and vocals is so delightful on this album, with its looong tracks that feel like a grand tour. Had to listen to it three times before being fully convinced: it's a four star showing.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Wow, early Dolly keeping it real. Alternating back and forth between wholesome songs like Coat of Many Colors and eye-popping topics like Traveling Man. And yet it all hangs together. Nicely done!
Wilco
4/5
Whoa, I did not think of myself as a Wilco fan, but this is really a tour de force. It took me quite a while to decide between three and four stars, and even now I'm not totally sure. But I'll give extra points for the element of surprise.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Very good, although didn't truly wow me. Although I do love Marvin Gaye, and most of this was previously unheard for me, so it was a real treat.
Small Faces
3/5
Wow, this was a lot. It's honestly hard to believe I've never even heard of Small Faces. This is really impressive work!
Pavement
3/5
Middling grunge punctuated with moments of impressive artistry. This album is very weird. If I was the label, I'd probably try to steer this talent in a different direction, but maybe it seemed right at the time.
Doves
3/5
Lots of truly creative sounds on this album. I wouldn't say that I love it, but it's quite respectable. Comparing it to Coldplay would not be unfair--their sound is same flavor of bland. With some more edge to the lyrics, the Doves could have been just as huge.
Korn
2/5
Liking Korn was very uncool in high school when this came out, since it basically meant you were a total asshole. It still means that, but that's not totally Korn's fault, and there is some genuine artistry on this album. It's just hard to hear it without thinking about the Children of the Korn. Definitely one big notch over the Juggalos, but still bad news.
Saint Etienne
3/5
Fun, quite unique, and well executed. Not something I'd get particularly excited about, but it was a joy in my ear.
Van Morrison
3/5
This album gives me even more respect for Van Morrison than I had before. Wish I could have been there!
Arrested Development
3/5
Wow, somehow had never heard of Arrested Development before, but this album was very fun. It does have a very 80's sound, and seems to contain a lot of (fruitful) experimentation.
Slipknot
1/5
Truly punishment for the ears. I did nothing to deserve this. Except for a string of crimes. And sins. And crimesins. Listen, it's been a long week. My point is: fuck Slipknot!
SZA
4/5
Super love this album! It was very close to five stars, but the later tracks started to feel like filler. Still it all makes me feel so sexy. I'm melting like butter over here.
AC/DC
4/5
Easily 90% of my nostalgia for AC/DC comes from playing Tony Hawk so much as a kid. They're very far outside of my musical strike zone, but a lot of these tracks are sing-alongs for me.
Fishbone
2/5
Very interesting! I'm not super into this, but I appreciate the artistry.
David Gray
3/5
Oh, hey, of course I know Babylon, without knowing anything about David Gray. I love the variety of sounds on this album--great work!
Van Halen
3/5
Well, yeah, it's clear why they're famous. Hair bands are really not my genre, but the works that launched it are no doubt excellent. Seems like a simpler time.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Super cool. Very live-concert vibe. Very unabashedly weird. How these ideas emerged from his brain amazing me.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
After a while the wopawopawoo was all I could here. Interesting experiment, but I think they threw it all away on that one ever-present sound. Maybe it would work better if I was high.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Truly delightful! When you hear the words "cover album", you tend not to think of work so high quality as this. He really made these songs his own--if I didn't know better I might think his were the originals.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Pretty fun. Three stars feels a little generous, since I mostly thought this was just okay.
It was also a huge coincidence--I happened to hear one of these tracks when trying to find a tropical-vibe music on Spotify last weekend. (Sorry I guess I don't consider "Tropicalia" tropical-vibe.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Well, damn, this was really good. I've definitely become a much bigger fan of the Rolling Stones. Little hard to believe this was more than 60 years ago now, because it sounds modern in a lot of ways. Yes, there are a lot of covers on here, but they have plenty of distinctive character and variety.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Maybe it's my own mood, but this one didn't land for me nearly as much as Bruce's earlier work. Guess they can't all be bangers.
