Transformer
Lou ReedPretty 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.
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.
Better than expected, although still hard to shake off the cloud of bad feelings from later work.
Wasn't my favorite in the 1990s, and it's even worse in the modern ear.
It was good. Not super interesting by modern standards, although I respect how revolutionary it was at the end.
Funky indeed, with some real classics
Nice, soothing. Know the hits, of course, but it's interesting to hear tracks that I never have before.
Hold up even now, 25 years later. Truly great.
Struggled to make it through. This is truly bad. Who the fuck likes this?
Definitely a classic that had my head bobbing along at least a few times.
Top notch disco-y jazz--very warm and friendly. It lands a little cheesy these days, but is nonetheless quite enjoyable.
Big energy, fun and feisty. I'm not really a rocker these days, but this one gives me some nostalgia.
Just barely saved from one star by Sweet Emotion, a genuinely good song. All the rest made me grit my teeth in regret.
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.
Quality music driven by a modern crooner. As good as it might be, who wants to be caught listening to Justin Timberlake?
Somehow made it through the 30th Anniversary Edition / Deluxe, but really didn't like even a single track.
They call her the Queen of Soul for a reason. Listened to it twice!
Remarkably good. Hard to believe I have never heard this whole album. It's right on the border of 5 stars.
Not exactly my style, but genuinely enjoyable. Doubly surprising because I've never heard of The Jam.
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.
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.
Some truly putrid tracks, but mostly decently listenable. I would call it a failed experiment, but I didn't truly hate it.
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.
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.
Super weird experimental rock. I probably would have loved it if I was a music-appreciating age in 1971. Today it's just okay.
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.
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.
It was fine; nothing to write home about.
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.
Shrug, it was okay. Feels a little bit like going back to high school.
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.
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.
Super cool! Amazing variety with lots of weird, funky sounds.
Wow, so great! Didn't realize I was not familiar with the man behind so many classics. Great energy live too 😁
Pure stereotype. Everything I disliked about 90s rock--bland, whiney, screechy. Kinda can't believe I made it to the end.
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.
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.
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 ❤️
Weird experimental rock, seems like the Bjork of its time. It was okay, but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again.
Still great even 20+ years later. Full of great tracks that prove their range far beyond Insane in the Brain.
Actually really liked this. It has a freshness to it that lots of other '70s rock really lacks these days.
Absolutely wonderful! Great variety, good energy, strong vocals, and all super duper lush.
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.
Pretty jaunty and fun. Kinda halfway between the Springsteen and the Magnetic Fields. Liked it a lot more than I thought I would.
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.
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 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.
Simple but so good. Chocked full of soul, with good variety and depth.
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.
Meh. Early punk is not really my thing. Funny that they're actually American, because it has a very British sound.
Pretty enjoyable. Listening to Vieux Farka Toure recently kinda spoils it though, since Vieux is much more enthralling.
Technically excellent, but really really not my style. Active since 1969 => holy fucking shit!
Meh! More Coldplay. Thanks.
Folksy and fun. Not really my style, but I can see why they're famous.
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.
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.
Don't really like new Bjork, and apparently I also don't like old Bjork ⭐️
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.
Superb. I've been really into reggae recently, and Bob is obviously one of the greatest of all time. Rest in peace, homie.
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.
Noooooooope! Nope nope nope. If he says, "sucking on my ding dong" again, I'm flip a fucking table ⭐️
So many classics on this album. I'm just not that into rock these days, even Bowie's far-out corner of it.
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.
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.
Can see why this is beloved within its genre. It's just not my genre.
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,
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.
Obviously very talented and at times captivating. But ultimately not really my style.
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.
Pretty good. Doesn't quite have the intensity of The White Stripes, but it is a technical masterpiece.
Sweet Dreams is my karaoke song! Obviously love that track. All the rest is kinda meh.
Wow, so slow and soulful. This album gives me a deeper respect for Bruce.
Wow, fantastic, soup to nuts 🤯
Quite disappointing. I have such a fond memory of Pixies from Where Is My Mind, but I mostly disliked this whole album.
Although I truly do not enjoy listening to this, I appreciate its inventiveness. It's weirdo music biiiiiiiig time, in a supremely discomforting way.
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?!
Pretty cool. Not something I would pick, but I'm glad I gave it a try.
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.
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.
One of the worst things to happen to music in my lifetime.
Remarkably good for a band I've literally never heard of before. What, me heap kindness on early country?
Didn't like it, honestly, but also didn't totally hate it.
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.
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.
Strong dislike
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!
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.
Pretty fun and very skillfully executed, although it lacks purpose and passion. It seems like professional coasting, to be honest.
Droning lyrics with very eclectic instrumentals and LGBT themes. It's definitely a strong piece of work, but not really my jam.
The Dude was right, the Eagles suck.
Don't love the human being, but there's no denying the music is excellent.
Really unique. Slow and throbbing. Sooooo far outside of other music I listen to, but genuinely quite enjoyable.
Not really my jam, but I appreciate the quality
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.
Meh. Don't really like it--kinda teetering on 1 star. Would give 1.5 if I could.
Strooooong dislike
Oddly charming. Honestly, the B-sides put me over the top into 3-star territory. Nice work, George!
Very good! Funky, fun, and so unique. It's like jazz collided with R&B.
Technically excellent, but not really my style.
Almost got me up to three stars with Somebody Told Me, but the rest is droney and feels empty.
Meh! It's aloof in this way that feels moderately depressing. And maybe melodramatic feeling. Only a tiny notch about 1 star.
Loved it! So soft and soothing--perfect for my Friday morning workout.
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.
Definitely some big sing-along hits on this album. My problem is I just don't feel good listening to Oasis.
Wow, totally off my radar. It was pretty good up to Filthy/Gorgeous, at which point I simply fell in love ❤️
Legend for a reason. Castles Made of Sand is one of my favorite songs of all time, not to mention Little Wing.
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.
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.
Whoa, so good! Funky jazzy awesomeness, which still feels fresh almost 50 years later. Curtis Mayfield is a genius.
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.
Pretty cool, especially for its time, although not really my jam.
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.
It's OG emo, basically.
Genuinely intriguing mishmash of rock and jazz.
Seems like it was way ahead of its time, but I just really dislike New Wave.
Well done, I've just always felt pretty meh about Foo Fighters.
80s x crooner = ugh
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.
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.
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.
Couldn't make it through. Some tracks were mildly interesting, but many were just grating.