Napalm Death
1/5
Hateful music for hateful people!
Talking Heads
3/5
Learned to love Talking Heads from a friend/superfan, although my introduction was to a recording of one of their live shows. So it's honestly hard for the audio-only releases to stack up. This is right on the edge of four stars, but it didn't wow me enough.
The Band
2/5
Oh, The Weight is great, although the album overall feels very bland to me. It's definitely skillful, but just very unexciting.
Kings of Leon
4/5
The music is great, but the vocals carry Kings of Leon to true excellence. And today I learned they're three brothers and one cousin!
Missy Elliott
4/5
Very very good! Somehow this album didn't land on my radar when it first came out, but it's powerhouse work. In terms of musical complexity, it reminds me Beyonce's recent work, although the lyrics definitely have a lot less gravity. The elephant noise in place of the lyric "dick" is one of those things that I (like undoubtedly many others) will remember forever.
Manu Chao
3/5
Jaunty and calming! I have to wonder if I could understand the lyrics more if this would land harder with me, although the occasional English track (e.g. Bongo Bong) have Sesame Street level lyrics,so maybe not.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Damn, this was really good, and I'd never even heard of Jeru! Lots of different sounds, good depth in the lyrics, and altogether refreshing vibe.
And he's still touring! Anyone want to go to the Old but Gold Ü30 Hip Hop Festival in Hamburg, July 2026??
R.E.M.
4/5
Well, I honestly only understood about half of this when it first came out. I was 10, hearing it via honestly mediocre music videos on MTV. Coming back to it now, it is clearly a masterpiece. I don't think of myself as an R.E.M. fan, but this could sing along to probably half of this album.
Deerhunter
2/5
Certainly unique, but it didn't really move me.
Justice
4/5
Soooo good! Justice is operating almost at the level of Daft Punk here--it's a textbook case of dueling French electronic music duos. (Up next: Polo & Pan.)
Fairport Convention
3/5
Won me and lost me a couple times along the way, but ultimately I thought this was certainly above average. I'm not totally sure why it's on this list; even in the late 60s there were many superior bands making music. It's entirely possible I missed something deeply moving in the lyrics.
Hawkwind
4/5
Wow, super cool and super weird. The Space Rock genre was not even on my radar, so it's especially interesting to hear this. It's also amazing to see that they went on for decades after this came out.
Fugazi
3/5
Huh. Although this was actually pretty good, so much of me wanted a band called "Fugazi" to be better. It's such a good name, why would you not use it to make anything less than amazing music? This is not a rational response, but I'm accepting my own irrationality today.
4/5
Woof, it does not feel cool to enjoy U2 any more, but this album is an undeniable triumph. They definitely seemed a bit before my time, but I didn't realize how much--they were already 11 years into making music together when this was made, and I was only 5 years old.
The Byrds
1/5
Wayyyy too saccharine for me. Pollyanna vibes. Barely made it through.
Nirvana
5/5
Listening to this again after 30 years of music nerdery, it's just so obviously outstanding, in a way that I was unable to appreciate when it first came out. The way that some tracks feel slow and fast at the same time is just like being stuck in addiction. F → B♭ belongs to Kurt forever.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Meh. This is the sort of forgettable rock that takes up way too much space on this list. Maybe it was influential or groundbreaking in some place or time, but I don't really care. Give me more jazz. Give me more electronic. Give me more hip hop!
Minutemen
2/5
Meh, it just didn't seem that special to me. I was into punk back in the 90s, and this probably would not have caught my attention even then. The beginning of Corona definitely brings back Jackass memories, but still not enough to get me excited about this album.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Big points for weirdness. I'd bet good money that a lot of this emerged from use of psychedelics. Honestly I totally forgot about Todd between listening to Something/Anything in 15 months ago and today. Apparently I wasn't super wowed by that one, and this one is just barely a three-star.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Still surprised that I like Iron Maiden. It's cheesy, but maybe I'm a mouse 🧀🐁
Raekwon
4/5
Top notch hip hop. So much going on here. 30 years later and it still sounds very fresh. Truly magical ✨
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Pretty cool. It was a bit monotonous--I honestly didn't notice when it looped until about halfway through the second listen. Not sure if I'd seek it out again, but I'm glad I now know of the Cocteau Twins.
Dinosaur Jr.
1/5
I was feeling pretty meh about this one, and then right at the end it starts screaming at me, and I just wasn't in the mood.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Wonderful! Love the juxtaposition between the soft and smooth sound and the occasionally hard topics.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Okay, interesting. Late century crooners are not exactly my jam, but I do appreciate that Richard is not a mediocre rock band, and that ought to be good for at least three stars.
Sabu
3/5
Very fun! Parts of it were a bit of a grind, but I do love how much they did with a few simple sounds. Recovering from surgery at the moment, I cannot get up and dance, but I sure wanted to.
Cornershop
3/5
Whew, this was a real tough toss-up between three and four stars. Obviously I know the one big hit off this album, and it was really interesting to hear it in context. Love how unique and weird it all is, but it doesn't quite feel like deep admiration. Really enjoyed listening though.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Picking between 3 and 4 stars for this was very difficult. Kaytranada has instilled in me a deep appreciation for Janet's work, and this is certainly some signature stuff. There were just enough misses on the back half that I didn't feel like it really deserved 4. Still, it was very fun and memorable.
Metallica
3/5
Wow, I generally hate Metallica, but this was fantastic. The symphony kinda faded into the background for a few tracks in the middle, which took the wind out of my sails. This was on track for four stars for a bit, and really fell just a tiny bit short.
If you've never seen Florence and The Machine perform with the symphony, go watch it on YouTube right now.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom is such a weirdo, and I'm here for it. The spoken word bits are especially fun, like a standup routine. Top notch work, yo!
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Fucking love Lana Del Rey. She's right up there with Leonard Cohen. Don't like this one as much as Ocean Blvd, but it's still wonderful.
Hole
1/5
Nooooooooo! I've intensely disliked Hole for as long as I can remember. Still boggles my mind how anyone likes this.
Stan Getz
4/5
Wonderful. For music without lyrics, this is about as good as it gets. This is going into my regular rotation.
Soul II Soul
3/5
Awww, so fun! It's funny I'm familiar with many of these sounds, but only because they were sampled by artists who came later (hello Digable Planets). If I was a little bit older and perhaps had raved as a teenager, this might be super nostalgic for me. As my party days started close to 20 years later, this is just great--not magic.
Dirty Projectors
4/5
Delightful. I remember this era of quirky cute vibe being so popular, which I suspect gave way to Portlandia. At the time I was off in a different direction, and so never got acquainted with Dirty Projectors, but I did like this a lot. In fact I probably listened to it three times.
Miles Davis
2/5
Given my deep and abiding love for Miles, I really wanted to love this, or at very least like it. Alas, it was just too hard on the ears.
Carpenters
2/5
Certainly skillful music making, but far too saccharine for my ears (although maybe I'm just in a bad mood).
The Soft Boys
2/5
Sigh, another mediocre rock band on this list. It wasn't bad, but it really brought me zero joy 🙄
The Cramps
4/5
Whoa, this was great. Listened to it three times for multiple reasons, but by the third time I had really fallen in love with it. Somehow The Cramps were totally off my radar.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Not bad! Not exactly my jam, but I respect the talent on display here, in particular his distinctive voice. Maybe not a master of the mic at the same level as the other Elvis, but still enjoyable.
Brian Eno
3/5
Wow, I didn't know that Brian Eno was originally a rocker. This is certainly above average for the genre, but clearly not as name-building as his later experimental albums.